Shows
Family Tree Food StoriesWhat To Do With Zucchini: From Door Drop to Crime Scene InvestigationHow to Manage an Onslaught of Zucchini and Still Enjoy It! In this episode, we take you into the garden of the mighty Zucchini. From its origins – it’s more interesting than you might think, why they were vital during WWII, to creating a mock apple pie with, yes, zucchini! There’s so much of it in the garden during the summer growing months that knowing what to do with Zucchini might include abandoning it on a neighbor’s porch – there’s a specific day for that, too. Oh, and don’t forget to listen to the...2025-07-2430 min
Family Tree Food StoriesHow Potato Chips Were "Born" Out of Spite, and Other Hidden Snack TreatsHow one insult created an entire snack industry, and weird recipes, history, and stories about the $32.2 billion American-born potato chip market. It's delicious! In this episode (#42) of Family Tree, Food & Stories, we’re biting into the crunchy taste of summer picnics and potato chips! Join us, Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely as we dip into some of the more interesting history, stories, and a few good recipes about one of our favorite snack foods – the actual American potato chip. Did you know that the first potato was the result of a snarky restaurant customer named Rocke...2025-07-1727 min
The Wedding Whisperer PodcastThe perfect gift for someone getting married: My Family Tree, Food & Stories
Sarah Burton hosts Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely, who share their journey from creating a podcast about food and stories to publishing a book, Family Tree, Food & Stories.
We discuss the significance of storytelling in cooking, the connections formed through family recipes, and the role of food in celebrations, particularly weddings. The conversation also touches on kitchen disasters, essential tools for newlyweds to include on their wedding registry, and the importance of family traditions in shaping culinary experiences. Throughout, they emphasize the joy and memories that food brings to our lives and a way to have...2025-07-1645 minThe Wedding Whisperer PodcastThe perfect gift for someone getting married: My Family Tree, Food & Stories
Sarah Burton hosts Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely, who share their journey from creating a podcast about food and stories to publishing a book, Family Tree, Food & Stories.
We discuss the significance of storytelling in cooking, the connections formed through family recipes, and the role of food in celebrations, particularly weddings. The conversation also touches on kitchen disasters, essential tools for newlyweds to include on their wedding registry, and the importance of family traditions in shaping culinary experiences. Throughout, they emphasize the joy and memories that food brings to our lives and a way to have...2025-07-1645 min
Family Tree Food StoriesHave Fork will Travel: Vacation Food Finds, Delicious Detours and Tips.When Food Makes the Trip Worth It: Eat Well and Wander, or Travel OftenHave you ever been on a family road trip, staring out the car window, just waiting to see that giant Big Boy sign? You knew it meant one thing—burgers were coming, and they were going to be good.That’s what we, Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely, are talking about in this episode of Family Tree, Food & Stories. We’re going back to the days when food made vacations even more fun, from roadside diners and belly clams to tho...2025-07-1031 min
Family Tree Food StoriesJuly 4th: How Food Sparked More Than One Revolution and IndependenceWhat Do Hot Dogs, Rum, molasses, and a 250-year-old piece of meat have to do with Independence Day?This isn’t your grade school history lesson. This is the Family Tree Food & Stories Independence Day (or July 4th) holiday episode. In this show, Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely take a big bite into the real reasons we celebrate with pie-eating contests, backyard grilling, hot dogs, and enough fireworks that, yes, have their own food origins. In this show, you’ll also learn how food has sparked more than one revolution, and how our early colonial forefathers might have...2025-07-0331 min
Fabulous Over 50Family Tree Food and Stories: a dog, a razorblade, and a celebration (50 Over 50 Podcaster Awards Winners - 5)Thank you for celebrating the 200th episode of Fabulous Over Fifty with us!!! We've got a laughter-filled episode today! We're welcoming Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely from “Family Tree Food and Stories” to share hilarious and heartfelt tales about the wild things our beloved dogs eat—from horsemeat and cat food to razor blades and credit cards. Dive into the quirky history of dog food, get real about pet nutrition, and hear the unbelievable story of Leona Helmsley’s $12 million dog. Plus, enjoy a playful skit starring “the Mighty Quinn,” the dog with an appetite for everything. Grab a...2025-06-2836 min
