First introduced in the fall of 2003, the pumpkin spice latte, or PSL, is now the company’s most popular seasonal drink, but that beverage was just the beginning.
What You Need To Know
First introduced in the fall of 2003, the pumpkin spice latte, or PSL, is now Starbucks’ most popular seasonal drink, but that beverage was just the beginning
Dunkin’ introduced pumpkin spice drinks in 2007; and not to be outdone, McDonald’s released its own pumpkin spice latte in 2013
According to Nielsen, Americans spend more than half a billion dollars on pumpkin spice products each year
Colleen Harmeling, a marketing professor at Florida State University, said the products “evoke deeply rooted, nostalgic memorie” through their taste and smell
Dunkin’ introduced pumpkin spice drinks in 2007. And not to be outdone, McDonald’s released its own pumpkin spice latte in 2013.
“What I think pumpkin spice has done is it has evoked storytelling through the senses,” said Colleen Harmeling, a marketing professor at Florida State University.” … Taste and smell are some of our most powerful senses to evoke deeply rooted, nostalgic memories.”
And consumers are willing to pay big time to feel that nostalgia.
“It just gives you all the warm and cozy vibes, and you want to go home and bake something,” said Anna Vold, who looks forward to it every year.
“They’re really good, and it makes the time of year feel like fall, especially because we live by the beach,” said Elise Mori, who was walking in Manhattan Beach, California.
According to Nielsen, Americans spend more than half a billion dollars on pumpkin spice products each year.
“My girlfriend gets it. I don’t,” said Eli Spence, who lives in Malibu, California. “In the fall? She’s all into it, a lot a lot of pumpkin spice stuff.”
And experts say part of the draw is that it’s for a limited time.
“This builds on some of our evolutionary psychology,” Harmeling said. “So when something is seasonal, we tend to try to get as much of it as possible during that seasonal season before that is lost to us again.”
So what is pumpkin spice exactly? Some ingredients can vary, but it’s mainly a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice, but not everyone is into the fall flavors.
“I hate them. I think they’re way too sweet,” said Olivia Threthewey, who was visiting California from Australia.
“As I’ve gotten older, I’ve noticed that I would just rather have, you know, regular coffee,” Spence said.
Pumpkin spice become such a cultural icon that Miriam-Webster added the term to its dictionary in 2022. One company even tracked a 34% increase in the number of pumpkin spice mentions on U.S. menus in the last 10 years.
“I keep it relatively constricted into my drinks and my food,” Mori said. “I don’t really use pumpkin spice other stuff.”
“If some people love it, then that’s fine,” Trethewey said.
A quick online search also reveals a variety of memes, PSL tatoos and a private Facebook group known as the “Leaf Rakers Society,” which Starbucks launched in 2018 to celebrate all things fall. No haters allowed.
With regards to marketing, Harmeling said, “The more permanent the product, the more risky it is to me, and also the less sensory the products, the more risky it is.”
However, she said the biggest threat to the pumpkin spice trend may be releasing it too early.
“The storytelling starts to break down,” Harmeling said. “I mean, pumpkin spice in July? It sounds kind of icky.”
But no matter how consumers feel about it, “this is like one constant thing that, you know, we can rely on — like the fall is coming, there’ll be pumpkin spice,” Vold said.
And there’s no doubting this little latte has done a whole lot to bring a taste of fall to millions of Americans.
Haifa Smoked Fish is recalling specific lots of its cold smoked salmon and cold smoked sea bass due to fears the products may be contaminated with Listeria Monocytogenes.
Newsweek reached out to the company via phone call on Wednesday and left a voicemail.
Why It Matters
Numerous public health alerts and recalls have been initiated this year because of the potential for damaged products, foodborne illness, contamination and undeclared food allergens.
Millions of Americans experience food sensitivities or allergies. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the nine “major” food allergens in the United States are eggs, milk, fish, wheat, soybeans, crustacean shellfish, sesame, tree nuts and peanuts.
The FDA warns that listeria could cause “serious and sometimes fatal infections” in older adults, young children and those with weakened immune systems.
What To Know
In the alert, the company notes that the products were distributed across the country via retail stores and distributors.
The cold smoked salmon impacted by the recall was sold in 8-ounce packaging, with lot number 219. The cold smoked sea bass associated with the recall was also sold in 8-ounce packaging, with lot number 212.
The product was vacuum-packaged on “paper board with flexible plastic,” the alert notes.
There have been no reported illnesses related to this recall as of Tuesday, the alert says.
Cold Smoked Salmon can be seen in connection to a recent recall. (Photo from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration) Cold Smoked Salmon can be seen in connection to a recent recall. (Photo from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
What People Are Saying
The alert, in part: “The contamination was discovered after sampling by New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Food Inspectors and subsequent analysis of Food Laboratory personnel revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in the Haifa” COLD SMOKED SALMON” 8 OZ., LOT # 219 and “COLD SMOKED SEABASS” 8 OZ., LOT # 212.”
In an email to Newsweek in January, the FDA said: “Most recalls in the U.S. are carried out voluntarily by the product manufacturer and when a company issues a public warning, typically via news release, to inform the public of a voluntary product recall, the FDA shares that release on our website as a public service.
“The FDA’s role during a voluntary, firm-initiated, recall is to review the recall strategy, evaluate the health hazard presented by the product, monitor the recall, and as appropriate alert the public and other companies in the supply chain about the recall.
“The FDA provides public access to information on recalls by posting a listing of recalls according to their classification in the FDA Enforcement Report, including the specific action taken by the recalling company. The FDA Enforcement Report is designed to provide a public listing of products in the marketplace that are being recalled.”
Additional information on recalls can be found via the FDA’s Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts.
What Happens Next
People who have purchased the recalled products are urged to return them to the original place of purchase for a refund, the alert notes.
Customers with additional questions may contact Haifa Smoked Fish via phone at 718-523-8899.
Dinner made easy with this delicious Italian Casserole, loaded with cheese and super versatile.
