The Juicy Bits
It's CookbookTober! Get ready for an onslaught of cookbook roundups and best-of lists. High on my list? Robert Simonson's Encyclopedia of Cocktails. It's also restaurant best-of season: the New York Times and Bon Appétit magazine have highlighted the year's best restaurants, and Food & Wine magazine unveiled its class of Best New Chefs 2023. Plus, Colorado now has 5 restaurants with Michelin stars, announced in the state's first-ever Michelin guide. More into pizza than tweezer food? Check out this new ranking of the world's 100 best pizzerias. Scotch whisky lover? Find out how US distillers are creating Scotch-style whiskies with novel uses of local peat. If you're a fan of all things smoky, you may also be itching to burn some wood, especially now that cooler weather is approaching. Take a look at what BBQ pros Rodney Scott and Bryan Furman have to say on the subject. Finally, if you cook with olive oil and see it on sale, now may be a good time to stock up. The cost of olive oil surged 130% over the past year, and prices are expected to keep rising. Thanks, climate change!
Cooking
The Year's Biggest Cookbooks Go Live
Image Source: Stained Page News
So many cookbooks are published in the fall that insiders call this month "CookbookTober." Just in time for holiday shopping, cookbook pro Paula Forbes shares a comprehensive roundup of Fall cookbook releases. Here also are this season's cookbook best-of lists from Eater, Food & Wine, Forbes (no relation to Paula Forbes), Simply Recipes, and Tasting Table. Happy cooking!
Restaurants
California Raises Minimum Wage For Fast Food Workers To $20
Image Source: Associated Press
Last week, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law raising the minimum wage for fast food workers from the state's current $15 to $20 per hour. The new law replaces the controversial FAST Act, applies to quick-serve restaurants that have at least 60 US locations, and takes effect April 1, 2024 (no foolin'!). Chicago is making similar moves with new plans to raise its minimum wage for tipped workers from the current $9.48/hr to $15.80/hr over 4 years. It's about time minimum wages caught up with inflation.
Beverages
Winemakers Explore The Science of Oxidative Wines
Image Source: Thomas Martinsen
Oxidized wine is considered flawed with muddied colors, muted flavors, and degraded aromas. However, "oxidative" wine can be completely delicious. The difference? A strategic employment of oxygen during the winemaking process. For instance, introducing the element early on can help remove excess thiolic (rotten egg) aromas while breaking down astringent tannins and softening the mouthfeel of wine. Some winemakers have even begun using oxygen instead of sulfites to create complex, cellar-worthy bottles of white wine. Read on to uncork the details.
BBQ Hot Spot
Six Grilling Tips From BBQ Pros Rodney Scott and Bryan Furman
Image Source: Clay Williams
In late summer, the third annual Family Reunion was held at the Salamander Resort in Middleburg, Virginia, to bring together the country's top Black chefs, bakers, vintners, and pitmasters. BBQ gurus Rodney Scott and Bryan Furman, both native South Carolinians, shared their incredible whole hog barbecue and their top BBQ tips. Scott says to skip the gasoline or lighter fluid and get your smoker or grill going with leftover bacon fat from your kitchen. Furman recommends bypassing St. Louis-style ribs and buying spare ribs instead. You can cut the tips yourself and save about $1.50 a pound. Find many more insights in the article.
Supply Chain
Olive Oil Prices Surge Over 100%, Leading To Cooking Oil Thefts
Image Source: Bloomberg/Getty Images
Global olive oil prices reached $8,900 per ton last month, a 130% increase over last year, according to the USDA. Prices have been driven up by extremely dry weather and low olive yields in the Mediterranean, particularly in Spain, the world’s largest olive oil producer and exporter. In related news, 50,000 liters of extra virgin olive oil ($450,000 worth) was stolen recently from one of Spain’s oil mills. Prices are expected to continue rising. If you prefer olive oil for cooking and see it on sale, now may a good time to stock up.
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Last Bite
Paqui Pulls "One Chip Challenge" From Shelves As Teen's Death Is Investigated
Image Source: Steve LeBlanc
On September 1, 14-year-old Massachusetts resident, Harris Wolobah, died soon after eating a chile-spiked tortilla chip made by Paqui. It seems impossible that a hot pepper could kill you, but even Paqui's packaging warns that its chips, seasoned with excruciating Carolina Reaper and Naga Viper peppers, could lead to difficulty breathing. As Wolobah's family awaits autopsy results, Paqui has urged retailers to stop selling the "One Chip Challenge." Would you take the risk? Personally, I'd prefer something more enjoyable for my last bite. Maybe death-by-chocolate crème brûlée.
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