The best way to label the nutritional content of our food is to be considered in a UK-wide consultation launched by the government.

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Consultation on how to label food

Sandwich in Kent celebrates the 250th anniversary of the food item said to be named after the Earl who ordered roast beef served in bread.

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Town hosts festival for sandwich

While you're frying up some eggs and bacon, we're cooking up something else: a way to celebrate today's food holiday. You can have whatever you like – May 11 is National Eat What You Want Day ! Maybe you've been on a restrictive diet and you're ready for that one, luscious treat you can't stop craving. Or, maybe you just can't make up your mind because of the overwhelming tasty choices. No matter your food dilemma, today is for you to celebrate your favorite flavors. If you're incredibly indecisive, visiting a buffet, or setting up one in your own home, is a fun way to explore the boundaries of your taste buds. After all, pretty much any buffet is all-you-can-eat, which goes pretty well with today's theme. So by all means, treat yourself today and have what you truly want. Tell us your favorites and what you'll be having today in the comments below, and don't forget to toast to your taste today.

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National eat what you want day

For the first time, a panel of experts has recommended that the Food and Drug Administration approve a drug for preventing infection with HIV. The panel told the agency Thursday that it should approve the drug Truvada for HIV prevention in men who have sex with men, HIV-negative partners of people with HIV and “other individuals at risk for acquiring HIV through sexual activity.” Read full article > >

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FDA panel recommends approval of drug to prevent HIV infection

Mother’s Day is coming up on May 13 and you’re probably scrambling to find a decent place to make those Sunday brunch reservations. Pair that with a bouquet of flowers and some jewelry and you’ve done your duty this year once again. But, how about going the extra mile for your mother and putting a little thought into her special day? Preparing a homemade Mother’s Day brunch will really show Mom how much you care, says Justin Devillier . Devillier is the chef and owner of La Petite Grocery restaurant in New Orleans, and will celebrate this Mother’s Day with wife, Mia, and one year-old daughter, Ruby. Five Tips for a Special Homemade Mother’s Day Brunch for Mom : Justin Devillier 1. Separate your prep list into two categories Divide your tasks into items that can be prepared the night before (cocktail sauce, washed herbs, picked crab, etc.) and items that you will need to prep Sunday morning (hollandaise sauce, shucked oysters, poached eggs and fried bacon). This helps break up the cooking process, so you’re not swamped and frantic. It's a very special brunch for a very special lady, so it is important to allocate the time to prepare your best. 2. Keep the menu on the light side, especially if you have the option to enjoy the morning in the fresh air outside Consider serving the following: Ice-cold raw oysters on the half shell with mignonette sauce (usually shallots, black pepper and vinegar) and cocktail sauce Shaved raw asparagus with lemon vinaigrette, cracked black pepper and pecorino cheese Poached eggs with rye toast, cured salmon and hollandaise Small bowl of fresh fruit to finish 3. Prepare fresh juices Whether it’s orange, grapefruit or lemonade, juices taste much better if they are hand-squeezed. Plus, it shows Mom that you put in the extra effort. Use a citrus reamer or head down to the nearest Latino market or specialty kitchen store and pick up a hand press for a few bucks. 4. Shop for quality Spend a little time to find ingredients that are special, such as fresh eggs from the farmers market and locally-made bacon and ham. If you don't know where to begin looking for these kinds of items, talk to your local grocer or butcher and have him or her recommend the best quality. It’s important to splurge for Mom. After all, she probably did it for you a few times. 5. If you are going to include an adult beverage, make sure it is a complementary selection The last thing you want to do is spend all that time preparing an awesome menu just to have an so-so wine pairing. Some choices that usually pair well with brunch fare are Sancerre, Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley or Willamette Valley Pinot Noir from Oregon. Then again, you can't go wrong with a nice Champagne . Is there someone you'd like to see in the hot seat? Let us know in the comments below and if we agree, we'll do our best to chase 'em down.

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5@5 – Craft a special homemade Mother’s Day brunch

The Food and Drug Administration published an analysis that suggested caution against long-term use of the drugs, but fell short of issuing specific recommendations.

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Well: New Cautions About Bisphosphonates

Before they die, the citizens of Washington, D.C., would like to achieve things both monumental and minuscule. They want to eat delicious food, travel the globe and — naturally — effect political change. They want to see the Earth from the Moon. They want to meet God. Read full article > >

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In D.C., private ‘bucket list’ dreams become public art

Before they die, the citizens of Washington, D.C., would like to achieve things both monumental and minuscule. They want to eat delicious food, travel the globe and — naturally — effect political change. They want to see the Earth from the Moon. They want to meet God. Read full article > >

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In D.C., private ‘bucket list’ dreams become public art

Before they die, the citizens of Washington, D.C., would like to achieve things both monumental and minuscule. They want to eat delicious food, travel the globe and — naturally — effect political change. They want to see the Earth from the Moon. They want to meet God. Read full article > >

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In D.C., private ‘bucket list’ dreams become public art

