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.

If you can't take the heat, you don't have to stay out of the kitchen - but there's really no reason to crank the oven up to 500 degrees. That is, unless you want to get your Bikram Yoga in during dinner prep.

If anyone knows about handling the heat and getting people fed, it's Tory McPhail. The James Beard nominee is the executive chef at the storied Commander's Palace in Eatocracy's adopted second home, New Orleans.

Summer in the Big Easy means average high temperatures well above the 90-degree mark so pass the gazpacho, wontcha?

Five things to cook when it’s too darn hot to cook anything: Tory McPhail
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From our post Does 4-H desensitize kids to killing?:

Momof2 says,

I think children are desensitized more to killing by playing violent video games, but, I do not preach to people about what they expose their own kids to.

We have always believed in being honest with our kids (4&6) about where meat comes from. They know chicken is from real chickens, pork from pigs and beef from cows. My son did question "angel" hair pasta.

Ah, summer lovin'. It's that time of year where we rekindle our romance with that old flame of ours: Mister Softee.

Not really your type? There are plenty of other cool creations to help you beat the summer heat. Just don't have a meltdown because you're not exactly sure what the local freezer aisle is churning out.

So chill out - we've got you covered ... with a cherry on top.

From Custard to Sorbet: Your Guide to Deliciously Beating the Heat
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4-H stands for "Head, heart, hands, health" and apparently a fifth - for "haters."

To many, 4-H Clubs are all about nurturing sweet little calves, adorable children winning ribbons, urban garden patches and proud future farmers grooming prized pigs for show. To others, it's a calculated system for turning the youth of America into cold, unfeeling animal killers.

When Eatocracy ran a 5@5 feature with chef Kelly Liken on the topic of Five Reasons to Buy from Your Local 4-H earlier this week, we quickly identified within the comments two distinct perceptions of the organization - which was originally set up by the United States Department of Agriculture to train the rural youth of America in hands-on skills like agriculture and raising animals. One was that 4-H promotes responsible animal husbandry and the cultivation of food resources in a responsible, ethical way and the other was that it serves to desensitize children to the suffering of animals.

Here's what our commenters had to say:
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While you're frying up some eggs and bacon, we're cooking up something else: a way to celebrate today's food holiday.

Another day, another nutty cookie holiday - June 23 is National Pecan Sandies Day.

Simple yet elegant, these fine little cookies use flour, sugar, butter and toasted chopped pecans in the best possible way.

With their shortbread-esque texture, these make-your-home-smell-divine treats get their name from sables or "sand",  delicate, crumbly French butter cookies - but you won't get a mouthful of sand biting into one.
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We are utterly thrilled when readers want to hang out and talk – whether it's amongst themselves or in response to pieces we've posted. We want Eatocracy to be a cozy, spirited online home for those who find their way here.

Consider the daily Coffee Klatsch post as your VIP lounge – the primary comments thread for readers who'd like to chat about topics not related to the articles we're running. That way, everyone knows where to find each other, and each post's comments section remains on topic.
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