Thanksgiving

The story of Thanksgiving zigzags through American history with some surprising twists. What started as a somber Puritan day of prayer is now about football and food. How did we get there?

A small band of religious extremists flee persecution in Europe in the hopes of creating a more godly society in the New World, but devastating difficulties await these immigrants in North America.

It's the centerpiece of Thanksgiving dinner tables and one of the most famous birds in North America. From pets to presidential pardons, take a look at the feisty fowl that's the reluctant star of our holiday dinners.

Ho, ho, ho! 'Tis the season of survival. Armed with history, humor and his trademark ranting, the "Curmudgeon of Comedy" returns to make sense of this 36-day, end-of-year insanity that consumes us all.

Travel from the potato's mysterious origins in the South American Andes to the ethnic enclaves of New York's lower Eastside. Visit large-scale potato producers, and learn how to mass produce tots, chips, vodka, and more.

A defeated Napoleon drowned his sorrows in it; Thomas Jefferson became obsessed with it. Chart the history and explosive growth of wine as an integral part of our culture.

Whatever the crop, there's a custom machine to harvest it. From the debut of the sickle in ancient Egypt to McCormick's famous Reaper to the field of ergonomics, we'll dig into the past and future of the harvest.

Get schooled in the tricks of the fried food trade. Learn what goes into forging the classic cast iron frying pan. Find out what makes international fried favorites so tasty. And see how Cooking oil is now being deployed as a fuel.

From farms to refineries, factories, and restaurants, learn all about beans... soybeans, baked beans, rare heirloom beans, chickpeas, azuki beans and more. Each have their own special uses, in the kitchen and beyond.

Trace the origins of this tasty drink from over 1,000 years ago. Discover how billions of coffee beans make their journey from farms and plantations to cups all over the world. Detail the production of decaf, instant coffees, and more.

Tea has existed as a drink for 5000 years, and 6 billion pounds are harvested annually. Learn about tea's global and political history. And visit plantations and factories, as well as a high-end boutique tea garden.

Explore the psychology of the supermarket including store layout, lighting, music and aromas that trigger the appetite. And learn how technological advancements are making customers' visits to the market as efficient as possible.