Philippine bakeries shrink 'poor man's bread' as inflation bites

MANILA - As the war in Ukraine pushes up wheat prices and a weaker peso raises the cost of imported edible oil, many Philippine bakers are shrinking the size of a popular breakfast roll to cope with higher inflation.

The slightly sweet and pillowy soft "pandesal", which Filipinos often dunk in coffee or stuff with cheese, used to weigh 35 grams at Matimyas Bakery, a breadmaker in suburban Manila.

But as the cost of local and imported ingredients soared in recent months, co-owner Jam Mauleon gradually reduced the size of the roll -- known as the "poor man's bread" because it is cheap -- to around 25 grams to avoid raising the 2.50 peso (about $0.04) price.

She feared that even a slight increase would send cash-strapped customers in her neighborhood to a rival bakery five blocks away.

"We had to reduce the serving size to survive," Mauleon told AFP, as children, workers and retirees arrived early to buy rolls baked in a brick oven that morning.

As the Philippines lifted Covid-19 restrictions and schoolchildren began returning to the classroom this year, Mauleon had hoped economic conditions for the bakery would improve. 

But since December, as wheat and fuel prices surged, the price of flour has increased by more than 30 percent, while sugar is up 25 percent and salt costs 40 percent more, she said.

The bakery survives day to day and does not make enough money to buy ingredients in bulk, leaving it vulnerable to changing prices in domestic and international markets.

After reducing the number of employees and absorbing higher costs, Mauleon was forced this week to raise the price of a pandesal by 20 percent to three pesos. 

Shrinking the size of the roll any further would affect its quality, she said.

"We will try it out if people will still buy it," Mauleon said.

"Pandesal is very important in the lives of Filipinos."

For mother-of-five Laarni Guarino, the price hike means her family now eats fewer rolls for breakfast. 

"We will have to redo our budget. From five pieces each, my children will have to eat just three to four," Guarino, 35, told AFP. 

"Fifty centavos is a big thing for poor people like us."

'SHRINKFLATION'

Lucito Chavez, president of an association representing local bakeries, said thousands of breadmakers were reeling from the higher cost for raw materials, most of which are imported. 

"All of us are struggling, not to make profit, but to survive," Chavez told AFP. 

"We have to protect the pandesal industry."

Inflation in the Philippines hit 6.1 percent in June, the highest level in nearly four years, as steep fuel price hikes pushed up food and transport costs. 

Lawmaker and economist Joey Salceda said bread would be hardest hit by "shrinkflation", where the size of a product gets smaller but the price stays the same.

"Wheat prices have increased by 165 percent," he told reporters recently, urging bakeries to fortify their products with vitamins and minerals.

 Agence France-Presse

Lettuce shortage forces Australia KFC to switch to cabbage

SYDNEY, Australia - Fried chicken chain KFC said Tuesday that high lettuce prices in Australia have forced it to switch to a cabbage mix in burgers and other products, prompting customers to complain the result is less than "finger lickin' good".

The local price of the verdant leaf has soared by as much as 300 percent in recent months, forcing the fast-food chain to tweak the Colonel's recipe in some stores.

"We're currently experiencing a lettuce shortage. So, we're using a lettuce and cabbage blend on all products containing lettuce until further notice," the company told customers.

The company blamed widespread flooding in the country's east for the problem.

But supply chain expert Flavio Macau of Edith Cowan University said Russia's invasion of Ukraine was also a factor, pushing up diesel and fertilizer prices.

A single head of iceberg lettuce in Sydney or Melbourne that once sold for about $2 now goes for close to $8.

The company told customers: "If that's not your bag, simply click 'customise' on your chosen product and remove lettuce from the recipe :)"

The change was certainly not the "bag" of some social media users.

"The fact that you are replacing lettuce with cabbage makes me rethink my whole meal at KFC. There's 4 or 5 other things I would eat before cabbage Its such a weird choice," said one disgruntled tweeter.

"Feels like a sign of the apocalypse," said another.

Agence France-Presse

KFC to launch plant-based fried 'chicken' across United States

NEW YORK - Yum Brands Inc's KFC restaurants will start selling plant-based fried "chicken" from Beyond Meat Inc across the United States on Jan. 10 for a limited time, KFC said on Tuesday.

Beyond shares rose more than 7% in after-market trading. KFC, Yum's biggest brand, had nearly 4,000 restaurants in the United States at the end of 2020, according to a regulatory filing.

KFC started testing Beyond's plant-based chicken in August 2019 in Atlanta and expanded to more areas the following year.

In February 2021, Yum and Beyond announced a global partnership to create plant-based menu items for Yum's KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut over "the next several years."

Major fast-food chains have been vying for partnerships with faux meat makers as they add vegan and vegetarian menu options. Beyond rival Impossible Foods Inc is working with Burger King, a unit of Restaurant Brands International Inc.

Prices for the Beyond Fried Chicken at KFC will start at $6.99 in most places but will vary by location. (Reporting by Hilary Russ; Editing by Richard Pullin and Karishma Singh)

-reuters

German food company to change racist name of popular sauce

BERLIN (AP) — One of Germany’s best-known food companies said it will rename a popular spicy dressing because of the racist connotations of its name.

Food company Knorr will change the name of its “Zigeuersauce,” or “gypsy sauce” to “Paprika Sauce Hungarian Style,” the German weekly Bild am Sonntag reported Sunday.

“Since ‘gypsy sauce’ can be interpreted in a negative way, we have decided to give our Knorr sauce a new name,” said Unilever, the international consumer goods group that owns Knorr. Unilever could not independently be reached for comment on Sunday.

The popular spicy sauce, a staple in many German households, will within a few weeks show up with the new name in supermarkets across the country, Bild am Sonntag reported.

Civil rights groups have for years called for the renaming of the brand, but in 2013, the company rejected the demand, the German news agency dpa reported.

