Bigger, Blander, Blegh: Why Are Strawberries Worse?
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Food
Strawberry research fields in Watsonville, Calif.
The Secret Life Of California's World-Class Strawberries
()We may romanticize that strawberries are grown down the road, but most of them come from California. And a complex web of plant cloning practices, relocation and fumigation has cropped up to keep it that way. Although scientists are exploring new options, like soil-free growing.
The Salt
Can Coffee Help You Live Longer? We Really Want To Know()
May 16, 2012 Journalists seem to love writing about scientific studies on coffee and wine, and we're no exception. The latest is that a big new study finds people who drink two or three cups of coffee a day may cut the risk of dying from certain diseases, but scientists don't really know why.
The Salt
Thank The Patron Saint Of Bakers For This Cake Today()
May 16, 2012 Pictures of Saint Honore or (Saint Honoratus) from church iconography reinforce his baker background. He's holding his wooden peel, often with a few delicious-looking loaves of crusty French bread nearby.
The Salt
From Science Fiction To Fact, Robots Are Coming To A Farm Near You()
May 16, 2012 Farm robots are here, not just in Star Wars. Some dairies already use milking machines that clean udders and monitor cow health, plus do the milking, and a fully automated tractor is coming out this fall.
Kitchen Window
Even Your Mother Will Approve Of Vegetable Chips()
May 16, 2012 If you're like most Americans, you love chips, particularly potato chips. But that gloriously crunchy, fried snack isn't that good for you. These baked veggie chips are a health food in comparison. By making your own, you control what goes into them, and what stays out.
The Salt
Vermont Beer Makers Bring Back Old-Time Maple Sap Brews()
May 15, 2012 VPRBoiling down the last of the season maple sap and brewing a strong dark beer to share in the summer was a common tradition on Vermont farms a couple of generations ago. The practice had all but died out but is being revived now, thanks to a handful of local brewers.
The Salt
Jet-Lagged By Your Social Calendar? Better Check Your Waistline()
May 15, 2012 The disconnect between our social calendars and our biological clocks is creating "social jet lag," according to key researchers. And that's taking a toll on our weight because the body stores fat when it's not getting enough sleep.
The Salt
At Basque Cooking Clubs, Food And Fraternity Mix Heartily ()
May 14, 2012 Txokos are bustling, food-centered social clubs, somewhere between dinner party and fraternal lodge. And Basques often point to txokos to explain their renowned cuisine and wealth of Michelin-starred restaurants like Arzak and Mugaritz.
The Salt
California's Genetically Engineered Food Label May Confuse More Than Inform()
May 14, 2012 A new analysis of the labeling initiative, which may go on the ballot in November, shows that it would create a complex and nuanced set of restrictions for food companies on what "natural" food is.
The Salt
Bring On The 'Yabbies': Australia Ditches The Bad British Food()
May 13, 2012 On a recent trip, Weekend Food Commentator Bonny Wolf was taken by surprise by Australia's stunningly diverse cuisine, especially the dizzying array of exotic seafood like yabbies and marron at the Sydney Fish Market.
The Salt
Black Pepper May Give You A Kick, But Don't Count On It For Weight Loss()
May 12, 2012 Black pepper and other spicy foods are often touted as weight loss aides, thanks to ingredients like capsaicin, but saying no to the freshly-grated Parmesan is more likely to help you lose weight.
The Salt
Thomas Jefferson's Vegetable Garden: A Thing Of Beauty And Science()
May 10, 2012 Thomas Jefferson's garden was a vast, beautiful science experiment involving over 300 varieties of 90 different plants. And no gardening detail was too small for Jefferson to note in the gardening journal he kept for nearly 60 years.
The Two-Way
Rare Calico Lobster Turns Heads, And Escapes Dinner Menu()
May 10, 2012 A calico lobster that had been living in obscurity off the coast of Maine has now been catapulted into a sort of celebrity, thanks to its rare coloring: a calico mix of orange and yellow spots. Researchers say it could be a 1 in 30 million specimen.
The Salt
Why It Matters That California Teens Eat Less Than Their Peers()
May 10, 2012 California teens eat about 158 calories less a day than their peers in other states, a new study says. But even that tiny amount of fewer calories per kid can help them maintain healthy weights over time, experts say.
The Salt
Hospital Food So Fresh, Even The Healthy Come To Dine()
May 9, 2012 You won't find cardboard chicken and mushy carrots at the Fauquier Hospital in Virginia, one of a dozen health care facilities dedicated to improving patient experiences beyond their immediate medical needs. In fact, the hospital's cafeteria has become a hang out for senior diners.
The Salt
What Our Gut Microbes Say About Us()
May 9, 2012 While U.S. adults have relatively uniform microbe colonies in their guts, adults in Malawi and Amazonia have much more diverse populations. Scientists are still struggling with why that is and what it means.
Kitchen Window
Power Puff: Flex Your Culinary Muscle With A Souffle()
May 9, 2012 The souffle has a reputation for being finicky in the kitchen: a billowy, golden masterpiece that collapses as soon as it's out of the oven. But home cooks should have no fear, says food writer Nicole Spiridakis. The key to success, she says, is fresh eggs — and a pinch of moxie.
The Salt
From Weed To Whimsy: Chefs Conquer Wild Foods With Butter And Oil()
May 8, 2012 A new generation of chefs committed to seasonal, wild and local foods may have no idea how or what they're going to cook until the last minute. And since they're charging big bucks, they better figure out how to make weeds taste good.
The Salt
Recipe For Safer Drinking Water? Add Sun, Salt And Lime()
May 8, 2012 Adding dirt and salt can help make drinking water cleaner, and is far cheaper than fancy filtration systems for getting rid of harmful bacteria, scientists say. It just takes a little patience and the sun.
