Gardeners grow dinner with aquaponics

Picture this: Aquaponics is a closed system where many fruits, vegetables and flowers can grow in a soil-less medium, requiring just ten percent of the usual amount of water, fertilized by fish manure from the fish pond that can be either ornamental or can provide future dinners. How perfect is that?

SuperChefs cookery at the Zajac Ranch, British Columbia

IACP members Dr. Greg Chang and Carol Murphy Clyne have teamed up on a kids' healthy eating program called SuperChefs of the Universe, based in Vancouver, British Columbia.  Best wishes, Greg and Carol!

Food bloggers endanger media restaurant reviewers

Newspaper and magazine restaurant critics are becoming an endangered species, due to Web bloggers and restaurant review sites.

U.N. rejects export ban on Atlantic bluefin tuna

Worldwide bluefin tuna populations declined by roughly 80 percent since 1970. Japan, which consumes nearly 80 percent of the bluefin catch, argued at a recent United Nations meeting on endangered species conservation that “the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, or Iccat, should be responsible for regulating the fishery, not the United Nations.” Japan and other fishing nations were uneasy about possible regulation by the international endangered species convention in a major commercial fishery.  Bluefin tuna, called "hon-maguro" in Japan, is considered a luxury.

Do you like an open kitchen?

Some restaurant chefs like them, and some do not. Could popular open restaurant kitchens affect home kitchen designs and renovations?

Rick Bayless recently opened his third restaurant, Xoco

"Xoco brings Bayless’ notions of quality, sustainability and stewardship to their most accessible and affordable levels yet."  Best wishes, Rick!

French council complains about fast food chain's halal hamburger

The mayor of Roubaix, in northern France, said Quick restaurant's halal menu constituted "discrimination" against non-Muslims.

Ruth Reichl after Gourmet

Reichl talked about the last Gourmet cookbook, a new PBS series and her writing plans.

Chains offer popular free food prizes

Giveaways are an inexpensive way for companies to stretch their marketing dollars during the recession.

Jamie Oliver's TV Campaign Against Obesity in the U.S.

Set your TIVO or DVR to Friday, March 26, 8:00 EDT/7:00 CDT on ABC to catch the first of seven episodes of "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution."

Jamie has hit on the crucial element missing in Michelle Obama's Let's Move campaign (http://www.letsmove.gov/) against childhood obesity: cooking healthy foods at home.

London restaurant takes service charge off bill

Owners of most of the former Conran restaurants in London say they will leave the amount of tips for good service up to the customers in parties of seven or fewer diners. While in the U.S. customers expect to tip, the usual practice in Britain to add a 12.5 percent service tax to the check.

Chefs Answer Consumers' Calls for Healthy Breakfasts

Chicago-based market researcher Technomic, reports that nearly half of the consumers polled in a recent survey responded that healthy foods are important or extremely important to eat at breakfast. Chefs are discovering that when they offer healthy and attractive choices beyond egg-white omelets and bran muffins, their customers respond positively.

$5 Million in Funding for Farmers Market Promotion Program

The Farmers Market Promotion Program grants aim to help improve and expand domestic farmers markets, roadside stands, community-supported agriculture programs, agri-tourism activities, and other direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities. Approximately $5 million is allocated for FMPP for Fiscal Year 2010 and $10 million for Fiscal Years 2011 and 2012.  Each grant has a maximum of $100,000.

Apps for Healthy Kids Competition

Are you known for thinking outside the box?  It's time to apply your culinary creativity to a U.S. Government-sponsored $40,000 competition making use of the recently-released MyPyramid 1,000 food database to create web or mobile-based apps.

Prizes will be awarded for digital games that challenge kids to eat healthfully and be physically active. Other prizes will be awarded for parent-oriented tools accessing easy-to-understand nutritional information they can trust.
 
Winners will be honored at a White House event.

Fat Tuesday in Milwaukee without paczkis would be like Easter without colored eggs!

What's the difference between a paczek and a jelly doughnut?  In Milwaukee's Polish community, tradition says that if you don't have a paczek on Fat Tuesday, the rest of the year will be lean.