Food news antipasto

Here is a sentence I never thought I would write: Pamela Anderson is coming out with a cookbook later this year. You might say that is no surprise, but this is not the wonderful Pam Anderson who has several well-regarded books to her name. This is blonde bombshell and former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson. The cookbook is titled I Love You: Recipes from the Heart that shares treasured homegrown and world-influenced recipes that started out as a housewarming gift for her sons, Brandon and Dylan and their girlfriends. The book is part of Anderson’s metamorphosis in which she is remaking her image by ditching the heavy makeup and revealing facets of herself that were not emphasized earlier in her career.

If you watched much coverage of the Olympics, you may have caught a glimpse of Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen, who created a social media frenzy with his obsession over the chocolate muffins available in the Olympic village. Christiansen posted about the “choccy muff”, giving it a rating of 11 out of 10, going back for more the next day. Other athletes jumped in on the fun, with New Zealand swimmer Lewis Clareburt posting a video with Christiansen, captioning it, “I found the official Olympic village muffin man.” Since we can’t taste those now legendary muffins, we will have to make do with one of the recipes in the EYB Library like the Double-chocolate salted caramel muffins from Food Network Magazine shown above.

Another cookbook release tidbit comes from Ruby Bhogal, who was a finalist on the Great British Bake Off in 2018. Unlike some contestants who come out with a cookbook within a year or two, Bhogal took her time to craft One Bake, Two Ways: Fifty Bakes with an All-plant Option Every Time. In an interview with The Independent, she says that her family inspired her to make every bake have a vegan option. She also talks about the dessert table she is planning for her wedding. “What I do know is I want to have a cake table, [and] there’s no point going on a show like Bake Off if I’m not going to utilise the connections and friends I’ve made on the show,” she said. Former Bake Off winner Rahul Mandal has allegedly been “pestering” Bhogal for a date so he can start preparing.

What is the single most important thing you can do to improve your cooking? According to recipe developer and chef Tine Caisip, it is taking a knife skills course. Caisip says that “mastering knife techniques helps you to significantly improve the flavour, texture and presentation of your meals,” and it is a real time saver. The chef says there are many places you can find these classes such as cooking schools and private chef tutorials, but if there is not an in-person option near you, Caisip recommends YouTube as a source.

Want another reason to make your meals at home instead of option for a ready-to-eat option? Food & Wine has one: eating ultra-processed items – even plant-based foods – has been shown to create an elevated risk of developing diseases and experiencing serious health events like heart attack and stroke. Plant-based foods have been gaining in popularity as people look to eating less meat as a way to make their diet healthier, but not everything that is plant-based is created equal. Things like dairy-free yogurts, for example, are usually laden with additives to give the product a look and mouthfeel that is similar to the dairy-based version. Snacks and convenience foods were the most likely items to be ultra-processed.