What additives are in your food? The FDA doesn't always know, but seeks to change that

31 August 2026 at 20:23

For nearly 70 years, food and beverage companies have been able to decide on their own that a new ingredient is safe and put it on the market without informing the Food and Drug Administration. But a new proposal could require that companies notify the agency when they add a new substance to human or animal food.

How a South African town cleaned up its polluted river using stones, wood and sand

The Guardian

By: Kaamil Ahmed

31 August 2026 at 16:00

Scientists say system to treat contaminated wastewater offers a model for ensuring food security in a fast-warming climate

All it took to turn the murky, heavily polluted waters of South Africa’s Stiebeuel River into a resource clean enough for irrigating a community’s vegetable plots was a collection of stones, heat-treated wood and sand.

Without chemicals and using renewable energy, researchers from the University of Cape Town are cleaning 36,000 litres of water, polluted by sewage, chemicals, and traces of drugs and medication, every day to make it usable for growing food in a fast-expanding informal settlement along the course of the river.

Rosie Mackean’s quick and easy recipe for cucumber rice with fudgy eggs | Quick and easy

The Guardian

By: Rosie Mackean

31 August 2026 at 15:00

An intriguing and refreshing hot-cold combo of eggy rice, butter, cold cucumber sauce and pickles

When cooking on a weeknight, it’s easy to forget that sometimes experimenting with temperature is as important as flavour. Hot things combined with very cold things are exceptionally refreshing in the summer, and also make the mundane more exciting and playful. This dish of hot rice, hot butter, cold cucumber sauce, hot egg and cold pickles might sound, well, a bit weird, but I promise it’s delicious, comforting and also cooling.

Good Time Cooking: Show-Stopping Menus for Easy Entertaining, by Rosie Mackean, is published by Pavilion Books at £26. To order a copy for £23.40, visit guardianbookshop.com

Chefs say Michelin Guide at risk of ‘losing credibility’ over suspected lack of inspectors

The Guardian

By: George Francis Lee

31 August 2026 at 14:00

While Michelin keeps its staff numbers secret, industry insiders say the guide cannot keep up with the thousands of restaurants in the guide

How many inspectors does it take to review the country’s best restaurants – a pinch, a baker’s dozen? For more than a century the answer has been kept secret by the world’s authority on good food: the Michelin Guide.

But the French tyre company’s famous hotel and restaurant reference book has been challenged by chefs, restaurant critics and diners, who question whether the guide has enough of its anonymous inspectors to adequately review and monitor the eateries that are included each year.

Bhutan hosts first ‘conscious food summit’ amid threats to global supplies

The Guardian

By: Fiona Harvey Environment editor

31 August 2026 at 11:38

Organisers say people must revive spiritual relationship with food amid double threat of climate crisis and conflict

Mending the broken food system under the threat of climate-driven weather extremes will require more than economic fixes and intensive agriculture, according to the organisers of a pioneering summit this week, who say the world must revive its spiritual relationship with food.

Delegates from more than 60 countries and the UN will gather for the next five days in Paro in the tiny Himalayan nation of Bhutan for the world’s first “conscious food summit”, which will bring together governments and farmers, mindfulness experts and yoga therapists.

Bhutan hosts first ‘conscious food summit’ amid threats to global supplies

World news | The Guardian

By: Fiona Harvey Environment editor

31 August 2026 at 11:38

Organisers say people must revive spiritual relationship with food amid double threat of climate crisis and conflict

Mending the broken food system under the threat of climate-driven weather extremes will require more than economic fixes and intensive agriculture, according to the organisers of a pioneering summit this week, who say the world must revive its spiritual relationship with food.

Delegates from more than 60 countries and the UN will gather for the next five days in Paro in the tiny Himalayan nation of Bhutan for the world’s first “conscious food summit”, which will bring together governments and farmers, mindfulness experts and yoga therapists.

