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I am asking all FR Chefs to help me out in finding the way to purchase the finest salts of the world. I know it can be spendy. I am not looking for Williams-Sonoma type salts. I had an oppertunity to witness a person tell me of a very black salt, lava salt and they thought it could have been from the Mid East. Any links to the best salts of the world would be much appreciated. I was givin Cleopatric. but to no avail. Thanks Chef Freepers.

Yay For Vegetables AND Yay For Food Policy: First Lady Michelle Obama Gives A Stunning Speech At Opening of Farmers Market In addition to purchasing local foods, Mrs. Obama was "Tea Kettle Whistling" a heavy duty food policy agenda. And a look at the White House/USDA partnership... It was drizzling and cold, but that didn't stop hundreds of people from showing up yesterday for the opening of the new farmers market by the White House, which is on a street about a block from the Executive Mansion. The market's debut was the special event for the fourth day of USDA's...

FAST food giant McDonald's has been named as Britain's most-hated brand in a new survey by marketing experts. The American burger chain – unpopular with 46 per cent of consumers – topped a list of the least-liked brands which featured some of the country's biggest names. Tesco was second most hated in the poll for Marketing magazine, followed by Coca-Cola and the discount fashion chain Primark. However, the research showed some of the most well-known brands also attracted consumers in equal measure. Tesco and Coca-Cola were also voted Britain's sixth and seventh most loved brands respectively. Both were more loved...

I just had a realization that worcestershire sauce is one of the greatest inventions of man. I think it ranks right up there with penicillin and the internet. It's really really good. That's all.

It is the ultimate domestic cliché: a woman, beautiful and dutiful, tending a stove all day in preparation for her husband’s homecoming. As soon as he walks in, the ritual can begin: family members take their seats around the table (he sits at the head, of course) and dinner is served. Couples are reliving a scene that has played out billions of times in our history because gender roles — husband at work all day, woman as homebody — have been forged not by relatively recent social conventions but by our distant evolutionary past. We are the "cooking ape," according...

A hospital patient has become so disgusted with the quality of food on his ward he has taken photographs of the meals and posted them on the internet inviting people to guess the dish. WNS So far the 47-year-old's followers have failed to correctly identify half of the meals featured on the Hospital Food Bingo board he has put on his blog website. Along with the pictures, the patient, who identifies himself only at 'Traction Man' provides a daily review of the dishes he is served. His blog, headed 'Notes from a Hospital bed', begins: "You lie here all day...

Ingredients: 6 medium potatoes - peeled and thinly sliced 2 large onions - peeled and thinly sliced 4 hard boiled eggs - chopped 1/2 cup of grated cheddar cheese

LONDON (Reuters) - A group of schoolchildren who reared a lamb from birth and named it Marcus has overridden objections by parents and rights activists and voted to send the animal to slaughter. Marcus the six-month-old lamb has now been culled, the head teacher of the primary school in Kent confirmed on Monday, after the school's council -- a 14-member group of children aged 6 to 11 -- voted 13-1 to have him killed. The decision has provoked fury among animal-loving celebrities, animal and human rights campaigners and the parents of some of the children, and led to threats against...

Despite the efforts restaurant chains from fast food to fine dining have made to add more-healthful items to the menu, consumers still aren’t buying. In a poll on chainleader.com, 82 percent of respondents say their better-for-you items are selling “lousy.” Recent research shows that customers cite economic factors as a reason for not purchasing healthful food—or as an excuse. Too Great a Cost Chicago-based foodservice consulting firm Technomic says its research shows the recession is hindering consumers’ healthy-eating behavior. Although more than half of consumers say they are more concerned about their eating habits than they were a year ago,...

A very tasty Mexican soup!

Yesterday, the Senate voted 63-35 to invoke cloture on the nomination of animal rights activist Cass Sunstein to be the nation’s new “regulatory czar,� which means the Senate can proceed with a vote to confirm him. The vote will likely occur before the end of the night. Obviously troubling is Sunstein’s apparent devotion to Peter Singer, author of Animal Liberation (and the philosopher whom radical PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk calls her life’s inspiration). Singer is infamous for his belief that it’s permissible to kill newborn children since they’re supposedly no more special than a dog.On the Fox News Channel yesterday,...

