What makes Thanksgiving more than a meal? There’s a lot more of the old and new traditions that, when combined, can make this celebration one you’ll remember for years to come.

In this  episode of Family Tree Food & Stories, Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely explore how food, family, and traditions shape our sense of gratitude and belonging across the generations, tables, and even time zones from how to make that traditional turkey better than ever, to the most bizarre dishes of the past decades. This episode takes you behind the scenes of how some of our favorite Thanksgiving foods reveal where we came from (in past generations), where we’ve been (think wartime rationing), and those things that have become mainstay traditions, perhaps taught to you by an in-law. 

Key Take Aways:

1.      Gratitude: How The Legacy of Food and Friendship Lives On: Through stories of Gloria Hardy Rice and Denny Hamilton—two unforgettable women remembered through their cooking and hospitality—you’ll see how recipes and rituals can preserve memories far beyond the kitchen.

2.      Strange but True: Mid-Century “Weird Dishes” Still Make it to The Table: Ever heard of bologna cake or ham and banana casserole? Nancy and Sylvia uncover these real mid-century recipes and explore what they reveal about America’s shift from fresh to processed foods—and why some trends are making a comeback.

3.      Sweet Potatoes vs. Yams: The Real Difference: You’ll finally learn what separates these two Thanksgiving staples—and discover that the sweet potato actually comes from the morning glory family, not from traditional tuber potatoes.

4.      Modern Twists on Classic Thanksgiving Traditions: From Friendsgiving gatherings to global recipe swaps and even new drinks and how to brine with apple cider, and even frog eye salad, this episode offers simple ways to freshen up your Thanksgiving platters.

5.      The Sensory Secrets of Gratitude: You’re encouraged to notice the details—the scent of rosemary, the crisp sound of turkey skin, the warmth of laughter. It’s the simple things that make a Thanksgiving meal and day that much more memorable.

🎧 Join Us:

This Thanksgiving, we hope you’ll grab a seat at the Family Tree Food & Stories table. Listen to a few extra shows at Podcast.FamilyTreeFoodStories.com to rediscover the flavor, humor, and your own family history that makes Every Meal a Story, and Every Story a Feast!

Additional Links ❤️

• Book: My Family Tree, Food & Stories Journal Awarded #1 New Release on Amazon
• Instagram Story updates 📸
• Facebook Family Tree Food Stories GROUP👍
• TikTok: Family Tree Food Stories
• 👇Share Your Story With Nancy & Sylvia!: Leave us a voicemail
• You can send us a DM on Facebook.
• 🎧 Subscribe now and never miss a bite or a good story.
• 
  

Listen on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite listening platform or visit us at: https://podcast.familytreefoodstories.com/

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.

"Every Meal Has a Story and Every Story is a Feast." (tm) is a trademark of Family Tree Food & Stories podcast and the hosts.

#familytreefoodstories #familyfoodstories #familytree #familytreefood #kitchenwisdom #familyfoodtraditions #foodtraditions #budgetfriendlyfood #sustainableeating #heritagerecipes #nostalgicfood #homecookingtips #homemademeals #familymeals #potluck #casserole #friendsgiving #thanksgivingturkeyrecipes #butterballturkey #baccon #sweetpotatopie #mashedpotatoes #turkeygravey #turkeybrine #howtobrineaturkey #thanksgivingpodcast #heritagepodcast #applecider #midcenturyrecipes #grandmasrecipes

Why are so many people afraid to cook?  It’s easier and more fun, even than you might think.  In this episode of Family Tree Food & Stories, Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely dig into the big reasons and excuses behind avoiding cooking.  Learn how even the most devout non-cook recently turned her “I don’t cook” mantra into a way to learn about her family history and a new level of confidence. 

From burnt pots and melted pie crusts to Engagement Chicken and freezer chili hacks, Nancy and Sylvia share practical tips and tactics to cut through your own fear of learning—or relearning—how to cook at home.  They also share how it might not just be you, but entire generations, who are challenged by cooking.  Shifting lifestyles, rising food prices, social media pressures, and even Food Network shows have distorted the reality and perception of what it takes to stay healthy, enjoy cooking, and put even a simple hot meal on a plate. 

