Shaken, not stirred…

1. A Plea to Keep Martinis Pure (NPR)
2. The tragic death of chef Nathan Laity (GUARDIAN)
3. MARKS & SPENCER is binning its sexy “food porn” TV ads for a more straight-laced image (THE SUN)
4. Watch Top Chef Masters Preview – VIDEO (GRUB STREET)
5. Arrest over China-Japan ‘poisoned dumplings’ row (BBC NEWS)
6. Crazyass Japanese Noodle Commercial -VIDEO (THE DAILY WHAT)
7. Brining Meats is Amazing: How Much Sodium Does it Add? (SALON)
8. The 15 Worst Fast Food FAILS (CHICAGO NOW)
9. A Cheese You Should Be Eating: Beaufort (SERIOUS EATS)
10. At last: A food Bourdain doesn’t like (grasshoppers) – VIDEO (EATER)
11. Santa Clara County to Consider Restricting Toys With Fast Food – VIDEO (NY TIMES)
12. Chefs use Copia gardens for fresh ingredients (NAPA VALLEY REGISTER)

The chef recommends…

1. The Food Network‘s Alton Brown savors these cookbooks (WALL STREET JOURNAL)
2. Cacao by the Truckload (THE ATLANTIC)
3. Alice Waters, Other Well-Known Chefs Visit White House Kitchen & Gardens (OBAMA FOODORAMA)
4. Top Five Superbowl Food Commercials (SLASH FOOD)
5. NYC: Eats From Another Era (BUDGET TRAVEL)
6. James Beard Foundation Names 2010 America’s Classics Award Honorees (R&I)
7. Supersize meh: The FDA’s flawed serving sizes plan (SALON)
8. Broadcaster fined over killing a rat on TV show (REUTERS)
9. Santa Barbara Reports Record Lobster Prices (PERISHABLE NEWS)
10. Alice Waters: Time to Catch Up with Herself (NY TIMES)

1. Big Top Cupcake Commercial – As Seen on TV – Video (YOUTUBE)
2. Food made from wool that will have you tied in knots (DAILY MAIL)
3. Oklahoma firm recalling beef products in six states (REUTERS)
4. The Decade in Meat: From the McRib Comeback to a President Obama Meat Blunder (NEW TIMES)
5. Shop whips up a bowl of surprises with novel technique to freeze ice cream (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE)
6. Houston woman bottles up her German roots (POST BULLETIN)
7. ‘Why Italians Love to Talk About Food’ by Elena Kostioukovitch (LA TIMES)
8. Well Kept Cultural Secret: Pyranees Basque Cuisine (GATHER)
9. Chocolate drive sends a sweet thanks to troops overseas (HAMPTON ROADS)
10. A shout out for sauerkraut (CLEVELAND.COM)
11. Ice cream factory tour takes the cake any time of the year (POST BULLETIN)
12. British dishes starting to tickle French taste-buds (CHANNELNEWASIA.COM)

On today’s menu:

1. Starbucks jumps on the Macaron trend (YUM SUGAR)
2. What to expect from Anthony Bourdain’s new book Medium Raw (GRUB STREET)
3. Top Ten Best In-Store Dining Spots (BON APPETIT)
4. Asian-Inspired Meal & Recipes from Superstar Chef David Chang (CBS)
5. Where to find your Christmas feast in America’s national park system (NATIONAL PARKS TRAVELER)
6. Golden Globe Nominations for Julie & Julia (HFPA)
7. How the LeRoy family lost Tavern on the Green & the Russian Tea Room (CRAINS)
8. Artists discuss their use of food in art – Audio (BBC RADIO 4)
9. Gourmet subscribers worry about what will happen with their subscriptions (WASHINGTON POST)
10. Burger King debuts Funnel Cake Sticks (NRN)
11. Junk Food Reigns in Ads on Web Sites for Kids (ABC)
12. TLC’s Little Chocolatiers premiers Dec. 21st – Video (EAT ME DAILY)