5@5 is a daily, food-related list from chefs, writers, political pundits, musicians, actors, and all manner of opinionated people from around the globe.

Belinda Chang joined The Modern, the Michelin-starred, fine dining restaurant in New York City's Museum of Modern Art, as Wine Director in November 2007. Before that, she coordinated the wine service at restaurants by culinary luminaries like Rick Tramanto, Charlie Trotter and Laurent Gras.

Considering the overwhelming number of Eatocracy readers that like to get their drink on, it only seems fitting that today's 5@5 offers up those same good libations.

As it turns out, boozing doesn't have to be a budget buzz kill.

5 Ways to Sex Up a Bargain Wine Bottle: Sommelier Belinda Chang

FULL POST

See all Gulf Coast seafood coverage on Eatocracy and full coverage throughout CNN

Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks ... and bottomless nachos ... and unlimited ice cream ... oh, and a refillable fountain soda.

For the 2010 season, 19 of the 30 Major League Baseball teams are offering an all-you-can-eat seating promotion in their ball parks.

"It's a great deal, especially for the teams that aren't selling out every game," said Baltimore Orioles fan Matthew Cavalier.

Read the FULL STORY

Consider the lobster: The population of the crustaceans is at such low levels along the East Coast that a regulatory agency is proposing a five-year ban on harvesting them between Cape Cod and Virginia.

"Long Island Sound, in particular, has been in poor health since 1999," said Toni Kerns, senior fishery management plan coordinator at the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. "We had a die off in the fishery."

On Thursday, the technical committee of biologists for the Atlantic commission is meeting in Warwick, R.I., to discuss the proposal. They have the final authority to shut down lobstering in these coastal waters.

Read the FULL STORY

Every weekday, we're highlighting a blogger we think you ought to know about. We can’t be everywhere at once, so we look to these passionate eaters, cooks and writers to keep us tapped into every facet of the food world. Consider this a way to get to know a blog’s taste buds, because, well, you should.

Meet today's featured blogger and blog:
Who: Monica Bhide, of A Life of Spice
Where: Virginia
Twitter: @mbhide

FULL POST

In the Hot Messes series, we're sharing tales of sunken soufflés, disastrous dinners and other kitchen chaos. Laugh along with us, won't you? It makes it all ever so slightly less painful.

There's a popular notion that no one in New York City cooks. Ever. It probably has something to do with kitchens the size of gym lockers coupled with 24/7 availability of every type of cuisine imaginable.

I myself rarely ever cook. Don't believe me? I moved into my Manhattan apartment on April 1 and never used my oven until this past Saturday.

Within moments, three New York City fire fighters - axes in hand - burst through my front door.
FULL POST

We'll return to our regularly-scheduled Eatocracy programming after this important "Panda and Popsicle" interlude.

Previously: What's your favorite frozen treat?

In light of today's exploration of religious dietary restrictions, we're asking:

Sink your teeth into today's top stories from around the globe.

• The Take Back Your Lunch movement encourages workers to reclaim their lunch break away from their cubicle. - NY Post

• China has stepped up its fight against restaurant reuse of cooking oil. - Associated Press

• The five-second rule shouldn't be a rule after all. According to a team of food scientists, it's merely a "function of superstition." - National Post

• Chilean fishermen are still struggling to recover from the 8.8-magnitude earthquake in February 2010. - Wall Street Journal

• After a six-year hiatus, the real-life "Soup Nazi" of "Seinfeld" fame will open his doors yet again. No soup for you! - CNN

Perdue Farms, Inc., is recalling approximately 92,000 pounds of frozen chicken nuggets - nearly 50,000 packages - because they may contain pieces of plastic.

Those affected are sold at Wal-mart stores in the United States under the Great Value brand.

FULL POST