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If you have a sense that A LOT has happened in 2025 but could not make an organized list to present as facts to someone in a political discussion, the article “The Most Important Food Policy Changes of 2025” on foodandwine.org is for you. Most of these changes – on the federal level in 2025, are not, in this writer’s opinion, good news (e.g. elimination of some key safety committees, new pesticide products approved, and tariff-effects). But there were some positive ones, e.g. possible changes in food additive regulation, and the 2025 Dietary Guidelines included more plant-based proteins than in previous years. The wins are outnumbered by the non-wins, which is what our gut feelings are telling us. Will things be the same in 2026? It is too early to tell. (Dec. 2025)

The online food magazine, Foodandwine.org, features blogs written by chefs entitled “In Their Own Words”. The most recent one is written by Kevin Gillespie (one of our favorites from “MasterChef”), and entitled “After 30 Years in Kitchens, These Lessons Still Matter Says a ‘Top Chef’ Favorite.” We can relate to Kevin’s wisdom and experience … he states “Because the kitchen never stops teaching, they’re also some of the things I’m still trying to learn.” Humility, honesty, willingness to accept criticism and letting go are some of Kevin’s most important messages in this piece. Chef Gillespie writes: After 30 years, the kitchen has taught me almost everything I know about life and reminded me how much I still don’t. It’s a state of perpetual becoming. I’m still learning how to listen more, keep curiosity alive, rest without guilt, and find grace in my imperfection. I’m still learning how to forgive myself for what I didn’t know when I was younger, and what I still don’t know today. Us too, Kevin. (Dec. 2025)

If you have not made this before, perhaps add to your list of things to make for yourself. To REWARD yourself with. For being a darn decent bloke of a person, for getting through week, for not running and hiding under the bed when the news comes on the telly, for working ever-so-hard on your ever expanding holiday list, for helping who you can, when requested or needed … and so much more. You are a class A person, deserving of delicious sandwiches. Described by Foodandwine.org as “Anthony Bourdain’s Favorite Sandwich” (do we need more reason to make this – nope), it has only five ingredients: provolone cheese, mortadella, bread (typically a roll), mayo and mustard. The sandwich has its roots from the famous Brazilian sandwich, Bar do Mané’. For the recipe on this delicious sandwich (imagine the nod from Anthony Bourdain), go to the Foodandwine.org online article “How to Make Anthony Bourdain’s Favorite Sandwich“. Enjoy! (Dec. 2025).

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. If you have not confirmed your menu, Foodandwine.org has an excellent article of “15 New Thanksgiving Recipes for 2025“. You can use to fill in any gaps on your menu (or totally scrap your previous plans and go with these recipes!). This article has everything from your appetizer (Fried Saltine Crackers) to a yummy turkey recipe (Tandoori Roast Turkey) to your “sides” (Savory Croissant Stuffing) to some veggies (Green Beans with Blue Cheese Breadcrumbs and Bacon) to salads (Beet, Brûléed Grapefruit, and Burrata Salad) to rolls (Scallion Milk Bread Rolls) to desserts (Cranberry Lime Curd Pie)!! This is our dream Thanksgiving dinner. (Nov. 2025)

We recently celebrated Halloween, therefore this is fitting news. Will Snickers™ candy bar become the green choice? In an effort to decarbonize its supply chain, Mars Candy is supporting green energy by building solar-powered facilities and operations to shift from fossil fuels to solar energy. This not only includes its factories but its supply chain too, ensuring the company nudges others to follow suit. Mars Candy hopes to slash its carbon emissions by 3 million tons. So, raise an Almond Joy™ for supporting renewable energy! (Source: www.fooddive.com) (Nov. 2025)

What is breakfast without a refreshing glass of orange juice? A fast-spreading disease is threatening this breakfast staple. The orange crop in Florida has been decimated by disease and it is estimated that the worldwide crop is 50% less than just 10 years ago. Coca Cola(R) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are teaming up to find a cure, prevent the spread of disease and save oranges worldwide. Coca Cola(R) is the owner of the brand Minute Maid™ – one of the largest orange juice brands globally. MIT is the home of brainiacs and the Generative AI Impact Consortium. Using these resources (funding from Minute Maid™, brain power from MIT scientists, and technology such as AI), it is hoped that the disease will be diminished. (Source: Food & Wine) (Oct. 2025)

Cabbage is used in many different cuisines and is loved as an inexpensive vegetable that goes a long way and can be eaten raw or cooked. There are many stuffed-cabbage recipes alone! But, sometimes it can be bitter which is a turn-off to many. Welcome the new Sugarcone™ Cabbage developed by Row 7 Seed that is appearing in grocery stores and farmers markets this fall. Its taste is sweeter, less bitter, milder flavor and is getting good reviews from chefs. (Source: allrecipes.com) (Oct. 2025)

Bourbon is the iconic American spirit whose popularity rose after the Great Recession as a younger generation embraced the drink of their parents (and grandparents) and came to enjoy the sweet taste. Sales boomed domestically and internationally until recently. Lockdowns during the pandemic and a younger generation just not drinking alcohol as much as their elders put a dent in sales. The tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration has caused mini trade wars in that market. Perhaps the nail in the coffin is the purge of American wines and spirits by many Canadian liquor stores who refuse to sell anything from America as a retaliatory act. Given these multiple factors, many smaller distilleries are feeling the pinch and may not survive these market trends, while larger companies will probably weather the storm. (Source: BBC News; Oct. 2025)

The Environmental Working Group is out with its annual “Clean Fifteen(TM)” list of fruits and vegetables with the least amount of chemical residues from herbicides, fungicides and pesticides. Drumroll … Pineapple, corn, avocados, papaya, onions, sweet peas, asparagus, cabbage, watermelon, cauliflower, bananas, mangoes, carrots, mushrooms and kiwi. Of course, choosing organic foods whenever possible is one of the best ways to minimize exposure to ingesting chemicals. (Source: EWG; Sep. 2025)

Bots in the kitchen? It’s becoming more common to find robots in professional kitchens doing tedious tasks normally done by humans, such as prepping vegetables. According to the National Restaurant Association, about 9% of its members plan to turn towards robots in 2025 in an effort to decrease labor costs and improve efficiency. Robots are used for delivering food as well – coolers on wheels. They are also used to slice and dice vegetables. A Chipotle restaurant in southern California installed a robot to cut the tons of avocados used to make its popular guacamole. The “Autocado” can peel and pit an avocado in 26 seconds, processing 25 pounds of avocados in an hour! This frees up humans to focus on customer service and other cooking tasks. Supposedly, the kitchen and delivery bots are meant to complement human labor but we’ll see what the future holds. (Source: Food and Wine Magazine; Sep. 2025)

Do you experience this too … you are at the grocery store and standing in front of the [dried] pasta selection trying to decide which brand and pasta shape to buy amongst the many rows of offerings available? [For Pixie, being height-challenged, just about anything on the highest shelf is not a purchase option, unless a store clerk taller than her or with a handy step stool is available nearby.] The range from the generic-store-brand to brands from Italy, with all the others in between. And this does not include the fresh pasta section at the grocery store. How do you decide? Pasta shape will be based on the recipe you will be making, but which brand? For some dishes the pasta brand will make all the difference — is this true for ALL recipes with pasta? If you were at an Italian market, you would be in heaven trying to select which brand to purchase (maybe one of each would be a reasonable and justifiable purchase decision) and the offering would be mostly, if not all, imported from Italy. This is not one’s typical experience at the average American grocery store though. Which is why we appreciate tips from the experts with one of the latest online articles from Foodandwine.com, entitled 5 Chef-Approved Secrets for Buying Better Pasta at the Grocery Store. Spoiler alert, one of five tips is that the pasta does not have to come from Italy! (August 2025)

A test we can sign up for – Foodandwine.org published its July 2025 “The Best Olive Oil, According to Our Tests”. They tested 18 bottles of EVOO and provided the results. Some of the olive oil bottles they tested are available at local grocery stores or Italian markets, and we have those same brands in our kitchens (confirming what we already knew, we recognize quality olive oil when we taste it). They all look divine but the ones that fascinated us the most are the Fat Gold (they identify the date the olives were harvested), the Frankies 457 (a “New York institution” according to FoodandWine), and the Flamingo Estate (according to FoodandWine, a “truly elevated, splurge-worthy bottle of olive oil”). Ok, now we have the information, we will be getting out the credit card and doing some shopping. [Note: the FoodandWine online article does not have prices for the olive oil so best to prepare for sticker-shock when you click on the purchase links.] #YOLO (July 2025)

For this month’s book club, we read and learned about James Hemmings and Thomas Jefferson’s whilst they lived in France starting in the late 1780’s. The conversation has sparked our curiosity and desire to learn more about James Hemmings, French food culture in the 1700’s, and slavery in France and French colonies during the 18th century. Fascinating stuff. Too much to sum up here, however, if you are interested in these topics also, we recommend two podcasts: Fabulously Delicious The French-Food Podcast, episode entitled “The store of Fabulous French Chefs Parts 1 and 2”; and The French History Podcast – Slaves in Paris with Dr. Miranda Spieler. (July 2025)

Tuna melt sandwich. The classic and delicious sandwich that is in the top ten of the all-time best ever invented. With just a few core ingredients: tuna; mayo; celery; salt and pepper; bread; onions; and cheese – often either American cheese or cheddar. This is an easy one to whip up for a weekend lunch or a light work night dinner. Satisfying, warm and filling, we LOVE tuna melts. We recently read an article in Foodandwine.org entitled How Stanley Tucci Makes a Tuna Melt and our interest was piqued. How different could his recipe be? Full disclosure, we are big fans of Stanley Tucci, so this was a must read article for us. Spoiler alert, he uses an entirely unique cheese in his tuna melt sandwich – Emmentaler cheese! Add to grocery list, Emmenthaler cheese and extra can of tuna. (July 2025)

We are sad on the passing of Anne Burrell. The world has lost a shining star. There is no one like Anne. We have admired Anne for years, her incredibly fun and joyful personality, and her culinary gifts and talent never failed to wow us. When we think of Anne, we smile and laugh, and remember her always doing those things. To learn more about Anne, if she is new to you, please click on this article from Foodandwine.org. Rest in peace dear Anne, and we thank you for every moment that you gave to us in sharing yourself. (June 2025)

