The Taste Of America
Joshua Smith, 2019 Iron Viz co-champion, used data provided by Pitney Bowes to create a dashboard about how international cuisine shapes food identity in the US. The visualization tells a story of what is on American tables using tile maps that display the prevalence of international cuisines by state, compared to the national average.
Nothing Does It Like 7up: The Rise Of The Lemon-lime Soda
The soft drink we now know as 7UP was invented and made its way onto the soft drink market in 1929. Created by Charles Leiper Grigg, the drink was called Bib-label Lithiated Lemon-lime Soda before Grigg eventually changed the name to 7UP. This was probably because the drink had seven ingredients.
The True Cost Of Tuna: Marine Observers Dying At Sea
The harassment, abuse, and sometimes death of the marine observers who uphold sustainable seafood standards are the industry’s worst-kept secrets. Critics say the people and companies that earn the most money on tuna aren’t doing enough to secure their well-being.
The Primal Pleasure And Brutal History Of Sugar
In the Western imagination, sugar is pleasure, temptation, and vice — and in modern history, it is original sin. How a taste for sweetness, developed for survival, became a stand-in for everything good — and evil — about our culture.
The American Restaurant Is On Life Support
The restaurant industry is in a scary place, one that fairly guarantees heartbreak. We’re eating at street-corner stalls and food trucks, in front of the TV and at the grocery—everywhere but restaurants. They might not be here when we get back.
Confused About What To Eat? Science Can Help
Potent societal powers create a culture of nutrition confusion that not only obfuscate the truth about diet, they undermine science as a whole. Begin by asking critical questions when digesting diet news. Does the writer have an advanced degree in nutrition, or does she or he have expertise in science journalism?
How Chicken Became The Rich World’s Most Popular Meat
Humans gobble so many chickens that the birds now count for 23bn of the 30bn land animals living on farms. Chicken is cheap and delicious. Fans of cheap chicken have selective breeding to thank. Farmers have also benefited from the healthy reputation of chicken.
The Italian Town That Always Smells Like Panettone
Since 1922, Pinerolo has been home to Galup, a bakery-factory that specializes in northern Italian enriched breads, an operation that defines this small town—from its aroma to its employment options. The town always smells like panettone.
Human Anatomy Baked Into Polymer Desserts By QimmyShimmy
Singapore-based mixed media artist QimmyShimmy uses polymer clay to craft baby figures and sugary treats that blend fantasy and reality in interesting and often disturbing ways.
A Banana Grown At Subzero Temps Also Has An Edible Peel
A Japanese farm introduced a new crop this winter: an organic banana with a peel that’s thin enough to eat. In a nod to this appealing outer covering, Setsuzo Tanaka, the banana’s inventor, has named his creation the Mongee (“mon-gay”) banana — which means “incredible banana” in Japanese.
Guatemala Is The Land Of Unknown Ancient Food Traditions
Guatemala remains one of the Western Hemisphere’s last true culinary terrae incognitae. Due to centuries of isolation in the volcano-strewn highlands, many members of the 23 distinct Maya groups in rural Guatemala still wear the same outfits that their great-great-great-great-grandparents did.
The Oddly Autocratic Roots Of Pad Thai
In rice-centric Thailand, then known as Siam, the dish seemed more Chinese. But Thailand’s prime minister, who first rose to power as part of a military coup against the longtime monarchy, had spoken. As part of his strident nationalism, he wanted all Thais to eat pad Thai.
The Tricky Economics Of All-You-Can-Eat Buffets
For a small fee, you’re granted unencumbered access to a wonderland of gluttony. Is it possible to out-eat the price you pay for a buffet? How do these places make money? We looked at the dollars and cents behind the meat and potatoes.
Why Planet Hollywood Went Bankrupt
In the mid 1990’s, two entertainment moguls along with plenty of huge celebrities like Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger came together to create a restaurant business unlike any other. But as quick as this idea grew, the sooner everything came crashing down. This is the story of Planet Hollywood.
How Airplane Food Goes From The Kitchen To Your Flight
Gate Gourmet is one major player in the airplane catering game, feeding about 750 million passengers a year in about 60 countries. On a typical day at its Dulles International Airport branch, in suburban Washington, the company is responsible for getting 18,000 meals onto 275 flights.
Why A Struggling Rust Belt City Pinned Its Revival On A Self-chilling Beverage Can
Welcome to Youngstown, Ohio, home of Chill-Can, the self-chilling beverage container you’ve probably never heard of. Officials have gambled millions of dollars and demolished a neighborhood for the product. Not one job has been created yet.
First Came Better Beer. Now Craft Breweries Want To Be Better For The Planet
In the age of climate crisis, water’s role in craft beer is under increased scrutiny. Small breweries might make better beer, but large breweries are traditionally far more efficient with water usage — and are only getting better at pointing this out to sustainability-minded consumers.
Why Are These Foods Named After Places?
Chicken Kiev. Baked Alaska. London broil. Singapore noodles. When food is named after a city or country, you’d think this would indicate that the dish was either connected to or concocted in that place. But the reality is often lost in translation somewhere between an actual origin story and a marketing campaign.
What Does Uber Love More: Restaurants or Investors?
Eateries are getting squeezed by delivery apps. Restaurants can enjoy a 69% profit margin onsite, versus just 38% from deliveries. Uber could give up profit to keep them happy, but that’s not what IPO investors want to hear.
“A Failure Of The Imagination”, The Story Of A Zero-Waste Restaurant
Five years ago, Douglas McMaster opened the restaurant Silo, hoping to change the unsustainable practices of modern food systems. His aim was simple, yet frighteningly ambitious: create an award-winning menu using a zero-waste food system designed from scratch. This is the story of that restaurant’s first five years.
The Rise Of The “Ghost Kitchen” Could Change The Restaurant Delivery Game
Meet the virtual restaurant, or “ghost kitchen,” a business that distributes meals through apps, but has no sit-down, brick and mortar location. Delivery-only restaurants, run out of low-rent kitchens without a storefront, are shifting the landscape of ordering food online.