• Despite a troubled economy, the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market is having a record-breaking sales year. [S.M. Mirror]
• Jets tight end Dustin Keller is writing a food column for the New York Times’ football blog. [Fifth Down/NYT via Eater]
• David Myers is opening his Comme Ca bistro in Las Vegas’ new Cosmopolitan Hotel. [Lights Vegas Action]
• When Jamie Oliver made over Huntington, West Virginia’s school lunches, many children stopped buying them. [Salon]
• People Assisting The Homeless enticed homeless residents of L.A. to fill out the census by offering free root beer floats. [Examiner]
• To celebrate Cesar Chavez Day, Gloria Molina will volunteer for a food bank while El Camino College’s Compton Center will have a celebration with food. [SCPR]
• Locations of Corner Bakery Cafe started a program to connect guests face-to-face rather than through interactive media. [Yahoo! Finance]
• A Danish report appearing in American Journal of Epidemiology claims that drinking the equivalent of a quart of Coke everyday leads to lower sperm counts, while a U.S. doctor calls the theory “absurd.” [AOL Health]
• Fueled by customer demand for good tomatoes year round, giant tomato greenhouses are cropping up across the country. [NYT]
• McDonald’s recently opened its first “Hamburger University” training center in China. [NRN]
• Between tougher federal fishing regulations and this year’s cold snap, Florida is producing less local seafood than usual right now. [NYT]
• By introducing new devices like a water reservoir, microwave manufacturers are trying to combat Americans’ indifference toward their product. [WSJ]
• Alumnae of Ireland’s Ballymaloe Cooking School have spread founder Darina Allen’s gospel of fresh, simple, Irish cooking worldwide. [NYT]
• Sales of frozen food are skyrocketing, leading to an increase in the type of products available. [WSJ]
• Charlie Vergos, founder of Memphis’ beloved Rendezvous barbecue restaurant, died this weekend at 84. [Diner’s Journal/NYT]
