Food news antipasto

Sodium alginate, spheres, and foams: when these items first made their appearance in the early 2000s, they ushered in a new way of looking at food. Pioneering chefs like Wylie Dufresne, Heston Blumenthal, and Grant Achatz applied scientific principles to an industry that had long been one of tradition and even superstition (lest we forget, many old-school chefs said that women could not make mayonnaise when they were menstruating). Even though we don’t see many foams or spheres in restaurants these days, the techniques and ethos of the molecular gastronomy movement forever changed the world of dining.

You may have seen news of the lawsuit filed by French chef Marc Veyrat against the Michelin Guide. The chef sued the guide because he wanted to know why he lost one of his three Michelin stars, and in his lawsuit he demanded to see the documentation used to make the determination. Michelin refused, although it says it did try to explain to Veyrat why he was downgraded. A French court recently sided with Michelin, effectively ending the lawsuit.

While a few people may argue that the ’20s do not officially begin until 2021, most folks see 2020 as the start of a new decade. As such, they are looking to the 2010s in a wave of nostalgia. Lucas Kwan Peterson of the L.A. Times recounts the food trends that mattered in the last decade.

Do you enjoy reading essays about food as much as you love cookbooks? (Of course you do!) Then you will want to check out Eat Joy: Stories & Comfort Food from 31 Celebrated Writers. This collection of intimate, illustrated essays by some of America’s most well-regarded literary writers explores how comfort food can help us cope with dark times – be it the loss of a parent, the loneliness of a move, or the pain of heartache. EYB Member sir_ken_g recently read it and recommends it, calling the book fascinating.

A recent Wine Spectator article reported on the effects the Australian bush fires are having on the Adelaide Hills wine industry. Of course that is only one tiny effect as millions of acres burn, killing untold numbers of animals and devastating entire communities. Our thoughts go out to our Australian members who are affected by this horrific disaster. If you are wondering what you can do to help, here is a short list of aid agencies that are accepting donations:

• Australia’s Red Cross Disaster relief and recovery fund helps support evacuation centers and recovery programs.
• The Salvation Army has a disaster appeal donations page set up to deliver support to local communities affected by the blazes.
• The Victorian Bushfire Appeal directs money to communities in need, giving directly to those affected by the fires. 
• The NSW Rural Fire Service has a donation page to support the firefighting efforts in New South Wales.
• The Country Fire Authority is the state of Victoria’s rural firefighting service.
• The Country Fire Service in South Australia also takes direct donations.
• To help support firefighters in the state of Queensland, you can donate to the Rural Fire Brigades Association. 
• Another small way to help is to purchase James Hillery’s ebook, The Great Little Charity Baking Book. James was a season 8 GBBO contestant, and he is pledging all profits from the book to people affected by the fires.

Photo of Sphere of pandoro semifreddo with white chocolate mousse from Great Italian Chefs by Giuseppe D’Aquino