Ten worst dining trends, wine corrodes teeth, recession takes its toll on Halloween

Ten worst dining trends, wine corrodes teeth, recession takes its toll on Halloween

The recession, represented here by a plush monster, is a threat to Halloween candy everywhere (Photo by Matt Blank)

• The recession has claimed yet another victim: Halloween candy. A new U.S. survey has found that the recession will mean less candy for trick or treaters this year. Consumer spending is expected to drop 15 per cent from last Halloween, and 47 per cent of respondents said they would buy less candy this year. It’s a double whammy of bad news, as less candy for trick or treaters will presumably mean more tricks against homeowners.  [Canwest]

• Wine aficionados complaining of sore teeth may want to have some cheese with their whine. A new German study shows that the higher acid content of white wine corrodes teeth faster than red, with rieslings being the worst. The effect can be easily countered, however, with a piece of brie or gouda; the calcium neutralizes the wine’s acid. [Toronto Star]

• The Chicago Tribune lists the 10 worst dining trends of the past decade, gathered in a series of interviews with foodies, then ranked in order of annoyance. Included are fried onion blossoms, the communal table, foam and chefs as media whores. Not on the list are the recent bacon infatuation or the grand poutine proliferation of ’09. [Chicago Tribune]

• As the demand for Canadian icewine grows in China, so does the number of counterfeit versions. Vintners are lamenting the fact, saying that over 50 per cent of the icewine sold in China is bogus. If the fake wine is as bad as the fake labels, though, Chinese consumers can’t be benefitting much. One counterfeit label reads, “Ice wine includes many other vitamins and nutrients, Ofen consumption helps to enhance one is beauty and health of heart and blood vessels [sic].” [Globe and Mail]

• Grub Street tsk-tsks Susur Lee, Jamie Kennedy, Marc Thuet, Guy Rubino and the other signatories of a letter encouraging a publisher to include Canadian chefs in the cookbook Coco: 10 World-Leading Masters Choose 100 Contemporary Chefs. Blogger Daniel Maurer points out that there were two Canadians in it all along, but a quick peek back at the wording of last July’s letter reveals that maybe Grub Street gets it wrong, too. Certainly the blogger’s Morrisette-ish misuse of the word “ironic” doesn’t work in his favour. [Grub Street]

• Bill Gates has donated over $100,000 to researchers who hope that chewing gum and chocolate will become new weapons in the fight against malaria. Gum could provide a painless alternative to blood sampling to detect the disease, as saliva is easily collected with it. Chocolate is also a promising malaria fighter, researchers say. A chocolate medicine could be delivered in a liquid form, like hot chocolate. [Telegraph]