Food news antipasto

It’s heading toward peak tomato season in much of the Northern Hemisphere, but some chefs have found clever ways to keep tomatoes on the menu all year. Well, at least the appearance of tomatoes appears in these restaurants. Eater’s Bettina Makalintal explains the trompe l’oeil tomato trend with fool-the-eye creations both savory and sweet.

Almost every culture that has wheat-based foods in its repertoire enjoys an indulgent treat that involves sweet dough fried in fat. At SBS Food, chef Adam Liaw takes us on a tour of doughnuts from around the world, with stops in India, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. From beignets to bola de Berlim to lgeimat, you can eat your way from country to country.

Several real-life Chicago-area chefs and restaurants have been featured on The Bear, and as you might expect, even a brief cameo in an episode is enough to encourage people to flock to these eateries. While this is a boon to the restaurants’ bottom line, it can be tough on regulars who now find it difficult to get a table at their favorite locations.

National Ice Cream Day in the US is on July 21, and if you are a fan of Hello Kitty and Van Leeuwen, there is a special flavor mashup hitting the stores just for that occasion. The Hello Kitty Van Leeuwen Yummy Berry White Chocolate Truffle ice cream will be available on Sunday, July 21 only. If you get a chance to try it, let us know if it’s as good as it sounds!

In food safety news, a cooking oil scandal has rocked China in recent weeks. Chinese authorities say they are investigating allegations that tanker trucks have transported cooking oil after hauling toxic chemicals without being properly cleaned between loads. According to one driver, the practice was so widespread that it was considered an “open secret” in the industry.

Eating melted raclette cheese over potatoes, meats, and other vegetables is a popular apres-ski tradition in the Swiss and French Alps. A restaurant in Sydney, Australia is attempting to recreate this dining experience by placing clear plastic igloos in a car park rooftop and serving this traditional dish to diners. To make it more authentic, all of the staff are from France, as is the cheese. Does the igloo trick work? Lenny Ann Low thinks so, writing that “eating this combination of creamy, salty, luscious fromage, mashed indelicately through soft potatoes and coils of handkerchief-like cured meat is transportive.”