Two sisters who opened a restaurant together in New Orleans. Who wouldn’t be inspired to read this article entitled “Creating a Restaurant Where Everyone Feels Equal Took Vulnerability, Vision, and My Sister“. A wise message from this lovely piece on Foodandwine.com is “Leadership means learning to communicate.” Like cooking, communicating is something that we think we can do somewhat, reasonably well, sufficiently adequate, yes – perhaps our vocabulary could stand a bit of improvement, adding some new words that we have not thought about since our SAT days oh so many years ago, but at least we are not the worst – ever. Communication is like cooking — pretty much what everything boils down to in life. No pun intended. (June 2025)

Is it necessary, in order to get a delicious, frothy and incredibly satisfying cup of espresso-coffee, to be limited to two options – use one of those gorgeous but expensive and complicated to use, clean and repair coffee machines or purchase said coffee from your local barista? Fortunately, for those of us who are not mechanically gifted in the DNA department or are squeezed for time (and funds too), the answer is no. The Moka Pot is the solution. This delightful and low-tech (can we have a round of applause for this aspect alone?) coffee maker was invented in Italy in the 1930’s. It brews coffee via pressure of heating water which is pushed up into coffee grounds which sit on the top of the Moka Pot. On for those stressful, long afternoons at work of endless emails or, if you are a lucky person, on a relaxing day reading the book for your next book club, reach for your Moka Pot. For more on the Moka Pot, please go to the online Foodandwine.org article, “How to Make Coffee in a Moka Pot“. (May 2025)

Tomorrow is the Mothers’ Day in the U.S. Putting aside the idea that one day is enough to express our gratitude and homage to mothers, we want to make the MOST of this special day. We are curious, we are pondering what can we do that we have not done before for our mothers? One idea, and maybe not for this year but for 2026 because it takes planning (which is the point), is from Jose Andres. French breakfast radishes, homegrown. More on this can be found in the online article in Foodandwine.org, entitled José Andrés Gives the Same Gift Every Mother’s Day — and It Only Calls for One Ingredient. (May 2025)

According to the book, From Caravan to Casserole, Herbs and Spices in Legend, History, and Recipes by Malvina W. Liebman, the first person to mention using the herb tarragon was a 13th century pharmacist in Spain. The author states the name, tarragon derives from the Arabic word “tarkum”, meaning dragon, due to its twisting-like roots. Native to Siberia, tarragon’s popularity grew, globally, during the 1600s throughout Europe. The French adopted this distinctive, aromatic and anise-like herb for many classic recipes, one of the most delicious ones being Bernaise sauce. A curious thing about tarragon is it is grown from its root, the plant does not propagate seeds and this can make it challenging to grow. Current global supply chain disruptions affecting the spice industry may have an impact on the availability of tarragon. It just might be an herb to considering growing in your garden this year. (April 2025).

Passover is a very special religious holiday for many and food is an integral part. This includes the seder plate which contains different foods that symbolize the Israelites’ exodus from slavery in Egypt. However, for us, we are also thinking of matzo ball soup, which is synonymous with this holiday. Our curiosity was piqued when we saw the online article “How to Make the Fluffiest Matzo Balls” on foodandwine.org. So many good ideas that we plan to implement all of them with our next batch! Chag Pesach Sameach. (April 2025)

Just in the nick of time, with unexpected guests coming for dinner and no time for strategizing, planning or grocery shopping, we remembered an article online that we read recently, on FoodandWine.com entitled “How to Make Dip Out of Anything“. Yes! We have what we need in the pantry. So, we have to dash now because we have dip and dinner to make. Hope your dip making is inspired like ours is. Necessity being the mother of invention and also, sometimes, the reason behind the most delicious and memorable meals. (April 2025)

Pixie has two sourdough starters, one from Wales, UK that dates back to the Silk Road era and the other one is over 100 years old and hails from a bakery in Paris. (At least that is what the advertising of both starters claimed in terms of their origins; maybe we should add “allegedly”?) Both starters are Pixie’s precious cargo. The responsibility – oy veh! Fortunately, we stumbled across an article online on Foodandwine.org entitled “It’s Time to Debunk a Major Sourdough Myth“. This put things into perspective. If the worst happens, when life intervenes as it surely always does, we cannot feed our sourdough starter or it is lost to the trash bin with a housemate’s ambitious spring-clean-clear-out-fridge-project, there is nothing to worry about. We can start again and make a new sourdough starter because after all, it is just fermented flour. All hope is not lost. Yes, we might not be able to inform others (brag and boast) that our starter is of a certain age. But we can still have a sourdough starter for our breads and pancakes. Which is really what having a sourdough starter is all about, using it instead of yeast from the store. Whew for Pixie! (March 2025)

It is the middle of winter and corn on the cob is not in season at least for most of us in North America. However, when summertime is here (and we are counting the days until then while we slog through the short – grey – cold days of winter) we will be relishing our corn on the cob. Stanley Tucci, a man we admire, has a GREAT idea on the best way to butter corn on the cob — spread a substantial (our word, not Stanley’s) amount of butter on a piece of bread and use the buttered bread to spread the butter onto your corn. Brilliant! Plus you will have corn taste on your bread, a double win. We found this tidbit online from one of our favs, foodandwine.com. For the full article entitled Stanley Tucci Has a Genius Tip for Buttering Corn, click here. (Feb. 2025)

Looking to minimize your exposure to toxins in your food? You might want to listen to the folks at the Environmental Working Group who just issued their “Dirty Dozen Produce List.” Strawberries, greens (kale, spinach, etc.), peaches and nectarines, pears, peppers (sweet and hot) and grapes top the list. Why? These products tend to use the most pesticides, fungicides and herbicides when grown by conventional means. The USDA and FDA tested over 47,000 samples of 46 fruits and vegetables to compile an exhaustive data set. The group also came out with a list of the cleanest fruits and veggies: onions, watermelon, papaya, avocados, peas, corn, carrots, cabbages and mangos are included on this list. Buying organic produce is your best bet to avoid these toxins, and, of course, giving everything a good wash also helps. (Source: Food & Wine and Environmental Working Group). (Feb. 2025)

The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention has cited a surprising food as the most nutritious vegetable: watercress! Nutritionists are not surprised because it is a cruciferous vegetable that is simply loaded with nutrients. Chinese cabbage, Swiss chard, beetroot and spinach round out the top 5. Good intel for our New Years resolutions! (Source: Food & Wine). (Jan. 2025)

Honeycrisp apples can be a delightful apple: crunchy, juicy, and just the right combination of sweet and tart that make a truly remarkable apple. But, they just do not seem as tasty anymore. First created in Minnesota in the mid 1980’s with seedlings released to apple growers and nurseries in the mid 1990’s, the apple quickly became a national favorite and was even proclaimed Minnesota’s state fruit. It was a watershed apple that awakened our awareness of what an apple could be. The cellular make-up of Honeycrisps differs from Red Delicious in ways only understood by farmers and scientists, but whatever the physical attributes of the Honeycrisp apples, it was a boon for apple eaters of America. Honeycrisp trees were first bred to grow in Minnesota and the first generation of trees were grown in the upper Midwest with similar growing conditions. Once the apple became popular (with healthy profit margins for growers), apple growers in other parts of the country, primarily Washington state, planted the trees but the growing conditions make it very difficult to grow in that region. Due to its thin skin, and problems encountered when grown in less-than-optimal conditions, storage can be problematic. Another problem is that the Honeycrisp apple is extremely popular, with consumers expecting to be able to purchase them year-round, instead of the short period in which they had originally been available – September through February. Apples are spending more time in storage where their cellular construction has longer to break down. The result: mealy, not-so-flavorful apples. These days, buying a Honeycrisp at the supermarket is a gamble. Plus, with the glut of apples on the market, the prices have dropped, meaning farmers make less money and are less likely to plant Honeycrisp trees. Eventually, the market will work out how many apples to grow and where to grow them. In the meantime, Honeycrisp fans should not count on a good apple later in the season and should seek out local growers who do not have to deal with long-term storage solutions. (Source: Serious Eats). (Jan. 2025)

Cinnamon-Cardamom Sufganiyot, Coconut Macaroon Brownies, Apple Sharlotka, Bimuelos with Cranberry Curd and Cardamom Honey, Sfinj (Moroccan Doughnuts), Ramen Kugel and so many more. “19 Hanukkah Desserts from Jelly Doughnuts to Babka” – be sure to check out this article online, on http://www.foodandwine.org. This article is JUST IN TIME! Happy reading, happy cooking, and most of all, we wish you a very happy holiday. (Dec. 2024)

McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish Sandwich, pretty much everyone loves this item. It works for almost every population except for vegans and people who are gluten-free. Chowhound.com has an interesting article entitled 10 Facts You Didn’t Know About McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish Sandwich. (We love having an opportunity to learn about something we did not even previously think or wonder about, in the categories of who knew? and odd facts known by few). Per Chowhound, this delightful fast food item was originally created using halibut but is now made mostly from Alaskan pollock, and in some global regions, with other locally-sourced fish. Over 90% of the fish is from sustainable fisheries, and McDonald’s goal is to reach 100%. The Filet-O-Fish idea was not welcomed at first by McDonald’s but in a head-to-head showdown competition with a burger pineapple sandwich it outsold the burger and became a staple on McDonald’s menu in 1965. To learn more about the history and other important facts of this beloved sandwich, click here. (Dec. 2024)

We are sorry to bring you even MORE bad news and this aligns with our seemingly daily thought/question — what in the world is this world coming to? In London, the world-renown artisanal cheese shop, Neil’s Yard Dairy, had more than 22 tons of three types of cheese stolen! The loss was valued at almost $400,000. Someone pretending to be a wholesale buyer for a major French retailer was the culprit, and we are relieved to report that the Metropolitan Police in London have made an arrest. The theft involved three types of rare and valuable cheeses – Hafod, Pitchfork Cheddar, and Westcombe, and totalled over 900 wheels. Jamie Oliver, the British chef, helped to get the word out to the global cheese community and cheesemongers, alerting them on what to look for cheese-wise. The cheese farmers were paid for the cheese, and Neil’s Yard Dairy suffered the financial loss, devastating for a small cheese shop. For more on this, see the article entitled Scammers Stole More than 20 Tons of Cheddar Worth Nearly $400,000 From This Famed Shop in London on Foodandwine.com. (Nov. 2024).

