foodie

Zuckerberg's Sweet Kills

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 14:42:07 -0500

Mark Zuckerberg is a hunter. While Facebook’s 27-year-old billionaire CEO and founder is often portrayed as cutthroat, his latest endeavor brings new meaning to the sentiment: only eating meat that he’s killed himself. Zuckerberg’s walk on the wild side is the latest manifestation of his annual “personal challenge.” Previous challenges have included learning Mandarin and wearing a tie everyday so it would suffice to say that this year’s challenge has certainly upped the ante. Zuckerberg says he is now “basically a vegetarian,” “generally healthier”, and has learned “a lot about sustainable living.”

Zuckerberg said he was compelled to begin killing his own meat when he held a pig roast at his house last year, during which numerous guests told him they loved eating pork but were repulsed by the sight of the pig’s carcass because it reminded them that they were, in fact, eating something that was once alive. “That just seemed irresponsible to me. I don’t have an issue with anything people choose to eat, but I do think they should take responsibility and be thankful for what they eat rather than trying to ignore where it came from,” he says.

It sounds like someone read the last chapter of “The Omnivore’s Dilemma,” in which Michael Pollan wrote about reconnecting with where meat comes from by slaughtering chickens on a farm. Pollan approves of Zuckerberg’s foray into sustainable living, tweeting “Good for him.”[CNN]

GMO's In "Organic" Foods?

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 14:36:11 -0500

Whole Foods in Lincoln Park recently weathered the brunt of a lively activist protest against the sale of genetically modified foods. “No one would guess that there are genetically engineered foods right here in Whole Foods,” said Alexis Baden-Mayer Many, political director of the Organic Consumers Association, who organized the protest. Indeed, many consumers are shocked to hear that the organic food giant sells foods containing genetically modified organisms (GMO’s) including mega-brands Tofutti, Kashi and Boca Burgers since the definition of organic foods specifies that they cannot “knowingly contain” GMO’s. However, with the widespread use of genetically modified soy, corn, and other crops many major organic food retailers say it is becoming impossible to avoid stocking products that contain them.

Crops have been altered for centuries through selective breeding and other such practices but GMO’s utilize DNA splicing, a practice that many say has not been sufficiently tested for its safety. DNA splicing moves genes from one source to another, often with the intent of producing crops that can easily withstand pesticides.

While industry representatives claim that GMO’s are harmless and that there is no need to label foods that contain them, many consumers believe they have the right to know what products have them. Some consumers also believe that conclusive testing is needed to prove that GMO’s are risk-free for humans before putting them on the market. The U.S. is one of just a handful of industrialized nations that does not require the labeling or testing of GMO’s. [LA Times]

Tester-Hagan Amendment

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 10:28:26 -0500

Outbreaks of food-related illnesses stemming from contaminated eggs, spinach, and peanut butter (which have sickened thousands of people in recent years and lead to countless food recalls), helped to expedite the recent passage of the FDA. Food Safety Modernization Act. This act aims to keep consumers safer by giving the FDA more power to recall tainted foods, conduct increased inspections, closely oversee farming, and demand more accountability from producers.Yet, the increased government scrutiny could cause trouble for the growing local food movement. The act would require producers to submit to more government inspections and meet additional safety and sanitation regulations. Compliance can be both expensive and time-consuming. It’s easy for large corporations to adhere to but potentially crippling for already-struggling small farms.

Some say the pending Tester-Hagan Amendment would aim to lessen the risk of putting smaller farms out of business by exempting them from following the same rules that mega-farms would be required to. Senator Jon Tester says these smaller farmers, classified as making less than $500,000 a year and selling within a 400-mile radius, aren’t the producers responsible for the nation’s recent salmonella outbreaks and thus should not be penalized. These are the farms selling at your local farmer’s markets and rural roadside stands. Tester explains,”Food-borne illnesses don’t come from family agriculture.”