The renaming of the brand follows recent international debates over racism, especially in the United States, where big national companies have also renamed traditional brands in response to concerns about racial stereotyping.

“Zigeuner” is a derogative German expression for the Roma and Sinti minority groups who have lived in many European countries for centuries. Roma and Sinti are still discriminated against in Europe. They often live below the poverty line and on the margins of society without equal access to education, jobs, or the opportunity for upwards mobility.

The terms “Zigeunersauce” has been used in Germany for more than 100 years to describe a hot sauce based on tomatoes with small-chopped pieces of bell pepper, onions, vinegar and spices like paprika. It’s mostly served with meat.

A popular dish with the sauce that’s often served in traditional German restaurants is called “Zigeunerschnitzel,” or “gypsy schnitzel.” That name is also still used on many menus across the country nowadays — despite much criticism.

Roma and Sinti organizations in Germany have long pointed out that the sauce is not even part of their traditional cuisine and they have also demanded for years that the name be abolished.

The head of the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma welcomed Knorr’s decision to no longer use the term.

“It is good that Knorr reacts to the complaints of apparently a lot of people,” Romani Rose told Bild am Sonntag. However, he added that more than the discriminating nature of the sauce’s name, he was worried by the increasing racism against minorities in Germany.

He noted how some soccer fans in Germany chant the words “Zigeuner” or “Jude” — Jew — to insult players or fans of opposing teams during matches.

In June, Germany’s official anti-discrimination watchdog said it received significantly more complaints about racism in 2019 than the year before. The Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency said it received 1,176 complaints about racism last year, an increase of 10% compared to 2018.

The number of complaints about racism has more than doubled since 2015, the agency said.

There have also been a rising number of racists attacks in Germany recently, including the killing of nine immigrants in Hanau in February and the attack on a synagogue in Halle last year by far-right extremists.

Associated Press

China aims to phase out sale of live poultry at food markets

BEIJING, China — China on Friday vowed to gradually phase out the slaughter and sale of live poultry at food markets, in a move welcomed by animal rights activists amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The announcement came as China stepped up inspections of wholesale food markets and outlawed the sale and consumption of wildlife, after a recent COVID-19 outbreak in Beijing was traced to a major agricultural wholesale market.

The virus is believed to have emerged at a market that sold live animals in the central city of Wuhan late last year.

"China will restrict the trading and slaughter of live poultry, encourage the mass slaughter of live poultry in places with certain conditions, and gradually close live poultry markets," said Chen Xu, an official at the State Administration of Market Regulation, at a press briefing.

Live poultry kept in cages is a common sight in agricultural wholesale food markets and "wet markets" -- smaller-scale fresh food markets -- across China.

The poultry is traditionally butchered on the spot by stallholders, or buyers can opt to slaughter the live animal at home.

Some Chinese people traditionally believe that this allows for maximum freshness. Live seafood, amphibians and other creatures are also commonly sold at wet markets.   

Scientists believe the pathogen originated in bats before jumping to humans through a yet-unknown animal intermediary.

Chen urged local governments across China to "strengthen supervision of food safety at agricultural wholesale markets" and "investigate hidden safety risks", taking the Beijing Xinfadi market virus hotspot as an example.

"It is understood that more than 70 percent of meat, poultry, seafood, fruit and vegetables enter the market through wholesale agricultural markets," he said.

There are more than 4,100 wholesale markets nationwide, a commerce ministry official told the briefing.

The announcement was welcomed by animal rights groups.

"We are happy to see that live-poultry markets are on their way out in China," said Jason Baker, senior vice president of PETA Asia.

"PETA hopes the State Administration of Market Supervision and Administration continues to stretch their wings and ban all live-animal markets nationwide."

Agence France-Presse

WATCH: Young chef wins France's Burger Cup

PARIS, France — More than 300 participants took part in the fourth edition of France's Burger Cup with the trophy going to the youngest contestant, 20-year-old Anthony Verset.

"You can make burgers with truffles, foie gras and all the most expensive products, but if the ingredients are not cooked properly, you will never have a good burger, so even with inexpensive ingredients, as long as you know how to work them and you know the burger codes, well, you can make an ingredient that will beat the truffles and all the most expensive products," he said.

source: philstar.com

Sutokil in Seattle

At our Seattle popup, we wanted to highlight the Visayan tradition of ‘SuToKil’ (sugba, tola or tinola, and kilawin) and take advantage of Seattle’s great seafood.
Aren’t you the guy, you know, who cooks on TV?” asked the manager of Filipino grocery Seafood City, as she processed the gift certificates we were using.

I’m in Seattle. After spending a couple of days with friends in the neighboring Poulsbo area, I’m now refreshed and recharged for my last popup in the US for 2018.

I’m shopping with chef Melissa Miranda, who generously agreed to collaborate with me and Filipino Kitchen’s Natallia Roxas. The manager’s friendliness was just a portent of the many acts of kindness that we would receive, which made this particular popup such a stress-free experience.


Just the night before, Natalia, Melissa and I were sitting around Melissa’s dinner table to discuss the menu. Melissa agreed to let us stay at her place during our entire visit to Seattle (because she’s awesome).

Coming from two major events in St. Louis and Chicago, my mind was still in a bit of a haze, and I was worried we didn’t have a menu yet. Just a few minutes into our meeting, though, my mind was at ease. Our conversation was open, collaborative and creative, and pretty soon, we decided on a theme. We wanted to highlight the Visayan tradition of “SuToKil” and take advantage of Seattle’s great seafood.


“SuToKil” means Sugba (grilled), Tola or Tinola (ginger soup), and Kilawin (seafood or meat marinated in vinegar), and so it was decided that Melissa and I would make two versions of each, one modern and one classic, while Natalia would make dessert and craft the menu cards.

We would start off with my modern take on a ginger soup, a roasted tomato, labuyo and salabat gazpacho, followed immediately by Melissa’s marinated smoked mussels and pig’s ears kinilaw (sisig Matua in Pampanga).

