Given that it's a new year, perhaps you've decided that 2007 is the year that you finally make that career change into something about which you are utterly passionate. If you're reading Slashfood, we're going to guess that, like us, you're pretty passionate about food.

Obviously, you could give up that corner office with the seven-figure salary and use of the company jet to become a food blogger, but food blogging as a profession is still relatively new and unsteady. Instead, CNN has come up with a list of Ten Jobs That Let You Eat, and we're not talking about doughnuts in the office break room on Fridays. Just be forewarned, though. A job in food is a labor of love. The highest average salary is $56K for a food scientist who has a degree in chemisty or engineering!

Here's the list from CNN, and more details on the link:

• Sommelier
• Event Planner
• Chef
• Quality Control Technician
• Food Scientist
• Caterer
• Dietitian
• Server
• Product Promoter

A mystery diner is basically a restaurant critic that doesn't get published. Instead, his or her writeups on the dining experience go back to the restaurant, or the company that owns the restaurant, just to give them feedback on how things are running. The diners don't just look at the food, unlike regular critics (or bloggers who like to report back on their meals!). They have to keep track of the timing of the service, the greetings, the decor and whether the coffee was hot enough throughout their visit. A restaurant can be dinged if the hostess doesn't smile or if the busboy clears the plates the second you pick up your last forkful of food. The restaurant's management will use the information to make changes in layout, service strategy or at any other weak points that are picked out

Although it sounds like it would be a job only for the most detail-oriented diners, it is a way for food-lovers to get free meals, since the payment is compensation for the meal. A typical dinner might include two drinks, one appetizer, two entrees and one dessert, since the diners are not expected to dine alone. One of the companies that provides the service is called www.theeyespy.com, but there are others that operate all over the country, as well. The only downside is that, because of confidentiality agreements, diners aren't supposed to share their opinions with anyone else, even friends and family.

If you ever gave any thought to writing for Slashfood, this is your big chance. We're looking for a couple of food-loving writers to join our team! We are looking for:

• A weekday writer
• A weekend writer

First and foremost, you should love food, dining out and cooking. You must also enjoy writing about it and be capable of expressing yourself in a clear, engaging way. If you enjoy photography, that's a plus; we love food porn. You don't have to be a professional writer, or even have you own blog, but you should be familiar with blogs including Slashfood and other members of the food blogging community. And, all glory aside, we do pay our writers.

We need someone who can commit to blogging daily or every weekend, but we're extremely flexible about the schedule. To apply, we need:

• Three sample posts (original material, please, not links to existing posts on a blog)
• A few words about yourself and why you're interested in food or writing about food
• Your contact info
• The position you're applying for, your location, and scheduling, including a ballpark number of posts per week

No attachments, please. Put everything in the body of your email. Once your application is complete, send us an e-mail at leadsATslashfoodDOTcom.

Being a professional ice cream taster, like John Harrison, who works for Dryer's (Edys), probably sounds like a dream job. And it is, but it is also a lifestyle, as Harrison told the Seattle Times in an interview.

Ice cream ran in Harrison's family, as his grandfather, father and uncle all worked in the industry, so he learned all about it at an early age. He even learned how to taste it properly and applies a method similar to the one wine and coffee tasters use, swirling the bite in his mouth and spitting it out. Each bite is scooped with a gold spoon and Harrison works from lighter flavors, like vanilla (his favorite), to the more dominating flavors, such as chocolate or mint.

During the week, he says that he refrains from eating foods with strong flavors that could adversely affect his tasting ability, including peppers, onions and garlic, but he will indulge on Friday nights. Harrison also drinks only tea, never coffee.

A job like Harrison's is not all fun and games, and a degree in food -science is a great first step towards getting the position. Of course, it's not all work, either. Harrison says he never gets tired of quality ice cream, and that is something that could reassure every ice cream lover.

Who said that it's possible to have too much of a good thing?

Not to be confused with art made from ripening bananas, the Miami Herald recently ran an interesting profile on Pat Foster (right), the director of ripening for Chiquita in Port Everglades, Florida. As the shipments of bananas (400 tons a week) come in, Foster decides how the fruit should be ripened using ethylene, a gas that also occurs naturally as fruit ripens. According to the article, Foster has to consider not only the weather and production patterns in the countries where the bananas are grown, but also the buying habits of the customers to whom they're being shipped. Hispanic customers in some areas by fruit more frequently, so it must be closer to ripe. Other customers might only make it to the store once a week, so they want greener bananas. Foster has apparently been working with bananas for 40 years and has trained other ripeners all over the country.

[Photo: Jared Lazarus/Miami Herald]
[Via FreshPlaza]

We already know that creepy ads must sell more burgers, but can they sell candy, too? Skittles newest ad features a man with what appears to be a magical beard. The several foot long beard moves of its own accord, picking up Skittles and popping them into the mouth of the hirsute beard-owner. As disturbing as that image is, the worst it yet to come. The whole scene takes place during a job interview and when the man doesn't get the job, his beard feeds the woman interviewing him a Skittle and then strokes her face. The image of a mangy, hairy mass feeding Skittles to a woman is, quite unfortunately, now imprinted onto my brain. Good job, Skittles. This ad beats out the creepy king ad.

The entire video of the commercial is after the jump.