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Tuesday, February 12, 2013

An Italian-Inspired Valentine's Feast From 'Nigellissima'

If you can't find pennette, use the small bulging crescents that are chifferi, or regular elbow macaroni, instead.

February 12, 2013 Before the roses and the romance, Valentine's Day commemorated the Roman Saint Valentine — Valentinus, in Latin. And in her new cookbook, Nigellissima: Easy Italian-Inspired Recipes, chef Nigella Lawson offers up simple recipes that celebrate the cuisine of the country Saint Valentine called home.

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On Morning EditionPlaylist

Under The Label: Sustainable Seafood

Conditions Allow For More Sustainable-Labeled Seafood

A sockeye salmon that was caught from the research vessel Miss Delta off the coast of Vancouver is examined. The MSC has certified the fish as "sustainable" even though there is concern from scientists and environmentalists.

February 12, 2013 Most fisheries certified by the MSC system have conditions that spell out how they have to change their operations to comply with MSC standards. But they can still be labeled "certified sustainable seafood" even though they have years to comply.

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On Morning EditionPlaylist

Monday, February 11, 2013

The Salt

Pig Manure Reveals More Reason To Worry About Antibiotics

Pigs at a farm in Beijing peer out at visitors. Half of all the pigs in the world live in China.

February 11, 2013 Manure from pig farms doesn't just contain residues of antibiotics used in livestock. It also carries high concentrations of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, a new study of Chinese pig farms finds. And researchers say "it's a global problem."

Summary

The Salt

Sandwich Monday: Mountain Dew A.M.

They're not kidding.

February 11, 2013 For this week's Sandwich Monday, we take a break from between two slices of bread, and try a drink on Taco Bell's breakfast menu. It combines Mountain Dew, orange juice, and profound personal sacrifice.

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The Salt

Less Potent Maker's Mark Not Going Down Smoothly In Kentucky

With too little distilled bourbon to meet demand, Maker's Mark is lowering the product's alcohol content from 90 to 84 proof.

February 11, 2013 LPMThe distillery says it must lower its bourbon's alcohol content to meet demand. The company says consumers won't notice the change, but in bourbon country, Maker's Mark fans aren't too happy about the plan.

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On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

Under The Label: Sustainable Seafood

Is Sustainable-Labeled Seafood Really Sustainable?

Capt. Art Gaeten holds a blue shark that was caught during a research trip in Nova Scotia. Scientists are studying the impact of swordfish fishing methods on the shark population.

February 11, 2013 Industry demand for the "sustainable seafood" label, issued by the Marine Stewardship Council, is increasing. But some environmentalists fear fisheries are being certified despite evidence showing that the fish population is in trouble — or when there's not enough information to know the impact on the oceans.

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On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

The Salt

Gastro-Nomics: Hunting for A Good Meal In Puerto Rico

You'd think tropical fruit would be everywhere on a Caribbean island. But we had to search fairly hard to find these beauties.

February 11, 2013 In a tropical spot like Puerto Rico, you'd think a person would practically be stumbling over exotic fruits and fresh fish. Not so much. Blame global economics.

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Asia

Auntie Anne's Pretzels In Beijing: Why The Chinese Didn't Bite

The China Twist by Wen-Szu Lin chronicles the author's (ultimately unsuccessful) attempt to bring Auntie Anne's pretzels to China.

February 11, 2013 It's the entrepreneurs' dream: tapping into China's market of 1.3 billion people. That dream fueled the efforts of two Chinese-American MBAs to take the soft-pretzel franchise — a staple of U.S. shopping malls — to China. Cultural and financial barriers, however, led to a far more challenging reality.

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On Morning EditionPlaylist

Sunday, February 10, 2013
Saturday, February 09, 2013

The Salt

What To Do With All That Snow? Cook It

For a "Cooking With Snow" class taught through Knowledge Commons DC, instructor Willie Shubert made baobing, a shaved ice dessert from China.