❤️WHY WE LOVE THIS RECIPE
his cheesy Italian hamburger casserole makes a wonderful meal for family on a busy weeknight or make it anytime along with a salad for a dish you can throw together and put in the oven and forget it until done. You could cut this recipe in half or double for a large group. If you like Italian food, you will love this dish.
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SWAPS& ADDITIONS
You can switch out the pasta for any you like! If you are not a fan of green peppers or onions, you can simply leave them out. You could use low-fat cream cheese and low-fat sour cream in this recipe. We love it with the mozzarella, but you could easily use an Italian blend too.
This Cheesy Italian Casserole will quickly become a family favorite. The combination of spices and pasta makes this a great dish.
Prep Time 20 minutesmins
Cook Time 30 minutesmins
Total Time 50 minutesmins
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, southern
1poundground beef or you could use Italian sausage
2cupsuncooked rotini pastacooked
1cupchopped green onion or regular onion
1cupchopped green pepper
1(14.5 ounccan diced tomatoesundrained
1(8 ounccan tomato sauce
1(4 ounccan sliced mushroomsdrained
1teaspoongarlic powder
1teaspoonItalian seasoning
1teaspoondried basil or could use fresh
1(8 ouncpackage cream cheesesoftened
1/2cupsour cream
1/2cupshredded mozzarella cheese
Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside. Brown ground beef, onions and green pepper in skillet on top of the stove and drain if needed. Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, sliced mushrooms, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and basil to skillet and heat for about 10 minutes.
Spread pasta in the bottom of a large casserole dish. Cover with hamburger mixture. Combine softened cream cheese and sour cream by mixing together with a spoon and then spread over top of hamburger in casserole. Sprinkle on cheese. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
We love fudge and this easy version is quick and delicious! Super versatile too.
❤️WHY WE LOVE THIS RECIPE
This is the quickest and easiest fudge recipe you will ever make! It only takes a few minutes and it is so good. I cut this into small pieces and keep it in my fridge for when I am craving something sweet, and since I am a chocoholic, it makes the perfect treat.
SWAPS& ADDITIONS
This a super versatile and straightforward base recipe. You can easily switch out the chips, could use peanut butter or butterscotch or a combination. We have made this with butterscotch and it was delicious. You could also add in some raisins, take out the nuts, add in coconut. This is a recipe you can really play with.
⭐TIP
This is a softer style fudge, not super hard and I feel like it is even better the next day, so you can easily make this in advance.
This easy fudge recipe is only 4 ingredients! So simple to make and always a hit.
Prep Time 10 minutesmins
Cook Time 2 hourshrs
Total Time 2 hourshrs10 minutesmins
Course candy
Cuisine American
114 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2cupssemi-sweet chocolate chips
1teaspoonvanilla extract
1cupnut pieceswalnuts or pecans, (optional)
Dump the milk and chocolate chips into a microwave safe glass bowl. Microwave 1 minute and 30 seconds. Remove and stir until smooth. Add vanilla extract and nuts. Mix well and pour into a sprayed 9 x 9 dish. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours. Cut into squares. Makes about 24 pieces depending on size you cut your squares
I have tried this with fat free condensed milk and it does not get as hard as the whole condensed milk but could not tell much difference in the taste.
Subscribe today and get: ✔️ 8 back issues instantly ✔️ 2 new 2025 editions ✔️ 3 more coming this year All filled with old-fashioned recipes, heartfelt stories & Southern charm.
The Trump administration has spent weeks threatening Chicago, trolling the Midwest colossus of 9 million with incendiary online posts. In the gut, even from far away, it has felt like early June in L.A. all over again.
That’s because Chicago is just like us: big, urban, vibrant, and brown. This summer I visited the city where I always feel the flutter of familiarity.
Let it be said: Chicago, like L.A., is Mexican as hell.
Sikil pak at Bar Sótano. A mezcal by Gusto Histórico.(Daniel Hernandez / Los Angeles Times)
Los Angeles may have more Mexican residents in total numbers, but in terms of who makes up each city’s Latino population, Chicago is “as Mexican” as Los Angeles. Consider that about a third of Chicago is Hispanic or Latino, and roughly 73% of those people identify as Mexican. In Los Angeles, more than 45% are Latino, and about 71% of that population is Mexican, according to recent census data.
There is a Mexican essence in this tough, labor-leading Midwest town, and it’s transmitted in the foods that local people of all backgrounds revere. Tacos, birria and carnitas are as familiar as deep-dish pizza and pickle-topped Chicago dogs. This was solidified for me after crossing a threshold that some West Coast purists would blanch at breaching — going to a Rick Bayless restaurant.
Contemporary comforts
First, however, I fell for Mi Tocaya Antojería, a funky place with tall windows facing a patio in the dynamic neighborhood of Logan Square. a Chef Diana Dávila, a leader in values-led dining, established this pillar of modern Mexican American comfort cuisine in 2017.
Her well-loved peanut butter lengua, little squares of braised tongue topped with grilled radish and pickled onion, arrived on a plate streaked with spicy peanut sauce. This and more of Dávila’s dishes reminded me of the many confident, innovative female Mexican chefs I’ve admired over the years. Like others in her cohort, she did several stints in high-stakes kitchens and also grew up working at her family’s taquería.
“I think a lot of people don’t know,” said Ximena N. Beltrán Quan Kiu, a Chicago writer and consultant who specializes in Latino and Mexican American topics.
1. Interior view of dining room and kitchen at Mi Tocaya.2. The peanut butter lengua and a skin-contact wine from Azizam at Mi Tocaya in Baja California.(Daniel Hernandez / Los Angeles Times)
“California, Texas and Florida have the highest Latino populations, but Chicago has the highest Mexican population away from any border state,” Beltrán said. “The migration patterns are really huge — from Mexico to Chicago.”
The influence of Mexican Chicago on all of us may run deeper than we realize. At the 1893 World’s Fair, tamale cart vendors sparked a national obsession with tamales, writes Times columnist Gustavo Arellano in his book “Taco USA.” He also credits the early canning of Mexican comfort dishes — including chile con carne and even tortillas — to Chicago‘s canning industry.
