weekly round-up of our favorite finds from the front lines of food
- French cows get pre-marinated, drinking up to two bottles of high quality wine every day as farmers attempt to produce the best beef in Europe. The obvious: "It soon became clear that they were 'happy cows' who ended up producing an exceptionally succulent meat."
- In the spirit of pre-marinating, you can watch a clam salt itself in what might be one of the strangest youtube videos ever. (What would a Friday the 13th edition be without something weird?)
- Supply exceeding demand is causing real problems for Maine lobster fishermen. It's a treat for tourists, but record low ex-vessel prices are forcing fishermen up and down the Maine coast to idle their vessels.
- In hospitality, the party is moving up to the roof. New roof top bars in cities across the US are helping hotels maximize dollars earned per square foot of space. "Being able to relax after work with a great cocktail while looking over the city you conquered that day … is something people greatly enjoy."
- A new resource for designing while hungry — Bacon Ipsum, filler text for your meatiest projects.
- The Guardian UK asks, has baconalia gone too far? "Some believe that the internet is mainly a tool for sharing pictures of cats, but a large part of cyberspace is dedicated to an obsession with bacon." The crazy world of baconalia - in pictures.
- Marion Cunningham, the soul of Fanny Farmer and American home cookery champion, died this week at age 90. of The Los Angeles Times described her as "one part America's grandma, one part culinary godfather." Kim Severson wrote her New York Times obituary.