Picking local in the produce aisle, checking for sustainability at the seafood counter, paying premium for organic milk…decisions that more and more of us make on a daily basis in our efforts to take better care of ourselves and the planet. This isn’t always so easy. Things happen. A sudden shortage of organic milk, the price of sustainable salmon spikes one week, and the next thing you know your grocery cart’s off kilter. Now imagine committing to those higher standards when you have to serve roughly14 million meals to spectators alone. Welcome to the other main event–the London 2012 culinary Olympics. Read More

Photo: jcoterhals

My culinary curiosity kicked in the other night as I watched the hyper-competitive swimmers jettison through the water with the grace of dolphin-sharks. How do these uber athletes fuel their bodies to be able to consistently sustain this level of physical output? Might there actually be such a thing as a Breakfast of Champions? I did some digging and just as I suspected, there is no magic meal that can turn us mere mortals into athletic forces to contend with. My peek behind the curtain did turn up some interesting info that makes the Games that much more interesting. Who knows, it might possibly help you improve your own athletic prowess a bit. Read More

Photo: jdlasica

Performance in the Olympics is everything, but what you consume is as important, if not more so, than everything else. For these athletes you have to treat your body like a car. If you put bad fuel in it, it won’t run well. If you put great fuel in it, it will perform to your ideal expectations and you will lower the chance of burning out. Olympians take this to an entirely new level. Read More

Photo: Tim Crook

By: Allana Mortell

Considering the diverse amount of radical products sold in retail stores all over the world, I suppose it shouldn’t be too alarming to know that the world’s first urban farming hub is taking place in a local shop near London’s East End. FARM:shop is more than a farm – it is a workspace, events venue, cafe and grocery store. While customers can nosh on sourdough sandwiches in the cafe, employees are simultaneously growing mushrooms in the basement, chicken coops on the roof and watching over fish tanks filled with tilapia. Though specific “exhibitions” change with season, the three tenants of FARM:shop remain sound :

1. To excite and inspire city dwellers to grow their own food, fabric and medicine and to make an income doing this
2. To create direct links between farms in the countryside with communities in the cities
3. To grow food commercially via a network of FARM’s across cities and retail this food at FARM’s shop.

The shop didn’t open its doors until March of 2011 but the idea behind FARM:shop has been brewing for over two years. Read More

Last night, Ginny’s Supper Club was happy to host Food Republic and Beefeater 24 as they celebrated their Getting Pissed in London Week. Beefeater 24 provided the cocktails while we served up some British-inspired food like Bangers and Mash, Fish and Chips, and Oxtail Marmalade.

This week, Food Republic is featuring stories dedicated to getting pissed in London-as in, a tribute to drinking (and eating) really well within the city limits, in the secret underground cocktail lairs and the suave, globetrotter-packed hotel bars and the historical neighborhood pubs. Read More

While most new restaurants close within a couple of years, taking a leap of faith and starting a restaurant can lead to big rewards. Read More