Not making this up: Two Dutch cheese makers, an EU court and a ruling on whether or not flavour is protected by copyright law.

If you’re ready to start thinking about holiday shopping, Eater has a stellar list of gifts for the food and drink lover in your life.

And in the “gifts to avoid column”, might I suggest this Keurig pod-based cocktail machine.

Though its West End location has seen some turnover, the folks behind Verre have high hopes for their new modern European restaurant, which is set to open by the end of the month.

Another opening to look forward to: world-famous hot pot restaurant Hai Di Lao will open their first Canadian location in Richmond this month.

When the Pikachu doughtnuts are too creepy-looking to consume, it’s time to pull ‘em from the shelves, as this Japanese chain recently learned.

Mia Stainsby pays a visit to the recently opened Ugly Dumpling, where grandma’s dumplings and staff meal are both on the menu.

While the #MeToo movement has moved the needle, victim blaming and retaliation is still all too common when is comes to sexual harassment: Eater reports.

“A 2014 report by Restaurant Opportunities Center United (ROC) showed that while only 7 percent of American women work in restaurants, “more than a third of all sexual harassment claims to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission come from the restaurant industry.” This leaves women in the industry with two shitty choices: put up with the harassment or find another job. Of the women surveyed, 25 percent said they sought new employment “as a result of unwanted sexual attention in their workplace.”

In light of this information, here’s hoping that New York passes this proposed bill that would make Bystander Harassment Training mandatory for all bar and club staff.

You know our oyster game is on point when a restaurant in New York City hosts a Canadian Oyster Festival.

From the farmers growing the grain to the distillers bottling the spirit, the all-female staff behind Portland’s Freeland Spirits is breaking with tradition in an industry dominated by men.

In an innovative attempt to address issues of food insecurity, this Minneapolis restaurant – set to open this spring – will use a pay-what-you-can model for its guests.

NPR interviews farmer and activist Leah Penniman on her new book, ‘Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Guide to Liberation On the Land”.

Eating via Instagram honours this week go to @glasfurdwalker for capturing the beauty of fresh pasta in the making:

 

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Art nouveau inspired detail. Pasta counter signage @caffelatana ~ in the beautiful interior by @stemariedesign, photo by @ianlanterman and sign gilding by @seensigns #newwork ?

A post shared by Glasfurd & Walker (@glasfurdwalker) on Oct 27, 2018 at 10:13am PDT

Eater shares their picks for America’s 38 Essential Restaurants including PNW favourites JuneBaby (Seattle) and Kachka (Portland).

While the wellness corners of Instagram are touting the miraculous health benefits of celery juice, some other folks are understandably skeptical.

“The celery juice I bought listed four vitamins. Of those, the most abundant was vitamin A, and the bottle promised 30 percent of what the average person should have in a given day. As far as hydration goes, most of celery juice’s proponents cite solid celery’s 95 percent water composition as a way of proving the juiced version’s promise. Regular water is 100 percent water. I drink a bunch of that every day anyway.”

To brine or not to brine, that is the question (and The New York Times has answers).

Mel Magazine explores how food habits, customs, preferences and diets can often test the strength of our romantic relationships.

This week in food and politics: The Trump Sandwich.

“The ingredient list of the Trump Sandwich is simple: white bread, bologna lunch meat, Russian-style salad dressing, and a garnish of a cornichon. Store owners in the United States (and occasionally in Canada and the United Kingdom) advertised the sandwich as “white bread, full of baloney, with Russian dressing, and a small pickle.”

A brief history of Pappy Van Winkle’s rise to stardom and how the scarcity of even a single bottle has whiskey lovers looking for a new bourbon to obsess over.

This week’s lesson in smuggling meth into a prison includes a sheriff’s deputy and an order of KFC mashed potatoes.

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