Sour may be the new hot and spicy

July 19, 2013 by
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  Apparently, sour is the new spicy- i.e. the latest taste craze sweeping the U.S. (and other parts of the world). Recently we found two sources for this perception.    In Michael Pollan's new book, Cooked, he only presents four recipes backing up his intense discussions of cooking with fire (grilling), water (braising), air (bread), and dirt (fermentation). In the… read more

Intriguing new kitchen tools

July 7, 2013 by
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    The Kitchn recently ran a report from the Total Home Event, held in New York, which highlighted intriguing new kitchen tools from select suppliers. In Check It Out! New Kitchen Tools from Le Creuset, Casabella, Simplehuman & More they describe upcoming items including the rechargeable automatic soap dispenser, silicone jiggers, and a two-in-one vegetable scrubber. The two items that… read more

Using a cicada invasion to get us over the “ick” factor

June 21, 2013 by
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According to Time Magazine, a recent United Nations report states that we will have to eat more bugs to stave off world hunger. In Fight World Hunger by Eating Bugs, Urges U.N., they point out that bugs are a cost-efficient, high source of protein with minimal environmental impact. And, further, that non-Western cultures are already happily consuming them: "The report… read more

The best reaction to Paula Deen’s new butter spreads

June 14, 2013 by
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In case you've been doing something productive, you may not have heard of Paula Deen's new butter spreads. Despite her advocacy of eating a lower fat diet , due to her diabetes, she apparently couldn't resist once again championing butter. She is justifying her advocacy by noting that the butters aren't meant to be used by the pound but are rather "finishing… read more

The next Thomas Keller may have a military rank

May 27, 2013 by
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On this U.S. Memorial Day, we wanted to honor all servicemen and women - regardless of nationality.  And this article from Parade Magazine hits the spot. Titled "How Do You Feed an Army?," the answer is apparently very well - indeed, army food has come a very long way since relying on Spam and MREs (combat field rations, short for… read more

Nutella Day arises from the dead

May 22, 2013 by
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While many food-related controversies don't require much comment, we couldn't pass on the opportunity to enjoy a minor triumph of reason, rationality, and taste. For those of you who have been spending your time on more important things (family, jobs, etc.) and aren't aware of the Nutella Day controversy, here it is in a nutshell. Sara Rosso is a passionate… read more

The Brits discover cake clubs

May 13, 2013 by
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NPR's The Salt recently revealed that the British have developed quite a passion for baking. In Why Britain Has Gone Mad About Baking, they announced "In the last year alone, some 9 million Britons have taken up baking, according to market research firm Mintel. Indeed, the home-baking market grew a whopping 84 percent between 2007 and 2012, according to Mintel. Increases… read more

The Munchie Award winners

May 12, 2013 by
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We were remiss earlier that we didn't acknowledge the winners of the Munchie Awards. As explained by Braiser, which published the results, these awards were created by Andrew Zimmern (most famous for his show, Bizarre Foods). "Zimmern and a panel of 26 experts (chefs, journalists, and media personalities alike) compile a list of nominees in each culinary category which are… read more

Four good reasons to eat chocolate

May 9, 2013 by
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Discussing chocolate is always appropriate, but never more so than approaching Mother's Day. So here's a shout out to The Daily Meal's article, Truth Behind 4 Chocolate Myths. By busting these myths, they produce even more reasons than you may already have for eating chocolate. Check out the article for the full details, here is a synopsis: "Myth #1: Chocolate… read more

The Food Network is losing popularity

May 3, 2013 by
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The N.Y. Post published today some news that we thought our members would find interesting. According to recent ratings, the "Food Network shed 17 percent of its audience during the 12 months through April 30.  The average primetime show on the cable channel, which features such series as "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives," slipped to 1.06 million." Also interesting, by contrast… read more

Beyonce and the $900 titanium straw

May 2, 2013 by
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It's well-known that touring artists often have very specific requirements for food, etc. in their touring contracts. And it's kind of fun to read them, if for nothing more than realizing what a fantasy world must be like. So when the Daily Meal published Beyonce's touring contract requirements, we paused to look them over. Essentially, as far as food goes,… read more

Is the Paleo Diet more than just nostalgia for the (very far) past?

April 29, 2013 by
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Most people interested in food-related matters are certainly aware by now of the Paleo Diet - but may not really understand it. This article from Epicurious, Scrutinizing the Paleo Diet,  presents a fair analysis of the pros and cons. It's actually a review of a new book,  Paleofantasy: What Evolution Really Tells Us about Sex, Diet, and How We Live… read more

The rebirth of 1970’s kitchen gadgets

April 28, 2013 by
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According the The Guardian, 1970s kitchen gadgets are making a comeback. And we must say, when they started listing the gadgets, we had to agree they're right. Among the ones they list are: Sodastream -  Jamie Oliver's recent tribute (along with Lorraine Pascale's), created an 85% sales increase for this gadget which allows you to easily add carbonation and flavors to… read more

Is cooking school worth it?

