Food FYI: French aghast at California foie gras ban

WHAT THE FOIE GRAS

French chefs can’t fathom why California banned foie gras, and a growing number of French politicians feel the same way. France doesn’t export fatty duck liver to the U.S., but officials have started speaking out against the law, fearing that similar restrictions will spread to Europe. [Los Angeles Times]

U.N. AIR-DROPS FOOD IN SUDAN

The United Nations air-dropped 32 tons of food to refugees on the south Sudan border in an effort to quickly get food to tens of thousands of people who have been forced out of Sudan by fighting and hunger. The food, wrapped in bags, was pushed out of the back of a low-flying cargo plane, according to a World Food Program spokeswoman. This is the first in a series of airdrops aimed at helping more than 100,000 people who have fled. [ABC News]

ALL ABOUT BITTERS

A little history about the aromatic flavor concentrate bitters, how to make bitters and how to use bitters. Plus a recipe for candied bitters bacon. [Food 52]

LETTER FROM JULIA

One more Julia Child memento on the week of what would have been her 100th birthday: a letter to her confidant Avis DeVoto after Houghton Mifflin rejected the manuscript for “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” “We must accept the fact that this may well be a book unacceptable to any publisher, as it requires work on the part of the reader. NOBODY has ever wanted to publish ANY of our recipes in any publication whatsoever thus far. So that may well indicate something. In fact it does indicate that we’re not presenting things in a popular manner. I am frankly not interested in the chauffeur-den mother type of cooking, as we have enough of it.” A lesson in perseverance. [Explorer]

AGRIBIZ FIRES AT FOOD INITIATIVEThe largest agribusiness and biotech companies in the U.S. are spending millions of dollars to try to stop a California initiative that would require special labels on food made with genetically modified ingredients. Monsanto, Dupont Pioneer and Cargill have contributed nearly $25 million to defeat Proposition 37, slated to go before California voters in November. [San Jose Mercury News]

CLIMATE CHANGE
Floods and heat waves caused by climate change could disrupt food supplies and raise prices, such as this year’s jump brought about by the U.S. drought. Experts writing a U.N. overview of global warming say governments should take more account of how extreme weather could affect the entire food system chain, from fields to supermarkets. [Reuters]