Whether you’re an empty nester, have a large family, or are inviting friends in for a bit or a snack, there’s an idea for everyone in this next episode of Family Tree Food and Stories, because You Can Cook!

🔍 Key Episode Topics & Takeaways :

• Common cooking fears—why they exist and how to overcome them without expensive tools or culinary school
• Cost myths—why cooking at home is almost always cheaper than fast food or restaurant delivery
• Cooking for one or two—realistic tips for empty nesters, those newly divorced, or anyone living alone
• Why men are cooking more—and what that means for modern households, dating, and engagement chicken
• Cultural shifts—how working parents, youth sports, and Uber Eats rewired how we eat (and why that’s changing again)
• Mistakes that teach—what happens when you confuse baking soda with baking powder or overload your pasta pot
• Creative ways to start small—using canned soup, leftovers, and community cooking clubs as a jumping-off point
• Recipe preservation—how misreading grandma’s handwriting turned into seven cups of sugar instead of one—and why that memory matters

Additional Links ❤️

• Book: My Family Tree, Food & Stories Journal Awarded #1 New Release on Amazon
• Instagram Story updates 📸
• Facebook Family Tree Food Stories GROUP👍
• TikTok: Family Tree Food Stories
• 👇Share Your Story With Nancy & Sylvia!: Leave us a voicemail
• You can send us a DM on Facebook.
• 🎧 Subscribe now and never miss a bite or a good story.
• 
  

Listen on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite listening platform or visit us at: https://podcast.familytreefoodstories.com/

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.

"Every Meal Has a Story and Every Story is a Feast." (tm) is a trademark of Family Tree Food & Stories podcast and the hosts.

Oatmeal: it's a simple bowl with a story that spans continents, centuries, and countless family tables. In this episode of Family Tree Food & Stories, Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely share the interesting history, folklore, forgotten traditions, and a few recipe ideas behind one of the world’s most comforting foods.

From ancient Scottish porridge (yes hidden their Sporrans)to more traditional breakfasts, and eve oat milk and skincare, you'll learn how this simple grain has fed and even healed so many across the generations.

You might even rethink your own breakfast routine as Nancy and Sylvia share how oatmeal has fueled farmers, inspired folklore, and even found its way into beauty products like Aveeno.

As always you'll hear personal stories and ideas about how oats and oatmeal has played a role in their lives and others they know, including Nancy’s 99-year-old father’s famous oatmeal routine—and a recipe shared by Sylvia's son Ross - who has eight, yes, EIGHT children!

Key Takeaways:

1. The Interesting History and Origins of Oatmeal: how it began in the fields of Scotland and Ireland, where it was both a staple food and then became a symbol of resilience, also called Avena Sativa, oats have helped many farming communities survive over the centuries.
2. It Was A Superfood Before Its Time: Modern science confirms what farmers always knew: oats are rich in fiber, heart-healthy nutrients, and anti-inflammatory properties. Yes, research has noted that a daily bowl can lower cholesterol, balance blood sugar, and boost long-term wellness.
3. From Comfort Food to Folklore: In Scotland, oats weren’t just food—they were protection. Folklore held that sprinkling oatmeal in your pocket could ward off fairies and bad luck. These myths reveal how deeply food and superstition intertwined across generations. Even the French used it to welcome or dissuade a daughter's suitors.
4. From Breakfast to Beauty: Oatmeal has many healing properties that are even incorporated in your "average" beauty products.
5. Recipes that Carry A Family of Eight Far: You can get a copy of Ross Lovely’s Minnesota Baked Oatmeal in this episode as well.

Tune in to Family Tree Food & Stories at Podcast.FamilyTreeFoodStories.com or wherever you listen to podcasts and subscribe so you never miss an episode release.

Learn why oatmeal is more than breakfast—it’s a bridge between past and present, comfort and culture, nourishment and nostalgia.

