NPR

‘Praise The Lard’: A Barbecue Legend Shows Us How To Master Smoked Chicken Wings

Mike and Amy Mills are a father-daughter team from southern Illinois. Mike was trained as a dental technician. “I made false teeth — crowns, bridges, partials — this type of thing. It’s what I did as a trade,” he recalls. “Later on, I started barbecuing just for the fun of doing it.” And that’s what…

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Eating Chocolate, A Little Each Week, May Lower The Risk Of A Heart Flutter

There’s a rich body of evidence that links chocolate to heart health. Now comes a new study that finds people who consume small amounts of chocolate each week have a lower risk of developing atrial fibrillation, a heart condition characterized by a rapid or irregular heartbeat. “The rate of atrial fibrillation was 20 percent lower…

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Grocery Stores: ‘The Best Of America And The Worst Of America’

Grocery stores in America have changed from neighborhood corner markets to multimillion-dollar chains that sell convenience — along with thousands of products — to satisfy the demand of the country’s hungry consumers. What caused this transformation? And what will our grocery stores be like in the future? Award-winning food writer Michael Ruhlman, author of more…

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Whirring, Purring Fidget Spinners Provide Entertainment, Not ADHD Help

Fidget spinners — the trendy toy of the moment — are causing a commotion. A lot of kids love them, just as many teachers hate them and some people think they’re more than just toys. The basic fidget spinner has three prongs centered around a circle with bearings in the middle. Take one prong, give…

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Detail of the cover of Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings: The Folk-Lore of the Old Plantation, By Joel Chandler Harris

‘Tar Baby’: A Folk Tale About Food Rights, Rooted In The Inequalities Of Slavery

The tar baby story in which Bre’r Rabbit outwits Bre’r Fox is a classic trickster folk tale. But like all fables, it is a double-barreled affair, with entertainment firing in tandem with a serious message. The question the story addresses is a fundamental one: Who controls access to food and water? Or, more crucially, who…

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