A lot of people are struggling with digestive issues relating to gluten. Gluten is a protein in grains, for example in wheat, rye and barley. Celiac disease can be life threatening for those who have this devastating disease. Gluten also can negatively impact others who have a sensitivity or intolerance to this protein. There are many alternatives to gluten-based ingredients including buckwheat and brown rice flour. But if these do not press the delicious button for you, what to do? It can be daunting to think of life without food that contains gluten, we are thinking of baguettes, German chocolate cake and Reuben sandwiches. We are always on the look-out for recipes that are satisfying and do not make us miss the gluten-containing version even more. As always, Foodandwine.org comes to the rescue with 21 yummy gluten-free recipes. The online article 21 Gluten-Free Recipes That Are Ready in 30 Minutes contains mouth-watering recipes. This includes Steak Diane, a classic recipe that is the exact antidote to a hard day at the office, and Cha Kroeung (Cambodian chicken stir-fry with a lemongrass paste) which is new to us at UnitedInFood and a must-make. We wish you healthy and happy gluten-free cooking. (November 2024)

We all love mushrooms, don’t we? They are delicate yet incredibly hearty morsels – including morels. They can be a side dish or main entree. But what is THE best way to clean them? According to a recent article in Foodandwine.com entitled How To Wash Mushrooms, According to a Farmer, washing mushrooms lightly, gently and minimally with a brush, light cloth or paper towel right before cooking them is the recommended way. This prevents the mushrooms from getting waterlogged or soggy. When storing your gorgeous mushrooms whether they are from your local farmers market or grocery store, it is best to avoid plastic. Store them in paper bags. Anyone who has purchased mushrooms knows that storing them in plastic containers or plastic wrap is the surest way to the mushrooms’ demise. And, when it comes to cooking said mushrooms, there are two main techniques – roasting and sautéing, both of which we at UnitedInFood subscribe to and love. (October 2024)

Ice cream is not exactly the dessert we are often making in October. Just not really a fall or winter dessert, unless it is your birthday and then, of course, you are having ice cream with your birthday cake. But we love ice cream recipes and new ideas any time of the year, so we are not waiting for ice cream to be “seasonal”. Some people keep a Christmas tree up all year. It is a to-MAE-to / to-MA-to or maybe better said, whatever floats your boat. Recently, Chowhound.com online offered ice cream ideas, and we will put these to the test. The first idea is to add bloomed gelatin to your ice cream base for a creamier ice cream, it is an emulsifier or stabilizer. Click here to read this article: “Gelatin Is Key To Making Homemade Ice Cream With A Luxurious Texture.” This article took us to another entitled “Transform Your Chocolate Ice Cream With One Seriously Bold Topping” – and spoiler alert, the “bold topping” is hot honey — honey infused with dried chile peppers. We are inspired! Got to go and get out the ice cream maker and put these ideas to the test. For the Bold Topping article, click here. (October 2024)

Earlier this year, the U.S.A. Food and Drug Agency issued an alert on cinnamon products that have elevated levels of lead (for the link, click here). The list of problematic products has been growing. We here at UnitedInFood are not scientists, however we are aware that elevated lead levels are a serious concern particularly for pregnant women and children. Consumer Reports recently published an article on lead levels in cinnamon and they provided a list of the cinnamon products they tested and where they fall in terms (click here for this article). There are more brands available for purchase by consumers than those tested, and if you have an untested brand is it safest to throw it away and purchase another brand that has been proven to have low-lead content? This issue is on our radar even more as the holidays will soon be upon us and the cinnamon spice jar will be ubiquitous on the kitchen counter. One cannot make an apple or pumpkin pie without cinnamon, there is no close substitute for this spice. Baked apples in all their varieties are one of our core (pardon the pun) staples, fruit-wise, for the winter months. [Sidebar: We will have fresh cranberries too, at Thanksgiving, but they completely disappear from store shelves as if they were never there. Expired Halloween candy lasts longer at the store than fresh cranberries after Thanksgiving. Winter can also include delicious fresh fruit – oranges and grapefruits from Florida – especially if one is lucky to receive a box of these for the holidays.] To provide another perspective on the cinnamon challenge, we share an article by Ars Technica online Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Freak Out About Lead in Your Cinnamon which takes into consideration how much one could actually consume per day. It is a lot to balance but, as always, we go with the “best to be safe” approach. We will replace our existing cinnamon brand (which might not be problematic but it is not one of the brands tested by one of these well-recognized organizations) and inform pregnant women and parents of children that there is cinnamon in the apple or pumpkin pie, and they can decide what is best. How about you, will you be changing your baking plans for the holidays or winter months by eliminating or replacing your cinnamon? As always, we love to hear from you. (September 2024)

Just a reminder, it is probably best not to use plastic containers to heat up food in the microwave. We have long suspected it was not the greatest idea to use plastic, even the containers marked “BPA-free”, but convenience sometimes takes priority in a rushed moment whilst making dinner or when REALLY hungry (we are thinking of those delicious Indian dinners from the grocery store that come frozen in plastic containers are designed to be heated up in the microwave). Best to use glass containers, when you can. For more information on the latest research by scientists, go to Foodandwine.com. (September 2024)

Post-Olympics, we are missing Snoop Dog (of course, we miss seeing the amazing athletes and their feats of glory too). But, it seems as soon as Snoop Dog came into our daily lives with the Olympics, the games were over. His friendship with Martha Stewart is another interesting part of Snoop’s / Snoop Dog’s personality. One feels that Snoop is his authentic self in his friendship with Martha and that she seems to adore and embrace him. Being huge Martha Stewart fans, this brings us only more delight. And the thing that sparked their friendship was food – mashed potatoes – bravo to them – what better way is there to start a friendship? This is truly being united in food. To learn more about how this enduring friendship started, please go to Martha Stewart’s website. (August 2024) [Side note: later this year, the UnitedInFood book club will read Snoop Dog’s cookbook From Crook to Cook – Platinum Recipes from Tha Boss Dogg’s Kitchen.] (August 2024)

Now that the Olympics are in full swing in Paris no less, a world capital of food and delicious dining, the question occurs to us – how do they feed all those athletes and is the food served French recipes and is it all locally grown in France? According to a fascinating online article on this topic on Eater.com, entitled What the Athletes Will be Eating at the Paris 2024 Olympics, step #1 is getting A LOT of bananas imported – two to three million needed! Just picture that! The bananas, chocolate and coffee are some of the few types of food that need to be sourced from locations outside France and Europe. So many things to think about, including some athletes require high-carb diets whilst others are more protein-focused. Most teams will have their own nutritionists, and therefore athletes may not be sampling the variety of French food that they might otherwise, as a tourist for example. The dining hall is 24 meters wide (almost 79 feet) and 220 meters long (approximately 772 feet), however some athletes may not experience traversing the hall as they preserve their energy for the sporting event. Knowing some of the “behind-the-scenes” of the Olympics feels almost akin to being there, of course without having to pack a suitcase, get through TSA security at the airport, and re-learn key French phrases from one’s high school days. (August 2024)

According to Food & Wine Magazine, Heinz is rolling out two new sauces in the US this summer: Harissa Aioli and Black Garlic Ranch. Though these are targeting Gen Z, us old Gen X kids think these sound interesting and might be worth a try. Heinz is trying planning other “sauce drops” in the future to gauge consumer appetites. Stay tuned! (July 2024)

King Arthur Baking Company has come up with a new whole-wheat flour using wheat grown regeneratively by using wheat varietals developed in Washington State University’s Breadlab. (Yes, we want to work there!) The new “Climate Blend” is currently limited in quantity (and high in price) but could see price reductions as demand grows and more of the wheat varieties as planted. The varieties include perennial wheat which eliminate tilling and store more carbon in the soil. This could be the new wheat for a better planet! (Source: Mother Earth News; July 2024)

The USDA is updating the US Plant Hardiness Zone Map that so many rely on when planning gardens. The map was last updated in 2012 and the world and data have changed since then. The new map relies on data from twice as many weather stations around the country, as well as a longer history of data which helps it better understand the average annual low temperatures. The new map shows that nearly half the country has shifted into a warmer zone.  To see the new map, go to https://PlantHardiness.ARS.USDA.gov.

Question for you … is there a more tempting article to read than the one entitled Incorporate Bourbon Into Your Cold Foam For A Boozy Iced Coffee? We don’t think so. This article is from one of our favorite online foodie sources – Tastingtable.com. (June 2024)

This time of year, late spring, is a glorious time. Pixie’s favorite, if one had to narrow it down and make a choice, is Peony Plant. This plant is hardier than one might think, has a gorgeous but not to overpowering fragrance, and can have dozens of blossoms on it! The blossoms are big and just two or three will fill a vase.. They are the perfect gift for friends, neighbors and co-workers. According to Better, Homes and Gardens, the Peony Plant dates back to the 7th Century in China, and The Netherlands is currently the largest producer of cut peonies with Alaska becoming a close second. To learn more about the pretty awesome Peony Plant, read this article by Better, Home and Gardens (bhg.com) entitled 6 Fascinating Things You Should Know About Peony Flowers. (June 2024)

Perfect for Mothers’ Day, the article in foodandwine.com, “We Asked 14 F&W Best New Chefs for the Best Food Lessons Their Moms Taught Them“. We love getting food advice from mothers, aka precious pearls of wisdom! Some of the 14 chefs’ mothers’ advice that resonated best with us was learn to cook instinctively, clean as you go, and fish sauce makes everything better – we already knew that last one! What sage advice did you receive from your mother or pass on to the next generation? (Mothers’ Day – May 2024)

Spices. We cannot get enough of them, varieties are infinite, but the kitchen pantry is only so big (or small, in the case of Pixie’s home in the city). Sometimes the spices from the store are a bit old and stale, tasteless, and will bring less than nothing to whatever you are cooking. Toss those puppies! It can be a gamble buying spices, one never knows exactly how long the spice has been on the shelf, and before that, in a distribution center or warehouse. Often there is no expiration date on the spice container. Which is why we turn to one of our favorite spice companies – Spicewalla. Their offerings are experience in deliciousness (see Pixie’s recent post on Instagram about her golden milk pancakes) and each comes in a little tin container. Although their spices and other offerings (salts, peppercorns, herbs) can be slightly higher in price, but not immensely so, they are worth every penny. The limited editions are a thing of our imagination! (May 2024)

Upcycling food is a growing trend in the food-manufacturing business. Upcycling is the act of using the “waste” left over after manufacturing food into a new food product. In the case of the byproduct of making plant-based milks, that can be used to create gluten-free flour. Imperfect tomatoes, or those too small for factory machines, can be used by other manufacturers to make tomato sauce. This growing trend cuts down on food waste and creates a more efficient food industry. The grocery stores are stocking more and more of these products. Look for the “Upcycled” logo on packaging. (Source: Modern Farmer) (April 2024)