You can read the NY Times op-ed here for yourself: just another example of a Birkenstock brown-shirt who believes he knows what’s best for you. A brief summary: the author, Mr. Michael Pollan, a journalism professor from Berkley, California, openly argues that the state should tell you what to eat and drink. He also writes optimistically on the potential for a beautiful, utopian American future, one in which insurance companies and the state work together to tax fast foods and soda (as they’ve teamed up against tobacco) out of existence. The reason for such Darth Vader visions of America’s future?...

(McDonald’s buys millions of pounds of hoki each year for Filet-O-Fish sandwiches. Now, conservationists say the New Zealand fish is being depleted.) Ever wonder what kind of fish end up in a Filet-O-Fish sandwich? The answer is usually hoki, a bug-eyed sea creature found deep in the Pacific waters of New Zealand. But it turns out that exporting millions of pounds of the fish each year -- McDonald’s alone at one time used 15 million pounds annually -- is depleting the hoki supply and pitting conservationists against commercial interests. “We have major concerns,” said Peter Trott, the fisheries program manager...

See Video Here (she' pretty, maybe that we'll get you to watch it?) The Documents are HERE ...

Father Leo prepares to Flay an Iron Chef. (Grace Before Meals) Would you like to see a Catholic priest challenge chef Bobby Flay to a fajita cook-off? Tune into Food Network’s “Throwdown! With Bobby Flay” tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern to see Father Leo Patalinghug take on the Iron Chef. Father Patalinghug, who serves as director of pastoral field education for the seminary at Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Md., has a ministry called Grace Before Meals, which is dedicated to fostering stronger communities through stronger families, one meal at a time. “With God as my witness, I’m not...

Bobby Flay and Father Leo. (Grace Before Meals Father Leo Patalinghug’s “fusion fajitas” beat Bobby Flay’s “red curry-marinated skirt steak fajitas” Sept. 9 on the Food Network’s “Throwdown! With Bobby Flay.” After preparing his signature dish for a crowd of parishioners at Mount St. Mary’s University in Maryland, the cooking priest commented, “My fusion fajitas are smokin.’ I guarantee this will make you say, ‘Thank you, God.’” Divine providence was on Flay’s mind as he was driving to challenge the priest. “We’re going up against Father Leo,” he said. “As a former altar boy, I’m not so sure this is...

Easy to make and sure to please the whole family!

(English-language translation) Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom declared a state of "public calamity" as a measure to face the food and nutrition crisis that affects 54,000 families and has claimed the lives of some 25 children. The declaration will allow the Guatemalan government to accept international aid for these cases and to mobilize resources from the national budget more promptly, according to the president's official address to the nation. "I have decided to use the public-order law and declare a state of public calamity throughout the entire national territory, since the consequences of food and nutritional insufficiency will affect not only...

This version of queso is like a cross between traditional queso and nachos. Serve with tortilla chips and you've got yourself a party!

Living in Texas, there is absolutely no way I'm going to claim to have the best chili recipe. People here are serious about their chili and have very strong opinions about it. We even have complete festivals and cook offs for bragging rights revolving around this beloved Texas favorite. Having given my disclaimer, here's a quick and easy version that your family is sure to love!

... After 30 years of being South Yorkshire's undisputed King of the Veg , the pensioner, from Barnsley , was told he is no longer welcome at local shows. Now Mr Micklethwaite has vowed to take his fight to the courts after being blacklisted by the South Yorkshire District of the National Vegetable Society. ... 'But I know the reason it's because I'm too successful. I win too much so it's all sour grapes, they're just looking for a way to keep me out. 'They don't want me there because I might be a bit too good. 'If they had...

A great side salad to serve with barbeque, hamburgers, hot dogs or sandwiches.

Delicious as a side dish or make a meal out of it by themselves!

