Food Facts & Fun

Oh, fudge, that wonderful candy with a rich, deep flavor and thick texture. It's the guilty pleasure of choice for many chocolate lovers, and fudge, in all of its many flavorful incarnations, isn't that hard to make -- if you have a little patience.

By Sara Elliott

The words "health" and "cake" aren't often uttered in the same sentence. Ingredients like butter and heavy cream make the cake taste great but can end up forever on the hips. A few substitutions can change that.

By Emilie Sennebogen

The cupcake is hotter than ever, and it's easy to see why. This individual-sized little cake has a frosted dome and the kind of personality that fits in at a class party or a wedding. But what are the most popular flavors?

By Chris Obenschain

These miniature cakes are more popular than ever thanks to the designer cupcake bakeries that have cropped up in major cities all over the country. How can you enjoy them without the guilt?

By Alison Cooper & Emilie Sennebogen

Going vegan means no animal products of any kind, including dairy. But how do you make a cake without the three holy ingredients of the baking world: eggs, butter and milk? Turns out, it's not so tough to bake vegan.

By Emilie Sennebogen

Cupcakes seem uniquely suited to our modern sensibilities. They're portion-controlled, portable, easy to make in batches, open to lots of decorating strategies, tasty and can be inexpensive to make. So, who is the genius behind them?

By Sara Elliott

When we broach the topic of cake, we start getting into passionate territory. People define important moments in life, like birthdays, weddings and holidays, with cake. But where did this obsession begin?

By Sara Elliott

Any parent who's planned a festive first birthday party only to have the guest of honor sleep through the proceedings or seem a little lost and forlorn will love the idea of a smash cake celebration. Let your child dig in -- literally.

By Sara Elliott

Tomatoes are wonderfully versatile when it comes to preparation. They can be stewed, stuffed, baked, broiled, pureed, pickled, deviled, glazed, grilled and fried. But how do you match the tomato to the meal?

By Jessika Toothman

It's easy enough to peel food at home with hot water and a pan -- but surely the world's canned produce is peeled by some faster means? What is flash steaming, and how fast does it work?

By Jessika Toothman

The noble art of mixology goes a long way past alcohol. These five kiddie "cocktails" are perfect for parties, special occasions or just a hot afternoon. The days of raising plastic cups of milk to toast are gone for good.

By Gallagher Flinn

Holiday cheer and colorful cookies just seem to go mitten in mitten. Not only are they a hit at any soiree, but they also make great gifts. So, if you plan to deck the halls with trays of cookies, why not go the extra mile and decorate them yourself?

By Emilie Sennebogen

From the early days of scooping out ice cream floats at soda fountains, sundaes now have become a household treat that you can make for yourself and your family. So, why not make Sunday a fun day for making ice cream sundaes at home?

By Emilie Sennebogen

Autumn is a beautiful time of year when a crisp coolness fills the air. So bundle up and visit a pumpkin patch or get lost in a corn maze. It's time to enjoy all that mother nature has to offer.

An apple a day will keep the doctor away! Did you know that approximately 2,500 varieties of apples are grown in the United States? Apples are a delicious fruit that is available year-round and they are full of vitamins and nutrients.

The key to low-calorie desserts? Smaller portions, natural sweetening from fruit and low-fat dairy. These five desserts keep the calorie count low while still satisfying your sweet tooth.

By Debra Ronca

To some of us, growing a crop in the shade is a perplexing concept. But for crops like coffee, shade is a good thing -- for the environment, for biodiversity and even for your cup of joe.

By Julia Layton

Spice pictures will delight you with brilliant colors and aromas from around the world. Check out our spice album and learn how to flavor your food.

By Candace Keener & Marie Bobel

If you love history, mystery and happy endings, you'll enjoy learning about autumn apples. One of the earliest cultivated fruits, the apple has come a long way from its crabapple-like ancestors. Most apples have long and respected pedigrees.

By Sara Elliott

Cider is the signature beverage of autumn, but you may be a little confused about the difference between apple cider and apple juice. Don't worry, it's a common question and has an answer that differs all over the United States.

By Sara Elliott

Steamy summer days and yellow ears of grilled corn are behind us. The produce aisle is stocked with red and blue Indian corn. Can you actually eat it? What's the story behind those colorful ears?

By Victoria Vogt

Depending on how you look at it, the practice of genetically engineering crops is either a boon for civilization and the greatest hope to feed a hungry world, or a dangerous interference with nature that threatens both our health and our ecosystem.

By Emilie Sennebogen & Gallagher Flinn

From using seawater to grow crops in the middle of the desert to helping us colonize distant worlds, greenhouses are undoubtedly going to be an integral part of humanity's future.

By Chris Obenschain

S'mores are the stuff memories are made of. But who created this ooey, gooey, chocolatey sandwich?

By Victoria Vogt

What's the opposite of fast food? Slow food -- food that's been prepared from locally grown ingredients and reflects a certain culture and its history. It's the kind of food you savor, not scarf down in your car on the way to your kid's soccer game.

By Debra Ronca