Where it feels like home
Crowds at the Mexican Independence Day Parade on Sunday, Sept. 14, in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago.
(Erin Hooley / Associated Press)
In Los Angeles it is Boyle Heights or East L.A. In San Diego it is Barrio Logan or City Heights. In San Francisco it is the Mission District. And in Chicago it is Pilsen and Little Village. These are among the most well-known multiethnic Mexican American neighborhoods in the United States.
Pilsen, first populated by German, Polish and Czech immigrants, has been the central node of the city’s Mexican life going back to the 1910s, according to the Encyclopedia of Chicago.
Local legend Carnitas Uruapan, opened on 18th Street in 1975 by Inocencio Carbajal, has brought perfect Michoacán-style slow-braised pork to five decades of families who line up for carnitas to-go with all the necessary sides.
Recently, the family family added a new dine-in location in Little Village, characterized as the urban port-of-entry for more recent arrivals from Mexico and Latin America.
Owners Marcos Carbajal and his father Inocencio Carbajal inside the new dine-in location of Carnitas Uruapan in Little Village.
(Carnitas Uruapan)
“We haven’t really changed our core menu in 50 years,” Marcos Carbajal, the founder’s son and co-operator, told me, “and if we did, people would revolt.”
Not this, not that
Mexican Chicago is shaped by dining traditions that reflect a range of inter-generational customs, like the lore of the Tamale Lady, a Pilsen street vendor whose tamales are considered a cut above any other in Cook County. Or for Birrieria Zaragoza, open since 2007 in nearby Archer Heights.
Pilsen is also home to Cantón Regio, a Monterrey-style antojería with particularly good refried beans and flour tortillas, and Pochos, an all-day restaurant that sits right next-door to the Carnitas Uruapan original storefront.
In L.A. it is Boyle Heights or East L.A. And in Chicago it is Pilsen and Little Village. Above, participants at the 2025 Pilsen Mexican Independence Day parade on Saturday, Sept. 6.
(Carolyn Kaster / Associated Press)
Pochos co-owner Irene Acosta grew up with her parents and siblings on the “Mexican side” of Chicago, part of a first- and second-generation thriving in the local restaurant industry.
“I identify as pocho and there wasn’t a home for us. It was all either the mom-and-pop shops, or places that were way too modern,” Acosta said during a quiet lull one weekday.
The restaurateur began watching Julia Child videos on PBS when she was 5. She and co-founder Miguel Hernandez opened their first Pochos location in 2019. “We’re not really Mexican, we’re not really American,” Acosta said, “we’re somewhere in between.”
We brunched on the restaurant’s chorizo omelet, braised beef empanadas and a towering lemon berry French toast. Paired with mimosas, it was a fun pocho brunch, Pilsen-made.
1. Owner Irene Acosta and servers Olinca Martínez and Alondra Peña inside the Pochos dining room.2. The chorizo omelet at Pochos.(Daniel Hernandez/Los Angeles Times)
The Bayless effect
I had a Rick Bayless torta once. At O’Hare. It’s almost a requirement during stop at that airport. The torta was good.
Bayless, who first opened Frontera Grill with wife Deann Bayless in Chicago’s River North in 1987, helped train American diners to equate Mexican cuisines with high-quality ingredients and complex preparations — just as Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken did when they opened Los Angeles’ Border Grill on Melrose Avenue in 1985. It wasn’t until 2013 that the first Michelin star for a Mexican-born chef went to Carlos Gaytán for his restaurant Mexique, also in Chicago.
The Bayless trajectory meanwhile morphed into a successful empire involving books, a TV show, and four restaurants, all in the same River North building where Frontera Grill first started nearly 40 years ago. In 1989 he added upscale Topolobampo and eventually fast-casual Xoco and his “speakeasy” concept Bar Sótano, whose name means “basement.”
Chef Rick Bayless in 2007 at Frontera Grill, his first of four restaurants in the same building in River North.
(Charles Rex Arbogast / Associated Press)
I was particularly curious about Bar Sótano because I had seen posts about how it offered a Mango Chamoy drink served in a small plastic bag with a straw tied into it, mimicking a practice deep in tianguis in Mexico, where you can drink a tepache like this for 10 or 15 pesos.
I wanted to see if the Bayless presentation would trigger delight or offense in me. Plus, I needed to see what makes a Bayless restaurant a Bayless restaurant.
I was truly in a neutral mindset. Sadly, the cocktail in the bag was no longer available, our server said. Something about the tariffs.
Otherwise, service was crisp and clean while we sampled sikil pak, a Yucatecan cream or dip that’s trending in Mexican restaurants this year, and a ceviche with too much tomato. Also had two tacos that I could only describe as incoherent.
When I looked up, the room was jammed.
I could see why this kind of dining is considered top-quality and worth its value in this city. Every kind of possible Chicagoan was there on the night I visited, all having a good time. Many of the employees were Latino or Mexican, or maneuvered like veteran hospitality people, flipping tortillas and preparing salsas, or furiously mixing drinks.
Mexican Chicagoans in the food industry usually acknowledge that Bayless restaurants have served as springboards for a veritable tree of future chef ventures, making him critical for the ecosystem of Midwestern Mexican fine dining.
“At a time when we need allies, Rick Bayless is not an enemy,” said Beltrán, the writer.
Bayless “opened a lane for Mexican food to be perceived as gourmet, something that has deep cultural connections,” Carbajal said. “And as a result of that, he’s opened doors for other people.”
I sent multiple emails and messages to Bayless requesting an interview. I especially wanted to know if the chef would like to say anything about the climate in Chicago’s Mexican dining scene under this ominous threat from Washington.
Sure, I would also want to ask about the withering criticism he’s received for his characterization of how we do things in California from writers like Gustavo Arellano and Bill Esparza, or the litany of public spats he’s had with prominent West Coast food voices including the late Jonathan Gold.
Bayless did not respond to any of my requests for comment.
