pop culture
Modern popular culture topics in the Feast and cooking sphere.
Celebrating Excellence: Crystal Springs Wine Cellar Wins the Wine Spectator Grand Award for the 23rd Consecutive Year. AI-Generated.
At Crystal Springs Resort, history has been made yet again. Crystal Springs Wine Cellar has earned the prestigious Wine Spectator Grand Award for the 23rd consecutive year an achievement held by only 11 wine programs in the entire world. This extraordinary recognition represents unmatched dedication, impeccable curation, and a lifelong commitment to elevating the wine experience.
By Jeffrey Spinaabout 10 hours ago in Feast
The Top 10 Places to Eat American Fare - And What That Fare Really Is.
America has never been especially good at pretending. Our food didn’t come from royal courts or marble kitchens. It came from hunger, hard labor, long hours, and the simple need to make something filling out of what was available. American fare wasn’t designed to impress anyone. It was designed to work.
By The Iron Lighthousea day ago in Feast
My Review of the 2026 Starbucks Winter Menu
In early 2026, Starbucks unveiled new additions to their menu: exclusive matcha blends, a selection of pastries and limited-edition Dubai chocolate drinks. With blends that emphasized matcha, pistachio, chocolate and yuzu citrus, it was pretty clear to me that Starbucks was taking inspiration from trending flavors. In any case, as a matcha lover, I had to try the new offerings--and the pastries seemed like the perfect accompaniment.
By Kaitlin Shanks2 days ago in Feast
The Super Bowl and Chicken Wings
Americans are preparing to eat 1.48 billion chicken wings during Super Bowl LX. The National Chicken Council’s annual report puts that figure front and center, reminding us that the Super Bowl isn’t just the biggest night in football—it’s the biggest night for chicken wings in the United States.
By Margaret Minnicks2 days ago in Feast
The Chinese Island Where Dreams of Real Estate Glory Never Die. AI-Generated.
Off the southern coast of China lies an island that has long captured the imagination of investors, developers, and dreamers alike. Hainan, often called “China’s Hawaii,” is a place where blue seas meet ambitious blueprints, and where the promise of real estate glory has repeatedly risen, fallen, and risen again. Despite market downturns, policy crackdowns, and shifting economic winds, the dream of turning Hainan into a global property hotspot simply refuses to die.
By Fiaz Ahmed Brohi21 days ago in Feast
December 27 is National Fruitcake Day
Fruitcake is also known as a Christmas cake. December 27 is National Fruitcake Day. Fruitcake is a dried-fruit-laden dessert cake that is typically enjoyed around Christmas, but rarely eaten outside the holiday season. In fact, it is one of those items that is only in the grocery stores during the Christmas holiday.
By Margaret Minnicks2 months ago in Feast
My Tous les Jours Trip. Top Story - December 2025.
As someone who lives in a rural area, I don't get the chance to visit fancy restaurants or bakeries that often. So, when a friend told me about a French-Asian bakery that's less than an hour away, I knew I had to check it out and grab some pictures for social media. Tous les Jours ended up providing an immersive experience that went above and beyond my expectations--although I did leave with a few reservations.
By Kaitlin Shanks2 months ago in Feast
Your Smoothie King Menu Guide
Smoothie King's menu is fairly extensive, and with newer additions like loaded toasts and smoothie bowls, it can be a lot to take in. As a frequent visitor, I thought I'd take the time to write a menu guide that outlines the categories and customization options. I'll also throw in some observations and advice that I've accumulated along the way.
By Kaitlin Shanks2 months ago in Feast
5 Foods that Taste Better the Next Day
Lately I’ve started to make more food than I need so that I can enjoy the leftovers the next day. It’s time efficient and works well with my busy schedule. What I didn’t expect to find was that somehow certain foods tasted better the next day rather than on the day they were cooked. The flavours seem deeper, the textures mode delicate, and the overall quality of the dish wasn’t altered. Here are 5 foods that I’ve noticed tasted better the next day.
By Dave's Your Uncle!2 months ago in Feast
Red Velvet Cake was never meant to be Red
Red Velvet Cake is a moist sweetest red-dish dessert that has ever been tasted. However, Red velvet cake wasn’t meant to be the color red. Red velvet cake is not red due to insufficient or poor-quality food coloring, using the wrong type of cocoa powder, or incorrect oven temperature and acidity balance. The cocoa can overpower the color, so using a high-quality red food coloring, natural (not Dutch-processed) cocoa, and an acidic liquid like buttermilk is crucial, as is baking at the correct temperature. In the 19th century and into the early 20th, bakers described certain cakes as “velvet” simply because their crumb was more delicate than traditional cakes. These cakes often used cocoa powder (or almond flour or cornstarch) instead of rich chocolate bars or heavy flourIn its original form, red velvet’s reddish hue was subtle, a warm, slightly reddish-brown the result of natural cocoa + acidic ingredients + baking chemistry. That version of red velvet was defined as much by its texture (“velvet” crumb) and mild cocoa flavor as by its color. When some of these early “velvet cocoa” or “mahogany” cakes used cocoa powder plus acidic ingredients (like buttermilk or vinegar), bakers noticed the result — a cake with a faint reddish or mahogany-tinged hue. Over time, as recipes evolved and merged with darker cakes (like devil’s food), what we now call red velvet emerged.
By Gladys W. Muturi2 months ago in Feast
The Top 10 Snack Foods You'll Find In Thailand
What Americans think of when they hear the term "snack," they think of common staples such as chips, cakes, cookies, candy bars, and sodas. But when you're in Thailand, snacks can look a little bit different and come in a lot of different varieties.
By Jenika Enoch2 months ago in Feast