Additional Links ❤️

• Ross Lovely's Minnesota Baked Oatmeal Recipe
• Book: My Family Tree, Food & Stories Journal Awarded #1 New Release on Amazon
• Instagram Story updates 📸
• Facebook Family Tree Food Stories GROUP👍
• TikTok: Family Tree Food Stories
• 👇Share Your Story With Nancy & Sylvia!: Leave us a voicemail
• You can send us a DM on Facebook.
• 🎧 Subscribe now and never miss a bite or a good story.
• 
  

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.

"Every Meal Has a Story and Every Story is a Feast." (tm) is a trademark of Family Tree Food & Stories podcast and the hosts.

@familytreefoodstories, #hotbreakfast, #oatmeal, #oatmealrecipes, #hotoatmeal, #winterbreakfast, #coldmorningbreakfast, #oatbread, #maplesyrup, #bakedoatmeal, #oatmildvsalmondmilk, #oatmealtraditons, #comfortfoodpodcast, #foodstories, #foodandfolklore, #healthyfoods, #lowercholesterolfoods,

Ever wonder what bone cookies, charcoal embers in a turnup, and candy corn have common?

In this ghostly episode of Family Tree Food & Stories, hosts Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely stir up the history, humor, and hidden meaning behind Halloween’s more interesting and fun traditions. From ancient Celtic rituals to good luck brew, and a lover’s prediction, this episode shares how food, folklore, and superstition have come together over centuries to create the Halloween we know today.

👻 Did you know Halloween started not with candy—but instead with cakes for the dead?

🕯️Ever heard of “dumb suppers” where guests purposely invite their ancestral spirits to dinner?

🎃 Or that carving pumpkins first started with a carved turnup – and a spooky Irish legend about a drunk trickster named Stingy Jack?

This episode isn’t about horror— It’s about how old food-related superstitions turned into new stories and became tradition, and how something as small as a cinnamon stick or a fire ember can help us recreate traditions and stories from the past.

We’re talking witches, Wiccans, candy corn, garlic, good fortune potions, caldrons, and why some of us still can’t pass a graveyard without holding our breath.

Whether you’re a Halloween traditionalist or a foodie this episode will might have you turning your lobster pot into a homemade cauldron of flavor, and fun.

✨ Key Takeaways:

1. How Halloween Turned into a Modern Day Celebration: The Celtic roots of Samhain marked the shift from harvest to darkness—and gave rise to many of the traditions we still celebrate today.
2. Magic in the Kitchen: Secrets Behind Everyday Kitchen Herbs: Rosemary, sage, garlic, and other herbs have long been symbols of protection and good luck—proof that cooking can carry a little mystery of its own.
3. Old Rituals to Find Your Lover and New Meanings: From cakes for the dead to bobbing for apples, what once honored ancestors has evolved into modern ideas you can use today.

Additional Links ❤️

• Book: My Family Tree, Food & Stories Journal Awarded #1 New Release on Amazon
• Instagram Story updates 📸
• Facebook Family Tree Food Stories GROUP👍
• TikTok: Family Tree Food Stories
• 👇Share Your Story With Nancy & Sylvia!: Leave us a voicemail
• You can send us a DM on Facebook.
• 🎧 Subscribe now and never miss a bite or a good story.

Episode Links:

• The One Way Ticket Show: with our friend Steven Shalowitz

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.

"Every Meal Has a Story and Every Story is a Feast." (tm) is a trademark of Family Tree Food & Stories podcast and the hosts.

@familytreefoodstories #halloween #jackolantern #carvingpumpkins #carvedpumpkins #bonecookies #dayofthedead #witchesbrew #halloweenwitch #halloweentreats #halloweenpodcast #foodpodcast #foodie #halloweenfood #trickortreatpodcast #halloweenpodcastepisode #dumbsuppers #halloweencostumes

The Hidden Power of Everyday Food Rituals to Connect Family, Friends, and Colleagues

In this episode of Family Tree Food & Stories, Sylvia Lovely turns interviewer and invites Nancy May to reflect on and share her experiences in going home to New York and Connecticut. The interview turns into a food story about going home and finding new friends, while creating new memories and connections

Through treats (think chocolate) and meals shared with colleagues, long-time friends, and family, the conversation explores how shared meals create continuity between past and present—bridging professional spaces, personal history, and the comfort in knowing "you can go home" after all.

