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Oftentimes, the climate alarmists are their own worst enemy. It sounds reasonable enough that carbon emissions might have an impact on the climate, but it's a rather nasty thing to prove, especially when alarmist predictions fail, over and over again. It's far from the "scientific consensus." But the alarmists don't tone down their rhetoric — they ratchet it up to 11. They want to take away your plastic straws, your cars, your burgers. Then there's this behavioral scientist in Sweden who wants us to eat human flesh to deal with the effects of climate change. No, this isn't The Onion...

VIDEO Sorry, it is NOT an option. If you are preparing turkey you MUST brine your turkey. As I explain in this video, brining changes the chemistry of the turkey to the extent that it changes both the texture and the color of the turkey as well as its taste. The main ingredients to make a brine are 2 cups of kosher salt and 2 cups of brown sugar. You can also add rosemary and thyme along with other herbs along with whole peppercorns and crushed garlic for flavoring. Prepare your brine mixture by heating one quart of water...

Iced coffee season used to have a very clear demarcation: The day you swapped out your paper for plastic (cup) and your steamed milk for chilled. Usually this laid-back, low-fuss changeover coincides with the warming of the weather. But with the spread of high-octane and flavorful variants such as cold brew—coffee made through a process that involves steeping grounds in cold water—it’s easy to let the season last all year. Besides, as hot coffee has become more luxe, it’s about time iced coffee catch up. And if you craft your chilled coffee at home, with one of these seven handsome...

Indoor farm companies say they're scaling up, but many question their business model Leafy salad greens grown under banks of LED lights, with mist or drips of water are having their day in the sun. Several top U.S. indoor farms say they are boosting production to a level where they can now supply hundreds of grocery stores. Plenty, Bowery, Aerofarms and 80 Acres Farms are among young companies that see a future in salad greens and other produce grown in what are called vertical farms that rely on robotics and artificial intelligence, along with LED lights. While the first versions of modern vertical farms...

With so much food to eat, what’s a hungry person to do? That’s a question sure to be raised continuously as the 138th Maryland State Fair runs through Labor Day at the state fairgrounds in Timonium. Sure, there’s tons of fun to be had roaming the grounds, checking out the livestock, riding a carousel or Ferris Wheel, trying your hand at the ring toss, even checking out a horse race or two. Inevitably, however, the time is going to come when your stomach demands attention. It’s time to eat. So you head for the Maryland Foods Pavilion, home to some...

Democratic presidential contender Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt) praised the Chinese government for making "more progress in addressing extreme poverty than any country in the history of civilization. While it is unfortunate that millions had to die in order to achieve these results, we shouldn't let bourgeois prejudices totally blind us to the positive aspects of their accomplishments. Sometimes harsh methods are required to do hard tasks." "If a country as backward as China was decides to sacrifice tens of millions of people now so that hundreds of millions may prosper later, can we really say that a wrong has been...

Indoor farming projects have been touted for their environmental benefits, but a lack of scalability and profitability have caused smart farm startups to fail all over the world. However, Seoul-based automatic indoor farming startup n.thing is betting on a modular approach for success. The company found that shipping containers are appealing as scalable indoor vertical farming units, especially in countries that are short of fertile land. The key to its flagship Planty Cube farming facility is a cluster of multiple 12-meter cargo containers, Kim Hye-yeon, CEO and co-founder of n.thing, said in an interview with The Investor. “A stand-alone, single-unit...

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — An institution of old New York City that dates back to the 19th century is taking steps to evolve for the 21st by taking down racist and offensive decorations from its walls, according to reports. Midtown's Keens Steakhouse recently removed 10 posters advertising minstrel shows featuring blackface and artworks portraying racist stereotypes of African Americans that adorned the restaurant's walls for decades, Eater New York first reported. The decision was made by longtime manager Bonnie Jenkins, who told Eater that Keens can remain a historic place without offending people. The restaurant's former owner George Schwarz, who...

A car park opposite the infamous New York City housing estate where rapper Jay-Z grew up seems an unlikely place for an agricultural revolution. Ten shipping containers dominate a corner of the Brooklyn parking area, each full of climate control tech, growing herbs that are distributed to local stores on bicycles. This is urban farming at its most literal. The containers are owned by Square Roots, part of America's fast-expanding vertical farming industry, a sector run by many tech entrepreneurs who believe food production is ripe for disruption. The world's best basil reputedly comes from Genoa, Italy. Square Roots grows...

