Our weekly serving of off-the-menu items—a few popular favorites from the week as well as a few morsels that may have slipped your notice.
Plant-Based and Medium Rare
The Dutch-based brad Vivera announced that it’s launching “the holy grail of plant-based proteins”——a plant-based steak using wheat and soy proteins. Unlike companies like Impossible Foods, Vivera’s steak is a composite of naturally-occurring proteins: “80% wheat and soy with natural texturizers, colors and flavors.” The “steak” will be launched exclusively with Tesco.
Sourdough Library
Europe has some of the most magnificent libraries, and the library in this tiny corner of Belgium does not disappoint. St. Vith is home to “the world’s only sourdough library” with 105 sourdough starters from around the world.
Presidential Creamery
The Presidential Creamery ice cream truck is serving up the bitter flavors of this administrations devastating food and environmental policies. This David-and-Goliath drama is playing out on the streets of New York courtesy of a boutique ad agency and set to the tune of an ice cream truck jingle. Although it’s no secret that the United States does not have a food policy, the Presidential Creamery is a, “response to the demise of the OLPP and lack of transparency in factory farming,” the agency clarified in a recent interview with Munchies.
Chicks in a Box
A look at the history and practice of mail-order hatcheries. The business has been supported by the United States Post Office for over a century and, “as a result, we get to have backyard chicken coops, farmers’ market eggs, and preserved genetic biodiversity.”
Kombucha Packaging
For anyone who’s ever tried making their own kombucha, a fizzy, fermented tea, the fate of the scoby is usually the composter. A by product of the fermentation process, the scoby is also probably the least attractive part of making kombucha. Polish design student Roza Janusz’s graduation project now reimagines the scoby as a packaging material that farmers could grow and manufacture themselves.
[Read more stories about sustainable food packaging and material innovation.]
Cats in Food
Now your moment of Friday zen.
