On Organics and Taste
An organic label doesn't doesn't necessarily ensure great taste, writes Russ Parsons in the Los Angeles Times.
Featured Article
Mapping the Mario Batali Genome
The ancestral makeup of celebrity chef Mario Batali, among others, will be revealed in "Faces of America," a new PBS series from the producers of "African American Lives" and "Oprah’s Roots."
Like those earlier programs, in which Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. helped analyze the DNA of notable African Americans to explore their historic ancestries, the new series will explore the identity of a new slate of celebrities -- this time from a wide variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Will we discover a biological basis for Batali's preference for Crocs? Did the first Batalis also go gaga for guanciale? We can only hope.
"Faces of America" is expected to air on PBS in 2010.
Shopping List
what's fresh
Lavazza Gets Lusty for Espresso
June 11Photographer Annie Leibovitz has collaborated with Lavazza on a campaign that features scantily clad women lusting for . . . coffee.
Restaurant Menus, Dollar Signs, and Spending
June 11Small changes in the format of restaurant menus has big effects on spending decisions.
Agenda
Food on Film, Big Apple Barbecue, and Craig Claiborne
Food and wine events for the week of June 10-17.
Appetizers
Vegas Video
In in kitchen at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon and Daniel Boulud Brasserie in Las Vegas.
Fishing for July 4
Grill fish effortlessly with the help of the San Francisco Chronicle.
French Affront
A bento box performance and free picnic in Central Park in September, as well as "Four Effing dinners" so named in a nod to David Chang.
Side Ways
In Comida Central, a missive on rice and beans, "the official side dish of the five boroughs."