Click, click, click. Gulp, gulp, gulp. Gag, gag, gag.
In British Columbia, a researcher at Simon Fraser University says the trouble with the province's wine industry is "a failure to communicate." Surprise to me. Ten thousand acres of vines, hundreds of producers, great government support. Wait, the government's "too protective." (Wines & Vines).
In China, empty bottles of Château Lafite and other famous wines are in high demand. Counterfeiters buy and refill them. (Telegraph)
In Virginia, the governor wants to close the state's 330 state-run liquor outlets and replace them with 1,000 private stores. Haven't we heard that one before? The proposal leaves intact the wholesale distribution system, focuses on retail. Good luck! (Washington Post)
In Noo Yawk City, food prep workers are supposed to keep their heads covered, lest a stray hair fall into the soup. Probably a good idea, right? At various Starbucks in the Big Yapple, the baristas are saying no to hairnets in favor of colorful caps. (Yes, this is fit to print in the New York Times)
Groupon, the company that bamboozles anxious restaurant owners into giving away the store to drive customers into the store, said "Up Yours" to a $6 billion offer from Google, is expanding on its own into Israel, India and South Africa. Cheapskates will soon be able to clobber the bejeezus out of struggling retailers all over the world. (Wall Street Journal)
Concerned, are you, that the brown-skinned kitchen worker might not understand what the French restaurant owner means by brunoise? Not just in Seattle, where fluency in Spanglish is, ahem, de rigueur. You ain't heard nothing till you head to Hong Kong. Oui, chef! (Wall Street Journal)
And finally, the demonization of food continues in Massachusetts, where restaurants will have to employ a Food Protection Manager lest a patron choke on a nut or a grain. When peanuts are outlawed, only outlaws will have peanuts. Okay, take ten. All you imaginary allergies, sneeze 'em if you got 'em. (WCVB Boston)
Regarding the Demonization of Food:
I agree with the sentiment. The idea that every restaurant must add a position to their staff and hire a Food Protection Manager is bureaucracy gone mad. Do we need to hire "Slip & Fall Managers", "Offensive Comment Protection Managers" and so on? The price of food will go up or staff will be eliminated and result in lower customer service in order to pay for this new "Food Natzi" position.
Stricter training requirements for chefs and managers, and maybe even a new section to the state health permit for all staff would suffice. The next step for these kind of over-reaching ideas is to make everyone safe by requiring us to eat only FDA approved canned food.