Even so, I can recognize and admire the breadth of his influence on perceptions of Mexican food within the United States. It is similar to the like-it-or-not influence of Diana Kennedy on Mexican home-cooking in this country.
“He employs hundreds of people from the neighborhoods, and he’s had our food for a really long time,” Carbajal said. “There are Rick Bayless alumni all over town.”
1. Diana Becerra wears an indigenous Mexican costume during the Mexican Independence Day Parade, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Little Village.(Erin Hooley / Associated Press)2. Onlookers watch the parade.(Brandon Bell / Getty Images)3. People stop to take pictures of anti-ICE signs posted on windows at a clothing store during the 2025 Pilsen Mexican Independence Day parade.(Carolyn Kaster / Associated Press)
Nightmare raids
Considering the context of the ICE raids in the summer of 2025, Bayless is a reminder that in the greater scheme of things, the focus right now should be on how alike we are — all of us Americans, regardless of ethnicity or political lean.
Those of us of who love Mexican American cuisine, in all its manifestations, can take heart in knowing it is still one of the most “American” aspects to whatever is left of the U.S. monoculture. Our nation is obsessed with tacos.
The ICE surge in the Chicago metropolitan has begun, and has already resulted in the first fatal shooting during an ICE-identified detention since the start of the second Trump administration.
Some Mexican Independence Day parties and festivities took place in recent days in Chicago, Los Angeles and other major U.S. cities, while many organizers also canceled events across the country, according to local media reports. Restaurants everywhere are already feeling the pinch of fear take hold in their communities, including Carbajal of Carnitas Uruapan, who said business has dipped.
“The crowds are much smaller this year. Those are just indicators that people are not wanting to go out,” said Serena Maria Daniels, a longtime Midwest food journalist and author of the newsletter Midwest Mexican. Daniels said she’s watched locals activating in anticipation of Trump’s threats. But the chilling effect is already here, she and other sources said.
“This situation really makes you pause and think about how our community has touched so many aspects of society, and how this is really threatening all of these threads that hold up the economy, that make cities function, that make governments function,” Daniels said. “It truly is a nightmare.”
So here we are. In the throes of what now feels like a systematic assault on our way of life in multiethnic American urban centers, not merely targeting the “the worst of the worst” but anyone with brown skin.
The operations also seem to disregard the sense of belonging and pride we all feel living in a wealthy multicultural megacity, fueled by immigrants, regardless of our background — the kind of place embodied by L.A. or Chicago. Our cities remain rich places, warts and all. We hold steadfast to community, to joy, to service, to open-mindedness, and we demonstrate it in our dining habits.
In truth, our cities show the beauty and promise of this idea, where people from all over the world can gather to seek prosperity, share their cultures, and make it work. And we can all also have delicious carnitas tacos while doing it.
Eating in Mexican Chicago
Mi Tocaya 2800 W. Logan Blvd, Chicago, IL 60647 (872) 315-3947 @mitocaya
Carnitas Uruapan (Take-out only) 1725 W. 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608 (312) 226-2654
Carnitas Uruapan (Dine-in) 3801 W. 26th St, Chicago, IL 60623 (773) 940-2770 @carnitasuruapanchi
Birreria Zaragoza Archer Heights location temporarily closed Uptown location: 4800 N. Broadway, Chicago, IL 60640 (773) 334-5650
Cantón Regio 1510 W. 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608 (312) 733-3045 @regiocanton
Pochos 1727 W. 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608 (312) 989-3937 @pochos_chicago
Bar Sótano In the alley behind Frontera Grill 443 N. Clark St, Chicago, IL 60654 (312) 391-5857 @barsotanochi
AMID IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT FEARS. YES, IT’S SMALLER, BUT STILL POWERFUL. STILL POWERFUL BECAUSE AS AS LONG AS THERE’S ONE MEXICAN, THERE’S COMMUNITY, THERE WILL BE POWER, THERE WILL BE PRIDE. A NIGHT OF MEXICAN HERITAGE BEING CELEBRATED AT THE STATE CAPITOL. MEXICO, EL GRITO RINGING AT SUNDOWN. THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL CULTURE. AS THE CONSUL GENERAL OF MEXICO IN SACRAMENTO WAVES THE MEXICAN FLAG OVER THE BALCONY. IT’S A TRADITION THAT KICKS OFF MEXICO’S INDEPENDENCE DAY. I CAME OUT HERE TO REPRESENT FOR OUR PEOPLE. I THINK RIGHT NOW, MORE THAN USUAL, IT’S VERY IMPORTANT TO SHOW OUR PRIDE AND REALLY BE HERE TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY TO ALSO SHOW NUMBERS. THIS YEAR’S CELEBRATION, NOTABLY SMALLER THAN YEARS PAST. THE GENERAL CONSUL SCALING DOWN THE EVENT OVER FEARS OF IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT. I UNDERSTAND THAT WE’RE LIVING VERY INTERESTING MOMENTS IN TERMS THAT PEOPLE COULD HAVE FEAR. THEY COULD HAVE ANXIETY, THEY COULD FEEL STRUGGLING ABOUT THE NARRATIVES AROUND MIGRATION. THAT’S WHY OTHERS FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS CAME TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY AND CELEBRATE THE MEXICAN HOLIDAY. IT’S JUST IT’S NOT RIGHT. I’M JUST HERE TO SUPPORT. I LOVE THEIR FOOD AND I LOVE THEIR LIKE, OUTFITS. AND I LOVE HOW THEY DRESS. DESPITE THE SCALED DOWN CELEBRATION, MANY CAME OUT FOR THOSE WHO COULDN’T. BUT I UNDERSTAND PEOPLE’S CONCERNS AND I THINK I’M A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE END OF LIKE, KEEP EVERYBODY SAFE AND THOSE THAT CAN SHOW UP MY COLORS NEVER GOING TO CHANGE MY HEART. ALWAYS IS IN MY COUNTRY. THEY ARE NOT ALONE. WE ARE NOT ALONE. AND WE ARE TOGETHER. EVEN IN MOMENTS LIKE THESE ONES. AND HEY, EVEN OUT HERE FOR THE PAST HOUR OR SO, THERE HAVE BEEN PEOPLE COMING OUT HERE WITH THEIR MEXICAN FLAGS, TAKING PICTURES IN FRONT OF THE STATE CAPITOL. NOW, THE ENTIRE CELEBRATION DID LAST FOR ABOUT AN HOUR OR SO, AND THEY DID HAVE SOME MARIACHIS PLAYING AS WELL. WE’RE LIVE HERE IN DOWNTOW
Mexican Independence Day celebrated at California’s State Capitol amid immigration fears
