Food news antipasto

Coffee drinkers have another reason to enjoy their morning cup as a new study found a link between having a pre-lunch coffee and a reduced risk of developing heart disease. The link is only for those who indulge in caffeine in the morning – those who drank it throughout the day don’t seem enjoy the same benefits. “Our findings indicate that it’s not just whether you drink coffee or how much you drink, but the time of day when you drink coffee that’s important,” said the study’s lead author, Dr Lu Qi.

Former TopChef contestant and talk show host Carla Hall made a big announcement on New Year’s Day, posting about the release of her new magazine. It’s titled Sweet Heritage and while it contains recipes, they are accompanied by articles on how to achieve personal growth, style tips, reading recommendations, and more. Hall has released a free online edition of the entire magazine if you want to check it out.

King Arthur Baking announced its 2025 Recipe of the Year: Big and bubbly foccacia. They describe it as “lofty but light, strikingly tall, and the perfect size for the dinner table” (it makes a 9-inch square). If this is anything like their previous recipes of the year, it is sure to be a big hit. This focaccia recipe relies on mostly hands-off folding, with an estimated total time of 3 hours and 40 minutes to make. Will you be giving this a try?

It’s almost Girl Scout Cookie time, and if you are fan of these delicious fundraising treats, you may want to know which two flavors are going to be retired at the end of this season. I was not even aware of one of them, and neither are on my favorites list. I am partial to Samoas (but NOT Caramel Delites, don’t @ me) and Thin Mints, and those stalwarts are not headed for the chopping block. The Girl Scouts are expected to sell 200 million boxes of cookies this season.

Saveur Magazine recently reminisced about their top 10 food and travel stories of 2024. The articles include an interview with a custom knife maker from Rhode Island, a deep dive into the world of Korean rice cakes, a story about the reappearance of the 1960s Frigidaire stove (my grandmother had one of those!), and must-try restaurants in Reykjavík, plus more. Those diverse subjects show an impressive depth to the reinvigorated magazine.