“There’s a double shot of skepticism in this account of Starbucks’ ascendancy as a permanent fixture in the global landscape written by Clark, a Portland-based journalist, who’s been mulling over Starbucks ever since the coffeehouse chain opened three branches in his small Oregon hometown. His coverage begins with a Seattle trio who set out to emulate the high-quality coffee of the California-based Peet’s chain, before Howard Schultz took over the company and laid plans for its massive expansion. While Clark grudgingly admires Starbucks’ ability to repackage coffee as beverage entertainment for a hyperprosperous society in search of emotional soothing, there’s a lot he doesn’t like about the company. He’s convinced that Starbucks diminishes the world’s diversity by ruthlessly outmaneuvering local competition on a global scale, and dubs the baristas’ work as a textbook McJob. Even the quality of the coffee, he says, has gone downhill. Though Clark loses some of his focus by trying to rope in so many arguments against Starbucks, overall, his dubious perspective on one of the modern world’s most ubiquitous icons is just frothy enough to prove entertaining.” (Nov. 5)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Ever wonder what that pesty salmonella would look like if it was a stuffed toy? Well wonder no more. Thinkgeek.com has come out with a line of all your favorite germs and diseases. Everything from E.Coli and salmonella to mad cow and toxic mold. Check them out here

“Business journalist Blumenthal, like most people, is mystified by the stock market. Just why is it, she wonders, that seemingly good news can send a stock plummeting and bad news can send it skyrocketing again? Here she shows how money is made and lost, by following one of America’s hottest growth stocks, Starbucks, through a year of rapid store openings, fancy new products, and clever promotions, revealing how the many players–big and small investors, company management, analysts, and the media–propel its shares up and down. Blumenthal pulls back the curtain on the stock market to expose its quirks and inner workings, from the power of a penny of earnings and the unexpected impact of a stock split to the image-enhancing effects of a brand of bottled water.”–From publisher description.

Did you ever think those cooking contest are a joke? Well to Ellie Mathews a software development manager thought the same thing, that is until she won the million-dollar prize from the famous Pillsbury bake-off contest. Read about how she did (and find the winning recipe) in Ungarnished Turth (641.5092 M429u).

Tired of just plain butter on your popcorn? Then check out myrecipes.com “7 ways with popcorn” here

Thats right…a new cooking show with the one- the only Coolio. (He’s a rapper if you didn’t know) It just goes to show you that anyone can cook. For full details on the show and how Coolio learned to cook check out the Feb. 25 2008 Edition of Newsweek, or click here.

With all the buzz of award shows, writers strikes, and everything hollywood going on, now would be a great to sit back and relax with movies about the thing you love. Cooking. So why not rent a movie today, you know before the mid-term cram starts.

Ratatouille

Børnenes restaurant

The King

No Reservations

In this E-book, available through Netlibrary, Sherrie Inness tries to explain how the gendered relationship to food developed over the twentieth century, and why has it proven so enduring.Â

Cooking Up U.S. History: Recipes and Research to Share With Children (Available through Netlibrary) is a great way to teach kids history in a way that really speaks to them

“Kitchen Mysteries <641.5 T448s> begins with a brief overview of molecular gastronomy and the importance of understanding the physiology of taste. A successful meal depends as much on a cook’s skilled orchestration of taste, odors, colors, consistencies, and other sensations as on the delicate balance of ingredients. Herv& eacute; then dives into the main course, discussing the science behind many meals’ basic components: eggs, milk, bread, sugar, fruit, yogurt, alcohol, and cheese, among other items. He also unravels the mystery of tenderizing enzymes and gelatins and the preparation of soups and stews, salads and sauces, sorbet, cakes, and pastries. Herv& eacute; explores the effects of boiling, steaming, braising, roasting, deep-frying, saut& eacute;ing, grilling, salting, and microwaving, and devotes a chapter to kitchen utensils, recommending the best way to refurbish silverware and use copper.”~Amazon.com review