by Talia Kleinplatz | Excerpts from a recently published book on Canada’s culinary identity detail some concerning information on the effects of climate change on some of our most iconic foods, including maple syrup, icewine and salmon.

How one man’s approach to community gardening in South Central LA is grabbing attention from coast to coast and changing lives for local residents.

Mothershucker! NPR gets into the alarming effects of climate change on the world’s shellfish as warm waters create ripe conditions of toxic algae.

In sad news, local food-centric bookstore Books To Cooks is closing at the end of February after almost 20 years. From owner Barbara-Jo McIntosh:

After almost twenty years of selling books and offering classes, I have decided to close my beloved bookshop. The brick and mortar version of Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks will shut down at the end of February.

After a sabbatical to restore and refresh, I will be moving forward to explore a number of ideas related to what I have always done best, Cooking and Booking. Although the actual shop will be gone, the spirit behind it will continue to thrive in other ways. I will maintain this website as a way of keeping you posted on my future endeavours.

I am truly grateful for the continuing support of my culinary community as well as the many friends and patrons who have so warmly embraced the philosophy of the shop. Your contribution over the past two decades has helped to make Books to Cooks my true emotional home.

New York Times’ food critic Pete Wells has taken some serious heat for his zero-star review of west coast restaurant/social enterprise Locol. Eater takes a more nuanced look at Wells’ reasoning for the harsh write-up.

Politico wonders who will chef Donald Trump’s White House, and so do we (guessing it’s Guy Fieri).

Trump’s fast food image has fueled some snark in culinary circles. Asked about which chef Trump might hire, a Washington restaurant investor quipped that it would probably be Colonel Sanders — a choice, they said, that would bridge “his love of military leaders and fast food.”

Resistance is about doing what you can. DC restaurant won’t put Trump in famous Presidential mural.

Going beyond the symbolic, there are many pressing concerns on people’s minds on the eve of Donald Trump’s inauguration, including questions about the stance of Attorney General nominee Jeff Sessions on the American food stamp program.

What does Donald Trump and a fish restaurant named after him in Kurdistan both have in common?. Hint: they both suck.

“Even taken with a bite of raw hot pepper, the Trump Fish lacked any discernible flavor other than morning breath washed down with pond water.”

So on to sweeter things! From New Guinea to Iran and the Crusades to the Industrial Revolution, SAVEUR magazine explains the history of sugar in 12 drawings.

And not so sweet: Six men hope to bring forward their case against chocolate mega-power Nestle for turning a blind eye to the deeply concerning realities of child slavery in the cocoa industry.

Rebecca Sananes looks at the demise of the small dairy farm in the face of large-scale milk producers across America.

We’ve all heard of GMOs but what about foods that are only slightly edited? Meet the new face of food modification where, instead in introducing foreign organisms, scientists are altering the DNA of certain crops to achieve desired traits.

The fine folks at Lucky Peach invite us into the fascinating world of avocados as they share 16 fun facts about this delightful tree fruit.  For example….“Avocados were known by the Aztecs as ahuacatl, meaning ‘testicle’, for their shape and supposed aphrodisiacal qualities.”

The 2017 food trend predictions continue as The Georgia Straight throws their hat in the ring with purple veggies, seaweed and coconut flour.

The Vancouver Sun’s Aleesha Harris heads to New Westminster to try El Santo. The enchiladas and homemade salsa are not to be missed!

Want to drink well on a budget? The Globe & Mail shares their picks affordable yet solid bottles of wine for $16 or less.

Did you hear this exciting news? The folks behind Ask For Luigi and Pourhouse are opening St. Lawrence – a Quebec-inspired restaurant. While they aren’t quite ready to open the doors yet, you can catch a glimpse of the upcoming menu around the corner at Ask For Luigi on January 23rd as they host a pop-up preview.

Eating and drinking via Instagram honours this week go to Adventures of A + K because coffee and donuts never need a reason.

Looking for work in the industry? Check out who’s hiring!