American Food Spending Dropped To Historic Lows During Quarantine, Despite Rising Prices
Image Source: iStock/corradobarattaphotos
US consumers spent only 8.6% of their disposable incomes on food last year, a 10.1% decrease from 2019, according to USDA data. Analysts attribute the drop to COVID-related restaurant closures and restrictions but also to the largest increase in disposable personal income in 20 years. It seems we spent our stimulus payments elsewhere.
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BBQ Hall Of Famer Meathead Goldwyn Shares Top 5 Grilling Tips
Image Source: AmazingRibs.com
Meathead Goldwyn wants to up your grill game. His top tip? Create two heat zones in your grill: Pile the heat to one side for a hot zone and leave the other side unheated for a cool zone. If you get flareups or food burns, you can move the food to the cool zone. This setup also helps with his second tip: Use the reverse sear method for the juiciest results. Cook burgers and steaks in the cool zone until the very end, then move them over high heat to sear and brown the outside for flavor. To ensure food safety, Goldwyn recommends using a digital thermometer. And to prevent sticking, he says to oil the food instead of the grill grate. However, when it comes to grilling seafood, he suggests slathering on some mayo, which drips off during cooking. So that's how you keep fish from sticking to the grate!
If You Can't Beat 'Em, Eat 'Em. Cicada Cooking Swarms Eastern US.
Image Source: Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo
Brood X cicadas are reemerging after 17 years in the ground in the eastern United States. Many chefs are seizing upon the rare opportunity to put this sustainable animal protein to use. James Beard award winning chef Bun Lai serves them smoked in the shell like bacon bits on salads and steamed until soft then rolled into sushi. Others bread and fry the "shrimp of the soil" or roast and season them as crunchy snacks. Pro tip: Remove the wings before serving. Treat the shell like other animal skin: It's delicious crisped but could be removed to showcase the tender meat. Cicada tacos, anyone?
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Navigating The Murky World Of Olive Oils
Image Source: AP Photo
Virgin. Extra virgin. Extra light. Pure. There are now so many olive oil choices that most consumers are left scratching their heads. Does "extra light" mean fewer calories? Food journalist Katie Workman decodes the terms and explains what to look for. She also busts the myth that you can't cook with extra-virgin olive oil.
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Forkability, Sauceability, And Toothsinkability Lead To New Dried Pasta Shape, Cascatelli
Image Source: Sfoglini
Dan Pashman thinks spaghetti is boring. To create something better, he embarked on a three-year journey and documented his pasta quest on his award-winning podcast The Sporkful. Pashman sank $10,000 into the project, traveling to North Dakota to learn about semolina, the flour used to make dried pasta. He interviewed designers and consulted with pasta makers. And he sketched umpteen shapes, all judged by three criteria: Forkability, sauceability, and toothsinkability. "A lot of pasta shapes are great at one or two of these three things. But very few nail all three," said Pashman. He ultimately partnered with Sfoglini, an upstate New York pasta company that now manufacturers his ideal shape, cascatelli. In Italian, it means "waterfall." The pasta is cascading all over the news, and so far reviews from chefs and food pros are positive. Mine's on order.
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