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
Swallowing animals one by one…"
— Shirley Temple, 1935

Greetings! It’s always bittersweet to get to the end of a season. Thank you all for being such loyal viewers and enthusiastic diners. We couldn’t do it without you! This week we are airing a special episode that features some of the small, mostly counter service gems around our beautiful city. My favorite is Johnnie's Beef in Elmwood Park close to where I grew up. I have been ordering the same thing for over 30 years: Italian beef extra juicy with sweet AND hot peppers, fries, and an Italian ice.