In the News...

One sometimes wonders why it is that, in the age of food-blogging and specialty magazines, major daily newpapers continue to maintain wine and dine sections. After all, how can a single organization lay claim to unbiased reporting about the Middle-East alongside the latest in decanting technologies.

While elsewhere reductionism seems to be the modus operandi, most major papers seem to resist, and often excell. Excellent examples are the New York Times and L.A. Times food section, but hardly any paper seems to do without one.

My answer as to why is, in short, that for the rest of us, food collumns often represent a vehicle for otherwise unattainable experiences, saving us some serious time and money.

This includes, for example, vicariously being tossed out of Michelin decorated restaurants and cooking with your favourite 2003 crand cru wines, just to see if it really is any better than cooking with those cheap ones that you (well I) keep around just for that purpose.

In that light, here's a quick food journalism redux for this week:

• a rather interesting article (in German) at FAZ online, concerning civility and etiquette at highly decorated restaurants.
• from the New York Times, a definite answer to the question whether to "Never cook with a wine you wouldn’t drink."
• what it is like, being taught by the best.