Deena Prichep

Many of the 2 million men serving time in the U.S. have formed their sense of manhood while incarcerated. And becoming a different kind of man isn't easy — either behind bars, or beyond them.

Sea stars, commonly referred to as starfish, are experiencing a massive die off. Sea star wasting syndrome has wiped out millions of them along the West Coast — from Mexico to Canada.

To create accountability and transparency, some raw milk producers are coming up with guidelines for testing and safety. But federal agencies say all raw milk is still risky to consume.

The horrible memory of overcooked vegetables can and should be overcome, because yes, kale is really good for you. A cookbook author shares tips for making sure these veggies actually taste good, too.

Actress Nina Millin, who performs Beyonce lyrics as monologues, speaks with NPR's Audie Cornish about how a karaoke failure blossomed into a series of viral performances.

Some advocates say autism-only schools can be life-changing for autistic kids who struggle in traditional classrooms. Others say segregating kids with autism carries its own problems.

When you think of the tools of diplomacy, food isn't always high on the list. But breaking bread together can be one of the most basic ways of finding common ground. Which is why, a couple of years ago, the State Department launched the Diplomatic Culinary Partnership.

The program ...

The Passover Seder is usually described as a ceremonial meal: Participants sit down to a set of ritualized foods and tell the story of the exodus from Egypt. But more than just tell it, Jews are bidden to relive it. We engage in ritual and discussion and debate, until each ...

If you were going to make a desert-island list for your refrigerator, it's unlikely tahini would make the cut. In fact, it might not even be in your standard mainland refrigerator, unless you regularly cook food with a Middle Eastern or hippie influence. Which is a bit of a shame. ...

Rev. Tim Schenck created the March Madness-type bracket in the true spirit of the season. People learn about, then vote for their favorite saints to advance to the Golden Halo.

This chilly winter, many of us have warmed ourselves — and our kitchens — with long-cooked meals. Roasts, beans, and stews have been in heavy rotation. But there's a dish called cholent that isn't just cooked for a few hours — it's cooked for a full day.

Cholent is rooted ...

As you gather with friends to watch the Olympics this weekend, why not prepare what they might serve in Sochi? Try, say, herring instead of chips.

But if you're really presenting food the Russian way, you'll need to make more than one snack. And get your libations in order.

Zakuski ...

Diallo Shabazz was a student at the University of Wisconsin in 2000 when he stopped by the admissions office.

"One of the admissions counselors walked up to me, and said, 'Diallo, did you see yourself in the admissions booklet? Actually, you're on the cover this year,' " Shabazz says.

The ...

As we approach the threshold of a new year, it's only human to wonder what's ahead. In Germany and a few nearby countries, the answer to this age-old existential question is found in molten lead.

When Gesine Krätzner had some scraps of lead left over from a roofing project last ...

A couple of years back, I was trying to help a friend come up with some quick and easy dinner plans. She was swamped at work, her husband was out of town, and her two young kids needed the usual amount of attention. I asked what she'd been cooking lately. ...

Fish sauce — that funky, flavor-enhancing fermented condiment — is part of what gives Southeast Asian cooking its distinctive taste. But it turns out, this cornerstone of Eastern cooking actually has a long history on another continent: Europe. And it goes all the way back to the Roman Empire.

Like ...

If you've been to a fancy restaurant, you've probably seen a sommelier — those wine experts who make sure you get the best possible match for your meal. But what if you don't want a chardonnay or pinot? What if you want a nice cold beer?

A new program is ...

While American kids stand in line for the ice cream truck on sweltering summer days, kids in Russia have historically queued up for something different: the kvas truck.

Kvas is a fermented grain drink, sort of like a barely alcoholic beer. And in the heat of the summer, it was ...

Late summer is high season for delicious, juicy fruits, from Georgia peaches to Maine blueberries. Naturally, that gets many bakers thinking pie. But taking a big, drippy pie on a picnic can be a pretty sloppy prospect.

Kim Boyce, a baker in Portland, Ore., has solved this problem. For picnics, ...

There are the summer days where we bake cobbler and pie, and grill up slabs of eggplant and bushels of corn. And then there are the tropically hot summer days where the thought of turning on an oven — or even an outdoor barbecue — is enough to make you ...