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Food and Think

Store-provided personal barcode scanners are becoming more commonplace, but the technology is being adapted for smart phones to make for an easier shopping experience.

Five Ways to See the Supermarket of the Future Today

Huitlacoche, a black corn fungus, is an agricultural bane to some, but to others, it’s a delicacy.

Delicious Molds: Four Fungi Fit For Your Plate

Some molds are perfectly fit for consumption, if not desired to produce fine dining fare

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What to Do With Your Delicious Summer Melons

From salsa to salad to soup, here are some great refreshing dishes to make with these sublime, succulent fruits

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Where Bourbon Really Got Its Name and More Tips on America’s Native Spirit

Michael Veach is Louisville’s unofficial bourbon ambassador. We asked him to give us some history as well as some suggestions on what to drink

“Rainbow Ice” is a top selling flavor for Dippin’ Dots.

Is Dippin’ Dots Still the “Ice Cream of the Future”?

How founder and CEO Curt Jones is trying to keep the tiny ice cream beads from becoming a thing of the past

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Ask Smithsonian 2017

Is Spaghetti and Meatballs Italian?

The classic dish can be found in red-and-white tablecloth spots across the United States, but there’s a fascinating history behind where it got its start

A hidden treasure–a bottle of Normandy apple cider stashed eight months earlier–is withdrawn from a hole in a rock wall in France’s Dordogne Valley. It was replaced with a Chimay Belgian ale. Want to play the game? Read this post for instructions.

Find the Beer! Bottles of Brew Await in Hiding Places in France

Bottles of strong brew lurk in rock walls and cliffs around southern France. Can you find them?

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We Have Texas to Thank for the Biggest Big Gulp

The story behind the super sized soda cup in 7-Eleven stores and how it changed soft drinks forever.

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The History of the Frozen Banana Stand

The chocolate-covered dessert was the rock of the Bluth family empire. But where did the idea come from?

Designer Kate Jenkins goes for a mix of realism and humor in her crocheted works of art. Here, the poppy seed bagel looks quite delectable until you notice the lips on that lox.

Look, But Don’t Eat: Delicious Crocheted Dishes

This British designer crochets pizzas, veggies and cakes that look almost realistic enough to eat

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When Heineken Bottles Were Square

In 1963, Alfred Heineken created a beer bottle that could also function as a brick to build houses in impoverished countries.

A tabletop laden with goodies showcases the nut culture of the French Périgord, where locals make cheese, bread, oil and liqueur using the area’s walnuts.

Five Ways to Enjoy a Walnut

In France’s Périgord region, never mind the truffles, foie gras and wine—at least for a day—because this country is ground zero of the noble walnut

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The History of Baseball Stadium Nachos

From a Mexican maitre ‘d’s mishap in 1943 to the gooey, orange stuff you put on your chips at the baseball game today.

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What’s Better at the New Orleans Jazz Fest: The Food or the Music?

From oyster patties to po’boys, crawfish to étouffée, the caterers and restaurants offer strong competition to the legends on the big stage

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Strawberries Still Green? You’re on Trend!

Chefs around the country are experimenting with the springy, tart version of this favorite berry. Try pickling them yourself

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What Modern Art Looks Like As Yummy Dessert

Pastry chef Caitlin Freeman uses inspiration from modern art to whip up cakes, cookies and other desserts

A ginger sow and her piglets at the Ginger Pig’s Yorkshire farm.

How One Family Helped Change the Way We Eat Ham

The Harris family struck gold when they introduced the ice house to England in 1856, but what were the costs of their innovation?

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The Best Way to Handle the Coming Cicada Invasion? Heat Up the Deep Fryer

For 17 years, these insects have been lurking, waiting to return, so here are some suggestions to eat your way through the infestation

Combining chia seeds, a nutrient-rich food naive to Mexico and Central America, with water creates a gel-like mixture.

Five Ways to Cook With Chia Seeds

The nutty-flavored seeds responsible for Chia Pets provide a nutrient boost to smoothies, burgers and soups

Doughy goodness is impossible to resist.

Kolaches: The Next Big Thing in Pastries and The Tex-Czech Community Behind Them

Rural Czech communities in Texas have been enjoying the buttery pastry for more than a century, now homesick Texans bring kolaches to the rest of us

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