Amuse Bouche

News from the world of food and wine that you might have missed this week.

• If you like homemade pasta but lack the time or the pasta machine, here is an easy recipe. I haven’t tried it but it looks good.
• The origins of haute cuisine—it was all about overcoming disgust.
• Why the Spanish are abandoning their late-night meals.
• The science of how to get served first at a bar.
• Food expiration and sell-by dates on labels are misleading.
• After a loss, football fans consume more fat than after a victory. Here is the explanation.
• I still don’t understand competitive eating. But if you’re curious, check out this video. A women eats 9 lbs of fried mushrooms in 8 minutes.
• California’s 2013 wine harvest—is it a good year?
• We waste 40% of the food that is produced. Here are suggestions for reducing that waste.
• Scientists claim there are 10 categories of basic aromas humans are capable of smelling.
• Are American farmers feeding the world? Well, yes and no. Its complicated.
• Here is a good blog post on the problem of corked wines. The problem is not just that musty smell. A small amount of TCA can cause the wine to be dull.