Food news antipasto

The price of food has been on consumer’s minds in recent months, and it’s no wonder why: food costs for a “thrifty” family of four in the U.S. have increased by 50% from pre-pandemic levels. Producers claim that inflation is driving the price increases, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. In an article shared on The Bittman Project, writer Veronica Riccobene explains the real reason food costs have skyrocketed.

If you have a glass of orange juice to accompany your morning breakfast, be prepared for a steep price increase that is driven not by corporate profits or shareholder returns, but rather by crop failures. Brazil, which is responsible for a whopping 70% of orange juice supplies worldwide, has faced drought and heat stress during the critical flowering time in addition to high rates of a particular bacterial disease that harms the trees. Experts predict that the yield for 2024-2025 will be reduced by nearly 25%, which has made the price of orange juice futures hit an all-time high.

Earlier we shared the long list for the Taste Canada awards. They have now announced the shortlist, which has narrowed the competition from 73 contestants to 44, including 25 English-language volumes and 19 French books. The Gold and Silver award winners will be announced this autumn. See our Taste Canada Awards 2024 page.

Restaurants may have a “no shirt, no shoes, no service” requirement or even a jacket and tie rule, but a St. Louis-area restaurant has upped the ante with a “no one under age 30” rule. To be more precision, no women under 30 and no men under 35 are allowed in the restaurant, which serves upscale Caribbean cuisine. Owner Marvin Pate (age 36) said that the policy was intended to help guests feel like they are at an age-restricted Caribbean resort. Assistant manager Erica Rhodes was more blunt: “The restaurant is just something for the older people to come do, have a happy hour, come get some good food and not have to worry about some of the young folks who bring some of that drama.” There has been mixed reaction to the policy.

Wednesday, June 19th is the third year for the Juneteenth celebration as a national holiday in the US. Juneteenth was first celebrated in Texas, where on June 19, 1865, in the aftermath of the bloody U.S. Civil War, slaves were declared free under the 1862 Emancipation Proclamation. One year after the announcement, freedmen in Texas organized the first of what became an annual celebration, known then as Jubilee Day. By the 1890s, the holiday was referred to as Juneteenth. Earlier this year, a family cookbook dedicated to the holiday was released by Alliah L. Agostini in collaboration with chef Taffy Elrod. The Juneteenth Cookbook features recipes as well as activities, playlists, and conversation starters about the holiday.

In case you missed it, check out Father’s Day recipe ideas posted yesterday.