There’s a nice article published in The Scientist on the science involved in growing wines. Thanks to science, Californian wines can now rival with the old world wines, having discovered the factors leading to optimum amount of tannins in wine. Aside from imparting flavor, texture and body to wines, tannins are also considered to be molecules responsible for the medicinal properties of wines.
Tannins are the astringent plant polyphenols that bind and precipitate proteins. Botanists describe them as defensive compounds that protect plants from bacteria and fungi and deter herbivores through their astringency and their interference with digestion. [snip] …read more

This time of the year, if you go to the woods or even along tree-lined walkways, you’ll notice how the ground is cluttered with leaves and nuts. Perfect for children’s crafts, but also an important part of the diet of some birds, squirrels, mice, and other small animals. But, did you know that they are also fit for human consumption?
Acorns figure a lot in the diet of Californian Native Americans in the form of acorn flour or as an ingredient in soups. And like many other diets originating from California, acorn appears to be a healthy idea, as it has …read more