In case the six pack you bought just doesn't taste right, you can use this little beer infuser to add flavoring one cup at a time. Gizmodo's got the story:

Dubbed the Randall Jr, this device is a hand-held version of the brewery's Randall The Enamel Animal infuser. They both work essentially like a tea bag does. You simply place whatever flavored item you want—vanilla beans, espresso beans, mint leaves, pepper corns, candy corns—into a basket suspended from the side of the cup, fill it with your favorite beer, and set it in the fridge for ten minutes. This allows the alcohol to leech flavors from the ingredients into the beer, creating a custom concoction. You can, of course, use this with any beer—not just swill—so if you've ever wanted to try a chocolate Guinness, orange and strawberry Blue Moon, or wasabi Asahi, now you can.

John Birdsall, senior editor at CHOW, wrote this rebuttal to Amanda Hesser's article on the death of food writing last week. Sure, it's hard to make a living as a food writer, but Birdsall thinks this is nothing to write home about:

This post from Food52 co-founder and author Amanda Hesser has created quite a stir online. According to her, food writing just ain't what it used to be:

I can no longer responsibly recommend that you drop everything to try to become a food writer. Except for a very small group of people (some of whom are clinging to jobs at magazines that pay more than the magazines' business models can actually afford), it’s nearly impossible to make a living as a food writer, and I think it’s only going to get worse.

If I weren’t working on Food52, I would not be a full-time writer because, even as an experienced journalist and best-selling author, I would not be able to pay my bills.

Read the full article here

Ever since the Green Chile Cheeseburger premiered itself to America on Food Network's "Throwdown" with Bobby Flay, it has incurred mountains of fame. Today, you can find the GCCB at many roadside stops in America. We have yet to taste this southwest concoction -- how about you?

For my money, the best of them all is found at a practically unknown dive café just on the edge of Santa Fe: Horseman's Haven Café. It does not appear in national news stories, like the others; I found it only by talking to local eaters, and convincing them I wasn't too snooty to love this place.

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Photo by Stu Spivack

Several incidents of sheep deaths resulted in Scotland law enforcement sending warnings to dog owners: leash near livestock.

PC Barr added: "Farmers are entitled to shoot a dog if there is no other way to prevent livestock from being injured. Although the term 'sheep worrying' is used, the reality is that the sheep are chased to exhaustion and then eaten to death by a dog or dogs.
"This must be an excruciating death for the animal and causes a great deal of distress for farmers as well as a financial loss."

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Photo by Tambako The Jaguar

The holes in Swiss (and its unique flavor) exist thanks to three strains of bacteria: S. thermophilus, Lactobacillus and P. shermani, when mixed with cow's milk and left to ripen, release and consume lactic acid:

That bacteria, more specifically P. shermani, releases carbon dioxide when it consumes the lactic acid and forms bubbles. The bubbles don't just disappear, they form little air pockets, resulting in the holes of the Swiss cheese. The size of the holes can be controlled by cheese makers through the acidity, temperature and maturing time, which is why it's possible to have a baby Swiss and regular Swiss option.

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Photo by Rusty Clark

An important question that may have haunted you at some point. Fiona Beckett argues that a mature brie is more difficult to pair with wine. It's also a real shape-shifter in its old age (we're talking runny!) Let us know what you think:

The Chilean pinot noir I'd picked to go with it seemed a bit lightweight, it was so decadently creamy. On the other hand it hadn't got that sort of ammoniac character that Brie can acquire as it ages which can give it an unpleasantly bitter edge. All you need is a hunk of crisp, freshly baked baguette to slather it on. And maybe a few grapes. The perfect lunch . . .

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Photo by Pier-Luc Bergeron

"Cheese Kit Diptych" is installation art by Han Bennink, from a couple of years ago that we just discovered. In the installation, he utilized two drum sets, one of which was equipped with real Dutch cheese wheels in lieu of the instruments. Check it out!

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Dairy farming is a dwindling business for Maine residents, with larger farms taking over the demand. The loss of farms ultimately means a loss in rural landscape, something many Americans, including George Smith, consider evocative of the state:

At one time, 75 percent of the 25,000 acres in my town of Mount Vernon was cleared land. Today, we're down to 700 cleared acres -- much of which is maintained by our last dairy farmer, Dick Hall.

Dick's mother Mildred once told me, "You have to be stupid to be a farmer," and Dick added, "or crazy."

I thought their comments were amusing at the time. Now they are coming true.

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Photo by Randen Pederson

As many of us cheese-lovers know, goat cheese has the ability to kick up flavor in any dish. Check out these new dinner recipes for a fresh take on many staples.

Luckily, goat cheese is an affordable cheese so feel free to indulge in its richness. It's mild enough to meld with most flavors, yet zesty enough to contribute to the recipe. Click through our slideshow below to see how you can incorporate this cheese into your dinner dishes. From Roasted Asparagus and Goat Cheese Tarts to Goat Cheese Phyllo Stack with Crushed Olives, goat cheese makes it all taste better.

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Photo by Rebecca Siegel