Squash salad and chocolate mousse: Dean Parker’s recipes for early autumn

The Guardian

By: Dean Parker

31 August 2026 at 08:00

Celebrate the flavours of the coming season via this rewarding salad and rich dessert to share

As the days start to shorten and the temperature drops (finally!), the produce becomes richer, sweeter and more comforting, and the onset of autumn is a time of year that naturally brings people together around the table, which is something I’ve always loved about food. At the restaurant, we try to let the ingredients do the talking, and we work closely with growers and producers to make the most of whatever’s in season. Today’s recipes celebrate some of my favourite seasonal flavours: the salad is simple but deeply satisfying, balancing sweet roast squash with bitter greens and a punchy black olive tapenade. For dessert, meanwhile, chocolate mousse with poached fruit is my idea of autumn in a bowl, not least because quince has a beautiful, floral character that develops as it cooks, and pairs perfectly with dark chocolate and the nutty richness of browned butter. The creme fraiche adds freshness and balance, and brings everything together. Both dishes are rooted in the philosophy that guides my cooking: celebrate the season, respect great ingredients and create food that encourages people to slow down and enjoy each other’s company.

How to make key lime pie | Felicity Cloake's Masterclass

The Guardian

By: Felicity Cloake

30 August 2026 at 15:00

The indulgent, pleasantly mouth-puckering Floridian dessert in nine easy steps

Beautiful as the Florida Keys are, with average August temperatures topping 30C and with hurricane season looming, I think I’d rather enjoy their most famous culinary export in the calm of our own more temperate isles (well, usually, at least). Cool and creamy, with a refreshingly sharp, citrus tang, this is the perfect make-ahead dessert for any bank holiday festivities.

Prep 20 min
Cook 15 min
Chill 3 hr+
Serves 6

Ina Garten Says You Can Either Get on Her Train or Get Out of the Way

NYT > Top Stories

By: Lulu Garcia-Navarro

29 August 2026 at 12:15

At 78, the cookbook author and Food Network host knows what she likes, knows what she wants and isn’t stopping anytime soon.

The hill I will die on: The barbecue is fundamentally unenjoyable. Please, put a lid on it | Max Liu

The Guardian

By: Max Liu

29 August 2026 at 12:00

Dress up the barbie however you like – it’s toxic, tiresome and, more to the point, malnourishing

“If you’re invited to a barbecue, have your dinner before you go.” It is the wisest advice my dad has ever given me. Barbecues are one of life’s perennial disappointments. The romance of eating outside quickly degenerates into a recipe for mucky fingers, smelly clothes and more mess than you bargained for, with grills that you can never get clean, uncomfortable seating that makes your back ache or, dafter still, eating while standing up. Worst of all is the true barbecue legacy – the nagging hunger that follows bitty dining, leaving you with the aggrieved sense that you missed a mealtime you’re never getting back.

I grew up in Cornwall, where beach barbecues were a rite of passage. The flame under the sandy grill was blown out by the Atlantic wind, so these gatherings were impractical, unpredictable and interminable. One minute the sausages were raw and looked like they’d never be ready, the next they were hard and black and basically inedible. Rain frequently sent us scrambling to pack up and flee for shelter.

Max Liu is a freelance writer

Flipping marvellous: Yotam Ottolenghi on the joy of simple breakfasts – plus six exclusive recipes

The Guardian

By: Yotam Ottolenghi

29 August 2026 at 10:00

Weekend mornings are for family – and whoever happens to be over. Forget fussing and focus on just one big lovely thing for the middle of the table. Here’s how

Family life has had a bigger impact on how I cook at home than almost anything else. There’s a lot of pasta on the menu these days, and potato wedges with different sauces. A lot of meatballs. And a great many pancakes – more than I would have ever predicted before I had kids.

