Famous Flavors

The Wild West of Digital Dining Decisions The Wild West of Digital Dining Decisions (image credits: flickr) Picture this: you’re standing outside a restaurant, stomach rumbling, scrolling through Yelp reviews to decide if you should go in. More than 90% of consumers consult online reviews before making a purchase or visiting a business for the first time. You’re not alone in this ritual – millions of people worldwide make dining decisions based on star ratings and stranger’s opinions. But here’s the million-dollar question: can you actually trust what you’re reading? The answer might surprise you more than that mysterious “special … Read more

The Theory Behind Negative-Calorie Foods The Theory Behind Negative-Calorie Foods (image credits: unsplash) Picture this: you’re munching on celery while burning more calories than you’re actually eating. Sounds like a dieter’s dream, right? The concept of “negative-calorie” foods suggests that certain foods require more energy to chew, digest, and process than they actually provide. Think of it like having a magic metabolism booster hiding in your refrigerator. Foods that commonly get this label include celery, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, grapefruit, broccoli, and cabbage. The idea is that your body works so hard to break down these foods that you end up … Read more

Foraging Movement: Meet the People Who Grocery Shop in the Woods The Wild Side of Food Shopping That’s Taking Over The Wild Side of Food Shopping That’s Taking Over (image credits: unsplash) Forget fighting for parking spots at the supermarket or battling crowds in grocery aisles. A growing number of people are ditching traditional food shopping for something far more adventurous—they’re turning to the great outdoors as their personal grocery store. Foraging — the act of finding wild, edible food — is a lost art in modern society, but it’s making one heck of a comeback. These modern-day hunter-gatherers are … Read more

Unprecedented Heat Waves in Vineyards and Cocoa Farms Unprecedented Heat Waves in Vineyards and Cocoa Farms (image credits: unsplash) Record-breaking heat waves have swept across France, Spain, and Italy in 2023 and 2024, with temperatures consistently topping 40°C during key grape-growing months. The International Organisation of Vine and Wine reported a 14% drop in European wine production in 2023, the lowest in 60 years, citing heat and drought as the main culprits. In Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, where over 60% of the world’s cocoa is grown, similar heat extremes have slashed yields by up to 20% according to recent data … Read more

A Cookbook That Sparked Outrage Worldwide A Cookbook That Sparked Outrage Worldwide (image credits: unsplash) When “Raw Flesh: The Uncooked Truth” hit shelves in late 2024, the backlash was instant and intense. This cookbook, written by renegade chef Lars Mikkelsen, features recipes for raw and “extremely rare” meat dishes, challenging long-held food safety norms. Health authorities in the US and Europe quickly issued warnings, citing CDC data showing that foodborne illnesses affect 48 million Americans annually, often linked to undercooked meat. Social media was ablaze, with #BanRawFlesh trending for days. Mikkelsen defended his book in interviews, saying, “People deserve to … Read more

Failures: Iconic Brands That Flopped (New Coke, Anyone?) When Coca-Cola Forgot Who They Were When Coca-Cola Forgot Who They Were (image credits: pixabay) Picture this: you’re sipping your favorite Coke on a warm summer day in 1985 when suddenly, your beloved brand announces they’re changing their century-old formula. By 1985, Coca-Cola had been losing market share to diet soft drinks and non-cola beverages for several years. Blind taste tests suggested that consumers preferred the sweeter taste of the competing product Pepsi-Cola, and so the Coca-Cola recipe was reformulated. The American public reacted negatively, and New Coke was considered a major … Read more

The Surprising Power of Food Sayings The Surprising Power of Food Sayings (image credits: unsplash) Food proverbs like “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” aren’t just catchy—they actually shape how people think about health. In a 2024 survey by the American Folklore Society, 78% of respondents said they remember and use food sayings in daily life, often passing them down to children. These proverbs are sticky because they’re short, memorable, and seem to contain practical wisdom. According to linguist Dr. Emily Harper, food sayings have a psychological impact, nudging people toward healthier habits in a way that plain … Read more

The Pumpkin Spice Dynasty is Cracking The Pumpkin Spice Dynasty is Cracking (image credits: unsplash) Let me tell you something shocking – pumpkin spice might finally be losing its crown. After 20 years of absolute autumn domination, the flavor that launched a thousand lattes is facing serious competition. The same Millennials who were largely responsible for its meteoric rise after Starbucks debuted the first Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) in 2003 are now ready for a change after two decades of pumpkin spice dominance. Tania Cienfuegos Harris, pastry chef at Hotel Hartness and Patterson Kitchen + Bar in Greenville, South Carolina … Read more

Meet Persicophobia: More Than Just Picky Eating Meet Persicophobia: More Than Just Picky Eating (image credits: pixabay) When you see someone recoil from a fuzzy peach like it’s a venomous spider, you’re witnessing something far more intense than simple food pickiness. Persicophobia (from Latin persicus, “peach”) is fear of the color peach/tan, though the term more commonly refers to the deep-seated fear of peaches themselves. This isn’t about not liking the taste – it’s about genuine terror triggered by the fruit’s texture, appearance, or even just thinking about touching one. An unpleasant sensation caused by touching certain materials like velvet, … Read more

Pineapple Pizza: The Ultimate Food Debate Pineapple Pizza: The Ultimate Food Debate (image credits: unsplash) You can’t mention controversial food combos without starting with the big one – pineapple on pizza. The origins of using pineapple as a pizza topping began in 1962 Canada when Sam Panopolous, a Greek chef started experimenting with new toppings due to a lack options at the time. What’s wild is that people still argue about this like it’s the most important political issue of our time. A 2021 YouGov survey indicated that 54% of Americans believe pineapple doesn’t belong on pizza. But here’s the … Read more