Food Facts & Fun

Call it bubbly or bubbles, but don't call what's in your glass Champagne unless it truly is. How do you know? It depends on where and how it's made.

By Carrie Whitney, Ph.D.

Sherry and port are both fortified wines. But their similarities end there.

By Muriel Vega

Ah, vanilla. You can almost smell it right now, can't you? From pure vanilla extract to essence and imitation, it comes in all forms. But where does vanilla flavoring come from?

By Laurie L. Dove

Liquor and liqueur are spelled so similarly, it's easy to confuse them for being the same. But they're not. So how are they different?

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

The expression "the cherry on top" is supposed to refer to a very good thing. You may think differently once you learn how maraschino cherries are actually made.

By Alia Hoyt

There are a lot of theories about why wine bottles have dents (or punts) on the bottoms. Do they still serve a purpose?

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

Don't know how to eat dragon fruit? This stunner of a fruit is as simple to slice as it is pretty to look at. So give it a try. You won't regret it.

By Patty Rasmussen

The baguette is the most popular kind of bread eaten in France. So it only makes sense UNESCO would protect it as an iconic part of its cultural heritage.

By Patty Rasmussen

Think sweet potatoes and yams are the same? Think again. These two tubers are totally different. Yams aren't even potatoes.

By Lauren David

If you love mushrooms, why not grow them at home? It's easy if you have a mushroom growing kit.

By Muriel Vega

Cheetos are more than just tasty, dusty cheese puffs. They've even inspired a major motion picture. And why is the snack so addictive, anyway?

By Alia Hoyt

You may know chai as a sweet and spicy Starbucks favorite, but the roots of this tea blend lie in the heart of the Indian subcontinent. So, how do you make it?

By Kate Morgan

Grits and polenta are both made from corn, but usually different varieties: dent corn and flint corn. What else makes these two dishes unique?

By Muriel Vega

Franken Berry, Count Chocula and Boo-Berry have been resurrected just in time for Halloween. And Frute Brute joins them on the shelves for the first time in nearly a decade.

By Jeremy Glass

Never heard of stirring butter into your coffee? Yep, it's a thing, and there might even be some good reasons to try it.

By Lauren David

Your mom may have told you to put bananas or peaches in a brown paper bag to help them ripen faster. But does this really work? And why would it?

By Jennifer Walker-Journey

The fruit of the jabuticaba grows on its trunk and branches and is as sweet as a grape. But it's very perishable once it's picked.

By Laurie L. Dove

Hostas are a perennial garden favorite, but are still relatively unknown as a delicious and easily prepared culinary delicacy.

By Laurie L. Dove

You've undoubtedly heard about heirloom tomatoes, but what's so different about them, and why do they taste so good?

By Jennifer Walker-Journey

Does your mouth get all excited at the thought of eating a juicy grapefruit? Well, pucker up, because grapefruit is loaded with the vitamins and antioxidants your body needs.

By Laurie L. Dove

Casu marzu has been called the most dangerous cheese in the world. But Sardinians have been eating it for centuries, so why is it banned and is it really so bad?

By Alia Hoyt & Lauren David

Sriracha is spicy and tangy but not super hot. That's why so many people love it. It never overpowers foods; it just complements them.

By Mark Mancini

Filled with a variety of ingredients, such as cinnamon, honey, seeds and brown sugar, hotteok is a fried pancake that's an extremely popular street food in Korea.

By Laurie L. Dove

Don't let its name - or strong aroma - turn you off. Fish sauce is a savory sauce used in Southeast Asian cuisine, and we promise if you try it, you'll never let your kitchen be without it.

By Mark Mancini

America just can't do without Mexican avocados. And the Mexican cartels want a piece of the pie.

By Jeffrey Miller