Practically everyone remembers the classic "Mister Rogers Neighborhood" episode when Fred Rogers toured the Crayola factory and taught his young viewers how crayons are made.

Marc Summers says his Food Network show, "Unwrapped," is similar to that episode — except that in Summers' TV series, he explores the origins of foods — primarily snack foods ranging from peanut butter and popcorn balls to French fries and Fritos.

It's easy to see why "Unwrapped," which first aired in June 2001, is the longest-running show on the Food Network — and why Summers loves his job. He has visited candy factories, ice-cream shops, test kitchens and unusual locations, such as a Connecticut company that makes edible fresh-fruit arrangements and bouquets.

Summers says the main reason "Unwrapped" has stood the test of time with TV viewers is because "we talk about all the things you can find in a supermarket, and that's something people can relate to. They are especially interested in the history of food items and how things are made."

For the "Cheap Eats" episode, he featured a man who collected hundreds of different packaged macaroni-and-cheese boxes. The collector told the show's host that, during World War II, rationing on milk created a captive audience for the food product.

In the "Carnival Foods" episode, Summers focused on a Massachusetts firefighter who started his own business and creates 25 flavors of candy apples.

For "Super Sour Snacks," he interviewed the maker of a frozen margarita mix who churns out 2 million buckets of mix per year and uses 7,000 fresh limes for each 3,000-gallon batch.

During an appearance Saturday at the Market District Robinson store, Summers plans to demonstrate his version of pumpkin cheesecake. And, he says, "because most people know me as a game-show guy, I'll play a trivia game based on fall foods and the supermarket — and there will be prizes."

Before he joined the Food Network, Summers was associated with Nickelodeon children's television network for 10 years as a programming consultant, producer and director. He was best-known for his role as host of popular kids' shows "Double Dare" and "What Would You Do?" He created, hosted and produced Nickelodeon's syndicated game show, "Pick Your Brain."

He served as a correspondent and guest host on ABC-TV's "Home Show," and for Lifetime, he hosted a daily lifestyle series, "Our Home" and a talk show, "Biggers & Summers" which he co-hosted with Sissy Biggers.

For Food Network, he also hosted a spinoff of "Unwrapped," a game show titled "Trivia Unwrapped," and he serves as a host and judge on "Ultimate Recipe Showdown." He serves as executive producer of Food Network's "Dinner: Impossible," "Food Feuds" and "Restaurant: Impossible."

Summers is bi-coastal, he says, dividing his time between Philadelphia, where his production company is based, and Los Angeles, "where I'm the king of barbecue."

Additional Information:

Food Network's Marc Summers

What: Appearance and Fall Harvest Cooking Demonstration

When: Noon Saturday

Tickets: Free, but limited and available on first-come, first-served basis

Where: Market District, Robinson

Details: www.MarketDistrict.com/Events

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