5@5 is a daily, food-related list from chefs, writers, political pundits, musicians, actors, and all manner of opinionated people from around the globe. Editor's Note: Emiliano Lee is the Artisan Market Manager at Farmshop in Los Angeles, California. He also serves as a judge for the American Cheese Society. One of, if not the most, frequently asked questions I field on the cheese counter is, “What's your favorite?” To which I almost always reply, “Well, that depends.” What's ripe? What's tasting particularly good at any given moment? What am I in the mood for? What's the weather like? What am I drinking? Ah, yes, the age-old pairing question. In the end, it really does boil down to personal taste, but there are certainly some combinations that work better than others. Many people want to pair wine and cheese, and while I can dance to that, I'm personally more of the malt and hops persuasion. For me, beer is a more natural choice, and as many others will attest to, it plays tremendously well with cheese. Looking at my cheese case right now, here are a five wheels that are tasting particularly nice along with some of their best drinking buddies. 1. Extra Mature Bandage Wrapped Cheddar by Fiscalini Farmstead Cheese (Modesto, California) This traditional, farmhouse-style English cheddar speaks to the passion and skill of its cheesemaker, Mariano Gonzalez. This raw milk beauty has won the top spot twice at the World Cheese Awards in London, beating the British on their home turf. Its dense texture crumbles and melts creamy on the palate, bringing out various sweet and savory notes. Think butter and toasted nuts with hints of caramel and pineapple. Its complexity lends well across the board to many types of beverages (it pairs just as nicely with reds as whites when it comes to wine), but what could be more fitting to pair with a good farmhouse cheddar than a nice hearty ale? There are few pleasures more satisfying. For some fun, one of my favorite pairings is Lagunitas Brewing Company's India Pale Ale . With the beer's combination of bold hoppiness and deep malty foundation, the complexity of flavor in the cheddar steps up and sings right in tune. Add a hearty rye bread and some pickles and call it a meal. For a mellower combination, pair with your favorite brown ale or special bitter to bring out the buttery notes and bright fruit. 2. Vivace by Andante Dairy (Petaluma, California) Cheesemaker Soyoung Scanlan has a reputation for creating some of the finest small batch cheeses available. While we've been familiar with her beautifully crafted goat cheeses reminiscent of the finest you'll find abroad, she has only recently begun to incorporate sheep’s milk from a nearby farm into her repertoire. Vivace is a blend of sheep's and goat's milk with a delicate rind that holds in an unctuous paste that develops from the outside-in. The creamy texture instantly coats the palate in tongue-smacking delight. Flavors are rich, yet fresh and bright, with sweet hay notes lingering on the finish. Alpine Beer Company concocts just the beverage to wash this one down: Willy. This beer is full-flavored, yet light enough to be crisp and nutty at the same time. The effervescence cuts through the rich paste of the cheese, leaving you with a mildly sweet finish and bringing out grass in the nose. In lieu of Willy, pair with a wheat beer of your choice or even a lighter red ale to bring out more of the musky animal notes if that's your kick. 3. Winnimere by Jasper Hill Farm (Greensboro, Vermont) Andy and Mateo Kehler started Jasper Hill Farm in 2003 and have, in a short several years, become one of this country's preeminent sources for American farmstead cheeses. Their Winnimere cheese is wrapped in spruce bark from Jasper Hill's own trees and washed with ale from a neighboring brewery. It's best enjoyed by simply peeling back the top rind, allowing the bark to act as a bowl and digging in with a spoon or just a hunk of crusty bread. The silky texture wraps itself around your tongue with a symphony of flavors: sweet, smoky, salty, creamy, fruity, woodsy, beefy. A friend now famously likened it to taking a walk through the bacon forest. One of my favorite things to have alongside this cheese is dried tart cherries, so a lambic cherry beer like Timmermans Kriek is a perfect pairing with this seasonal wonder. The carbonation helps break down the cheese and bring out individual flavors. The light tartness complements the savory qualities of the cheese, and the cheese itself tones down the sweetness of the beer. 4. Nicasio Reserve by Nicasio Valley Cheese Company (Nicasio, California) A relative newcomer to the farmstead and artisanal cheese scene, the Lafranchi family has been producing some consistently good cheese in a very short period of time. One of those cheeses is Nicasio Reserve. The Lafranchi family went to their roots in Valle Maggia, Switzerland, to learn the craft and bring it home to their Marin County farm. Nicasio Reserve is an Alpine-style cheese that's dense and creamy with a light fruity funk on the nose. Across the palate, the impressive sweet cream flavor of their milk (certified organic, by the way) hits you right off the bat before mellowing into a complex play of stone fruits, grass and hazelnuts. The sweet cream follows through once more on the finish. This cheese instills warmth, as does the beer I've paired with it: California Ale from Telegraph Brewing . It may be a flavorful medium-bodied beer for a flavorful medium-bodied cheese, but by no means is it a medium-bodied experience. 5. MT  TAM by Cowgirl Creamery (Point Reyes Station, California) Wherever it's offered, when properly cared for and represented, this cheese is one of the most popular and best-selling – and for good reason. Unlike other more readily available and one-dimensional cheeses, MT TAM has more to offer than its big buttery base. When ripe, the center of the wheel is soft and luxurious. It's  often likened to vanilla ice cream, and something I'll often eat with whatever seasonal preserves I'm in love with at the moment. However, this puppy can match up with bold and savory just as well. It's one of the few sweet, creamy cheeses you'll want to pair with a good Pinot. Triple creams love bubbles. While sparkling wine is a natural match, I like something with a bit more body and flair. In this case, I would suggest Grand Cru, a Belgian-style ale from AleSmith Brewing Company . The bubbles cut through the butterfat, allowing the sweet cream to meld with the various flavors encased in this hefty bottle. Is there someone you'd like to see in the hot seat? Let us know in the comments below and if we agree, we'll do our best to chase 'em down.

