15 Food News Stories That Caused a Stir The Kitchn's Best of 2012

There are always a few stories every year that really get people talking, and this year those stories covered a wide range of topics. There was The Great Pumpkin Spice Latte shortage at Starbucks. The Quaker Oats guy got photoshopped. Amazon started selling wine. Martha Stewart's Everyday Food was all but shuttered. Oh, and a lot of people said that food blogs were over. In case you missed 'em, here are the 15 most popular Food News stories from this year:

TOP ROW
1 Kobe Beef: Food's Biggest Scam?
2 Concerns About the 'Cinnamon Challenge'
3 EWG's Guide to Budget Grocery Shopping
4 Fact or Fiction: Does Cooking Vegetables in the Microwave Destroy The Nutrients?
5 The Quaker Oats Guy Gets Photoshopped

MIDDLE ROW
6 Why You Should Stop Seeding Tomatoes
7 Are Food Blogs Over?
8 Mark Bittman Turning His 'Vegan Before 6' Philosophy Into a Book
9 There's a Pumpkin Spice Latte Shortage at Starbucks!
10 Twitter Co-Founders Betting Big on Beyond Meat, a New Vegan Meat Substitute

BOTTOM ROW
11 Thanksgiving at The White House: The First Family's Food Requests Throughout History
12 It's Finally Happened! You Can Now Buy Wine from Amazon
13 How Rotisserie Chicken Became So Popular
14 Martha Stewart's Everyday Food and Whole Living Magazines In Trouble
15 Second Breakfast: Hobbits Need It. Do You?

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Welcome to The Kitchn's Best of 2012 roundup!
From December 17 through January 1 we are rounding up some of our favorite (and your favorite) posts from the past year.

(Images: See linked posts for full image credits)

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Recreate Starbucks Treats at Home: Homemade Cranberry Bliss Bars

We all have different guilty pleasure sweets. Maybe it's a slice of cheesecake or a scoop of good ice cream. Perhaps it's a decadent hot chocolate with piles of whipped cream. Or maybe you can't quite walk by the case at Starbucks without thinking twice about those Cranberry Bliss Bars. Well now we've found a recipe so you can make them at home in no more than 30 minutes.

I've tried to recreate restaurant recipes before and it's a tough job. But these bars look pretty darn close to perfection. The batter requires just one bowl and the ingredients are likely ones you already have on hand. The only difference you'll notice is this recipe relies on more white chocolate chunks and cranberries than Starbucks does in their version, and she the frosting is spread on just a bit thicker. All good things.

Get the Recipe: Homemade Cranberry Bliss Bars at Averie Cooks

Do you have a guilty-pleasure treat you've seen out and about that you'd like to learn to make at home?

Related: Autumn DIY Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Latte (Better Than Starbucks!)

(Image: Averie Cooks)

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A History of Coffee Culture in America Video

For your Friday morning enjoyment: a brief look at coffee culture in America, starting with post-war instant coffee and moving through Starbucks and the beginning of a coffee vocabulary to today's coffee "refinement," the ritualization of coffee and the heightened awareness of terroir, roast, and method. (Note: video best enjoyed while drinking a cup of coffee, obviously.)

Via Smithsonian.com

Related: The History of the Espresso Machine

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Fall Is Over! There's a Pumpkin Spice Latt Shortage at Starbucks Food News

If you, like the rest of the country, waited all year for Starbucks' annual Pumpkin Spice Latt to herald in the official arrival of Fall (who cares what the calendar says), we hope you've already have one or two this season... because Starbucks branches are reporting a serious shortage.

Since the latt returned to Starbucks' menu in early September, it's been so hugely popular that branches all over the country have reported they're out of the signature pumpkin syrup they use to make the drink, writes The Wall Street Journal. It's become such a big deal that people who a lucky enough to get a bottle of the pumpkin syrup are taking their goods to eBay, where syrup containers are selling between $40 and $50.

Alas! Friends, you may not be able to get a Pumpkin Spice Latt at Starbucks, but here's what you can do: make it yourself! You may remember that The Kitchn featured a DIY version last year. So, dry your eyes. Autumn may still turn out to be sweet and pumpkin-ey after all.

Get The Recipe: Autumn DIY Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Latt (Better Than Starbucks!)

Via The Wall Street Journal

(Image: Kathryn Hill)

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Homemade Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte, 15 Tips For Better Weekly Meal Planning, and 20 Amazing Sandwich Recipes Most Popular Posts Published September 16 - 22

Happy Saturday, everyone! Here's a rundown of our most popular posts from the past week, including a look at the best 2-ingredient sandwiches, why you should use lemon in everything, the 5 best places to spend your money in a kitchen renovation, and our best tips for weekly meal planning.

15. My Newest Favorite Cheese for Sandwiches
14. EWG's Guide to Budget Grocery Shopping
13. Saveur's Best 2-Ingredient Sandwiches
12. The Ingredient You Should Use More Often
11. Chipotle Chicken Fajitas with Creamy Black Bean Spread
10. Save & Splurge: 5 Places to Put Your Money in a Kitchen Renovation

9. A Tunafish Recipe for Vegetarians: Chickpea of the Sea

8. Autumn DIY Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Latte (Better Than Starbucks!)

7. Why Tea is So Very Magical

6. Chef Ludo's Magically Delicious Kitchen

5. Hot Baked Nutella and Cream Cheese Sandwich

4. 5 Tips for Making Better Sandwich Bread

3. How To Make Easy Homemade Pita Bread

2. 15 TIps for Better Weekly Meal Planning

1. Sandwiches of All Shapes & Sizes: 20 Sandwich Recipes for a Better Lunch

Previous Hot Posts: Whole Grain Recipes, DIY Granola Bars, Paris Kitchen Renovation, Storage Between the Studs, Sponge Ice Packs, and Hangry!

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Autumn DIY Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Latte (Better Than Starbucks!) Recipes from The Kitchn

Many fans of Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte eagerly wait for it to show up on menus again in the fall, and it made its annual re-appearance last week. However, for those of us on a budget, those little cups of spicy goodness can add up. Making your own at home will not only save you money, but you can also enjoy them year-round. In addition, you have more control over the ingredients (especially the sugar), so you can tweak the recipe to your liking.

You can change the sugar and fat content of this recipe quite easily.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Makes 1 to 2 servings

2 cups milk
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin OR 1 teaspoon Torani Pumpkin Spice Syrup (your choice)
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar or sugar substitute
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, plus more to garnish
1 to 2 shots espresso, about 1/4 cup of espresso or 1/2 cup of strong brewed coffee
Whipped cream, to garnish

In a saucepan whisk together milk, pumpkin and sugar and cook on medium heat, stirring, until steaming. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and spice, transfer to a blender and process for 15 seconds until foamy. If you don't have a blender, don't worry about it just whisk the mixture really well with a wire whisk.

Pour into a large mug or two mugs. Add the espresso on top.

Top with whipped cream, if desired, and sprinkle pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, or cinnamon on top.

Related: At-Home Frappuccinos -- the Vietnamese Way

(Image: Kathryn Hill)

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