• Monsanto’s plan to donate 130 tons of pesticide-coated hybrid seeds to Haiti was met with alarm by food activists, who charge that the seeds are toxic and will further devastate Haiti’s agriculture. [Squid Ink/LA Weekly]
• The food designer behind popcorn chicken and Steak-Umms has created a “choke-proof” hot dog that breaks up into eight pieces during cooking. [Consumerist]
• A week-long camp called “Cooking for Kids” will be held this summer in Rancho Palos Verdes, giving young folks the chance to learn how to prepare their favorite meals. [Daily Breeze]
• Hatfield’s general manager and beverage director Peter Birmingham once spent time working in a vineyard, a rainy experience he refers to as the “harvest from hell.” [Wine Spectator]
• Downtown’s Tulip Cafe is now open for dinner with new hours. [BlogDowntown]
• As American palates shift toward preferring bolder tastes, food companies are ratcheting up the heat and flavors in their products. [WSJ]
• The NBA is partnering with food companies to get edible team logos plastered onto pizzas and toast. [USA Today]
• Lay’s new ad campaign is intended to help consumers think of the potato chips as a real food. [NYT]
• Eating carrots, cantaloupes, peppers, spinach, and apricots can give the skin a tan-like glow. [NYDN]