Family Tree Food StoriesSummer Camp Food Stories: From Camp Corn to Cooking on a Stick, S'mores, and more!What Kids Really Eat at Camp (And Why They, and We Adults, Love It Too!). A Dive into REAL Summer Camp Cuisine.Have you ever eaten eggs on a stick? Or discovered that the Tootsie Rolls from your camp care package mysteriously disappeared (spoiler: it probably wasn’t a raccoon)? In this episode of Family Tree Food & Stories, Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely dive headfirst into the weird, and often funny, stories of summer camp and food, both for kids and adults.They’re talking about buffalo balls (can you guess what they are. . . really?), bug juice...2025-06-2627 min
Family Tree Food StoriesDog Food Secrets: A $5K Collar, Razor Blade, Underwear, and Other Edible TemptationsMan's Best Friend: Crazy Dog Stories You've Got to Love~Hold onto your leashes— because this episode of Family Tree, Food & Stories is going to the dogs in the best (and most hilarious) way possible. Join Nancy May, Sylvia Lovely, and The Mighty Quinn as they all dig into the meaty, messy, and downright outrageous history of what our four-legged friends, our dogs, eat, need to eat to stay healthy, and have eaten—from prehistoric wolf scraps to gourmet meal kits and, yes... even cotton balls soaked in olive oil.Nancy and Sylvia bring on a ve...2025-06-1931 min
Family Tree Food StoriesFather's Day Traditions New and Ancient, Including $100 Ice Cubes for Dad!This one's for you (and yep, your dad too) — it's the Family Tree Food & Stories Father’s Day 2025 special. Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely are back, talking all things dad while the grill’s heating up and a cold one is cracking open. They're dishing out a full plate of stories, oddball traditions, and yes — lots of meat talk. Because let’s be real: dads + grills = primal joy.This episode serves up everything from barbecue stats and big green eggs to a 4,000-year-old Father’s Day message carved into a stone tablet (seriously). There’s also a side of laught...2025-06-1229 min
Family Tree Food StoriesCool Wedding Trends and Unique Wedding Traditions and Customs: An Insider's GuidePlanning a wedding doesn’t have to feel like you’re scaling Mount Pinterest? At its heart, weddings are really all about celebrating a love story—yours, or another person you care about. In this Family Tree, Food & Stories episode, Nancy May and SylviaLovely pop the champagne and dive into the wild world of weddings with the ever-wise Sara Barton— AKA their Wedding Whisperer and planning guru.Here you’ll go beyond the bouquet toss and dive into the quirky, forgotten, and freshly minted traditions shaping weddings today. Ever heard of a recipe car...2025-06-0531 min
Family Tree Food StoriesUntold Stories of a Farmers' Market: Secrets, Scandals & Fresh FoodThe Farmer’s Market Hustle: What They Don’t Want You to Know, and Why.What do Boston’s Little Italy, bourbon-pickled beans, heirloom tomatoes, and escaped snails have in common with today's farmers' markets? Well, you're about to hear the answer and more in this next episode of Family Tree, Food & Stories! Nancy May and Sylvia roll up their sleeves and dig deep into the quirky, gritty, and delicious history and evolution of farmers’ markets. From 1600s bartering stalls to today’s “authentic-ish” local setups, they explore the wild world of what it really means to buy fresh and...2025-05-2927 min
Family Tree Food StoriesHot Dogs, Heroism, and Burgoo: Memorial Day Foods History and Surprising StoriesWhat does watermelon have to do with Memorial Day? And how many pounds of hot dogs do we consume over Memorial Day weekend?In this episode of Family Tree Food & Stories, Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely take you from old Civil War battlefields to your backyard barbecue. You’ll discover the surprising origins of the Memorial Day holiday when it was first known as Decoration Day, explore the wartime roots of today’s most iconic summer foods—like hot dogs, cornbread, and SPAM—and even a shared story of how Nancy almost grilled a bunch of baby...2025-05-2225 min
