Friday Faves No. 179

our favorite finds from the front lines of food

Appetite For Change is a North Minneapolis nonprofit organization that uses food as a tool to build health, wealth and social change. "Grow Food" is the culminating project of Appetite For Change's Summer 2016 Youth Employment & Training Program.

I guess that the tag line of "favorite finds from the front lines of food" could be a bit misleading. Sometimes there are important finds that are not really "favorite" finds. This is one of those cases - it's time we discuss the state of kids here in the USA going hungry. 

This past week the Washington Post ran an article discussing the record breaking numbers of kids benefiting from the school breakfast program that is ultimately in the crosshairs of some conservatives in Congress. (Washington Post) 

Since this is such an important topic, I want to expand on it a bit more. The blog named The Lunch Tray has done a great job outlining the issues surrounding kids who rely on school nutrition programs. and what may happen to those programs under the new administration. Its a good read that anyone in the food business int he US should take a look at. (The Lunch Tray)

And for those out there who want to do something about this, the website We Are Teachers have outlines how to leverage social media to fight against childhood hunger.  remember all of us who work in food know that kids learn better, behave better and are healthier when they have a good breakfast. This is not rocket science, nor is it new information. (We Are Teachers) And major shout out and thanks to Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation & No Kid Hungry / Share our Strength

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In other news...

More unintended consequences from recent voting....Looks like the UK fishermen won't be getting their waters back anytime soon. (Guardian)

Friday Faves No. 160

our favorite finds from the front lines of food

Tribes Create Their Own Food Laws to Stop USDA From Killing Native Food Economies (photo above) From blue corn to bison, narrow federal food-safety codes impact tribal food systems. But advocates are writing their own food laws to preserve Native food sovereignty. (Yes Magazine)

Jamie Oliver Doesn’t Want to Be a Hipster Chef And he's getting an awful lot done. (Munchies)

Aside from fashion, a look at what food can mean to those who have nothing. PHOTOS: An Intimate Look At Las Patronas, The Mexican Women Who Feed Migrants Traveling On La Bestia (Remezcla)

From the vintage files: Care Packages: How The U.S. Won Hearts Through Stomachs After WWII (NPR)

How Small Grocers are Banding Together to Change Food Retail For the Good Cultivating an independent grocery space can be challenging, but a group of retailers are building a collaborative to change the conversation. "These days, there’s a lot of talk about tech incubators, but Mogannam believes that every good retailer can be an incubator too." (Civil Eats)

Why matching fish farming with crop irrigation is a win for parched Southwest Farmers in the Southwest are turning a harsh, dry climate to their advantage by raising fish. (Guardian)

Friday Faves No. 95

our favorite finds from the front lines of food

Camel Milk Cheese? Why not. ''We have a rich culture of [consuming] fresh camel milk so the cheese could be a way of adding value to the product and valorizing pastoral cultures.'' (Fine Dining Lovers)

The Seeds of a New Generation  Some Midwestern farmers who have been growing feed corn exclusively are switching over acreage to fruit and vegetables, and increased demand for local produce is making it possible. "While an acre of corn is projected to net average farmers $284 this year after expenses, and just $34 if they rent the land, as is common, an apple orchard on that same acre will make $2,000 or more, according to crop analysts. A sophisticated vegetable operation using the popular plastic covers called high tunnels, which increase yields and extend the growing season, can push that figure as high as $100,000. Until recently, farmers in the nation’s heartland could only dream about such profits because there were so few ways to sell their produce locally." And did you know the Department of Defense is helping with DoD Fresh?  We sure didn't. (New York Times)

Georgian chocolate-making kitchen uncovered at Hampton Court Palace "Chocolate was an expensive luxury. Having your own chocolate maker, chocolate kitchen and chocolate room filled with precious porcelain and silver – all this, just for chocolate  – was the last word in elegance and decadence." (History Extra, BBC)

Tweet For Your Supper—And Handbag: Brands, Customers, And The New "Social Currency" What is the value of a tweet? And will kick backs devalue that? (Fast company)

With lobsters in mind, legislator proposes ban on some pesticides “Too many Mainers’ livelihoods depend on having a healthy lobster population not to act.” (Bangor Daily News)

California Is So Dry, Some Diners Won't Get Water Unless They Ask  "The entire idea of 'auto-items' is a huge generator of waste in North American restaurants, and it is often associated with 'good service,' " (NPR)

Women chefs, not just a cute side dish: "They are chefs. Not sexy chefs. Not cool chefs. Just chefs. They should be respected for what they do, and the mass media should be challenged to diversify its coverage of the food industry and when it talks about women, do it in a way that honors their work not their looks." (Foodie Underground)
 

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)

A Visit to Long Meadow Ranch

Long Meadow Ranch, an organic farm in the Napa Valley, graciously hosted us for an in-depth tour of the property and a great discussion of food and food systems in California and beyond. 

The world Long Meadow Ranch has created is an inspiration and a beautiful example of what can be done when dedication, ideals and resources are brought together. 

They maintain over 650 acres with a mix of gardens, orchards, vineyard, olive groves and pasture land for their herd of Highland cattle (the largest in North America). They make their own wines, press their own olive oil and run the restaurant Farmstead where you can taste everything they produce.

Friday Faves — notes from the new gastroconomy, No. 78

weekly round-up of our favorite finds from the front lines of food

 

• Chefs as media celebrities is old news. Now chefs are becoming comic book heroes (see right). "According to the folks at Marvel, 'Fanboys and foodies are very much alike. There are similar mentalities to both kinds of fandom.' Foodies collect culinary experiences—often displayed in digital pictures—oozing with the same glory and excitement found in the eyes of fanboys (geek culture aficionados) who collect comic books." (Food Arts)

• Thursday, August 15 would have been Julia Child's 101st birthday. In her honor, her hometown, Pasadena, is celebrating with the launch of a citywide cocktail competition. (LA Times) This PBS Digital Studios video remix of her sayings from her centennial is still amazing. Bon Appétit!

• This week also saw the Glorious 12th in the UK, the day when grouse shooting seasons begins and the first birds start showing up at restaurants, with preparations ranging from the traditional to the innovative like oloroso-marinated grouse and grouse tandoor-roasted in a fennel seed and star anise marinade. (Flavour First)

• A new app, Drync, lets you scan the label of a wine you're drinking and buy more of it right then. Get the app (Fast Company)

• Ever wonder how sake gets made? The Birth of Sake, a documentary in progress and looking for more crowd funding by Erik Shirai, gives a peak into the ancient process. View a short video about the project (Food Tech Connect)

• Bring on the foodie jobs: Le Cordon Bleu, in collaboration with Southern Cross University in Australia, has launched a new online postgraduate degree, the Master of Gastronomic Tourism. (Edinburgh Foodie)

• In the interest of keeping it super-local, beer can now be made right where so much of it gets consumed: on campus. Newcastle University is to set up the UK’s first student-run microbrewery. (Drinks Business)