Jamie Oliver’s message to America

It’s all about the food, folks

March 19, 2010

The British chef brings his anti-obesity program to the United States. »

Going Gaelic

Skip the green and eat real food

March 17, 2010

OK, so today’s the day when many Americans down green beer, green milkshakes, green cupcakes, and the like, all in honor of the odd idea that, for today at least, we’re all Irish. If you’re not down with the green food coloring, however, try your hand at a Gaelic-inspired dish that’s truly sustaining, such as Irish Stew or the involved-but-satisfying Multigrain Struan. Elise Bauer, on Simply Recipes, has a version of the classic Irish soda bread, while plenty of other websites offer a medley of Irish recipes. Bonus points if you actually know what boxty, champ, and barmbrack are.

Legally buzzing

Bees might go legal in NYC

March 16, 2010

Honey bee hives are banned in New York City, but that hasn’t stopped urban beekeepers from setting up hives around town. Now the health department is taking another look at the citywide ban on keeping honey bees in NYC:

Health department officials said the change was being considered after research showed that the reports of bee stings in the city were minimal and that honeybees did not pose a public health threat.

Plus, they make tasty honey, too.

The salad pyramid

A graphic representation of agriculture versus nutrition

March 15, 2010

The blog The Consumerist recently posted a graphic comparing federal nutrition recommendations to federal agriculture subsidies. Titled “Why A Salad Costs More Than A Big Mac,” the graphic shows two pyramids: one with the relatively balanced nutritional guidelines, and one with nearly 75 percent of the pyramid eaten up by federal subsidies for meat and dairy. Even if you have quibbles with the nutritional pyramid, the ag pyramid is astonishing.

Why cook?

Michael Ruhlman offers some suggestions

March 12, 2010

On his blog, Michael Ruhlman ruminated recently on the pros and cons of cooking. Pro? Making his family happy and healthy, among others. Con? Exhaustion and lack of time, among others. Check out the comments, too, in which readers offer their reasons for choosing to cook.

Ideas for change

Vote for your faves by March 12

March 11, 2010

The nonprofit Change.org ushered in 2010 with a contest titled "Ideas for Change." You can vote on which of the ideas — submitted by the public in categories such as education, environment, and civic engagement — you like the best. In the category titled Food and Agriculture, for example, the three ideas deemed the best so far support school gardens, more CSAs, and saving America's farmland. Vote for your faves — you get 10 votes to distribute among the categories, and the top 10 ideas will be submitted to the Obama Administration. But do it now, since the contest ends on March 12.

Making cheese

A year in the life of a dairy farm

March 10, 2010

You can help the movie get made. »

New pasture regulations

The USDA closes a regulatory loophole

March 9, 2010

A year and a half ago, we noted the USDA’s efforts to close a loophole in its pasture regulations for certified-organic animals. In February, the USDA finally released its new, stricter guidelines for pasture access. As Robert Sietsema noted on Slashfood:

Previously, these animals only had to have “access to pasturage” — a regulation so loose as to be virtually meaningless. Now, that ambiguous phrase has been strictly defined: Animals must be permitted to graze at least four months out of the year, and receive 30 percent of their sustenance from that source during those periods.

Sietsema adds that the real question, of course, is how (and whether) genuine access to pasture will be enforced. Read more in the Washington Post’s report on the new standards.
 

Knit wit

Cozying up to rescued chickens, British-style

March 5, 2010

There’ll always be an England. »