February 9, 2013 If your front yard is buried under drifts, treat yourself to some snow cuisine. It's like making lemons out of lemonade — just steer clear of any lemon-colored snow outside, please. Sugar on snow and snow cream are two sweet places to start.

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The Salt

British Outrage Grows As Horsemeat Pops Up In More Foods

Frozen-food company Findus recalled its beef lasagne meals earlier this week because they contain horsemeat.

February 9, 2013 Food retailers are poring over piles of beef-based foods for hints of horse contamination. Aside from health concerns, why do Brits have so much beef with horsemeat?

Summary

Friday, February 08, 2013

The Salt

When The Microbes Are Happy, The Brewer Is Happy

Yeast affects several aspects of beer including the foam, or head, that forms on the of the glass. If fermentation is too vigorous, too many of the foam-stabilizing proteins may be lost.

February 8, 2013 Yeast are demanding little critters. To make good-tasting beer, brewers have to pamper them like pedigreed pets. A new report says it's all about the microbiology. Brewers say they use science to keep their charges happy.

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The Salt

Chinese New Year: Dumplings, Rice Cakes And Long Life

Year cakes made of sticky rice are among the traditional Chinese New Year foods.

February 8, 2013 Eating foods that symbolize wealth, longevity and fertility is key to the Chinese New Year, which begins this year with a New Year's Eve feast on Feb. 9. And, lucky for us, the northern Chinese tradition of making dumplings late at night has spread throughout the world.

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Thursday, February 07, 2013

The Salt

Fried Chicken And Sweet Tea: Recipe For A Stroke

Delicious, yes. But it's really not health food.

February 7, 2013 Why do people in the South face a higher stroke risk? Classic fried and sweet Southern fare may have a lot to do with it, according to research that sliced and diced regional eating habits.

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The Salt

Animal Magnetism: How Salmon Find Their Way Back Home

Bright red sockeye salmon swim up the Fraser River to the stream where they were hatched.

February 7, 2013 When salmon are ready to leave the ocean and go back to their birthplace, they use magnetism to find their home river. But scientists fear fish born in hatcheries might have a poor sense of direction if they're raised in places surrounded by man-made objects that drown out the planet's natural magnetic field.

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The Salt

A major nutritionist group comes out against an industry petition to change the definition of milk.

Nutrition Group Says Chocolate Milk Is OK, No Need For Aspartame

A major nutritionist group comes out against an industry petition to change the definition of milk.

People and their animals are living closely together in African megacities like never before.

African Cities Test The Limits Of Living With Livestock

People and their animals are living closely together in African megacities like never before.

Horticulturists think vertical farming's future may lie in indoor warehouses lit up magenta by LEDs.

Vertical 'Pinkhouses:' The Future Of Urban Farming?

Horticulturists think vertical farming's future may lie in indoor warehouses lit up magenta by LEDs.

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Kitchen Window

The revival of this old-fashioned flavor inspires a crepe cake, a chocolate-crusted tart and more.

Bringing Back Butterscotch

The revival of this old-fashioned flavor inspires a crepe cake, a chocolate-crusted tart and more.

Stash a treat to practice self-appreciation: slow-roasted nuts, salty-sweet matzo candy and more.

Try A Do-It-Yourself Mother's Day

Stash a treat to practice self-appreciation: slow-roasted nuts, salty-sweet matzo candy and more.

These regional recipes exemplify the virtues of Italian cuisine: simple, traditional and fresh.

Bringing Home The Essence Of Umbria, Italy

These regional recipes exemplify the virtues of Italian cuisine: simple, traditional and fresh.

Try them now in their seasonal prime in a chilled soup, a citrusy spread or a traditional rice dish.

A Fresh Pod Cast: Savoring Spring's Green Peas

Try them now in their seasonal prime in a chilled soup, a citrusy spread or a traditional rice dish.

Consider these wild prickly greens a stand-in for spinach, lending bright flavor to a tart and more.

Nettles Bring Spring To The Kitchen

Consider these wild prickly greens a stand-in for spinach, lending bright flavor to a tart and more.

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