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5@5 – Cheeses that pair well with beer

swimming pool garden Eight years ago, 52-year-old flight attendant Louise Tremblay thought she had finally found her dream home tucked into the woods in the Quebec countryside. But, as she attempted to draw a relaxing bath her first night in the house, she realized quickly that something was amiss. The tub filled a scant two inches and she realized to her horror that she had poured her entire life's savings into a home with no viable source of water. The house, as it turned out, had been built atop an old garbage dump. The nearest neighbor was unwilling to work with her to fix the shared, faulty well and city officials would not allow her to dig a new one. Drained of financial resources, she looked around to take stock of her surroundings. “I had my garden to keep me alive,” she said. “I had my vegetable garden to keep me healthy.” Tremblay planted tomatoes, lettuce, basil, coriander, chives, beets, cucumbers, blueberries and corn in her dry 21-foot swimming pool, figuring that it was the perfect way to protect her vegetables from predators like raccoons and deer. She hauled water from the nearby creek and her gutters and took note of what flourished under these conditions. “I have been gardening for a while with flowers, indigenous flowers, medicinal flowers and felt the need to grow my own vegetable garden for my health and the taste. I realize that I have an upset stomach when I eat food with stuff they use to preserve the food,” Tremblay told iReport. And the home-grown produce packs other benefits as well. “If you start growing your own garden you will never go back in the summer to buy some veggies in the grocery store for sure,” she says. “The joy of picking your own and tasting it will bring you an another dimension to appreciate your planet even more. Sit down for lunch on a sunny day, pick up a tomato, sprinkle some basil and enjoy gardening your own food.” Tremblay isn't sure she'll be able to keep up her efforts for another year; another neighbor blocked her access to the nearby creek when he did some work on his road. She's counting on nature's resilience to carry her through. “My blueberry trees are growing back in good shape, the chives are coming back, the mint in the pot is growing wild, the oregano is back and the three roses trees I planted are alive and well,” she says. “Will see.” Eatocracy, iReport and Fit Nation are teaming up to challenge our readers ( and ourselves! ) to grow just one thing they can eat. We'll be sharing these stories with you all throughout the gardening season – share your own at iReport assignment From garden to table.

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iReport: The swimming pool garden

When it comes to nutrition policy, we know about a lot of things that don’t work: Soda taxes and proximity to healthy foods , for example, have relatively shaky support in the public health literature. At the same time, we know we need something to work: The CDC projects that 42 percent of the country will be obese by 2030. Read full article > >

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Have California schools cracked the code on obesity?

When it comes to nutrition policy, we know about a lot of things that don’t work: Soda taxes and proximity to healthy foods , for example, have relatively shaky support in the public health literature. At the same time, we know we need something to work: The CDC projects that 42 percent of the country will be obese by 2030. Read full article > >

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Have California schools cracked the code on obesity?

While you're frying up some eggs and bacon, we're cooking up something else: a way to celebrate today's food holiday. Hey, Blondie! You know what May 9 is? It's National Blonde Brownie Day ! Blonde or butterscotch brownies, also known as “blondies,” pack the sweetness without the caffeine kick of chocolate. They are made with a brown sugar base and baked like any dessert bar. If your brownies have ever turned out a little bitter, never fear – the brown sugar will take you away on a wave of sweetness. To amp up the flavor of the chocolate-less baked goodness, you might want to toss in chocolate chips, coconut, toffee, candy or nuts. When you add chopped nuts and shredded coconut, the treat is technically classified as a “dream bar,” but we think you're still safe to enjoy one today. Bake up a pan of blonde brownie goodness , drench it in caramel sauce or save it as the base for your ice cream sundae. You won't be disappointed that chocolate didn't show up to the party.

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National blonde brownie day

Sink your teeth into today's top stories from around the globe. Mmm, tuna scrape. – The Atlantic Caro Nom(e)! Food’s starring role in opera. – New York Times If you married a chef… – howaboutwe “The great recipe swindle”: When you follow a recipe to the T, the outcome can be quite unsavory. – Guardian Molecular for the masses and single-serving desserts are among the top food trends from the other NRA (National Restaurant Association) show. – NRN

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Box lunch: Fish paste and 2012 food trends