Friday, December 31, 2010

Link Round-Up: What I'm Reading

Okay, maybe a new section for the blowwwwg. It's a bit of a collection of online things (sometimes good enough to be called 'articles') I've been reading in the past few days that I've reacted to (as opposed to the deadface that normal life inspires). Enjoy.


The Physiology of Foie: Why Foie Gras is Not Unethical [SERIOUS EATS]

The foie gras debate is one that has carried on for a long time. We don't see a lot of it in Australia, but I saw it most restaurants in the parts of Europe and the US that I visited this year.

This piece follows the writer's trip to a foie gras "farm" to see exactly how the force feeding required (in most cases) to produce foie gras is performed and what conditions the animals live with. Not surprisingly, there are producers out there that care for their animals.


Umami Australia and UMAMI Information Center

Umami is something that I (like most people) don't know a whole heap about. The two websites above contain some fascinating information on Umami, "the fifth taste". Check out the presentation by Barbara Santich (author of the spectacular 'Looking for Flavour' and an academic I have a huge amount of time for) in the Event section.


Foodie Fatigue [CHICAGO TRIBUNE]

While I do have a food blog and do talk about food constantly, I find the whole "foodie" "movement" tremendously tiring (as you no doubt find my use of inverted commas). Why do people need to take low-qual, camera phone picture of every single thing they eat? Would people give two shits about macarons if Masterchef hadn't talked them up? And do half of these people obsessed with food even know what they're talking about?

If you've asked similar questions then you, like the article, will be wondering when the "foodie" bubble is going to pop.

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