Lard: Good Fat at a Good Time

Study suggests wine aficionados often skip the meal

(NEWSER) - We’re always hearing that this wine goes with that food, and feel guilty when we get it wrong—but what if it’s all a scam? asks Jason Wilson in the Washington Post . A new study suggests it might be: More than 60% of wine sipped by “high-frequency wine drinkers”—those who drink wine several times weekly—isn’t accompanied by a meal. It just goes to show, argues wine blogger Alder Yarrow, that the chatter over correct pairings is propagated by the wine establishment, perhaps as a moneymaking move. "For every glass carefully chosen to go with a specific dish, there appear to eight more consumed in the same way most people drink a scotch," writes Yarrow at Vinography . More»

Background noise diminishes sense of taste

(NEWSER) - Airline food is notoriously bland because of engine noise, not a lack of spice, according to new research. Volunteers who ate sweet or salty foods while listening to silence through headphones found the flavors more intense than a group of volunteers who heard white noise. The latter group found the flavors much blander, and the food crunchier. Researchers say the experiment confirmed their hunch that background noise affects people's sense of taste. More»

Furry friends are also perfect food animal for budding DIY farmers

(NEWSER) - Rabbit as food is a troubling conceit for many Americans—“it’s this weird association with Easter,” a chef says—but the animal is taking off with a small group of budding butchers, urban farmers, and those just enamored of its lean, healthy meat. “This is my gateway animal,” a woman at a recent rabbit-killing seminar who envisions raising the critters in her backyard tells the New York Times . More»

Many see right through US bars, actually made by Hershey

(NEWSER) - Serious chocolate fans responded warily to the news of Kraft's bid for Cadbury—especially in the US, where aficionados reject the domestic brand anyway. It’s made by Hershey, not the British firm itself, and that just won’t cut it for hardcore devotees of the British brand, the Wall Street Journal reports. "If you were to hold a gun to my head, and say, 'Eat this Hershey bar!' I'd say: 'Shoot me,'" vows one fan. More»

Local cuisine is ranked

(NEWSER) - Paris is for lovers—food lovers. The city came in first on a Forbes list of the world’s best cities for eating well, based on a 2009 survey ranking 50 cities. Notably absent from the top 10 are New York and London, which don’t boast much of a “local” cuisine. A sampling, along with some favorite regional dishes:

1. Paris: Steak frites; sourdough; chocolate tarts
2. Rome: Square slices of pizza with zucchini; gelato; Caprese sandwiches