http://ucanr.edu/blogs/food/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed UC information on the creation and consumption of food. en-us UC ANR http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/rss/ Fri, 17 May 2013 10:10:36 PST Fri, 17 May 2013 10:10:36 PST UC ANR Sweet potatoes are perhaps most familiar in the U.S. smothered with melted marshmallows in a Thanksgiving casserole. But baked, boiled or raw, they can be a healthful part of California cuisine any time of year. California is a significant producer of sweet potatoes. About 90 percent of the California crop – 18,000 acres – is grown in Merced County, on farms ranging from 5 acres up to several thousand acres. In 2011, the crop’s value statewide was $125 million. However, you...
]]> Fri, 17 May 2013 08:29:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=10398&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed jewarnert@ucanr.edu(Jeannette E. Warnert) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=10398 The biennial Childhood Obesity Conference is taking place in Long Beach June 18-20. Book-ended by two world-class keynote speakers — Michael Moss, the Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporter and author of Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us, and Marion Nestle, a New York University professor of food studies and public health, and author of Food Politics and What to Eat — the event promises a no-holds-barred, systemic look at the problems of obesity in all their...
]]> Wed, 15 May 2013 13:33:33 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=10399&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed annguy@berkeley.edu(Ann Brody Guy) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=10399 It’s summertime, which means I am one happy camper. No really - it’s nice and warm, let's go camping! I find most people hate summer: the heat, the AC bill, the kids are out of school and they’re “sooooooooooo… bored.” Well I’m a summer baby, and I’m here to help you survive the heat wave with healthy recipes and family cooking tips. Summer time food: Summer time is the best because of all the amazing fresh fruits and vegetables that are in...
]]> Wed, 24 Apr 2013 09:09:19 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9791&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed smacnab@ucanr.edu(Shelby MacNab) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9791 Last week, UC ANR hosted a one-day Global Food Systems Forum. Providing 8 billion people with quality, affordable and accessible food is the defining economic, sociopolitical and ethical issue of our time. It is a global challenge. But it is also a challenge to California, one of the world's top agricultural producers. UC was proud to provide the opportunity for discussion around this vital topic. The keynote was offered by the former president of Ireland, Mary Robinson. Robinson spoke...
]]> Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:04:06 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9774&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed rmhaydensmith@ucanr.edu(Rose Hayden-Smith) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9774 For home gardeners, spring is a busy time of year and there’s never a tomato with more flavor than one grown to full ripeness on the vine. But there are also many safety precautions to follow to prevent contamination of fruits and vegetables with pathogens that cause serious food-borne illnesses. Michele Jay-Russell, a veterinarian and research microbiologist at the Western Institute for Food Safety and Security (WIFSS) and program manager of the Western Center for Food Safety (WCFS),...
]]> Mon, 08 Apr 2013 08:33:56 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9669&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed tjwood@ucdavis.edu(Trina Wood) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9669 Twenty minutes of hail on Easter Sunday means no melons for July 4th at Pacific Star Garden's farmers' market stall. Hail comes sometimes, suddenly and randomly, in February or March or April. It can hit one farm but not the one down the road. This time the sudden hail hit Woodland farmers Robert and Debbie Ramming, owners of 40-acre Pacific Star Gardens, on March 31, almost as if Mother Nature couldn't wait for April Fool's day. Mid-April, in most years, is a good time to visit strawberry...
]]> Wed, 03 Apr 2013 08:39:51 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9673&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed paleff@ucdavis.edu(Penny Leff) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9673 “My jar of honey went bad so I threw it away.” How many times have you heard that? It did not go “bad” but it did granulate, as honeys do. Granulation is the formation of sugar (glucose) crystals. Reheat the honey and it’s good to go — and eat. “Most honeys granulate during storage after extended periods of time in containers,” says honey bee specialist/bee wrangler/six-decade beekeeper Norman Gary, emeritus professor in the Department of...
]]> Wed, 13 Mar 2013 08:21:41 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9497&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed kegarvey@ucdavis.edu(Kathy Keatley Garvey) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9497 Whether farmers are growing carrots destined to be baby-sized for school lunches, cut into small pieces in frozen pot pie or the classic length sold with their green feathery tops intact, they rely on a collaborative breeding program that has been in the works at UC’s Desert Research and Extension Center near El Centro for nearly 50 years. The scientists working in USDA’s carrot breeding program, embedded at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, realized long ago that the Southern...
]]> Tue, 12 Mar 2013 06:48:03 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9484&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed jewarnert@ucanr.edu(Jeannette E. Warnert) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9484 From broccoli to watermelon, California farmers grow more than 400 agricultural commodities. In 2011, California was the primary producer of almonds, artichokes, dates, figs, raisins, kiwi, olives, cling peaches, pistachios, dried plums, pomegranates and walnuts— accounting for nearly 100 percent of each of these crops grown in the United States. When Americans think of “agriculture,” California may not be the first state to come to mind. But the Golden State — just...
]]> Tue, 05 Mar 2013 09:45:59 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9424&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed bldawson@ucdavis.edu(Brenda Dawson) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9424 Some of us spent our weekend in the garden or at the farmers market, obsessing over our fresh produce that will get us through the week. Some of us went to bed last night dreaming about a Frostie from Wendy’s and fries from McDonald’s. Still, others of us spent the weekend trying to make ends meet and scraping together barely enough food to feed our families. Bottom line – food is something we all have in common. It’s a universal language. Whether we pride ourselves on...
