What I'm Reading....

Ever wonder what a cook reads? Well, pretty much anything that has to do with food. Surprised?  I am pretty much obsessed with food, the food industry, chefs, recipes, biography's (currently on my night stand, "My Life In France" by Julia Child...  AND everyday in my inbox, I receive this email from The Food Institute. It is their daily update on The Specialty Foods industry. Just in case you were wondering what is coming to a grocery store near you.  Today's email:  (to receive your own update, email: specialtyfoodnews@foodinstitute.com)  Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. chose Sumner, WA as the future location for a new manufacturing and distribution facility for its Specialty Coffee Business Unit. Full Story  P.F. Chang's China Bistro, Inc. and Unilever entered into an exclusive licensing agreement to develop a line of frozen Asian entrees for the U.S. under the P.F. Chang's brand Full Story  Good Times Restaurants Inc.'s Board of Directors formed a Special Committee to explore and evaluate strategic alternatives aimed at enhancing shareholder value and explore alternatives to reduce the cost burdens of being a publicly held entity. The company hired Mastodon Ventures, Inc. to provide strategic advisory services and explore other strategic alternatives that will further the long-term business prospects of the company and provide incremental value to its shareholders. Full Story  For Immediate Release: News from the Specialty Food Trade Vino de Milo, Athens, Ohio, introduces its new line of all- natural wine-based bruschetta toppings.  Full Release Pulled pork sandwiches, in varieties including po' boys, open face and sliders, are becoming a popular menu item in San Francisco's restaurants. Restaurants highlighted include Cafe St Rose, Hopmonk Tavern, Little Skillet and MacArthur Park, reported The San Francisco Chronicle. Full Story (Free Registration Required)  Burgerville will allow customers on bikes to order and pick up food at all to-go lanes currently used by cars. The company is considering opening dedicated bike lanes at its 39 drive-throughs in the Oregon region, reported OregonLive.com. Full Story (Free Registration Required)  New York City chefs are "bringing the beach to the streets" with clambakes, lobster fests and crab boils, according to The New York Post. For instance, the Fish Shack hosts summertime Rock n Roll Clambakes every Sunday and Monday. For $30 a person, the clambake, served in a cast-iron black pot for up to four people, comes with a mixture of steamers, mussels, a half-pound lobster, red potatoes and corn. Full Story  Rice Epicurean Markets is now carrying Logan Farms Spiral Sliced Honey Glazed Hams and Turkey Breasts in all five of its Houston-area locations. Full Story  Restaurant Roundup: Smoothie King launched a vitamin and supplement line with products including Whole-Nutrition Total Body Multis for Men and Women, Acai Berry Cleanse and Flush, Green Tea Fat Burning, Natural Calorie Burning Weight Loss and All-Day Energy Rapid Boost. Full Story ... Diners at IHOP will receive one free Kid's Meal with each adult entree purchase from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Aug. 17 to Sept. 13. Full Story ... Whataburger added the Chop House Cheddar Burger to its menu for a limited time, reported Nation's Restaurant News. Full Story (Free Registration Required)  Salmonella in ground beef is more resistant to heat treatment than whole cuts of beef, according to research published in Journal of Food Science, reported Food Navigator Europe. Full Story  When exposed to oxygen or stored for long periods, some oils lose healthy properties such as fatty acid levels, according to a study published in the Journal of Food Science. Researchers suggest decreasing or removing a natural oxidized form of alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) to reap the full benefits of healthy oils. Full Story  New Store News: The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., Inc. opened a Pathmark store in Staten Island, NY. Full Story ... Chick-fil-A Inc. plans to open three locations in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region by next year, reported The Cincinnati Enquirer. Full Story ... Giant Eagle plans to open a nearly 100,000-sq. ft. store in Ohio, reported Cleveland.com. Full Story ... NexCen Brands, Inc. opened its first Pretzelmaker franchised store in Mexico. Full Story  Some 32% of Canadians are spending less on food due to economic worries, according to a survey commissioned by the Canadian Medical Association. About 28% of those with annual income under C$30,000 stated they had skipped meals, compared to 8% of those with family income above C$90,000, reported The Globe and Mail. Full Story (Free Registration Required)  A glass of wine a day cut the risk of treatment-linked skin toxicity by two-thirds in women undergoing radiation therapy for breast cancer, according to Italian research published inInternational Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, reported HealthDay. Full Story  Intake of fats from meat, eggs and dairy products do not increase a woman's risk of breast cancer, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. However, high intakes of processed meat were linked to a slight increase in the risk of breast cancer in post-menopausal women and high butter intakes were linked to a slight increase in the risk of breast cancer in pre-menopausal women, reported Food Navigator Europe. Full Story • Study Abstract