Pepsico, the international food conglomerate, knows how to please (and market) consumers around the world. While Americans are accustomed to familiar chip flavors like sour-cream-and onion or BBQ, the company does extensive research and development in other areas of the world. You might find yourself munching on falafel and pickled lemon in Egypt, cucumber and seaweed in China and masala magic in India. (Source: Food Dive) (April 2024)

A 1700-year-old egg was recently discovered in England at the bottom of a Roman well! A Roman town was excavated near London where two wells were found and studied. The wells were probably used by Romans to make ale and then became a repository for sacred offerings to the gods. Among the contents of a well, a fully intact egg was found. Due to the conditions of the well, the egg has been preserved for at least 1700 years. Imaging has shown that there are still liquid materials inside the egg but it is unknown what it could be. Scientists are eager to withdraw some of the fluid and study it. DNA testing will enable them to see what type of bird laid the egg which can shed more light on the culinary lives of these ancient people. (Source: Atlas Obscura) (March 2024)

Have you heard of the term “conscious cooking”? This term was new to us but we are aware of many other “conscious”-related terms (e.g. conscious listening, conscious music, and conscious uncoupling). It makes sense that this approach would apply to cooking also. Conscious cooking is being mindful and present in the moment while cooking. It starts with determining one’s intention for the food (to prepare a meal of specific items or using select recipes to serve and nourish yourself and others). You visualize the end result. You use your energy and full awareness in each step of preparing the food. You are aware of the colors, flavors, textures, sounds, and aromas of the food. You have steady and deep breaths, maintain a non-rushed pace with calmness. This can be difficult to achieve especially when hungry and cooking for others as the pressure is on and multitasking seems like the best (only?) way through it. In our fast-pace life, meal preparation can be another chance for us to slow down and practice mindfulness. Not always achievable, but when possible, conscious cooking sounds quite lovely and we will give it a try. (March 2024)

Pretty much everyone is short on time. Maybe it is the shorter days of winter. Maybe it is squeezing in too much of life in too little time. What gets dropped? Meals lean heavily on leftovers, short-cuts, the bare basics, and yes, we are sad to report, sometimes carry-out. Adding another component to mealtimes seems like an unnecessary stretch. But easy and delicious cocktails … now you have us curious! Food and Wine online magazine has some ideas on this, 19 Easy Cocktails to Make If You Spent Most of Your Energy Figuring Out the Dinner Menu. They describe these as “19 stunning cocktails that take 5 minutes to make.” Some of the cocktails are ones we have made before and are easy to make. Some of the cocktails are ones we have wanted to make (Sidecar and Vodka Gimlet). Others are new to us (Spahgett and the Apple Cider Margarita) but add to the must-try list. Maybe a stunning cocktail that only takes 5 minutes to make might get us back on track in aligning our priorities to the time we have each day, and even try a new recipe for dinner. (Feb. 2024)

In March, the UnitedInFood book club will read Taste Makers, Seven Women Who Revolutionized Food in America by Mayukh Sen. This book focuses on seven immigrant — Chao Yang Buwei, Elena Zelayeta, Madeleine Kamman, Marcella Hazan, Julie Sahni, Najmieh Batmanglij and Norma Shirley. Except of Marcella Hazan, these women were knew to us. The created a life in the world of food despite enormous obstacles, the least of which were being women and immigrants. This book is not only lessons in history for the reader but gives these women at least a small degree of the enormous recognition they truly deserve. For more on this book, click on this link to The New York Times Book Review. (Feb. 2024)

Looking back at 2023, we were wondering what the trends were. For sure, AI (artificial intelligence) and the Hulu streaming service show The Bear. We had guessed right on for those, but there are others that we had not thought about but make sense. Such as rethinking high-end restaurants (due to immense cost to run this type of business) and “show stopping slices of cakes” are now what it’s about and not cupcakes (sign us up for this trend although cupcakes will always have a special place in our kitchen – they are mini-cakes that pack the perfect bite to satisfy one’s sweet tooth). Foodandwine.org has the skinny on the 2023 trends, with their article “The Top Food Trends of 2023” and see what trends you guessed right about. (Jan. 2024)

Did you know that you can use your sourdough starter to make chocolate cookies? This is news to us and we had to get the word out! [Pixie has a sourdough starter that is 225+ years old, it is from a bakery in Paris that has been in existence and baking bread for the past 225 years.] Pixie is always curious about new ways to use her sourdough starter, and had heard rumblings about being able to use her “starter” when making cookies. Speaking of this, Pixie read an online article entitled “Elevate Your Regular Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sourdough” on Yahoo.com. The say it is “the secret to a soft and chewy cookie.” Soft and chewy are EXACTLY how we like our chocolate cookies and this is on the “Must Make” list. (Dec. 2023)

The French Magnolia: UnitedInFood is in love with a new cooking television show! We highly recommend it. It features Chef Missy and her sommelier husband, Thomas, and local farms in the southwestern part of Virginia. In each show, Chef Missy makes new friends (right away a winner for us) when she visits farms in the region where she and Thomas live and work. Chef Missy then makes a dish featuring the food grown or raised, or in the case of mourning doves, flown by, the farm that she visits. Chef Missy offers wisdom on all levels and those around, who get to enjoy her food, often state it is the best they have ever had! Which has to be the best thing anyone could say about another person’s cooking, but probably a pretty rare thing to feel and hear. Be sure to check out this show and some of Chef Missy’s recipes. (Nov. 2023)

Taking a recipe to your grave: We’ve all heard the phrase: “She took the recipe to her grave.” And, before the internet made recipe hunting super easy, when someone passed away without leaving instructions on how to make a favorite delight, the recipe was gone. At graves around the world, favorite recipes have been published right on the gravestone for all to see. From Nome, Alaska with Bonnie’s No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies to Israel with Ida Kleinman’s nut rolls, recipes are a cropping up on gravestones to celebrate the deceased lives through their food. Bonnie Johnson, in Nome, was known for these cookies and they instantly evoke a sense of the warmth and comfort that Bonnie gave to her community. Mrs. Kleinman’s nut rolls were legendary in her community and were packed with the most amazing ingredients, including Turkish delight. While there are ancient tombs and memorials to great chefs in the past – one dated back to 20-50 BC Rome – these generally celebrate professional, mostly male, chefs. The cemetery tributes generally belong to women who showed their love and affection for the community through their food. Sometimes people come to visit the graves and bring some of the food made from the recipe, sharing with others at the grave or leaving it as an offering. Even after death, these women unite their communities through food. (Source: Atlas Obscura) (Nov. 2023)

Community Fridges: You’ve seen the Free Little Libraries pop up across the country. How about refrigerators? What started in a few cities during the pandemic when our food distribution system was turned on its head had blossomed into a nationwide phenomenon. Communities and charities are setting up refrigerators and neighbors are filling them with handmade baked goods, casseroles, and leftovers. It’s a win-win effort to curb food waste and feed those in need of a meal. There are no means-tested applications and people can retain their anonymity when grabbing a bite to eat. Some fridges are solar powered! It’s not a perfect system as there is a concern about rotting food, people taking more than they need, vandalism and malfunctioning units. (One of the refrigerators was stolen.) But, organizers claim that the meals disappear very quickly and other problems are surmountable. The hardest part is keeping the fridges stocked. (Source: Modern Farmer). (Nov. 2023)

Burbon in trouble? In order to be labeled and sold as bourbon, distillers must adhere to strict rules: it must be distilled in the United States; must be comprised of at least 51% corn mash; the alcohol content must be at least 80 proof; it cannot contain any color or flavor additives; and it must be aged in fresh, white oak barrels for at least two years. Unfortunately, the white oak forests that once blanketed the American South are in trouble. Most trees in the forests now are mature and there are not as many young trees to replace those being harvested for bourbon. With a mature white oak taking up to 90 years to mature, this is not a quick, easy fix. Enter distillers like Makers Mark who are partnering with the University of Kentucky to replant forests and identify, then foster, fast-growing saplings with the goal of reforesting the white oaks forests with faster-growing offspring. Many distillers and cooperages are also using more sustainable methods of harvesting and using white oaks. (Source: Modern Farmer; Nov. 2023)

Ancient Spices: When we think of an expensive spice, saffron comes to mind. In the ancient world, however, cinnamon was worth 15 times its weight in silver and was so precious that it was part of Rome’s treasury. (Oooh! Imagine the scent in that treasury!) Spices were also used in mumification practices in ancient Egypt to mask the scent of the process as well as to scent the deceased in the next world. Relatives would spend as much as they could on spices for their deceased family members. Most of the spices used originated outside of Egypt – adding to the costs. Though there is no conclusive evidence of cinnamon in Egypt until trade routes to India were established in the 3^rd century BC, other spices were used like frankincense and myrrh. (Source: Gastro Obscura; Nov. 2023)

Have you heard of Chef John (AKA John Armand Mitzewich)? Chef John is a pretty famous guy, he does cooking videos on YouTube and his instructions are excellent. We are huge fans of Chef John and he tackles just about everything from fish to sauces to breads. He is very to-the-point and the camera only features the food and the cooking equipment, not Chef John himself. He is unique in that he often adds cayenne pepper in lieu of black or white pepper. Love that! His website / blog is FoodWishes.com and you can check him out one YouTube. (10/2023).