My weekend pancakes – which made their way into my book Simple Too – are supposed to be a batch-cooking exercise: lots made on Sunday, then reheated through the week, in the toaster or a dry pan on the stove, so breakfast is more or less solved until Friday. That’s the theory. In practice, all 22 pancakes the recipe makes are gone by Sunday lunch – eaten by the boys, their friends, or whoever happens to be over for breakfast.

Meera Sodha’s recipe for spicy mozzarella, green bean and edamame salad | Meera Sodha recipes

The Guardian

By: Meera Sodha

29 August 2026 at 08:00

An enticing, slightly spicy, east/west fusion stacked with vigour and colour

One thing I learned during the recent hot weather is that I don’t have enough “substantial but quick salads” in my locker. A salad one could call lunch (or a light dinner when served with other bits). On rotation in my “throw-together” category is my no-cook chickpea, tomato and cucumber salad, to which I’m also going to add my favourite summer vegetable, bulgur and pesto salad, which isn’t quite an assembly job, but near-enough and a family favourite. To that line-up, I’m happy to introduce this gently spicy, green beauty.

UK urged to ban imports of Brazilian meat over health concerns

The Guardian

By: Fiona Harvey Environment editor

28 August 2026 at 18:13

Brazil has failed to prove compliance with EU rules on use of antibiotics in cattle and poultry farming

The UK’s leading farming organisations and animal health experts have called for an urgent ban on imports of Brazilian meat, in light of concerns over the safety of imports.

The National Farmers’ Union in England and its sister organisations in the devolved administrations wrote to the government on Friday warning that public health was at risk.

Cocktail of the week: Legare’s mini bay leaf martini – recipe | The good mixer

The Guardian

By: Alex Mammone and Matt Beardmore

28 August 2026 at 15:00

Make a batch of this vodka- and vermouth-infused tipple to keep fresh in the fridge and sip over the weeks ahead

We came up with this when we were looking to create some fun, bespoke but easy-to-serve cocktails that we could pre-batch for busy services but that still had an edge. Vodka is an especially good base for infusions because it’s so neutral, while martinis are having a real moment right now, so this ended up ticking all our boxes, being something that’s recognisable but fun, and also noticeably our own.

Alex Mammone, general manager, and Matt Beardmore, executive chef, Legare and Luna, London SE1

Benjamina Ebuehi’s recipe for rum punch ice lollies | The sweet spot

The Guardian

By: Benjamina Ebuehi

28 August 2026 at 08:00

These sweet and fruity frozen refreshers will get you in the carnival spirit

It’s only right that on the weekend of the Notting Hill carnival, rum punch is your drink of choice. Whether or not you’re heading to west London to celebrate, these ice lollies will get you in the party mood. They’re fruity, sweet and balanced with plenty of fresh lime, and I always like to make sure there’s enough leftover rum mixture to pour over ice to drink while the lollies are setting.

LA Mayor Karen Bass Eases Street Vending Crackdown After Debate

NYT > Top Stories

By: Livia Albeck-Ripka

28 August 2026 at 08:21

Mayor Karen Bass said food vendors discourage restaurant patrons, mentioning them alongside homeless encampments. Her opponent, Nithya Raman, said vendors should be brought into the system.

Street vendors are ubiquitous presences across the Los Angeles area, offering foods from many cultures.

Why we’re all hooked on tinned fish

The Guardian

By: Rachel Roddy

27 August 2026 at 15:10

Sardines, mackerel, herring, pilchards, sprats and anchovies ... canning only makes the umami flavour better. They’re my top choice for pasta

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I can’t find it, despite having spent the past 35 minutes looking, but somewhere in the house is The Crisis Cook Book. It’s a standard paperback, postbox-red with white writing on the cover, and full of recipes from chefs including Rowley Leigh, Heston Blumenthal and Jeremy Lee. Not having found it, I needed Amazon to tell me it was published in 2007 and compiled by Nick Lander, at the time the Financial Times’ restaurant correspondent. He asked 28 chefs to donate three recipes – their favourite starter, main course and dessert – and proceeds from the book went to the national homelessness charity Crisis.

