Enron. Worldcom. The Madoff scandal. The mortgage meltdown. Now Wells Fargo. High-profile corporate frauds like these all seem to follow the same pattern. First the misconduct is discovered, and then we learn about all of the whistleblowers who tried to stop the fraud much earlier. Congress then...

A Canadian man’s unhinged rant has gone viral after he was caught on camera yelling racial slurs at another man in an apparent dispute over a parking spot. Per GlobalNews.ca, a white man this past weekend was filmed in the city of Abbotsford, British Columbia, yelling at a man of South Asian...

If you’re going to pay for a trip to the movie, you may as well get the best seat you can. So, where is that seat? According to the way most theaters are set up, it will be two-thirds of the way back, in the center of the row.

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Some broccoli cheddar soups are just a sad bowl of nacho cheese with a few chunks of broccoli floating in it. For a more flavorful soup, the broccoli needs to be added in layers.

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As Internet users continue to poke fun at Jakim over the “hot dog” issue, it is doubtful that restaurant owners are laughing too heartily.

The matter became an issue after it was reported that pretzel chain Auntie Anne’s was denied halal certification for several reasons, including having “pretzel dog” on its menu.

Although the Minister in Charge of Islamic Affairs, Jamil Khir Baharom, has tried to reduce the establishment’s embarrassment by saying it was all a misunderstanding, Jakim’s guidelines indeed quite clearly state that halal certification could be denied for food products that have in their names “confusing” terms such as “ham,” “bak kut teh”, “bacon”, “beer”, “rum”, “dog” and “char siew”.

These guidelines have been ridiculed by many, including the foreign press and even Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Aziz.

Jamil said there was never any issue over Auntie Anne’s “pretzel dog” and that the restaurant would not be denied halal certification just because it used the name.

“For Auntie Anne’s, it wasn’t a rejection,” he said on Thursday. “It was just a proposal.”

That wasn’t very reassuring. Indeed, KUB Malaysia, which holds the franchise for A&W, has since complained that the authorities were confusing the public.

KUB Vice-President Samad Mohd Shariff has been quoted as saying that any company applying for halal certification from Jakim would be presented with a list of rules to adhere to, including the use of certain names for products.

The big question now is whether Jakim’s guidelines are only suggestions instead of strict rulings. The authorities must clear the air once and for all.

Halal certification is vital for many food and beverage businesses in the country, especially since the Muslim population accounts for more than 60 per cent of Malaysians, not to mention the thousands of Muslim tourists we get each year.

If these businesses cannot make money for lack of halal certificates, they may have to fold. Many people will lose jobs. And that is no laughing matter.

Even beef bacon, turkey ham not allowed, says Jakim

Now Jamil says name does not matter for halal status

Hello Hackerspace (and Lifehacker) readers, and welcome to the weekly Hackerspace Friday open thread. What tips, tools, and hacks would you like to share? What tips, tools, and hacks would you like shared with you? And fun plans for the weekend? Or today? And what’s your favorite way to stay dry in a downpour?

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Your Friday night plans have just been validated by science: a new study finds that eating cheese with wine makes wine taste better.

French scientists, from the Centre for Taste and Feeding Behavior in Dijon, published the results of their study in the Journal of Food Science, detailing how they paired two kinds of white and two kinds of red wine (Pacherenc, Sancerre, Bourgogne, and Madiran) with four cheeses (Epoisses, Comté, Roquefort, and Crottin de Chavignol).

They then had 31 expert tasters — who were already familiar with both products — describe their experience drinking the wine before eating the cheese, and then again after sampling some dairy. Lucky.

Most of the time, tasters said the wine tasted better after eating cheese, as it boosted the fruitiness and bouquet of the beverages, and improved feelings of enjoyment for drinkers. Or, if it didn’t improve it, eating cheese at least didn’t affect the taste adversely.

Some also lessened the mouth-drying impact of the tannins, The Telegraph notes, which is in line with previous research that has suggested that wine and cheese go so well together because the fat in cheese lubricates the mouth after tannins in wine dry it out.

“Thanks to our research we learned the duration of the perception of astringency of a certain wine could be reduced after having cheese and the four evaluated cheeses had the same effect,” said lead researcher Mara Galmarini. “In short, when having a plate of assorted cheeses, the wine will probably taste better no matter which one they choose.”

FINE. If you’re going to insist.

Use of Multi-Intake Temporal Dominance of Sensations (TDS) to Evaluate the Influence of Cheese on Wine Perception [Journal of Food Science]

Just because it’s getting colder out doesn’t mean you have to batten down the hatches and abandon your patio: With these discounted gas heaters, you can enjoy your outdoor space all year round.

