Big Shots Drool Over Giant Truffle

Posh Spice spills to Elle about her TV habits, perpetual pout

(NEWSER) - Victoria Beckham, who graces the October cover of Elle, is speaking out about her life, her marriage to soccer megastar David, and how she's perceived. Among her pearls of wisdom:

• "People think I’m a moody bitch. I do have my insecurities. Maybe that is why I look a little bit serious."
• "We should just not talk about each other’s boobs."
• "I’ve done Nip/Tuck, Brothers & Sisters, Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice. Then I got into Gossip Girl. I’m beyond obsessed with that show."

From 'grilled to perfection' to 'garden fresh'

(NEWSER) - Tired of menus that use the same old phrases over and over? So are the food critics at the Chicago Tribune. They nominated nine menu clichés for the compost pile:

• "Grilled to perfection": Subjective to the point of meaninglessness. And why always grilled, and not “boiled” or “baked”? Can only grilling reach perfection?
• "World famous": Almost always an empty boast.
• "Kobe burger": “Kobe” is becoming a general synonym for “high quality”; it doesn't apply unless the beef actually came from Japan.

Laws against new ethnic eateries prompts charges of gastronomic xenophobia

(NEWSER) - Kebabs, Chinese food, and curries are the targets of a growing Italian campaign against foreign food, the Times of London reports. The Tuscan town of Lucca has slapped a ban on new foreign eateries opening in the city, and Milan has now followed suit. Government-backed campaigners say they are fighting to protect Italian food from the increasingly popular ethnic competition. More»

Hong Kong master began as chicken-plucker

(NEWSER) - The Michelin Guide's first three-star Chinese chef is no celebrity who's pushing cookbooks and TV shows, the New York Times reports. Chan Yan-tak, who grew up as a kitchen hand and worked his way through Hong Kong restaurants, even quit the business to take care of his daughter. "My old colleagues started teasing me about when I’d get back to work," said Yan-tak. "I thought they were joking.” More»

Comics legend Stan Lee draws up idea for Posh and Becks in Spandex

(NEWSER) - The creator of the Fantastic Four has his eye on famous twosome David and Victoria Beckham to be his next cartoon crimefighters, Access Hollywood reports. Former Marvel Comics kingpin Stan Lee, already working to put Paris Hilton and Ringo Starr into two dimensions, says "the great looking, talented and colorful" pair would be a perfect addition to his roster of superheroes. No word yet on how the dynamic duo feel about the project. More»