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Family Tree Food Stories

Family Tree Food Stories

Written by: Nancy May & Sylvia Lovely
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Family Tree, Food & Stories podcast is where your hosts, Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely, take you on a mouthwatering journey through generations of flavor! We're digging up and sharing the juiciest family secrets, hilarious dinner table disasters, and the heartwarming moments that make your favorite foods, meals, and relationships unforgettable. From Great-Grandma's legendary cheese crust apple pie to that questionable casserole your Uncle Bob swears by. With Family Tree, Food, and Stories, we're serving a feast of laughter, tears, and everything in between. So, are you ready to uncover and share those unforgettable stories behind every bite and create some new memories along the way? Join our growing family of food enthusiasts and storytellers as we Eat, laugh, relive the past, and learn how to create new memories together because. . . every recipe has a story, and every story is a feast.Copyright 2026 Nancy May & Sylvia Lovely Social Sciences Travel Writing & Commentary
Episodes
  • The Surprising History of Penny Candy: NECCO Wafers, Tootsie Rolls, Corner Stores, & Church Steps

    The Surprising History of Penny Candy: NECCO Wafers, Tootsie Rolls, Corner Stores, & Church Steps
    May 28 2026
    The History of Penny Candy in America.Discover how penny candy grew from 19th-century sweets into a childhood ritual shaped by corner stores, five-and-dimes, and iconic treats like Necco Wafers and Tootsie Rolls.If you have ever wondered about the history of penny candy or searched for the origins of your favorite childhood sweets, this episode of Family Tree Food & Stories takes you right back to your old neighborhood corner store. Here, Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely unwrap the history of American childhood favorites, back when a single penny at the five-and-dime store made you feel like you owned the place.While researching this episode, I was amazed by the historical facts hiding behind the glass jars of the local candy counter. Penny candy was one of the very first product categories marketed directly to children in the 19th century. From the first automated lozenge cutting machines to the retail revolution of F.W. Woolworth, we explore how picking out treats became our very first lesson in budgeting and economics.Whether you grew up trading Mary Janes, peeling candy dots off paper, or chewing on wax lips, I'm taking you on a nostalgic ride through the golden age of American sweets.Penny Candy History And Facts You Will Learn About:What was the first penny candy? I break down the historical debate between the invention of NECCO Wafers in Boston and the debut of the Tootsie Roll in Brooklyn.Where does sugar come from in the US? As a Florida "Gator Girl," I share the surprising fact that Florida sugarcane production accounts for 50% of all the sugar value in the United States. We're pretty sweet!How early candy evolved from pharmaceutical concoctions: You will hear how early hard candies and lozenges were originally mixed with pharmaceuticals to soothe stomachaches. Think the Fisherman's Friend and Pine Brothers.Interesting factoids about Woolworth Retail Model: How the F.W. Woolworth five-and-dime stores revolutionized American shopping and made sweets affordable for everyone.Classic Candy Nostalgia: Nancy and Sylvia share their personal favorites and memories of candy cigarettes, Bit-O-Honey, Bazooka bubblegum, and the legendary jawbreaker - small and extra large!Share Your Corner Store Memories!What was your favorite penny candy growing up? Grab a root beer barrel, hit play on this episode, and drop a comment below to share your corner store memories with us in our Facebook group.Additional Links Shared:❤️SURVEY: Please Help Us Learn How To Do More For YouBook: My Family Tree, Food & Stories Journal Awarded #1 New Release on AmazonInstagram Story updates 📸Facebook Family Tree Food Stories GROUP👍TikTok: Family Tree Food Stories👇Share Your Story With Nancy & Sylvia!: Leave us a voicemailYou can send us a DM on Facebook.About Your Award-Winning Hosts: Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely are the powerhouse team behind Family Tree, Food & Stories, a member of The Food Stories Media Network, which celebrates the rich traditions and connections everyone has around food, friends, and family meals. Nancy, an award-winning business leader, author, and podcaster, and Sylvia, a visionary author, lawyer, and former CEO, combine their expertise to bring captivating stories rooted in history, heritage, and food. Together, they weave stories that blend history, tradition, and the love of food, where generations connect and share intriguing mealtime stories and kitchen foibles.If you missed the first time around... now's your time to listen to Family Tree Food & Stories and get inspired to make better use of what’s already in your kitchen. Then visit our page to share how you're using your leftovers this year. Waste less. Cook smarter. Tell the story behind your fridge."Every Meal Has a Story, and Every Story is a Feast." (tm) is a trademark of Family Tree Food & Stories podcast (c) copyright 2026, all US and International Rights Reserved. @familytreefoodstories #PennyCandy #foodpodast #familyhistorypodcast #storytellingpodcast #heritagepodcast #foodhistory #sugar #typesofsugar #candypodcast #candy #candyhistory #newpodcast #foodie #moresugar #woolworths #NECCO #BeerBarrels #LemonHeads #bublegum #kidsfavorites #NostalgicCandy #CornerStore #GeneralStore
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    28 mins
  • Pasta History & Italian Food Myths: How it Went From Street Food & Kneaded With Bare Feet to America's Favorite Comfort Food? | Ep. 87"

