food

Opponents of a proposed sugary drink tax demonstrate outside City Hall in Philadelphia on June 8. The Philadelphia City Council is set to consider a sugary drink tax that Mayor Jim Kenney wants to pay for universal prekindergarten, community schools and p

Can The Soda Industry's $4 Million Ad Blitz Fend Off A Sugary Drink Tax?

10:48am June 15, 2016

by Allison Aubrey

Philadelphia's City Council on Thursday will vote on a 1.5 cents-per-ounce tax on sugary beverages, as well as on diet sodas. Big Soda is spending big bucks on ads to sway public opinion against it.

Queue Listen Now

Tea Tuesday: Meet The Chai Wallahs Of India

5:57pm June 14, 2016

by Layla Eplett

Resham Gellatly and Zach Marks spent eight months traveling through India, meeting with hundreds of India's chai wallahs — or tea vendors — who highlight the country's culture and diversity.

The 'Turkey' apricot, a hand-coloured engraving after a drawing by Augusta Innes Withers (1792-1869), from the first volume of John Lindley's Pomological Magazine (1827-1828). The Romans dubbed the apricot the "precious one." Poets praised its beauty. The

'Moon Of The Faith:' A History Of The Apricot And Its Many Pleasures

11:24am June 14, 2016

by Joel Denker

The Romans dubbed it the "precious one." Poets praised its beauty. The conquering Arabs took it to the Mideast, where the luxurious fruit was exploited in sugary confections.

Why did humans start cultivating celery? It's low-calorie and, one might argue, low flavor. We asked some experts at the intersection of botany and anthropology to share their best guesses.

Celery: Why?

3:34pm June 13, 2016

by Natalie Jacewicz

Considering humans' millennia-long struggle with famine, it's surprising anyone spent time or resources cultivating low-calorie celery. But the vegetable's original use had nothing to do with food.

Primary regions of diversity of major agricultural crops worldwide.

A Map Of Where Your Food Originated May Surprise You

3:18pm June 13, 2016

by Jeremy Cherfas

A new study reveals the full extent of globalization in our food supply. More than two-thirds of the crops that underpin national diets originally came from somewhere else — often far away.

Late spring is swarm season, the time of year when bees reproduce and find new places to build hives.

Spring Is Swarm Season, When Beekeepers Are On The Hunt For New Hives

12:54pm June 10, 2016

by Annie Corrigan

While a new neighborhood beehive can be stressful for homeowners, it's an exciting time for beekeepers. They see it as an opportunity to collect more colonies for their apiaries.

At Bongo East, high school kids are learning a skill that's sure to come useful in college: making espresso.

Nashville High Schoolers Train As Baristas To Prepare For The College Grind

7:00am June 10, 2016

by Blake Farmer

A program teaches highs schoolers to pull espressos and pour pretty lattes. The idea is to prepare them for college — for college tuition bills, that is.

A seagull got a day-glo makeover when he fell into a vat of chicken tikka masala in Wales. He was taken to a wildlife hospital that says the bird will be fine.

World News

Curious Orange: Gull Gets Dyed After Diving Into Vat Of Tikka Masala

6:46pm June 09, 2016

by Bill Chappell

A seagull got the day-glo treatment after it fell into a vat of spicy chicken at a factory in Wales.

Philadelphia City Council Set To Pass Soda Tax

6:43pm June 09, 2016

by Katie Colaneri

Philadelphia's City Council agreed to support a tax of 1.5 cents per ounce on sweetened beverages, including all sweetened drinks, whether they are sugar-based or diet. The proposal still requires a second council vote, expected to pass on June 16. Cities interested in similar taxes include Oakland, Calif., San Francisco and Boulder, Colo.

Queue Listen Now

Opponents of a proposed sugary drink tax demonstrate outside City Hall in Philadelphia on Wednesday.

Taxing Sugar: 5 Things To Know About Philly's Proposed Soda Tax

4:19pm June 09, 2016

by Allison Aubrey

The Philadelphia City Council this week took a major step toward approving a tax on sweetened drinks. Passing a tax in a city this big would be historic and could set a precedent.