A handheld food smoker, often called a smoking gun, promises real wood-smoke flavor on a kitchen countertop without the heat, physical space, or hours required by an outdoor barbecue pit. With a pinch of wood sawdust in a miniature burn chamber and a battery-powered fan pushing smoke a rubber hose, it seems like an effortless … Read more
A common misconception about bread molding may be the biggest food science fallacy on the internet. The question, and the fear and outrage that accompanies it, is driven by repeated instances of viral online experiments in which someone buys several loaves of store-bought sandwich bread, sets slices out on a kitchen counter or leaves a … Read more
To many of us who grew up with Pizza Hut, driving past one of the abandoned red-roof buildings is a depressing sight that brings on a wave of nostalgic sadness. Online commentary tends to point to those empty suburban relics as proof of a corporate funeral. According to a virtual avalanche of online content, we … Read more
In fast food opinion polling, Wendy’s frequently ranks near the top of the burger hierarchy. Diners often praise the burger, fries, and the quality of the chicken over the other national burger chains. To anyone looking purely at sentiment data, Wendy’s looks like a beloved national staple. So how does a chain with such a … Read more
Since the late 1970s, Betty Crocker has been printing the words “Pudding in the Mix” on some of its cake mix boxes. The marketing suggests that in the dry ingredients package is a secret payload of prepared pudding or even a dedicated packet of pudding mix that will make your cake super moist. But, of … Read more
As anyone old enough to remember the 1990s about the era’s biggest commercial disasters, and Zima will almost certainly make the list. A favorite butt of pop-culture jokes, retrospectives treat the citrusy malt drink as a goofy corporate misfire alongside Crystal Pepsi, New Coke, and the Arch Deluxe. Late-night television turned ordering a Zima into … Read more