Celebrations & Fundraisers

With government aid not guaranteed, farmers whose crops were ruined by harvest-time rains use ingenuity, draw on goodwill of customers

By Pete Wells

The New York Times 2011-09-28

Ian's on State Street, a pizza parlor near Wisconsin capitol, fields callers from 14 countries, all 50 states and D.C. looking to donate money to provide pizza to those at protest

By Meredith Shiner

Politico 2011-02-21

Farmers, school and health care representatives unite behind bill that would provide grants for farm to school and gardening programs and raise lunch funding to buy Oregon products

By Jennifer Colton

Hermiston Herald (OR) 2011-02-09

Chicago restaurants Alinea, L2O receive ultimate three-star rating in new Michelin Guide; two-star recipients are Avenues, Charlie Trotter's and RIA; 18 restaurants received one star

By Phil Vettel

Chicago Tribune 2010-11-16

With weddings fueled by money, black tea and sugary pastries, they become competitive sport in L.A.'s Persian community, but recession challenges lavish culture

By Robert Faturechi

Los Angeles Times 2010-08-22

2 million join community party on Germany's Autobahn; event featured ethnic specialties and world's longest picnic table made of 20,000 beer garden tables, 40,000 benches

Der Spiegel 2010-07-25

Despite pricier, more healthful fare, hot dogs, loaded or not, rule as one-handed food at baseball parks

By Ken Belson

The New York Times 2010-07-13

In Atlanta, Botanical Gardens adds edible gardens, mini crop circles, outdoor kitchen in support of sustainable food movement

By Meridith Ford Goldman

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 2010-04-13

Seed house head, culinary historian find common ground, create African-American Heritage Collection

By Doug Oster

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 2010-02-13

Iowa town besieged with fans of pheasant-focused festival that also includes bird-dog parade, tractors, jerky, boots, knives, ammo

By Jared Strong

The Des Moines Register 2010-02-26

Crop Mob draws volunteers who descend on a farm for afternoon to mulch, build greenhouses, pull rocks from fields

By Christine Muhlke

The New York Times 2010-02-28

To bring in year of the Tiger, eat fish - yu - a homonym for "plenty," long noodles for long life, dumplings for wealth

By Ann Mah

Washingtonian magazine 2010-02-08

Super Bowl brings to mind pigskins - all fat, salt and crunch - revived as snack for people with food tattoos, absinthe budgets

By Kim Severson

The New York Times 2010-02-03

Pizza, wings lose out to vegetables, potatoes on Super Bowl Sunday, poll shows

By Rosemary Black

Daily News (NY) 2010-02-02

Switch to biomass briquettes for cooking fuel among small-scale efforts to protect Kashmir Valley

By Emily Wax

The Washington Post 2009-12-18

Food pantries in New York, Philadelphia benefit from baseball wager

On the losing end of a friendly wager, Philadelphia produce wholesale workers donned Yankees gear and delivered about 10 tons of fresh fruits and vegetables to New York, a week after the Yanks beat the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. Produce will be donated to the Food Bank for New York City. A load of produce also was delivered to Philabundance, Philadelphia's local food bank.

By Andy Nelson

The Packer 2009-11-10

Desire for fresh eggs leads to ruffled feathers at State Fair

Desire for fresh eggs leads to ruffled feathers at State Fair

Courtney Perry/DMN

White-crested black Polish bantam.

From a couple of hens his dad brought home for eggs, a teen's passion grew. Now, as member of marching band, Dax Havrilak hopes to leave chicken pedicures to his mother while he performs, then win ribbon in bantam contest at State Fair of Texas. And: Economic distress underlies backyard chicken boomlet, as people seek ways to fend for themselves in tough times (click 'See also'). In cities, interest spurred by preference for organic, locally grown foods and as reaction to recalls.

By Mariana Greene

The Dallas Morning News 2009-10-07

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Conciliatory meeting demands astute beer choice

Conciliatory meeting demands astute beer choice

Inviting Henry Louis Gates Jr., Harvard scholar, and James Crowley, Cambridge police officer for White House meeting after racial tensions had escalated was easy compared to next question: Which beer to pour? Choice likely will offer publicity boost to brewer; previously known mostly in Midwest, Chicago's Goose Island brews rode Obama's coattails to larger distribution after it was served at inaugural festivities.

By Scott Mayerowitz

ABC News 2009-07-28

Fruit trees ready-made for sharing, urban foragers believe

Urban fruit foragers look around cities, see trees full of fruit and think, 'Delicious.' Underground fruit economy is growing across country, building community. Supporters hold two basic principles: It's a shame to let fruit go to waste; neighborhood fruit tastes best when it's free. And: In Seattle, volunteers harvest unwanted fruit, deliver it to local food banks and meal programs (click 'See also').