While it is clear that some manifestation of food safety reform is needed to combat the escalating salmonella outbreaks and food recalls, many believe that it is also crucial to support local farmers who provide an alternative to the corporate agriculture that these outbreaks originate from. [NYTimes]

Food Safety

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 09:45:26 -0500

U.S. consumers have spoken on the issue of food safety and the widespread sentiment is clear: give us safer food. Despite rising food prices a surprising two-thirds of U.S. voters are willing to pay more for safer food in the wake of endless reports of food-borne illness outbreaks. The study was commissioned by the Pew Charitable Trust and challenges conventional wisdom that consumers always want cheaper food. The survey indicates that consumers support more funding for the FDA to carry out numerous new food safety practices as dictated by Obama’s recently signed Food Safety Modernization Act.

The act gives the FDA increased authority to heighten safety standards for food manufacturers and produce, strengthen inspection standards of both domestic and imported food, and declare a mandatory recall of contaminated foods. In order to pay for the FDA’s new efforts 70% of survey respondents believed that food companies should contribute $1,000 annually and about three-quarters would pay an additional 1-3% to assist in food safety measures. [UPI]

Brining Food To Chicago's Deserts

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 16:36:59 -0500

A moveable feast is locked, stocked, and ready to take on Chicago’s food deserts. In an ingenious take on one of our favorite trends, food trucks, a refurbished bus was donated by the CTA “to serve as a one-aisle mobile grocery store serving some of the many food desert areas within the city.” The bus, an “elegant answer to the city’s crisis,” is currently on a six-week tour of major food deserts. To see the scheduled bus stops, check out Fresh Moves Mobile Produce Market. [Architecture Chicago]

The Slurping Turtle

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 10:53:17 -0500

Mark August 1st on your calendar, foodies. This may very well be the day that Chicago is at last graced with Takashi Yagihashi’s new noodle bar in River North, the Slurping Turtle. Signs of progress are afoot, with their storefront at 116 W. Hubbard suddenly displaying the restaurant’s logo. [Grub Street]

Food Waste

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 10:33:47 -0500

Here’s a sobering statistic for you: over one-third, or 1.3 billion tons, of the world’s food supply is wasted every year according to the U.N. The mind-boggling figure comes as a result of a study commissioned by the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization in the wake of skyrocketing food prices, diminished food production, increasing world hunger, and a growing yet unstable food supply system. [CNN]

An Open Letter to Mayor Emanuel

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 10:21:15 -0500

In the wake of Rahm Emanuel taking the mayoral seat we are definitely concerned about Chicago’s budget crisis but also, as Steve Dolinsky of WBEZ puts it, “How will he impact the burgeoning food scene in Chicago?” Written as an open letter to the Mayor, Dolinsky details, “a few suggestions from a humble food lover.” His three compelling points include a plea to legalize cooking on-site for food trucks; suggestions for an all-in-one, year-round indoor/outdoor market; and a request to give the roving Green City Market a permanent home. He make quite the argument! [WBEZ]

The AP Stylebook Food Section

Tue, 31 May 2011 22:10:05 -0500

Is it Bloody Mary or blood mary? Barbeque or barbecue? Is an amuse-bouche meant to be free? Oh, and what exactly is the proper format for recipe writing? All of these finicky culinary-isms and more are given a definitive answer in the AP Stylebook’s never-before-included 16-page food section in their 2011 edition. Such a food focused addition to the indomitable AP Stylelook is surely yet another indicator of our food fixated world. According to the AP “With all the cooking shows, blogs and magazines focusing on food, as well as growing interest in organic and locally sourced foods, our new food section feels timely and on trend… (the food section) reflects what we see anecdotally as a growing national interest in food writing and the need to answer language-based questions associated with that writing.” [Poynter]

Summertime BBQ

Tue, 31 May 2011 21:52:47 -0500

With summer allegedly right around the corner, our thoughts and taste buds now turn to our favorite summer pastime, barbeque. It’s time to get your tickets to the Green City Market Chef’s BBQ Benefit on July 21st. In the meantime check out our beloved Lillie’s Q which continues to establish itself as one of the nation’s premier barbeque joints. Food & Wine recently named it as one of the “Top 6 New BBQ Places” and was also awarded a 12th place honor at the prestigious Memphis BBQ festival. Locals have been in the know since Lillie’s Q opened so we’re happy to see the rest of the nation catching on!

