Food News Round Up-ing
As the news overflows with tasty morsels of food-related stories, it can be hard to stay up-to-date. In this edition of Food News Round Up you'll be served a satisfying plate of delectable tidbits from the world of food—all in piquant present participles.
Sensing Food
- Testing the food pairing hypothesis
- Researchers explore connections between music, smell, and taste
Reading Food
- Turns out, people read menus like books
- Female Texas inmates release cookbook: 'From The Big House To Your House'
Politicking Food
- Trader Joe's signs Fair Food Agreement on tomatoes with Immokalee workers
- Global food prices increase in January, ending 6-month downtrend
- Chinese inflation and food prices cause concern
Seeking Healthy Food
- Walmart to label healthy foods
- Trans fats declining in foods and bodies, study finds
- Students assesses Concord, Massachusetts for local food possibilities
Changing the Way We Eat Starts with a Party
by Erin Powell
It was a windy, snowy day in Boston for the BU viewing party of TEDx Manhattan 2012: Changing the Way We Eat, but a hearty group of brave souls made it to campus. Led by Visiting Professor Carole Counihan and Assistant Professor Rachel Black, students and fellow Bostonians alike discussed important issues surrounding our food system in between streaming video sessions.
Though we watched the opening performance by in-house band, ETHEL, in silence due to sound problems, volume returned for the first session addressing Issues. Urvashi Rangan of Consumer Reports proved to be one of the most interesting speakers of the session. Rangan discussed the controversy surrounding food labeling regulations, contending that consumers can hardly rely on labels like natural, free-range, and fresh. She argued that consumers must seek truth, transparency, and trust in how our food gets labeled so that we can know what we’re buying.
After lunch, we returned to what was arguably the most interesting of the three sessions: Impact. Jamie Oliver’s video started the session on a troubling, but inspirational note with the charge – school food has got to change! Notable speakers in this session included Fred Kirschenmann who talked about the importance of soil in our food system; Howard Hinterthuer who started a veteran’s garden therapy program to help those with post-war trauma; and Stephen Ritz, whose breathless story (literally!) of how his edible food walls have changed the lives of kids in the South Bronx left the crows inspired, amazed, and on its feet.
We ended the day with Innovation, hearing from leaders in the field who have embarked upon novel solutions to food problems. Cara Rosaen solved the problem of knowing where food comes from with her website, Real Time Farms, which tracks where restaurants source their local food. Through her grandmother’s inspiration, Kavita Shukla discovered natural food packaging paper, which keeps produce fresh longer, reducing food waste. The final speaker of the day, Gary Oppenheimer, ended on a humbling note. He shared the Ample Harvest program, where gardeners can donate excess produce to soup kitchens so that they can enjoy fresh foods, as well as non-perishables.
Despite the snow blowing outside, the energy of the TEDx Manhattan event left me feeling inspired as I returned to the cold. Hearing about the ways in which people are working to fix the kinks in the food system gives me hope, but I also realize there is much progress to be made.
Alumnus Profile: John Pladocostante
by Emily Contois
Family is not only a huge part of Gastronomy alumnus John Pladocostante’s life, but also a focal point of his career in food. Originally from Utica, New York, Pladocostante was first introduced to gastronomy at the elbows of his grandparents. “I grew up living in my grandparents’ apartment building. I learned how to care for a garden and make wine with my grandfather, and how to cook and bake with my grandmother,” he says.
Inspired to pursue a culinary career, he received his Bachelor of Culinary Arts degree from Paul Smith's College, and earned his Master of Liberal Arts in Gastronomy at Boston University in 2011. One of his favorite courses was Food and Archaeology with Dr. Karen Metheny. He says, “A degree in gastronomy is so much more than food and cooking. The Food and Archaeology course is a great example of exploring food through thousands of years of history. Being able to explore the world of early humans and reconstruct their diet by learning about how plants were first harvested and domesticated helps you to be more of a well rounded culinarian.”
