Been a while since I wrote one of these. Here goes…

Campaigners call time on Ronald McDonald
For over 40 years the ever-so-slightly creepy clown has been the smiling face of obesity, health professionals are telling us. Ronald sells drugs burgers to kids, campaigners reckon, demanding in an open letter that McDonald’s stops marketing to children. I’m pretty sure It could be the McDonald’s mascot and kids would still stuff the greasy pucks into their chubby maws.

Britons are unadventurous eaters
It seems reports of a growing understanding of food in our fair nation have been overstated. ‘A study‘ has found that 45% of us have never eaten goats’ cheese, and 1 in 5 have never had an olive. Thankfully, *cough cough splutter splutter* my book ‘Small Adventures in Cooking’ is coming out next month. Perhaps that will redress the balance. I can’t believe I just did that.

Strawberry celebrations premature
There was great rejoicing last week when farmers told us that this would be a bumper year for strawberries. Alas, how much can change in a week. Now they’re telling us that the groaning early harvest caused by a hot April will lead to punishingly empty fields come June. So eat up them strawberries now.

*****

Other food news this week:
* Battery rabbit farms return. So that’s where the Energizer bunny comes from.
* Man eats his 25,000th Big Mac.
* David Cameron’s comfort food. Alarmingly similar to mine.
* Waitrose launch breadless sandwich.
* Rise in biscuit sales as we turn to comfort in recession.

*****

Blog of the week:
* Chris Harding’s blog has had me chuckling for a while now. Brilliant stuff. Bizarre photographs.

*****

Video of the week:

Marcel the shell with shoes on. Utterly divine.