Food Movie Must Sees

Thu, 26 May 2011 10:57:46 -0500

Fast Food Nation made you squeamish. Food Inc. made you cry. Michael Pollan made you an activist. Now, two compelling new documentaries promise to continue the fight to educate the world on the destructive impact of the industrialized food system and the unhealthy animal products that it yields. Forks Over Knives, which Roger Ebert called “a film that can save your life,” delves into the politics of the meat and dairy industry while examining the growing evidence that a plant-based diet is our number one weapon against degenerative diseases. UK export Planeat also examines the impact of meat and dairy on the planet and our health by combining interviews with vegan chefs, a doctor, and two researchers. Don’t pass-up these must see movies!

Gourmet Live's 50 Women Game-Changers

Mon, 23 May 2011 15:13:00 -0500

Women have greatly influenced the evolution of the food community, maybe even more than men. Writer Kate Sekules details 50 of these great female game-changers in a list which may educate you and will definitely inspire. Here is a sample top five. Check out the full list at Gourmet Live.

Julia Child The great Julia needs no introduction. Especially not after the great Meryl played her in the movie.

Alice Waters The great Alice needs no introduction. OK, just this: Chez Panisse, farmers’ markets, locavore movement, Edible Schoolyard. As yet, they’ve only made documentary movies about her life.

Fannie Farmer If it weren’t for her we’d still be cooking with “handfuls” and “pinches.” Farmer’s 1896 Boston Cooking–School Cook Book introduced standardized measurements. She also explained the chemical stuff a century before Harold McGee.

Martha Stewart Cooking as an ingredient of homemaking; homemaking as a craft; crafts as a competitive sport; the art of multimedia saturation—all this we blame on Martha.

M.F.K. Fisher Mary Frances Kennedy Fisher invented food writing. All food bloggers would like to be her.

Magazine Makeovers!

Thu, 19 May 2011 16:29:50 -0500

You may have noticed, food is a big deal these days! In the wake of The Food Network Magazine being named by AdWeek as the most successful and influential magazine of the year, more good news continues to pour in for food periodicals. While the rest of the print industry continues to struggle, food magazines posted an uptick in advertising revenue in the first quarter of 2011. Additionally, in 2010 over 100 out of approximately 800 new magazines were about food.

In an effort to continue to remain at the top of the pyramid in the escalating newsstand food war, both Bon Appetit and Rachel Ray Everyday recently brought in new editors to shake things up and impact redesigns. Promotion for the redesigned Bon Appetit centered around the cheeky phrase “Bite Me,” a markedly hipper spin on the refined publication. New editor-in-chief Adam Rapoport, formerly of GQ, said readers can expect several changes including an emphasis on tapping into the rapidly shifting pulse of food culture. Everyday is altering its focus to include more lifestyle content and shrinking text size to make room for more features reflecting the bubbly effervescence that Ray is known for. [Associated Press]

Bill Kim's New Line Of Specialty Products

Mon, 16 May 2011 16:29:00 -0500

Bill Kim, the master behind Urban Belly and Belly Shack, is set to invade your kitchen. Kim and his wife are creating Urban Belly Foods, a line of sauces and condiments that aims to help “demystify Asian food” for the intimidated home cook. First up, a soy balsamic that you may have salivated over already at Urban Belly, of which Kim says, “You can use this as a marinade, a dipping sauce. You can add water or oil and it becomes a dressing. It can be whatever you need it be. It’s a multi-purpose sauce. I want it to be like ketchup.” If all goes well (how could it not?) Kim hopes to expand his offerings to include ramen, rice bowls, marinated meats, lemongrass marinade, sambal, pho broth, chile coriander broth, and a Thai basil marinade. We’re already smitten. [Eater]

