It's been a while . . .

Production:
Roasting is the most important step to making good chocolate, as Willie Harcourt-Cooze can tell you.

The Government is trying to save the cacao industry in Trinidad & Tobago.

Swollen Shoot Disease threatens Ivory Coast harvests.

YES! Energy is being harnessed using cocoa bean shells! There has always been a question as to what to do and where to put the shells leftover when manufacturing chocolate. If this works and the shells can be used to make energy - I'm all for it! Although, I should look into it more to see how viable it is.

Everything Else:
New Cacao Pearl Resort in the Philippines; more here

Why is Godiva offering "invitation only" events? You have to be on a list that Communispace has, then answer a survey - just to be invited. Sounds pretty biased to me.

You can deal with this, or you can deal with that . . .

Antioch library a ghost town - sounds neat actually

Myanmar Book Aid

Should ex-hostages held prisoner in Columbia be able to voice their stories?

Book (by World Vision) donation to Kigali Institute of Education Library

Mississippi library houses Red Cross history exhibit

The thing's we'll do, or tax, for chocolate

Fascist chocolate tax

Actual Headline: Trio of sword-wielding teens steal chocolate

Former President Bush knows the secret to the best chocolate chip cookie - and he'll e-mail it to you!

Don't take chocolate away from me!

Toronto budget cuts include cutting 36 librarians

Nestle set to open plant, bringing needed jobs to Indiana

Why haven't I heard of this novel Bootleg? It is about the possibility of a world where chocolate and other sweets are banned. It may be a YA novel, but it still sounds interesting!

Homeless man cooked his way into a better life for his family and himself

Fat Duck sicknesses increase ten-fold

Mrs. Obama promoting food banks and soup kitchens, while actually volunteering at them

More on Chavez targeting food and farms

BPL starts fund drive to keep libraries open 6-days, and to make sure service is not affected by cuts

I'm backlogged

Segment from Dave Frye's doctoral dissertation on breakfast cereals

Culinary Museum on my 'to-do' list

Senators push for boost in FDA


WIC changes list of approved food

Is the FDA broken?

I hope to God no one messes with my chocolate

Cocoa shells as fuel source. I knew the day would come when people would realize HOW useful and good chocolate is for you!

Cadbury's UK is converting about 20% of products to fair trade

I want to live under the sea

National issue of people not taking advantage of food pantries is seen in Minnesota

Construction for Prague's new national library to go on?

Philabundance and the Food Bank of South Jersey launch food drive

More

Chinese experts and consumers skeptical of China's new food policies (via USA Today)

Heston Blumenthal discusses the closing of the Fat Duck (video) (via guardian.uk)

Food Safety at Home and Abroad, etc.

China adopts Food Safety Law (via Bloomberg)

China passes food safety law (via AP)

Beijing tightens food safety laws (via WSJ)

China passes new food laws after milk scandal (via Australian Broadcasting Corp.)

ASEAN (The Association of Southeast Asian Nations) pledges cooperation to deal with food safety issues (via PhilStar)

The Fatted Duck closes after food poisoning affects dozens

Statement from the Grocery Manufacturers Association concerning our safe (or not so safe) food supply

Cookbook aimed at Food Banks looking for recipe ideas to use with the food they are given

Chocolate Gala benefits food bank

Relevant to my research: The cocoa bean and Belize