Food News Today Transcripts for the week of March 19th, 2012

Food has always been important to the actor, whose popularity began from his role as Detective Bunk Moreland on the HBO series, “The Wire,” he now plays the trombonist Antoine Batiste on “Treme,” which is filming episodes in New Orleans for broadcast in the fall. While shooting "Treme" in his hometown, Pierce noticed the shortage of good supermarkets in some neighborhoods, parallel to the theme of Treme, charting New Orleans’s struggle to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina. Pierce felt he owed it to his city to bring more-nutritious fare to urban food deserts. 

And food deserts there are, a 2007 Tulane University survey (the latest data available), found that nearly 60 percent of low-income residents had to travel more than three miles to reach a supermarket, though only 58 percent owned a car.

Sterling Farms will look like most other conventional grocers, with a deli, bakery, seafood counter and as many as 40,000 items. But it also will cater to the special needs of low-income shoppers. The store will offer a free shuttle to anyone who spends $50 or more, so they need not walk or take the bus with heavy bags. 

>Next up, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Barry Sears, creator of The Zone Diet, who just came out with his latest book, TOXIC FAT when good fat turns bad.  He tells us what’s up with fat in our diets.

How can we turn around the health of our country?

Thanks Dr Sears, your knowledge and sound research is fascinating and I truly admire your work.  At the end of the day it’s up to each and every one of us to take control of our health and our bodies -

>Eh well the next innovation isn’t going to help the many of us that just cant say no to a delicious treat… as if sweets and baked goods weren’t already saturating every corner of our lives … Sprinkles, one of the first cupcake bakeries to start the current cupcake craze, has unveiled the cupcake ATM or cupcake automatin Beverly Hills, CA – but don’t worry all you East coasters, well New Yorkers to be specific – several cupcake ATMs are coming your way – for the rest of you in between I’ll see you in line when you visit either coast!

And if you’re worried the cupcakes might run out – the machine holds 600, Sprinkles Spokesman Nicole Schwartz told NY Daily News, the company will be dedicated to constantly restocking the machines and only the day’s freshest cupcakes will be sold. 

Let me know what's on your food mind. Are you excited about the cupcake ATM?  And remember to log on to Food News Today.com any time to access the archive and replay this episode as well as access our transcripts. Thanks for watching!