Is it just us, or does it seem as though there were an unusual number of food recalls in Ontario yesterday? Consumers are being warned about possible salmonella in organic grape tomatoes, listeria in smoked salmon from a Toronto plant and undeclared milk and peanuts in soymilk sold in the GTA. No illnesses have been reported thus far—we just hope that no one with a peanut allergy chooses to enjoy their smoked salmon with roast tomato chutney and a glass of Korean soymilk. The complete details on the recalled products, after the jump.
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Yesterday’s food recall triple threat: grape tomatoes, smoked salmon and soymilk
Bedbugs be gone: G20 preparations now extend to insect world
Since the feds certainly haven’t skimped on security spending for the G8 and G20 summits, we’re hoping that officials have the major bases (terrorists, anarchists, violent protesters) covered. Step two is dealing with some awkward, less dangerous problems. And for at least one Toronto hotel, that means bedbugs.
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How to be Martha Stewart’s intern, Elizabeth Hurley’s low-calorie beef jerky, the best kinds of cheeseburgers
• While covering the cheeseburger beat for the Chicago Tribune, Kevin Pang scarfed down 60 different versions of the patty-and-bun classic. Now on a beef detox program of carrot sticks and flax seeds, Pang serves up his collected wisdom. On condiments: hold the ketchup and the mustard, but don’t forget the mayo. On french fries: while greasing them in duck fat is trendy, beef tallow provides a more robust taste. On flavour combinations: nothing beats cheese, bacon and caramelized onions. [Chicago Tribune]
• One lucky bidder will get the chance to work as Martha Stewart’s intern for the bargain-basement cost of $3,600. The American tastemaker is auctioning off a six-week paid internship to raise money for her eponymous centre at Mount Sinai Mission. Is this her take on stimulus spending or a version of home economics she picked up in prison? [Eat Me Daily]
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L.A. is king of the delis, Quebec’s cheese war, Halloween candy buy-back program
• Some dentist offices in the U.S. are offering a Halloween candy buy-back program to encourage trick-or-treaters to take it easy on sweets. The dentists pay around $1 per pound of candy, and some are giving away freebies, like toothbrushes. The bought candy will be shipped to U.S. soldiers serving overseas, who are presumably responsible enough to avoid any cavity-inducing overindulgence. We’re hopeful that dentists north of the border will eventually join the effort, lest American children gain an advantage in the field of bribery. [Baltimore Sun]
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Zagat on Wendy’s, Jamie Kennedy changes gear, street food forgotten

Appreciation station: Zagat names Wendy's the best of the fast food joints (Photo by Mykl Roventine)
• The venerable Zagat guides, known for passing judgment on higher-end offerings, are now ranking fast food joints on the quality of their fries, burgers, coffee and more. Wendy’s comes out on top. [Sun Sentinel]
• Jamie Kennedy is one unlucky locavore. He’s selling the Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar—his St. Lawrence Market flagship—in an effort to keep his debt-plagued empire afloat. The problem, he admits, is that all those pricey, farm-fresh local ingredients he swears by are putting him in the red. [Globe and Mail]
• City hall is suspending food cart licences during Dundas Square tree planting, without offering vendors compensation or alternate locations. The Toronto Sun’s Sue-Ann Levy ascribes the trouble to the machinations of “socialists” at “Silly Hall.” [Toronto Sun]
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Bacon booze, Maple Leaf relief and the beef with beef
• Recent studies have revealed that beef is the least environmentally friendly meat out there, while the opposite is true of chicken. This may be because about 35 pounds of cow manure are produced for each pound of saleable beef. [Slate]
• The Italian founder of the Slow Food movement is coming to Toronto to attend a conference, as well as an orgiastic feast hosted for his Toronto devotees (including Jamie Kennedy). We expect him to travel by giant snail. [CP]
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More listeria lunch meat, hepatitis at the Hortons, why the U.K. loves Jamie Kennedy
• The ROM’s C5 ranks second in Food and Wine magazine’s list of the top 10 restaurants with a view. In your face, Santa Monica! [Canada.com]
• Not to be outdone by the swine flu, listeria makes a comeback in the form of Piller’s Taste Better Than Bacon maple-flavoured smoked ham and Taste Better Than Bacon hickory-smoked turkey bacon. [Ottawa Citizen]
• Hot on the heels of a similar profile in the U.K.’s Telegraph is a Brit-written guide to Canuck cuisine. This time, they discuss Ontario’s best offerings and spend 288 words gushing about Jamie Kennedy. [Travelbite]
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CFIA cutbacks, menstrual meals, and more listeria hysteria
It’s irony at its finest. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is accused of cutting back on spending in order to save for an emergency fund. [Globe]
In more listeria hysteria news, inspectors report the Maple Leaf plant that produced the tainted meat wasn’t properly audited. [The Star]
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Food snob quiz, rats in the market, locavore setback
• Ever wonder what the criteria are to be categorized as a food snob? Time Out’s Holier Than Chow on-line quiz asks 30 questions before labelling participants as Easy Macs, Discerning Diners or Bona Fide Foodie Elitists. [Time Out]
• Save the best wine for sipping, not cooking, say many Toronto chefs. Some Food Network types suggest that top-shelf vino is best in the kitchen, but most high-end restaurants use lesser stuff. And money saved is not the only benefit of subbing in cheaper hooch: fine wine’s richer flavour can overpower—instead of enhance—foods. [Toronto Star]
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Maple Leaf’s make-over, McDonald’s mini-burger, Canada’s best food blog
• Easy on the booze, boys. A study has found that men who consume 14 drinks a week or more are 20 per cent more likely than teetotallers to develop prostate cancer. [City News]
• Unfortunately for McDonald’s, which just introduced a Big Mac–infused mini-burger snack wrap, it takes a lot more than a pita to signify nutrition. [Burgerbusiness]
• Despite Maple Leaf’s battered reputation, the company insists its business make-over was not driven by last year’s listeria outbreak at its Toronto plant. [ItWorldCanada]










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