For the hot courses, I would serve lomi noodles with a fish head-and-ginger broth that my grandmother used to make to represent my Chinoy side, and a grilled rockfish with Piyanggang sauce to represent my Mindanao side. Melissa would then round out the hot courses with her barbecue trio. Natalia’s fresh carioca patties with homemade ice cream would provide the perfect ending.

Turns out, people had heard about our little collab popup, and the word was we needed to prepare for over 80 diners! With a lean crew, a proper prep day would be crucial. Once again, the kindness of the Filipino shone through. We got some much-appreciated help from chef Jonnah, who works in Portland, but made the three-hour drive to Seattle to help us prep and cook.

Meanwhile, Manong Lane Wilcken, a master batok (hand-tap tattoo) artist who was in town to do some work, took time off to help me chop vegetables. His knife skills are excellent! Despite working in a busy, rented commercial kitchen where other chefs and catering companies were also working, our prep session went smoothly and uneventfully, which is what chefs dream about all the time. In fact, the only thing noteworthy about the whole prep session was how I got more than a few stares and puzzled looks from other chefs when I was burning coconut to black for my pamapa. It was a cool experience to reassure the other chefs that I knew what I was doing and it was an even better experience for me to talk a little about Mindanaoan food to those that asked.

The day of the popup was just as fun and stress-free as our crew put our heads down and worked, while managing to have engaging talks on the rise of Filipino food, watching stupidly funny YouTube videos and of course, singing out loud to Regine Velasquez songs. We are all Filipino, after all.

Once the popup started, we were all business. At the very first table of guests, I picked up a bowl filled with noodles and trumpet mushrooms and ladled boiling-hot soup over them. As I was moving the bowl to the pass, I tilted it a bit too much and the soup burned my thumb. Not wanting to drop the bowl, I had to hold on to it while the soup was still burning my finger until I could lay it gently on the kitchen counter. I burned myself on the first table and had to shake my head in disbelief. I hoped it was not a sign of things to come.

Fortunately, after replacing that bowl with a new one, the rest of the night went smoothly. In fact, serving 85 diners went by really quickly and none of my other body parts were in danger!  Throughout the night, it was gratifying to hear the diners’ comments, all of who had constant cravings for Filipino food.

The highlight of the night for me was hearing comments about how much they liked my grandmother’s ginger-and-fish head broth. I was actually hesitant to put it on the menu since it was such a simple “lutong bahay” dish with very subtle flavors, but I’m glad Melissa convinced me to have the confidence to serve it just the way we would at home.

The following day, we said our goodbyes and, as I gave Melissa a hug, we both knew this wouldn’t be the last time we would work together. I mean, it was just too much fun! I’m definitely going to hear much more from her as her popup and catering company, Musang Seattle, is doing absolutely great work.

Meanwhile, Natalia went to take the train to Portland, because her work with the Filipino community in the US never ends. We said our goodbyes at the Amtrak station, content with the money we’d raised for my charity work this year, but determined to do more next year. If only every project we worked on was as stress-free as our Seattle project.

You can see Sharwin cook for and interview the country’s hottest celebrities every Sunday at 11:30 a.m. on Let’s Do Lunch on GMA News TV. Follow Sharwin’s food adventures on Instagram @chefsharwin and for questions, reactions, recipe and column suggestions, you can contact him at www.sharwintee.com.

source: philstar.com

Left Over, Cut Onions Become Toxic - Facts Analysis

Story:

Please remember it is dangerous to cut onions and try to use it to cook the next day. It becomes highly poisonous for even a single night and creates toxic bacteria which may cause adverse stomach infections because of excess bile secretions and even food poisoning.




Other Version:

Onions! I had never heard this!!!

In 1919 when the flu killed 40 million people there was this Doctor that visited the many farmers to see if he could help them combat the flu...Many of the farmers and their families had contracted it and many died.

The doctor came upon this one farmer and to his surprise, everyone was very healthy. When the doctor asked what the farmer was doing that was different the wife replied that she had placed an unpeeled onion in a dish in the rooms of the home. It obviously absorbed the bacteria, therefore, keeping the family healthy.

LEFT OVER ONIONS ARE POISONOUS

Sometimes when we have stomach problems we don't know what to blame. Maybe it's the onions that are to blame. Onions absorb bacteria is the reason they are so good at preventing us from getting colds and flu and is the very reason we shouldn't eat an onion that has been sitting for a time after it has been cut open.

Onions are a huge magnet for bacteria, especially uncooked onions. You should never plan to keep a portion of a sliced onion.. He says it's not even safe if you put it in a zip-lock bag and put it in your refrigerator.It is dangerous to cut an onion and try to use it to cook the next day, it becomes highly poisonous.

Please pass this on to all you love and care about.


Hoax or Fact:
Hoax.

The message claims that left over, cut onions should not be used the next day, because they become highly poisonous because of bacteria growth, turn toxic and lead to adverse stomach infections. The message is not a fact, there is no scientific evidence to prove this claim.

Onions as such do not have any special property to magically attract bacteria from its surroundings. In fact, when onions are cut, they emits sulfenic acids which inhibit the growth of germs and thereby protect them from surrounding bacteria. This is because bacteria generally like moist and neutral environments, and they cannot stand acidic environments - that's why vinegar is used for preserving. Left over, cut onions are not poisonous, they are fine to use and can be stored in a refrigerator, in a sealed container at the proper temperature of 40°F or below for up to 4 days. You can also store them safely in zippered bags and use them within a day or two. But onions can lose their nutrient value when stored over a period of time.
However, it is also important to note that onions have to be handled in hygienic manner while cutting and re-using them, because they can be contaminated with certain bacteria when they come in contact with dirty hands or unhygienic cutting board, and consumption of such onions can indeed make a person sick. But again, this is possible with any other food item, not onions in particular.

