Untimely death of a young chef<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/a>Many were saddened this week by news of the death of 23-year-old chef Nathan Laity<\/a>. A senior sous chef at the Tate Modern, Laity had contracted tonsillitis but continued to work 14 hour days for almost 4 weeks. He died in his sleep on Mother’s Day. Doctors indicate that his immune system had simply shut down through exhaustion – another truly heart-breaking reflection of the intensity of work that many chefs subject themselves to.<\/a><\/p>\n

Cider to get a 10% tax hike<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/a>It’s the sort of news to make a Bristolian<\/a> weep. In this week’s budget Alistair Darling announced that duty on cider would increase by 10%<\/a> in an effort to curb binge drinking. In real terms this could mean up to an extra 10p a pint – that’s a packet of crisps every four pints. I drowned my sorrows by skulling a bottle of vodka instead.<\/p>\n

Bovine flatulence problem exaggerated<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/a>It appears it isn’t only cows that are full of hot air. This week a UN advisor admitted statistics suggesting that the meat industry was responsible for 18% of greenhouse gases was perhaps a little embellished<\/a>. This doesn’t change the fact, however, that a little BOOM<\/a>ing on all our parts would do both our health and the environment a favour.<\/p>\n

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Other food news:<\/strong><\/p>\n

* <\/strong>Attempts by Spanish MEPs to bring back the ban on wonky veg falls flat on its face<\/a>. Thankfully.<\/p>\n

* <\/strong>First episode of The Delicious Miss Dahl on BBC2 creates controversy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

* <\/strong>Jamie Oliver heads to the States<\/a> to tell them how to eat. Camel, eye, needle?<\/p>\n

* El Bulli’s Ferran Adria to teach culinary physics at Harvard<\/a>.<\/p>\n

* Guinness launches a black lager<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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A good blog post:<\/strong><\/p>\n

* Why the Sustainable Restaurant Association can make a difference<\/a>, by Henry Dimbleby – an important issue, but does the plan go far enough?<\/p>\n

My favourite recipe of the week:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rhubarb is bang in season; here’s a wicked pudding from Cheaper Than Chips<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Funniest video of the week:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The flailing arms, the look of elation as the tongue lolls out…I watched this about five times in a row.<\/p>\n