From a meeting in a New York chocolate factory with new collaborators, to a French dinner with a childhood friend, and tea with a mentor celebrating her 90th birthday, each experience and story illustrates how food serves as both anchor and bridge. Whether through the aroma of smoked mushroom risotto, the aroma of handmade chocolate, or the simplicity of a perfectly seasoned burger, each moments shared is is done so to help remind you that food and stories can awaken our senses and enrich every moment of your day.

Throughout the episode, Nancy and Sylvia share how awareness enhances connection—how important it is to slow down to notice the sounds, really taste the flavors (even of the day) and truly listen to the rhythm of conversation. Chance encounters can also transform the simplest moment of shopping into a new friendship and lasting memory.

As Nancy revisits the familiar towns of Connecticut, some she shares with her host, who had never experienced the region of New Preston, CT, from her new home base in Florida, she shares how the food shared throughout her trip enhanced every food becomes a way to re-engage with both past identity and present relationships.

This discussion underscores a central idea: food stories are professional, personal, and historical connectors. They link the boardroom (from her speaking event) to the kitchen table, the old neighborhood to new beginnings, and the act of eating to the art of listening.

Key takeaways:

• Food can strengthen even professional relationships: business and professional relationships are strengthened with a surprise introduction to the Moderne Chocolate factory and an introduction the founder, Joan Coukous and her husband, in New York City.
• Pay attention to the sensory details with each experience. From the smell of chocolate (in this episode example) to the rich taste of smoked mushroom risotto, at La Rivage, and a reconnection with a childhood friend. The episode highlights how sensory awareness transforms food from the action of eating into an act of mindfulness
• Food stories preserve legacy and strengthen belonging: Through recipes like syrup cake or transparent pie, hear how personal family food stories reinforce our understanding of family and friends.

🎧 Listen now at Podcast.FamilyTreeFoodStories.com — and in the kitchen with family and friends again - and, remember that every meal tells a story, and every story is a feast!.

Additional Links ❤️

• Book: My Family Tree, Food & Stories Journal Awarded #1 New Release on Amazon
• Instagram Story updates 📸
• Facebook Family Tree Food Stories GROUP👍
• TikTok: Family Tree Food Stories
• 👇Share Your Story With Nancy & Sylvia!: Leave us a voicemail
• You can send us a DM on Facebook.
• 🎧 Subscribe now and never miss a bite or a good story.

Episode Links:

• Modern Chocolate
• Thorncrest Farm Milk House Chocolates
• Le Riage NYC
• Thai restaurant Georgetown CT Bannock Thai
• New Preston, CT
• New Preston Cafe: The Smithy Cafe at Nine Main.

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.

"Every Meal Has a Story and Every Story is a Feast." (tm) is a trademark of Family Tree Food & Stories podcast and the hosts.

@familytreefoodstories @thorncrestmilkhousechocolate @modernechocolate @newprestonct #connecticutfoodies #connecticutwinetrail #foodies #familyfood #dinnerwithfriends #chocolate #chocolatefactory #newyorkcity #newyorkfoodie #bancockthai #thaifood #bestburger #simplefood #goodfood #friends #childhoodfriends #networking #networkwise #foodpodcast #podcastingfriends

In this Family Tree Food & Stories episode, Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely celebrate World Food Day by diving into how food traditions, family stories, and old-fashioned kitchen wisdom can help us better manage our family’s budget today.  From McDonald’s Happy Meals and Burger King crowns to World War II ration cookbooks, casseroles, and potluck suppers, they explore how generations before us managed to feed their families with creativity, care, and a sense of community spirit.

This episode digs into stories and tips of stretching meals when prices rise, making do with what’s on hand, and why simple, hearty dishes—like soups, beans, pickled vegetables, and even Hamburger Helper—are finding their way back into modern kitchens. You’ll also hear about how Sylvia’s granddaughter surprised her with a simple yet delicious treat, reminding us that food—no matter how humble—has the power to comfort, heal, and bring us together, regardless of the time of day.