Pladocostante is currently a culinary instructor at Remington College’s Culinary Arts Degree program in Dallas, Texas. He is also well on his way to bringing his MLA thesis to life in Plano, a suburb of Dallas. For his thesis, he created a business proposal for a gourmet Italian foods company. Since graduating, he has started it, calling it Femia after his maternal grandparents. The central theme of family has already come full circle in Pladocostante’s life. With plans to expand Femia into an upscale Italian café in the future, he says, for now, it is satisfying to create a product that people appreciate. Dallas has long been known as a barbeque haven; and much of the young population in Plano tends to frequent chain restaurants and don’t yet demand good quality ingredients. But this means a growing and exciting market for Femia. Pladocostante says, “For people who have never been exposed to true Italian cuisine, or can’t cook, they love buying food that has a story, and that they can share with family and friends. That’s the essence of Italian food, it brings people together to enjoy life.”
John Pladocostante’s story is far from over and we are excited to see where life takes him as he brings sophisticated, high quality, Italian cuisine to the land of barbeque and Tex-Mex.
February Food Events
Can you believe that February is already upon us? Hopefully you've had time to settle into spring classes – and have left room in your schedule for some fabulous February food events. And the area is serving up more than just alliteration with events featuring bizarre food, raw milk, champagne, chili, and olive oil – just to name a few.
Also, make sure to register and mark your calendars for the Food and the City Conference, February 24-25.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6
Fireside Chat with Andrew Zimmern: Food Sol and Babson College will host TV personality, chef, and all-round food celebrity Andrew Zimmern – best known for his Travel Channel show Bizarre Foods – for a dynamic and interactive chat about the food entrepreneurs Andrew’s met around the world, and how they are positively impacting their communities.
2:30-4 pm, Babson College
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9
Champagne: A Global History with Becky Sue Epstein. Explore the many sides of bubbly in this event from Lifelong Learning. Cost: $75.00, includes a copy of Epstein's book. Reservations are required. Gastronomy students may qualify for a discount by calling 617-353-9852.
6 pm, 808 Commonwealth Ave, Fuller Building, Demonstration Room
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9 - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11
The Cookbook Conference, in the Roger Smith Hotel, New York City. Exploring cookbooks from various cultures, their meanings, and their future. Also featuring workshops for publishing, analysis and case studies. Two day conference fee, $299. Some panels will be webcast during the event; all recordings will be available on the conference website 1-2 weeks after the conference.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13
Pépin Lecture Series: Stop! Wait! What's in that bottle of extra-virgin? with Nancy Harmon Jenkins. This lecture explores explores the ancient world of olive oil fraud and what it means to modern consumers, explaining why you should know what’s in the bottle and, more importantly, how you can tell. Olive oil tasting follows the lecture. The lecture is free and open to the public, but reservations are required.
6 pm, 808 Commonwealth Ave, Fuller Building, Demonstration Room
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16
Harvard University Law School Raw Milk Debate: Join the Harvard Food Law Society as they present a debate covering the legal, health, and nutritional merits of raw milk from both sides of the issue.
7:15-8:45 pm, Harvard Law School, 1563 Massachusetts Avenue, Langdell South Room
3rd Annual Chili Cup: Enjoy all you can eat chili from Boston restaurants and benefit Community Work Services at the same time. Stay tuned for a possible Gastronomy student discount...
6 - 10 pm, Ned Devine's Irish Pub, 1 Faneuil Hall Market Place, Boston
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22
Coppa's Stuzzichini with Jamie Bissonnette, winner of Food and Wine’s 2011 People’s Best New Chef. Enjoy a cooking demonstration and tasting through Lifelong Learning with one of Boston's most colorful culinary personalities. Cost: $60 and reservations are required. Gastronomy students may qualify for a discount by calling 617-353-9852.