The State Capitol in California was illuminated in the colors of the Mexican flag Monday to celebrate Mexico’s Independence Day. But despite the bright display, other aspects of the special day were toned down.Monday night’s celebration of “El Grito” was scaled back by organizers amid immigration enforcement. “It’s maybe much smaller, but even more special, I would say, because the people that decide to show up can celebrate. It’s also about showing up about their identity, about their roots, about being proud of being Mexican,” said Christian Tonatiuh González Jiménez, the Consul General of Mexico in Sacramento.During the civic ceremony, the Consul waved the Mexican flag over the balcony, a tradition that marks the beginning of Mexico’s Independence Day celebrations. Despite the scaled-down event, the spirit of Mexican heritage was celebrated at the State Capitol.”It’s smaller but still powerful. Still powerful, because as long as there’s one Mexican, there’s community, there will be power, there will be pride,” Jiménez said.The celebration, which lasted about an hour, included vendors selling Mexican flags and food. Many attendees expressed their support for the community and the importance of showing pride in their heritage.”I came out here to represent for our people. I think right now, more than usual, it’s very important to show our pride and really be here together as a community to also show numbers,” said Karen Izquierdo.The Consul General noted the scaled-down event was due to fears of immigration enforcement.”I understand that we’re living in very interesting moments in terms that people could have fear, they could have anxiety, they could be struggling with the narratives around migration,” he said.Others from different backgrounds also came to support the community.”It’s just it’s not right. I’m just here to support,” said one supporter.Another added, “I love their food and I love their outfits, and I love how they dress.”Despite the smaller celebration, many came out for those who couldn’t.”I understand, you know, people’s concerns. And I think I’m a little bit more on the end of like keep everybody safe and those that can show up,” said Izquierdo. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
The State Capitol in California was illuminated in the colors of the Mexican flag Monday to celebrate Mexico’s Independence Day. But despite the bright display, other aspects of the special day were toned down.
“It’s maybe much smaller, but even more special, I would say, because the people that decide to show up can celebrate. It’s also about showing up about their identity, about their roots, about being proud of being Mexican,” said Christian Tonatiuh González Jiménez, the Consul General of Mexico in Sacramento.
During the civic ceremony, the Consul waved the Mexican flag over the balcony, a tradition that marks the beginning of Mexico’s Independence Day celebrations. Despite the scaled-down event, the spirit of Mexican heritage was celebrated at the State Capitol.
“It’s smaller but still powerful. Still powerful, because as long as there’s one Mexican, there’s community, there will be power, there will be pride,” Jiménez said.
The celebration, which lasted about an hour, included vendors selling Mexican flags and food. Many attendees expressed their support for the community and the importance of showing pride in their heritage.
“I came out here to represent for our people. I think right now, more than usual, it’s very important to show our pride and really be here together as a community to also show numbers,” said Karen Izquierdo.
The Consul General noted the scaled-down event was due to fears of immigration enforcement.
“I understand that we’re living in very interesting moments in terms that people could have fear, they could have anxiety, they could be struggling with the narratives around migration,” he said.
Others from different backgrounds also came to support the community.
“It’s just it’s not right. I’m just here to support,” said one supporter.
Another added, “I love their food and I love their outfits, and I love how they dress.”
Despite the smaller celebration, many came out for those who couldn’t.
“I understand, you know, people’s concerns. And I think I’m a little bit more on the end of like keep everybody safe and those that can show up,” said Izquierdo.
Bar Gabi, a modern Romanian bistro from husband-and-wife chefs Gabriel and Gabriela Botezan, is set to open this fall in Hazel Park in the former Frame and FRAMEbar space.
The couple built a following in metro Detroit through Italian cooking at Bacco and Adelina and a string of pop-ups at Frame that introduced their style in 2019.
Bar Gabi will be their first permanent restaurant and a more personal project that is inspired by the food they grew up eating in Romania.
“This is some of the food of our childhood, but elevated with the techniques we’ve picked up over the years,” Gabriel said. “It’s rustic, but it’s refined. Like Gabby and me, the roots are Romanian, but we don’t want to call ourselves traditional or even limit ourselves to just Romania in what we serve.”
The menu mixes “centuries-old dishes” with “global influences.”
Diners can expect mititei, Romania’s answer to Balkan cevapi, and a Transylvanian goulash, alongside a tomahawk pork schnitzel finished with smoked paprika and Michigan rainbow trout with charred lemon, fennel, and gremolata. A rotating selection of handmade pastas reflects the Botezans’ Italian chops. The pastry kitchen will focus on Gabriela’s focaccia and her take on tiramisu.
“This is so personal and just us,” Gabriela said. “We always dreamed of opening our own restaurant because if there’s anything we love more than cooking it’s people. We love hosting people and making them feel at home. And we already have so much history in this space that it already truly does feel like our home. We hope people feel that love and authentic energy in every dish.”
Bar Gabi plans to open with a full liquor license. Dinner service will run Wednesday through Saturday. Sunday service will feature brunch, followed by an industry night happy hour with a short bar menu. Reservation details are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
The American Culture Quiz is a weekly test of our unique national traits, trends, history and people, including current events and the sights and sounds of the United States.
This week’s quiz highlights burger bites, sporty stars — and a lot more.
To try your hand at more quizzes from Fox News Digital, click here.
Also, to take our latest News Quiz — published every Friday — click here.