This episode explores how the lessons of our mothers and grandmothers continue to guide us: waste less, cook smart, and share what you have with friends and neighbors.

This episode explores how the lessons of our mothers and grandmothers continue to guide us: waste less, cook smart, and share what you have with friends and neighbors.

🍲 Key Takeaways:

1. Old Tricks Still Work – Learn how classic budget-stretchers like soups, stews, casseroles, and potlucks are making a comeback for today’s families.
2. Ration-Era Wisdom from WWII for Modern Times – Discover how vintage cookbooks and wartime recipes offer practical lessons for eating well on less.
3. Easy Sustainability Tips at Home – From small gardens to creative leftovers, see how past generations practiced “farm-to-table” long before it was trendy, and how you can do this too

🎧 Listen now at Podcast.FamilyTreeFoodStories.com — and in the kitchen with family and friends again - and, remember that every meal tells a story, and every story is a feast!.

Additional Links ❤️

• Book: My Family Tree, Food & Stories Journal Awarded #1 New Release on Amazon
• Instagram Story updates 📸
• Facebook Family Tree Food Stories GROUP👍
• TikTok: Family Tree Food Stories
• 👇Share Your Story With Nancy & Sylvia!: Leave us a voicemail
• You can send us a DM on Facebook.
• 🎧 Subscribe now and never miss a bite or a good story.

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.

"Every Meal Has a Story and Every Story is a Feast." (tm) is a trademark of Family Tree Food & Stories podcast and the hosts.

#familytreefoodstories #familyfoodstories #familytree #familytreefood #worldfoodday #sustainability #kitchenwisdom #familyfoodtraditions #foodtraditions #budgetfriendlyfood #sustainableeating #heritagerecipes #nostalgicfood #homecookingtips #homemademeals #familymeals #potluck #casserold #dinnerparties #eatingwithfriends.

How many of the foods you eat every day have roots in Native American foods and traditions?  A lot more than you might realize, so start counting and testing your family and kids now!

In this episode of Family Tree Food & Stories, Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely share a list of indigenous foods, along with their history, traditions, and, yes, even spiritual connections, that influence your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and holiday celebrations today. 

A few key things you’ll learn in this episode include:

1. The secret of the Three Sisters – corn, beans, and squash weren’t just crops; together they created a complete protein system that nourished communities long before “vegetarian nutrition” was ever studied in labs.
2. Forgotten Native recipes – from Cherokee venison meatloaf (poya) to early cornbread and Johnny Cakes, discover dishes you may not know had indigenous roots.
3. Spiritual traditions of food – ghost suppers, spirit plates, and powwows reveal how meals were seen not just as nourishment, but as sacred connections to ancestors and community.
4. Modern revivals of indigenous cuisine – from Minnesota’s Owamni restaurant to fry bread recipes passed down through families, Native foodways are making a powerful comeback today.

This episode of Family Tree Food & Stories you can test your own knowledge of how much Native American food history, indigenous cooking traditions, and stories of resilience offers up some wisdom from the past.

👉 What’s NEXT?  How you can help us and others.

Feeling hungry for more than just food? Go make your favorite fall recipe—or better yet, call someone and ask about their comfort food memories. And don’t forget to share this episode with friends and family. Because as Nancy and Sylvia always say… every dish has a story—and every story is a feast.. and it’s all better when shared! 🍽️💬

🎧Additional Links ❤️

• Book: My Family Tree, Food & Stories Journal Awarded #1 New Release on Amazon
• Instagram Story updates 📸
• Facebook Family Tree Food Stories GROUP👍
• TikTok: Family Tree Food Stories
• 👇Share Your Story With Nancy & Sylvia!: Leave us a voicemail
• You can send us a DM on Facebook.
• 🎧 Subscribe now and never miss a bite or a good story.

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.

"Every Meal Has a Story and Every Story is a Feast." (tm) is a trademark of Family Tree Food & Stories podcast and the hosts.

