Brightest Young Things

This week we get outraged about ground meat, we mourn Gourmet, realize we're Foodiots, hate on the NYTimes, ponder urban chickens in D.C., discover Todd English is a dick, make fun of the French, a preview of Birch & Barley, Domo sells out, the NY Michelin Guide is out and Barton Seaver as "Chef of the Year."

First the outrage:

This Sunday EVERYONE FREAKED OUT ABOUT GROUND MEAT. They read the New York Times story on Stephanie Smith, a young dance teacher who is now paralyzed from eating E. coli contaminated ground beef. All together America found out that: 1. There is no federal requirement for grinders to test their ingredients for E. coli, 2. Many big slaughterhouses will sell only to grinders who agree not to test their shipments for E. coli.

All this is not a surprise to some people, many who stopped eatting commercial ground beef after reading books like Fast Food Nation. What's different today is that consumers have options. Instead of being powerless,  Americans are now finding themselves able to buy meat directly through farmers through cow share programs or at farmer's markets, and it's easy to grind your own meat in a food processor or through a simple kitchen attachment.

The food safety issue is incredibly compelling and there is some great journalism happening right now on the topic. Obama Foodorama has some great analysis on the issue and Marion Nestle jumps into the fray saying that we as consumers need to become outraged and activists. When you think about the fact that 400 different cows goes into one commercial hamburger patty, you can certainly feel outrage.

Now the round up:

• The world also FREAKED OUT BECAUSE GOURMET CLOSED. Lesson learned. When McKinsey sends consultants to your company to look for inefficiencies, start dusting off the old resume. No one is safe in this media climate, not even the amazing and classy Ruth Reichl. For something beautiful, here are 68 years of Gourmet magazine covers. I'm pouring one out for Gourmet, a real loss.

• Are you a Foodiot? Someone who spends more time talking about what you ate for dinner than how your day was? Are most of your Facebook/Twitter updates about what went into your mouth? Do you photograph your food? I'm guilty of all counts, but hey, I do it for you. Which leads to a good question...can I food blog a date?
• The New York Times wrote some irritating article on a New York/Brooklyn hipster food trend...drinking young coconut milk. Seriously, some cutie girls with chest tattoos get spotted drinking coconut water and the Grey Lady starts proclaiming "trend!" It's coconut water, it's delicious. people have been drinking it forever...literally. You want to get it locally, go to H-Mart, they have the coconuts all carved and ready to go. Fly to Miami, stop at Palacio de los Jugos, get a coconut and a bag of fresh chicharon. You get the idea. (Thanks Stroup!)

• DC Councilman Tommy Wells is proposing that DC's urban chicken rules be relaxed. I'd love to see more urban gardens and be able to keep a few chickens for egg production, but can see there are some bigger issues at play for the community. Thoughts?
• Celebrity Chef Todd English (Olives) left his bride-to-be at the altar. She played it cool and partied all night on his dime.
• DC is now classier than Paris. At least we don't have McDonald's in our museums, like they got in that Louvre of theirs. Suckers.
• Preview of Birch and Barley, opening in the next two weeks on 14th Street.
• Domo now lives at 7-11. Sads.

• The 2010 NY Michelin guide is out. Three stars to Daniel, Per Se, Masa, Jean George and La Bernadin. Congratulations to all!
• Barton Seaver will be named "Chef of the Year" by Esquire Magazine, and Blue Ridge one of the best restaurants on the country. I've never eaten there, so I can't speak for it, but I think reactions are mixed locally. Thoughts? I will say it's always exciting to have young D.C. talent recognized on a national platform.