Family Tree Food StoriesThe Bourbon Episode: Buffalo Trails, Wild Whiskey, Moonshine Memories and Family TraditionsAged to Perfection: The Bourbon Episode of Family Tree, Food & Stories!Ever wondered how bourbon became such a staple in old-fashioned American family gatherings and even recipes? In this episode of Family Tree, Food & Stories, co-hosts Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely take you on a journey through the rich history and personal family stories of bourbon.Here they'll take you on a journey of some very interesting "spirited" origins of iconic distilleries like Buffalo Trace, delve into the differences between bourbon and whiskey, and share some personal tales—like that time someone tried to smuggle ho...2025-05-1529 min
Family Tree Food Stories"A Mother's Day to Remember: From Pizza to Martinis and More for Mom.Mother's Day Celebrations, Meals, Traditions, History, and Stories to Last a Lifetime!Are you looking for some inspiration to make this Mother's Day 2025 a bit more special? In this next episode of Family Tree Food & Stories, Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely delve into the lost stories behind how Mother's Day food and family traditions, some sweet and others wild and wacky. You’ll learn some lesser-known facts about Mother’s Day, like how the celebration as we know it today originated in a West Virginia church in 1908 and when President Woodrow Wilson declared it a nati...2025-05-0829 min
Family Tree Food StoriesThe Insiders Guide to The Kentucky Derby: Food, Fun, History behind The Run for The RosesThe 151st Kentucky Derby: Foods, Traditions, and Stories You Might Not Know About!Hold onto your hats—or your fascinators—because in this Family Tree Food & Stories episode, Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely are taking you to the 151st Kentucky Derby, The Run for the Roses, or Mint Juleps if you prefer! Picture this: You’ve got your mint julep or bourbon in hand, and you’re surrounded by ladies in big hats, and 150,000 of your closest friends, who are all cheering for their favorite horse to win the race. But, there's more to Derby weekend...2025-05-0123 min
Family Tree Food StoriesShow Me the Noodles: The Lasagna Disaster FixIn this episode of Family Tree, Food & Stories, Sylvia Lovely learns that after owning a restaurant for 20 years, how to cook a “simple lasagna”. Her experience in the kitchen takes a few unexpected twists and turns, from battling uncooperative pasta to creating a "lasagna disaster piece" that’s now legendary. Her candid, self-deprecating tell-all may be a dose of reality for some of you who’ve tried to make the perfect lasagna and had your disasters along the way. But all are worth a good laugh or two, for sure. This episode of Family Tree, Food & Stories isn’t just...2025-04-2406 min
Family Tree Food StoriesWhat happens when God helps buy a cow?Food, Faith & Acts of Kindness: Father Jim's Spiritual JourneyHave you ever considered how deeply food connects to our spiritual lives? In this episode of Family Tree, Food & Stories, Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely sit down with Father Jim Sichko, a priest, who tells an extraordinary story of how food became an important part of his ministry. Father Jim shares the story of his mother's weekly tradition of cooking meals for garbage collectors, whom she served at the family's formal dining room table. Everyone was welcome as family to their table. On one afternoon, Father Jim...2025-04-1742 min
Family Tree Food StoriesFrom Lawyer to Culinary Star: Chef Ouita Michael, James Beard Nominee Food JourneyHow food changed the career direction of this law-school-bound college student. Have you ever wondered how the foods we eat shape who we are? In this episode of Family Tree, Food & Stories, Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely pull their mic up to the table with renowned Kentucky chef Ouita Michel, who takes us on a journey through her culinary heritage – from a community garden to owning eight celebrated restaurants rooted in local tradition.For those unsure of their career direction, you'll hear how Ouita changed her career path from aspiring lawyer to award-winning chef and ho...2025-04-1034 min
Family Tree Food StoriesAnd Enchanted and "Eggstra" Special Easter StoryA Story for Tracie, and What to do With Leftover Easter Egg Shells.What do a five-year-old’s Easter tale, a magical sugar egg, and a kitchen full of hard-boiled chaos have in common? They’re all part of one rather unforgettable spring food-related memory — a story of how love, loss, and a little imagination helped one family hold on to hope.In this episode of Family Tree, Food & Stories, co-host Nancy May shares a personal story from her childhood, when she was trying to make sense of her younger sister Tracie’s illness. You’ll hear th...2025-04-0312 min
