Despite the fact that millions have eaten prunes and drunk prune juice in order to lighten themselves of their internal burden for centuries, the European Union has now ruled that prunes are not in fact laxatives.

FORBES: Prunes Are Not Laxatives: Official European Union Ruling

Who could have predicted that my Pistachio-Pesto Salmon, introduced in 1998 in "Entertaining 1-2-3, " would essentially become a national dish, or that short ribs cooked in prune juice and teriyaki would capture the hearts of so many food editors?

WSJ: The Rules of Recipe Attraction