Modern farming requires innovative solutions and folks in the Midwest are the lucky recipients. Market Wagon is an online farmers market, directly linking farmers to consumers. Every week, farmers input whatever they want to sell into the marketplace. The next day, customers pick and choose what they want that week and place their orders. The farmers then head into a central distribution center where they distribute their wares directly into their customers’ bags which are then picked up by gig-drivers who bring the bag of goodies to the customers’ homes. Customers get farm-fresh produce, dairy and baked goods; farmers have a ready market without guessing how much to harvest; and drivers pick up extra cash making deliveries. How post-pandemic can you get? The model has helped many farmers gain markets and consumers have access to wholesome, locally sourced food. Right now, they are only in select areas in the Midwest. (Source: modernfarmer.com; (9/2023)

Vanilla, the second most expensive spice in the world after saffron, is actually a fruit with half of the world’s crop coming from Madagascar. Why so expensive? It’s a labor-intensive project from pollination to picking to curing and then distributing. Vanilla extract – that comfort in a bottle in your refrigerator – is made from vanilla beans that have been soaked in an alcohol concoction. The FDA mandates that it must be 35% alcohol with at least 100 grams of vanilla beans per liter. Most of the vanilla extract is imitation vanilla and not actually produced by the plant. It might smell like vanilla, but there can be many artificial ingredients like petroleum, and it generally does not capture the complex flavors of real vanilla. Be sure to read the label if you want true vanilla extract! (Source: BonAppetit.com)

Did you hear about the musical, The Great British Bake Off Musical? We say this a “bravo” to this genius idea. The musical is based on the real-life British television show in which gifted (amateur) bakers compete to win a multi-round baking challenge in order to be crowned “Star Baker”. The musical was featured at a theater in London earlier this year, and from all reports is a hilarious rendition of the actual baking competition. The television show has a global audience, is seen and loved by millions, and the pressure is ON for each baker to win. Maybe the musical too will have success and appear at a theater near us soon – our fingers are crossed! (Sep. 2023)

Exploding watermelons? It’s a thing! Sometimes when a watermelon is growing in the field, bacteria can be introduced into the young fruit. As the fruit grows, the bacteria feasts on the fructose and yeasts in the melon, causing a fermentation process. High temperatures speed the process and the pressure increases. If there is a crack in the rind, the fermented juices can seep out – looking like foam. But, if there is no crack, that juice is going to escape the first chance it gets – like when the rind is pierced by a knife. They can explode. The problem has worsened this year because the day and nighttime temperatures have been so high. The foam is not safe to ingest and foaming watermelons should be carefully taken to the compost bin. (Source: Food & Wine Magazine) (August 2023)

Have you heard of Anders Erickson? If not, now is the time! Anders is our favorite bartender, which does not really do his talents justice. He is funny, impossibly adorable, smart, and super knowledgeable of alcoholic drinks, especially cocktails and all things related including bitters, simple syrups, the correct stemware to use and the history of cocktails. His YouTube videos are fun AND educational. If you want to make a refined cocktail, Anders is the person. Be sure to look him up and have fun learning and imbibing, we surely do! (August 2023)

We are always curious about cookbooks, like any library one collects, it can be hard to determine which cookbooks to buy. We have been known to buy a cookbook for one recipe! But this is not sustainable, better to buy one that offers lots of ideas and recipes to try. Which is why we like to read blogs like this “The 14 Best Cookbooks” by FoodandWine.com. We do not have any of the cookbooks on this list, how is that possible? Ugh, too many cookbooks but too little time. Happy reading and cooking all! (August 2023)

Maryland’s 2023 Buy Local Challenge is here, it runs from July 21 – July 28. This once a year event is held during the peak of the summer season in Maryland. These are some exciting days for us! The goal of this Challenge is, for one week, to buy or consume at least one food item every day that is grown or raised locally in Maryland. This Challenge is promoted by the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission. See how you can support you local farmers and producers, no matter where you live. (July 2023)

If you would like to read an article (or listen to the interview) on NPR.com about resiliency in the face of some of life’s most difficult challenges and times, click on this: This Lebanese optimist lost his home and restaurants. He just laughed: ‘I start again’. This article is about Nassim Haddam, a man who, in his words, was born laughing, and we think he must have been born cooking too! We want to try out his knafeh and qatayef bil ashta, among other delicious traditional Lebanese foods. May we all remember to laugh more, and do our best to enjoy the moments in life, in spite of the setbacks that will surely come our way.

UnitedInFood gives a HUGE shout out to a local bakery that we love! Pekara Bakery, a local family-owned business, is a Baltimore treasure. Pekara offers the most delicious pastries, breads, sandwiches and so much more. Their breads are a masterpiece of deliciousness. Pekara is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner five days of the week. All items they sell are made by hand, clearly to us with very loving hands, and are based on recipes from countries such as Serbia and France. Their food and service are top-notch, so be sure to check them out. Pekara Bakery is located on Cold Spring Road in Baltimore. You might want to read the menu first, online, before you visit in person so that you have time to think through all the choices and decide. Enjoy! (June 2023)

Summertime is just here and it is gin and tonic time of year too! One of our favorite beverages, and probably one of the top cocktails ever invented. Simple and classic with just a few basic components which yields a very delicious and refreshing drink. It is pretty hard to make a wrong move in making a gin and tonic. We have made them with high-end gins and with bargain gins and they are winners. But how fun to mix this cocktail up a bit (pun intended) with a variation on the tonic water. We have noticed that there are many new tonic water brands and flavors on the market and sold in more convenient places (e.g. grocery stores). Food and Wine’s online magazine has analyzed this array of tonic water delights and provided a breakdown of the “5 Best Tonics for a Gin and Tonic.” We are sold! (June 2023).

Did you hear about the Great Pasta-Gate of 2023? This is quite the story. Over 25 feet of various types of pasta, approximately 15 wheelbarrow loads, were dumped in the woods beside a stream in Old Bridge, NJ. Illegally – of course. No one knew where this pasta came from! News of this event spread like cheese sauce in a big ol’ bowl of Fettuccine Alfredo and was as intriguing as finding about new brand of smoked black pepper to use one cacio e pepe! For more on this story (and more pasta-humor), click on this link for an online article from The New York Times.

Rhubarb!! It is finally time to plant and enjoy rhubarb! For Pixie, this is the first item that she harvests from her garden making it the official starter for her summer garden. Rhubarb is amazingly versatile, and the rhubarb plant in Pixie’s garden has been there for approximately four years. This perennial plant can live longer than ten years, so Pixie’s rhubarb plant has just gotten started. Whew! To learn about this extraordinary plant, check out this online article by The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Let us know if you plant some rhubarb this year, we can swap recipes and garden stories. (April 2023).

Microgreens … aren’t they cool? We LOVE them. First of all, they are super nutritious (more so than their adult version). Second, they are incredibly versatile and easy to use with a multitude of foods and dishes (add them to salads, sandwiches, soups, and even your main course (on a burger, or a steak, on scrambled eggs, on a bagel with cream cheese and lox, and even on a chicken pot pie!). Third, they are easy to grow with minimal equipment and space. Did we mention the many different types? Too many to count. There is the old standard, alfalfa sprouts (best known microgreens sold by health food stores back in the day, we won’t mention the year, decade or even the century!), and there are broccoli microgreens, watercress microgreens, and many more. If you have a window in your home that receives daily sun you can grow microgreens in your home and have them at the ready to savor. To learn more, check out this online article by healthline.com. (April 2023)

Recently, we learned of the term “Eco-Kosher” or “Eco-Kashrut” although this term has been around for many years. It is a combination of the words “ecology” and “Kosher”. The underlying meaning is to value relationships between one another and the earth and in accordance with ancient Jewish teachings. To be Kosher is to abide by Jewish dietary laws and the ethical standards for food production, preparation and eating. Eco-Kosher takes existing Kosher guidelines and adds sustainability and ecological perspectives. For more on this fascinating concept, please click here for the online article by religiousnaturalism.org. (April 2023)

On March 20, 2023, the Maryland House of Delegates passed House Bill (#178) to make Maryland Rye Whiskey the official state spirit. Maryland has a long history in making Rye Whiskey and you can find some treasured brands available at some local farmers markets. If this Bill passes into law, Rye Whiskey would be added to other recognized Maryland State symbols, including the blue crab (State crustacean) and Smith Island cake (our beloved State cake). [Source] (March 2023)

St. Albans, England. It was the year 793 when the pub first opened. Ye Olde Fighting Cocks got its name from hosting cock fights up through the 1800s and is listed as the oldest pub in the world by the Guinness Book of World Records. Oh, the stories the walls of this 1230-year-old pub could tell! After all of the trials and tribulations the world has seen since the 8^th Century, it was the modern world that finally forced it to shutter its windows this year. Not to worry though: the restaurant group that owns this historic pub has plans to re-open it sometime in the future. Want to plan a visit? We sure do! (Source: Food & Wine) [3/2023]

Seed shortages became a thing in 2020 when the fragility of our food network revealed itself, people were stuck at home, and home gardens blossomed around the world. Sounds great but it caused headaches for seed producers as seed shortages became as common as toilet paper shortages. The producers simply were not ready for the huge uptick in sales and could not accommodate all of the new gardens. Three years later, we still see seed shortages. What’s up? Well, harvesting seeds is a time-intensive process. Generally speaking, the plants are sown up to a year before the sale of the seeds, so it takes at least a year to catch up with demand. But, that’s only part of the story. Seed crops are grown much differently than crops meant for consumption: plants need to be planted far from each other to prevent cross-pollination so more land mass is needed. Seed companies generally contract with farmers for many of their seeds, so these companies have had to find more sources. Inflation also comes into play. If farmer can get more for a crop of actual produce – as opposed to growing for seeds – it makes economic sense to focus resources on growing crops, not seeds. Our changing climate also carries some blame as the world-wide farming land and practices are impacted. We may be facing seed shortages for a longer period of time due to these factors. A great way to ensure you have seeds next year is to harvest your own seeds this year. There are many online sources to help you get started. Another hedge is to check out local seed banks or local libraries which often act as seed banks. (Source: Mother Earth News, February/March 2023)

Why are some brands successful in NEVER changing their “recipes”? For a very interesting audio on this, the BBC.co.uk’s “Business Daily” breaks this down. The message here, don’t dabble with a winning recipe! Click here to listen. (P.S. In this online audio, you’ll love the background sounds, particularly a bottle of Coca-Cola being opened and the Bengali music to introduce Worcestershire sauce.) (Feb. 2023)

A woman in Vermont has built an unusual bakery, stocked with the Argentinean breads and pastries of her youth. Natalia Meijome stocks her tiny panaderia with breads, cookies, pastries and other delectable treats. Opting to forgo the traditional brick-and-mortar storefront, Ms. Meijome built a tiny bakery along the same lines as the tiny libraries that have sprouted up across the country. Customers scan a QR code and pay with a credit card, using an honor system to purchase their goodies. Is her Tiny Bread Box the wave of the future? Click here to read more! (Jan. 2023)

It’s hard when a food producer discontinues a favorite food. Ever since it announced the discontinuation of a popular pasta shape, Ronzoni has been slammed for its decision and a massive effort and petition drive to convince it to change course is ongoing. The start-shaped Pastina #155 is being discontinued and fans are not pleased. This pasta is a favorite to many dishes and generations have relied on it. The boxes typically sold for $2.00/box and are now at least $24.99! Get yours while you can afford it (for more information, click here)! (Jan. 2023)

It’s about that time of the year: Girl Scout Cookies!!!! Things are starting to change a bit. Not only are they rolling out a new cookie but it will only be available online for direct shipment. The new Raspberry Rally cookies are coated in chocolate and have a raspberry filling. YUM!! The Girl Scouts hope to teach young women about e-commerce and entrepreneurship by offering these only online. You can still purchase all of the other cookies from your favorite Girl Scout. To find where you can get you cookies starting on February 27, go to this handy site. (Jan. 2023)

Did you know about Culinary Historians of Washington, D.C., or as we refer to it, “CHOW” for short. CHOW D.C. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, founded in 1996, and it focuses mostly on culinary history. Fascinating stuff! If you ever were curious as to when a particular food developed in a particular country and why, this is the organization for you. If you wanted to learn about the origins of a food-related museum (e.g. a museum devoted solely to mustard) then CHOW D.C. is the place for you! Once a month, CHOW D.C. features a speaker who presents a culinary-history/cultural topic on Zoom (so you can dial-in from just about anywhere) and there is a question and answer period afterwards. The presenters are experts in their fields, and guaranteed you will learn new things. Past topics included the history of chopsticks, and yoghurt, what ancient humans ate, and wine and the White House. For more information about CHOW and on how to become a member, please go to the CHOW D.C. website by clicking here.