American Culture Quiz! How well do you know this week’s topics?(Getty; iStock)
Khloe Quill is a lifestyle production assistant with Fox News Digital. She and the lifestyle team cover a range of story topics including food and drink, travel, and health.
There’s nothing like slicing into a fluffy, vanilla birthday cake only to become emotionally scarred by what’s inside. One woman had the unfortunate experience of being greeted by mold when she cut the cake she got from Ralph’s, ruining her brother’s birthday celebration.
In a viral TikTok, Los Angeles-based Kass (@kassthe.esq) shared her disappointment with over 31,000 viewers. She explains how she bought a vanilla cake for her late brother’s birthday. However, after lighting the “30” candle and cutting into it, Kass saw that the cake was plagued by mold.
The clip shows the cake riddled with the black, fluffy spores.
“You guys, be super careful before buying any cake from Ralph’s,” Kass begins. She says she bought this cake for her brother’s birthday as he would have been 30. “As you can see, this is supposed to be a vanilla cake.”
“This is mold,” Kass says, pointing it out with a butter knife. “I just bought this today.”
It’s not the first time Ralph’s messed up birthday cake
Kass reveals that this isn’t the first time Ralph’s has disappointed her with a cake for her brother.
“I bought a cake for my brother last year too,” Kass shares, “and the second layer of the cake from Ralph’s–same location–had a whole entire layer of plastic on it.”
She warns viewers once again to be careful, “especially if you’re giving your kids this cake.”
“Imagine if I would’ve ate this?” Kass says. “That’s crazy.
Viewers were disgusted
Several users couldn’t believe the state of Kass’s cake.
“Baskin Robbin’s ain’t never failed me,” one wrote, while another added, “Oh yea they had that in the back of the fridge for a whileeeee.”
Several people asked Kass whether she got her money back. “Babe u better return this, get ur money back,” one said.
In an email to the Mary Sue, Kass says she did not get her money, though she did call Ralph’s and left a review.
“They did not offer me a refund as I no longer had the receipt or the moldy cake as I threw it away immediately,” she said.
What happens if you accidentally eat mold?
We’ve all probably eaten some mold or moldy food at some point in our lives. And while gross, some experts told Todaythat you shouldn’t be super concerned. According to Professor of food microbiology Dr. Randy Worobo, the acids in our stomachs will simply break it down.
“For the general population, it’s not a big deal,” he told Today.
Still, those with a weakened immune system or who are allergic to mold need to be careful, experts say.
However, mold toxicity is very real and can occur when being exposed to mold over a period of time.
Many who find mold in their food may be tempted to cut around it, but is it safe to do so?
Worobo says not quite.
“Cutting out or around mold on foods may not get rid of it, the experts warn,” the article stated. “In fact, slicing a knife through a moldy spot can spread the spores to other parts of the food.”
So while today’s grocery prices may be causing you to think twice about tossing that mold, perhaps its best to avoid munching on it altogether.
Gisselle Hernandez-Gomez is a contributing reporter to the Mary Sue. Her work has appeared in the Daily Dot, Business Insider, Fodor’s Travel and more. You can follow her on X at @GisselleHern. You can email her at [email protected].
Thanks to innovations in food science and agriculture, the world is producing more food than ever before. While this has significantly reduced global hunger since the 1970s, it has impacted the environment; in 2023, food production generated about 26 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to Our World in Data.
Now scientists at the Finnish startup Solar Foods are turning air and electricity into food. The result? A mustard-colored protein powder made from naturally occurring microbes that could reshape how the world is fed.
Inside a bioreactor, a single microbe plucked from the Finnish dirt is fed a cocktail of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. Renewable electricity powers the process, which the company says is “20 times more efficient than photosynthesis,” and accelerates the growth of the microorganism into a protein-rich slurry.
After drying, what’s left is Solein: a fine powder packed with all nine essential amino acids, unsaturated fats, dietary fiber, and vitamin B12. According to Food & Wine, 100 grams of the powder yields 75 grams of protein, which is comparable to many whey protein powders on the market.
Solein, which the company describes as having a “pleasant note of umami flavor,” requires 600 times less water and 200 times less land to produce one kilogram of protein than is required to produce one kilogram of beef. The protein is also more efficient than other available vegan and plant proteins.
As of July 2024, the company had raised $47 million in equity funding and has been listed on the Nasdaq’s First North Growth Market in Finland. It recently received a $10.6 million grant from the European Commission.
The Food and Drug Administration has given the company a “Generally Recognized as Safe” designation, allowing Solein to be commercialized in the United States. In March, Solar Foods announced its first multimillion-dollar supply agreement with Superb Food, “a startup with a mission to advance community health through smart functional foods.” In 2024, the company was selected as one of the winners of NASA’s Deep Space Food Challenge, which was launched to develop food innovations for space travel.
Sacramento startup, Food Token, is adding another way local restaurants can accept payment – cryptocurrency. Brian Barton, founder of Food Token, shared his journey with KCRA 3, inspired by his frustrations with traditional banking, leading to the idea for Food Token.”I want to do my banking with a restaurant. I don’t need a bank in between,” he said.In 2024, approximately 17% of American adults say they have invested in or own cryptocurrencies.Food Token is already operational in select Sacramento restaurants, including Jim Boys, Brookfield’s, Chocolate Fish, and Beach Hut Deli. Barton explained that the platform allows restaurants to accept the five major cryptocurrencies.Barton also addressed concerns about security for consumers.“From the restaurant’s point of view, the restaurant is never seeing the cryptocurrency. The restaurant is just accepting it just as they would a digital gift card,” Barton said. Barton noted that convincing restaurants to do something new has been an uphill battle, particularly when it’s about a new field like cryptocurrency. Sacramento was chosen as the launch site for Food Token due to its status as the “farm-to-fork capital” and Barton’s personal connection to the area. “We want to find a use case first for restaurants in the Sacramento area and for consumers in the Sacramento area,” Barton said, emphasizing the importance of understanding local needs before expanding.For those interested in using Food Token, Barton encouraged restaurants to reach out via their website, offering a straightforward way to start accepting cryptocurrency.”We only charge $0.10 per transaction, unlike Visa and Mastercard,” he said, highlighting the financial benefits for restaurants.As cryptocurrency continues to gain popularity, Food Token aims to simplify the process for both consumers and restaurants, paving the way for a new era of digital payments in the restaurant industry.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Sacramento startup, Food Token, is adding another way local restaurants can accept payment – cryptocurrency.