Therefore, the message saying cut onions become toxic is a hoax, left over, cut onions are not poisonous, they are safe to use when stored in hygienic conditions. There have been many other versions of this story, claiming that leaving onions around a room will absorb the flu virus along with bacteria causing other illnesses and will prevent people from becoming sick. It is a fact that onions were used in folk medicine long before 1919, but it is just a false belief, there is no scientific evidence to prove it. Onions are not bacteria magnets, they are good to use, especially because they are high in vitamin C and are a good source of fiber and other important nutrients.

source: www.wisethinks.com

Eat that Pokémon! How to make a Pikachu-inspired dessert

MANILA, Philippines - There's no debating Pokémon Go‘s impact in the “real world."

The augmented reality game has gotten everyone else's attention, including the business operators.

Few weeks after its release in several countries, businesses started changing their operations.

While some have simply enjoyed the benefit of their business being luckily labeled as Pokéstop or Gym, others have devised their own way to use the game's booming popularity to their advantage.

For example, some restaurants are now using the Pokémon "lure" as a means to literally lure customers to dine in their place while hotels are beginning to offer "free" accommodation if customers are able to catch a Pokémon within their facility.

Joining in the Pokécraze is the bakeshop in Korea. Dalmiin Baking Studio recently uploaded a video on Youtube showing everyone how you can make a Pokémon-inspired dessert at home.


As of now, "Pokémon Go" has surpassed Tinder in popularity, and is It’s getting more usage than Snapchat, Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp

source: philstar.com

KFC table service for Valentine’s

Have you got kind of relationship with your better half, where you are comfortable enough to do things that don’t require a barrow-load of cash on Valentine’s Day? Have you got a sense of humour? Like greasy-ass fried chicken?

You’re in all kinds of luck, because KFC is going to be trialling a thing where you get table service on your date night. Of course, there’s going to be a lot of people being incredibly sniffy about this, but think about it – eating chicken and sitting on your behind even more, with a person you like. Fantastic.

The KFC date-night service will even give you flowers, some linen napkins, a candelabra, and the staff will bring you your bucket of chicken on a little stand, like you’re fancier than the colonel himself. Hopefully, they’ll have a posh man to come and ask you if you’d like to try the fizzy pop, like it is wine as well.

Again. It is clearly meant to be silly, and no, you don’t have to go, and the human race hasn’t reach a low point. This is clearly a brilliant thing, and BW is hoping that they’ll even cut our food up for us and feed it to us.

If you want in, you’ll have to make your way to the Fishergate branch in Preston. Why this particular outlet? Well, it was the first ever KFC in the whole of the UK, but it is also the place where Bob and Pat Fogg met in 1965, who have a date night in the restaurant once a week, every week, since that day.

Awww!

Seriously though – flowers are all well and good, but we’d sooner have a load of chicken wings and legs to plough through. This is clearly a fantastic idea AND it passes Dr Nick Riviera’s ‘window to weight gain‘ test! Result!

source: bitterwallet.com

WHO says cancer report not calling for people to give up meat

GENEVA - The World Health Organization stressed Thursday that an explosive report this week linking the consumption of processed meat to cancer was not calling for people to stop eating meat altogether.

The WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) caused shockwaves Monday when it released a report analyzing 800 studies from around the world, concluding that processed meats such as sausages, ham, and hot dogs cause bowel cancer, and red meat "probably" does too.

Meat producers slammed the report, with Australia's agriculture minister calling it "a farce", and the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) saying IARC "tortured the data to ensure a specific outcome".

The United Nations agency cited research attributing about 34,000 cancer deaths per year worldwide to diets high in processed meat.

The agency acknowledged this was dwarfed by the estimated one million cancer deaths attributed to tobacco smoking, 600,000 to alcohol use, and more than 200,000 to air pollution every year.

But it warned its data did "not permit" the determination of a safe meat quota.

The WHO however stressed Thursday that IARC's review merely confirmed the UN health agency's 2002 diet and nutrition recommendations, urging people "to moderate consumption of preserved meat to reduce the risk of cancer."

"The latest IARC review does not ask people to stop eating processed meats but indicates that reducing consumption of these products can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer," WHO said in a statement.

It pointed out that it has a standing group of experts who regularly evaluate the links between diet and disease.

"Early next year they will meet to begin looking at the public health implications of the latest science and the place of processed meat and red meat within the context of an overall healthy diet," WHO said.

source: interaksyon.com

Stress may sabotage diets by short-circuiting self-control

People are less likely to resist tasty, unhealthy foods when they’re under stress because the promise of immediate reward trumps longer-term goals to eat well, a Swiss study suggests.

Using brain scans, researchers found that circuits in the brain associated with reward are amped up and those linked to self-control are dialed down in participants under stress. The more stressed people felt themselves to be, the stronger the effect.

“We find that stress increases reward signaling and thus may boost a craving for getting the instantaneously rewarding option,” which ties in with earlier studies of stress and decision circuits in the brain, said lead author Silvia U. Maier at the University of Zurich.

“The more stressed you feel, the less likely you become to override your own taste preferences when we present you with a really tricky challenge, say: your favorite chocolate bar versus a portion of broccoli,” Maier told Reuters Health by email.

“You could say it’s almost like stress is turning up the dial on signals about taste, and turning down the signal on health goals,” she said.

For the study, the researchers recruited 51 young adult men who reported making an effort to eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly, but also still enjoyed junk foods with some frequency.

First, each participant used a computer questionnaire to rate images of 180 food items for healthiness, tastiness and their overall appeal.

Then 29 of the men were randomly selected to undergo the stress induction procedure, in which they immersed a hand in an ice bath for three minutes while they were videotaped and monitored. Social evaluation is one of the most potent human stressors, Maier noted.

All the participants were put in a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanner, which measures brain activity by mapping blood flow changes in the brain, and asked to complete several seven-minute computer-based decision trials, selecting from pairs of the foods they had previously rated on healthiness and taste.

