An evening at the James Beard Awards

Last Friday I took the train down to New York City to attend the 2012 James Beard Federation Awards dinner as a nominee at the Books, Broadcast and Journalism awards. It is the JBF’s 25th annual awards celebration. When I heard my name announced over the livestream broadcast from the press lunch in Las Vegas [...]

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Foodie Nation

Update: This cover story just got nominated for a James Beard Award!! Do you know what amuse bouche means? Do you know how to emulsify? Do you cheer on chefs while watching the Food Network as you eat handfuls of popcorn seasoned with nutritional yeast? Do you chase food trucks on Twitter? You know who [...]

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Newsbuzz: Cheesecake vs. privacy

Our economy editor here at the Monitor has alerted readers to the fact you can get half-price dessert at The Cheesecake Factory to honor National Cheesecake Day, an occasion that has even mobilized American Idol contestants from season 9 in Virginia Beach. The catch (you knew this was coming, right?): You have to “Like” The [...]

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News Buzz: Disappearing food boundaries

Two interesting news reports this week that show a loosening of controlled spaces to allow for new food experiences in unexpected places. Who is being affected? Corporate America and the toddler set. First, The New York Times had an interesting feature describing the “Rise of Company Gardens.” Doing a little weeding on your coffee break [...]

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News Buzz: Foodie food fight!

Salon has an article today talking about an oven-mitt showdown between the Brighton, Mass., test kitchen that produces Cook’s Illustrated and Food52.com, produced by New York Times food columnist Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubs. At issue: Is a test kitchen better than an army of blogging home cooks? A recipe contest will decide the winner. [...]

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News Buzz: Get your groceries at the library

NPR will have a report on “All Things Considered” on April 26 about a Baltimore library partnering with a local grocery to help its resident neighbors have access to fresh food. Patrons can place and pay for orders online and then stop by the library the next day to pick up their orders. This could [...]

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News Buzz: Healthy Food Financing Initiative

Forget trying to wrap your head around a complicated bipartisan healthcare plan. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, along with Michelle Obama are doing something that actually makes good common sense. They are launching a $400 million Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) that will bring decent grocery stores into the inner cities. [...]

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News Buzz: Food Channel Cravings

I have been without cable for more than a decade so I haven’t yet fallen into the consuming habit of watching people make food on television. Across the United States, however, viewership is on the rise. When the season finale of “The Next Food Network Star” aired last August, 4.7 million viewers tuned in to [...]

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News Buzz: Junk food ban in high schools and movies

Assault on junk foods The Obama administration is leading a charge this week with soon-to-be introduced legislation that will ban candy and sugary substances from many schools. The aim is to reduce obesity levels among children. On Tuesday, Michelle Obama launched the “Let’s Move” campaign to promote more exercise and healthier eating for kids. Parents [...]

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