The Juicy Bits
I thought I knew what a food book was. It's a cookbook, maybe a food history tome, or a chef's memoir, right? Think again. Ben Denzer’s edible book 20 Slices of American Cheese brings new meaning to the term. Thanks Ben. And thank you to India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi for repealing three misguided agriculture laws and ending a year of bloody protests. Score one for rice farmers. In other food news, Consumer Reports has found high levels of heavy metals in common herbs and spices like oregano. To be safe, grow your own. And you might want to ditch a few avocados for fava beans in your guacamole. The delicious nutritious Instagram darlings have lost ground in the carbon footprint wars. But plant-based meat is still winning. A new survey of studies shows that, yes, it is better for the environment. Mushrooms are winning too, especially at this Jersey Shore BBQ joint where they're smoked, seared and served alongside house-made snags (that's Aussie for sausages).
Cooking
VIDEO: Australian Pitmasters Bring Aussie BBQ To The Jersey Shore
Image Source: Courtesy of Eater
At Wildwoods BBQ in New Jersey, Australian chefs David Gill and Joel Romano don't just toss shrimp on the barbie. They make smoked shrimp sausage. Instead of baby backs slathered in BBQ sauce, they smoke the ribs, fry them, toss them in sauce and top them with a crunchy blend of nuts and spices. Watch to see how the Aussies flavor and smoke briskets, mushrooms, cauliflower, and more.
Restaurants
Esquire Releases 2021 List Of 40 Best New Restaurants In America
Image Source: Courtesy of Esquire
This year, fire and char captured the imaginations of Esquire's editors. Stunning vegan dishes also made the grade. Four hungry reporters deliver their largest lineup ever of notable new eateries from New York and Los Angeles to San Francisco, Chicago, Austin, Miami, Houston, Birmingham, New Orleans, Hawaii, and more. It's almost enough to put a dent in DoorDash's business.
Beverages
Researchers Analyze How Climate Change Will Affect The Taste Of Coffee
Image Source: Yevgen Romanenko / Getty Images
High elevation and lots of shade create the best-tasting coffee. That allows the beans to ripen slowly and develop more flavor. What's happening as the planet warms? Can these growing conditions be maintained? To find out, scientists from Tufts University and Montana State University analyzed more than 70 studies. They concluded that nothing can be done about warming temps at high elevations. But to preserve shade-grown crops, growth canopies can limit sun exposure and help improve flavor in coffee beans.
Supply Chain
Avocados Lose Their Halo: Why Chefs Are Ditching The Popular Fruit
Image Source: Courtesy of Wahaca
Rich, creamy, nutritious avocados are so popular that producing enough to meet demand is becoming unsustainable. A single avocado can take up to 320 liters (85 gallons) of water to grow and once shipped, its carbon footprint is three times higher than that of a banana. From the UK to the US and Canada, chefs have taken note, replacing avocados in creamy dishes with everything from green peas and fava beans to pistachios and pumpkin seed butter.
Agriculture
After A Year Of Protests, Modi Finally Caves In To Farmers’ Demands
Image Source: Xavier Galiana
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the repeal of three agriculture laws passed in September 2020. Meant to modernize the country's agricultural industry, the new laws eliminated government support for India's farmers. Thousands took to the streets and hundreds died during a year of fervent protest. While some farmers hail the repeal as a victory, others continue to demand legislation that guarantees a minimum price for their crops.
More Agriculture News
At COP26, 45 Nations Promise To Overhaul Food And Farming Systems To Curb Climate Change
A Deep Dive Into The $250 Million Organic Food Fraud That Rocked The Industry
Yes, Plant-Based Meat Is Better For The Environment
Adding Seaweed To Cattle Feed Reduces Methane Emissions By 50%, Study Says
Regulations
Kellogg’s Faces $5 Million Lawsuit For Lack Of Strawberries In Pop-Tarts
Image Source: Universal Image Group via Getty Images
Strawberry Pop-Tarts contain 2% or less of "dried strawberries, dried pears, dried apples" and "red 40.” Fed up with the deception, Anita Harris filed a $5 million class-action lawsuit against Kellogg's. Harris claims the company is misleading consumers by promoting the strawberries in Pop-Tarts when, in reality, it's mostly other dried fruit and red food dye. I guess Kellogg's Pop-Tarts aren't so "crazy good" after all.
Health
Popular Herbs And Spices Are High In Heavy Metals, Tests Show
Image Source: fcafotodigital / Getty Images
A Consumer Reports analysis found that one-third of 126 common herbs and spices contained high enough levels of arsenic, cadmium, and lead to raise health concerns. Major brands like McCormick and Whole Foods were included. Levels varied among brands, but thyme and oregano were consistently high in heavy metals, which can effect brain development and central nervous system functioning if overconsumed. Tests also revealed the herbs and spices lowest in heavy metals: black pepper, white pepper, coriander, curry powder, garlic powder, saffron, and sesame seeds.
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Last Bite
The Edible Book: Ben Denzer’s 20 Slices of American Cheese
Image Source: Courtesy of New York University
Is it a book? Is it an art object? Does it need to be refrigerated? These are among the questions asked of 20 Slices of American Cheese created by book designer Ben Denzer. The unnaturally yellow cloth-bound book/art object is currently on display in New York University's virtual exhibition, The Interactive Book. Denzer also created a bound mortadella collection called 20 Slices of Meat, begging the question, what is a food book?
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