High heat during the summer brings fresh okra, and the Tribune adds it, along with shrimp, to a late summer menu. Speaking of shrimp, Wolfgang Puck adds shrimp as a twist to the classic BLT. Heirloom cooking makes a crustless asparagus quiche.

Shop for Triscuit's cracked pepper and olive oil crackers, the CIA's Master's Collection of kitchen tools, and the Cutie Pie Kit from HomeMade Pizza Co. for kids. At the bookstore, Jay Weinstein's book, The Ethical Gourmet gets a review, and kids go wild for Brit teen chef, Sam Stern, whose first book is Cooking Up a Storm: The Teen Survival Cookbook.

If a teen sensation is too young, then read through the feature on London's Borough Market.

Just in time for back-to-school, childhood obesity is looking to get a spanking as schools go full-force with an extreme food makeover.

In drinks, vodka gets infused with a market basket of fruits. If that's too strong, mix up wine for sangrias, sprtizers, and wine coolers.

Hoardings around London's Borough Market have been brightend up with by a large artwork created by art students from a local school. The hoardings surround the refurbishment of London's oldest surviving fruit and vegetable market and are 25 metres long. 

The Students who are aged between 11 and 15 have contributed to the art based on drawings they made during a May visit. they captured stall-holders in action as well as their produce to provide art that focuses on the provision of fresh and healthy food. Their visit inspired over 200 individual paintings, drawings and prints which have been collated into a single digital image covering 20 8ft x 4ft boards.

 

In a move that should boost London's Borough Market plans are afoot to establish a food school, a Food Centre of Excellence.

It is planned that the Centre will promote healthy eating and offer courses for children on how to cook at home using seasonal foods. Borough Market is soon to be twinned with the wounderful La Boqueria Market in Barcelona which has its own food school. The one in Southwark would be self financing with a café and a boookshop but the Borough Market Trust, a registered charity, aims to raise £250,000 to refurbish a building occupying 1 Cathedral Street to create the Food School in.

Both the English and Spanish markets are applying for EU funding to support the twinning. They plan to mount exchange visits in which stallholders from the Catalan market would offer Spanish delicacies in Southwark and vice-versa. 

La Boqueria, is a colourful covered market which operates 6 days a week just off Las Ramblas in the heart of Barcelona. The current structure dates from 1914, but the market's history stretches back to the 13th century. 

As all the UK's foodies will attest London's Borough Market is the place to go. A veritable mecca for food lovers as well as the capitals chefs it has steadily grown since 1999. Everything from fresh fish to veg to tableware can be found here. Shops line the market with Brindisa heading the line up for Spanish produce and Konditor & Cook for cakes and other delectibale sweet things.

The English Patis blog has just posted a series of photos on the market for those looking for a taster. There is also a 'gastrotour' on the 14th April that details the history of the area and takes in tastings and meetings with stall holders and the like. The tout includes lunch and costs £50. (07956 152899).