food

Archivist Amy McDonald invited some co-workers to help her re-create cherries jubilee from a university cookbook. But even with a historical paper trail, there were still things they couldn't figure out, like what to do after it starts flaming.

At Duke University, A Bizarre Tour Through American History And Palates

8:15am September 21, 2017

by Cynthia Greenlee

Through the Rubenstein Test Kitchen project, librarians and staff re-create historical recipes from thousands of cookbooks in the collections. Some dishes are culturally telling ... and comical.

Betsy's Pancake House on Canal Street in New Orleans announces its return to business after Hurricane Katrina.

National

Lessons From Katrina: How Restaurants Can Be Beacons In A Catastrophe

4:22pm September 20, 2017

by Ian McNulty

In good times, restaurants do more than furnish meals. They also provide a place to bring people together. As Louisiana knows all too well, that's what makes them so vital during the worst times, too.

Confusion over "sell by" and "use by" dates is one big reason why billions of tons of food are tossed each year. A new global initiative of food giants, including Amazon, Walmart and Nestle, aims to tackle that.

Environment

Global Plan To Streamline 'Use By' Food Labels Aims To Cut Food Waste

6:00am September 20, 2017

by Allison Aubrey

Confusion over "sell by" and "use by" dates is one reason why billions of tons of food are tossed each year. A new global initiative of food giants, including Walmart and Nestle, aims to tackle that.

The Pico C is an automated beer-brewing device, or "beerbot," that can be monitored remotely from a smartphone or tablet.

National

Rise Of The Beerbots: Is Tech Taking The Craft Out Of Homebrewing?

11:44am September 19, 2017

by Alastair Bland

Automated systems have turned the messy, ancient art of brewing into a tidy hobby requiring fairly minimal skill, and of course, a smartphone or tablet. Critics ask: Where's the craft in that?

Oysters, shown out of their shell, collect tiny plastic particles while in the water. These microplastics can eventually make their way into your dinner.

Guess What's Showing Up In Our Shellfish? One Word: Plastics

11:19am September 19, 2017

by Ken Christensen

Scientists predict that plastic in the ocean will eventually outweigh the fish there. Where is it all coming from? And is it making our food unsafe? Researchers are trying to find the answers.

Dorothy Boddie runs the outreach ministry at Allen Chapel AME, one of the Capital Area Food Bank's nonprofit partners. The D.C.-area food bank is part of a growing trend to move toward healthier options in food assistance, because many in the population i

One Of America's Biggest Food Banks Just Cut Junk Food By 84 Percent In A Year

4:36pm September 18, 2017

by Kristina Johnson

D.C'.s Capital Area Food Bank is part of a growing trend to move toward healthier options in food assistance, because many in the population it serves suffer from high blood pressure and diabetes.

Some bean-based pastas mix in vegetables such as kale, caulilower and spinach.

Health & Safety

Beans Add Healthy Fiber And Protein To Gluten-Free Pastas

7:00am September 18, 2017

by Jill Neimark

Pastas made from starches like rice are a boon for those with celiac disease and wheat allergies. The downside: Many spike blood-sugar levels. What to do? Look toward bean-based options.

Dolores Huerta: The Civil Rights Icon Who Showed Farmworkers 'Sí Se Puede'

7:36pm September 17, 2017

by Maria Godoy

A key architect of the nationwide grape boycott that galvanized the farmworkers' rights movement, her legacy has long been overshadowed. A new film aims to change that. Huerta speaks with NPR.

Science

Scientists Work To Grow Food In Space

7:59am September 17, 2017

NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks with Gene Giacomelli of the University of Arizona about working with NASA to develop a kind of greenhouse where astronauts can grow crops while in space.

Greg Gatscher, left, and his son, Evan, prepare the house for Hurricane Irma. Little did they know these metal shutters would later become a cooktop.

National

Grilled Cheese Cooked On Shutters? After Irma, Floridians Got Creative With Food

7:00am September 16, 2017

by Wynne Davis

People get hungry during natural disasters, and processed, pre-packaged food can get old fast. But with a little imagination, some folks managed to make themselves some surprisingly good hot meals.