@familytreefoodstories #familyfoodstories #foodie #familytime #fallfoods #comfortfoods #fallfoods #nativefood #cornbread #nativamerican #nativeamericanfood #cornbread #rice #beans #squash #thethreesisters #nativefoods #indigeniousfood #indianfood #americanfood #thanksgiving #riceburger #rice #traditions #foodorigins #higgenroots #maplesyrup #secretfoodhistoy #Frybread

Ever wonder why mac and cheese, beef stew, lasagna, or even a slice of fruitcake creates cravings in the fall? In this episode of Family Tree Food & Stories, Nancy May & Sylvia Lovely dive into the cozy world of comfort foods—and trust us, there’s a lot more to it than just wanting that warm brownie or an extra spoonful of mashed potatoes on your plate!

Nancy and Sylvia aren’t just talking about our favorite go-to comfort recipes. They’re sharing some of the reasons why certain foods bring back some of your best memories, and why our bodies actually need comfort food when it gets cold.  In this episode, you learn about ghost recipes – don’t worry, they’re not creepy or scary memories and stories of traditional Sunday sauces, and apple dumplings made with Mountain Dew (yes, really!). You’ll also go back in time to those old-fashioned church cookbook finds that have become dinner-party showstoppers— we promise you’re in for a treat with this episode.

🍂Key Lessons & Takeaways:

🔍Comfort food activates that involve all five senses. Sight, smell, sound, touch, and taste all come alive when you’re cooking and eating fall favorites like stew, chili, and roasted pumpkin.

🔍The science behind your cravings. Cold weather and less daylight lower your serotonin and body temperature—so hearty meals help warm you up and boost your mood.

🔍How Ghost Recipes connect us to the past. Old family dishes, even if half-remembered, tell stories of loved ones and keep traditions alive in powerful ways.

🔍Comfort food looks different for everyone. From Yorkshire pudding and burnt marshmallows (for an 8-year-old Girl Scout), to chili or a lasagna made by a well-known pasta machine inventor, each dish has personal meaning.

🔍Fall cooking is about slowing down. Scratch recipes, simmering pots, and food memories all invite us to be present, take the edge off our hectic schedules and lives, and teach us how to be present with ourselves and those we love and care about.  We suggest you give it a try one weekend to rediscover just how relaxing it can be in your own kitchen.

🎧 What’s NEXT?  How you can help us and others.

Feeling hungry for more than just food? Go make your favorite fall recipe—or better yet, call someone and ask about their comfort food memories. And don’t forget to share this episode with friends and family. Because as Nancy and Sylvia always say… every dish has a story—and every story is a feast.. and it’s all better when shared! 🍽️💬

Additional Links ❤️

• Book: My Family Tree, Food & Stories Journal Awarded #1 New Release on Amazon
• Instagram Story updates 📸
• Facebook Family Tree Food Stories GROUP👍
• TikTok: Family Tree Food Stories
• 👇Share Your Story With Nancy & Sylvia!: Leave us a voicemail
• You can send us a DM on Facebook.
• 🎧 Subscribe now and never miss a bite or a good story.

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.

"Every Meal Has a Story and Every Story is a Feast." (tm) is a trademark of Family Tree Food & Stories podcast and the hosts.

@familytreefoodstories #familyfoodstories #foodie #familytime #fallfoods #comfortfoods #fallfoods #chilli #beefstew #soupseason #heirloomrecipes #ghostrecipes #cozyfoods #fallrecipes #fallcomfortfood #fromscratch #churchcookbooks #momsrecipes #grandmasrecipes #graces #sharedfoods #potluck

This week, we’re talking about foods you probably wouldn’t expect to get too excited about: mushrooms. However, those funky spongy fungi have stories, secrets, and flavors that will give you something different to talk about at your next dinner table conversation. 

In this episode of Family Tree Food & Stories, Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely become the Fungi Gals (ha, ha, seriously!) and share fall comfort foods, mushroom myths, and a few “did-they-really-just-say-that?” moments.

