Food Facts & Fun

There's really no shortage when it comes to milk alternatives. But oat milk seems to stand out. Why is it so hot right now? And how do you make it?

By Jeremy Glass

A favorite treat in British children's stories of the past, Turkish delight might be an unfamiliar taste to American readers. So, what is it like, and how do you make it? We get insight from the Culinary Institute of America.

By Alia Hoyt

You might have seen lychees at an international farmers market and not known they were lychees. The dark red tropical fruit looks a little like raspberries and are packed with potassium - and sugar.

By Stephanie Vermillion

Men at Work sang about the stuff in their 1981 hit 'Down Under.' But what is this thick, black spread anyway?

By Stephanie Vermillion

This 180-year-old sauce can be used to add zing to just about any dish. But what's in it? And why is it so effective? And, most of all, how do you pronounce it anyway?

By Alia Hoyt

Paprika comes from the dried Capsicum annuum variety of red peppers, and can range in flavor from sweet to very hot.

By Patty Rasmussen

Shallots belong to the same family as onions, leeks, scallions and garlic. They look like small, elongated onions but have a sweeter, milder flavor.

By Tara Yarlagadda

Say it ain't so. The cult-favorite McRib is back for the last time. Or this is just more of the "McPlan" that's worked so well for decades?

By Jeremy Glass

Capers are actually the flower buds of the caper bush. So where does all that flavor come from?

By Stephanie Vermillion

Is that pepper too hot to handle? See where it falls on the Scoville scale.

By John Donovan

Heart of palm, with a similar taste and texture to artichoke heart, is a staple in Central and South America and a healthy addition to almost any menu.

By Tara Yarlagadda

We usually equate the Masters golf tournament with azaleas blooming in the South. But this year, the tournament got us thinking about that pimento cheese sandwich, which it's also famous for.

By Alia Hoyt & Stephanie Vermillion

The Chicken of the Woods mushroom is jam-packed with protein and easy to spot with its bright orange color and ruffled edges.

By Katie Carman

This starchy, staple fruit that grows in the tropics has the potential to provide food security to millions. So what exactly is it and who's eating it?

By Stephanie Vermillion

If Subway's bread is legally not bread, then what in the heck is it?

By Jeremy Glass

Canada isn't a country known for its cuisine. But there is one sandwich from Halifax with a cultlike following that you just have to try to believe.

By Jeremy Glass

If you've ever dreamt of living out 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' now's your chance - golden ticket hunt, winning a candy factory and all.

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

Sure, eating prunes can help you have regular bowel movements, but these sweet dried plums can also help you build - and maintain - strong bones.

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

The mint julep is as synonymous with the Kentucky Derby as big hats and seersucker suits. But how did this simple drink from the 1700s wind up at the world's most famous horse race?

By Stephanie Vermillion

This iconic cereal has a long and fun history. For instance, its original name wasn't even Cheerios.

By Jeremy Glass

Is the difference between soy sauce and tamari like the difference between ketchup and catsup - in name only? Not at all, and we'll tell you why.

By Jeremy Glass

Honey has been used as medicine for millennia and, in this century, the old remedies seem to be holding up to science.

By Jesslyn Shields

You crack open the fortune cookie at the end of your meal and ... well, it may not exactly tell your future, but who doesn't secretly hope it promises something fabulous?

By Jeremy Glass

Farro is a grain you may not be familiar with, but it's been around a long time, it's incredibly versatile and it's oh so good for you, so what's not to like?

By Jeremy Glass

Hot dogs are about as American as baseball and apple pie. You know you love them, but do you know what's actually in them?

By Sarah Gleim