Food news antipasto

Most of us know that Betty Crocker isn’t a real person; she was concocted by the marketing folks at the Washburn-Crosby Company (the precursor to General Mills) in 1921. However, another names that is displayed on boxes of cake mixes across the US is (or was) a real person: Duncan Hines. Southern Living explores the history of Mr. Hines, who started off his culinary career by writing restaurant reviews.

Vodka sauce has long been associated with pasta, especially penne pasta. A twist on arrabbiata, the spicy sauce has become an Italian-American favorite and its popularity is on the rise again, reports Epicurious. They note that while most people pair it with pasta, it shouldn’t be limited to that use, noting that it “has big potential for grilled veggies, melty sandwiches, and your next homemade pizza night.”

Salt is crucial to cooking, is vital to our existence, and is something almost everyone craves at some point. Chefs appreciate salt for its flavor boosting properties and use it both as a foundational ingredient and as a finishing component, especially flaky sea salt. However, too much salt can be detrimental to health. Two recent articles in The Guardian demonstrate both ends of the salt spectrum. First up is chef Marcus Wareing touting his “secret ingredient” – beef stock cubes, which as he notes are “very high in salt” in addition to containing yeast extract and beef extract. Wareing uses the cubes like salt, making rubs with crumbled cubes and finishing a dish by adding a cube or two to the dish before serving.

The second article explores the downsides of salt and the health problems it can cause or exacerbate. Emma Beddington explores the reasons humans have trouble shaking the salt habit, even though most of us get far more than our bodies need every day. It’s difficult to meaningfully cut back on salt because we are hardwire to find salt pleasurable, and because it is in so many food products. Some people who have kicked salt to the curb say that after a very short time, food actually tastes better because your tastebuds recalibrate.

Jacques Pépin stands out even among culinary legends. The 87-year-old chef has been teaching people how to cook for decades. Food & Wine Magazine recently sat down with the chef to reminisce about his career, particularly as F&W celebrates 40 years of the Aspen Classic where Pépin has made many appearances. Although he has cooked for Presidents and celebrities, Pépin says that the most memorable meals for him are the ones that are more down to earth: “The moment that I go to is always the same: being together. I worked in the greatest restaurants in the world. I ate in the greatest restaurants in the world, but I don’t remember those as well as I remember friends in the kitchen, or upstate New York, or at Craig Claiborne’s. Those are the moments that I cherish, all cooking together, stealing one another’s food, talking.” 

Who owns the phrase “Taco Tuesday?” In 49 US states, the phrase is trademarked by the fast food chain Taco John’s (New Jersey’s Gregory Restaurant & Bar owns the trademark in that state). Now a lawsuit filed by Taco Bell is aiming to ‘liberate’ the phrase for anyone to use. The fact that its largest competitor (but which is a much smaller company) has nothing to do with the lawsuit, I’m sure.