In addition to the fMRI measures, the researchers also collected saliva samples from the men to measure the stress hormone cortisol.

As reported in Neuron, the researchers found that men who had undergone the stressful situation were more likely to favor taste rather than health in their food choices, compared to the men who had not been stressed.

“What's exciting about this work is that it identifies specific mechanisms for how stress affects self control: by amplifying the influence of short-term rewards on choices, and by impairing the influence of a brain region known to be important for self-control,” said Molly Crockett, an expert in neuropsychology at University College London in the U.K.

“When you're faced with an unhealthy food that's not very tempting, stress won't affect your self control much,” Crockett, who was not part of the new research, told Reuters Health by email. “But when you're faced with your most favorite tempting foods, stress will make it more difficult to resist those temptations.”

In studies of rats, a high-fat diet appears to blunt the stress response, and some researchers speculate that humans may change their diets to “self-medicate” the stress response in the brain, although that is still a hypothesis, Maier said.

“One very stressful day will most likely not sabotage your diet completely if the stress ends after this day and you return back to your routine of eating a healthy, balanced diet,” she said. “However, we find that even moderately stressful events may promote these lapses of self-control, and moderate stress may occur more often during your day or week.”

One way to combat this effect is to use pre-commitment, removing temptations before they occur, for example removing snacks, cigarettes or alcohol from the home if you know you will have trouble resisting later, Maier said.

SOURCE: bit.ly/1P6Cr0S Neuron, online August 5, 2015.

source: interaksyon.com

Chocolate crisis? Unwrapping the sweet science of sugar pricing

If you’re like me, the past few days of social media have featured a handful of friends and followers who are positively aghast at a threat to our very way of life. I’m not talking about Ebola-carrying ISIS warriors infiltrating America’s porous borders to deliver dastardly deaths. Instead, I speak of the impending chocolate crisis.

OK, so maybe it’s not as much a crisis as an overwrought reading of the basics of supply and demand. In debunking the fear that the world will run out of chocolate by 2020, Snopes.com pointed out that we are really experiencing a chocolate deficit, which just means the world is eating more chocolate than it is making. “Historically, such circumstances don’t lead to a complete dearth of a product or foodstuff; rather, scarcity simply tends to drive prices skyward and reduce consumption of any given newly-scarce commodity,” Snopes wrote.

And if you weren’t soured enough by the prospect of prohibitive chocolate prices, a look at domestic sugar will seem like a trip to the dentist. As this Reuters graphic shows, the disparity in prices between what the US and the rest of the world pay has grown this year, with American companies currently forking over about 50 percent more for raw sugar futures.

NAFTA is to blame, Quartz’s Svati Kirsten Narula explains. In the 1990s, the US never imagined that Mexico would become a player in the sugar game, so Mexico was excluded from the tariffs and quotas that other sugar-producing nations faced over the years. As this Reuters graphic shows, since the final trade barriers came down in 2008, production of sugar from non-US processors and refiners has nearly quintupled.

US food manufacturers were facing an additional $2.4 billion in sugar costs before the two countries reached an agreement in October. It should be interesting to see how prices react to a newly-leveled playing field; for now, the commodities that supply your sweet tooth seem stable. Though truth be told, you’d be better off having an apple, or maybe some baby carrots. And a little exercise wouldn’t hurt.

source: interaksyon.com

Kraft issues voluntary recall of some American Singles cheese product

NEW YORK - Kraft Foods Group Inc said on Friday it is voluntarily recalling 7,691 cases of some varieties of its Kraft American Singles as a precautionary measure after a supplier failed to store an ingredient correctly.

The Northfield, Illinois-based company said the recall affects four varieties of Kraft American Singles Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product. The recall is for products with "Best When Used By" dates of Feb. 20, 2015, and Feb. 21, 2015.

A supplier did not store an ingredient in accordance with Kraft's temperature standards. While unlikely, this could create conditions that could lead to premature spoilage and food-borne illness, the company said.

Kraft said that any of the product in question should not be consumed and should be returned to the store where purchased for an exchange or full refund.

Kraft said it has had no consumer illness complaints for the product associated with the recall.

The cheese was produced at Kraft’s Springfield, Missouri, facility.

source: interaksyon.com

Swiss Emmentaler named world's best cheese

MADISON, Wis. — A Swiss Emmentaler has been named the top cheese at an international competition in Wisconsin, handing the nation its fourth win in the past five years.

Cheesemaker Gerard Sinnesberger took top honors at the 2014 World Championship Cheese Contest with his Original Schweizer Rohmilch Emmentaler, a large format, big wheel Swiss cheese.

Out of possible 100 points, the Emmentaler scored 97.85 in the final round of judging Wednesday. The cheese was deemed the best of 2,615 entries from 22 countries.


An Austrian entry, called Erzherzog Johann, was second. Another Swiss entry, Gruyere AOP, was third.

A U.S. cheesemaker hasn't won the contest sponsored by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association since 1988, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.

Although Americans weren't in the top three this year, they took home the most medals, winning 59 of the 90 categories judged. Switzerland came in second with seven gold medals, while the Netherlands had five.


Among U.S. contestants, Wisconsin dominated with 33 gold medals. Chief judge Bob Aschenbrock credited the quality of milk produced by Wisconsin farmers and work done by state agriculture officials and the Center for Dairy Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

"They've improved the milk supply immensely in the last 15 to 20 years. When I was making cheese back in the 1960s and 1970s, it was nothing like it is today. Everybody else follows our lead, basically," said Aschenbrock, a longtime cheesemaker.

Four Wisconsin cheese makers made it to the final round of competition: Brenda Jensen, of Hidden Springs Creamery in Westby, with a hard mixed milk cheese; Marieke Penterman, of Holland's Family Cheese in Thorp, with an aged Gouda; Katie Hedrich-Fuhrmann, of LaClare Farms in Malone, with a hard goat cheese; and Steve Bierhals, of BelGioioso Cheese in Green Bay, with a Parmesan.

