Food and Culture Facts

Explore the culinary showdown of Nigiri vs. Sashimi. Learn the differences, flavors, and how to savor these Japanese delicacies.

By HowStuffWorks

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

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

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

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

By Jeffrey Miller

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

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

The café Alice Waters opened in Berkeley, California, in 1971 launched California cuisine and the farm-to-table movement. Fifty years later Chez Panisse is still one of America's most influential restaurants.

By Paul Freedman

Some of your favorite "international" foods might not have roots outside of America. Instead, they may have been created in the good old U.S.A. Think you know which dishes were first cooked where?

By Alia Hoyt

Ah, food. It's different all over the world, and what's strange to you is totally mundane to someone else. Come along as we discover some interesting breakfast options from around the globe.

By Jeremy Glass

The already heated chicken sandwich wars just keeps getting hotter. Will a winner ever emerge in this fast food fight?

By Jeremy Glass

This banana chicken casserole defined Swedish cuisine in the 1970s and is still a beloved classic today.

By Jeremy Glass

These seven foods are banned in at least some, if not all, of the states in America. Have you tried any of them?

By Alia Hoyt

Aspic might not be the most crave-worthy of culinary creations, but it does inspire a sort of cultlike devotion among ardent supporters.

By Katy Spratte Joyce

Tired of cooking every meal at home every day? We get it. And are here with ways to make dinnertime simple again.

By Sharise Cunningham

These steaks are touted as some of the best you can buy. They're expensive — and huge. But are they worth the high price tag?

By Muriel Vega

It's slimy, stringy and even quite pungent, but natto is also chock full of nutrients. So what is this superfood that's been a staple in Japan for thousands of years?

By Stephanie Vermillion

Food writer Calvin Trillin once estimated that 80 percent of boudin bought in Louisiana doesn't make it home — it's eaten right in the parking lot. Why are people so passionate about this sausage?

By Caroline Eubanks

These two Italian cheeses may look similar on the outside. But it's what's revealed on the inside that makes them so deliciously different.

By Stephanie Vermillion

Graham crackers were invented by Presbyterian minister Sylvester Graham as part of a radical 19th century diet. His goal? To curb joy and sexual desires.

By Patty Rasmussen

Latkes are potato pancakes that are commonly eaten during Hanukkah. What's behind this delicious Jewish tradition?

By Stephanie Vermillion

The national dish of Scotland (popular at New Year's Eve and Burns Night) is banned in America because it contains a certain outlawed ingredient. But whose idea was it to stuff a sheep's stomach bag and boil it? And what does it taste like?

By Alia Hoyt

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

By Stephanie Vermillion

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

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