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.

In case you couldn't tell by our recent tomato sandwich and okra benders, the time is ripe to enjoy the waning days of the summer garden's bounty - and you can bet your (and Mario Batali's) bottom dollar we're going to take advantage of it.

So - how can you tell if that peach really is a perfect pick without taking a bite? Chris Mittelstaedt, founder and CEO of The FruitGuys, has squeezed his way into the 5@5 hot seat with a few produce pointers.

Five Tips on How to Eat Fruit at the Peak of Ripeness: Chris Mittelstaedt
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Texas governor Rick Perry may hail from a beef-centric state, but he left room to grab some swine on a stick. CNN Political correspondent Peter Hamby spied the presidential hopeful going whole hog on a slab of pork.
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The smoky aroma of chicken and sausage gumbo fills the air inside Café Reconcile. A moist, tender pot roast emerges from the oven while the timid hands of novice knife holders chop onions and peppers.

It’s two hours before lunch time inside Café Reconcile and Chef Joe Smith sounds like an old-gospel preacher filled with the Holy Spirit teaching a small group of young men and women how to bring New Orleans-style food to life.

“It’s called soul food because there was no measuring, they just knew how they felt,” Chef Joe tells his captivated audience as they prepare the day’s lunch menu. “I feel it!”

But this isn’t your ordinary New Orleans kitchen. Chef Joe isn’t just teaching the mechanics of cooking. This is the kitchen of life.
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Sink your teeth into today's top stories from around the globe.

• Why is hotel breakfast so bad? - Guardian

• Inside the dining car of the Ringling Bros. circus. - NRN

• While banned from dozens of countries, tainted Chinese honey is being sold in the United States. - Food Safety News

• An outpouring of peanut butter pies for Mikey. - Storify

• A real life kitchen nightmare: After one too many pints and a bad review from critic AA Gill, British chef Charlie McCubbin attacked one of his restaurant workers. - Telegraph

Ever wonder how politicos and pundits feed themselves out on the campaign trail? CNN Political Team members Wolf Blitzer, John King, Candy Crowley, Mary Matalin and Soledad O'Brien share the food rituals that keep them energized and ready to grill the candidates.
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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.

Pucker up, sweet stuff - August 15 is National Lemon Meringue Pie Day!

Do you meringue?  Whether or not fluffy, toasted egg whites are for you, meringue sure makes for a heavenly topping on this decadent pie.
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Pssst! Got a sec to chat?

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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