Food Facts & Fun

Get Over It! Boxed Wine Is Better Than Bottled

Boxed wines have a stigma, and we're here to tell you there's just no need for it. They taste as good, last way longer and are more eco-friendly than bottled.

By Stephanie Vermillion Feb 3, 2020 Wine / Wine Facts

Who Put the Baby in the King Cake?

King cake is as much a staple of Mardi Gras as the parades and beads. But what's the story of this brightly colored cake? And why is there a plastic baby baked inside?

By Jeremy Glass Jan 28, 2020 Food Facts & Fun / Food & Culture

Gelatinous, Squishy Mochi Is Having a Moment

Mochi is a super-chewy traditional Japanese delicacy, made from mochigome, a short-grain glutinous rice.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky Jan 16, 2020 Food Facts & Fun / Food & Culture

The Pili Nut Is a Nutritional Powerhouse Worth Cracking

These nuts could be some of the healthiest we've ever come across. So why can't the pili nut crack the health food market?

By Jeremy Glass Jan 13, 2020 Food Facts & Fun / Sweets & Snacks

Try Ghee, the 'Liquid Gold' Better Than Butter

If you've never cooked with ghee, then let us introduce you to this wonderfully rich cooking fat. It's made of butter, but it's way better.

By Muriel Vega Jan 7, 2020 Food Facts & Fun / Food & Culture

Brace Yourself: Bananas Are Berries, Strawberries Aren't

If bananas are berries and strawberries and raspberries are not, what in the world is a berry anyway?

By Michelle Konstantinovsky Jan 7, 2020 Food Facts & Fun / Fruits & Vegetables

It Took a Court to Decide Whether Pringles Are Potato Chips

Pringles aren't like other potato chips. And back in 2007 Procter & Gamble sued to declare the snacks weren't even potato chips at all.

By Jeremy Glass Jan 1, 2020 Food Facts & Fun / Sweets & Snacks

What's the Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder?

Baking soda and baking powder are both leavening agents, but they work differently in batters and doughs. So, in a pinch, can you substitute one for the other?

By Melanie Radzicki McManus Dec 26, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Food Science

Balut Is the Asian Street Food You Gotta Eat to Believe

At first glance, balut, which is a cooked, fertilized duck egg, might look unappetizing. But it's a favorite snack in Southeast Asia, and has been for centuries.

By Jeremy Glass Dec 19, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Food & Culture

The Art and Science of Aging Beer

We know wine collectors age their wine. But what about beer? There's a movement of beer enthusiasts dabbling in aging beer, too. Do the same rules apply?

By Stephanie Vermillion Dec 11, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Food Science

Truffles: The Rarest and Most Expensive Fungi in the World

Truffles are prized the world over for their pungent, earthy flavor, but what's so special about them, and why is the truffle trade so cutthroat and secretive?

By Michelle Konstantinovsky Nov 25, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Food & Culture

What's All the Buzz About Manuka Honey?

This native New Zealand 'liquid gold' honey may make you want to abandon the bear. But does it really have medicinal properties, and why is it so expensive?

By Tara Yarlagadda Nov 19, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Sweets & Snacks

If at First You Don't Succeed, Try Tripe Again

Humans have been cooking and eating tripe for centuries. Think you can stomach it?

By Kristen Hall-Geisler Nov 18, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Food & Culture

What's the Difference Between Whiskey and Bourbon?

You might think the difference is only in the name, but it's more than that. The slight variations in recipes, aging and even geography make whiskey and bourbon two different alcohols.

By Patty Rasmussen Nov 12, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Beverages

Here's Why Macadamia Nuts Are So Delicious and So Crazy Expensive

The mildly flavored, slightly oily, softly crunchy macadamia is prized all over the world, but grown mostly in Hawaii.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky Nov 11, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Sweets & Snacks

What's All the Buzz About Ezekiel Bread?

Sprouted grain breads, like Ezekiel bread, are all the rage. But where did that name come from? And are they really better than other breads?

By Alia Hoyt Oct 2, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Breads & Grains

What Are the Different Types of Cheese?

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the volume of cheese at your local supermarket or cheesemonger, we're here to help you tell the fresh from the stinky and the soft from the hard.

By Dave Roos Food Facts & Fun / Condiments & Ingredients

6 Cheesy Facts About Cheeseburgers

We're celebrating, what else? The all-American cheeseburger.

By Tara Yarlagadda Sep 17, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Food & Culture

Why Are Certain Foods Eaten Mainly at Breakfast?

Americans have come to expect certain foods for breakfast. But why did these particular foods end up as morning meals?

By Shaun Chavis Sep 3, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Food & Culture

How Does String Cheese Get Stringy?

String cheese is a super popular snack with kids and adults. And it's stringiness can be a bit baffling, too.

By Meg Sparwath Aug 12, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Food Science

What's the Shelf Life of a Ketchup Packet?

They're convenient and sort of free, but do ketchup packets last forever?

By Meg Sparwath Aug 5, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Condiments & Ingredients

Jackfruit Is a Stinky, but Otherwise, Perfect Fruit

Its smell is notorious. But get past that and the jackfruit is versatile, easy to grow and packs a nutritional punch that's hard to beat.

By Adina Solomon Jul 30, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Fruits & Vegetables

Is Guava the Superfood You're Not Eating?

This tropical fruit, grown all over the tropics, has lots of health benefits. Even its leaves get in on the act.

By Alia Hoyt Jul 29, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Fruits & Vegetables

What Is Sassafras and Is it Safe?

Sassafras has a long history of culinary, medicinal and aromatic use, but safrole, a toxic compound found in its essential oils, has been banned by the FDA because of its potential carcinogenic properties.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky Jul 25, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Food Science

What Is Citric Acid, and Is It Safe?

Citric acid is added to everything from food to medicines to cleaning supplies. Although it occurs naturally, it's mostly manufactured from black mold. But does that mean we need to be worried?

By Alia Hoyt Jul 24, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Food Science