Americans becoming “flexitarians,” Laura Secord vs. Tim Hortons, designer ice cubes
• There is a recession-era term that’s possibly more annoying than “recessionista.” Americans are turning into “flexitarians”—casual vegetarians—in an effort to save money. The American Meat Institute responded with this YouTube video introducing cheap cuts of beef. [Gourmet]
• Starbucks failed. McDonald’s is failing. Now, the latest company to take on Tim Hortons in the coffee wars is chocolate retailer Laura Secord, which is testing a café concept aimed at a younger crowd. Our suggestion is to make the Superkid into a latte. [FP]
• Toronto restaurants are turning plain old ice cubes into the stuff of luxury. Sidecar serves four different kinds of ice depending on the drink, and BarChef’s ice is hand-chipped from a giant, lit cylindrical centrepiece in the middle of the bar. [Globe]
• From lunch lockdowns to calorie counts, the TDSB’s latest attempt to get students in shape involves having all vending machines in high schools dispense diet sodas. The decision to ban regular soft drinks will be made on June 24. Sadly, getting rid of vending machines altogether isn’t an option for cash-strapped schools. [Metro]
• Akon, the R&B singer whose famous hook is “I wanna fuck you,” says that, as a Muslim, he doesn’t touch alcohol and drinks only Shirley Temples. “I don’t ever want to not be in control, so I just don’t go there,” he says. In unrelated news, here’s a clip of Akon throwing a 15-year-old kid into the audience at a concert two years ago. [NY Mag]
