San Francisco Chronicle: Reporting from Turin, Carol Ness calls Terra Madre the “Olympics of the Slow Food movement,” and provides vivid examples of the kinds of connections California farmers and chefs are forging with their European and African counterparts. Mark your calendars: Slow Food USA is planning a massive gathering of regional artisanal food producers in San Francisco in May 2008, to be called Slow Food Nation. Woot!
BBC News: The Salone del Gusto, Terra Madre’s companion taste chowcase, is not just about eating great food, but also about building political bridges through events such as the “peace meal,” in which Palestinian and Israeli chefs together create a fine dinner using the best of both culinary traditions.
Grist: Photo-documented tour of a Vermont dairy using its cow shit to generate electricity. As usual, Grist’s comment section has great info too.
Seattle PI: A Bainbridge “natural” fish farm has won a major account with Whole Foods. Interestingly, there is no official certification for “natural” fish farms, but the business does avoid hormones, steroids, and antibiotics. The fish aren’t sold in Washington or Oregon because Northwesterners just won’t have it, at least not the ones who shop at WF. There’s no mention in the story about high levels of PCB and mercury in Puget Sound fish, or in the farmed fish.
AP/Seattle PI: Fast food chains are eliminating trans-fat oils from their U.S. stores. A Dow subsidiary is ramping up production to meet increased demand.
Times Union (Albany): Op-ed says cloned food is a tasteless idea that consumers will reject — if they know about it.
News Leader (MO): Iberico dry-cured sausages have at last been approved for U.S. sale by the USDA. The pork comes from free-range pata negra, or black hoof, Spanish pigs that eat acorns and grasses; the resulting meat is richly flavored and highly prized.
Food, Farming, & Food Politics events calendar
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