No More Soggy Burger Buns and KFC for the Prom

Killer Inside Out Burger with Worcestershire Tomato Ketchup

Conscientious Eating: Are you paying too little for ethnic food? Food writer Sarah Henry makes a persuasive case that you just might be. "Mom-and-pop shops and divey diners repping diverse cultures from around the world, slinging seriously tasty stuff for a fraction of the price it costs — and the effort it takes — to make at home" are a "cornerstone of city living," she notes in Edible San Francisco. However, as we "bite into that banh mi with mystery meat or chow down on Chinese dumplings made by kitchen hands who may earn less than minimum wage," we may be turning too blind an eye to the "provenance of raw materials or exploitation of food service people, many of them immigrants or people of color." Sarah asks, "Who cares what goes on behind the kitchen door when food this cheap tastes so good?" We all should, she says. [ Edible San Francisco]

Lettuce, Mayo ... no Mat: Subway fans who'd prefer to enjoy their sandwiches without azodicarbonamide — a bleaching chemical used in the fast food chain's bread that, though approved by the Food and Drug Administration and widely used in food products, has sparked concern because it is also used in yoga mats and shoe rubber — rejoice. The eatery says the ingredient will be removed from its bread by next week. Though some food scientists insist the ingredient is not harmful, Subway was apparently feeling pressured by the public outcry. "You see the social media traffic, and people are happy that we're taking it out, but they want to know when we're taking it out," Tony Pace, Subway's chief marketing officer, told the Associated Press. "If there are people who have that hesitation, that hesitation is going to be removed." [ AP]

Just in Time for Grilling Season: Among the world's burger eaters, there are those who don't notice the way the juices drip down, form a puddle on their plate and make their buns soggy, those who notice it but don't mind it, those who mind it but don't do anything about it, and those who create a simple and ingenious solution. The trio behind a new contraption called the Burger Lift is definitely among the latter category. "The Burger Lift was conceived to give you a place to rest your burger to avoid all the sogginess and let you enjoy every bite of your favorite meal from start to finish," the device's creators write. "It would raise the burger a fraction of an inch above the plate and allow the burger to elevate above the mess." The team has just earned a goal-exceeding $11,144 on Kickstarter to help it eradicate unwelcome burger-related dampness. Dry buns, at last. [ Kickstarter via Business Insider]

Fried Chicken the Color of Her Eyes? It's prom time, and KFC has come up with an original (as in recipe) idea for the guy who's stumped about what kind of corsage to buy his date: a chicken corsage the chain promises "will make your date’s eyes light up and her mouth water." The company teamed up with Louisville, Ky., florist Nanz and Kraft to offer a limited-edition corsage kit (only 100 will be available) that sells for $20, plus shipping, and includes fresh baby's breath for local customers — silk for out-of-town orders — and a $5 KFC gift check "so you can customize your corsage with Original Recipe, Extra Crispy or Kentucky Grilled Chicken. Whichever best matches her dress." The company has made a funny video ad conjuring just what sort of reaction presenting such a corsage might elicit. And, hey, you could also save on dinner. [ KFC via ABC News]

In Other Food News: United States beef prices have climbed to their highest level since 1987 due to a shrinking number of cattle and an increase in demand from countries like China and Japan. [ AP] Taco Bell introduced its new Spicy Chicken Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos, available May 1, via a Snapchat video that concluded just as the MTV Movie Awards kicked off on Sunday. A company spokesperson said Taco Bell sought to engage fans "the way they expect to be engaged." [ Ad Age]

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