Smith Island Cake Is Maryland’s Official State Dessert

Today in 2008, the state of Maryland formally recognized Smith Island Cake as its official state dessert. It’s yellow cake and chocolate frosting in layers and layers and layers.

By |2025-10-01T07:55:29-04:00October 1, 2025|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , |

Watergate Salad Is An Actual Sweet Dish Named For Our “Long National Nightmare”

Today in 1972, a break-in at the Watergate hotel that kicked off a huge political scandal... and also, somehow, gave a gelatin dessert the name "Watergate salad."

By |2025-07-17T07:17:36-04:00July 17, 2025|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , |

To Get Kids To Eat Their Veggies, A Company Sold A Line Called “I Hate Peas”

For National Eat Your Vegetables Day, the story of the time a company tried to get kids to eat French fry-shaped versions of dinner table vegetables, but with a name that may not have done them any favors.

By |2025-06-17T08:53:58-04:00June 17, 2025|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , |

Betty Crocker May Not Be A Real Person, But She’s Been A Real Help To Bakers For Years

We're a few days out from World Baking Day, so here's the story of a woman who’s helped people find their way around the kitchen for more than a century… even though she isn’t a real person.

By |2025-05-21T07:31:41-04:00May 21, 2025|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , , |

To Protect Riders, This 3D Printed Bike Helmet Contracts During A Collision

Bike helmets have been more or less the same for many years, but there’s a new effort to make safer and more responsive headgear with 3D printing.

By |2025-04-03T07:57:01-04:00April 3, 2025|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , , |

King Cakes: Two Holidays, Three Colors, Lots Of Little Plastic Babies

In New Orleans, king cake is a Mardi Gras tradition, though it's one that started with an earlier holiday.

By |2025-03-04T06:22:47-05:00March 4, 2025|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , , |

A Lawmaker Tried To Get Americans To Eat Hippo Meat, AKA “Lake Bacon”

About this time in 1910, a member of Congress thought the next big food trend would be hippo meat. 

By |2025-01-02T07:04:46-05:00January 2, 2025|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , |

Hartford Election Cake Is An Old-School Way To Eat Your Way Through A Campaign

Whatever you're feeling on this Election Day, you might enjoy a slice of an old-school election cake many Americans used to serve when it was time to vote.

By |2024-12-03T07:21:44-05:00November 5, 2024|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , , , |
Go to Top