From Smithsonian | We've come a long way, baby, when it comes to feeding our astronauts. Because missions used to be on the shorter side, lasting a few weeks at most, food wasn't quite as important. Yes, it needed to be nutritious and edible, but astronauts weren't stuck with freeze-dried bacon bars for months at a time. Now that missions are longer, lasting months, the food must be nutritious and good enough for astronauts to actually enjoy eating it. Mission accomplished: Aastronauts can now choose from dishes like teriyaki beef, cashew curry chicken, and "Mexican" scrambled eggs.
From Esquire | The James Beard Award-winning food writerJosh Ozersky is once again holding court on Esquire's "Eat Like a Man Blog," answering readers' questions about grilling just in time for Memorial Day. Even chefs have questions: Mario Batali wrote in to ask about boiling ribs (though not seriously, we don't think).
From Details | Kale has been a hot item on restaurant menus recently, but it could be cooling down. Maybe taking its place? Collard greens. Hugh Acheson, the owner of Five and Ten and The National in Georgia, recently declared collards the "new kale" during a guest appearance on The Food Network's show Top Chef, and the hearty green is even healthier (if you can believe it) than its more famous cousin. Check out six restaurants that are serving the new hot leaf in interesting ways.
From The New York Times | The twist is as much a part of the flavor profile of gin and tonics as the gin and tonic themselves, so do you put a lemon or a lime peel in your G&T? If you want something refreshing, Charles Rolls, co-founder of Fever-Tree Tonic, says go with lemon (or even an orange peel). Looking for something a little more tangy to go with your Tanqueray? "The tangy sharpness of lime makes it a perfect dance partner," says Audrey Saunders, an owner of Pegu Club in NYC.
From Packaging of the World | Ever feel like there must be a better way to carry a burger, fries, and a drink than the flimsy paper bag fast food chains provide? You're not alone: Rhode Island School of Design industrial design student Seulbi Kim came up with the TOGO BURGER, a streamlined carrier case, to solve the problem. The handy contraption seems like just what the industry needs.
From Modern Farmer | Greek yogurt has been a hot health food item for a few years now. But did you know that a byproduct of its production, acid whey, is toxic? The thin, runny slop can't simply be dumped because it robs oxygen from streams and rivers, a phenomenon which can turn waterways into "dead seas" by destroying aquatic life in large areas. Given that the market for Greek yogurt is now worth over $2 billion (and production in New York nearly tripled between 2007 and 2013), food scientists, Greek yogurt companies, and state government officials are scrambling to find a use for acid whey (and a way to make a profit off of the stuff while they're at it).
From The Boston Globe | Some restauranteurs say customers are getting ruder these days. Restaurant consultant Ed Doyle, of RealFood Consulting, says that two trends have come together to make the perfect storm of an entitled customer: "You've got the dining consumer who is better educated about food than ever, or thinks he is," he says, "and we live in a world where you can get customized everything." That social media gives everyone a platform on which to complain also probably doesn't help. Boston-area chefs and restaurant industry experts weigh in on the matter.
From NPR | The visual designer Katie Shelly has one heck of a side project: She is the author of Picture Cook, a book of recipes that she has drawn out instead of written. Each one is illustrated in a flow-chart type format, and they are as visually pleasing as they are easy to follow (we're particularly enthused about the recipe for carrot soup). Shelly says that some people find the recipes very helpful, especially if they are visual learners: "It's just another way of slicing information...I think for people who are into it, if it works for you, then that's awesome."
From Quartz | NASA just awarded a six-month, $125,000 grant to Anjan Contractor, a mechanical engineer with a background in 3D printing. And no, he's not working on printing state-of-the-art space shuttle equipment. He's working on printing food. Contractor's vision is one in which every kitchen has a 3D printer from which people feed themselves customized, nutritionally-appropriate meals built one layer at a time from cartridges of power and oils. He says his plan would mean the end of food waste, because the powder will be shelf-stable for 30 years. Each cartridge would therefore be fully used since the expiration date is so long.
From POPSUGAR Food | Why stick to a traditional wedding cake when you can have an avant garde, modernist confection? POPSUGAR Food has put together a slideshow featuring 25 wedding cakes with geometric, eye-popping structures and designs. From "naked cakes" to ombre frosting, these towering treats are anything but boring.
