Famous Flavors

Succotash: The Original Farm to Table Succotash: The Original Farm to Table (Image Credits: Flickr) Succotash, a top old-school side dish that almost everyone has forgotten about. “Fresh tomatoes, fresh corn, [and] chopped okra fried in a skillet with just a little bit of salt and pepper and a pinch of sugar take it to the next level, simmering on the stove – simple, delicious, poured over rice, and oh-so-southern,” said Johnson. This humble combination doesn’t need Instagram filters to shine. Originating with the Narragansett of New England, succotash could’ve very well found a place among the first Thanksgiving Day … Read more

Salted Caramel’s Meteoric Rise Salted Caramel’s Meteoric Rise (image credits: pixabay) Salted caramel has become a worldwide obsession, and it’s not slowing down. According to market research from Grand View Research, the global caramel ingredient market was valued at $2.65 billion in 2023, with salted caramel driving much of that growth. Pastry chefs started sprinkling flaky sea salt on gooey caramel in the late 2000s, but in 2024, you’ll find salted caramel in everything from ice cream to macarons and even doughnuts. The salty-sweet balance appeals to our taste buds’ love for complexity, making each bite addictive. Major bakery chains … Read more

When Liquid Gold Became Liquid Greed When Liquid Gold Became Liquid Greed (image credits: flickr) Picture this: you’re guarding millions of dollars worth of liquid gold, stored in barrels stacked floor-to-ceiling in a warehouse that looks like something out of a Canadian fairy tale. The theft over several months in 2011 and 2012 of nearly 3,000 tonnes of maple syrup, valued at C$18.7 million from a storage facility in Quebec represents something that sounds almost too absurd to be real. But here’s the kicker – adjusted for inflation, the heist is the most valuable in Canadian history. This wasn’t just … Read more

Ranch Dressing – The Golden Standard That Turns Sour Ranch Dressing – The Golden Standard That Turns Sour (image credits: wikimedia) Did you know that ranch salad dressing that has been continuously refrigerated will generally stay at best quality for about 6 to 9 months? Yet most of us cling to that half-empty bottle like it’s liquid gold. The problem isn’t just expiration—it’s the gradual taste decline that happens long before you even notice. Once opened, the shelf life of ranch dressing decreases significantly. Exposure to air and contaminants can lead to quicker spoilage. What makes ranch particularly tricky is … Read more

Mushrooms: The Water-Soaking Saboteurs Mushrooms: The Water-Soaking Saboteurs (image credits: wikimedia) For quality reasons, do not wash mushrooms until you are ready to use them. Despite what many meal preppers think, scrubbing those earthy fungi days ahead is one of the fastest ways to turn firm, flavorful mushrooms into soggy disappointments. “All wild mushrooms should be washed and it is crucial to dry them out afterwards,” says Joseph Rizza, Executive Chef of Prime & Provisions in Chicago. “Cultivated mushrooms, like buttons and portobellos can be cleaned using a dry cloth or paper towel to wipe off the excess ‘dirt’ they … Read more

Freezer Burn Turns Premium Lasagna Into Cardboard Freezer Burn Turns Premium Lasagna Into Cardboard (image credits: unsplash) You know that fancy organic lasagna you splurged on at the grocery store? The dulling of color in frozen vegetables and cooked foods is usually the result of excessive drying due to improper packaging or over-lengthy storage. The bright red color of meat as purchased usually turns dark or pale brown depending on its variety. This may be due to lack of oxygen, freezer burn or abnormally long storage. Even if the packaging looks intact, freezer burn happens when food isn’t stored properly … Read more

Cheerios Cheerios (image credits: wikimedia) America’s beloved whole grain oat circles might look sturdy, but once opened, cereal’s shelf life diminishes due to exposure to air and moisture, which can lead to staleness. Cheerios, another General Mills classic, was introduced in 1941 as the first ready-to-eat oat cereal, yet despite its long history, this breakfast staple begins losing its signature crunch within just a few days of opening. If you try to break a flake of cereal and there is no crackling sound, then the cereal has probably gone bad – or more specifically the cereal is stale and has … Read more

Spinach Loses Most of Its Vitamin C When Heated Spinach Loses Most of Its Vitamin C When Heated (image credits: wikimedia) Think spinach is the ultimate superfood? Raw spinach certainly packs a nutritional punch with its impressive vitamin C content, but here’s what nobody tells you. Spinach can lose much of its vitamin C when cooked. Blanching for five minutes can more than halve vitamin C levels, with more than 90 percent dissolving into the cooking water after 15 minutes. That vibrant green power you’re expecting from your cooked spinach dishes? Most of it literally goes down the drain with … Read more

The Surprising Survival Champions in Your Kitchen The Surprising Survival Champions in Your Kitchen (image credits: unsplash) Have you ever wondered why some vegetables seem to last forever while others turn into wrinkled shadows of their former selves after just a few days? Root vegetables are among the most wasted food items in households worldwide, with studies showing that 44.1% of all root vegetables are wasted after storage. Yet despite their tendency to shrivel and shrink, these underground treasures possess something remarkable—they rarely end up in the trash bin. When vegetables start shriveling, they’re becoming too dry, but this process … Read more

Sugary Cereals: The Sweet Trap That Starts Your Day Sugary Cereals: The Sweet Trap That Starts Your Day (image credits: unsplash) The cereal aisle looks innocent enough, but it’s actually ground zero for one of the most shocking nutritional transformations in modern food history. Between 2010 and 2023, cereals marketed to children showed significant increases in fat, sodium and sugar and decreases in protein and fiber content. That colorful box of “wholesome” breakfast cereal you toss in your cart? Many of these cereals will have 10 to 14 grams of “added sugar” per serving, and some will have more. A … Read more