Holland's Family Cheese won best of show with a smoked Gouda last year at the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest in Green Bay. The national and international competitions are held in alternate years.

source: philstar.com

Europe makes a stink about cheese names, seeks to prevent use outside of EU

WASHINGTON -- Errico Auricchio produced cheese with his family in Italy until he brought his trade to the United States more than 30 years ago. Now, the European Union is saying the types of cheeses he sells aren't authentic enough to carry European names.

As part of trade talks, the EU wants to limit the use of names like Parmesan, feta and Gorgonzola on cheese made in the United States. The argument is that the American-made cheeses are shadows of the original European varieties and cut into sales and identity of the European cheeses.

Auricchio, president of Wisconsin-based BelGioioso Cheese Inc., says he has no idea what he would call his Parmesan if he had to find a new name.

"I Can't Believe It's Not Parmesan," he jokes.

The Europeans say Parmesan should only come from the area around Parma, Italy, not from Auricchio's plant or those familiar green cylinders that American companies sell. Feta should only be from Greece, they say, even though feta isn't a place. The EU argues it "is so closely connected to Greece as to be identified as an inherently Greek product."

So, a little "hard-grated cheese" for your pasta? It doesn't have quite the same ring as Parmesan.




U.S. dairy producers, cheesemakers and food companies are all fighting the idea, which they say would hurt the $4 billion domestic cheese industry and endlessly confuse consumers.

"It's really stunning that the Europeans are trying to claw back products made popular in other countries," says Jim Mulhern, president of the National Milk Producers Federation, which represents U.S. dairy farmers.

The European Union would not say exactly what it is proposing or even whether it will be discussed this week as a new round of talks on an EU-United States free trade agreement opens in Brussels.

European Commission spokesman Roger Waite would only say that the question "is an important issue for the EU."

That's clear from recent agreements with Canada and Central America, where certain cheese names were restricted unless the cheese came from Europe. Under the Canadian agreement, for example, new feta products manufactured in Canada can only be marketed as feta-like or feta-style, and they can't use Greek letters or other symbols that evoke Greece. Canada made a similar agreement on Gorgonzola from Italy. Existing cheeses would still be able to market under those names, but expansion would be limited for new products.

Though it has not laid out a public proposal, the EU is expected to make similar attempts to restrict marketing of U.S.-made cheeses, possibly including Parmesan, Asiago, Gorgonzola, feta, fontina, grana, Muenster, Neufchatel and Romano.

And it may not be just cheese. Other products with traditional ties to European countries that could be affected include bologna, Black Forest ham, Greek yogurt, Valencia oranges and prosciutto, among other foods.

The trade negotiations are important for the EU as Europe has tried to protect its share of agricultural exports after a tough recession. The ability to corner the market on some of the continent's most famous and traditional products would prevent others from cutting into those profits.

Concerned about the possible impact of changing the labels on those popular foods, a bipartisan group of 55 senators wrote U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack this week asking them not to agree to any such proposals by the EU.

Led by New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Pennsylvania Sen. Patrick Toomey, R-Pa., the members wrote that in the states they represent, "many small- or medium-sized, family-owned businesses could have their businesses unfairly restricted" and that export businesses could be gravely hurt.

Schumer said artisanal cheese production is a growing industry across New York.

"Muenster is Muenster, no matter how you slice it," he says.

Trevor Kincaid, a spokesman for the U.S. trade representative, said that conversations on the issue are in the early stages but that the U.S. and EU have "different points of view" on the topic.

The agency wouldn't disclose details of the negotiations, but Kincaid said the U.S. government is "committed to increasing opportunity for U.S. businesses, farmers and workers through trade."

Large food companies that mass produce the cheeses are also fighting the idea. Kraft, closely identified with its grated Parmesan cheese, says the cheese names have long been considered generic in the United States.

"Such restrictions could not only be costly to food makers, but also potentially confusing for consumers if the labels of their favorite products using these generic names were required to change," says Kraft spokesman Basil Maglaris.

Jaime Castaneda works for the U.S. Dairy Export Council and is the director of a group formed to fight the EU changes, the Consortium for Common Food Names. He says the idea that great cheese can only come from Europe "is just not the case anymore."

He points out that artisanal and locally produced foods are more popular than ever here and says some consumers may actually prefer the American brands. European producers can still lay claim to more place-specific names, like Parmigiano-Reggiano, he says.

"This is about rural America and jobs," Castaneda says.

Dairy farmers and cheese makers say they are angry because it was Europeans who originally brought the cheeses here, and the American companies have made them more popular and profitable in a huge market.

"We've been manufacturing, marketing, advertising, and making the cheese interesting to consumers, and now we're supposed to walk away from it?" says Pete Kappelman, who owns a family dairy farm in Manitowoc, Wis. "That's not quite a level playing field."

source: philstar.com

Benassi: A delicious slice of Italy

MANILA, Philippines - People who go to Italy inevitably find themselves looking for the best pizza and pasta the place could offer — surely, these Italian plate staples have captured the global palate.  Well, on a Roman holiday not too long ago, my niece and I were eating pizza and pasta every day, like there was no tomorrow, and never did we meet a bad pizza or pasta.  I guess it’s a cardinal sin in a country that stakes its claim to culinary fame on these time-cherished specialties. You’ll be delighted to know that you’ll get the exact same experience we had in Italy when you dine at Benassi Alimento e Caffe, a 35-seat charming little Italian restaurant in Ortigas Center, Pasig City, that’s big on all-time Italian favorites.

Say ciao to Benassi, owned by young couple DJ de Guzman and Katia Benassi-de Guzman who share a passion for good home-cooked food. Katia grew up amid the delicious aroma of glorious Italian food cooking in the Benassi kitchen. She’s heir to the jealously-guarded, distinctly-Benassi family recipes from the town of Massa, Italy, that have been passed on from generation to generation.