For some Americans, going out to dinner is a treat, planned and budgeted for. For others, it’s just another Tuesday night. And Wednesday. And Thursday. And that second group of people is becoming the majority. The number of Americans who enjoy cooking is declining, while the prevalence of food delivery startups, and culinary-centric television shows grows. In the Harvard Business Review, researcher Eddie Yoon shares data he’s gathered over two decades working as a consultant for consumer packaged goods companies. Early in Yoon’s career, he conducted a survey that determined that Americans fell into one of three groups:

Beneath a blazing mid-August sun at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines last week, liberal voters crowded around the Des Moines Register’s political soapbox to hear the Democratic presidential candidates speak. Meanwhile, on the other side of the fairground, farmers in the sheep, cattle and swine barns tended to their animals. A Trump poster hung from a rafter in the sheep barn and a Trump flag flew in front of a row of massive black cows in the cattle barn. Yet the farmers—who will play a key role in the 2020 presidential race in Iowa—didn’t talk much about politics...

VIDEO I had never been to Rubio's Coastal Grill before and sampled their fish tacos. Of course, I had been curious about this for awhile since tacos and fish don't seem to go together. The incentive that finally inspired me to check it out was that there have been half price gift cards for Rubio's for several weeks on GiftCardGranny.com so I bought a $50 gift card for just $25 which means everything would cost me just half price at Rubio's.

This past weekend was really relaxing for me. I chose to stay home rather than doing my usual errand runs or making any social plans. I stayed in and read a book, and then I watched a couple movies I hadn’t seen in a while. Those kinds of weekends are crucial for me. Those weekends recharge me for the workweek ahead. I’m sure you don’t mind having a relaxing weekend once in a while, if your schedule allows it. While I was sitting home this past Saturday night, I was getting hungry. I didn’t eat dinner yet, but the idea...

The City of Minneapolis, Minnesota is banning the construction of drive-thrus in new buildings in order to improve overall road safety, curb air pollution, and instill a culture where pedestrians can freely and safely move about within the city limits. According to Minnesota Public Radio, City Council voted for the restriction of drive-thrus, whether it be for fast-food restaurants or drive-up liquor stores (yes, those exist). The council claims that the move will positively impact city residents, and it noted that this isn't the city’s first move against the drive-thrus. “We've already restricted drive-thus over the years in a number...

A new Trump administration rule regarding immigrants' use of federal benefits could have an indirect but significant impact on schools if it deters families from seeking assistance under certain programs, education advocates warn. The administration has released its final rule for what's known as "public charge." This is the process by which the U.S. government determines if an immigrant seeking to become a permanent resident or extend a visa is likely to become "primarily dependent" on federal benefits—such a determination can lead the government to deny permanent residency or the visa. Previously, benefits that were factors in this process included...

Progressives, critics, and basically all people with moral backbones and souls this week are furious at Stephen Ross — the multibillionaire owner of the Miami Dolphins and the gym chains Equinox and SoulCycle, as well as an investor in many other ventures — for quietly planning to host a fundraiser for Donald Trump's 2020 reelection campaign. After Dolphins receiver and civil rights activist Kenny Stills called out Ross for his garbage politics, critics have been urging people to boycott Ross' companies. But heirs to a prominent Florida corporation have, so far, escaped the same scrutiny. According to a review of...

The owner of a well-known Michigan restaurant is standing up for himself and his free speech rights after internet trolls couldn't handle the thought of them making political donations to President Trump. “Voted #1 Best Breakfast in Michigan,”Anna’s House has several locations across the state but now people are claiming they won’t eat there after seeing the chain’s Federal Election Commission filing, which details political contributions for the Trump campaign. As WXMI-TV reports: According to the FEC, Anna’s House Corporate, LLC has made two $2,800 donations to Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. One contribution is for the primary election,...

It's just a few days on the political calendar, but what happens at the Iowa State Fair can echo through an entire presidential race. It takes on its political significance in the year before a presidential election (that's now). Because most presidential campaigns circle this event in red on their calendars, Washington Post reporters have covered the Iowa State Fair for years. Below is some of what they have learned about it. Q: Why is the Iowa State Fair important? A: Iowa is the first state to vote in presidential primaries, when both parties hold their caucuses in January or...

A tweet that lists "companies supporting Trump's re-election" went viral on Thursday, causing chatter among the anti-President Donald Trump crowd on the internet. The list includes fast food stalwarts such as McDonald's, Wendy's, In-N-Out and Chick-fil-A, as well as chain restaurants like Olive Garden. The call to shun restaurants came after talk of a mass boycott of SoulCycle and Equinox after it was revealed their owner, billionaire Stephen Ross, was hosting a fundraising event for Trump on Friday.

U.S. fast-food customers’ growing expectations for healthier, ethical and more environmentally sustainable options directly correspond with the values and produce that the Vertical Farming industry provides. As the vertical farming industry in the United States grows, its market segments correspondingly diversify and widen. Aerofarms, Gotham Greens and Square Roots, for instance, all deliver their produce to local grocers as well as to Whole Foods Market. Plenty sells its leafy greens through the online retailer Good Eggs, San Francisco’s Faletti Foods as well as to fine-dining restaurants, including Atelier Crenn and the Michelin-starred Protege in Palo Alto, among others.