"SXSW" news and stories

"My bacon is better than your bacon!" was the mantra heard repeatedly at the Bacon Takedown held on Sunday, March 14 at music venue Emo's in Austin, Texas.

The event, sponsored by Hormel and Le Creuset and organized by Matt Timms, saw 22 contestants go pork belly to pork belly for judges' prizes and/or people's choice awards, winning Le Creuset griddle pans and either a year's supply or six-months' supply of Hormel bacon. Some dishes were intensive, like Taco Town's award-winning crack bacon tacos (blueberry-maple glazed bacon wrapped with made-to-order bacon-fat, queso fresco and blueberry habanero salsa).

Of course, food competitions are nothing new and they're growing in popularity. In New York City, much of this is due to Timms, who for six years has held culinary contests in Brooklyn. Capitalizing on the Takedown series' popularity, Timms has taken it on the road. South by Southwest was the second stop (the first was in Boston with the Lamb Takedown).

Here's a synopsis of the latest food products and politics news being covered by our fellow bloggers over at Slashfood sister site, GreenDaily:

• Top British scientist predicts a severe food crisis if we continue to have babies, burn fossil fuels, and eat meat
• Headed to SXSW this year? Here's where to eat and drink
  
• Cadbury's commitment to using less plastic will make those chocolate eggs taste even sweeter
• Wish you could cook your hamburger while you drive? Your dreams have come true...
• Prepare yourself for Armageddon with Cheeseburger in a Can
• If you must buy your food from a big box store, at least go to one of these
• The green restaurant movement is picking up steam

Check out GD for tons of food-related info...it's amazing how often the topics of environment and food overlap, especially as farmers explore greener methods and more food goes organic.

If cooking shows and Indie rock bands top your list of favorite things, then this one just may be for you. A new web show spotlights both in Dinner with the Band, where you will find musical performances alongside cooking techniques delivered by host and chef Sam Mason.

According to the On Food beta site, the show is aiming to be the perfect mash-up of indie music and edgy food for total entertainment.

Ingredients are flashed across the screen in larger-than-life scratched lettering so you can't miss them, and the recipes seem to be quite unique and interesting. The pilot episode debuted last month, coinciding with the show's launch party at SXSW. I'm not really sure there is enough of a market to make this a phenomenal success, but the premise is certainly interesting.

(thanks, Karina!)

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