Restaurant industry remains in the doldrums

Interesting summary of the restaurants down in the Southland:

There’s still no happy news for the restaurant industry, according to the latest report by NPD Group, a market research firm.

Restaurants continued to see a decline in traffic during the third quarter ended in September.

“This recession is generally believed to be more severe than those in recent history, and this time the industry not only realized traffic losses, consumer spending declined as well. This is first time since NPD began tracking that the industry realized a fall-off in dollars spent at restaurants,” said Bonnie Riggs, NPD’s restaurant industry analyst…[Full Article Here]

Culinary institute features produce in Worlds of Flavor

Street food and comfort food from around the world were the focuses of the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone’s recent Worlds of Flavor Conference — and fresh produce played a big part.

“Produce was used in nearly every presentation in one way or another as an ingredient, since the rest of the world has produce as a primary ingredient with right-sized proteins,” said Stuart McAllister, director of marketing for foodservice at Dole Food Co., Westlake Village, Calif., a sponsor of the conference…[Read the Full Article Here]

South by Southeast: Who goes to Myanmar?

Who does visit Myanmar these days? For Southeast Asia travelers exposed to a daily diet of CNN, Myanmar is literal no-fly zone, a destination with an infamous reputation for unrest, opium and political repression. Even as other “notorious” Asia destinations like Cambodia and Vietnam emerge into adolescence on the global tourist stage, Myanmar remains largely hidden from view – a mysterious actor shrouded in myth and secrecy.

It’s been nearly two years since Gadling’s Leif Pettersen first visited Myanmar, lifting the curtain on a country of sacred Buddhist shrines, Betel chewing and nary a fast food chain in sight. Not surprisingly, in the years since Leif’s visit, not much has changed. As I soon discovered, everything moves more slowly in Myanmar, from the masochistic 15-hour bus rides to the condensed milk that slowly oozes into your cup of Burmese tea. This “slowness” is further exaggerated by Myanmar’s isolation from the international community and the devastating Cyclone Nargis which hammered the country in 2008. The country’s already-meager tourist industry is still reeling from the shock…[Full Article Here]

Upcoming Bay Area food & wine events

JC Cellars Wine Wednesday — First Wednesday of each month. Sample wine and cheese in a casual and fun atmosphere. 55 4th St., Oakland. Reservations: 510-465-5900, www.jccellars.com.

13th annual Easter Seals Bay Area Holiday Food and Winefest — 6-9 p.m. Dec. 3. Featuring exquisite gourmet foods and world-class wine and beer poured by more than 30 of the Northern California’s top-rated wineries and breweries. All proceeds go to support Easter Seals Bay Area, a leader in helping individuals and families affected by disabilities live, learn, work and play to their full potential. San Ramon Marriott Hotel at Bishop Ranch, 2600 Bishop Drive. Steve Godfryd: 530-753-8955, bayarea.easterseals.com.

“Prohibition Party — 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 5. Enjoy delicious food and libations, gorgeous surroundings, and the classic sounds of jazz while celebrating the ratification of the 21st amendment. The back deck, boat shack and sea horse areas at Nick’s Cove & Cottages will serve as the venue for the festivities. Guests will be able to sample liquors from various purveyors and will also receive a “wooden nickel” to spend at one of five food tables. Additional “nickels” will be available for purchase in $5 increments. Musical entertainment will be provided by “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” a ’30s style jazz combo. In addition, local historian Dewey Livingston will be on hand in the boat shack to give background on Nick’s history in the area, focusing on prohibition-era rum running. 23240 Highway 1, Marshall. $20 admission. 415-663-1033, www.nickscove.com…[Full Event List Here]

Food … A weapon of War?!?! The Karen peoples of Burma

Informative blog post about the Karen peoples of Burma:

For the most part I believe in clichés. I mean they are clichés for a reason right? Cleanliness is a state of mind, Live and Learn, What goes around comes around . . . etc. These are inherent truths to me. But one cliché that has been standing out as a glaring falsity lately is “All is fair in love and war”…[Full Article Here]

Come in and try our tea leaf salad.

One of our most popular authentic Burmese dishes at Little Yangon restaurant in Daly City is our tea leaf salad. Prepared with imported Burmese tea leaves, lettuce, tomatoes, dried ground shrimp (or vegetarian), fried garlic, sesame seeds, and yellow & green split peas.

FDA updates Food Code with cut leafy greens standard

An updated Food Code from the Food and Drug Administration includes a new standard for cut leafy greens handling by retail and foodservice establishments.

The FDA’s Food Code — the first full update in four years — is used as a model for regulators throughout the country, the agency said in a Nov. 9 news release. Specifically, the just-released 2009 version states that cut leafy greens are now included among the foods that require time and temperature control for safety.

Similar guidelines were previously added for cut melons and cut tomatoes in prior updates to the code, said David Gombas, senior vice president for food safety and technology of United Fresh Produce Association, Washington, D.C…[Read the Full Article Here]

Home is Where the Heart is: Migrant Workers Struggle to Support Families Inside Burma

Some people say, “Home is where the heart is.” That the case for Nag Lin Lin (not her real name), a young Burmese woman who lives and works in Bangkok, but, wants desperately to live at home with her family in Kyeik Don, sub-township in Kawka Reik township, in Karen State.

But, like many young Burmese, she has to continue working in Thailand to help support her family financially, because they are unable to meet the rising cost of living at home…[Read the Full Article Here]

Product Tracing in Food Systems Report Released

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) on Nov. 12 delivered to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) a new technical study that recommends guidelines to establish a comprehensive product tracing system to track the movement of food products effectively from farm to point of sale or service.

FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition commissioned IFT, a nonprofit scientific society focusing on the science of food, to conduct a study on traceability in the food system. The study authors, including experts from academia, industry, and government, collected information from 58 food companies involved in produce, packaged consumer goods, processed ingredients, distribution, foodservice, retail, and animal feed…[Read the Full Article Here]

Energy shots all the buzz at food show

The pitch goes like this: Toss back a two-ounce shot of caffeine and vitamins and you’ll be alert for the rest of the day.

Hoping that consumers will ditch coffee and traditional energy drinks for miniature power shots, more than a dozen beverage makers pushed this message at the 12th annual Americas Food & Beverage Show, being held at the Miami Beach Convention Center this week.

The show features more than 6,000 buyers, 250 exhibitors, international dishes and intense chef battles. But with brightly colored booths and scantily clad models handing out free power drinks, energy shots were one of the most visible new products…[Read the Full Article Here]