food

Make mine a venti: An example of a drinking vessel from the Grasshopper Pueblo archaeological site in central Arizona. Researchers tested shards of similar vessels found at various sites in the American Southwest and found evidence that people in the regi

1,000 Years Ago, Caffeinated Drinks Had Native Americans Buzzing

3:32pm September 08, 2015

by Murray Carpenter

People in the American Southwest and Mexican Northwest were drinking cacao and tea-like yaupon in places where neither grew. That suggests an extensive trade network to deliver a caffeine fix.

Just Mayo looks like mayonnaise and tastes like mayonnaise but contains no eggs. That's ruffled the feathers of the egg industry.

National

How Big Egg Tried To Bring Down Little 'Mayo' (And Failed)

11:48am September 08, 2015

by Dan Charles

Newly released emails from the American Egg Board reveal embarrassing details about its fight against the vegan product Just Mayo. Industry critics say the board's antics may have broken the law.

Queue Listen Now

Mangalitsa pigs devour heirloom tomatoes in Milan, Ohio.

WATCH: I'll Have What These Pigs Are Having

12:10pm September 06, 2015

by Eliza Barclay

Pigs lucky enough to be born in the backyard of a chef are raised on gourmet slop. In the peak of summer, that can mean a feast of heirloom tomatoes.

"Trucking is not a 9 to 5 job. It's really a 24-hour operation," says Cody Blankenship, owner of 4BTrucking, which operates out of Waco, Texas. He logs about 100,000 miles a year on the road. A planned run during harvest time this year will keep him away

These Are The People Who Haul Our Food Across America

7:03am September 05, 2015

by Anne Bramley

Farmers, chefs and small-batch producers get a lot of praise these days. Truckers are rarely mentioned — yet most of the food that ends up on our dinner tables depends on their labor.

Arts

Open Your Eyes To The Infinite Possibility Of The Tomato

8:24pm September 04, 2015

by Eliza Barclay

How do you transform 100 pounds of 60 varieties of tomatoes into a seven-course meal? It may sound like a math problem, but it's more a creative journey into the infinite possibility of the tomato.

Author Jennifer Jordan at an apple farm in the Central coast of California circa 1976.

Books
Arts

Why Are We Drawn To Heirloom Fruits And Veggies? They're 'Edible Memory'

2:01pm September 04, 2015

by Eliza Barclay

Heirloom foods have grown in popularity, making their way into gardens, farms, farmers markets and restaurants. A sociologist says they offer a powerful emotional and physical connection to the past.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush spoke at a Cedar Rapids Pizza Ranch restaurant in March.

Pizza Ranch: Fueling Campaigns On Cheese And Chicken

1:35pm September 04, 2015

by Clay Masters

Among heating lamps and sneeze guards, you could just meet the next president. Candidates love the chain because it's ubiquitous and cheap.

Queue Listen Now

Keith and Tiffani Andrews fish for ridgeback shrimp on the fishing vessel Alamo.

From Dock To Dish: A New Model Connects Chefs To Local Fishermen

7:15pm September 02, 2015

by Clare Leschin-Hoar

Prominent chefs are signing up for restaurant-supported fisheries: They commit to buying fresh-caught seafood, whatever the species, from local small fishermen. A pilot program launched in California.

This Bloody Mary served at the Nationals Park in D.C. came with a meat straw, which infuses each sip with an umami flavor. Ben Hirko first came up with the concept while tending bar one snowy night in 2009. The straws have become a hit.

The Bloody Mary Meat Straw: An All-American Story

5:11pm September 02, 2015

by Tamara Keith

Bloody Marys have been around for ages, but an Iowa man has invented a way to take them to a whole new level: a straw made of meat. They've become a hit at bars, ballparks and stadiums. #America

Queue Listen Now

How Fishermen's Bragging Rights Gave Birth To Fine Art

5:10pm September 02, 2015

by Tove Danovich

In 19th-century Japan, fishermen found a foolproof way to record trophy catches: a "fish rubbing" inked onto paper, creating a permanent record of their size. Gyotaku soon evolved into fine art.