6 pm, 808 Commonwealth Ave, Fuller Building, Demonstration Room
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23
Blue Ginger: East-West Cuisine with Ming Tsai: Attend the first in the Feasts of the World series through Lifelong Learning. Cost: $125 and reservations are required. Gastronomy students may qualify for a discount by calling 617-353-9852.
6 pm, Blue Ginger, 583 Washington Street ,Wellesley, Massachusetts
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24 - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25
Food and the City Conference, co-sponsored by the BU Gastronomy program and History program. Explore the relationship between food systems and urban areas, using a variety of disciplines.
Boston University Photonics Center, Room 906
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29
Guest Lecture, Dr. Penny Van Esterik: Plan to attend a free guest lecture by Penny Van Esterik, Professor of Anthropology, York University, Toronto, Canada titled “The Place of Food Activism in Food Studies: a Case Study of Baby Food Advocacy.”
7:30 pm, CAS 325, 725 Commonwealth Avenue
Welcoming a New Crop: Spring Student Orientation
by Joyce Liao
My friends from California had warned me that moving to the East Coast in the middle of winter was a terrible idea. I, of course, booked a one-way ticket to Boston the very next day. I smartly packed my entire life into three suitcases, bidding farewell to my summer dresses 
and heeled pumps that would never last a day in the treacherous snow.
Despite the dreary rain that welcomed my arrival, I successfully survived my first day in Boston. Fortunately, the rain clouds cleared by the following afternoon just in time for the Gastronomy program new student orientation. After a short 20-minute walk battling the gusty winds, I was happy to step into the warm, cozy building. For the first portion of orientation, Rachel Black, assistant professor and academic coordinator of the Gastronomy program, provided an overview of the graduate program, in addition to some very helpful tips to prepare us for our first day of class. We also met several recent graduates, as well as current students, who shared with us their invaluable experiences in the program. Following the info session, we had a chance to introduce our fellow peers and share some of our favorite foods. From hearty soups to baked brie with garlic and cognac, this was the perfect segue into our dinner party.
We divided into four groups and made our way into the laboratory kitchen to get started on dinner preparation. With help from graduates of the Certificate Program in the Culinary Arts, we made a full menu set by Alex Galimberti that included a gorgeous salad using watermelon and black turnips, a creamy New England clam chowder, and buttery flaky tarts filled with fresh ingredients including goat cheese, mushrooms, kale and butternut squash. Over a family style dinner, we toasted to new friends and a new year filled with exciting and tasty adventures. As the evening came to an end, I couldn't be more certain that this was only the beginning to all of the inspiring and amazing things to come. Our meal ended with a warm apple crisp, just in time for us to brave the cold night ahead.
Joyce Liao is a Gastronomy student. Keep up with her on her blog: Hello, Good Bite.
Channeling the Chickpea: Experiencing the MIT Hummus Taste-Off
by Natalie Shmulik
There comes a day in every reporter’s life when he or she feels the need to comment on issues within the Middle East. Today is not that day.
So how does the Middle East factor in on a crisp, 25-degree morning in Cambridge? Why, in culinary form of course. Spread on nearly every pita, wrap, and crisp within the architecturally unique confines of the MIT campus, hummus, a Middle-Eastern staple, took center stage at The Fifth Annual Hummus Taste-Off, organized by MIT Hillel and MISTI Israel. The tasting event concluded the MIT Hummus Experience series, consisting of seminars, classes, and workshops, and drew a sizeable crowd of students, teachers, and chickpea enthusiasts.
Within a short, but effective, one-hour time period, attendees sampled each of the five competing hummus recipes (all were both vegan and kosher) and voted for their favorite batch. Contending groups endeavored to shake up the traditional hummus recipe (typically consisting of chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon, and garlic) by incorporating a variety of unique and unexpected ingredients, experimenting with pungent herbs, a variety of nuts and spices, and even citrus fruits. Each team was determined to outshine last year’s winning invention of Samurai Miso Hummus and for a chance to have their flavor combination recreated and packaged by Cedar’s Mediterranean Foods.