Holiday time means Christmas cookies. It would not be the holidays without these essential and ubiquitous treats that symbolize many things. They remind us of it is a special time of year when we allow ourselves to indulge (sometimes overindulge) in many things, including desserts. Christmas cookies come in every design, color, shape, flavor, and there must be hundreds of recipes. Just about anything goes and perfect baking is not a requirement. A platter of Christmas cookies is a beautiful sight to behold, a treasured gift that involves a lot of hard work, planning, mixing, baking, and decorating. Each cookie is to be savored with a cup of coffee or chai and shared with a friend or with glass of cold milk along with the younger family members. Even Santa Claus is rewarded with a Christmas cookie or two for making the challenging journey down the chimneys of so many homes. Which made us wonder, with all the recipes available, what are the most favored Christmas Cookie made? Pondering this age-old question, we found the answer and it is what we expected – the #1 cookie made is gingerbread and Italian Christmas cookies are a close second! One of our favorite go-to sources, FoodandWine.com, has an online article on “The Most Searched Christmas Cookies in Every State.” Here’s hoping you have Christmas cookies that last into the new year. (Dec. 2022)

Do you have a dish or recipe that really makes you feel like you are in the holiday season, that brings back cherished memories of holidays you spent with family and friends? For Pixie, chicken soup with matzah balls and chopped chicken livers on crackers with slice of cheddar cheese are special foods for special days. Although considered traditional Jewish foods, Pixie’s family celebrated most holidays (including Christian holidays) with these must-have dishes. Which got us thinking about what others eat on the holidays that bring them happy memories, other traditions, religions and cultures. If you are interested in reading more about this, we found a delightful article online “Holiday Foods Evoke Fond Memories” by https://news.gatech.edu. This article reminds us that there is no limit to the glory of food. From a practical perspective, there is always room to add new dishes to the must-have holiday menu! (Dec. 2022)

“Marvelous”, “amazing”, “how fun” and “wowza!” are the words that spring to mind when reading the foodandwine.com article about the 2022 National Gingerbread House Competition and seeing images of the winning entries! This annual competition has been held for 30 years and advertises itself as “the largest gingerbread house competition in America.” We are believers! With 219 entries, the contestants hope to win cash and prizes, and of course, one would assume, and rightfully so, bragging rights. To qualify, entries must be fully edible and contain 75%+ gingerbread, and the entries are judged on appearance, creativity, level of difficulty and precision. Kudos to all the entrants, we aspire to your technical and creative skills. To read more about this delightful competition and see winning entries, click here. (Nov. 2022).

Nothing like a PB&J! While some are better than others, it’s a quintessential American sandwich etched in our collective memories! And, many of us continue to eat them as adults – nothing wrong with that! Did you know that during the Depression and World War II, PB&Ms were the norm? What’s a PB&M? Peanut butter and mayonnaise on white bread. People were hungry and meat/cheese were expensive and hard to find. Many people turned instead to cheaper sources of fat, protein and carbs. In some places, such as the South, these sandwiches were as popular as PB&Js. Also, adding mayonnaise to that era’s rustic nut butters (which tended to be coarse) helped with the spreadable factor. Well into the 1960’s PB&Ms were eaten. Hellman’s had an advertising campaign about ways to spice up PB&Ms, such as adding bacon and pickles or raisins and carrots. In fact, there are still many Americans who indulge in their PB&M sandwiches – not so much for the boost of calories and fat – but for the taste and familiarity of a good food memory. Source: Atlas Obscura (www.atlasobscura.com). (Nov. 2022)

In honor of National Pickle Day (November 14), Vlassic is rolling out a pickle-scented wax candle. That’s right! A scented candle that looks and smells like a jar of Vlassic pickles. Turns out, that’s not an easy task! The pickles have to be hand placed in jars in order to remain standing when the wax is poured. Getting the scent just right also took a lot of time and trials. These scented candles join the pantheon of American food giants with a line of scented candles like McDonald’s, Miller Lite and Campbell’s. Source: Food & Wine (www.foodandwine.com). (Nov. 2022)

As with many things during the Age of Covid, the price and availability of avocados has widely fluctuated. First, there was a shortage and prices spiked. Now, due to a variety of reasons, the prices are plummeting – a bright spot in these times of inflation. It really comes down to supply. Most of our avocados in the U.S. come from Mexico and there were some trade issues last year that severely restricted the supply. Those have been resolved and the avocados heading north again! With worldwide inflation that is much higher than in the U.S., foreign consumers are not eating as many avocados so that source of demand has declined. So, break out the mortar and pestle and get ready for cheap guacamole! Who would have thought that avocado toast would be a cheaper breakfast? Source: Food & Wine (www.foodandwine.com). (Nov. 2022)

Have you heard of the podcast, The Sporkful with Dan Pashman? Oh right, sorry, that’s a silly question, OF COURSE you have heard of it, it is one of our favorite podcasts. This podcasts has won lots of awards and covered multiple topics and people. One the best shows it has done is the two-part series entitled How to Export Coffee in a War. This series tells the story of Mokhtar Alkhanshali, founder of Port of Mokha coffee, and his idea to sell coffee grown in Yemen to the world. The podcast is riveting as it traces the trials, tribulations and travails Mr. Alkanshali overcomes in his quest to bring coffee from Yemen to the world’s attention, which it so richly deserves. His focus and priority is squarely on the farmers in Yemen and that they receive equitable prices for the coffee they grow. Coffee is a core crop in Yemen, a country that has struggled and suffered terribly since the start of its Civil War in 2014. The coffee in Yemen is some of the best coffee grown anywhere in the world. (Oct. 2022)

When the world seems upside down, one of the first things we at UnitedInFood turn to is … dark chocolate. Of course, what else can one do? Well, true, there are other helpful things such as praying, going to a religious service, taking a walk in nature, meditating or calling a friend. All essential lifelines, no question there. But chocolate comes first. And this is fine, really smart actually, because not only is it it delicious and the joy is the polar opposite of what we are experiencing in the world, but it also has proven health benefits! We have the facts in our front pocket, such as dark chocolate contains antioxidants. Yeah for us! And, dark chocolate could help to reduce heart disease and could help to lower blood pressure. You may laser-focus on the “could help” part but those words are good enough for us. For an excellent article on the health benefits of dark chocolate, check this out – 7 Proven Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate by healthy-line.com. The next time you are thinking about turning on the news or before your presentation at that big meeting at work, try eating just a small (it doesn’t have to be small, note to self) piece of dark chocolate. It will bring you joy, you will get through the moment and you will be doing something great for your body. Cheers! (Sep. 2022)

We here at UnitedInFood love podcasts about food (and about other subjects too, but of course, food is our main topic of interest). A podcast is a great way to learn about a subject, similar to listening to a radio program. You can listen to podcasts using your computer or handheld device (smart phone or iPod) in a quiet room (reminding one of the photo images when the whole family congregated around the radio together and listened to radio broadcasts), or you can listen in the background as you do other things (e.g., cooking, cleaning, working). One of our favorite podcasts is Sporkful. This award-winning podcast is entertaining and informative, and the host, Dan Pashman is a joy to listen to. It is hard to resist his enthusiasm for the subject of food, and importantly, for his guests, and we are always surprised to see what the new show is about! To learn more about this podcast and the range of “shows” available, click here.

In August, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) holds its annual “Gather” event. This year, it is “GatherGuatemala” to celebrate and honor the people, culture, food and history of Guatemala. Guatemala has a rich history including it is the “founder” of chocolate. Of course, we at UnitedInFood are diving into learning about Guatemalan cuisine, and making new recipes to celebrate this event. This includes working on our tortilla making skills which were in serious need of focus and attention. To learn more about GatherGuatemala and LIRS, please click on this link.

Hibiscus flowers. We read an interesting article on the “8 Benefits of Hibiscus Tea” by the online resource Healthline.com. Evidently, these beautiful flowers contain antioxidants, and might lower blood pressure. More testing to be done in order to support these health claims. Hibiscus tea is also easy to make and delicious to drink, either hot or cold. That we can confirm with certainty (or certain tea)! If you have an appliance that makes seltzer water, cold hibiscus tea is very refreshing. And if you grow your own hibiscus plant in organic soil, you will know which variety you have (there are more than 100 species) and the quality of the flowers. We will keep reading to learn more about health benefits, and keep you updated.

What is the best whisky in the world? In an online article by Food and Wine, they announced that this past weekend the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition was held and the Best In Show award winner was a 40 year old single malt whisky from the Scotch distillery, Benromach. This distillery is located in Forres in the Speyside region, and only 1,000 bottles of this whisky were released. Makes us curious to visit the town Forres, the distillery, and where can one find a bottle of this amazing whisky? Hmmm, more research is needed. For more on this, here is the link to the Food and Wine article. Too, here is a fun article on why “whiskey” is sometimes spelled with an “e” and other times not. Cheers!

We all love YouTube, are we right on this? You can just nod your head, yes or no. We could fritter away hours watching videos on YouTube, everything from artists and musicians we like, to interviews on every subject, to / DIY home projects, sitcoms and movie clips, and for us at UnitedInFood, cooking videos! We are highlighting two YouTubers we spend A LOT of time watching, all for the betterment of our cooking skills. A friend referred this first YouTube cook to Pixie in her role as #LIRS Ambassador, Nooria Ali at https://www.youtube.com/user/nooriaali. Ms. Ali cooks Afghan cuisine and her videos provide clear demonstrations on how to make, what seem to be, difficult recipes. A huge thanks to Ms. Ali. The second YouTuber we enjoy watching and learning from is Rory O’Connell, and you can find him at https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Irish+Chef+Rory+O%27Connell. Recently, UnitedInFood’s book club read The Joy of Food by Chef O’Connell and it is one of our favs, the recipes are simple yet filled with imagination and creativity.

