I’m stepping outside of the Life/Food section to start off this week’s round-up with a link to Joe Fiorito’s column in the Toronto Star in which he looks at the slated closure of the CanGro factory in the Niagara Penninsula. The factory is owned by a US company and operations will move to China at the end of March, putting 147 full-time workers and 400 part-timers out of a job. Not to mention making it officially impossible to find canned or frozen fruit from the Niagara region. Don’t believe me? Have a look at those bags of frozen fruit in the freezer aisle of the supermarket - ain’t no Niagara peaches or Sudbury berries in those bags.

Over in the Life section, Kim Honey explores the wonderful world of potatoes and all it’s colourful, distinct varieties, many of which are available at Fiesta Farms where Jennifer Bain celebrates the fabulous selection of local, organic and healthy food items. Josh Rubin sends beer geeks scurrying to the LCBO to grab the last bottles of Liefmans Kreik, and in the What’s New In Stores column, there’s gum and yogurt with added health stuff (why can’t these companies just let yogurt be yogurt??).

At the Globe and Mail Elizabeth Renzetti examines the latest food trend to hit England - posh chippies with sustainably harvested fish, local vegetables, and a choice of fryer grease (beef fat or canola oil). Also in the Globe, Chef David Lee cooks a brisket in a pressure cooker, and Heather Sokoloff previews Montreal’s High Lights Festival, where the locals are suffering some consternation at the choice of Toronto being the featured city. And Beppi Crosariol has tips for travellers on getting wine home safely despite the idiotic restrictions for liquids in carry-on luggage.

Rita DeMontis of the Toronto Sun interviews Julie Van Rosendaal about low-fat cookies and losing weight.  There’s also a piece about the winner of the Canadian Culinary Championships; Melissa Craig from Whistler BC. DeMontis also has tips and recipes for an Oscar Night party, and Elizabeth Baird talks herbs, gardens and cheese.