The Salt

California's Genetically Engineered Food Label May Confuse More Than Inform()  

Protesters demonstrate against the production of genetically modified food in front of a Monsanto facility in Davis, Calif.

May 14, 2012 A new analysis of the labeling initiative, which may go on the ballot in November, shows that it would create a complex and nuanced set of restrictions for food companies on what "natural" food is.

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The Salt

Bring On The 'Yabbies': Australia Ditches The Bad British Food()  

A fishmonger prepares her wares at the Sydney Fish Market.

May 13, 2012 On a recent trip, Weekend Food Commentator Bonny Wolf was taken by surprise by Australia's stunningly diverse cuisine, especially the dizzying array of exotic seafood like yabbies and marron at the Sydney Fish Market.

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The Salt

Black Pepper May Give You A Kick, But Don't Count On It For Weight Loss()  

Can you fight fat with a spoonful of these?

May 12, 2012 Black pepper and other spicy foods are often touted as weight loss aides, thanks to ingredients like capsaicin, but saying no to the freshly-grated Parmesan is more likely to help you lose weight.

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The Salt

Thomas Jefferson's Vegetable Garden: A Thing Of Beauty And Science()  

Thomas Jefferson's garden at Monticello served as an experimental laboratory for garden vegetables from around the world.

May 10, 2012 Thomas Jefferson's garden was a vast, beautiful science experiment involving over 300 varieties of 90 different plants. And no gardening detail was too small for Jefferson to note in the gardening journal he kept for nearly 60 years.

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The Two-Way

Rare Calico Lobster Turns Heads, And Escapes Dinner Menu()  

The calico lobster known as Calvin is shown in this photo provided by Boston's New England Aquarium. The lobster is dark with bright orange and yellow spots.

May 10, 2012 A calico lobster that had been living in obscurity off the coast of Maine has now been catapulted into a sort of celebrity, thanks to its rare coloring: a calico mix of orange and yellow spots. Researchers say it could be a 1 in 30 million specimen.

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The Salt

Why It Matters That California Teens Eat Less Than Their Peers()  

California teens are getting fewer calories because of restrictions on school snacks, a study says

May 10, 2012 California teens eat about 158 calories less a day than their peers in other states, a new study says. But even that tiny amount of fewer calories per kid can help them maintain healthy weights over time, experts say.

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The Salt

Hospital Food So Fresh, Even The Healthy Come To Dine()  

Executive chef Tony DeWalt picks some lettuce from the Fauquier Hospital's culinary healing garden.

May 9, 2012 You won't find cardboard chicken and mushy carrots at the Fauquier Hospital in Virginia, one of a dozen health care facilities dedicated to improving patient experiences beyond their immediate medical needs. In fact, the hospital's cafeteria has become a hang out for senior diners.

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The Salt

What Our Gut Microbes Say About Us()  

The bacterium Enterococcus faecalis is a beautiful example of a gut microbe.

May 9, 2012 While U.S. adults have relatively uniform microbe colonies in their guts, adults in Malawi and Amazonia have much more diverse populations. Scientists are still struggling with why that is and what it means.

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Kitchen Window

Power Puff: Flex Your Culinary Muscle With A Souffle()  

Asparagus-Spinach Souffle

May 9, 2012 The souffle has a reputation for being finicky in the kitchen: a billowy, golden masterpiece that collapses as soon as it's out of the oven. But home cooks should have no fear, says food writer Nicole Spiridakis. The key to success, she says, is fresh eggs — and a pinch of moxie.

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The Salt

From Weed To Whimsy: Chefs Conquer Wild Foods With Butter And Oil()  

In another era, this plate of Spanish mackerel topped with wild tamarack, basswood leaves, garlic mustard, fiddlehead ferns, and knotweed might seem cheap. Not anymore.

May 8, 2012 A new generation of chefs committed to seasonal, wild and local foods may have no idea how or what they're going to cook until the last minute. And since they're charging big bucks, they better figure out how to make weeds taste good.

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The Salt

Recipe For Safer Drinking Water? Add Sun, Salt And Lime()  

Pakistani boys collect water from a hand pump on the outskirts of Islamabad.

May 8, 2012 Adding dirt and salt can help make drinking water cleaner, and is far cheaper than fancy filtration systems for getting rid of harmful bacteria, scientists say. It just takes a little patience and the sun.

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The Salt

What HBO And iCarly Can Do To Get Kids Psyched About Veggies()  

Getting kids to eat right is an age-old challenge

May 7, 2012 As part of efforts to spotlight obesity, health officials are betting that HBO and Nickelodeon entertainment companies can teach kids it's cool to form healthy eating habits that last a lifetime.

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Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me!

Sandwich Monday: The Four-Courser()  

The Four Courser.

May 7, 2012 For this week's Sandwich Monday, we eat something called "The Four-Courser." It has four courses, or you need at least four courses in advanced sandwichology to understand it.

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Pop Culture

Alcoholidays In America: ¡Viva El Tequila Julep!()  

The infield at Churchill Downs can get pretty beer-soaked, as this scene from the 2011 Kentucky Derby proves. But this year, things could get even more crazy: The Derby falls on another of America's favorite "alcoholidays," Cinco de Mayo.

May 4, 2012 The way holidays stack up in this country, an outsider might be forgiven for thinking the United States seems like a party monster lurching from beer blast to beer blast. And this Saturday presents an unholy marriage on the same day: Cinco de Mayo and the Kentucky Derby. Call it Drinko de Mayo.

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The Salt

Chocolate Maker Brings Joy Out Of The Basement()  

Ben Rassmusen's chocolate as it is cools in the tempering machine.

May 4, 2012 A hobby turned into an obsession caused Ben Rasmussen to turn his basement into a chocolate factory. See how Rasmussen rebuilds and re-purposes household items to create his award-winning confection.

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The Salt

The 'Smart Fridge' Finds The Lost Lettuce, For A Price()  

Samsung's fridge with an LCD screen has 28 cubic feet of space inside.

May 4, 2012 Two companies have debuted so-called "smart fridges," which have built-in apps designed to keep track of food expiration dates and items that get buried so deep that they'll never be found in time to eat.

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Kitchen Window

These baked, seasoned crisps are so tasty and colorful, you might not miss those fried potato chips.

Even Your Mother Will Approve Of Vegetable Chips

These baked, seasoned crisps are so tasty and colorful, you might not miss those fried potato chips.

Fresh eggs — and a pinch of moxie — help tame this billowy dish that's notorious for collapsing.

Power Puff: Flex Your Culinary Muscle With A Souffle

Fresh eggs — and a pinch of moxie — help tame this billowy dish that's notorious for collapsing.

There are ways to enjoy this rich spread, even for the innards averse: Try fish or veggie varieties.

You Don't Have To Like Liver To Love Pate

There are ways to enjoy this rich spread, even for the innards averse: Try fish or veggie varieties.

Avoid an early morning scramble with these make-ahead meals that are grand enough for Sunday brunch.

Overnight Breakfast: A Feast For Reluctant Risers

Avoid an early morning scramble with these make-ahead meals that are grand enough for Sunday brunch.

Green bamboo rice, black "forbidden" rice, red rice and sticky rice delight the eyes and the palate.

Rice: A Rainbow Of Possibilities

Green bamboo rice, black "forbidden" rice, red rice and sticky rice delight the eyes and the palate.

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