Grains feed the world, but not all grains are (or taste!) equal. Just like the taste of wine depends on the type of grape, grain varieties affect quality, color, flavor, and more.
Chocolate and wine are more similar than one might think. For example, chocolate and wine are both fermented, can be analyzed for tasting notes and other sensory descriptors like tannins, and are produced worldwide. With so many different styles and origins of wine and chocolate, tasters can have a lot of fun deciphering which kinds of wines and chocolates best pair together to create a divine sensory experience.
I grew up in Los Angeles, so my childhood was not marked by many experiences surrounding agriculture. Many students who attend UC Davis come from similar backgrounds, so UC Davis is where students like me are exposed to the plethora of sciences and niches under the umbrella of agriculture. Personally, my passion for wine and grapes was found when I attended UC Davis, something I had never been exposed to previously. Meanwhile, some find their passion for goats, or what Ben Rupchis calls the “gateway livestock,” for students foraying into agriculture.
What makes a cup of coffee or an energy bar enjoyable is usually more than just the taste. The surrounding environment may also influence the experience.
With that in mind, the Department of Food Science and Technology at University of California, Davis has constructed a new multi-sensory immersive room that can be used for product development, innovation and research.
Crafting beer is a precise science. Brewers know that various types of yeast and different fermentation methods control how beer will taste. But a phenomenon known as “hop creep” can sometimes throw a brewer for a loop.
A complex, but easy-drinking Scottish export ale, with a copper hue and hints of caramel, was crowned the top beer at this year’s Iron Brew competition.
The recent increase in research on the benefits of eating plant-based meals for environmental reasons and personal health and wellness has led to a rise in vegan, vegetarian, and flexitarian diets, prompting consumers to reach for plant-based meat alternatives instead of conventional meats. These plant-based meat alternatives were explored in the Robert Mondavi Institute’s recent forum “Diners, Drivers, and the Design of Meat Alternatives,” featuring Dr.
Being a wine enthusiast, I eagerly research the terroir, or sense of place, of each wine I drink. Whenever I open a bottle, I want to dig deeper than general facts about the region where the wine came from. I enjoy reading any information I can find about the vineyard’s soil, climate, or terrain, in addition to the specific practices, the winemaker implemented when crafting the wine. I’m a sucker for the wineries that list all sorts of details on the label or the website; I feel so much more connected to these wines. When I drink them, I can appreciate what made them this way.
Even though we are experiencing a cold snap in Davis this week, you can feel that spring is just around the corner. We are ramping up for a busy spring with many upcoming events.
There is still time to register for tonight's Walt Klenz series with Martha Stoumen. They will be discussing the rising popularity of natural wines, farming, production, and the business behind these low-intervention wines.
World-renowned celebrity chef Martin Yan’s collection of nearly 3,000 cookbooks, his first wok, thousands of photographs and other media will be the main ingredients in an archive to be established in his name at the University of California, Davis.
As a viticulture and enology student, I have become accustomed to the process of wine tasting through my years of study and practice. The process has remained romantic while becoming systematic to me--I see, swirl, sniff, sip, savor the wine. During the Robert Mondavi Institute’s Sips and Bites event “Exploring the World of Artisanal Tea,” I learned that this same tasting approach also applies to tea, the most consumed prepared beverage in the world.
Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have developed a new type of cooling cube that could revolutionize how food is kept cold and shipped fresh without relying on ice or traditional cooling packs.
These plastic-free, “jelly ice cubes” do not melt, are compostable and anti-microbial, and prevent cross-contamination.
They say there’s a first time for everything. The recent Savor lecture “Our First Superfood and the Infant Microbiome” was the first time I watched a game show focusing solely on breast milk, the original “superfood.” I’m sure it was the first time for many others in the Zoom audience too!
Ironically, the same night that I attended the Robert Mondavi Institute’s virtual forum titled “Growing Real Beef Without the Moo: The Future of the Cultured Meat Industry,” my dinner plans included cooking ground beef to serve with a pasta dish I was making. After spending the night learning about cultured beef, I was about to cook conventional beef, and I could not look at it the same way. I now had a deeper appreciation for the meat in front of me and a new education on the growing food demands our world is facing.
The solution to the growing food demand? Cultured meat.
