FoodieSphere

Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Links from the Foodiesphere for Wednesday, August 31st 2005

Turning the tables to make The Ivy wilt - Yesterday The Ivy was knocked off its perch as London's favourite restaurant.

Fifteen comes to Cornwall! - Fifteen Foundation is opening a new restaurant in Cornwall in Spring next year.

Adios Paella - Cuisine has been radically transformed in a corner of the Costa Brava.

Tough at the top - The ranks of The Age Good Food Guide Awards are slightly smaller this year.

An Italian Renaissance South of Market's Zuppa evokes memories of Italy's best meals - Zuppa, the newly opened restaurant by the Globe team on Fourth Street near Brannan, is an Italian fantasy come to life.

A vinegar more precious than wine - Every foodie worth his salt knows that the only vinegar worth serving to dinner guests is the traditional aceto balsamico, or balsamic vinegar, from Modena.

Sweet talk - Readers spill the candy-coated beans on new sugar shacks.

Posted by Ant @ 11:28 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Links from the Foodiesphere for Tuesday, August 30th 2005

Titbits savoured at top chefs' summit - The summiteers are a group of 20 chefs to heads of state, known as the Chefs de Chefs, who have arrived in the Czech capital of Prague.

The times they are a-changin' - Why do Dylan and Alanis Morissette want to sell out to Starbucks?

Comfort Food Goes Upscale - Standing alongside chef Charlie Palmer, CBS News Correspondent Richard Schlesinger questions the ease of one of Palmer's comfort food recipes.

Posted by Ant @ 11:55 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Friday, August 26, 2005

Links from the Foodiesphere for Friday, August 26th 2005

Organic food fraud leaves a nasty taste in the mouth - BRITAIN'S organic food sector is facing its first major crisis after an investigation uncovered considerable levels of fraud within the industry.

The tri-nations of wine competitions - Is there no end to new wine competitions?

Farmers' market popularity continues healthy growth - More and more people are shopping at farmers' markets.

Historical study links fish to stroke - The health benefits of eating plenty of fish have been seen in a wealth of scientific studies, but data from a historical cohort study has led to a surprising observation - that high fish intake in childhood may be linked to eventual death from stroke.

Posted by Ant @ 15:05 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thursday, August 25, 2005

Links from the Foodiesphere for Thursday, August 25th 2005

Reviews on a plate - A website where customers can post their sometimes unflattering opinions of restaurants is worrying chefs.

Top Pot offers an open space to fill up on doughnuts and coffee - The Belltown Top Pot location is a standout joint for many reasons, one of which is its openness.

Fast-Food Clusters Near Schools - The scene is repeated throughout Chicago, where fast-food restaurants are clustered within easy walking distance of elementary and high schools.

Roadside restaurants suffer from gas - The late-summer bump in gasoline prices looks to take a bite out of the profits of many roadside-restaurant operators.

Ice cream breaks out of its mold - Herbs, spices and other unlikely flavorings are the new scoop.

Report: Obesity Rates Up in Most States - Like a lot of people, the nation's weight problem is settling below its waistline.

A Trio of Bread Books - If you are passionate about baking bread at home, if you aspire to bake the perfect baguette or artisan loaf, then you want to read these three books.

Posted by Ant @ 09:52 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Links from the Foodiesphere for Wednesday, August 24th 2005

The apron ascends to costly kitchen couture - Aprons, which fell largely out of favor with the rise of the women's movement in the 1960s, are enjoying a renaissance as a retro-chic fashion accessory.

Food lovers can join top chefs, vintners at Classic - An impressive roster of top American and Midwest chefs and wine experts will teach, cook, sign books and socialize at the Second Annual Traverse Epicurean Classic in Traverse City next month.

Slow boat to the stewpot - A leisurely journey south through the canals of France inspired chef Rick Stein's latest TV series.

Italian Design - Mario Batali has seven restaurants, three TV shows, two children and one James Beard Foundation award as the nation's outstanding chef for 2005.

Jools is the naked chef - Jamie Oliver's wife Jools has revealed she cooks in the nude.

