Welcome to Family Tree, Food & Stories

Episodes

June 5, 2025

Cool Wedding Trends and Unique Wedding Traditions and Customs: An Insider's Guide

Planning 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 F amily Tree, Food & Stories e...
May 29, 2025

Untold Stories of a Farmers' Market: Secrets, Scandals & Fresh Food

The 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 abo...
May 22, 2025

Hot Dogs, Heroism, and Burgoo: Memorial Day Foods History and Surprising Stories

What 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 ...
May 15, 2025

The Bourbon Episode: Buffalo Trails, Wild Whiskey, Moonshine Memories and Family Traditions

Aged 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 & Stori...
May 8, 2025

"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 & Storie...
May 1, 2025

The Insiders Guide to The Kentucky Derby: Food, Fun, History behind The Run for The Roses

The 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...
April 24, 2025

Show Me the Noodles: The Lasagna Disaster Fix

In 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 ...
April 17, 2025

What happens when God helps buy a cow?

Food, Faith & Acts of Kindness: Father Jim's Spiritual Journey Have 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 wi...
April 10, 2025

From Lawyer to Culinary Star: Chef Ouita Michael, James Beard Nominee Food Journey

How 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 th...
April 3, 2025

And Enchanted and "Eggstra" Special Easter Story

A 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 unforgetta...
March 27, 2025

Camping, Cooking & Unexpected Traditions From Candy Sticks to Fire Smoked Biscuits and more

Learn 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...
March 20, 2025

Vernal Equinox Foods: The Jelly Bean Diet, Muskrat, and Beer Are on This Menu

Spring Food Traditions You'll Want to Eat In 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 mi...
March 13, 2025

St. Patrick's Day Traditions: Drowning Shamrocks, Smart Salmon, and TikTok Trends.

The Ultimate Guide to Irish Traditions Worth Knowing This St. Patrick's Day Join 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 ...
March 6, 2025

Reefers, Frozen Peas, and TV dinners: Chilly Stories & Innovations

This 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 ...
Feb. 27, 2025

A 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...
Feb. 20, 2025

Recipes 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...
Feb. 13, 2025

Love, Lust, and Food Stories: Unveiling Valentine's Day Secrets

Dive 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 ...
Feb. 6, 2025

Red Jelly Apocalypse: Radio Debut Disaster

One 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, you...
Jan. 30, 2025

A 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 flavo...
Jan. 23, 2025

Drunk In Duluth Minnesota - And The Rest of That Story

How 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 Dul...
Jan. 16, 2025

Inaugural 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...
Jan. 9, 2025

The 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 "f...
Jan. 2, 2025

New 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 Sy...
Dec. 26, 2024

How 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...