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Here are five of the best photos that readers added to the Consumerist Flickr Pool in the last week, picked for usability in a Consumerist post or for just plain neatness.

Want to see your pictures on our site? Our Flickr pool is the place where Consumerist readers upload photos for possible use in future Consumerist posts. Just be a registered Flickr user, go here, and click “Join Group?” up on the top right. Choose your best photos, then click “send to group” on the individual images you want to add to the pool.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) has now backtracked, saying that the word “dog” is not the reason behind Auntie Anne’s pretzel chain not receiving its halal certification.

KUALA LUMPUR: Second Finance Minister Johari Abdul Ghani said the people will continue to benefit from a cooking oil subsidy from the government.

“The people will not be affected and will continue to be subsidised,” he said when commenting on a newspaper report citing the removal of the subsidy.

The Malayan Edible Oil Manufacturers Association (Meoma) had said that the price of some cooking oil would rise next month following the removal of the subsidy by the government.

“The cooking oil subsidy given by the government is used for export sales. This is what we want to control,” he said at the Parliament lobby here today.

Measures to plug leakage of the cooking oil subsidy is being tackled by the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism (KPDNKK).

Yesterday, Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Hamzah Zainuddin said the licences of wholesalers and suppliers would be withdrawn if they were found to be hoarding cooking oil for a quick gain.

KUALA LUPUR: ALL TIMES ARE PROVISIONAL AND IN LOCAL TIME FOLLOWED BY GMT IN BRACKETS

ISTANBUL: Two years after Iran pledged to open up its oil industry in anticipation of the lifting of sanctions, foreign companies say they still have little information about Iranian oil fields and contract terms, hindering investment decisions.

Bosses from oil majors including BP, Total, Eni, Royal Dutch Shell and LUKOIL have all travelled to Tehran this year, since the EU sanctions ended in January. Their teams spent weeks meeting local officials ahead of investment tenders due to start next month.

But several senior executives and members of their negotiating teams told Reuters they still had not been given sufficient information about the geology of Iranian fields or contract terms. The people, who were not speaking from Iran, said they were also unclear about how quickly they would be able to recoup their investment and who they could partner with locally.

While foreign companies are eager to enter Iran, which sits on a tenth of the world’s oil reserves, they are also wary of any contract terms that may lead to them falling foul of remaining U.S. sanctions.

BP Chief Executive Bob Dudley, whose company is seeking deals to develop several fields, said he did not know the details of any potential contracts yet.

“Iran is a large oil and gas province … but we don’t have any specific contracts right now,” Dudley said last week. “We’re going to have to be very careful. We don’t want to violate any sanction,” he added.

If this lack of clarity leads to companies withholding investment in the tenders or investing elsewhere, it could undermine the plans of Iran’s reformist President Hassan Rouhani to attract up to $185 billion from oil majors into 50 projects and increase Iranian output to 5-6 million barrels per day (bpd) from less than 4 million now.

This could deprive the country of much-needed income as it seeks to recover from years of sanctions which hammered its economy.

The competition for foreign investment between oil-producing nations has intensified over the past five years due to abundant discoveries of new energy reserves in countries such as Brazil and the United States.

Political infighting in Tehran has clouded the outlook for Iran’s energy sector. Hardline rivals of Rouhani have strongly opposed giving overseas firms control of oil fields, saying this contradicts the constitution which states that natural resource reserves cannot be owned by foreigners. The government says its opponents are impeding an economic recovery.

Some oil executives looking to invest in Iran said they were also unclear about whether deals would require parliamentary approval, a concern in a country with a complex and opaque system of clerical and republican rule where power is wielded by both elected and unelected officials.

With presidential elections due in May, there has been growing opposition to Rouhani and his allies this year from hardliners close to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the Revolutionary Guards, Iran’s politically powerful elite military force.

Tensions between the two camps have sporadically spilled into the open, including a speech from Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri denouncing the government’s critics at a major oil industry conference in Tehran this week.

“You see how some neighbours have developed in recent years. For example Iraq managed to bring its production above 4 million bpd. We should not let the country lag behind because of irresponsible people,” he told senior Iranian oil officials and representatives of oil majors.

Reshuffles

There have been several management reshuffles this year at the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), which is based in one of the oldest buildings in the capital.

“You go to Tehran and discover that the team that you have been talking to has completely changed,” said a Western consultant working with a foreign major in talks with the state oil company.

The reshuffles delayed by many months the approval of the new model of contracts with foreign companies, called Iranian Petroleum Contracts (IPC).