April 25, 2013 by
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One of the most prestigious culinary schools in the U.S. - the Culinary Institute of America or CIA - recently experienced a student revolt. About 20 percent of their bachelor candidates (4-year students) walked out to protest falling academic standards and extremely high tuition rates. Several factors led to the walkout: Declining admissions standards designed, according the students, to increase… read more

Dipping cookies makes them taste better

March 24, 2013 by
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NPR at The Salt recently asked one of the food world's most crucial question: Do Cookies Really Taste Better Dipped in Tea? This is the quandary no less an expert than Heston Blumenthal "recently set out to discover on his TV show, Heston's Fantastical Food. With the help of a high-tech gadget inserted up the nose, he found that a chocolate-covered… read more

Are you a supertaster?

March 19, 2013 by
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The Wall Street Journal has an interesting video that discusses the challenges facing  "supertasters."  A supertaster not only tastes things more intensely, they have stronger feelings about what foods they like and they don't like. And there are good reasons to determine if you are one - in fact, many supertasters may be at risk for certain illnesses like colon… read more

James Beard Finalists Announced

March 18, 2013 by
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The James Beard Foundation just announced its cookbook finalists for 2013. (For other awards, see our blog Cookbook award season is here!.) So who made the list? You can view the entire list here, but here are some of the more popular categories. First, however, are the two who won the most prestigious achievement awards: Humanitarian: Emeril Lagasse Lifetime Achievement:… read more

The new English diet craze vs. the Mediterranean diet craze

March 4, 2013 by
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It's always fun when themes develop in the food press because they can provide such interesting contrasts. For example, a few days ago, there was a lot of fuss about a new Spanish study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, that claimed the Mediterranean Diet dramatically decreases the chance of heart disease. Lost in the clamor, however, were… read more

Four beer myths – Is Bud watered down? Does Bud have fewer calories than Guinness? And more…

March 1, 2013 by
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With St. Patrick's Day approaching, our thoughts are turning to beer. In particular, there has recently been a big fuss about Budweiser beer. A recent lawsuit alleged that Budweiser has been watering down its beer to save money. The suit says that the label on a can of Budweiser alleges a 5% alcohol content, when it is actually 4.7%. But… read more

Cookbook award season is here!

February 27, 2013 by
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Now that the Oscars are over we can turn our attention to cookbook award season. Two have already been announced, the Gourmand and the Food52 Piglet Contest, but the two most prestigious are coming up - the James Beard Foundation and the IACP. And the IACP is especially exciting. Below you'll see the list for the cookbook finalists, but first we wanted to… read more

An ironic viewpoint of the horsemeat scandal

February 26, 2013 by
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  We've been avoiding commenting on the horsemeat scandal. First, it's hard sitting in the U.S. to really judge how much of a problem this is (political hyperbole knows no geographic boundaries) and, second, the revelations never seem to stop. Somehow, though, when IKEA's iconic meatballs get involved, it seems futile to not at least recognize the situation. Given the… read more

Fish Wars

February 17, 2013 by
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NPR recently pursued an indepth investigation of the Marine Stewardship Council, an organization which certifies seafood as good for the environment. In their three-part series, Under the Label: Sustainable Seafood, NPR reports that  "as more retailers promise to sell only sustainable-labeled seafood, the program is certifying fisheries that don't deserve it." The MSC is a non-profit, non-government organization that provides a sustainable… read more

Is food more fashionable than fashion?

February 11, 2013 by
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Over at the Huffington Post, Martha Stewart reflects on the possibility that food may be the new fashion. As she writes in her introduction to Food is the New Fashion: "The notion that 'you are what you eat' extends beyond the virtues of a nutritious, well-balanced diet. These days, it often seems that you are what you purchase in the… read more

Borrow your seeds from the public library

February 6, 2013 by
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We assume since our members are avid cooks that many of you are also avid gardeners - the two often go hand-in-hand. And, at least up here in the cold environs, it's now the perfect time to plan a garden. So here's an idea that NPR recently reported about that struck us as a win-win idea. According to How To… read more

Are you a flexitarian?

February 1, 2013 by
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We like to stay current with food terminology, so the word "flexitarian" caught our eye. The Guardian has been concerned recently with defining vegetarianism and, in two recent articles, they do a good job of summing up the fluidity with which this term is being used. In a moderately light-hearted article, Flexitarianism: Isn't it just vegetarianism with cheating? they note that "Flexitarians… read more
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