Jen Wheeler

Whether you've been moved to google "What is caster sugar?" after perusing a British or Australian baking recipe (or perhaps after watching an episode of "The Great British Baking Show"), or this is the first time you're hearing of the sweet stuff, we're about to clear up all your confusion.

Homemade pancakes aren't exactly a feat of dazzling culinary wizardry, but for a simple breakfast staple, they are surprisingly easy to mess up. Plus, it's totally understandable not to want to fumble with measuring cups in the morning. Enter: boxed pancake mix. We're talking your Krusteaz, your Aunt Jemima (though it now has a new name), your Betty Crocker Bisquick, your Snoqualmie Falls Lodge, your Arrowhead Mills, and others of that ilk.

If you're American, when you hear the term "Swedish Fish," your mind probably conjures up the image of a bite-size, red gummy candy in the shape of a scaled sea creature (and not, say, surströmming, the infamous fermented herring delicacy that dates back to the 16th century). But what exactly are Swedish Fish (the candy), and why are they called that? Are they actually from Sweden? Why are they shaped like fish in the first place? And what flavor is that famous red Swedish Fish even supposed to be?