By Kim Severson

The New York Times 2009-06-10

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In contest, lunch ladies trade sporks for saute pans

Lunch ladies in San Francisco Bay Area put serious cooking skills to test - with nary a nugget in sight. Competitors had two hours to plate a prize-winner; with 30 minutes left, they cinched up their hair nets and turned up the heat. 'Plenty of time,' one cook sneered, having spent a lifetime staring down hungry adolescents.

By Bruce Newman

San Jose Mercury News 2009-04-29

Industry works to polish peanut's tarnished image

Industry works to polish peanut's tarnished image

Big Stock Photo

The peanut - an American icon - has been pounded by years of allergy fears and, more recently, an ongoing salmonella outbreak linked to a peanut manufacturing plant (click 'See also'). Now the peanut industry is fighting back at NASCAR events and beyond, trying to regain its wholesome, all-American image.

By Ted Anthony

The Associated Press; Houston Chronicle (TX) 2009-03-22

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In cheese contest, one of 1,360 stands alone

In cheese contest, one of 1,360 stands alone

Italian-style parmesan from Wisconsin's Sartori Foods takes top honors in cheese competition that drew 1,360 entries from 32 states. A hard goat's milk cheese from Oregon's Tumalo Farms won second; third place went to New York's McCadam Cheese for a medium cheddar (uschampioncheese.org). And: Immigrants to Wisconsin bring cheese-making with them (click 'See also').

By Karen Herzog

Journal Sentinel (Milwaukee, WI) 2009-03-19

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Hungry inaugural crowds a restaurant dream - if there's food

Inauguration a welcome boost to lackluster season for restaurants, but the question is - where do you store 3,000 pounds of chicken wings, 3 1/2 tons of french fries and everything else for serving when Monday's a holiday and roads are closed on Tuesday? And: Where to eat during the week (click 'See also').

By Jane Black

The Washington Post 2009-01-14

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Honoring Lincoln at Obama inaugural lunch

Honoring Lincoln at Obama inaugural lunch

Obama inaugural lunch designed to celebrate bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth. Menu lists seafood stew, then duck breast with cherry chutney, herb-roasted pheasant with wild-rice stuffing, molasses sweet potatoes and a melange of vegetables. And for dessert: Apple cinnamon sponge cake with sweet-cream glacé. And: Obamas retain White House chef (click 'See also').

By Erica Marcus

Newsday 2009-01-10

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Driving sustainability to the White House lawn

Driving sustainability to the White House lawn

www.thewhofarm.org

An organic garden grows on the roof of a touring school bus.

Sustainable food advocates tour in topsy-turvy bus with garden on top to raise awareness for locally grown produce, garden on White House lawn. Benefits, beyond health, include lower transportation costs, community building, and reconnecting to nation's agricultural roots. Skeptic calls push for First Garden a shallow stunt.

By Brian Reed

National Public Radio/All Things Considered 2008-12-24

Chefs cooking for benefit during inaugural festivities

Hot ticket at inauguration festivities will be charity dinner for 80, cooked by Alice Waters at Phillips Gallery. Other culinary luminaries - Daniel Boulud (Restaurant Daniel), Dan Barber (Stone Barns), Ricky Bayless (Frontera Grill) - will cook for 20-30 guests in homes around the city. Dinners benefit anti-hunger efforts in D.C. For tickets, call (510) 548-4795 or click 'See also' after January 1.

By Marian Burros

The New York Times 2008-12-22

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Opinion: The time for giving to one another is now

Americans who surged to the polls to give Barack Obama their votes are ready right now to give more. All you with time and energy left over: Help homeless and hungry people. Work for an environmental organization, a food pantry or a community garden, or all three. Tutor a vet who is aiming for college. Some local cause is struggling. Find it and pitch in.

By Lawrence Downs

The New York Times 2008-11-10

Community supported agriculture grows past arugula

As economy falters, friends and neighbors with stake in community find that local food is investment opportunity with tangible return - a share in risks, certainly, but also bounty of vegetables, seafood, milk or discounts at restaurants. And: Town unites around food, agriculture to save itself (click 'See also').

By Peter Andrey Smith

Gourmet.com 2008-10-08

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Gleaning builds food pantries, community simultaneously

As food prices increase, urban and rural citizens engage by growing their own food as well as noticing the neglected harvests around them. Gleaning an overabundance of zucchini, or pears to stock food pantries, experts say, ties the community together.' And: In Seattle, Community Fruit Tree Harvest sends volunteers to harvest, then deliver produce to local food banks and meal programs.

