Hungry For MO

The St. Louis World's Fair of 1904 forever changed modern American cuisine — popularizing foods like the ice cream cone, hamburgers and iced tea. But what aren't we remembering about this international affair?

No Midwestern cookout is complete without a delicious chili or dip simmering in a Crock-Pot. But when the device was first unveiled by a Kansas City company in 1971, it promised something more: freedom.

George Washington Carver is slotted in American history lessons as "the peanut guy." But this Missourian gave us biofuels, food trucks, plant based meats, alternative medicines, and so much more.

Missouri claims the creation of two iconic, innovative Chinese dishes — but Springfield cashew chicken and the St. Paul sandwich in St. Louis are more than local curiosities. Each dish tells a story of immigrants who arrived in Missouri and “cooked to survive.”

If you love French wine and the Napa Valley region of California, then you should really thank Missouri — specifically, the work of a few Missouri winemakers and scientists who saved the industry at a pivotal moment.

Kansas City and St. Louis are both known as barbecue destinations, but recent efforts to redefine the cuisine have sidelined the Black barbecuers, pitmasters and restaurateurs who made it an institution.

To celebrate Missouri's 200th birthday, hosts Natasha Bailey and Jenny Vergara are uncovering the stories behind the iconic foods of the state of Missouri. New episodes every week for six weeks starting on August 10.