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Kroger Co. will close two Southern California supermarkets in response to a local ordinance requiring extra pay for certain grocery employees working during the pandemic. The decision announced by the company Monday follows a unanimous vote last month by the Long Beach City Council mandating a 120-day increase of $4 an hour for employees of supermarkets with at least 300 employees nationwide and more than 15 in Long Beach. Kroger said it will close a Ralphs market and a Food 4 Less on April 17, the Press-Telegram reported. “As a result of the City of Long Beach’s decision to pass...

VIDEOYou have probably encountered guajillo sauce if you've eaten at a Mexican restaurant. The good news is you can easily make that sauce at home. In this video I show you how to hydrate the dried guajillo chiles that can be purchased inexpensively at Mexican or Spanish markets. I previously used the guajillo as a marinade in conjunction with achiote to smoke some incredible chicken leg quarters. This time I added the sauce to my scrambled eggs. Oh, and as you can see in the video, if you use a high pulse on your lender, you don't need to use...

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located. This thread is a non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack...

The Biden admin's executive actions in the last 48 hours are attacking farms and implementing the technocratic takeover of food, accelerating a global collapse in food production by paying farmers NOT to grow food, cutting their financial support, tasking Tom Vilsack's USDA with a Net-Zero goal, changing COVID guidance on grocery stores, restaurants, and meatpacking plants. Meanwhile, the media is finally acknowledging the soybean shortage, and the US is now also experiencing a fertilizer shortage, which will further increase costs and cause yields will collapse. As other countries stop exporting to protect domestic supplies, the US has been wholly sold...

Reuters quoted Chicago-based consultancy AgResource Co. president Dan Basse who expects Chinese imports of corn and soybeans will continue to be sourced from the US in more significant amounts. This is excellent news for American farmers and may result in a continuation of upward prices. Grain demand from China in global markets has created upward momentum in corn and soybeans prices since late summer. Earlier this month, corn prices hit 6-1/2 year highs amid increasing Chinese demand and export disruptions in South America. Basse, who spoke at the Paris Grain Day conference earlier this week, said China's soybean imports could...

USDA late Wednesday posted notice that $2.3 billion in supplemental Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) payments will be temporarily frozen.“In accordance with the White House memo, Regulatory Freeze Pending Review, USDA has suspended the processing and payments under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program - Additional Assistance and has halted implementation until further notice. FSA local offices will continue to accept applications during the evaluation period,” said a notice on the USDA CFAP page.“In the coming days, USDA and the Biden Administration intend to take additional steps to bring relief and support to all parts of food and agriculture during the...

America is entering a terrible period in its history at an accelerating pace, now that the Left has taken control of all the critical reins of power in the government, the mainstream media, social media, and big tech. Unfortunately, history teaches with laser clarity that there are no guardrails restraining the behavior of the Left when it is so empowered. Normative legacy Judeo-Christian values usually provide self correction against outrageous excesses from the Right. Even when conservatives have the power, they restrain themselves from, for example, committing full-on genocide. An example of this is seen in the late 19th Century,...

In a court filing late Monday, Cici's blamed its Chapter 11 filing on the "unpredictable and unprecedented scale" of the pandemic, which decimated its bottom line and customer demand because it relies heavily on its dining rooms. The Texas-based company has more than 300 locations in 26 states — a sharp decrease from the roughly 650 restaurants it owned about a decade ago. Cici's dropped "pizza" from its name in 2015 and expanded its menu to focus on its unlimited soup, salad and dessert options. The company was bought by Arlon, a food and agriculture investment firm, a year later.

From processed meats to high fructose corn syrup, these are all the items linked to early death. Though it may come as a surprise to some, not all "processed" foods are created equal. There are minimally processed foods, such as canned vegetables and frozen meats, and then there are highly processed foods, such as mass-produced, store-bought breads, TV dinners, and other items that come packed with saturated fats, added sugars, and practically zero fiber. (For more on those, see our complete list of the 100 Unhealthiest Foods on the Planet.) "Nutritionally speaking, minimally processed foods generally offer similar nutritional benefits—vitamins,...

Scrambled eggs might be a simple dish but it can be surprisingly hard to get right. Everyone wants a fluffy texture and to avoid the eggs going too rubbery. And one chef says the key is his secret ingredient – mayonnaise. Food scientist Alton Brown says the condiment gives the dish a creamier and more delicious texture.

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located. This thread is a non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack...

The pods, which are made from wood and steel, were put in parks and other places, a spokesman for the city said. To shield the homeless from the wind and cold, the beds have been equipped with thermal insulation. They are also big enough for use by two individuals. There are no cameras, and when they are in use, sensors are triggered. Those behind the project, amid some delays, announced that they had eventually been rolled out just as the weather began to take a turn for the worse.

Join us on January 19 as we celebrate National Popcorn Day! Buttered, salted, kettled, drizzled with caramel, popcorn is one of those snacks perfect anytime, anywhere. It’s great on the go, in the theater, or in your living room! Just be prepared to dig some of it out of your teeth. NATIONAL POPCORN DAY 2021 DEALS There are always some great deals knocking around on National Popcorn Day. We’ve done some research and compiled a summary of what’s available below. Showcase Cinemas Showcase Cinemas is offering free popcorn to ticket holders and private screening attendees at all of its open...

On the same day that China published a much stronger than expected (if largely laughable as we first noted and Michael Pettis subsequently confirmed) GDP print, making China the only major economy to grow in the “year of covid”, China customs data showed that grains imports soared to record highs in 2020 after tight domestic corn supplies pushed prices to multi-year peaks, driving demand for cheaper imports. China, the world’s top agricultural market, bought a record 11.3 million tonnes of imported corn last year, according to General Administration of Customs data, exceeding the annual quota – which was set at...

Chinese authorities locked down more cities on Jan. 18 in an effort to curb the spread of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Several others were upgraded from medium- to high-risk for virus spread—meaning residents were required to take nucleic acid tests for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.Meanwhile, food prices have skyrocketed, especially in cities under lockdown. Prices were at least 50 percent higher than in cities not under strict quarantine policies.Tight Control On Jan. 18, Xinle city in Hebei Province announced that all supermarkets, grocery stores, and shops must close. Residents wouldn’t be allowed to leave their...

Biden's minimum wage push faces uphill battle with GOP President-elect Joe Biden and incoming first lady Jill Biden volunteered at a hunger relief organization in Philadelphia on Monday to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The Bidens helped pack food boxes at Philabundance, the largest hunger relief organization in Philadelphia, as part of a national day of service two days before Biden will be sworn in as the next president.

One of the best things about travelling the globe is trying amazing world cuisine – and there’s nothing better than hot, fresh street food. And the good news is that even if we’re not able to travel at the moment due to Covid-19 restrictions, we can still feel like we’re away from home by taking inspiration from our adventures’ best dishes. From the food markets of São Paulo to enjoying stroopwafel on a dutch canal, here are some of the best culinary experiences the world has to offer.

Nestlé Prepared Foods is recalling more than 762,000 pounds of pepperoni Hot Pockets, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said. The frozen stuffed sandwiches — shipped to retail stores nationwide — are being recalled because they “may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically pieces of glass and hard plastic,” the USDA said Friday. The problem was discovered when the company received four consumer complaints of extraneous material in pepperoni Hot Pockets, the department said. The company has received one report of a “minor oral injury” associated with consumption of the product, the USDA said.

A usually reliable source informs me that the Walmarts in the area are doing land office business. Something like 50% more than normal, with one store having over double expected. I don't know of any specific news that would drive this, perhaps the smelly Walmart shoppers are prepping for a long Dark Winter?

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located. This thread is a non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack...