Food Facts & Fun

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

They're two popular types of long-grain rice, both with roots in Asia. But what makes them different from each other?

By Alia Hoyt

You probably won't find a pawpaw in your grocery store or local farmers' market, so what's the deal with this most elusive of fruits?

By Laurie L. Dove

Eating a pomegranate may seem intimidating at first, but once you learn how to do it, it's easy - and those shiny, jewel-toned seeds are well-worth the trouble.

By Laurie L. Dove

Jaggery is an unrefined sugar made from sugarcane that is frequently used in both savory and sweet dishes prepared throughout southwest Asia.

By Laurie L. Dove

You've seen the ads and surely you've seen the "left" and "right" candy bars. But come on. Are they playing mind games with us or are these two bars really different?

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

Sour cream and crème fraîche have a lot in common. But these two rich toppings aren't exactly the same. We'll tell you how they differ.

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

Even if you think you hate fruitcake, a taste of Caribbean black cake could go a long way toward changing your mind. Let's dive into its rich and delicious history.

By Dave Roos

It's marketed as an alternative to refined sugar. But is coconut sugar really a healthier option?

By Sharise Cunningham

You might have survived off ramen noodles in your 20s. Certainly you've had them at some point in your life. But have you ever considered how Cup Noodle made its way to the U.S.?

By Alisa Freedman

Fermented from honey, yeast, water and gesho and served chilled in beaker-shaped bottles known as bereles, t'ej is Ethiopia's most popular drink and one of the oldest in the world.

By Katie Carman

Science has made it possible for some apples to be stored as long as a year before selling. How is that done, and is it safe?

By Joanna Thompson