]]> Thu, 28 Feb 2013 07:07:51 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9365&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mpalin@ucanr.edu(Marissa Palin) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9365 If you want to maintain a healthy weight, UC Cooperative Extension advisor Susan Algert has some sage tips: snack wisely; eat more fruits and vegetables; keep a food record and stay active. Algert shared the latest dietary advice from the U.S. departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services with UC Office of the President employees at a brown bag event Wednesday in Oakland co-hosted by UC Health and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources. (Listen to an audio recording of the event.)...
]]> Tue, 26 Feb 2013 09:59:43 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9375&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed alec.rosenberg@ucop.edu(Alec Rosenberg) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9375 Most Americans gravitate toward the familiar in supermarket produce aisles. But some creative shopping unveils a tremendous diversity of edible vegetables that can turn an ordinary menu into a much more interesting cuisine. At certain roadside stands, at farmers markets that cater to diverse clientele and in small Asian supermarkets, adventurous Californians can buy vegetables like bitter melon, Chinese long beans, opo and luffa. Finding them is the first step, knowing how to prepare them is...
]]> Wed, 13 Feb 2013 06:42:04 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9237&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed jewarnert@ucanr.edu(Jeannette E. Warnert) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9237 Pop quiz: About 7 billion people live on earth today, and that number is expected to hit 9 billion by 2050. That’s a lot of mouths to feed. What’s the best way to reform our global food production to meet the rising demand? Invest in technology, plant breeding, soil science and seed genetics to make our finite farm land more productive. Increase sustainability, so farm land can remain productive in the future. Encourage more people to get into farming. Help farmers manage...
]]> Tue, 05 Feb 2013 08:57:21 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9189&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed denelson@ucdavis.edu(Diane Nelson) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9189 Super Bowl Sunday is one of the biggest eating days of the year — right up there with Thanksgiving. Enjoy the party without over indulging. Here's how: Pre-game warm-up: Eat a healthy breakfast and lunch or snack before you head to the party. Skipping meals to “save up” your calories for the big event backfires when you over eat because you are so hungry. Think like a winner: Focus on the game and enjoying your friends, rather than on the food. Have a game plan: Take a...
]]> Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:21:55 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9182&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed jewarnert@ucanr.edu(Jeannette E. Warnert) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9182 Food prepared at home is slowly getting healthier, but food prepared away from home is not, according to a new study by the USDA Economic Research Service. Food prepared away from home accounts for 32 percent of Americans’ caloric intake and 41 percent of food expenditures. (Food prepared away from home includes restaurants, fast-food establishments, and take-out or delivery meals.) Americans increased their away-from-home share of calories from 18 percent to 32 percent in the last...
]]> Tue, 29 Jan 2013 09:03:13 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9144&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed afilmer@ucdavis.edu(Ann King Filmer) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9144 Mark Bittman, cookbook author and New York Times food writer, used the occasion of New Year’s Day to throw down the gauntlet for real and permanent change to the U.S. agricultural system. “We must figure out a way to un-invent this food system,” he says in a Times opinion column. He likens the scale of the task to tectonic cultural strides like abolition, civil rights, and the women’s vote. As to how we go about achieving this goal, Bittman speaks in broad terms. He...
]]> Tue, 08 Jan 2013 08:24:14 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9021&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed annguy@berkeley.edu(Ann Brody Guy) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9021 For years the news and media have released reports that the holidays mean weight gain and ever-widening waistlines. All the hype leaves me asking: how many holidays between Thanksgiving and New Year’s do we actually have? Ok, so take out your calendar and circle the holidays and potential “food-related” events you might attend. We have Thanksgiving Day, Hanukkah, Christmas Day, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Eve, and a Saturday or two of holiday parties to attend. When we look at...
]]> Wed, 12 Dec 2012 09:44:27 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=8855&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed smacnab@ucanr.edu(Shelby MacNab) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=8855 A UC Cooperative Extension specialist says there isn’t enough scientific evidence to warrant consumers making changes to their diets nor to their children’s diets based on recent media reports about levels of arsenic in rice. The issue arose from an analysis by Consumer Reports of white and brown rice from around the world and rice products like rice cereal, rice milk and rice pasta. “In virtually every (rice) product we tested, we found measurable amounts of total...
]]> Fri, 07 Dec 2012 10:06:51 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=8856&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed jewarnert@ucanr.edu(Jeannette E. Warnert) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=8856 The warmth and joy of the holidays often stirs the giving spirit, boosting donations to food banks. All contributions are welcome, of course, but food donors can add extra value to their gifts by making careful choices when scouring the pantry or grocery store for food contributions, say UC Cooperative Extension nutrition educators. UCCE’s nutrition education program, known as UC CalFresh, teaches good-sense eating on a budget to low-income families throughout California. The...
]]> Tue, 04 Dec 2012 08:32:49 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=8829&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed jewarnert@ucanr.edu(Jeannette E. Warnert) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=8829 It might be pouring rain today, but soon enough California will be dry again. As demand for water for a growing urban population and for environmental restoration increases, farmers throughout the state are working to grow crops using as little water as possible, and UC is working with them. "Water supplies are being constrained. Farmers are facing reduced access to water," said Shermain Hardesty, a UC Cooperative Extension specialist in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at...
]]> Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:01:54 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=8810&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed paleff@ucdavis.edu(Penny Leff) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=8810