An 1860 political cartoon depicted Uncle Sam, center, as an old-fashioned figure wearing knee-breeches.

During the holidays, my parents' kitchen always overflows with wonderful homemade gifts. One friend always brings them baklava, and another sends a special chocolate nut fudge. We look forward to them every year. Homemade food gifts are always appreciated

As you begin to explore South American cuisine, the variety of desserts with unusual names and flavors can be overwhelming. Fortunately many of them are easy to prepare. The recipes in this list are traditional, popular desserts that can be made at home w

Long before the Europeans discovered South America, the native populations knew how to cultivate an incredible array of plants. They developed elaborate irrigation systems, and terraced the steep Andean mountain slopes to make them more suitable for growi