Bay Area Bites | Jun 19, 2013

Posted by NPR Food

Apricots are the finest of summer's fruits, with dense, juicy flesh and delicate, velvety skins. That's why it is so disheartening when you bite into one, only to find it is mealy and flavorless. To find the best ones, head to your local farmers market.

farmers and farms | Jun 19, 2013

And The Winner Of The World Food Prize Is … The Man From Monsanto

Posted by NPR Food

The prize is sometimes called the "Nobel Prize for food and agriculture." And this year's winners include Monsanto executive Robert Fraley, a pioneer in genetically engineered crops. If there's a single person who personifies the company's controversial role in American agriculture, it's probably Fraley.

cocktails and spirits | Jun 19, 2013

The Martini: This American Cocktail May Have An International Twist

Posted by NPR Food

The martini has been called "the only American invention as perfect as the sonnet." But is this cocktail perfectly American? Maybe not entirely. In honor of National Martini Day, we decided to dig into the drink's muddled past.

farmers and farms | Jun 19, 2013

LGBT Pride Profile: Jennifer Johnson & Serafina Palandech of Hip Chick Farms

Posted by Mary Ladd

One lesbian couple is learning what it's like first hand to start a food business in Sonoma County while raising a young child. Chef Jennifer Johnson is the "wusband" to Serafina Palandech. The two run Hip Chick Farms and fell in love at the Lexington Club in San Francisco. They work together to provide a product without preservatives, hormones, antibiotics or fillers.

farmers and farms | Jun 18, 2013

Obama Would Veto House’s Farm Bill, White House Says

Posted by NPR Food

The Obama administration says the bill "makes unacceptable deep cuts" to federal food aid programs and extends, rather than cuts, crop insurance payments to farmers.

health and nutrition | Jun 18, 2013

Hot Dogs, Bacon And Red Meat Tied To Increased Diabetes Risk

Posted by NPR Food

A fresh study looks at what happens after people change their meat-eating habits. Those who upped their intake — about 3.5 servings more per week — saw their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes during four years of follow-up increase by almost 50 percent.

asian food and drink | Jun 18, 2013

Watch Master Fruit & Vegetable Carver Jimmy Zhang Make Melons Bloom and Carrots Fly

Posted by Anna Mindess

Want to carve a rearing horse out of taro, tropical fish from carrots or a roaring dragon out of giant radishes? Watch Chef Jimmy Zhang, Master of the Chinese Art of Fruit and Vegetable carving in this video as he fashions an exquisite watermelon rose and shares the secrets of this ancient craft.

culinary education and classes | Jun 17, 2013

Italian University Spreads The ‘Gelato Gospel’

Posted by NPR Food

Among the many culinary treats Italy has given the world is gelato, a frozen dessert with roots in ancient Mesopotamia. Gelato lovers from all over the world are flocking to a university outside Bologna, Italy, to master the art of gelato-making. Here's a free lesson: Don't call it ice cream.

Bay Area Bites Food + Drink | Jun 17, 2013

Soured Milks: What’s the Difference?

Posted by Garrett McCord

There’s a definite difference between cheese and milk. It's clear in the tastes, textures, state of matter, and smells. However, when it comes to that iffy area in-between milk and cheese it get’s a little muddy. What exactly is the difference between sour cream and crème fraîche? How is yogurt different from kefir? Why is the buttermilk purchased in stores rarely ever true buttermilk?

Bay Area Bites Food + Drink | Jun 14, 2013

Nudging Detroit: Program Doubles Food Stamp Bucks In Grocery Stores

Posted by NPR Food

Incentive programs that double the value of food stamp dollars spent at farmers markets have been hailed as one of the most effective ways to encourage healthful eating and support local farmers. The flaw: Most people don't shop at farmers markets. So a new program will soon pilot the concept at three grocery stores in Detroit.