👍Here are a few extra hints of what you'll learn in this episode: 

• The true story of the mushroom that sold for over $300,000
• Why  Nancy’s new puppy, BB, could turn into the best hunting nose in FL for these dinner treats.
• How a mushroom helped a widower through his grief.
• Why pigs got fired as truffle hunters.
• How a mushroom turned into a serious multi-million dollar side hustle

If you love a good fall recipe, a weird-but-true food story, or want to feel a little more grounded this season (pun intended here), this episode of Family Tree Food & Stories is for you.

And hey, don’t be surprised if you start eyeing your backyard for mushrooms and thinking, how much can I sell this one for? 

👉 Listen, share, and discuss this episode with family and friends. Together, let’s keep alive the promise to “Never Forget”—and to remember that every meal tells a story, and every story is a way to heal.

Additional Links ❤️

• Book: My Family Tree, Food & Stories Journal Awarded #1 New Release on Amazon
• Instagram Story updates 📸
• Facebook Family Tree Food Stories GROUP👍
• TikTok: Family Tree Food Stories
• 👇Share Your Story With Nancy & Sylvia!: Leave us a voicemail
• You can send us a DM on Facebook.
• 🎧 Subscribe now and never miss a bite or a good story.

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.

"Every Meal Has a Story and Every Story is a Feast." (tm) is a trademark of Family Tree Food & Stories podcast and the hosts.

@familytreefoodstories #familyfoodstories #foodie #mushrooms #mushroomrecipes #fallfoods #harvest #truffels #whitetruffels #blacktruffels #shataki #grief #foodstories #societyandculture #spiritualfood #fallfoodrecipe #fallfoods #falltime #familytime

Mentioned in this episode:

Family Tree Food Stories Book

Fall is more than a season—it's a reminder to preserve what matters, from seasonal foods to family recipes passed down through generations. In this richly layered episode of Family Tree Food & Stories, hosts Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely share forgotten preservation techniques, Appalachian food lore, and hands-on kitchen wisdom from past generations.

You'll also hear about Sylvia's learned to revive a drunken raccoon, the FDA's ban on sassafras, and some inspiration for pickling and canning.

From colonial fruit-flavored shrubs and handcrafted root beer to salt-cured smokehouse hams, brined turkeys, and green beans also known as leather britches— we hope this episode will give you some new ideas, recipes, and tools for your own fall season harvest.

You’ll also hear and learn about:

• Shrubs and Colonial Drinks – What They Are and how to make these trending drinks for yourself.
• Traditional Appalachian Smokehouses and Backyard Smokehouse Pits: Learn how to create a makeshift smokehouse and enjoy a smoked Thanksgiving turkey sooner, without waiting.
• Brining & Pickling: What’s hot and trending, and what not to do.
• Simple Dehydration Techniques: in your own oven and kitchen.

Even if you only have a high-rise windowsill herb garden, this episode will give you tools, resources, and ideas on how preservation is about more than just food. 

👉 Listen, share, and discuss this episode with family and friends. Together, let’s keep alive the promise to “Never Forget”—and to remember that every meal tells a story, and every story is a way to heal.

Additional Links ❤️

• Book: My Family Tree, Food & Stories Journal Awarded #1 New Release on Amazon
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• Facebook Family Tree Food Stories GROUP👍
• TikTok: Family Tree Food Stories
• 👇Share Your Story With Nancy & Sylvia!: Leave us a voicemail
• You can send us a DM on Facebook?
• 🎧 Subscribe now and never miss a bite or a good story.

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.

"Every Meal Has a Story and Every Story is a Feast." (tm) is a trademark of Family Tree Food & Stories podcast and the hosts.

@familytreefoodstorie #applepicking #fallfoods #harvestfoods #harvesttime #fallfestivals #apples #pumpkinpicking #stews #comfortfoods #woolybears #farmersalmanac #foodblog #kitchenconversations #foodpreservation #harvestfoods #homecanning #canningseason #howtocan #pickeling #farmtotable #smokingmeats #rootbeer

Mentioned in this episode:

Family Tree Food Stories Book