They're creamy, delicious, full of nutrients - and, as a crop, they have a complex history. But banana enthusiast Laura B. Weiss keeps it simple in her appreciation of America's No. 1 fruit, with sweet suggestions for breakfast and dessert.

Allegations of mystery meat have long dodged the fast-food giant's crispy chunks of chicken. Now, McDonald's Canada is taking a viral approach to dispelling the rumors with a video that reveals exactly how its McNuggets are made.

This fresh, fleeting delicacy, harvested through March, softens the harsh blow of winter. One or two large, plump scallops - raw, seared or tucked in crisp, maple-roasted bacon - can serve as the crowning jewels of a dish.

American chefs from coast to coast are using evergreens to develop unique flavors in dishes from white fir and sorrel broth to pine needle vinegar to smoked mussels. It's a food trend with roots that go back centuries.

Even as smoking bans spread across the U.S., mixologists are coming up with tobacco-infused tipples. But tobacco experts say these drinks could be risky because there's no way of knowing how much nicotine is in them.

Trappist monks are known for producing some of the world's finest beers. But until recently, all of them were brewed in Europe. Next week, Spencer Trappist Ale, made by the monks of St. Joseph's Abbey in Massachusetts, hits retail shelves.

Remember screw caps on jugs of wine? These days, many winemakers have wholeheartedly embraced the screw tops - not just for their ease of use, but for the way they seal the wine's taste. Now many consumers are learning to look past the enclosures former downmarket reputation.

Winter isn't keeping Indianapolis from a thriving farmers market. The event mostly associated with summer, continues to bring people out as the snow begins to fall.

Sure, you can flip up a short stack of syrupy pancakes and bacon and delight everyone at the dinner table. But why stop there? Why not serve, say, eggs baked in a seasoned sauce, with crusty bread for dipping? Or use a waffle iron to press perfectly crisp hash browns.

That difference translates to about $550 a year, according to a new meta-analysis of studies evaluating the retail costs of food, grouped by healthfulness. It's chump change for middle-class eaters, but a big gap for low-income families. Researchers say that's a problem that can be solved.