The tasting order put some entries at a slight disadvantage in the battle of the chickpea. As Gastronomy student, Sarah Morrow, pointed out, it perhaps was not the best idea to offer up an overwhelming palate hog like the Jalapeño Hummus prior to milder and subtler flavor contenders. Nevertheless, one group shone above the rest with their winning recipe of Grapefruit Black Tea Infusion hummus. It will surely be soon added to this collection of the most memorable hummus recipes of the series.
Following the tasting, attendees were ushered into a cozy room full of tables lined with coupons, recipe cards, and pocket-perfect hummus packets fit for the following day’s lunch. And if this was not enough, Rami’s, a restaurant situated in Coolidge Corner, supplied full-sized pitas stuffed with tangy pickles, crispy falafel fritters, lingering hot sauce, and of course a large slather of rich and creamy hummus. And the icing, or rather ice cream, on the cake: hummus flavored ice cream, courtesy of J.P. Licks. This cooling dessert ensured that hummus lingered on the mind and palate long after the event was complete.
Natalie Shmulik is a Gastronomy student. After successfully running her own restaurant for two years and working in one of the largest grocery chains in Toronto, Canada, Natalie ventured into the culinary world of New England. She is currently a member of the Gastronomy Students’ Association and is working on several food related projects.
Congratulating Our January Graduates
Please join us in congratulating our nine January graduates!
A perusal of their masters projects reveals the breadth, depth, and diversity of our student interests — from studies of cuisine and identity to food and art to sophisticated, yet practical, resources for food-focused teaching and business endeavors.
Lauren Bennett
"Baking in God's Kitchen: Confectionery Production from Sicilian Convents to a Massachusetts Abbey"
Lilly Jan
"Cuisine and Identity in Taiwan: Assimilation and Preservation Post 1949"
Megan Jones Wall
"Great Masters & Food Styling: Transforming Food Still Lifes Into Modern Photography"
Ashmi Patel
"A Taste of France in Boston: Business Plan and Analysis for French Patisserie"
Nicole Rose Petricca
"Berkshire Baby Food"
Avi Schlosburg
"The Theory and Practice of Food Studies at the High School Level: A Resource Guide"
Priya Shah
"From Mandaps to Huppahs: Ceremonial Procedures and Catering Approaches for an Interfaith Marriage"
Renee Sheppard
"Faith, Hope and Charity: An Operations Manual for the Roslindale Food Pantry"
Molly Elizabeth Siciliano
"Business Plan and Theoretical Framework for Fork in Hand Catering Company"
Introducing the Spring 2012 Graduate Assistants
This spring, graduate assistants, Alex Galimberti and Emily Contois, will be helping with various projects and tasks, from research support to event planning to the blog’s editorial calendar. Feel free to pepper them with questions and ideas. If you haven’t met them yet, here's a quick introduction:
Alex Galimberti will be continuing his graduate assistant work from fall 2011, focusing on research aspects of the program, as well as helping with program events, policies and organization tactics. An avid traveler with a particular interest in Latin American food cultures, Alex is hoping to work with gastronomic tourism development after completing the program. "One of my favorite things about researching Latin American cuisines is tasting unique ingredients, and also learning traditional pre-Hispanic recipes," Alex explains. Exploring exotic dishes such as chapulines and huitlacoche (fried crickets and wild fungus), as well as cuy (guinea pig), he's not afraid to try indigenous foods and distinctive cultural dishes that many Americans might shy away from. "My main goal is to keep going to different countries and learning more about their food." After graduating from The Culinary Institute of America, Alex began the Gastronomy program in 2010, taking a few courses at a time while he also works at Taranta Restaurant in the North End. He is also increasingly interested in issues involving food and labor and will be attending the Labor Across the Food Systems conference at UC Santa Cruz in early February. Alex has been featured on this blog before, so for more information check out his student profile.
