Friday Faves No. 102

our favorite finds from the front lines of food

Trendy Kale has been getting around. Meet the newest celebrity offspring (above).  (Modern Farmer)

Romancing the Soybean: Agribusiness Funds 'Farmland' To Counter Hollywood Message  Says Randy Krotz, with the Farmers and Ranchers Alliance: "How do you get to millennials?...How do you get to ... a transparency generation? Let's show them a little more about how their food is raised firsthand." You can view the trailer here.  (NPR)

The EC-funded Diversify Project is trying to get more and different kinds of fished raised in Europe. But how much effort will be put into bringing buyers and tastemakers along? "Cattle, sheep, pigs and chickens make up the vast majority of meat consumed around the world, and every time someone has the bright idea of introducing something like crocodile, ostrich or coypu to the market, the general reaction from taste panels is “Mmmm, nice! It tastes just like chicken or pork or beef....In a few years’ time, will we see taste panels saying “Mmmm, nice! It tastes just like salmon.”? (Seafood Source)

The growing popularity of ancient grains has caused a spelt shortage. (Probably never thought you'd read that phrase.) Spelt flour 'wonder grain' is set for a price a hike as supplies run low (Guardian)

Can seaweed burgers and potato mayo feed a growing world population? It's just seaweed people. Compared to eating bugs, this one should be easy. (Science Nordic)

Friday Faves No. 90

• Converting Old Dutch Tourist Boats Into Floating Greenhouses (above) It's a plan that perfectly suits its location. "The project’s name is Boatanic, a play on boat, botanic, and the Titanic — a reference to the global eco-crisis O’Sullivan sees on the horizon. It’s still in its planning phase, but when completed he foresees a combination of CSA, dockside sales, and wholesale deliveries." (Modern Farmer)

• France's national library of grape varieties under threat "The current sandy location protects the original rootstocks against disease such as phylloxera, meaning most of the vines are non-grafted. But, according to INRA, the site is under threat from rising sea levels, meaning potential damage to the vines from salt water flooding." (Decanter)

• Long live our seasonal obsession! Le Festival Du Cookie in Paris (Food Arts)

• How a Chest of Ancient Grains in Sweden Changed Baking History “A farmer today isn’t free,” says Niklasson. “Farmers are dependent on the seed distributors and since the modern seeds don’t have the right resistances, they are dependent on pesticide producers, and since the pesticides kill the healthy microbes in the soil, they are also dependent on the fertilizer companies. At Gutekorn we are some of the last free farmers.” (Modern Farmer)

• The Ceramic Canvas — a look at plating. "To illustrate and explore the current state of the plate, we asked 11 New York City chefs to put together a dish that exemplifies their visual style, and to explain the inspiration that went into each. Their answers ran the gamut. " Complete with fancy slide show. (New York Times)