Family Tree Food StoriesCamping, Cooking & Unexpected Traditions From Candy Sticks to Fire Smoked Biscuits and moreLearn to discover traditions you might not even know you've got! In this episode of Family Tree, Food & Stories, Nancy May, co-host, helps her guests Heather Dyer and Erin Walker of the Three Kitchen's Podcast discover that they have been unwittingly nurturing new family food traditions. Throughout the episode, they uncover in subtle yet significant ways that their treasured memories—like old-fashioned savory, sweet, sticky candy sticks at roadside gift shops or planning comforting meals around a campfire—have seamlessly woven into the fabric of their lives. By retracing their steps through family camping experiences, Erin...2025-03-2731 min
Family Tree Food StoriesVernal Equinox Foods: The Jelly Bean Diet, Muskrat, and Beer Are on This MenuSpring Food Traditions You'll Want to EatIn this next episode of Family Tree, Food & Stories co-hosts Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely explore rather different and interesting springtime traditions, sharing some foods that you might never have heard about before.Have you ever wondered if jelly beans could be part of a balanced diet? Or are you curious about the story behind white asparagus that led to a carpool mishap? And what on earth do muskrats, alligators, and beer have to do with Lent?Nancy and Sylvia delve into the world of spring foods...2025-03-2030 min
Family Tree Food StoriesSt. Patrick's Day Traditions: Drowning Shamrocks, Smart Salmon, and TikTok Trends.The Ultimate Guide to Irish Traditions Worth Knowing ThisSt. Patrick's DayJoin Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely for a fun-filled St. Patrick's Day special on Family Tree, Food & Stories! This episode takes you beyond the green beer and shamrock decorations to explore different traditions that make Irish culture and St. Patrick’s Day unique.☘️Ever heard of "drowning the shamrock"? You’ll learn about this quirky tradition: place a shamrock in the bottom of your beer mug, drink it down, and then toss this good lucky charm over your shoulder. Just try not to s...2025-03-1324 min
Family Tree Food StoriesReefers, Frozen Peas, and TV dinners: Chilly Stories & InnovationsThis is a Chilling Episode about Food, Family and Refrigeration:Join Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely as they take you on a cool adventure through the history of refrigeration in this episode of Family Tree, Food & Stories about the "Refrigeration Revolution: From Ice Blocks and Straw to TV Dinners." As with each episode, there's always a wild food and family story, but in this show, you'll also learn some really cool things,s including how refrigeration changed food storage, from ice blocks and caves to quick freezing and frozen foods. Nancy and Sylvia also share...2025-03-0626 min
Family Tree Food StoriesA Fabulous Feast of Fs! Family, Friends, Fondue and Fire.This episode is dedicated to February and all things F in the kitchen and around the table.What happens when food, family, and February collide? In this Family Tree Food & Stories episode, Nancy stirs up a pot F-related and a few unexpected fiascos. 🧀This episode explores family, food, and traditions starting with the letter F. From fondue nights to adventures with friends, and a fiery mishap, each story shared shows you how food brings us together, can spark a new tradition, and create memories that will have you smiling, and laughing for years to come.2025-02-2712 min
Family Tree Food StoriesRecipes to Remember: The Best Wedding Gift Ever "I'm not a bad cook—I just don't cook!" Can a Self-Proclaimed Non-Cook Create Meaningful Mealtime Traditions?What does a wedding gift of handwritten recipes, family memories, and a self-proclaimed non-cook have in common? In this Family Tree, Food & Stories episode, Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely share these details and more with Meredith Plant.This episode shares how our recollections of the past can help us find new strength and joy. Yes, you can even meditate on a recipe you want to add to our personal collection.Meredith shares how her in...2025-02-2028 min
Family Tree Food StoriesLove, Lust, and Food Stories: Unveiling Valentine's Day SecretsDive into a decadent world of desire as Family Tree, Food & Stories hosts Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely unwrap the mysteries behind Valentine's Day's most seductive treats. Join chocolate expert Norma Taylor as she reveals how to get thousands of chocolate-covered strawberries out to lusting customers.Nancy and Sylvia dive under the covers to reveal some interesting and lesser-known history and traditions of how those silk heart-shaped chocolate boxes even include a little black lace. Remember those innocent candy conversation hearts? Perhaps they were the precursor to modern-day text messaging. What do you think? This ep...2025-02-1332 min
