Loam Ridges

Thursday, September 20, 2018

Cooking and Food News - September 2018

For a topic that has been around as long as humans have been it always amazes us to find the newest in the food and cooking industry. For the September edition of “Food News” Loam Ridges has put together a very interesting selection of articles.

We start with a scientist who may not have been as honest with his research and deceived many of the biggest news publications in academia and end with cannabis’s legalization and it’s effect on restaurant and hotels offerings!

1. Scientist has multiple papers retracted

Who should be trusted when it comes to information concerning food, it’s effects on our health, and the multitude of other topics that surround the subject? A researcher for a top academic institution sounds like a pretty safe bet, right? Wrong.

A top researcher from Cornell University just had six scientific papers retracted in a single day. Most of the research was concerning food physiology, and it has come under increased scrutiny as the work was suspected of data manipulation.

It’s every scientist’s worst nightmare: six papers retracted in a single day, complete with a press release that’s helping the world’s science reporters disseminate and discuss the news.

That’s exactly what happened today at the journal network JAMA, and to the Cornell researcher Brian Wansink.

Wansink is currently the director of Cornell’s Food and Brand Lab. For years, he has been known as a “world-renowned eating behavior expert.”

2. Shocking secrets of the Food Industry

If you’re anything like us you have probably had a friend, or five, tell you that you “MUST” watch the video they found online. The video is the “Shocking secrets of the Food Industry”.

While this video is rather interesting, it is also full of holes. We actually think that watching the video and then reading the following article is the best course of action as it does a great job fact checking the video.

A video titled “Shocking Secrets of the Food Industry” has become popular viewing on social media, serving up a series of context-free observations that masquerade as an exposé of the “food industry.” This video is so misleading that it appears almost proud of its own abject ignorance and total lack of intellectual curiosity:

3. Regular Price changes at Restaurants?

You expect to see the price change at the fuel pumps on a weekly basis, but at your favorite restaurant? That’s something different, isn’t it? Well, there is a new technology out that adjusts the price of your burger depending on the price of the cow. Researchers are finding that people who prefer higher quality ingredients in their food are able to stomach (forgive the pun) a small variance in price to get the nutrition they are after.

Restaurant-goers have let the market know that they want healthier, farm-fresh and responsible sourced ingredients for years. Consumer behaviors and food sourcing trends are inspiring many brands to seek out hyper-local partnerships with local growers. With individual, local farm relationships, large-buy procurement contracts are more difficult to come by. Smaller chains also face challenges with contract food pricing since they tend to have lower-volume buys.

Read More at Restaurant Business Online.

4. A Robot that cooks your Food.

What do you need to cook your favorite recipe? Some chicken, spices, vegetables, and…. Your robot? A UK based startup is officially crowdfunding for a product that will have mechanical arms and the capability to learn your favorite recipes. This technology may not even be that far away… the company, Moley Robotics, hopes to have a prototype released in 2018!

I feel like an anomaly among my fellow New York millennials in that I actually enjoy cooking my own meals. For many people, it's always, "I never have time," which usually means a leftover salad that's now wilted, lunch from the place downstairs or a Seamless delivery.

I take pride in the fact that I can feed myself healthy meals, and it's actually helped in my dating life, too.

And just like that, robots are out to ruin another thing for me.

5. Cannabis on the Menu?

The last 5 years has brought a rush of pro-cannabis legislation in many states. With this legalization it was only a matter of time before restaurants, hotels, and other traveler friendly locations started to capitalize. The Hollywood Roosevelt in L.A. is already infusing its cocktails with CBD Oil to create a more relaxing drink for it’s patrons. This is a trend we don’t see slowing down anytime soon either….

More hotels and resorts plan to offer cannabis-based menu items and wellness treatments, as laws around the country relax toward medicinal and recreational use of the drug. And customers — both locals and guests — seem to be thoroughly enjoying them.

Friday, August 10, 2018

Cooking News, Talking about Food! August 2018

Here at Loam Ridges we take a lot of time talking about food, thinking about new recipes, and making sure we are producing the highest quality olive oil for you and your family to enjoy.