Posted by Ant @ 10:06 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Links from the Foodiesphere for Tuesday, August 23rd 2005

Pro-GM scientist to give TV lectures - One of Britain's most provocative scientists, who has been accused of protecting the biotech food industry and has dismissed organic produce as "an image-led fad", will give the televised BBC Christmas science lectures, which are aimed at children and young adults.

First woman to run White House kitchen - Cristeta Comerford has been named executive chef.

Poultry ban 'not needed for UK' - The UK has no plans to follow the Dutch move to prevent the spread of bird flu by banning farmers from keeping fowl outdoors, the government says.

BA catering crisis firm 'may fold' - Hot meal service resumes on BA long haul.

It's no health food, but research holds promise for chocolate lovers - It's not exactly a guilt-free pleasure, but food researchers say cocoa beans could be good for you.

Low fat means lean profits in US - The bigger the better. Burgers are still the bite of choice in the United States, as customers at fast-food outlets ignore healthier options.

Fly Avion (Wolfgang Puck Included) - Don't like the TV dinners that airlines feed you, or the meal-to-go you can get at the airport?

Commercial Cookery Course Australia by Hostec Training Sydney - Hostec Training which is part of Hostec Global Search is offering free, government funded and nationally accredited commercial cookery courses in Sydney.

Mac Attack...Really - People addicted to fast food, in addition to compromising their health, tend to be more grumpier. 

Breton Biscuit Super Review - Review of biscuits from Brittany, France. 

Posted by Ant @ 10:47 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Monday, August 22, 2005

Links from the Foodiesphere for Monday, August 22nd 2005

Fairview's Fifteen exchange back home - Enoch Zaleni (24) of Fairview Wine and Cheese Estate outside Paarl spent the last month working and gaining valuable experience in Jamie Oliver (The Naked Chef's) restaurant Fifteen in London.

Bill Granger grilled - Bill Granger comes across as a domestic god.

Restaurant Magazine's Top 50 - The annual list is based on the magazine's canvassing of the 600 most influential restaurateurs, cooks (um, chefs), critics, and industry experts.

What's the problem with a £300 meal? - Observer restaurant critic Jay Rayner can't understand the media outrage over the cost of dining at London's top restaurants.

March, Melrose Arch Hotel, Johannesburg - With a wood-fired oven that wouldn't and a scathing Sunday Times review, March in Protea Hotel's zany, five-star boutique hotel didn't get off to a good start when it opened in April 2003.

Plus-size problems - Newsweek has an interesting article on one man's struggle with being overweight.

Posted by Ant @ 11:58 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Friday, August 19, 2005

Links from the Foodiesphere for Friday, August 19th 2005

Funeral of NI Michelin star chef - Hundreds of people have attended the funeral of Northern Ireland celebrity chef Robbie Millar.

In San Joaquin Valley, Cows Pass Cars as Polluters - Air district says bovines on the region's booming dairy farms are the biggest single source of smog-forming gases.

13% of people cutting carb intake - Research group Opinion Dynamics has come out with a new study that finds 13% of Americans are cutting carbohydrate intake.

More on coffee as a health food - "caffeine intake appeared to explain some, but not all, of the diabetes-risk reduction and weight change. . ."

Posted by Ant @ 13:58 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Friday, August 12, 2005

Links from the Foodiesphere for Friday, August 12th 2005

Zany for zucchini - The heat and the zucchini crop hit their peak in August, and cooks and gardeners often view both occurrences with something approaching dread.

BA cancels all flights at Heathrow - Airline staff strike in support of fired caterers.

New York urges restaurants to trim trans fat off the menu - New York health officials have urged restaurants and food stores in the city to ban trans fat.

2006 Guest Master Chef Classes - New schedule for 2006-2007.

Posted by Ant @ 03:22 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thursday, August 11, 2005

Links from the Foodiesphere for Thursday, August 11th 2005

Rising above adversity - The Bread Project teaches adults professional baking skills.

Rick Stein pours scorn on France's vin ordinaire - The reputation of French wine, once unparalleled in the world, received a blow yesterday from one of Britain's leading chefs.

