Food news antipasto

January 11, 2026 by
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We are starting off the week on a sad note, as we learned that Boston chef and food stylist Elle Simone Scott passed away last week at the age of 49. Scott served as a host and a food stylist for America’s Test Kitchen. ATK’s Jack Bishop offered praise for Scott in a note, saying that among her contributions to ATK “she gave Cook’s Country a modern, sophisticated look.” In addition to her work at ATK, Scott wrote two cookbooks, Boards: Stylish Spreads for Casual Gatherings and Food Gifts: 150+ Irresistible Recipes for Crafting Personalized Presents, the latter winning an award at Readable Feast.

Candy maker and cookbook author Christine Moore also passed away last week at 62. Moore was the owner of Little Flower Candy Co. and the chef/owner of Little Flower Cafe and Lincoln Restaurant, both in Pasadena, California. A former pastry chef in Paris and L.A., Moore became a candy maker as a way to create a home-based business. She later returned to cooking at her own place and has developed a passionate following for her simple but exceptionally flavorful food. She wrote the award-winning book Little Flower: Recipes from the Café and Little Flower Baking.

There is additional unwelcome news this week: another food publication has gone under. The December issue of Observer Food Monthly was its last, as the new owners continue to make changes to The Observer properties. They will have recipes in the weekly Observer Magazine that comes with the paper, but there will no longer be a dedicated food magazine. We hope that The Guardian will continue to host the recipes that EYB has indexed to date, going all the way back to 2004. In other magazine publishing news, Olive Magazine has switched to 8 issues a year – December’s issue was a combination of December and January.

The market for cookbooks has been a bright spot in the publishing industry but that star may be waning as there was a decline in the overall cookbook market in 2025. However, there is one growth area: sales of baking cookbooks, which were up 80% in 2025. The last time there was a surge in baking cookbooks was 2020, as people looked for lockdown hobbies. That obviously is not driving the current trend. Cookbook industry analyst Brenna Connor thinks that cost savings are behind the current uptick.

The US Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services announced changes to the US dietary guidelines. The changes have had mixed reviews from public health experts and dieticians. On the one hand, there is an emphasis on eating whole, nutrient-dense foods including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats. However, some of the recommendations are at odds with the advice of physicians – and with the new guidelines themselves. It’s hard to square the advice to eat less saturated fat with the emphasis on red meat in the new “pyramid”.

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4 Comments

  • Zephyrness  on  January 12, 2026

    I disagree that the new pyramid emphasizes red meat. Yes, there is a steak. There is also a chicken, broccoli, carrots, cheese, and eggs. I have seen a lot of press emphasis of the “OMG, red meat and dairy” variety, but very little about the official end of the getting the bulk of your calories from simple carbs. High carb diets lead to obesity and type 2 diabetes. And if carbs are half your calorie intake, you can’t just stop eating them. The replacement is complex carbs, protein and fat. A little bit of heavy cream in your coffee is really satisfying and you don’t miss the sugar. And your blood sugar won’t spike. Eat less saturated fat means don’t go to McDonalds 3 times a week. (what we all used to do when that advice first came out). It doesn’t mean red meat is bad. So I think the proper reading of this is eat real food, not too much, mostly plants. But do get enough protein and fat, ok? Cause you need both to be healthy.
    Sorry about the soapbox, but my husband was diagnosed w/ type 2 diabetes and I have spent the last two years reading and relearning how to cook. This pyramid makes me really happy, as it mirrors the nutritional advice my family has been given by our physician.

  • mardees  on  January 13, 2026

    Re: Elle Scott. Just last night I watched an episode of ATK where Elle demonstrated baking madeleines. Her response to the taste of the cookie, and her insistence of dipping it in coffee was lovely to experience. Rest in peace dear Elle.

  • mardees  on  January 13, 2026

    This comment is directed to Zephyrness regarding RFK Jr’s new food pyramid. Steak and all beef is now very expensive, as is poultry. This drawing of what looks like a Porterhouse steak in the upper left corner would I am sure be considered delicious by most, but the thing could cost $45! Fresh broccoli is super expensive. Cheese, eggs, also expensive! Bread has been the staff of life since the beginning of time. That doesn’t mean Wonder bread and Oreos. The USDA never, ever encouraged people to survive on simple, sugar-loaded carbs. Corporations did that. A high protein diet is what I eat, but I can afford it, and I am sensitive to the struggles of average families today to buy meat, let alone fresh salmon, also pictured in this pyramid. This pyramid shows a lack of understanding of our food system, the food people have access to and can afford.

  • Fyretigger  on  January 13, 2026

    I have to double-down on the concerns about this new food pyramid. When you go beyond the graphic and dig into the actual details, the recommended amount of protein has nearly doubled, pushing it into the realm that mass bulking bodybuilders have recommended. That load of protein, when not being put to use is just excess strain on the kidneys. Not to mention the strain on the environment that double the protein production would cause.

    For Elle Simone, she always came off as such an elegant, graceful, generous lady. I hope she left this world peacefully, surrounded by love.

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