For all that time, we also know that there are hundreds of foods we’ve never enjoyed. Everyday recipes are created for that we want to try, and news concerning all topics “food”.

So… we had a thought. Let’s write an article every month to talk about food, cooking, and olive oil! In our first “Cooking News” installment, we cover a range of topics from Cow Appreciation Day to a tasty summer salad. Enjoy!

Cow Appreciation Day 2018

Chicken giants Chick-fil-A celebrated their 14^th annual Cow Appreciation Day on July 10^th. This is a fun celebration in which any patron who dresses in any cow attire will receive a free entrée or a kids meal (Sorry adults, the free kids meals are just for, you guessed it, kids).

We realize that by the time this article is published this day will have come and gone, but we still love the idea. In fact, it’s almost has cool as the “Eat mor Chikin” billboards they continue to produce!

“Mark your calendars: Chick-fil-A is celebrating its 14th annual Cow Appreciation Day on Tuesday, July 10, 2018. Restaurants nationwide will offer a free entrée to any customer who visits the restaurant dressed as a cow. Chick-fil-A’s largest single-day customer appreciation event, Cow Appreciation Day, celebrates the company’s iconic “Eat Mor Chikin®” Cows.”

Read more here:

Chipotle’s legal troubles

Unfortuanatly, Chipotle is back in the news again today facing 2 new lawsuits for a food poisoning scare. These reports came from an event in 2015 where 600 people who ate at a restaurant near Columbus, OH became ill after eating at the location.

The store was closed immediately to implement new safety protocols. While the investigation is ongoing, the initial tests have come back negative for many common foodborne illnesses.

After a spate of foodborne illnesses in 2015 affected restaurants across the country, Chipotle Mexican Grill vowed to clean up its act by implementing new food handling processes in both its restaurants and at the supplier level.

A Tasty Salad Recipe for Summer

One thing about August… It’s hot. Too hot to cook in many, many locales. That being said, we still want to eat healthy, delicious food that will fill us up. Most importantly, it needs to help dull our sweet tooth so we don’t end up going for ice cream (again).

With all that in mind, check out this Peach and Parma Ham Salad! Oh, and just in case you were wondering, we do recommend our Heritage Blend to really help the flavor of the salad pop!

Is a Well-Rounded Diet really good for you?

You want a well-rounded diet, right? We all know that a wide variety of foods will lead to a bunch of different nutrients and is the best way to guarantee you’re getting the vitamins and minerals your body needs. Not so fast.

The New York Times just published an article that points to a new study that those with the widest variety of food in their diet also tend to have the most junk food in their diet.

A panel of experts with the American Heart Association found that many who have a wide selection of meats, fruits and veggies also tend to each the most sugar process and processed food.

For decades nutrition experts have encouraged Americans to eat a variety of foods to ensure that they consume a nutritionally adequate diet. But this week a panel of experts said that longstanding recommendation might be outdated.

The advice to consume a variety of foods has long been included in the federal government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans. It is largely based on old studies of low-income populations that found that consuming a broad range of foods helped prevent nutritional deficiencies.

Read more at the New York Times:

Want some Chemicals with your food?

It’s no surprise that having chemicals in our food doesn’t sound like the healthiest idea. Many chemicals that are used in food processing and packaging have been found to potentially harmful to humans. This is an especially big problem when you talk about children.

We’ve highlighted this because a new article on USA Today published 5 of these chemicals, tells you where you can find them, how to avoid them, and how to minimize risk if you do have them in your home and diet.

The chemicals added to food and used in food packaging are potentially harmful to children, a major pediatricians' group says.

Chemicals used in packaging and in processed meats, among others, can lead to obesity, puberty issues and other health problems, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) said.

The group is calling for "urgently needed reforms" at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In a policy statement, the AAP, which represents 67,000 children's doctors, argued for more rigorous testing and regulation of food additives.

