Bookmarks–September 18, 2024

I’m back after a summer off for baseball and getting kids ready to leave the nest. Here are a few things I bookmarked over that time: the anniversary of the caesar salad, busting some food myths, and bad news/better news around food and climate. Plus, a newer article that will come in handy for parents of school-aged children.

Hail, caesar! At 100 years old, the world’s best salad is having a renaissance

I missed sharing this on the actual anniversary of the caesar salad but the article is evergreen. I love reading about the history of iconic dishes like this well-known salad. As an added bonus, this article also looks at new interpretations of the classic romaine and parmesan combination. 

“In Tijuana, a city often in the headlines for its role as a border flashpoint in political crises over asylum-seeking and migration, the anniversary of the caesar salad is an opportunity to highlight a different narrative, one that highlights Tijuana’s passion for cultural conservation, said Claudio Poblete, a Mexican food critic and writer…’This is the first time in the 100 years of this caesar salad that the world is going to know it’s from Mexico,’ Poblete said. Tijuana deserves to be known for some ‘good news’, he said, of ‘a recipe, a kitchen, a tradition.’” (The Guardian)

The food myths my friends believe that drive me crazy

I always love a little mythbusting. It’s amazing how certain beliefs take hold and never let go. A good debunking is always welcome, especially around “good” vs. “bad” foods. Interestingly, many of these topics were covered in a class I took for people with prediabetes. It would be good if such courses were made available to everyone, not just those who are already dealing with health issues. Prevention goes a long way with things like Type 2 diabetes. 

“When did you last hear that natural sugars are healthy, that it’s important to drink protein shakes if you exercise, or that bloating means you’re almost certainly gluten-intolerant?” (BBC Food) 

The Sad Future of Grocery Shopping

The future of food shopping does not look rosy, thanks in large part to climate change. This article outlines some of the impacts of climate change on food crops, including pests, fungus, and an inability to grow crops due to extreme weather. 

“This is where the new age of grocery stores begins. They aren’t about to become Malthusian—just a little sad. Most likely, ‘it would be more of the same’ of what’s happening now, Lobell said: The produce you’re looking for may be more expensive or out of stock more frequently; the prices of basic foods, such as sugar and flour, won’t be reliably low. Maybe guacamole will become too costly to be a Super Bowl staple, or burger prices will start to resemble those of steak. If extreme heat continues to crush tomato harvests in Australia, Spain, and California, you might even think twice about that bottle of ketchup.” (The Atlantic, gifted link)

‘Goldmine’ collection of wheat from 100 years ago may help feed the world, scientists say

This story is an antidote to The Atlantic article above. One forward-thinking individual created helped preserve older strains of wheat the were discarded and thought to have no use for plant breeding. It turns out that these older varieties might be the key to creating new strains that can tolerate our changing climate. 

“‘Crucially, Watkins had realised that, as we began breeding new wheat varieties, genes that were then thought to be of little use and which were being deleted from strains might still have future value…His thinking was incredibly ahead of its time. He realised that genetic diversity – in this case, of wheat – was being eroded and that we badly needed to halt that.’” (The Guardian)

How to make school lunch prep faster, simpler and easier

There are some great ideas in here for streamlining the much-dreaded task of preparing school lunches. And I agree on getting kids involved. From grade 6 onward, my kids had to make their own lunch and clean their own lunch dishes. (Another idea for apples: cut and toss with cinnamon. These “dirty apples” won’t show brown spots from oxidation and taste delicious.)
“One of the most tiresome elements of packing school lunches (as with all kinds of meal prep) is coming up with an idea. Social media will try to convince you that cutesy, multi-box, different-every-day bentos are the solution: Don’t believe it. Most of us have a hard enough time deciding how many times we can hit the snooze button, let alone come up with a kicky new lunch menu every day. Instead, try one of these lunch formulas, and lean into the routine.” (The Toronto Star)

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