Food news antipasto

Have you been watching the HBO special about Julia Child? Reviews have been mixed, with some people enjoying the behind-the-scenes drama and others who take issue with some of the bending of the truth for purposes of better storytelling. One of those expressing dismay is Sara Franklin, who is writing a book about legendary editor Judith Jones, who is a featured character in the series. Franklin feels that the portrayal of Jones isn’t just artistic license – she believes that the showrunners have turned Jones’ true history on its head.

Today’s long read comes once again from Vittles, which is turning out some of the best food writing on the planet. This time the author, Kate Ryan, dives into a singular dish – black pudding – diving deep into Irish history to weave the tale, yet somehow also telling the story of modern Irish food.

People who love the taste of buttercream made with real butter often encounter a dilemma when they want to make the icing really white. The problem is that butter has a strong yellow hue that makes off-white about the best you can get unless you turn to vegetable shortening, which means the flavor will suffer. The Kitchn’s Laurel Randolph has a solution that involves adding a color to the icing to make it look more white. No, really.

If you have an eye for design as well as a passion for food, head over to the website of NYC’s Kitchen Arts & Letters. They are having an illustration contest for a limited-edition cotton tote bag they plan to produce. Naturally, the theme must revolve around food, drink, or cookbooks. Says KAL “We want this to be the first in a series of totes, each featuring the work of a different artist.” The contest winner will receive $250 and two of the tote bags.

Australian charity OzHarvest is launching a new fundraiser called Community Cookoff that features a unique twist: people can be part of a team of volunteers who will work under the tutelage of some of Australia’s best chefs to “cook nourishing meals for those in need.” There are some hurdles that volunteer teams will need to meet, such as minimum fundraising contributions, to have the chance to cook for an evening under top chefs like Peter Gilmore and Danielle Alvarez. No prior cooking experience is required.