Aviary Reservations...Well, Kind Of

Sat, 07 May 2011 09:14:22 -0500

Grant Achatz’s wildly popular new gastronomical cocktail lounge, The Aviary, is now taking reservations. Well, sort of. Since opening a few weeks ago thirsty Chicagoans have been eagerly braving long lines for a chance to expereince one of their complex cocktails. To bring some method to the madness, Aviary recently announced on its Facebook page that they would randomly select 8-10 email reservations requests per day. To partake in what essentially amounts to a ticket raffle, email your contact info and party size to reservations@theaviary.com between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on the day your wish to drink. The lucky chosen few will be notified by 3:15 pm (raffle times may change on any day). [Chicagoist]

Food Wins!

Thu, 05 May 2011 21:12:22 -0500

Food wins again! AdWeek just released their 31st annual Hot List and Food Network Magazine snagged the top spot. The list pays homage to the most successful and influential magazines of the year, so a food magazine coming away with the gold speaks volumes about America’s food frenzy.

Can Pesticides Affect I.Q.?

Thu, 05 May 2011 21:08:01 -0500

Eat organic while pregnant and preserve your unborn child’s I.Q.? Three recent studies point to this conclusion by drawing attention to the impact that pesticides can have on an unborn fetus. The studies, financed by the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, found that babies exposed to high levels of pesticides while in the womb had significantly lower I.Q. scores than their peers by the time they reached school age. The pesticides in question are called organophosphates and are routinely sprayed on food crops and used to combat cockroaches and other bugs. In response to the findings, Dr. Philip Landrigan, a professor of pediatrics and Director of the Children’s Environmental Health Center at Mount Sinai, commented, “I think these are shocking findings. Babies exposed to the highest levels had the most severe effects. It means these children are going to have problems as they go through life.” [USA Today]

Michael Pollan's New Food Rules

Thu, 05 May 2011 21:02:00 -0500

Michael Pollan’s updated, illustrated version of his venerable Food Rules: An Eater’s Manifesto will include a few new rules to eat by, but not by his own pen. Pollan solicited contributions from his legions of readers via Slow Food USA and sifted through over 4,000 to induct these three fabulous new rules:

Place a bouquet on the table and everything will taste twice as good.
– Gisbert P. Auwaerter, Cutchogue, NY

Love your spices. They add richness and depth to food without salt.
– Claire Cheney, Jamaica Plain, MA

When you eat real food, you don’t need rules.
– Mandy Gerth

[Slow Food USA]

Staph Infected Meat

Thu, 05 May 2011 21:00:17 -0500

It may just be time to pack up the ol’ steak knives with this latest bit of truly revolting meat industry press. A recent study found that 47% of meat and poultry products purchased at grocery stores in five US cities were contaminated with drug-resistant strains of staph bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus can cause skin infections and a variety of other diseases if left untreated. Perhaps even more appalling is the finding that 52% of the contaminated meat products contained staph bacteria resistant to three or more types of antibiotics. This finding carries broader implications regarding the widespread and often indiscriminant use of antibiotics in industrial farming and food-animal production and the role they play in breeding drug-resistant bacteria in the nation’s food supply. Meatless Mondays, anyone? [AZ Central]

Restaurants That Compost

Thu, 05 May 2011 16:18:00 -0500

As restaurants across the country become increasingly eco-conscious (with farm-to-table practically being expected at a certain caliber of restaurant) a new breed of green restaurants is emerging: those that compost. This so-called “table-to-farm” movement is growing as companies specializing in restaurant waste composting are springing up across the country to deal with the mounds of uneaten food that inevitably end up in the trash. Food waste is not only expensive for restaurants (who often pay to have it hauled to landfills), but is also taxing on the environment. Composting companies provide a savvy solution to both of these issues and give new life to restaurant refuse by turning it into mineral-rich soil. San Francisco and Seattle have pioneered restaurant composting programs and we are excited to see the movement gain momentum elsewhere. [AP]