Father Leo Patalinghug was making the marinade for his fajitas in front of a crowd at Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Md., where he serves as director of pastoral field education for the seminary — and TV cameras. He thought the Food Network was filming a show about Grace Before Meals, his ministry dedicated to fostering stronger communities through stronger families, one meal at a time. But the priest-chef wasn’t just cooking for the gathered crowd or TV that June day.“I was talking and I realized that standing two feet away listening to me was Bobby Flay,” recalled Father...

For many, the Labor Day weekend marks the end of summer. For others, it's a time to celebrate sweet delicious bacon! International Bacon Day is celebrated on the Saturday before Labor Day. In 2009, International Bacon Day falls on September 5.  So how does one celebrate International Bacon Day. The official International Bacon Day blog suggests eating bacon for breakfast, a BLT for lunch, and throwing a little bacon on the grill for dinner. In between feedings, you can sit down and watch Kevin Bacon movies as you digest all that delicious fat and grease. Perhaps you can decorate the house...

Scientists have discovered that a component of the superfood can protect arteries from “furring” which can block blood flow and lead to angina, heart attack and stroke. Arteries don’t clog at the same rate and researchers know that a protein is inactive in parts which are more vulnerable to disease. New tests suggest that a chemical found in vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower can boost a natural defence mechanism to protect against the damage. Tests in mice have shown that the chemical, known as Sulforaphane, found naturally in the vegetables can stimulate the protein to offer this protective...

Stephanie Yao Long/The OregonianIndish's version of vegetable korma. I recently watched "Monsoon Wedding," the Bollywood story of a grandiose Punjabi marriage celebration, a film as intricate as the four days of family drama leading to the ceremony. While we don't actually see what must have been a banquet to end all banquets, we can well imagine a feast as complex and elaborate as the convoluted wedding itself. I mention this affair because Indish, a new Indian restaurant, stakes its claim for uniqueness on a refusal to serve what owner Raj Sharma calls ornate and elegant wedding cooking. Rather than...

DALLAS — It’s practically fattening just thinking about it. Deep fried butter is among eight creative food items by vendors at this year’s State Fair of Texas in Dallas. Fair officials say a Labor Day cookoff will determine the winner of the Big Tex Choice Awards. The State Fair of Texas runs Sept. 25 through Oct. 18. The eight creative food items by vendors at this year’s State Fair of Texas in Dallas: * Deep fried butter * Green goblins * Twisted yam on a stick * Deep fried peaches and cream * Fried pecan pie * Country fried pork...

According to Gunny G Online: “This astounding control will include the elimination of organic farming by eliminating manure, mandating GMO animal feed, imposing animal drugs, and ordering applications of petrochemical fertilizers and pesticides. Farmers, thus, will be locked not only into the industrialization of once normal and organic farms but into the forced purchase of industry’s products.” HR 2749 creates severe criminal and civil penalties, including prison terms of up to 10 years and/or fines of up to $100,000 for each violation. Does it include judicial review, Congressional oversight, a defined and limited set of penalties and punishments for a...

A massive green cabbage captured the Guinness World Record at the Alaska State Fair on Wednesday, crushing a record set in 1989 by nearly two pounds. The whopper submitted by Wasilla resident Steve Hubacek tipped the scales at 125.9 pounds, said Dean Phipps, marketing director for the fair. The cabbage's head measured about 21 inches across, and its leaves spanned about 5 feet. "I was there when they put it on," he said. "When they put it on everybody took a couple steps back and went like, 'Oh, my gosh.' They all had versions of that and then they started...

I even bake a bunch of these and freeze them individually in plastic wrap or foil and slip them in the kids' lunch bags right out of the freezer. Sneaks those veggies into an easy and yummy treat.

Same-sex couples in Vermont began to marry on Tuesday after a law legalizing gay and lesbian marriage took effect... As couples tied the knot at the stroke of midnight, the South Burlington, Vt.-based Ben & Jerry's ice cream company renamed their popular "Chubby Hubby" flavor to "Hubby Hubby." "The legalization of marriage for gay and lesbian couples in Vermont is certainly a step in the right direction, and something worth celebrating with peace, love – and plenty of ice cream," said Ben & Jerry’s CEO Walt Freese, according to the Boston Herald. Free "Hubby Hubby" was handed out Tuesday. The...

