Did you know Chicago was once known as "The Candy Capital of the World?" This moniker was an apt one, as many of today's most popular candies had their beginnings here.

This week, we celebrate National Bourbon Day, in honor of a corn-based libation that has enjoyed a long and fascinating history. How long and how fascinating?

Say the word “summer,” and in certain areas of the country, the word conjures up images of carnival rides, livestock competitions, and (needless to say) fattening cuisine.

As with so many culinary innovations, it is unclear when and where donuts originated, but they may have been around since Biblical times — in the Book of Leviticus there is a mention of “cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried.”.

The shocking news that Swedish meatballs actually originated in Turkey got us thinking: what other foods bear one name, but came from somewhere completely different (or are another thing entirely)?

Is there anything more refreshing than an ice-cold soft drink (or soda, or pop, or coke, or soda pop, or fizzy drink, depending upon where you hail from)?

How many foods can claim that they are a creamy, delicious treat, chock full of nutrients, and might just improve your health and prolong your life? Well, here’s one, known from its earliest days as “food of the gods”: yogurt.

G’day, mates! This week, we go to the land Down Under, Australia — a country that is also a continent; a place where sheep outnumber humans three to one; and a region that is home to the dingo, the didgeridoo, and Crocodile Dundee.

Nothing says “upscale party” quite like fancy hors d’oeuvres, right? There you are, in black tie or a little black dress, juggling a glass of wine or a cocktail and an artful bit of “finger food” (or several of them on a plate if there’s a buffet), while also attempting to carry on a convivial conversation. 

"Animal crackers in my soup
Monkeys and rabbits loop the loop
Gosh, oh gee! but I have fun