Wikimedia CommonsSnake oil salesmen all over the web would have you believe that, for a few easy payments, they'll reveal to you a diet focused on “negative calorie” foods. You’ll be able to eat all you want and lose weight while doing it, because the amount of energy used to chew and digest these foods is supposedly greater than the amount of energy they provide. But is that really... READ ON

When I was a kid, my parents often tried to sell me on the idea that carrots were good for my eyes—and if I wanted to avoid vision correction in the future, I would eat them now. But after I was fitted for my first pair of glasses in fourth grade, they dropped that line and served carrots with a side of ranch dressing and buffalo wings. As I’ve mentioned before, my mom was not exactly scientifically rigorous in her parenting, so I can’t help but wonder if there’s any truth to what she was telling... READ ON

Coffee cupping is like wine tasting -- but for coffee. Rows of coffee cups are lined up, and tasters use spoons to slurp the brew, noting their impressions of taste, acidity, aftertaste, and body (that last one is the "weight" of the coffee, meaning how light, heavy, and/or creamy it might be). This process is how coffee producers grade and describe their coffee -- but it's also becoming a thing you can do at a local coffee shop. Here in Portland, Stumptown hosts daily cupping events. I have to admit... READ ON

Last month we brought you cakes inspired by famous painters, so this time around, let's look at cakes based on a more contemporary art style: comic books. 1. Spider-Man... READ ON