Cheers to the City of Boston! Boston will start a pilot program for a curbside collection service of food-waste in addition to the standard trash and recycling collection services that are currently offered. Starting in August of this year, Boston will offer the new service to residents who live in buildings with up to six units. Food-waste, when placed in landfills, is one of the biggest sources of methane gas which contributes to global warming. Separating it from trash allows food-waste to be used for good – for composting which adds key nutrients to the soil for growing food and plants, and it reduces what is added to landfills. A win-win. In addition to this new food-waste collection service, Boston residents have other compost options for food-waste including private composting companies and drop-off locations. Pixie’s and Pepper’s family roots are from the Boston-area and we are glad to see Boston leading the way and showing how it can be done! To learn more, click on this link https://realestate.boston.com/news/2022/05/28/boston-launch-curbside-food-waste-collection-august/.

We’ve heard of smart phones, smart televisions and smart cars. But have you heard of smart cheese? Yes, it is a real thing, and it’s the world’s beloved Parmigiano Reggiano! We read about this in an interesting article of Food & Wine Magazine. Like many European products protected with a designation or origin, the real deal Parmigiano Regianno can only made in a specific area of the Parma region of Italy. According to Food & Wine Magazine there are imposters who fraudulently use the label “Parmigiano Regianno” on their cheese. To help combat this in the past, Parmigianno Regiano makers have used tracking codes. Currently, testing is underway for a micro chip to be added to the casein label of the cheese to help better track it. For this Food & Wine Magazine article, please click here https://www.foodandwine.com/news/parmigiano-reggiano-fraud-micro-transponder-rinds-digital-label. To learn more information about this revered cheese, go to https://parmigianoreggiano.us/the-cheese/.

In the Land of Enchantment, it is estimated that close to 300,000 people face chronic food insecurity, including 20% of our children. (Source: Hunger Free America (https://www.hungerfreeamerica.org/en-us/.) Enter Seed2Need (https://seed2need.org), a community organization based in Corrales (just north of Albuquerque) that started in 2008 during the Great Recession by a couple who planted vegetable seeds in their neighbor’s horse corral to provide fresh produce to a local food pantry. Over the years, it has grown and now provides fresh produce to many food pantries and soup kitchens. In fact, it has provided over 700,000 pounds of fresh produce since 2010!  The Sandoval Master Gardeners became active volunteers early in the project and local farmers provide excess produce from their fields and farms. The Eagle Scouts helped clear additional land, while church groups and many volunteers continue to help out in the fields. Seed2Need shows what great things happen when the community bands together: hungry people are given nourishing food and volunteers nourish their souls while working in the fields and orchards.

So, on the scale of problems, this definitely falls in the category of a very minor annoyance at most. The age old dilemma of ten hot dogs in a package, but only eight rolls. What’s up with this, why the disconnect? Per the National Hot Dog Sausage Council, hot dog buns are baked in groups and pans designed for four and eight rolls.  Whereas hot dogs are sold by the pound. Standard “dogs’ weigh 1.6 ounces and ten per package makes good math (16 ounces – one pound). Which takes us to the Heinz Hot Dog Pact. Heinz is circulating a petition to get hot dog bun companies to match buns to dogs – ten on ten. Yep, this is one petition we can stand behind. If you’d like to sign this petition and learn more, please go to https://heinzhotdogpact.com

Breaking news, hot off the panini press, and drop everything! Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream is now offering their Everything Bagel ice cream! This ice cream contains sesame seeds, poppy seeds, onions and garlic – just like we’d find in a bagel at the local deli shop. All we can say is WOWZA! Using the immortal word of bagel lovers everywhere, the ingredients are “schmeared” with the cream cheese base of this incredible and unforgettable ice cream. To place your order now (and don’t delay), please go to Jeni’s website at https://shop.jenis.com/ice-creams/everything-bagel-pint/.

UnitedInFood wants to shine a light on Pepper’s CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) New Mexico Harvest (formerly called Beneficial Farms) in New Mexico. This CSA sustained Pepper and her family during the 2020/22 pandemic with fresh, locally grown food that was delivered to Pepper’s home. New Mexico Harvest has been serving the community for over 25 years, and they are committed to creating a more sustainable food system in New Mexico that connects consumers with their local farmers and growers. New Mexico Harvest’s mission is to “Eat Local. Eat Seasonal. Eat Outside the Box Stores.” To learn more about this amazing organization, please visit their website at https://csa.farmigo.com/store/newmexicoharvest.

Our favorite chef Jose Andres and the non-profit he started, World Central Kitchen (https://wck.org) are to the rescue where tragedy and suffering live, including in Ukraine, Tonga, Brazil and The Philippines. WCK brings food to the suffering in providing professional chef-prepared meals. Its mission is Food is a Universal Human Right. We support its mission and the belief that “a nourishing meal in a time of crisis is so much more than a plate of food—it’s hope, it’s dignity, and it’s a sign that someone cares”. To help support WCK’s work for Ukrainian refugees and others, please go to https://donate.wck.org/give/236738/#!/donation/checkout.

UnitedInFood stands in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Ukraine as they bravely fight for their lives, fellow countrymen, homes and government. Our hearts are broken as we see this war be waged upon them. What exemplary heroism and courage they show the world. While we cannot be there to fight alongside them, there are resources available to learn about Ukrainian culture, and for us at UnitedInFood, food is always the way. One of our favorite Ukrainians chefs is, Olia Hercules, and her website https://oliahercules.com is a treasure trove of deliciousness and information on Ukrainian cuisine.

As thousands of our Afghan brothers and sisters re-settle to life in the U.S., they are struggling with the difference in the food culture of the U.S. compared to their homeland. Food is essential to feeling secure and nourished, it is akin to medicine for a tired soul that has traveled thousands of miles and left all behind. The food we know and love connects to our families, friends, our community and history. It gives us a sense of well-being that almost nothing else can compare to. The Afghan culinary traditions are based on rice, beans, lentils, spices (such as cardamon, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, and coriander), tomatoes, yoghurt, herbs and lamb. Mainstays of U.S. food culture include things such as pre-prepared meals, mac-n-cheese and PBJ (or its sibling, peanut butter and marshmallow fluff). Enormous differences. Volunteers and those involved with re-settlement of our new Afghan neighbors are learning about the food culture of they people they seek to assist, what foods to include when stocking refrigerators and pantries and which recipes to make for the welcome to the community dinners. For more information on this, please click on the below link for the msn.com article entitled “Afghan refugees struggle with American foods; new donation drive looks for basmati rice, lentils, beans” covers this issue. https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/foodnews/afghan-refugees-struggle-with-american-foods-new-donation-drive-looks-for-basmati-rice-lentils-beans/ar-AAPIFNs.

According to Side Chef online article (https://www.sidechef.com/articles/1510/15-food-trends-you-should-know-2022/ some of the top food trends of 2022 include things we figured would be on the list: urban farming and indoor gardening; online grocery shopping; global food waste; and plant based menus becoming the norm. No surprises there. The top trends include some things that are new to us though. For example, yuzu fruit … hmm, who knew? And Moringa (also called drumstick tree and miracle leaf) is a new superfood. It is chock-a-block-full of Vitamin C and potassium. Best not to rush out to look for either of these at your local grocery store, they might be better found at health food stores (which, by the way, first trended in the U.S in the 1980s) or online.

The Washington Post recently published an article on a trend (that we at UnitedInFood applaud) — including recipes in obituaries! If you are lucky to have someone in your family who cooks a treasured recipe for you, including that recipe in your loved one’s obituary is a way to acknowledge this as one of their life achievements. Food is a healer in times of grief, and our loved one’s recipe can be one way to publicly acknowledge how they cared for us. Too, food and recipes are reminders that we must go on, take care of and nurture ourselves, even when our grief over the loss of a loved one overwhelms us. The Post reported that from “March 2020 through October 2021, 430 obituaries referencing casseroles have been published in American newspapers and on the online obituary platform Legacy.com.” For the full article entitled “Casseroles made and missed: Why so many obituaries honor this treasured dish”, go to https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2021/12/14/obituary-casseroles-funerals/. 12/19/21.

Pixie was recently named as an Ambassador for Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (“LIRS”). Pixie’s focus as an Ambassador will be food advocacy (also referred to as gastro-advocacy) of immigrants and refugees who have come to the USA to start new lives. LIRS was founded in 1939 and has helped to settle over 500,000 immigrants. For more information on LIRS, please go to https://www.lirs.org. 11/30/21 #TheLongWelcome

Speaking of science projects, how about growing Hatch chiles in space? Our intrepid astronauts are doing it, and we were so excited to read about this one! The peppers’ journey began in the summer of 2021 when chile seeds were packed, along with other necessary space items, the spacecraft located at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Once they (the peppers and the astronauts) arrived at the ISS (short for International Space Station) they (the chiles, not the astronauts) were placed in a growth chamber. Back on planet Earth, the scientists at NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) remotely helped their fellow astronauts in space grow the peppers, including adjusting the lighting and moisture. Alas, the peppers were not able to defy gravity but this successful experiment offers new ideas on growing food. For more on this article, go to High Country News online magazine at https://www.hcn.org/articles/south-agriculture-how-new-mexico-chiles-ended-up-on-the-space-station. 11/14/21

The FDA recently published information that warns against using slow cookers to cook beans, unless you follow standard bean cooking preparation first (soaking and cooking the beans). The reason for this is the low temperatures of slow cookers does not get high enough to kill lectins which are toxins in the beans. For more information on this, go to https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/never-one-popular-food-slow-122845039.html

It is not often that we read about a college that turns its football field into an organic garden! UnitedInFood gives a huge shout-out to Paul Quinn College in Dallas, Texas for this amazing feat. The garden is run by students at the College and a Farm Manager. Since its start in March 2010, this initiative has been a source of locally grown food for residents in the area (a federally recognized food desert), teaches leadership and stewardship, and helps to address the issue of food insecurity in the community. For more information on this, go to https://www.pqc.edu/we-over-me-farm/.

