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Eating well

Global customers crave texture, challenging companies to make crispier, gooier, chewier foods

Texture is having a crunchy, gooey moment in the food and beverage industry. For many people, the way a menu item or packaged snack feels in the mouth has become as big a draw as flavor, although consumers don’t always recognize the part texture plays in their cravings for crispier takeout, frothier coffees and juicier candies, according to industry experts. The importance of “mouthfeel,” a food science term for oral sensation, has inspired new products like Starbucks’ Aerocano, an air-whipped iced espresso; PowerCrunch, a waferlike protein bar; and Trolli Gummi Pops, which ...

Home bakers trim recipes to match shrinking households

As cooler weather arrives and baking season begins, many home bakers are taking a different approach in the kitchen. Instead of filling the counter with oversized cakes, dozens of cookies or large pans of brownies, they’re choosing recipes that make just enough to enjoy without days of leftovers. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, one- and two-person households make up nearly two-thirds of homes across the country. Rather than baking only for holidays or large gatherings, more people are treating baking as an everyday pleasure, making smaller desserts whenever the craving ...

Why the versatile PB&J remains king of the lunchbox after 125 years

If there is a single sandwich associated with childhood and school lunches in the U.S.A, it has to be the PB&J. Sweet and salty, inexpensive, easy to make (maybe the first sandwich many kids make for themselves?), peanut butter and jelly is as close to iconic as a sandwich can get. It’s ...

Labor Day barbecue

It is hard to believe that we’ll be celebrating Labor Day in a few days. The holiday reminds me that the summer, which seemed so short, is over. Though it won’t be the last of grilling (we do it in the dead of winter,) it will probably be the last excuse for a barbecue party as the seasons change. Any of your family favorites would be appreciated, from hot dogs and burgers to beef, chicken, fish or pork. My choice this year will be sweet and tangy baby back ribs. They are so great for a party because they cook first in the oven before finishing on the grill briefly to baste and ...