Emily Contois will focus on communications projects, primarily the BU Gastronomy blog. Always intrigued by the connections between food and culture, Emily wrote her honors thesis at the University of Oklahoma on the rhetoric of the dieting industry. “The majority of Americans have dieted at some point. What I found is that the rhetoric of diet books, advertisements, and menus purposefully incites conflicted food relationships, creating an unending demand for diet products,” she says. She went on to study public health nutrition at UC Berkeley, where she also taught undergraduate nutrition courses. She then tried her hand at employee wellness, helping to launch Healthy Workforce at Kaiser Permanente. Emily began the Gastronomy program in fall 2011, while continuing to work with Healthy Workforce and Sargent Choice at BU. While only in her second semester, her research interests tend to gather around representations of food and food-related phenomena in popular culture and how they impact perceptions, behaviors, and society. She’s excited to be presenting her paper, “Not Just for Cooking Anymore: Deconstructing the Twenty-First-Century Trophy Kitchen,” at the Language of Food Conference in April. Upon completing the program, Emily hopes to return to teaching and find her path to becoming a food studies professor.
Want to get involved? We’re always looking for submissions! Recipes, alumni and current student profiles, event and festival write ups, and photographs are welcome, as well as anything else you dream up. Feel free to email us anytime with suggestions, ideas or articles – we’d love to hear from you!
January Food Events
January not only welcomes a new year, the start of the spring semester, new students, and ever-colder weather, but also a bevy of food-focused events. Whether you want to learn more about how we can transform the food system, add some books to your collection, or polish your writing skills, January is set to deliver.
Mark your calendars, grab a coat, and we'll see you there!
SATURDAY, JANUARY 21
TEDxManhattan: Changing the Way We Eat conference, New York City. Speakers explore concepts like collaboration, sustainability, and the current state of our food system. The New York City event is completely sold out, but you are invited to join us for a viewing party:
10 am-6 pm, Boston University, College of Arts and Sciences (725 Comm. Ave), Room 313
rsvp to gastrmla@bu.edu or 617-358-6916
Free and open to the public - bring a friend!
MONDAY, JANUARY 23
Gastronomy Book Swap: Come swap or buy books for Gastronomy courses, dish on classes and papers, and enjoy some fun and fellowship.
5-6 pm, 808 Commonwealth Ave, Fuller Building, Room 109
TUESDAY, JANUARY 24
ASFS Abstract Writing Workshop: Come get some pointers from Dr. Catherine Womack for writing abstracts for the Association for the Study of Food and Society Conference June 20-24 in New York City. Abstracts are due February 1.
5-6 pm, 808 Commonwealth Ave, Fuller Building, Room 121
SATURDAY, JANUARY 28
Gastronomy Writing Workshop: This workshop is a primer taught by Dr. Karen Pepper in academic writing that will help you develop the tools necessary for this writing-intensive graduate program. Although this workshop is open to all students within the Gastronomy Program, it is mandatory for first-year students. It is offered once a semester and must be taken in your first year of study.
1-4 pm, 808 Commonwealth Ave, Fuller Building, Room 109
SUNDAY, JANUARY 29
An Old-Fashioned Teach In on the Farm Bill: What do we New Englanders need to know about the Farm Bill? Plenty. Spend the afternoon at the Museum of Science and learn why the Farm Bill should really be called the Food Bill from key note speakers U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and NYU’s Marion Nestle, PhD.
2-6 pm, Museum of Science, 1 Science Park Boston, Massachusetts 02114
Note: This is a free, but ticketed event that is currently sold out and with a waiting list. If you get in, you must report back to us on what you learn!
Food News Round Up: January 16
From around the web this week, a few bites of food news. Feel free to to share thoughts, reactions, and other items of interest.
How food helped fuel the Civil Rights Movement
Britain is a fast food nation; new study finds half of all meals eaten out are fast food
Ancient kosher 'bread stamp' found near Acre, Israel
Atlanta plans to shake up airport food and dining
Marion Nestle defines organic