Food news antipasto

Another food publication is biting the dust – at least in monthly magazine format. Fans of delicious (AUS) spotted a short note in the most recent edition that stated it would be the last print issue. Earlier this year the magazine announced changes that included a weekly delicious section added to metropolitan and regional newspapers. The publisher said that the “move to an expanded weekly content offering will see the final regular monthly print edition of delicious be the June 2025 issue.” No further announcements were made, but judging from the brief editor’s note, it appears as though the June/July 2025 issue is indeed the last print issue.

Many cocktails come with a garnish, ranging from a citrus twist to a full-on snack that comes with some Bloody Marys. Garnishes are more than just something to make the drink look good, says cocktail educator Jena Ellenwood. They should serve a purpose, “whether it echoes an ingredient or theme of the cocktail, or is a sensory experience in its own right,” she told Food & Wine. The article dives deep into garnish theory and provides dos and don’ts for adding garnishes.

If you purchased any pecans in bulk recently, you should check out the Class I recall announced by the FDA. Over 30,000 pounds of nuts could be contaminated with salmonella, and the Class I rating means that there is a “reasonable probability of serious health consequences.” The nuts were distributed by Navarro Pecan Holdings, LLC, and most went to commercial bakeries or food manufacturers in five states (Texas, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and New Jersey), plus were shipped to three other countries.

You might not think that AI would be coming to your favorite sushi restaurant, but it could be there soon. A Los Angeles-area startup called Shinkei Systems has developed a robot designed to replicate a traditional Japanese form of fish handling called ikejime. The robot – named Poseidon – uses AI to determine the type of fish and kill it almost instantly. The developers say this is a more humane way to process the fish, and in addition, the fish do not release stress hormones that can be detrimental to the flavor.

Bad news for chocolate lovers: expect prices to rise again this fall, as most chocolate makers contend with cocoa costs that remain stubbornly high. The current price increases are not due to tariffs, but are mainly due to climate issues facing cocoa farmers, which means prices have risen worldwide. However, if tariffs are implemented as currently projected, US consumers can expect a double whammy to prices, which have already risen significantly in the past couple of years. The average unit price of a chocolate bar in the US in July 2021 was $2.43; now it stands at $3.45.

In case you missed this weekend’s post: How much would you pay for a pancake?.