Meat consumption research – Introduction/Aim

High and rising global meat consumption threatens the sustainability of our food system as ever more resources are devoted to livestock farming while much of the world remains hungry. In a series of 9 parts I look at the history and culture of meat in human diets, the way we produce meat, it’s role in human health, ethical issues and solutions to restore sustainability.

Reform Club Menu, 9th May 1846

An analysis of a menu from the Reform Club for a dinner on the 9th May 1846 prepared by chef Alexis Soyer.

World Food Crisis Conference with Solomon Katz

Report on a conference with Solomon Katz on the food crisis held at the University of Gastronomic Sciences.

Fishing in Puglia

Description of a week’s field trip in Puglia, Italy with the University of Gastronomic Sciences to study the fishing industry.

The Role of the Endocannabinoid system in eating

Report on a presentation at the University of Gastronomic Sciences by Dr Vincenzo di Marzo on his work on food and eating disorders.

How Climate Change Could Affect Wine

Report on a presentation at the University of Gastronomic Sciences by Antonio Busalacchi on his work looking at the future effect of climate change on wine production.

India trip and Navdanya

A description of my field trip with the University of Gastronomic Sciences to India where we spent much of our time seeing the work of Navdanya, an organisation promoting environmentally and economically sustainable practices for small farmers.

Studying Beer

A quick post on our field trip to study beer and brewing with a link to photos of the trip.

Photos published

The photos I took while travelling with the university’s river Po voyage have resulted in the most significant publication of my photos so far.  The January/February issue of The Atlantic Monthly magazine has an article by Corby Kummer about the trip and they used the following 3 photos with the article…

The article has a link [...]

Po Valley Rice Production

This is a piece I wrote as a university report about rice production after our field trip on rice in May 2007 when we visited two producers in the province of Vercelli, Piemonte, Italy…

The Recovery of Sicilian Wine

This is a piece I wrote as a university report on our field trip in Sicily in February 2007…

Port and Northern Portugal

This is a university report I wrote on our field trip in Northern Portugal…

From Parmigiano-Reggiano to Grana Padano

This is from a university report I wrote after field trips covering these two cheeses…

Coffee, Fair-Trade and Quality

In January 2006 we spent a week at Lavazza in Turin learning about coffee. It was one of the most informative and well-managed learning field-trips we have had with the university and Lavazza really came across as a great company with a real commitment to the quality of their products. Here is a [...]

Salumi Field Trip

Last week I had my first field trip with the University of Gastronomic Sciences, a thematic stage looking at salumi (cured meats).
I was very lucky to be allocated to the group going to the Antica Macelleria Falorni in Greve, Tuscany where we were accommodated very generously and luxuriously by the Folonari family at their wine [...]