Maryland’s 2021 Buy Local Challenge is here, it runs from July 17 – July 25, 2021. These are some exciting days for us! The goal of this Challenge is for one week to buy or consume at least one food item every day that is grown or raised locally in Maryland. This Challenge is promoted by the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission. To learn more about this once a year event or to join the Challenge, please go to https://www.buylocalchallenge.com/about. 7/18/21

This year is the fiftieth an anniversary of the opening of the restaurant Chez Panisse by Alice Waters in Berkeley, California. This restaurant opened on August 28, 1971. Through this restaurant, Alice Waters helped promote the buy local and farm-to-table movements in which restaurants and consumers purchase food directly from local farmers and growers. One of the many benefits of these movements is that by removing the middleman, a better economic system is created for farmers and growers. Consumers are encouraged to eat seasonal food that is grown or raised locally. For more on this iconic restaurant and Alice Waters’ food activism, please see the Smithsonian Magazine article at https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/fifty-years-ago-berkeley-restaurant-chez-panisse-launched-farm-table-movement-180978181/. 7/18/21.

Have you ever considered creating a food diary? For a lot of reasons, we could be convinced that this is a good idea. The top two reasons for us are: (1) gaining awareness of what is happening food-wise in the house; and (2) remember which recipes are winners and which ones are not so much. Recently, Chowhoud online periodical had a great article on this, and the link is https://www.chowhound.com/food-news/276817/cooking-diary-recipe-journal/. Let us know if you write your own food diary. Maybe we will write a blog about it too! 7/1/21

As Pixie and her fellow Marylanders survive the 2021 Swarm of Periodic Brood X Cicadas, she has been hearing a lot about recipes for Cicadas! I mean, this just about takes the cake. But we hear at UnitedInFood like to keep an open mind so we did some recipe reading. A very interesting blog on this is by Montclair State University’s website, in which “anthropology expert Cortni Borgerson explains how you can harvest and cook them.” To read this blog, go to https://www.montclair.edu/newscenter/2021/05/19/cicadas-safe-to-eat-sustainable-delicious-recipes/. I really enjoyed reading this blog but am not sure I can do all that the author mentions, including “Personally, I love them by themselves on toothpicks as an appetizer or in tacos, where you can use the toppings to bring out a lot of their green spring flavors.” That is brave my friend, and we shall leave it at that. 6/6/21

Slow Food International published a blog on “10 small but very big things you can do to save bees and pollinators”. Bees are essential for a healthy ecosystem. As this blog states “The decline of these insects threatens not only their biodiversity and that of the plants they pollinate, but also the diversity of other animals, many of which (e.g. birds and amphibians) feed on insects.” When counting, we could only think of the honeybee and bumble bee, however, there are over 20,000 different bee species globally, and 4,000 in just the USA! Global changes depend on what we do in our own backyards. Two of the steps were new to us, the bee hotel and providing bees with a water source (makes sense they would be thirsty). For the 10 steps you can take, go to https://www.slowfood.com/10-small-but-very-big-things-you-can-do-to-save-bees-and-pollinators/. 5/12/21

In case you were wondering if your dining etiquette matches that of the U.K.’s Royal Family, here are some of the top things you would be doing, per Culinary News, an online food resource: (a) dressing formally for every meal; (b) planning your dinner conversations ahead of time and being strategic in who you talk with at the dinner table – the person on your right for the first part of the meal, and the person on your left for the second part of the meal (our question is, how does one know when the first part of the meal is over and the second part has begun?); (c) no one can sit down or eat before the queen does (hmm … can we be the queen?); and garlic and shellfish are out (the clincher on how we knew Royal life was not for us). For the full article, go to https://culinarynewsworld.com/2020/08/11/royal-dining-habits-and-etiquette-followed-by-british-royals/. 4/26/21

We are loving an article that we read recently in The Washington Post. The owner of a treasured Baltimore restaurant, Ekiben, received an email from the son-in-law of a woman who is dying of cancer. The caller asked if he could have the recipe for his mother-in-law’s favorite dish that she always ordered when she visited Ekiben – broccoli tempura. The son-in-law and his wife wanted to make this entree for his mother-in-law, who lives in Vermont, so that she could have it one last time. However, Ekiben owner, Steve Chu, said he would travel to Vermont and cook it for her! Mr. Chu, along with an Ekiben employee and his business partner traveled to Vermont and made the broccoli tempura in the parking lot, and did not accept any payment. We say kudos to Ekiben for this generous and loving act. For the full article, go to https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2021/03/18/ekiben-restaurant-baltimore-cancer/. 3/20/21

We recently read the wonderful article INSIDE NAPLES’ WORLD-FAMOUS PIZZA CULTURE in the March 2021 Smithsonian Magazine’s website. For pizza in Naples, it’s all about the dough and the oven temperature it is cooked in (900 degrees!). With the following quote, how can you but not read this delightful article: “Frankly, what passes for pizza abroad is all too often a travesty,” Neapolitan pizzaiolo Ciro Moffa has lamented. “Enough is enough!” Pizza in Naples, Italy is not just about the deliciousness of it but it deeply connected to the way of life, the community, civic pride, maintaining traditions, family recipes and the reputations of local pizzaiolos. Naples identifies itself as the “spiritual homeland” of pizza. Even with all of the changes of these modern days (including home delivery and pizza kits) or those brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, pizza is essential to life in this city. That’s a philosophy we can surely agree with. 3/14/21

We were wondering, how did chocolate candy in heart-shaped boxes come to be synonymous with Valentine’s Day? We discovered that this holiday tradition took a circuitous route, like many things in history. First there was the holiday itself, St. Valentine’s Day, which was named after two saints although neither one was associated with romantic love. Combined with the gift boxes that were deemed to be socially acceptable during the Victorian era and Richard Cadbury, a member of the famous chocolate manufacturing family, the stage was set for us on how we celebrate this special day. For the full story, go to history.com. 02/14/21

A recent study of over 500 people conducted by scientists at the University of Edinburgh showed, by a statistically significant basis, that people who follow a Mediterranean diet had the highest level of cognitive skills even when other factors are accounted for such as physical activity and smoking. The Mediterranean diet components best associated with cognition are leafy green vegetables and reduced red meat intake. For more on this study, click on study. For delicious Mediterranean diet recipes, we highly recommend chef and food writer, Diane Kochilas. 02/14/21.

We are well into 2021 and things are looking and feeling A LOT like 2020. Except, good news, there are some exciting things ahead for us food and beverage trends-wise. In a recent article by Huffington Post, according to “two seasoned food trend experts”, we will be seeing more plant-based foods, which we could have predicted, and fermented foods and foods made with the delicious chickpea are some of the foods that will be trendsetters in 2021. To read the full article and complete list of 2021 food trends, go to: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/new-food-and-drink-2021_l_5fc7b931c5b6a8bde234144f.

Finally some good news for restaurants and bars during Covid-19, or at least not more bad news. On February 5, 2021, Congress’ Covid-19 relief package bill under President Joe Biden was passed by the Senate and it includes a Restaurant Rescue Plan. This Plan commits $25 billion solely for the devastated restaurant industry. The entire relief bill will go to the House of Representatives for approval. To read more about this, go to https://www.foodandwine.com/news/senate-passes-restaurant-rescue-plan-relief-bill-2021.

Possibly an early-day plant-based diet advocate President Woodrow Wilson supported “Meatless Tuesdays” and “Wheatless Wednesdays”. Actually, he did that to support food rationing during World War I. In celebration of the upcoming inauguration of President Elect Joe Biden, check out fun food facts about some of our former USA presidents on https://foodinsight.org/all-the-presidents-food-presidential-food-facts-infographic/.

In a recent interview with Yahoo.com, Chef Jose Andrés of World Central Kitchen stated that he has advised Joe Biden on the need for a new position within the Biden administration, a “Secretary of Food”. This position would be separate from the Department of Agriculture and it would “oversee communications among various agencies and bring both practical and political insight into food and hunger to the White House and appropriate policy makers.” In the interview, Chef Andres wisely stated: “We need to understand one thing: … that Food is immigration. Food is health. Food is national security. Food is job creation. Food is economic growth.” For the full interview, please go to: https://news.yahoo.com/chef-jose-andres-pushing-biden-for-creation-of-a-food-czar-235113871.html.

The MasterClass website (www.masterclass.com) has a list of the “Must Have Pantry Staples” of Alice Waters. The list includes most of the items you would expect, including garlic, olives and fresh herbs, but also a few others that are good reminders to have on-hand (pickles made from veggies purchased from your local farmers market, and sauerkraut). For the complete list (and to make sure there are no gaps in your pantry), go to https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chef-alice-waterss-must-have-pantry-staples#alice-waterss-20-musthave-pantry-staples.

The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services released their Dietary Guidelines for Americans for the period of 2020-2025. These Guidelines are updated every five years, and are science-based advice on what to eat and drink to promote good health and lower the risk of chronic diseases. For the full set of Guidelines, go to https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov.

Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Radio podcast (Episode #501) features an interview with the chef extraordinaire and cookbook author Yotam Ottolenghi on his new cookbook Big Flavors. If you are an Ottolenghi fan, be sure to catch this podcast episode. This podcast is delightful and chock-a-block full of interesting information, such as did you know that there is certain style of restaurant named after Ottolenghi, like other famous people in history such as George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr., inventor of the “Ferris” wheel. For full details about this podcast, go to https://www.177milkstreet.com/radio.

SlowFood USA’s blogs on its website, https://slowfoodusa.org/blog/, are an excellent source of information about food sustainability. SlowFood’s mission is to create food systems that reconnect us with each other, traditions, plants, animals, the soil and water that produce our food. In addition to its blogs, SlowFood USA offers free webinars on a range of topics including farming, fermentation, cooking classes, cookbooks and recipes.

The New York Times published an article by Kim Severson entitled “How Will We Eat in 2021? 11 Predictions to Chew On“. This article lists the food trends for 2021, including the vegetable of the year will be … the vegetable of your choice (by the way, we did not know that celtuce was 2019’s vegetable of the year), and the flavor of the year in 2021 will be … Basque burnt cheesecake (we did not see that one coming either). For the full article, go to https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/22/dining/food-trends-predictions-2021.html

Smithsonian Magazine listed its “Ten Best Books About Food of 2020“. We were curious to see which books they selected. They all are books we would like to read but two stood out to us as must reads: How to be a Conscious Eater: Making Food Choices that are Good for You, Others, and the Planet by Sophie Egan, and In Bibi’s Kitchen – The Recipes and Stories of Grandmothers from the Eight African Countries that Touch the Indian Ocean by Hawa Hassan. For the full top ten list, go to https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/ten-best-books-about-food-2020-180976406/.