Weekly roundup of great reads on food and wine #24

Yesterday we came across a quote on Twitter which went something like this: If your ingredient list reads like a novel it is best to stay away. It may sound obvious but whether we like it or not we end up succumbing to the convenience of supermarket food. However, author and journalist Joanna Blythman is on a mission to change this and she is clearly raising awareness on the horrors that go into convenience food. Her book Swallow This: Serving up the Food Industry’s Darkest Secrets promises to be a shocking read. Blythman has also been able to promote her book and raise awareness through articles in newspapers. This one really turns your stomach. You’ve been warned.

Wasting food is becoming unfashionable. It is great given that we lose about 31 per cent of our food to waste on a daily basis. While San Francisco, in the United States was the first city to make its citizens compost food, Seattle is the first to punish people with a fine if they don’t. Running an efficient kitchen is becoming as satisfying as the food itself. Dan Barber, the chef and author is so dedicated to ending food waste that he is turning a restaurant into a pop-up in which every dish is based on waste.

There is a very interesting chef’s profile of Jeremy Fox in the Lucky Peach. If you have enjoyed our interview with Sergio Herman, don’t miss it.

It is great to be able to laugh sometimes. So here is a photo collection of what junk food would look like in a fine dining context. It is hilarious.

Magnus Nilsson of Swedish restaurant Faviken has closed his restaurant to allow his staff and himself to reflect on things like the colour blue in nature and the Japanese mushroom garden. When he opens again on 1 July, he will be shifting to a ticket system whereby meals are paid for at the point of reservation.

Why should you judge people eating alone? Why do solo diners get such bad publicity? Some consider it sad or depressing but there are many reasons why this can happen. A photo blog called Table for One in the United States is trying to change that perception

You know we love city guides. So here is one on what to do on a weekend in Rome. Enjoy.

Natural wine is often  misunderstood. One of the biggest challenges is the fact that there is neither a definition or a regulation on what constitutes a natural wine. It is a subject that can divide even the most passionate wine lovers. Many agree that wine needs to be enjoyable and great. Can natural wines which are pesticide-free and treated as naturally as possible give as much pleasure as more main stream wine? This is a really interesting article on the debate.

There is a provocative article about sommelier culture in San Francisco and how this seems to be dying. It is a lesson which may well apply to other cities worldwide.

If you love Burgundy wine, you might want to read Eric Asimov’s article on Michel Lafarge.

Have a great week ahead.