The Quick 10: 10 Secret Menu Itemsby Stacy Conradt - August 31, 2009 - 3:26 PM _Flossers: Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to seek out covert items at fast food chains around the country. Be warned, this mission includes very real dangers such as hardening arteries and skyrocketing cholesterol. But we know you won’t let us down. We’ve compiled a list to get you started. 1. In-N-Out Burger’s “secret menu” isn’t so secret these days – in fact, they’ve posted it on their website. But in case you’re not in the habit of surfing fast...

A sweet treat from the land down under! There are variations of the finished cakes. You can use fruits, yogurts or mock creams.

San Antonio health officials, along with the help of the of our beloved Major Julian Castro, and the San Antonio Restaurant Association have decided to change the way food is consumed in this city. They are targeting local eateries and encouraging (read: threatening) them to offer healthier meal options, lest the restaurant be faced with future regulations or fines for non-compliance. The argue that the city is "getting heavier" and this is a viable options to combat that. Lest we succumb to the ravages of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm all for healthier options,...

All signs now point to the United States being entrenched in a deep recession. It may be some time before things turn around, and because of that Americans will likely suffer serious side effects from the extended recession. Financial effects of recession are fairly well known and include things such as job losses, and increases in foreclosures and bankruptcies. But not all of the side effects of recession involve finances.Food Budgets Tightening One of the first places families look to cut their budgets is food. After all, some could argue that food and categories such as utilities, both budget categories...

More than 200 children living beside an industrial park in southwest China have been found to have excessive lead in their blood, state media said on Monday, in the third such case reported in the last month. Health authorities tested around 1,000 children in a neighborhood of the city of Kunming, the official China Daily said. "Their levels are all higher than 100 micrograms of lead in each liter of blood but lower than 200 micrograms per liter," the newspaper quoted a medical doctor, Wu Ling, as saying. Lead poisoning can build up slowly and occurs from repeated exposure to...

Woman didn't smell like alcohol, but car smelled like hamburger Tosha Sketo 2009-08-31 13:19:07 CRESTVIEW – A woman was arrested after parking her car toward the end of the Whataburger drive-through lane in Crestview and passing out over a half-eaten burger. Machelle Coleman, 33, of Crestview, was found slumped over her steering wheel by a Crestview Police Department deputy. She had a half-eaten burger on her left leg and lettuce and French fries were strewn across her lap, according to the deputy.After unsuccessfully attempting to awaken Coleman, the deputy called EMS. A few minutes later, Coleman woke up and...

The political rhetoric, rumours and activities of lobbying groups all point to the next proposal to float out of the White House, a national Food Tax. In May, the Wall Street Journal reported Senate Finance Committee discussions over the possibility of a new federal tax on soft drinks and sugary drinks as another method of raising revenues in light of forthcoming health care reform proposals. At the time, Democratic Senators requested that the CBO prepare revenue estimates based upon the implementation of such a tax, leading many to believe that a tax proposal was on the way. Three months later,...

In the coming disaster movie "2012," tragedy strikes Randy's Donuts in Inglewood when its giant rooftop donut becomes unhinged and is last seen bouncing down the street in the direction of star John Cusack's limo. The incident is just digital magic, of course. In real life, Randy's -- once a member of the now-defunct Big Donut chain -- is very much intact, as 405 Freeway drivers know well.

Saier Bibi, a farmer in the Qaytul village of Kirkuk province, works his new beehives during a visit to his farm by a representative from the United States Agency for International Development and the senior agricultural advisor from the Kirkuk Provincial Reconstruction Team, Aug. 20. Photo by Pfc. Justin Naylor, 1st Cavalry Division. KIRKUK — U.S. development and reconstruction teams recently visited local farmers in the village of Qaytul to check up on those who had received bee farming equipment as part of a year-long project designed to increase the income of small farm owners here. "The Honey Bee Hive...