Read more at USA Today:

Sam Zien and his Cooking Show

Finally, San Diego cook Sam Zien gets his due (this is a big over exaggeration, he’s got his due long before this!). When he first started 17 years ago, he was a funny guy who simply could not cook. Nowadays, Sam is a legitimate cook who has appear on the Today show as well as winning a ton of local Emmys, and a lucrative YouTube following.

Sam Zien was the worst cook on TV. That was the whole idea of his show, which became a hit in San Diego. What would happen if a tech sector burnout who couldn’t cook worth a damn learned his way around the kitchen while you watched? The idea paid off. His show won a bazillion local Emmys, landed him guest spots cooking on the Today show, and a few weeks ago he opened his own restaurant in Little Italy.

Read More at San Diego Magazine:

Have a topic you’d love to see in the September edition of “Cooking News?” Let us know!

Thursday, August 2, 2018

California Olive Oil from Loam Ridges is on Sale!

With over 100 years of experience, California olive oil company Loam Ridges prides itself on creating a uniquely mild and buttery flavored olive oil from Sevillano olives that are harvested from their very own Barceloux Family Orchards. From taking care of the olive trees to harvesting the olive fruit and bottling the 100% natural and cold pressed oil each process is overseen and managed by family-owned Loam Ridges company. Recently, Loam Ridges announced an exclusive sale on their Heritage Blend Olive Oil from its regular price of 24.99 to 19.99 while supplies last.

Loam Ridges’s California Olive Oil is made from 100% natural locally grown olives that are known all over the world for their unique taste that is sure to impress any olive oil aficionado. The Heritage Blend Olive Oil is made from Fresh Pressed Olive Oil that is cold pressed to preserve the delicate flavor notes of the Sevillano Olives as well as to retain the nutritional goodness of olive oil. “We take immense pride in the quality of olive oil we produce; from handpicking all of our olives are handpicked straight from our trees to our local mill. All of our oil blends are 100% natural and cold filtered. We carefully transport the olives the day they are picked to our mill to ensure the freshest and highest quality product. It is our passion to grow, harvest, and mill the best olives California has to offer and deliver to your table to enjoy.” – The Loam Ridges spokesperson said.

Cold filtered olive oil is rich in mono-saturated fats that are considered healthier than saturated fats and trans fats, in simpler words olive oil is better for the cardiovascular system. Olive oil also contains large amounts of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Furthermore, the antioxidants found in olive oil may have anti-cancer properties.

The Loam Ridges’ Heritage Blend Olive Oil extracted from Sevillano Olives, which is currently on sale for just $19.99 dropped from $24.99, has a versatile flavor that suits many different types of cuisines and goes perfectly well when drizzled on salads or eaten with bread.

About:

Loam Ridges is a family owned and managed olive oil company from the bountiful agricultural area in California’s Northern Sacramento Valley, where Sevillano olives have been grown in their orchards since the early 1900s. For more information, please visit: https://www.loamridges.com/

First appeared on ABnewswire

Monday, June 18, 2018

11 Extraordinary Benefits of Using Olive Oil

Take your bottle of olive oil out of the kitchen and find out other surprising uses for it around the house: for your skin, your furniture, and more.

Use as hair conditioner

iStock/Central IT Alliance

Is your hair as dry and brittle as sagebrush in the desert? Put the moisture back into it by heating 1/2 cup olive oil (don’t boil it), and then liberally applying it to your hair. Cover your hair with a plastic grocery bag, then wrap it in a towel. Let it set for 45 minutes, then shampoo and thoroughly rinse. If you’re in awe of these numerous olive oil benefits, check out these 13 amazing uses for tea tree oil.

Clear up acne

iStock/gvictoria

OK, the notion of applying oil to your face to treat acne does sound a bit wacky. Still, many folks swear this works: Make a paste by mixing 4 tablespoons salt with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Pour the mixture onto your hands and fingers and work it around your face. Leave it on for a minute or two, then rinse it off with warm, soapy water. Apply daily for one week, then cut back to two or three times weekly. You should see a noticeable improvement in your condition. (The principle is that the salt cleanses the pores by exfoliation, while the olive oil restores the skin’s natural moisture.)