Family Tree Food StoriesRed Jelly Apocalypse: Radio Debut DisasterOne Waitress, One Microphone, a Whole Lot of Regret, and a Story That Became a Family Legend.This true Family Tree, Food Story begins with a simple radio interview that soon spirals into a chaotic comedy of errors. Here, your Co-Host Sylvia Lovely recounts a college indiscretion that involved a local Moorhead restaurant and a disastrous on-air performance that threatened a financial loss and derailment of her boyfriend's career (and possibly their relationship forever!).What started as a seemingly harmless attempt to help her then-boyfriend, Bernie, a struggling radio host, takes an unexpected turn, leaving...2025-02-0606 min
Art ThrobNo. 47 - SYLVIA LOVELY - MY FAMILY TREE, FOOD AND STORIESSylvia Lovely, a restaurateur and author, shares insights about her new book, "My Family Tree Food and Stories." The book combines Sylvia's passion for food and storytelling, encouraging families to preserve their culinary traditions through personal anecdotes and recipes. Sylvia, with co-author Nancy May, has crafted a unique culinary journal filled with engaging narratives and spaces for readers to add their own. During their conversation, Kate and Sylvia examine the overlooked art form of food presentation, exploring its role in creating memorable dining experiences. Through heartwarming stories from her years in the restaurant business, Sylvia highlights the intersection of...2025-02-0420 min
Family Tree Food StoriesA 36 Year Hunt For the Perfect Cake: Can you help us solve this mystery?How Our Hunt For The BEST Cake Keeps Us on The Road!🥕 What if a single bite could change your life? In this Family Tree, Food & Stories episode, you’re invited to join Nancy and Bob on a 36-year quest to rediscover the flavor that made their wedding day even more sweet. A delicious and magical carrot cake from a special bakery in Fairfield, Connecticut, their quest to recreate that perfect bite has taken them from New York to Florida, California to Canada, and beyond. Their quest has done more than taking these two on shunpike road trips. ...2025-01-3006 min
Family Tree Food StoriesDrunk In Duluth Minnesota - And The Rest of That StoryHow a Glass of Wine and a Cold Night in a Bar Became One of This Mom’s Favorite Story.This Family Tree Food & Stories episode is a delightful blend of humor and fun reflection as Sylvia recounts an unforgettable night in Duluth, Minnesota. What starts as a simple mother-son bonding watching the “big game” at a local bar turns into an unexpected tale of personal embarrassment and triumph.With a mix of wit and warmth, Sylvia shares how even the most humiliating moments can become one of those stories you will want to tell over and...2025-01-2312 min
Family Tree Food StoriesInaugural Balls: From Washington to Trump, Turtle Soup to Sliders and more!What Might be Cooking at President Trump's Inaugural Ball? Lessons from presidential plates past and present.🎙️In this episode of Family Tree, Food & Stories, co-hosts Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely dish up a banquet of stories and foods that have graced inaugural balls throughout U.S. history. From George Washington’s solitary dining to Lincoln's midnight chaos, this episode reveals how these menus reflect presidential personalities, American culture, and even our own family mealtime tastes. You'll learn about the quirks of Chester Arthur’s Rhode Island eel, Dolly Madison’s introduction of fancy ice cream, and even how turtle...2025-01-1628 min
Family Tree Food StoriesThe Curious Case of the Flying Roast!How a pre-colonoscopy walk turned into a wild surprise and a mysterious roast thief!📌In this next episode of Family Tree Food & Stories - What do you get when you mix a colonoscopy prep, an overexcited Goldendoodle, and a "found"three-pound beef roast in the middle of a walking trail? It's a story that’s almost too wild to believe! In this episode, Co-Host Sylvia Lovely recounts a chaotic journey to wrestle a juicy roast from her dog’s jaws—all while enduring the delightful side effects of her “prep.” Honestly, this one still offers a good laugh...2025-01-0907 min