Google A Chef - Charlie Ayers, who once cooked for the Grateful Dead but then earned valuable stock options as an early employee with Google, left in May to start his own restaurants.

Weight gain linked with breast cancer - This story describes a study in which women who gained weight after age 50 had a greatly increased risk of developing breast cancer.

Posted by Ant @ 00:31 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

Links from the Foodiesphere for Wednesday, August 10th 2005

Back to school for dinner ladies - CELEBRITY chef Rick Stein has invited a group of school dinner ladies to learn to cook fish at his seafood school.

Healthy eating for babies - TV CHEF Jamie Oliver's mission to bring healthy food into schools has inspired the launch of a project in Croydon to improve nutrition among young children and babies.

Showing off the best of our nation - Stunning scenery and tasty food are among the main things New Zealanders enjoy sharing with overseas visitors.

Posted by Ant @ 01:31 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thursday, August 4, 2005

Links from the Foodiesphere for Thursday, August 4th 2005

Stopping to talk, and eat, with three international star chef - For some, travel is the sights. For longtime Pittsburgh cooking teacher Jane Citron, it's the food. A recent trip to London and Dubai took her into the galaxy of three international star chefs.

Good Food Guide Sydney, Heat in the Kitchen and Restaurant Critics - A new series on the SBS called Heat in the Kitchen illustrates the frustration and pain which is caused to restaurant owners and chefs when restaurant critics wield there opinions in the media.

China's The Biggest Market For Everything, Even Wine - Chinese market for western style wine has doubled in the last ten years and by all reports is accelerating.

Posted by Ant @ 14:13 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wednesday, August 3, 2005

Links from the Foodiesphere for Wednesday, August 3rd 2005

US rice may carry an arsenic burden - Legacy of cotton pesticides might be poisoning crops.

Promote healthy eating: feed folks false beliefs - Psychologists in the US claim to have come up with a way of influencing people to avoid fattening foods.

Celebrity chef backs organic salmon - AN organic salmon farm off the coast of Mayo has been inundated with enquiries after being recommended on the BBC's 'Full on Food' programme.

Black vs. Green Tea - What is the difference between black and green tea?

Posted by Ant @ 17:50 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tuesday, August 2, 2005

Links from the Foodiesphere for Tuesday, August 2nd 2005

The mozzarella dreams are made of - The finest buffalo milk mozzarella comes from the Caserta region of Campania just outside of Naples -- that is, unless it is from Salerno, also on the outskirts of Naples.

Food firms balked at targets to cut salt - Proposed targets to reduce the level of salt in food were scrapped after manufacturers said they could not meet them.

Low-carb still selling books and working well - According to the sales rankings at Amazon.com, low-carb titles are still selling well despite the growing popular belief that low-carb dieting is dead.

The Flour Station - A bakery in Battersea, London called The Flour Station.

Meat Rugs - Apparently the sausage-loving Germans have come up with rugs that look like meat.

The Eat Local Challenge - Brought to the world by Life Begins at 30 and Locavores.

Posted by Ant @ 14:56 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Monday, August 1, 2005

Links from the Foodiesphere for Monday, August 1st 2005

Atkins diet firm seeks Chapter 11 - Atkins Nutritionals, the company behind the low-carb diet which swept the world and split medical opinion, has applied for bankruptcy protection in the US.

'Simple' junk food scoring plan - A simple scorecard to identify junk foods has been proposed by the food watchdog.

JAMIE IN KID SHOW LINK WITH GROMIT - JAMIE Oliver is in talks with the creators of Wallace and Gromit about a TV series for children.

Top chef scouting for good Kiwi kai - Chef Peter Gordon will soon be tempting tastebuds in London, New York and Istanbul with New Zealand-grown wasabi, Clevedon oysters, saffron and baby kumara.

Gordon Ramsay on Jay Leno: Funnier than Hell - Gordon Ramsay appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and he was effing funny -- funnier than hell.

Bill Clinton, Reformed Fat Boy, Will Share His Story with Students - Former President Bill Clinton  begins a tour of US schools this September in connection with an American Heart Association campaign aimed to "reduce childhood obesity in the US.

Posted by Ant @ 10:18 | Permalink | Comments (0)