Dongbei Cuisine Gets Respect in Queens; What Foods Are Good at Turning You On?

Susur Lee, of Shang, once was stopped at immigration when flying in from Toronto to compete against Bobby Flay on Iron Chef America. His special corn starch and herbs were riffled through until ruined, and his stock was confiscated. With it, he believes, he could have won.
[NY Times]

Kraft Foods will close the Cadbury plant in Somerdale, near Bristol, England, by 2011, despite having pledged to keep the factory open.
[Wall Street Journal]

China has announced a new food-safety campaign following the resurfacing of contaminated milk products on shelves.
[AP]

What foods are most likely to increase arousal on Valentine's Day? One if by Land's Black Forest dessert might, if it weren't for the cherries, said to decrease desire in women.
[NY Times]

A new study reveals that it's commercials -- and not just watching TV -- that leads to child obesity. There was no association between obesity and ad-free programming.
[NY Times]

Meanwhile, another study suggests that most recent top-grossing films are packed with product placement for junk food and fast-food restaurants, which negatively affects kids.
[Reuters]

Jonathan Benno, formerly of Per Se, is preparing for his new restaurant at Lincoln Center, planned for September, just in time for the Met Opera, Ballet, and Philharmonic debuts.
[NY Times]

You don't have to break the bank this V-Day. Peanut Butter & Co., Bondi Road, and Hundred Acres each have special meal deals for $35 or less.
[NY Daily News]

Did Miracle Grill in Park Slope close because of the poor economy? Or, as neighbors attest, is the location, at the corner of Seventh Avenue and 3rd Street, cursed?
[NY Post]

Dongbei food, from the Northeast of China, is not among the country's most celebrated cuisines, but is well represented in Flushing.
[NY Times]

Food Network Magazine continues to grow, despite a high turnover among the staff.
[NY Post]