Amid a warm, relaxing ambience, backed up by superb customer service, savor the best of Italian homecooking.  As the Italians would say, Buon Appetito! Bound to stir the taste buds is the selection of zuppas, among which are the crema di zucca (cream of baked pumpkin soup, P150); crema di funghi (cream of wild mushroom soup, P160); crema di mare (cream of crab meat, squid, bell pepper, and mushroom, P170); and Di Fagioli  (Barlotti beans, carrots, onions, fresh Italian herbs, P170).

Italians love salads and you’ll love Benassi’s fresh offerings, such as the insalata di casa of fresh greens drizzled with strawberry vinaigrette and olive oil-based dressing, and topped with Parmesan cheese (P185). Of course, there are other antipasti to choose from as a prelude to your meal, like the salmon carpaccio  (smoked Norwegian salmon sprinkled with olive oil and fresh lemon juice, and topped with capers and Parmesan flakes, P395); crostini ai funghi porcini (mushroom porcini cream cheese dip served with homemade crostini bread, P225); salsa firma (Benassi signature cream and spinach dip with toasted bread, P225); prosciutto e melone (Parma ham wrapped in fresh cantaloupe, P295); muscoli (mussels sautéed in white wine, garlic, and Italian herbs, P295); and salsiccia (sautéed Italian garlic sausages with caramelized onions, P295).

And now, we’ve come to the main event: From Benassi’s great brick oven come its assorted pizzas. You’re probably quite familiar with the margherita pizza (tomato sauce, mozzarella, and basil). On top of that, Benassi has its really yummy salami e funghi (tomato sauce, mozzarella, salami Milano, and mushrooms, P470); frutti di mare (squid, shrimps, mussels in tomato sauce, topped with mozzarella, P580); pomodoro e acciughe (tomato sauce, mozzarella, and anchovies, P410); and prosciutto e rucola (tomato sauce, mozzarella, Parma ham, and arugula, P490).







But of course, there’s no way you’ll pass up on the pasta when you’re in an authentic Italian resto like Benassi. There’s a lot to choose from at Benassi — like the aglio olio e peperoncino (garlic, olive oil, parsley, and a hint of crushed chili peppers, P190); Pesto alla Genovese (pine nuts, Parmesan, basil, and garlic, P230); arrabbiata (stewed tomatoes, pimientos, onions, and crushed spicy chili peppers, P240); Ragu alla Bolognese (ground beef and stewed tomatoes, P240); carbonara (bacon, onions, garlic in light cream sauce, P250); vongole (fresh clams in white wine with garlic, parsley, chili pepper, and olive oil, P325); Tuscana (Italian garlic sausage slices in tomato sauce, P280).

Between the pizzas and pastas and the gelatos we chowed down on in Rome, we had no more room left for the risotto, that Italian creamy rice dish (though just to try it, we bought a ready-to-eat version at a grocery near the Vatican). Thus, it’s welcome news to know that Benassi has its risotti, like the risotto con funghi porcini (porcini mushrooms, P370).

For Italians, fresh is certainly best and Benassi proves just that with its fresh homemade ravioli or filled pasta.

Italians are, indeed, big, hearty eaters. But at Benassi, light eaters can opt for the grilled paninis, like the panini con tonno (chunky tuna in Benassi olive and caper spread with lettuce and tomatoes, P280) or the panini con verdure (grilled zucchini, tomato, bell pepper, and eggplant seasoned in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and pesto, and topped with mozzarella).

This great little Italian resto is not just about pizza and pasta and risotto. It’s also big on Italian dishes such as pollo alla cacciatore (chicken fillet, tomatoes, and black olives on top of fettuccini pasta, P340); polpetta con pomodoro (classic Italian meatballs seasoned in herbs and spices and fresh tomato sauce, served with pasta or bread, P380); carne alla pizzaiola (beef sirloin strips slow-cooked in tomatoes, olive oil, parsley, and capers, with a choice of mashed potato or steamed rice, P320); arrosto di manzo (chopped pork, olive oil, garlic, and Italian herbs served with sautéed garlic potatoes, tomatoes, and zucchini, P340); and baccala (salted cod fish cooked in stewed tomatoes, black olives, capers, and fresh rosemary, and served with mashed potato, P550).

Leave some room for some dolci without guilt. Your sweet tooth just can’t say no to Benassi’s mascarpone cake (authentic tiramisu cake recipe from the Benassis’ hometown, P220, good for two).

To wrap up a truly great Italian dining experience, have some freshly brewed coffee or hot tea or hot chocolate. Benassi also has a fine selection of red and white Italian wines.

And so, as another new year unfolds, Benassi shares this hearty wish: Pizza on earth and good food to all men!



Benassi Alimento e Caffe is at the ground floor, The Exchange Regency Building, Exchange Road corner Jade Drive, Ortigas Center, Pasig City. It is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday to Friday; 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., Saturday. Call 310-8566 or 09176203932.

source: philstar.com

A simple recipe for a sensational party food

Bacon-wrapped scallops are one of the most luxurious appetizers you can serve, not to mention one of the easiest to prepare. And for me, that's a great combination.

I like using big, plump Alaskan sea scallops and apple wood smoked bacon. Because there are only two main ingredients in this dish, you need to make sure you use the best quality — the biggest, freshest sea scallops you can find, and the most flavorful bacon. After that, they are so easy to grill that you hardly need a recipe.

There are two types of scallops, but only one of them is appropriate for the grill. Tiny bay scallops are so sweet, you can eat them raw or just lightly sauteed. But they also are more expensive and not suited for grilling. What you want are the larger, less expensive sea scallops.

This all-protein finger food appetizer is perfect for holiday entertaining. It's simple to prep and quick to cook. You even could prepare them in advance. I pre-cook the bacon to render some of the fat and make it soft and pliable for wrapping around the scallops. Then just refrigerate until your guests arrive and pop them on the grill when you want them.