Brian Barton, founder of Food Token, shared his journey with KCRA 3, inspired by his frustrations with traditional banking, leading to the idea for Food Token.
“I want to do my banking with a restaurant. I don’t need a bank in between,” he said.
In 2024, approximately 17% of American adults say they have invested in or own cryptocurrencies.
Food Token is already operational in select Sacramento restaurants, including Jim Boys, Brookfield’s, Chocolate Fish, and Beach Hut Deli. Barton explained that the platform allows restaurants to accept the five major cryptocurrencies.
Barton also addressed concerns about security for consumers.
“From the restaurant’s point of view, the restaurant is never seeing the cryptocurrency. The restaurant is just accepting it just as they would a digital gift card,” Barton said.
Barton noted that convincing restaurants to do something new has been an uphill battle, particularly when it’s about a new field like cryptocurrency.
Sacramento was chosen as the launch site for Food Token due to its status as the “farm-to-fork capital” and Barton’s personal connection to the area.
“We want to find a use case first for restaurants in the Sacramento area and for consumers in the Sacramento area,” Barton said, emphasizing the importance of understanding local needs before expanding.
For those interested in using Food Token, Barton encouraged restaurants to reach out via their website, offering a straightforward way to start accepting cryptocurrency.
“We only charge $0.10 per transaction, unlike Visa and Mastercard,” he said, highlighting the financial benefits for restaurants.
As cryptocurrency continues to gain popularity, Food Token aims to simplify the process for both consumers and restaurants, paving the way for a new era of digital payments in the restaurant industry.
These Sausage Cheese Biscuits are always a good idea! Perfect way to start the day.
❤️WHY WE LOVE THIS RECIPE
We love these biscuits because they are a little different. Instead of serving a biscuit with sausage and cheese, we added it all to the batter. They turned out perfect and we all loved them and now make them often. They are delicious with grape jelly on them! They reheat well and are perfect to make on a Sunday and have for breakfast throughout the week.
SWAPS& ADDITIONS
We use buttermilk to make these biscuits and genuinely feel the extra fat gives them a wonderful flavor. You can use regular milk if you like. You can also add any spices to this recipe and switch out the cheese! Super versatile.
CAN I FREEZE THESE?
Yes, you can freeze these biscuits, and they also reheat well in the microwave. This recipe is one you can enjoy for just a few people, make them up, enjoy a few and freeze the rest!
A Childhood Full of Biscuits
“Certain recipes have a way of creeping into our minds and imprinting us with a nostalgia that lasts forever. I’m never sure quite what it is but when a food touches your soul, you know it. “
⭐TIP
I usually brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter before cooking. We like the butter to soak in during the cooking process.
These easy sausage cheese biscuits will quickly become a family favorite! The sausge and cheese is baked right into the dough. They reheat well too and my family loves this combination.
Prep Time 15 minutesmins
Cook Time 12 minutesmins
Total Time 27 minutesmins
Course biscuit, bread, Breakfast
Cuisine American
3cupsall-purpose flour
1tablespoonbaking powder
1/2teaspoonbaking soda
1/2teaspoonsalt
1stick butter or margarinecut into small pieces or grated (8 tablespoons)
1poundpork sausagecooked, drained and crumbled
1/2cupshredded cheese of your choiceI used sharp cheddar
1 1/2cupsbuttermilkcan use regular milk
Cook sausage, drain and let cool. Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt with a whisk in a large bowl. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in cooled sausage and cheese.
Add milk until dough makes a ball without being sticky. Knead and roll out on floured surface. Cut about 1/2 inch thick with biscuit cutter or drop onto an ungreased baking sheet.
Bake in preheated 425 degree oven 12 to 15 minutes until done. Makes about 16 biscuits depending on the size you make them. Enjoy!
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Summer may be over, but that doesn’t mean that London’s best rooftop bars and outdoor spaces shut up shop. On the contrary, catching an autumnal sunset over the city’s skyline while sipping on spicy margs can rival even the sunniest of rosé-drenched summer days.
So, whether you’re heading to the rooftops for a boozy brunch, a romantic dinner with a view or some too-pretty-to-drink cocktails (but you definitely will), it’s time to rally the troops and get booking. A word of advice: keep this page bookmarked because you just know you’re going to keep coming back and working your way through the list. It would be rude not to.
Food products containing shark are being sold in grocery stores, seafood markets and online across the United States—and in some cases, they come from species at risk of extinction.
This is the warning of researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who used DNA barcoding to analyze 30 such shark products purchased in Washington, D.C., North Carolina, Florida, and Georgia in 2021 and 2022.
They found that nearly one-third of the samples came from endangered or critically endangered species—including great hammerhead, scalloped hammerhead, shortfin mako and tope.
“Of the 29 samples, 93 percent were ambiguously labeled as ‘shark,’ and one of the two products labeled at the species level was mislabeled,” said Savannah J. Ryburn, the study’s lead author, in a statement.
“We found critically endangered sharks being sold in grocery stores, seafood markets and online.”
Mislabeling and public health concerns
The study found widespread mislabeling. In fact, only one product had a correct, species-specific label. Many packages were sold simply as “shark,” making it impossible for consumers to know what they were buying.
Prices also varied dramatically. Fresh shark meat sold for as little as $6.56 per kilogram, while shark jerky averaged more than $200 per kilogram.
Beyond conservation concerns, researchers warned that some shark species, including hammerheads and smooth-hounds, contain high levels of mercury, methylmercury and arsenic, which can damage the brain and nervous system, cause cancer and impair fetal development.
