Mix two parts vodka, one part isotopes
What’s clear, comes from the abandoned, slightly radioactive earth, and can get you drunk? Why, it’s this newly-released vodka, made from grain farmed in the zone around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine. A British team of scientists grew rye in the exclusion zone around the former power station, and distilled it with uncontaminated mineral water that also came from that area.
While the grain was slightly contaminated, the distilling process reportedly cleaned that up. They’ve got the receipts to prove it: After the vodka was distilled, lab-testing did not detect any abnormal levels of radioactivity in the vodka. The only thing nuclear about it is the name: Atomik. It’s now being sold in at least one London bar, and the team that made the vodka are planning to give profits to communities affected by Chernobyl.
And in other news...
- Looking to find an Impossible Burger near you? This map of where it’s stocked and where supplies are out might help. [Bloomberg]
- Minneapolis has banned new drive-thrus from being built, citing a variety of reasons from the environment (fewer cars idling while waiting) to making the city more pedestrian-friendly. [New Food Economy]
- Pork producers want to eliminate limits on how many hogs can be slaughtered per hour; opponents say it could put workers at risk, or pose public health problems by accidentally allowing sick hogs into the food supply. [NYT]
- About two years after its first poor attempt to put queso on the menu, Chipotle is starting over with a new queso blanco. It’s being tested in Dallas, Detroit, and San Diego. [CNBC]
- How did Chick-fil-A grow to be the third highest-selling fast food chain in America? By marketing Christian values, possibly. [Business Insider]
- The Taco Bell hotel is open in Palm Springs, and they cut a ribbon made of hot sauce packets to prove it. [ABC]
- Here’s a list of chains that are supporting Trump’s re-election bid (scroll down for various sources). Spoiler: It’s a lot of big names. [Twitter]
- Why serve food on plates when you could serve it on *checks notes* video tapes? [Twitter]
In a restaurant in canada last night I was served pudding on, and I wish I was joking, an ancient VHS copy of The Bodyguard pic.twitter.com/53oQfXDlNw
— P.S.Burton (@PSBurton) August 8, 2019