This week I’ve got porkfat on the brain-if not on the tongue. And the latter’s a darn shame, considering what science tells us about the effect on the brain of porkfat on the tongue. Here is the Wall Street Journal Magazine on the neuroscience of lard (note: the following quote may not be suitable forRead more »

A worker at a Whole Foods store claims he was fired over a tuna sandwich. The store’s calling it theft, he’s calling it salvaging something from the trash. My major tuna sandwich worry, though? Is that my boss‘s well-documented antipathy for canned tuna (in any form) will someday meet my love for the Amy’s BreadRead more »

image courtesy the New Yorker Am on vacation, so posting may be light for the next week — for now, settle in with a cozy drink from the New Yorker’s recession-era cocktail recipe guide. Rupa Bhattacharya, Culinary Writer

/* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:”Table Normal”; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:””; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} (Part 2 of a recurring series; see part 1 here) Add up L.A.’s cult of Kogi, David Chang’s continued superstardom, the rise of Pinkberry and its legion of knockoffs, andRead more »

(image courtesy Gothamist) From the transcript of Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi’s speech at CSIS yesterday: “We have worked together to manage complicated and tough regional hotpot issues…” Well, that’s just fantastic. In the spirit of international collaboration, we’re happy to assist with any regional hotpot tastings; we’re particularly fond of the Sichuan variety, butRead more »

Photoblog The Selby takes a look today at the world of pastry genius Pierre Hermé. Check through to the interview at the end, in case you ever wondered what a macaron might look like in sketch form. [via] Rupa Bhattacharya, Culinary Writer

Jonathan: This is the part of that article that’s going to stick with me: Part of the reason why the palate responds so favourably towards glutamate could be our early exposure to it – breast milk has very high levels, 10 times higher than cow’s milk. Jill: It’s a shame I only know that nowRead more »

I’m an FCI alum and I go back several times each year to judge final exams or enjoy a meal in the dining room. The last time was quite interesting. The food was quite good, but what proved to be most memorable were a pair of new cocktails. FCI has an in-house mad scientist, DavidRead more »

and her take on my homemade gnocchi with eggplant and sausage ragu: Jill Novatt, Executive Culinary Producer

Hi, I’m Jonathan. I maintain the Food Network Library, and write ridiculous things about belching lambs and their effect on climate change. A big part of my job is keeping up with what’s happening in food; what people are cooking, eating, and talking about. Every week, I’ll deliver a quick roundup of what’s crossed myRead more »