In Japan, there is a hamster, and that hamster serves sake and (plastic) sushi. I guess this should come as no surprise. [Grub Street] —Ann Limpert
An unexpectedly lovely ode to Taco Bell. [Eater] —AL
Some jackass bartender in Louisville is making Jell-O shots with Pappy Van Winkle, also known as the rare bourbon that whiskey enthusiasts would trade their children for. [Eater] —Benjamin Freed
This Week in (Depressing) Millennial Food Trends: Forget all those restaurant chains hiring consultants to repurpose their menus to attract young, urban customers. Now Monsanto has a “director of millennial engagement” charged with getting the under-35 set excited about genetically modified foods. Also, his name is Vance Crowe, which is exactly what I would name the bad guy if I was writing an action movie about millennial cyberterrorists. [NPR] —BF
Tim Heideker’s and Eric Wareheim’s three-minute ad for Totino’s Pizza Rolls is both wholly legitimate and the most fun you will ever have involving Totino’s Pizza Rolls. [YouTube] —BF
Much like palatial-yet-affordable Manhattan apartments and women who stay thin on a diet of junk food, turns out that fried green tomatoes being a Southern staple is a myth perpetrated by Hollywood. [Serious Eats] —Tanya Pai
I was going to link to a long and thoughtful exploration of why tipping is so important to service-industry workers—until omgzzzz hamster bartender again! (But please also read the first story.) [Grub Street] —TP
Yes, bacon is magical, but where some of it comes from is tied to a civil-rights issue. [Grist] —Anna Spiegel
The next big chef jumping into the (literal) fast-food game: Momofuku’s David Chang. [New York Times] —AS
How the midterm election results can affect the food industry. [Eater] —AS