Family Tree Food StoriesNew Year's 2025, Good Luck/Bad Luck Foods and Crazy Leftover To-Dos!Could There be Gold in that Pork Roast and Doom in the Chicken? New Year's Foods to eat for an extra plateful of good luck. Welcome to 2025! In this special New Year’s edition of Family Tree Food & Stories, Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely kick off the year with some quirky traditions.🎉 Did you know eating chicken 🐔 on New Year’s could potentially give you a bowl of bad luck? Or that a sauerkraut shred might be the key to riches? In this episode of Family Tree Food & Stories, we're spilling the beans (and the sauerkraut...2025-01-0226 min
Family Tree Food StoriesHow to Eat Your Leftover Christmas Tree: For Real!How to Eat Your Christmas Tree and Create a Deliciously Unusual Holiday Tradition 🎄What do you do with a leftover Christmas tree? Toss it? Compost it? Nope—how about eating it? Yes, you heard that right! In this Family Tree, Food & Stories episode, we’re setting the table with a new way to turn your bedazzled Christmas tree into a gourmet treat.From sweet pine syrups to pine needle tea, baking with your tree's bark (and a treat you can bite), and even pine-infused ice cream, Nancy May, co-host of Family Tree, Food & Stories explains how to...2024-12-2614 min
Family Tree Food StoriesHoliday Cheer and Weird Food Traditions: From Fruitcake to Santa's Secret Flying SauceFrom Stinky Food Stuck in a Tree to Finger Licking Christmas Traditions in Japan: This holiday episode will have you asking for a second helping.🎄✨What’s the story behind the quirky German Christmas pickle? And why do families in Japan celebrate the holidays by licking their fingers? Join co-hosts Nancy May and Sylvia Sylvia Lovely as they dive into the heart (and stomach) of Christmas and family food traditions in this holiday episode of Family Tree, Food & Stories.In this show, they share everything from Martha Stewart-inspired table settings to Southern comfort recipes. Have you eve...2024-12-1924 min
Family Tree Food StoriesLife Lessons over Lunch: A first sit-down restaurant an what happened next!What happens when a small-town girl becomes a college Freshman with ambitions? This episode is one every parent, and Freshman will learn from!In this episode of Family Tree Food and Stories, join co-host Sylvia Lovely as she recounts a pivotal moment in her life that intertwines ambition, family expectations, and an unforgettable dining experience. Raised in a humble background where college wasn't even on the radar, Sylvia's sudden declaration to pursue higher education led her to Moorhead State University. However, a seemingly simple luncheon turns into a memorable lesson in social graces when Sylvia encounters a...2024-12-1205 min
Family Tree Food StoriesThe Luckiest Pig on Ravioli Mountain: The TRUE Story!What's the best way to make pasta? It's all in the drying.🍷🍝What do an old kitchen table, a cozy wood-burning fireplace, and a lucky (and we mean lucky) pig have in common? They’re all part of this next episode of Family Tree, Food & Stories, where Nancy May and show guest Bobby Hedglin-Taylor, a man of many hats, dive into some rich country Italian family-food stories rooted in the heart of Pennsylvania. Nancy and Bobby share some preview moments from his forthcoming book “Escape to Ravioli Mountain: A Memoir in Food.” Bobby’s experience in the kitchen w...2024-12-0522 min
Family Tree Food StoriesThe Radio Waitress and the Almost Academy AwardWhat happens when a fake waitress, a wannabe on-air actress, tries to save the day? 🤦♂️In this episode, you'll want to join Sylvia Lovely, co-host of Family Tree Food and Stories, for a show filled with unexpected twists and turns. When Sylvia's boyfriend Bernie, a radio host 📻 in Moorhead, Kentucky, finds himself without a guest for his show, Sylvia steps up with a daring plan intertwined with a bit of creative freedom. 💡 What happens next is a rollercoaster of emotions and on-air surprises. This heartwarming and humorous story showcases how quick thinking can turn a potential disaster into a memorabl...2024-11-2805 min
Family Tree Food Stories12 Surprising Thanksgiving Traditions to Know about, Learn and TrySurprising Ways to Give More Thanks and Create a Better Thanksgiving Together. Join co-hosts Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely in this next episode of Family Tree, Food & Stories, which focuses on Thanksgiving secrets, traditions, history, and more. Ever wonder why presidents pardon turkeys? Or why cranberry sauce sparks family feuds? This Family Tree Food & Stories episode reveals the quirky history and hidden stories behind America's favorite feast day.You'll learn the details behind: The real story behind presidential turkey pardonsWhy that cranberry sauce debate matters more than you thinkAncient traditions that shaped modern c...2024-11-2125 min