    Pasta History & Italian Food Myths: How it Went From Street Food & Kneaded With Bare Feet to America's Favorite Comfort Food? | Ep. 87"
    May 21 2026
    What's Pasta Really All About? Ancient Noodles, Busted Myths, Bare Feet & Why 4,000 Years Later Pasta Still Holds a Place on Our Dinner Table.Did you know that it was once common practice to knead pasta dough with your bare feet? That tons of people were tricked into thinking spaghetti grew on trees. And one of America's Founding Fathers smuggled a pasta machine across the Atlantic, then made it even better! This is not the back story you think you know about pasta.In this episode of Family Tree Food and Stories, hosts Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely trace pasta's 4,000-year history and traditions from its origins to how it became one of our most loved comfort foods today. There are even a few busted myths that might question your own beliefs and stories.Most people think pasta is Italian. Myth buster #1. The oldest known noodle dishes date back to 2000 BCE. Pasta wasn't invented; it evolved across cultures, driven by one simple human need: food that can be transported and that lasts.Key Learning Points:Did Marco Polo Bring Pasta to Europe?Ancient Pasta didn't use eggs.Pasta was once so valuable that it was kept under lock and key!The name Macaroni was once a social/fashion insult. Which type of pasta holds sauce better? Egg or non-egg varieties?Did people really believe that pasta grew on trees? Also in this episode:Nancy shares her family's secret spaghetti sauce ingredient, which is a hard-to-find Canadian spice packet she now orders by the pound online. Sylvia reveals a restaurant anniversary dinner that became an accidental masterclass in hospitality. And the debate is on... bolognese vs. cacio e pepe, fresh vs. dried, which are better?This episode is for food history enthusiasts, Italian food lovers, home cooks, comfort food fans, family history buffs, podcast listeners who love storytelling, and anyone who has ever thrown spaghetti at a wall to see if it sticks, and knows why you do this!New episodes every Thursday.Additional Links ❤️SURVEY: Please Help Us Learn How To Do More For YouBook: My Family Tree, Food & Stories Journal Awarded #1 New Release on AmazonInstagram Story updates 📸Facebook Family Tree Food Stories GROUP👍TikTok: Family Tree Food Stories👇Share Your Story With Nancy & Sylvia!: Leave us a voicemailYou can send us a DM on Facebook.Other Topics & Themes In This Episode Include:The history of pasta, pasta origin myths, Marco Polo pasta myth debunked, ancient noodle history, Thomas Jefferson macaroni America, Yankee Doodle macaroni meaning, fresh vs dried pasta differences, pasta shapes and sauces guide, tomatoes Italian food history, comfort food history, food history podcast, BBC pasta hoax 1957 April Fools, macaroni fashion insult 18th century England, bolognese sauce, cacio e pepe recipe, Italian food myths, pasta nutrition facts, family food stories podcast, pasta kneaded with feet, ancient Roman food history, Etruscan pasta history, Columbian Exchange food historyAbout Your Award-Winning Hosts: Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely are the powerhouse team behind Family Tree, Food & Stories, a member of The Food Stories Media Network, which celebrates the rich traditions and connections everyone has around food, friends, and family meals. Nancy, an award-winning business leader, author, and podcaster, and Sylvia, a visionary author, lawyer, and former CEO, combine their expertise to bring captivating stories rooted in history, heritage, and food. Together, they weave stories that blend history, tradition, and the love of food, where generations connect and share intriguing mealtime stories and kitchen foibles.If you missed the first time around... now's your time to listen to Family Tree Food & Stories and get inspired to make better use of what’s already in your kitchen. Then visit our page to share how you're using your leftovers this year. Waste less. Cook smarter. Tell the story behind your fridge."Every Meal Has a Story, and Every Story is a Feast." (tm) is a trademark of Family Tree Food & Stories podcast (c) copyright 2026, all US and International Rights Reserved. @familytreefoodstories #herloomdishes #foodpodast #familyhistorypodcast #storytellingpodcast #heritagepodcast #foodhistory #real podcast #pasta #italianpasta #thomasjefferson #macaroni #comfortfood #familystories #traditions #foodtraditions
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    38 mins
  • The Blue Willow China Love Story That Sold 50 Million Plates Was Fake: The Marketing Lie Is Still Working 250 Years Later