We've also paired these with a simple maple-mustard sauce that is delicious dolloped on top of the scallops just before serving. But feel free to leave that off.



GRILLED BACON-WRAPPED SCALLOPS

Everything tastes better with bacon! And it doesn't get any better than fresh-from-the-ocean sea scallops wrapped with bacon. The scallops take very little time to cook, so I cook the bacon in the oven or microwave for a couple of minutes before I wrap it around the scallops. That way, I am guaranteed to get crispy bacon and tender scallops. The best sea scallops I've ever had are from Alaska, so ask your fishmonger for them.

Start to finish: 20 minutes

Makes 12 to 14 scallops

2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 pound jumbo sea scallops

1/2 pound center-cut bacon

Salt and ground black pepper

Round wooden toothpicks, soaked in water for 30 minutes

Heat the oven to 400 F. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Heat the grill to medium-high.

In a small bowl, mix together the mustard and maple syrup. Set aside.

Use paper towels to blot dry the scallops. Arrange them on a plate, then set aside.

Arrange the bacon in a single layer on the rack over the baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until just starting to cook. Do not fully cook the bacon. Remove the bacon from the oven. If too hot to handle, let cool for several minutes. Once the bacon can be handled, wrap one slice of bacon around each scallop. Secure in place by threading one of the toothpicks through the bacon and scallop.

Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the tops and bottoms of the scallops with bacon fat from the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve with the sauce for dolloping a bit onto each.

Nutrition information per scallop: 120 calories; 70 calories from fat (58 percent of total calories); 8 g fat (2.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 25 mg cholesterol;3 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 8 g protein; 320 mg sodium.

source: philstar.com

US to ban artificial trans fat in processed foods

WASHINGTON DC -- Artificial trans fat, which has been linked to an increased risk of coronary heart disease, will be banned in food supply by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The FDA announced its preliminary determination in a statement that partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), the primary dietary source of artificial trans fat in processed foods, are not "generally recognized as safe" for use in food.

The agency said the preliminary determination is based on available scientific evidence and the findings of expert scientific panels.

FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said: "While consumption of potentially harmful artificial trans fat has declined over the last two decades in the United States, current intake remains a significant public health concern."

Hamburg added that the ban on use of trans fats in processed food could prevent an additional 20,000 heart attacks and 7,000 deaths from heart disease each year in the United States.

Consumption of trans fat raises low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad" cholesterol, increasing the risk of coronary heart disease. The independent Institute of Medicine (IOM) has concluded that trans fat provides no known health benefit and that there is no safe level of consumption of artificial trans fat.

The IOM also recommends that consumption of trans fat should be as low as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet.

In recent years, many food manufacturers and retailers in the U S have voluntarily decreased trans fat levels in many foods and products they sell.

However, trans fat can still be found in some processed foods, such as certain desserts, microwave popcorn products, frozen pizzas, margarine, and coffee creamers. Numerous retailers and manufacturers have already demonstrated that many of these products can be made without trans fat.

Since trans fat is required to be listed on the Nutrition Facts label of foods in 2006, trans fat intake among American consumers has declined from 4.6 grams per day in 2003 to about 1 gram per day in 2012, the FDA said.

The agency has opened a 60-day comment period on this preliminary determination to collect additional data and to gain input on the time potentially needed for food manufacturers to reformulate products that currently contain artificial trans fat should this determination be finalized.

Following a review of the submitted comments, if the FDA finalizes its preliminary determination, PHOs would be considered "food additives" and could not be used in food unless authorized by regulation, the agency said.

The FDA said its preliminary determination is only with regard to PHOs and does not affect trans fat that naturally occurs in small amounts in certain meat and dairy products.

source: interaksyon.com

Korean barbeque specials, the Bulgogi Brothers Way

The popularity of everything Korean can be felt in many ways- from music and fashion to beauty products and yes, delicious food. And if you can’t seem to get enough of Korean dishes, there’s Bulgogi Brothers to satisfy your cravings.

Aside from assorted Bulgogi, their house specialties, enjoy their new Korean Barbecue Specials, comfort food that you will surely enjoy. You have a choice of pork, beef and fish served with six side dishes and refillable Korean hot tea on the house.

Depending on what you opt for, these complete meals that two persons can share are priced from P495 to P795. That’s great value for your money!

Feast on any of these barbecue choices whether you’re out dining with a friend or having a lunch meeting with a colleague.

Meat lovers are enjoined to try Pork Belly BBQ (thin slices of pork belly doused in sweet sauce seasoned with Korean herbs) and the Top Blade Steak BBQ (tender cuts of beef top blade seasoned with Bulgogi Brothers’ original herb-infused BBQ salt).




For those who are partial to fish, there’s the Salmon Fillet BBQ (fillets of Norwegian salmon bathed with a sesame-butter).

Combinations of fish and beef are also offered for those who want a bit of this and that. Try the Salmon Fillet & L.A Style Beef (Norwegian salmon and strips of bone-in short ribs marinated in the special Bulgogi Brothers sauce); Salmon Fillet & Boneless Short Ribs (Norwegian salmon and boneless short ribs marinated in the special Bulgogi Brothers sauce) and the Salmon Fillet & Top Blade Steak (Norwegian salmon and tender beef top blade seasoned with our original herb-infused BBQ salt).

Indeed, from Gang-Nam, South Korea (where it originated) to Manila, Bulgogi Brothers continues to win the hearts (and palates) of Koreans and Filipino food enthusiasts.

Visit the Bulgogi Brothers branch nearest you : Greenbelt 5, Alabang Town Center, Mall of Asia, Harbor Point, Subic and SM Lanang Premier, Davao. Be inside #BulgogiBrosPH and check out Facebook – Bulgogi Brothers Philippines; Twitter - @BulgogiBrosPH and Instagram - @BulgogiBrosPH.

source: philstar.com