The reason I needed (and still need – it is now a mission) to find the book is because inside it is Rowley’s recipe for pasta with tinned sardines, fennel, chilli and lemon zest. It’s a recipe that I have made so many times, and for so many years, that I don’t need to look at the book; but, equally, because I’ve made it so many times and so much time has passed, I have no idea how far I have drifted from the original, and want to check. I’ve even written about this recipe in my weekly Guardian column, without referring to the book or even mentioning Rowley! Not that a store-cupboard version of the Sicilian pasta con le sarde (pasta with sardines and wild fennel) is owned by anyone, although Rowley did teach me.

Honey, I shrunk the wine: why miniature bottles are big again

The Guardian

By: Mina Holland

27 August 2026 at 15:00

Whether they’re consumed as a considered glass for one or something to sip on a short trip, miniature wine bottles are back with a bang

In the 1920s, the London wine merchant Berry Bros & Rudd was asked to create a wine cellar for a doll’s house, commissioned by Queen Mary, to showcase the best of British craftsmanship. Designed by Edwin Lutyens, it had running water, electricity, a library of tiny books and, naturally, a wine cellar stocked with 1,200 miniature bottles, including vintage ports, an 1889 Montrachet and top-tier bordeaux. These days, the doll’s house resides in Windsor Castle, but Berry Bros has a replica of that cellar in its own Mayfair cellar, complete with 5ml bottles of those same wines.

It is fair to say that this is not representative of the calibre of wine one generally finds in miniature bottles, a format associated with air travel and what I once called “journey juice” – ie, a drop that would last me the six stops from home to London Victoria on a Friday night. Google “miniature bottles of wine” and you’ll overwhelmingly be served examples from the very biggest wine brands in the world. This is also true of canned wines, although I’d argue there’s more interesting wine going into cans than small bottles.

High in cocoa, high on nostalgia: the chocolate I love most now

The Guardian

By: Annalisa Barbieri

27 August 2026 at 14:00

Including, to my surprise, a 100% cacao bar …

Although I’m un peu fatiguée of chocolates in bonbon shape with coloured cocoa-butter splashes atop, I appreciate this is the way many chocolates truffles are made. Overcoming that prejudice, I tucked into a box of Scoff chocolates. They were beautifully fresh tasting – they are made in batches throughout the year and the latest batch has just been let loose. I liked every one of the nine flavours I tested, from lemon to malted milk. But the ingredient list is long and a bit mainstream; a cleaner, more artisan approach and this would be a winning brand.

Marks & Spencer has brought out some 1980s classics in original packaging for those wanting to go full Rivals: look out for Now!, Jet, Sparks and Coconut Grove and see which chocolate classics they remind you of. My testers loved them.

Is the food at the farmers market safer?

Vox

By: Benjamin Stephen

26 August 2026 at 16:00

Still image from a video showing produce in containers, with a caption reading "Local farms = safer food?"

What we eat and where it comes from is a critical part of human health. According to a 2025 survey, 59 percent of Americans think it’s important to know where their food comes from, and 54 percent prioritize food that is consistently available locally. And one of the best places to get that locally sourced food? Farmers markets.

The US has more than 8,700 farmers markets, where roughly 40,000 farmers sell their products. Recently, the markets have been getting a bit more attention thanks to a series of high-profile food recalls. Americans’ confidence in the safety of their food is being tested, and buying direct from your local farm could be the answer.

Some produce travels hundreds or thousands of miles from where it’s grown to where it’s sold, passing through processing, storage, and distribution facilities. One advantage of a small local farm is the direct journey the produce takes from the field to the customer. But how does a small family farm business compete with major grocery stores for customers, and what’s behind their sales pitch for safer and fresher food? We drove out to Camarillo, California, to a small family farm to find out.

Read more about food sources and food safety:

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