The Juicy Bits
As America’s biggest food holiday approaches, let’s all give Thanks for 2020 coming to a close in a few weeks. And for the new bacon-scented beer from Waffle House. If anything can help us through this next decade, it’s a 6.5% red ale called Bacon & Kegs.
And there's some great news in the world of American barbecue: 83-year-old pitmaster Desiree Robinson was inducted into the Barbecue Hall of Fame, the first Black woman to receive the honor. Good on ya, Desiree. Plus, José R. Ralat, the Taco Editor at Texas Monthly (dream job!), just released his sprawling guide to the state's many styles of tacos from carnitas and costra to trompo and West Indian. Hellz yeah.
Let's give Thanks, too, for the 20-pound turkeys that survived Thanksgiving this year. It seems small birds are in demand during lockdown. And if you ever wondered why the holiday bird smells so good, roasting away in the oven with alluring aromas of crispy browned skin, Harold McGee has the answer in his new book on the fascinating science of scent.
Lastly, I need to apologize about two other science guys in our previous issue: Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil. We had a snafu with our ads and these two TV doctors showed up before we could filter them out. Sorry about that. We fixed the problem, and you should see no more ads for things like snake oil, Russian sexbots, or political candidates. If you do, please let me know at [email protected]. Or feel free to drop me a line telling me what you're feasting on this Thanksgiving. I'm going with duck. It's smaller, juicier, and tastier than turkey. I'm letting a few of my old traditions evolve this year. Happy Thanksgiving!
Cooking
Thanksgiving Turkeys Get Smaller This Year As Americans Downsize Their Celebrations
Image Source: Madeline Gray
Some families are planning a Zoomsgiving. Some are gathering with immediate family only. Almost everyone is cooking for fewer people. That means a smaller turkey on the holiday table. Or maybe just a turkey breast, or even a roast duck or chicken. America's turkey farmers wish they had a crystal ball back in 2019 so they could meet today's demand for smaller 8-pound turkeys. Usually at Thanksgiving, an 18-pound turkey is the most popular size.
Restaurants
Legendary Pitmaster Desiree Robinson Inducted Into The Barbecue Hall of Fame
Image Source: The Robinson Family
The co-founder of Cozy Corner in Memphis, 83-year-old Desiree Robinson opened the restaurant in 1977 with her late husband, Raymond Robinson. She still serves their dry rub ribs, Cornish hens, and bologna sandwiches to this day. Desiree is quick to credit Raymond for the recipes, but she has been instrumental in working the pits and sustaining the restaurant's success. Robinson is the first Black woman and first living Black person to receive the Barbecue Hall of Fame award. Congrats Desiree!
Beverages
Guinness Created A Non-Alcoholic Version Of Its Iconic Stout, Then Recalled It Two Weeks Later
Image Source: Guinness
The original Guinness stout has only 4.2% alcohol by volume, but if you drank like a river as a lad, the company has released a no-alcohol version to help mend your ailing liver. Alas, something gummed up the brew works. Within two weeks, the company recalled cans of its new "Guinness 0.0" due to potential microbiological contamination. Hmm...maybe a little alcohol in the cans would have kept the microbes at bay.
Supply Chain
1 Million American Households Now Use Food Stamps Monthly, A 50-Fold Surge In Subsidized Online Grocery Shopping
Image Source: Whole Foods Market
Back in April, the USDA tested a pilot program making it easier for food stamp recipients to buy groceries online during the pandemic. Now 1.1 million households use the service each month, a boon to everyone adhering to social distancing guidelines. It's also been a huge payday for e-commerce giants Amazon and Walmart, the only two grocery retailers to participate in the program in most states. Given that food stamp recipients spent a whopping $55 billion on groceries in 2019, the USDA's pilot program has taken a big bite out of revenue at regional and local grocery stores. Some market analysts say that's a solid reason to end the program when the pandemic ends.
More Supply Chain News
Hershey Upends Cocoa Market By Sourcing Beans From Futures Market Instead Of From Traders
Agriculture
Agritech Attracts A Record $4.4 Billion In Venture Capital Funding
Image Source: Cyril Marcilhacy
The tech industry has been exploding for decades, but this year, it's taken a new turn toward something relatively un-technical: farming. In 2020, venture capitalists sunk a record $4.4 billion into re-engineering unstable farming and food systems around the world, including investments in more than 20 tech-driven agriculture startups such as the French insect farm Ynsect and Germany's vertical produce farm Infarm. Global climate change? World population growth? Supply chain challenges? Engineering to the rescue.
Regulations
Federal Regulators Caught In The Crossfire Of Ocean Farming Fight
Image Source: Courtesy of Civil Eats
In 2016, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) finalized a rule allowing up to 20 permits for fish farming in the Gulf of Mexico's federal waters. This September, the Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute applied for a NOAA permit to farm sushi-grade tuna in federal waters off the San Diego coast. But so far no permits have been issued. Advocates says U.S. ocean aquaculture is vital to establishing a resilient food supply and relying less on farmed fish imports from Asia. Critics say it's fraught with negative impacts like fish escapes, disease, antibiotic use, and waste accumulation. Here's a deep dive into the murky world of farming our oceans.
Health
More Americans On Diets Today Than A Decade Ago, Report Finds
Image Source: Associated Press
According to the latest data from the U.S. Centers For Disease Control And Prevention, 17% of Americans say that they are on a diet. That's up from 14% ten years earlier. Over the same time period, obesity rates climbed to 42% of Americans, up from 34%. The takeaway? At least we're aware of our growing waistlines. Now, if only dieting could help the situation more.
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Science
In "Nose Dive," Food Science Writer Harold McGee Goes Where No Nose Has Gone Before
Image Source: Getty Images/Fstop
Scientists estimate that the human nose can distinguish up to a trillion different odors. But our vocabulary for describing them is far more limited. Harold McGee sticks his nose into the issue in his latest book, Nose Dive: A Field Guide To The World's Smells. McGee describes the aromas and chemical components in everything from oranges to compost and engine oil to sewage. He also elucidates the elusive olfactory workings of truffles, wood smoke, and whisky. Nose Dive is well organized into chapters focusing on smells in the atmosphere as well as in animals, humans, plants, herbs, spices, vegetables, fruits, fungi, fish, and seaweed. Cooking, curing, fermentation, and decay also get special attention. Another scientific estimate: about 80% of what we call flavor actually consists of aroma. If you ever sipped a glass of wine then stumbled to describe it, this book will give you the words.
Last Bite
A Letter From Panera Bread’s C.E.O. On How To Successfully Break Up With Your Significant Other At Panera
Image Source: Shutterstock
A choice quote: "We pride ourselves on serving bland, lukewarm food to distract you from the crushing existential dread that accompanies ending a relationship with someone you don’t particularly like but have kept around for seven months too long so that you wouldn’t be utterly alone."