A new study on Friday suggests that wheat bran and other fibrous foods that do not dissolve easily in water not only fail to soothe irritable bowels but may even make things worse, AFP reported. The study found that most soluble types of bran, such as psyllium, appear to ease inflamed bowels, but the insoluble varieties people have traditionally eaten for regularity don't work as advertised. The hard outer layer of grains is referred to as bran. Psyllium, also referred to as isphagula, is derived from the seed husks of the Plantago ovata plant, and is the chief ingredient in...

Outrage over sexy Haribo sweet wrapperThursday, August 27, 2009 The sexy sweet wrappers with lime is clearly enjoying himself. A dad has criticised a sweet firm over characters on wrappers who look like they are having sex. Simon Simpkins, a dad of two, said he was shocked at the "pornographic" poses when he bought Haribo's MAOAM sweets for his children. Mr Simpkins of Pontefract, West Yorkshire, told The Sun: "The lemon and lime are locked in what appears to be a carnal encounter. "The lime, who I assume to be the gentleman in this coupling, has a particularly lurid expression...

Why Are Smart People So Ignorant When it Comes to Health, Vaccines and Vitamin D? A heart disease patient of late Had an IQ of 168. His brain was immense But it lacked common sense And it never engaged when he ate. As an observer of human behavior, one of the most fascinating things I've ever witnessed is really smart people dying of diseases that are easily preventable through basic nutrition (vitamin D, plant juices, targeted supplements, superfoods, etc.). I know doctors dying of cancer who take chemotherapy over vitamin D supplements. I know members of MENSA who are killing...

Gimme a Single Payer Food Program Dear Mr. Obama, It has been a busy year! Kudos on bringing your vast managerial experience to the banking, auto, and credit industries. Soon you may have control of our health care industry, too (fingers crossed!). Despite your many successes, there is one great American injustice that I fear you have overlooked: no American should be required to feed him or herself. Consider the plight of parents. In order to feed their children, they must submit to the mercy of heartless corporations like Target or Mike’s Cafe on Route 12. There, they must stand...

This is enough to test anyone’s cholesterol meds. After the big launch of their grilled chicken offering healthy alternatives, KFC has created the Double Down sandwich for those with a death wish. The Double down consist of two Original recipe fried-chicken fillets that replace the bread and in between these crispy pieces of chicken is bacon, Swiss and pepper-Jack cheese and the colonel’s sauce. When did the colonel get a sauce? Should we be glad there are no wasted calories on commercial grade pasty white bread? So who here wants to eat one of these? They are being test marketed...

We were dubious when we first read that Kentucky Fried Chicken was coming out with a new sandwich that does away with the bread in favor of two fried fillets. And that the "sandwich" part of the sandwich involved was made of cheese, something called Colonel's sauce .. and bacon? Could that possibly be true?

Years have passed since investors seemed to pay attention to anything other than the latest short-term, but irrelevant, number of the day. Perhaps the ESPN approach being applied to business news is part of the reason for that. What might happen next week or next year seems of little concern. However, next week and next year have a habit of becoming today over time. Sometimes though, short-term events, being largely ignored, unveil longer term developments. One of those might be the drought currently ravaging India’s farmers. Summer monsoons provide more than half of the rainfall in much of India. Indian...

This is perhaps man's greatest achievement or evidence of our civilization's impending doom. Maybe it's both. Meet the KFC "double down." Although no mention of it is made on KFC.com and we have never seen an ad for it ourselves, we are being lead to believe that it is real by Foodgeekery.com. They have crappy cell phone camera footage of a commercial (from Omaha, apparently) for the mysterious beast, as well as photographic evidence of it in the wild. The sandwich consists of two fried chicken fillets wrapped around bacon, cheese and Colonel's sauce. It apparently tastes like you think...

(CNSNews.com) – Restaurant chains with 20 or more stores would be required to display nutrition information, including calorie counts and “suggested daily caloric intake” on their menus, under a mandate contained in the health-care reform bill drafted by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.