Processed food is destroying our taste buds
\n<\/strong><\/span><\/a>Despite the excited and locavore-pleasing news that each region of the UK has its own flavour<\/a> – ‘as distinct as regional accents’ – there are concerns that processed foods are killing our appreciation of fresh produce. Apparently<\/a> we want food that tastes the same all year round, destroying the subtle nuances of seasonal, local flavours.<\/p>\n

We ate all the pies
\n<\/strong><\/span><\/a>The recession has seen a leap in the amount we’re spending on pies. Along with roasting joints and baking goods, it seems we’re turning to pies – good old comfort food – as a frugal and reassuring means of making up for lighter wallets. Last year we spent nearly a billion quid on the lardy things. What’s your favourite pie? Appletons in Ripon do the best pork pie in England, no contest.<\/p>\n

Cloned food in our shops in two years
\n<\/strong><\/span><\/a>“How’s your lamb?” “Well it’s identical to yours, darling” is the sort of thing we might be hearing rather sooner than first thought, if the Daily Mail<\/a> is at all accurate. Apparently the trade in cloned animal semen and embryos is already so widespread that the monitoring of such things will be nigh-on impossible before long.<\/p>\n

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Other food news this week:
\n<\/strong><\/span>* Boxed whine – Jim Rosenthal felled by Heston Blumenthal<\/a>.
\n* A new chilli<\/a> to knock yer bollocks off.
\n* 50% of restaurant dishcloths ‘could make you ill’<\/a>.
\n* Gaga’s beefkini causes a stir<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Pie(ce) of the week:
\n<\/strong><\/span>* Henry Dimbleby talks amusingly about pies<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Recipe of the week
\n<\/strong><\/span>* A lovely paean to the pea, from the even more lovely Rose Cottage<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Video of the week
\n<\/strong><\/span>I’m really shocked to hear that R.E.M. have done a song to promote whale meat. Shame on them.<\/p>\n