By Patricia Leigh Brown

The New York Times 2008-09-14

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Slow Food, full city, sold-out events

In first event of its kind in U.S., Slow Food Nation expected to draw 50,000 to San Francisco over Labor Day weekend. Organizers hope to change world socially, ecologically and politically through people's stomachs. Slow Food, begun in Italy in 1986, works against industrialization of food production. Critics see food snobbery in group.

By Stacy Finz

San Francisco Chronicle 2008-08-26

Slow Food basking in sustainable food moment

Slow Food USA hoping to draw 50,000-plus to its Woodstock at Labor Day weekend festival. In preparation, it has turned San Francisco's City Hall lawn into edible garden, accepted corporate partners and raised more than $2 million. Group will showcase inclusive, independent direction for U.S. branch (Italian parent organization criticized by columnist as elitist global movement to combat globalism - click 'See also').

By Kim Severson

The New York Times 2008-07-23

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Nutrition shapes catering guidelines for Dems' convention

Nutrition shapes catering guidelines for Dems' convention

demconvention.com

Democrats' guidelines for convention caterers include half the meal of fruits and/or vegetables, foods in a variety of colors, no fried foods, 70 percent organic and/or local, reusable silverware and no bottled water. Official promises no grease police for those who sneak funnel cakes. And: Denver councilman declares fry-free menu anti-Southern (click 'See also').

By Sara Burnett and Julie Poppen

Rocky Mountain News 2008-07-11

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Security tightened at food festival after shootings

City adds greater police presence to its popular 'Taste of Chicago' event after four persons shot following holiday fireworks display. Shootings occurred a mile away from festival, officials said. Sixty-five vendors are offering a total of 287 items for tastings. For interactive map, click 'See also.'

By Angela Rozas And Jason Meisner

Chicago Tribune 2008-07-04

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Springing into the New Year

Springing into the New Year

Big Stock Photo

For Nowruz, the Persian New Year celebration, olives represent fertility and love.

For 3,000 years, Persians (and those of Persian descent) have celebrated their New Year on the first day of spring. Najmieh Batmanglij, a cookbook author, celebrates the 13 days of Nowruz with spring herbs, fish (for abundance), eggs (for fertility) and soup with noodles, which symbolizes unraveling the difficulties in the year to come.

By Bonny Wolf

National Public Radio 2008-03-16

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The pull of the plate

To enhance participation, set up food booths at your job and financial advice fair, then place the only seating in front of the speakers at the convention center. That's what the Hartford, Conn., organizer of the Latino Expo did. With plates full of steaming tamales, skewered chicken and fried pork skins, the crowds of people sat down to eat - and listen.

By Lynn Doan

The Hartford Courant (may require subscription) 2008-02-24

Chips choice

Superbowl Sunday calls for exhaustive taste-testing of dip-worthy potato chips. Some tasters like them pale, others deep and dark, some like them thick and some thinner. Low-fat and baked versions aren't on the radar. And the best? Kettle Krinkle Cut Chips.

By Carol Ness

San Francisco Chronicle 2008-01-30

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Milk and honeys

Internet matchmaking service links dedicated dairy farmers, who live a lonely, twice-daily milking kind of life, with possible mates who aren't intimidated by tractors and don't hold their noses while walking in the pastures.

By Carolyn Starks

Chicago Tribune 2008-01-02

Go, soy

If you grow it, will they win? A fan shows support for beloved Buckeyes by interspersing yellow-leafed soybeans with the more common green-leafed type in his employer's test plots.

By Mary Beth Breckenridge

Akron Beacon-Journal (OH) 2007-11-09

Sensible feasts?

Buoyed by Arab custom of big family meals, iftar celebrations have become lavish celebrations of sugary snacks, with waistlines and health problems following, says French physician in new diet book, "Chrono-nutrition - Ramadan special."

By Kerstin Gehmlich

Reuters 2007-09-14

Cutting cane:

Gin Gin Cane Cutting Festival in Australia brings the old-time sugar industry experts and other contestants together, timing them to cut a section of sugarcane by hand, the way it was done before mechanical harvesters, while racing the clock and each other.

By Jodie van de Wetering

Australian Broadcasting Corporation 0000-00-00

Eel on a stick:

Lamprey harvest is a waterlogged, delicious tradition for Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest that begins with pulling them off rocks where they have flung themselves - just watch out for those big round bloodsucking mouths full of sharp teeth.

By Ann Dornfeld

National Public Radio 2007-08-10

Fundraiser in memory:

Son's battle with cancer, and his effort to eat more healthfully during battle, inspires grieving mother to honor her son and support leukemia resesarch by compile cookbook and donating proceeds.

By Erin Sauder

Geneva Republican (IL)