In 2022, another study found that endangered shark meat was found in pet food, often labeled under the terms “white fish” or “ocean fish.”
Conservation context
Shark populations have already dropped by more than 70 percent since the 1970s due to bycatch, climate change, habitat destruction and overfishing. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimates that more than a third of shark species are now threatened with extinction.
While 74 shark species are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), enforcement remains limited. Once sharks are processed into fillets or jerky, visual identification is nearly impossible, leaving loopholes in trade restrictions.
Pictures of shark meat purchased for the study. Pictures of shark meat purchased for the study. Savannah Ryburn
Call for stronger labeling
“The legality of selling shark meat in the United States depends largely on where the shark was harvested and the species involved,” Ryburn explained.
“By the time large shark species reach grocery stores and markets, they are often sold as fillets with all distinguishing features removed, making it unlikely that sellers know what species they are offering.”
The authors argue that requiring species-level labeling could help protect consumers and vulnerable shark populations.
“Sellers in the United States should be required to provide species-specific names,” Ryburn said. “And when shark meat is not a food security necessity, consumers should avoid purchasing products that lack species-level labeling or traceable sourcing.”
Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about sharks? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.
Reference
Ryburn, S. J., Yu, T., Ong, K. J., Wisely, E., Alston, M. A., Howie, E., Leroy, P., Giang, S. E., Ball, W., Benton, J., Calhoun, R., Favreau, I., Gutierrez, A., Hallac, K., Hanson, D., Hibbard, T., Loflin, B., Lopez, J., Mock, G., Myers, K., Pinos-Sánchez, A., Suarez Garcia, A. M., Retamales Romero, A., Thomas, A., Williams, R., Zaldivar, A., & Bruno, J. F. (2025). Sale of critically endangered sharks in the United States. Frontiers in Marine Science. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2025.1604454
We love pecan pie and we love the flavor of maple so this is the perfect combination! These bars are so good and come together with ease. They set up really well and we enjoyed them for a family gathering and everyone agreed they were great. They also keep well in an air tight container. This is a recipe you can make a day in advance; we actually thought they were better the next day.
SWAPS
We use rolled oats but you could use instant oats too. We also used 2 cups of all-purpose flour, but you could do 1 cup of whole wheat and 1 cup of all-purpose. We like the whole pecans but you could chop them up if you like.
⭐TIP
I did put these in the fridge to help them set and they set up perfect. I had to let them sit to room temperature to cut them. These were an immediate hit!
Maple Pecan Bars are the best treat! Super easy to make and wonderful addition to any occasion. Perfect for the holidays.
Prep Time 25 minutesmins
Cook Time 40 minutesmins
Total Time 1 hourhr5 minutesmins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Crust:
1cupgraham cracker crumbsI put the crackers in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin until I get a cup
2cupsall-purpose flourcould use 1 cup of all-purpose and 1 cup whole wheat
1/2cupold-fashioned rolled oatsuncooked (could use the minute or instant oats)
1/2cupbrown sugar
1 1/2sticks or 12 tablespoons or 3/4 cup buttersoftened
Topping for Crust:
1cupbrown sugar
1cupmaple syrup
4tablespoonsbuttermelted
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
1/4teaspoonsalt
3eggs
3 1/2cupspecan halves
In a mixing bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, all-purpose flour, rolled oats and brown sugar. Whisk together with wire whisk. Cut in the butter until mixture is like coarse crumbs. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray and press crust into bottom of dish. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Remove and set aside,
Topping Instructions:
Combine brown sugar, maple syrup, melted butter, vanilla extract, and salt in a bowl and mix well with a spoon. Add in eggs and continue mixing with spoon. Add pecans and mix. Spread mixture over the crust. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 350 and bake 30 more minutes until filling is set. Let cool before cutting in squares.
We set these in the fridge to help them set up. We also let them sit out for about 10 minutes to cut.
Subscribe today and get: ✔️ 8 back issues instantly ✔️ 2 new 2025 editions ✔️ 3 more coming this year All filled with old-fashioned recipes, heartfelt stories & Southern charm.
The app includes prices for many of your basic needs, from food to housing to transportation, spanning a decade of data points.
Tuesday, September 9, 2025 3:00PM
The ABC Data Team has launched the Price Tracker, an interactive tool that provides up-to-date information on the price of household necessities in your area.
It displays regional prices of essentials for the 100 largest U.S. metro areas over the last decade. Simply search for your area to see how the cost of living has changed for households like yours. Then select groceries, housing or utilities to drill down into each category of basic expenses.
Summer is finally around the corner. After what feels like about two years of dreary grey weather, a heatwave is officially coming. Next week, London will see temperatures passing 20 degrees. There’s only one thing for it: head to one of the best rooftop restaurants or outdoor bars London has to offer to soak up the immaculate vibes. Whether you’re heading to the rooftops for a boozy brunch, a romantic dinner with a view or some too-pretty-to-drink cocktails (but you definitely will), it’s time to rally the troops and get booking.
We’ve dealt with grey skies long enough and we certainly don’t need any more excuses to slap on the sunscreen, throw on that floaty summer dress, and run (not walk) to grab an al fresco table at one of our favourite beer gardens, rooftop bars or outdoor restaurants.
A word of advice: keep this page bookmarked because you just know you’re going to keep coming back and working your way through the list. It would be rude not to.
Enjoy!
In a rush? See the best rooftops at a glance in the below map:
Bay Area native and competitive eating legend Joey “Jaws” Chestnut is gearing up to make another new record.
Chestnut will face off (or eat off?) against a fan at the San Francisco Giants vs. Los Angeles Dodgers game Friday at Oracle Park. And it won’t be hot dogs at the competition — the 17-time Mustard Belt winner will take on 99 Impossible Foods plant-based chicken nuggets in nine innings.
Chestnut was born in Vallejo and spent time in San Jose while in college and became a household name in the world of competitive eating. He also holds eating records in timed contests for hard boiled eggs, asparagus, pulled pork sandwiches, tacos, chicken wings and burgers.
