{"id":2654,"date":"2011-06-20T09:50:29","date_gmt":"2011-06-20T09:50:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jamesramsden.com\/?p=2654"},"modified":"2011-06-20T09:50:29","modified_gmt":"2011-06-20T09:50:29","slug":"last-weeks-food-news-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jamesramsden.com\/2011\/06\/20\/last-weeks-food-news-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Last week’s food news"},"content":{"rendered":"

As promised, my little chickens, here is what happened in food last week:<\/p>\n

Biggest fall in food sales on record
\n<\/span><\/strong>\"\"<\/a>It seems that ever since our ‘mini spending spree’ over the royal wedding weekend we have all been donning hair shirts and eating dried chickpeas. A slump of 3.7%<\/a> followed the double whammy of Easter and the wedding of the decade, leading economic forecasters to be pessimistic about our financial recovery.<\/p>\n

‘Authentic’ Italian pizza
\n<\/span><\/strong>\"\"<\/a>I’ve always been tickled by the adverts for Dr. Oetker’s authentic Italian pizza<\/a>, scoffing at the idea that anyone might think a man called Oetker could make real Italian pizza. Well, it transpires that the German-made, Lancashire-based (as in, they’re made in Lancashire – the bases are bread) are the most popular shop-bought pizzas in Italy<\/a>. Who’da thunk it?<\/p>\n

School meals under threat
\n<\/span><\/strong>\"\"<\/a>The recent spike in food prices has, among other things, led to a sharp rise in the price of school meals, reports the <\/a>Independent on Sunday<\/a>. <\/em>The average cost of a school meal is now close to \u00a32, leading experts to fear a reverse in the ‘Jamie effect’. The government is urging schools to club together to buy food in bulk.<\/p>\n

*****<\/p>\n

Other food news this week:
\n<\/span><\/strong>* Scientists discover how to make the perfect cup of tea<\/a>.
\n* Queen’s garden party catered by Greggs<\/a>.
\n* Pasta is the world’s favourite food<\/a>.
\n* Olive oil ‘helps prevent stroke’<\/a>.
\n* McDonald’s to serve sustainable fish<\/a>.<\/p>\n

*****<\/p>\n

Piece of the week:
\n<\/span><\/strong>* A really excellent, and brave piece on local shops by Xanthe Clay<\/a>.<\/p>\n

*****<\/p>\n

Blog of the week:
\n<\/span><\/strong>* The avuncular Matthew Fort’s blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n

*****<\/p>\n

Video of the week:
\n<\/span><\/strong>*\u00a0\u00a0Saw Ryan Adams at the Barbican last night. He’s playing again tonight. Try and go. It’s just him, a guitar, and a piano. Amazing guitar playing, beautiful voice, and some of the best stage banter you’ll ever hear.<\/p>\n