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in Gourmet
by
Barry Estabrook, 9 May 2008
Estabrook's brief commentary on food politics this week covers three diverse topics. First, there's the odd anti-conservationist stance of National Fisheries Institute President Connelly, who apparently suspects that the multi-member environmentalist coalition, Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions, is intending to sideline actual seafood industry workers. Estabrook also slips in a bare mention of the developing crisis in the honey-bee pollination situation. But, on a further topic, his stab at Monsanto for requesting a higher allowance for herbicide residues on sugar beets is unnecessarily alarmist and is certainly not backed up with enough science, just a bald statistic.
Posted 11:11, 13 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Cath Stockbridge
and edited by Brijit.
in Gourmet
by
Christy Harrison, 6 May 2008
Daphne Miller's new book, The Jungle Effect, explores how traditional diets from around the world have extraordinary health benefits that America's fast food monoculture misses out on. In this highly informative interview, Miller, a San Francisco family practice doctor, introduces the book's thesis and provides practical tips on how we can eat more healthfully. She diagnoses America's obesity epidemic as a symptom of a totally dysfunctional food culture and challenges us -- without being a scold -- to rediscover longstanding "culinary traditions" and create from them a healthy food culture within our families.
Posted 4:54, 8 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Chris Lugardo
and edited by Brijit.
in Gourmet
by
Laura Shapiro, 29 April 2008
James Beard, the late cookbook author and chef specializing in American cuisine, is the subject of this brief article, primarily intended to announce forthcoming panel discussions on Beard's legacy. Shapiro provides a focused snapshot of the once-celebrated cook's best qualities, such as his ability to motivate people about traditional cooking in the American style and with quintessential American ingredients. She also mentions a few flaws, such as the impersonal writing style of his 22 cookbooks.
Posted 8:57, 4 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Cath Stockbridge
and edited by Brijit.
in Gourmet
by
Jocelyn Zuckerman, 28 April 2008
This interview with John Powell, the Deputy Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme, is a fine example of diplomatic bureaucratese. Powell's optimism in the face of riots over soaring food, fuel, and fertilizer prices is as amazing as his confidence in the charitable generosity of first-world counties asked to donate ever more in an era of increasing natural disasters, possibly related to climate change. Still, Powell is aware of problems as he quotes a Nigerian leader's words: "A hungry man is an angry man." The interviewer interjects tough questions, while this UN official provides sound bites.
Posted 9:49, 2 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Cath Stockbridge
and edited by Brijit.
Cooking vacations at a health farm in Mexico, a spa in New Mexico, and a wellness center in California focus on eating healthy -- more vegetables, less salt, hold the meat and alcohol. While the authors try to put a positive spin on the vacations, their foodie inclinations shine through: the vegetables lack nuance, and the non-gluten recipes don't work. Here's a tip for Gourmet: the next time you assign a health food article, send writers who might actually be interested. The article tries to present these experiences as diet and life changing, but the simplistic quotes labeled as "what I learned" are telling. For these writers, not much has changed.
Posted 12:09, 1 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Paula Jolin
and edited by Brijit.
A variety of cooking experiences are on offer here, from an exotic cooking class in Thailand focusing on herbs, to a seafood school in Australia that reels in famous chefs for specialty classes. The article includes many tips, including helpful information to know before you go -- rent a car in Las Vegas because taxis are expensive -- and where to stay. It's a bit disappointing that five of the nine courses are in New York City, although these range from an intensive introduction to Indian food to experimental cuisine with molecular gastronomy chef Will Goldfarb. More recipes would have been appreciated, since the few included are certainly tempting.
Posted 3:51, 30 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Paula Jolin
and edited by Brijit.
in Gourmet
by
Barry Estabrook, 25 April 2008
Estabrook provides three completely unrelated but equally compelling stories merging the world of politics and food. First, he sheds light on appalling human rights violations within the shrimp-farming industry in Bangladesh and Thailand, which is being compared to Chinese sweat shops from the 1980s. Second, he reports a bill introduced in Congress that would force an unwilling government to reveal which stores and schools received meat and vegetables targeted in February's massive recall. Lastly, we learn that a half-eaten waffle from Barack Obama's plate has been auctioned on eBay, with the proceeds going to Hillary Clinton's campaign.
Posted 11:14, 30 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Jonathan Pinoli
and edited by Brijit.
in Gourmet
by
Maggie Ruggiero, 25 April 2008
At a recent Gourmet photo shoot, a food stylist was shocked when the photographer decided to point some asparagus toward the camera. Investigating this culinary offense everywhere leads Ruggiero a generally accepted guidelines for food plating: plate carbs first, put sauce underneath meat, use odd numbers of ingredients on a plate, and put the dish's integrity before its appearance. Though short, this piece does a good job of laying out the history and premise behind food plating without becoming overly pretentious.
Posted 9:58, 30 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Laura White
and edited by Brijit.
The authors pithily describe five luxurious culinary holidays, such as the Malabar Coast in Kerala, India, where you can hear chanting from a Hindu temple while learning to identify curry leaves, cinnamon trees, and green peppercorns. They attend a one-hour personal course with master chef Jean Georges Vongerichten in New York City; learn about spices in Marrakesh, Morocco, and take day-long classes at Academia Barilla in Parma, Italy. This basic guide includes recipes and sightseeing information.
Posted 4:47, 29 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Cath Stockbridge
and edited by Brijit.
This baker's-dozen selection of cooking vacations is labeled "relaxed" for the family atmosphere, emphasis on local fare, and flexibility in length of stay. You could try a three-day course focusing on rustic cooking in Louviers, France, or perhaps travel to a Greek island to learn how to cure olives. A five-day set of classes in Shanagarry, Ireland goes heavy on the cream and butter, while a similar sojourn in Huemul, Chile might feature avocado soup and empanadas. Find black truffles in Croatia and use lots of sugar when cooking in Thailand. This varied travelogue, complete with recipes, is fun and fact-filled.
Posted 5:23, 28 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Cath Stockbridge
and edited by Brijit.