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Food

Friday

'Ripe': One Man's Quest For The Perfect Tomato

Once upon a time, tomatoes were considered poisonous, even dangerous. But gradually, the plump produce made its way into our homes and onto our plates. Arthur Allen tells the story of the tomato's redemption, popularization and eventual modification in his book, Ripe: The Search For The Perfect Tomato.

'Ripe': One Man's Quest For The Perfect Tomato

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U.S. Is A Spicier Nation (Literally) Since 1970s

New Spice: Piquant spices that were once hard to find in most of the United States are now available in many groceries and online. Alex Wong/Getty Images hide caption

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Alex Wong/Getty Images

U.S. Is A Spicier Nation (Literally) Since 1970s

Americans' spice consumption has grown almost three times as fast as the population in recent decades. Much of that growth is due to the country's changing demographics. Now, flavors that were once exotic and rare are found on the shelves in many groceries.

U.S. Is A Spicier Nation (Literally) Since 1970s

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Thursday

Strange News

The Mustard Museum: Passion For A Condiment

Summer is full of distinctive flavors, but one condiment stands above them all: mustard. Hot dogs just aren't the same without it. And in Wisconsin, there's a museum devoted to the simple spread. It all started with one man collecting unique mustards.

The Mustard Museum: Passion For A Condiment

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Wednesday

Coffee Aliases Give Cup of 'Joe' New Meaning

That guy in front of you at the coffee shop might not actually be named "Bob." Joe Raedle/Getty Images hide caption

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Joe Raedle/Getty Images

National

Coffee Aliases Give Cup of 'Joe' New Meaning

When Shefali Kulkarni, a reporting fellow at the Village Voice in New York City, is asked for her name while ordering coffee at Starbucks, she tells the barista a little fib. She uses "Sheila," her "coffee name." Michele Norris asks her why.

Coffee Aliases Give Cup of 'Joe' New Meaning

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Sunday

Recipes

Would You Like A Little Bacon In That Martini?

At restaurants across the country, the dinner menu has been bleeding not so subtly onto the cocktail list. Here's a quick lesson in making meat-flavored liquors -- and what to do with them after that.

Would You Like A Little Bacon In That Martini?

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Saturday

Your Olive Oil May Not Be The Virgin It Claims

To be extra-virgin, olive oil can't be doctored with lesser oils. iStockphoto.com hide caption

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iStockphoto.com

Your Olive Oil May Not Be The Virgin It Claims

CapRadio News

The next time you reach for a bottle of extra-virgin olive oil, beware. A new study from the University of California-Davis found that more than two-thirds of random samples of extra-virgin olive oil didn't make the grade.

Your Olive Oil May Not Be The Virgin It Claims

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Friday

Wavering Euro Makes Store Owners Do The Math

When the dollar started loosing against the euro, the Chinese were buying large quantities of European milk. It pushed up the prices of European cheeses -- creating angst for specialty food owners. Anthony Brooks/NPR hide caption

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Anthony Brooks/NPR

Business

Wavering Euro Makes Store Owners Do The Math

Prices of specialty food like European cheeses, olive oils and pastas are extremely dependent on the strength of the euro compared to the dollar. One small businessman says he never imagined that running a neighborhood food store would require him to become an expert on global currency rates.

Wavering Euro Makes Store Owners Do The Math

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Wednesday

Pop Culture

Shop That Inspired 'Soup Nazi' Reopens In N.Y.

Immortalized by a Seinfeld character, the Original SoupMan returned to Midtown Manhattan Tuesday, drawing a long line. But the soup man himself -- Al Yeganeh -- did not make an appearance.

Shop That Inspired 'Soup Nazi' Reopens In N.Y.

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Monday

Healing Honey And The New Queen Bee(keepers)
Zac Visco For NPR

Your Health

Healing Honey And The New Queen Bee(keepers)

From urban rooftops to suburban ranches, apiaries are hip. As the ranks of backyard beekeepers grow, they're reporting some mysterious and sometimes disturbing behaviors, including the disappearance of whole hives. And what about the honey? Is it really good medicine, or just a sweet treat?

Healing Honey And The New Queen Bee(keepers)

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Sunday

Sir Thomas Lipton And His Empire Of Tea

The yachting cap with the black leather bill, the long white mustache and the floppy bow tie were all part of Sir Thomas Lipton's trademark "Great Lipton" persona. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division hide caption

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Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

Author Interviews

Sir Thomas Lipton And His Empire Of Tea

In A Full Cup, writer Michael D'Antonio traces Thomas Lipton's rise from the slums of Glasgow, Scotland, to the High Courts of Tea — and how he never forgot where he came from.

Sir Thomas Lipton And His Empire Of Tea

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Saturday

Aged 9,000 Years, Ancient Beer Finally Hits Stores

Chateau Jiahu is made of rice, grapes, hawthorn berries, honey and chrysanthemum flowers. The recipe might be the same as one of the world's first alcoholic beverages. Brad Horn/NPR hide caption

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Brad Horn/NPR

Aged 9,000 Years, Ancient Beer Finally Hits Stores

Dogfish Head brewery is known for making exotic beer with ingredients like crystallized ginger or water from Antarctica, so it might not sound surprising that one of its recent creations is a brew flavored simply by grapes and flowers. But it's not the recipe that makes this beer so special; it's where that recipe was found.

Aged 9,000 Years, Ancient Beer Finally Hits Stores

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