You know that feeling when you eat a spoonful of extra cold ice cream and suddenly a torturous pain spreads through your head? We've all experienced it. It's Ice Cream Week on The Kitchn, so what better time to get a little science lesson on brain freeze—or rather, sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia. More

Who: Middle West Spirits micro-distillery
What: High-quality artisanal spirits made from local Ohio ingredients
Where: Columbus, Ohio

If you wanted to make a hand-crafted liquor with a "sense of place," then vodka, the most neutral and flavorless spirit, would be an odd place to start. Brady Konya and Ryan Lang, founders of Middle West Spirits, laugh as they acknowledge this irony. "Artisan vodka" almost seems like a contradiction in terms but somehow, they have created a vodka that does indeed have a sense of location in its environment, and their OYO Vodka is not actually a flavorless, neutral spirit at all — it's something very different.

Come walk through the Middle West Spirits micro-distillery in Columbus, Ohio, and see what it takes to distill a great bottle of vodka — and more. More

Growing up, I would always laugh at my dad after he drank a beer or a glass of wine. He is Thai-Chinese and even one drink makes his face turn bright red. "You're red!" I'd say, pointing and laughing. It never stopped being funny.

Until the first time I drank alcohol. My face turned beet-red and felt feverishly hot. It wasn't funny at all. More

Dairy-adverse eaters no doubt understand how difficult it is to find a truly cheese-like vegan cheese. But why is it so hard? And have any food companies actually achieved it? More

I'm all for natural remedies; however, when faced with a bout of sickness, the last thing I think of is garlic. However, new research suggests that garlic, the humble cloves sitting in your cupboard, could be very effective at fighting bacterium that cause food-borne illness. More

What I'm about to tell you could mean drastic consequences for your love life: the pairing of wine and chocolate—yes, Romance 101, that alluring combo of alcohol and aphrodisiac—is actually not a suitable pairing at all, according to some food scientists. They say to think of it more as a familial pairing, like a mother and daughter relationship, rather than an amorous coupling. (Wow. Major mood killer.) More

With a healthy dose of protein, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids, both chia seeds and flax seeds are what some folks call "super foods." If you look around your natural foods market, you'll see them in the bulk aisle, sprinkled on top of baked goods, even suspended in smoothies and juices. More

In space, even cravings are different. Astronauts who might not necessarily like spicy foods on Earth develop a taste for hot sauce, and start craving sour and sweet tastes. Scientists have a few theories about why this happens. More

Faith's wonderful post on My Favorite Balsamic Vinaigrette yesterday reminded me of vinaigrette question I've had for quite some time now. It involves an unusual vinaigrette technique that I've only seen on occasion, but whenever I have, the results were spectacular.

A good friend makes the best vinaigrette I've ever tasted, perfectly balanced and unctuous. What is her secret? She uses a touch of mustard, true, and has an excellent instinct for salt. But her real secret, according to her, is that she adds a tiny splash of water to the mixture. More

A few things we know for sure: European butter is more expensive than other store-bought butters. It also tastes incredible on a baguette and often has a deep yellow color and can be crumbly and dense. But do any of these things actually mean anything when you're baking? More