Family Tree Food StoriesLove for Popcorn: A Heartfelt Tribute to a Beloved ChefThe people who make a restaurant a family. A Chef, a Friend, and a Legacy of Kindness.This episode is a bit of a departure from our regular show for an excellent reason. Sylvia, Co-Host of Family Tree, Food & Stories, and her husband, Bernie Lovely, the owners of Restaurant Azure and Patio in Lexington, Kentucky, recently woke to a phone call telling them of the sudden and unexpected passing of their Sous Chef, Austin Poplewell "Popcorn." Known for his gentle spirit and culinary creativity, Popcorn’s presence turned their restaurant into a second family, filling it...2024-11-1404 min
Family Tree Food StoriesStrange Connections: Tailgating, Hot Dogs, Adam & Eve, AppleFrom Adam and Eve's First Bit to Tailgating, Hot Dog Pie, and More: Pull your chair up to the table and listen in to this next episode. What do hot dogs, tailgating, and a centuries-old food tradition have in common? More than you might think! In this episode of Family Tree Food & Stories, Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely, your co-hosts, take you on an unexpected journey through the quirky, funny, and interesting ways food has brought us together.... even from the day of Adam and Eve! Now, there's a food story! Tune into this next...2024-11-0715 min
Family Tree Food StoriesDining with Ghosts: Table for two please... you and the Ghost that is.Ghosts that belly up to the bar and join you at the table. What might happen next?Why do so many ghost stories start at the dinner table? In this special Halloween edition, Nancy May, co-host of Family Tree Food & Stories, joins forces with her and Sylvia’s friend and fellow podcaster, Leo York (AKA James), from The 13th Floor, to investigate the haunted pasts of America’s most iconic restaurants. From offering meat pies to appease mischievous spirits to ghostly figures that still roam Boston’s historic Union Oyster House, you’ll learn where some of our favo...2024-10-3121 min
Family Tree Food StoriesWild Food and Backyard Feasts - The Magic of a Small TownRecipes From My 90-Year-Old Mom, and so Much More! With our special guest, Freda Meriwether. In this episode of the Family Tree, Food & Stories podcast, Co-Host Sylvia Lovely reconnects with her good friend, Freda Meriwether, who shares captivating and colorful food tales of her 90-year-old mother, Gloria Polly Medea Rice. The conversation spans Gloria's rich reputation as a 'character' in her community and her renowned recipes, particularly some that required a mad dash to grab it first in the backyard! Freda recounts their family's traditions, the small-town love and support Gloria receives, and the importance...2024-10-2418 min
Family Tree Food StoriesLuck, Love, and Food: Bizarre Family Food SuperstitionsAre there such things as lucky foods?Have you ever wondered why your mom always tossed salt over her shoulder, whether it spilled or not? Or why did your grandmother say NEVER to cut spaghetti noodles? In this episode of Family Tree Food & Stories, co-hosts Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely pull the kitchen curtain back on some of the weird and most interesting food superstitions that still sneak into our family gatherings today. 🍀🍔From the mysterious practice of keeping stinky fish scales in your wallet to the ancient art of using pasta-chewing shadows to predict your f...2024-10-1324 min
Family Tree Food StoriesThe Dish That Defined a Life!Favorite Final Food and that Important StoryWhat unexpected request could transform a bittersweet farewell into a heartwarming celebration of life? Tune in to discover a touching tale that reveals the powerful bond between family, a daughter, a stranger, love, and the foods that bring us back home.Episode Summary:In our inaugural episode of Family Tree, Food & Stories, co-host Nancy May recounts a deeply moving experience during her father Stuart's final days. Amidst heartfelt conversations and emotional farewells, an unexpected request from Stuart unveils a touching and unforgettable moment. Join us to...2024-10-1305 min
Family Tree Food StoriesWhat Food Stories are on Your Plate?What Do Hot Dogs and Adam & Eve Have in Common? More Than You Think!”In this debut episode of Family Tree Food and Stories, co-hosts Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely kick off the show with surprising food traditions and stories that connect us with family and friends. How do hot dogs, candy corn, Adam and Eve, and the Civil War be linked? The answers might surprise you as Nancy and Sylvia reveal the unexpected ties between these foods and our shared family histories, with a blend of humor, nostalgia, and a little bit of history. Lea...2024-10-1216 min