The Economist on Water

The Economist has published a massive special report on water: from clean water crises worldwide to water management politics, innovation, and science.

Bullish on Oktoberfest

The price of beer at Oktoberfest is going up this year, but American travelers to Munich may still pay less than last year as the value of the euro slides against the dollar.

"Eggs Used as Garnish," Miami News, April 8, 1936

"Katherine Hepburn likes to use grated eggs as a garnish for mixed green salad. She grates the whites first, then dusts the yokes [sic] over the top."

Xtreme Eating Awards

Health and nutrition watchdog group Center for Science in the Public Interest has just announced its 2010 Xtreme Eating Awards, recognizing those restaurant chain dishes which brazenly take calorie counts to ever higher and higher extremes.

Edible Crayons

These crayon doppelgangers were made with edible ingredients -- from nuts and seeds to bee pollen, marshmallow, and dried fruits and vegetables -- crushed into powders, pressed into molds, and air-dried.

Check out more incredible photos at Luxirare (via @clotildenet).

Hotter, Mintier, Fruitier

Increased cravings for intense flavors suggests big changes for the American palate.

From Prisoner to Pastry Chef

Upon being granted parole, New Yorker Lori Berenson -- imprisoned in Peru for 15 years on charges of aiding the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA) -- now says she wants to be a pastry chef.

Test Drive: Adam Perry Lang's Grilled Pork Chops

I recently wrote about BBQ 25, the new, stripped-down grilling cookbook by chef Adam Perry Lang.

As I noted earlier, nearly all of the recipes (including this one) are designed to serve 6 to 8 people, which presents a problem if you're not cooking for a dinner party and just cooking for 2 to 4 (or 2.5 in my case).

Nevertheless, in actually tackling one of the recipes, this did not turn aout to be a huge deal. Taking Lang's recipe for grilled thick-cut pork chops for a test-drive, I cut the amount of meat in half and just left the ingredient amounts for the marinade as is. So, although some food was wasted, the dish wouldn't ultimately be affected.

Food Trucks Come of Age

On display at the this year's National Restaurant Shop, the prototype Mobi Munch, "a gleaming, inviting food truck, a cutting-edge custom rig" with gas heat, fresh water to waste-water containment, and even an (optional) attached restroom.

Domesticating the Bluefin Tuna

Could domestication save the bluefin tuna from extinction? Plans to farm the endangered fish moved ahead this week after a smaller but closely related species, the Atlantic bonito, was successful reared in captivity.