There’s only one rum that can put Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) on its label, apparently. It is Martinique’s Rhum Agricole, and it has a fascinating history. Via.
An American in Taiwan
Joel Haas is an American author and sculptor. He’s traveling in Taiwan at the moment, and writing about it online. I don’t think he has a particular interest in agrobiodiversity, but maybe I’m wrong, because there are many engaging observations on useful wild plants, crops and food in his posts and numerous photos.
The White House gets a food garden
There’s hunger in the US, but the Obamas at least will be ok.
Rock salt and pond scum
A fascinating post over at Rancho Gordo discusses tequesquite. That’s a natural salt that has been used in Mexican cooking since pre-Columbian times, including for nixtamalization, a process that makes maize easier to process, tastier and more nutritious.
The post also mentions the alga known as tecuilayl (Spirulina geitleri). This was apparently an important food for the Aztecs. 1 Our resident expert on Mexico says it’s the perfect complement to a succulent steamed axolotl in chile sauce. Yummie.
Nibbles: Beer, Alice Walters, Soils, Coconuts
- Cassava beer: what’s not to like?
- A food guru speaks. We listen.
- “By 2020, 30% of the world’s arable land may be salinated.”
- A coconut renaissance in India?