by Talia Kleinplatz | Bummed that you missed Italian Day on Commercial Drive? Fear not! The festivities continue all throughout June for Italian Heritage Month.

Vij’s Meeru Dhalwala looks to make a difference in the community by supporting local agriculture. Her Joy of Feeding fundraiser event takes place June 25th featuring 15 home cooks with proceeds going to support UBC Farm.

The World’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards took place this past week and the loveable Chef Massimo Bottura’s Osteria Francescana took top spot. In less fun news, there was no love for Canada (insert sad face here).

The folks who brought us The Acorn are set to open a second joint this summer. Offering up fast vegetarian fare, keep your eyes open for The Arbor on Main St. in the coming months.

You may not be able to get tickets to the show (because nobody can), but you might be able to try the craft beer created in its honour.

While the high-falutin cocktail bar certainly has its place, the neighbourhood haunt is just as important and creates social connections in a time when folks are increasingly living life through their phones and computers. Denver’s Sean Kenyon explains.

Mark your calendars! This year’s YVR Food Fest takes place the first week of August and promises to showcase local food carts, longtable dinners, and a brand new speaker series. Tickets on sale now.

Our relatively new love of mezcal may be threatening the plant responsible for the smoky spirit. Punch looks at what happens when demand outweighs supply in the world of agave.

Globalization at its most mind-boggling: NPR shares a very informative map that breaks down where our food originates. Perhaps the most illuminating: “More than two-thirds of the crops that underpin national diets originally came from somewhere else.”

Trans fats be gone! This past week the FDA announced that these dangerous ingredients would need to be phased out of all foods within the next 3 years.

Crisis in Venezuela as the nation’s food shortage continues. As Coca-Cola closes plants due to a lack of sugar for production and airlines cancel flights due to lack of food, the country’s food insecurity persists with no end in sight.

In great news for my neighbourhood (and terrible news for my wallet), the first Le Creuset Canadian showroom lands in South Granville.

This week in WTF are they thinking: axes and alcohol! An Ontario-based axe-throwing league is asking for a liquor license. Sounds legit…

Two important lessons from The Atlantic: 1) Whole grain and multigrain are not the same thing. 2) One is far healthier for you than the other.

Excellent news for caffeine lovers! The World Health Organization finds no carcinogenic risk with your morning pick-me-up. Drink all the coffee!

An important, fascinating piece from Food52’s Michael Twitty on intersectionality and food writing.

Eating via Instagram honours this week go to the Vancouver Farmer’s Market because there’s nothing better than fresh, local produce this time of year.

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