    The Blue Willow China Love Story That Sold 50 Million Plates Was Fake: The Marketing Lie Is Still Working 250 Years Later
    May 14 2026
    The True History of Blue Willow, Noritake, and Spode China: What Your Family's Heirloom Dishes Are Really Worth in 2026The most recognized china pattern in Western history is built on a fabricated love story, and neuroscientists say your brain is wired to fall for it every time. In Episode 86 of Family Tree Food and Stories, Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely trace the invented legend behind Blue Willow china, the pioneer women who abandoned their Noritake and Spode in the Wyoming dust at a place called Camp Sacrifice, and the brain science that explains why grandma's dishes are physically impossible to throw away. If you have ever held a piece of old china and felt the person who owned it standing next to you, you’re about to lean why.What if the most beloved china pattern in Western history was built on a complete lie?Blue Willow china has been printed on more than 50 million plates across six continents for 250 years. Most people who own it believe they are eating inside an ancient Chinese love story: a forbidden romance, a willow tree, two doves, a bridge escape. The story is painted right there on the dish.Except that the story was invented. By a marketing team. In England. In 1779.In Episode of Family Tree, Food and Stories, Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely sit down at their podcast studio table, and ask the question most families never think to ask: what are these things actually worth, and to whom? There’s a lot in those dishes that most of us even realize.Did you know that there’s real Brain Science Behind Why You Cannot Let Go of Grandma's China?Interestingly enough, grief counselors recommend keeping a physical object belonging to someone you have lost. The reason is neurological, not sentimental. Neuroscientists call the phenomenon an episodic memory cue: a sensory trigger that activates the hippocampus as if the person were actually in the room with you. So, a plate is not just a plate. It is a potential spiritual portal to a real person you love. That is sentimental or nostalgia. That is neuroscience.From Goodwill Shelves to Wyoming Dust: The Sacrifices Nobody Talks AboutNearly complete sets of Noritake china are sitting on Goodwill shelves right now for five dollars. Noritake was founded in Nagoya, Japan in 1876. Certain patterns were designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. U.S. servicemen carried sets home from military bases around the world to give to their families. And today those sets sit under fluorescent lights next to paperback novels and mismatched coffee mugs, six plates for five dollars.What could you find on a dusty trail in Wyoming? Two hundred years before Goodwill existed, pioneer women crossing the American West faced an older version of the same question. At a stretch of trail outside Laramie, Wyoming, known as Camp Sacrifice, wagon trains grew too heavy for the animals to continue. Our Great-grandmothers had to choose between the livestock that would keep them alive and the china, silver, and pianos that kept them human. Most of the china did not make it to the other side. Those dishes that survived didn’t make it by accident. Someone decided they were worth carrying.Key Takeaways:The Blue Willow china love story is completely fabricated, and it still works as well in 2006 as it did when first told in 1779Black grandmothers in America built china collections as proof of dignity, not decoration. At a time when society did not expect Black families to own beautiful things, generations of Black women assembled heirloom china piece by piece, from churches, from family, from careful saving over decadesThe next generation is not indifferent to your heirloom china. They just have not been told the story yet. Research consistently shows that younger generations are more drawn to objects with provenance and personal history than any generation before them, precisely because they grew up in a digital world where almost nothing is tangible.The reason your family's china feels sacred at Thanksgiving and invisible the rest of the year is a neurological phenomenon, not a coincidence. Ritual use of objects strengthens episodic memory encoding. When grandma's dishes come out once a year at the same holiday, in the same room, with the same people, the hippocampus builds a layered memory file around that object that deepens every single time the ritual repeatsFrank Lloyd Wright designed Noritake china patterns in 1922, and most people who own a piece of that collaboration have no idea they are eating off an architectural masterpiece. The Imperial Hotel commission in Tokyo produced one of the most collectible Noritake patterns: a design by Frank Lloyd Wright himself, made in 1922 specifically for the hotel's dining service. Wright was famously near bankruptcy at the time, and the commission kept him solventNancy and Sylvia Are 100 Percent Real (And Why That Matters in 2026)AI-generated podcasts are flooding the platforms right now: synthetic voices, manufactured stories, fabricated histories. Nancy ...
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    36 mins
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