BITES : Scrumptious Words

Who knows why, but certain words just seem to turn food writers on. “Crispy” (meaning “crisp”) is an old favorite, and there’s been a craze for “to drizzle” (in the sense of “to dribble”) since the ‘80s. “Dollop” is holding steady, “nubbin” seems to be on the rise and this column anticipates a substantial boom in “slurry” over the next two to four years.

A Cheese-Divided Dominion

The Canadian health department, after six years of low-profile work on new regulations, announced last week its plan to require that cheese made from non-pasteurized milk be heat-processed, then stored at low temperatures for two months. Camembert, Brie and even imported Parmesan might not meet the standards.

Many Quebecois took this as an attack on their cheese traditions, and Quebec representatives staged a cheese “taste-in” at Parliament on April 17. Italian Canadians have also protested. In response, Health Minister David Dingwall promised a 75-day consultation period before a final decision is made.

A letter to the Toronto-based Globe and Mail commented: “I’m so glad [Dingwall] has decided to let trivial issues like tobacco, drugs and alcohol fall by the wayside and concentrate on what is really threatening the health of the citizens of this country--cheese.”

Barbecuers, Beware

How polluted are Moscow’s rivers? Seafood Leader magazine reports that bass caught in them have such high concentrations of oil that they could easily be set on fire.

Secondhand Scones

The most repellent PR release we’ve received so far this year contained about a teaspoon of crumbs and a letter that began: “Just taste the morsels . . . . No, they’re not just crumbs, they’re [a brand which shall remain nameless] scones--or what’s left of mine.”