Iranian officials have said IPCs will be more profitable for investors than the buy-back contracts of the 1990s – the last time foreign firms were allowed to invest in Iranian fields – where companies recouped money via exports of oil and petroleum products.

Companies such as Total and Eni have said they lost money on Iranian buy-back deals in the past and have called on Tehran to adopt IPCs for the past two years. In August, Rouhani’s government finally approved the new contract model, saying it would usher a new era of investments into its oil fields, containing 157 billion barrels of reserves.

However two months later, oil companies negotiating with Iran are still in the dark about the exact terms of new contracts, as well as if any deals need parliamentary clearance.

“I don’t think anybody will go and sign a contract without parliament’s approval. How do you guarantee that the contract is real if there is no parliamentary approval in a country that works on the basis of a parliament,” said an executive from an oil major that is negotiating a deal with Iran.

Partners

When asked about the lack of clarity around contracts, the head of NIOC Ali Kardor said this week that IPCs did exist and that companies would receive them when participating in tenders. He declined to comment further on the subject.

He said his ministry would hold the country’s first tender, for the South Azadegan oil field, on Nov. 19 and then would tender one field every month for the next 11 months.

Potential Western investors say they have yet to see documentation for South Azadegan or any other field detailing its reserves or work they be required to do.

An executive from an oil major said: “What we have seen so far is only a framework of the IPC. Fees, terms are not clear. Iranian officials say that these issues will be negotiated between foreign companies and NIOC.”

An executive from another major said brief details had emerged in recent weeks, with Iranian officials telling potential investors they would be repaid over the course of many years – an unwelcome contrast with Iraq where repayments are being made almost as soon as investments are done.

The requirements to team up with local partners are also still to be clarified.

“IOCs (international oil companies) will be steering the projects and Iranian companies will cooperate with them. In some fields, Iranian companies will steer the project,” Kardor said at the industry conference.

His deputy Gholamreza Manouchehri later told a news conference at the NIOC headquarters that Iran had cleared 11 local firms to take part in tenders.

Huge projects would likely be led by Western oil companies, while smaller one would likely be led by local firms, he said, speaking in English, aiming to specifically address the international media.

Last week, NIOC signed its first IPC with Persia Oil & Gas, an Iranian firm identified by Washington as part of Setad – a conglomerate controlled by Ayatollah Khamenei.

“The establishment wanted to calm down hardliners but also it made clear who is in charge of Iran’s oil and gas industry – the hardliners and the IRGC (Revolutionary Guards),” said Tehran-based political analyst Hamid Farahvashian.

“They don’t want to lose their control over Iran’s energy sector and any foreign company that wants to get involved in this sector has to deal with them.”

PETALING JAYA: The cost of eating out and dining in is expected to rise following the announcement that the price of cooking oil will increase from next month, The Star reported today.

According to a statement released by the Malayan Edible Oil Manufacturers’ Association (Meoma) yesterday, the subsidies for the 500g, 1kg, 2kg, and 3kg bottles of cooking oil will be removed from Nov 1, and the 5kg bottle from Jan 1, 2017.

“All retail prices of blended cooking oil in various packing sizes will also no longer be subsidised,” Meoma said, adding that only the 1kg polybag will continue to be subsidised.

This would be the first increase in the price of cooking oil in 10 years, according to The Star.

Meoma said the move was in line with the Restructuring of Cooking Oil Price Stabilisation Scheme (COSS) implemented by the Government in June 2007 and also part of the government’s subsidy rationalisation plan.

PETALING JAYA: A Muslim consumer group has defended the services offered by Islamic healers but expressed disappointment over a hefty bill charged recently by one facility offering such services.

Speaking to FMT, an official of the Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association (PPIM) said Islamic healing offered people an alternative when all other avenues had been exhausted.

“People need this; they really do,” said PPIM media adviser Tuan Asmawi Umar. “If you don’t feel well and go to a doctor and the doctor tells you you’re not sick, then where do you go? With Islamic healing, there is someone else you can refer your problems to.”

However, he warned practitioners against tarnishing Islam’s image by charging exorbitant prices in exchange for their services.

Asmawi, who is himself an Islamic healing practitioner, said some practitioners were exploiting Islamic sentiments to make money and he condemned this as oppression and thus a violation of Islamic teachings.

“People don’t dare get into a debate with you because you are using the Islamic banner, but Islam has warned against unfairness in business.”

He said it would be fair to charge a reasonable amount for the practitioner’s time, but he reminded practitioners that “Allah has warned us against making a business out of His verses.”

“When healing, even the Prophet used nothing but verses from the Quran and prayer,” he added. “So, when you think about it, what is there to charge besides the time?

“In modern medicine, it’s different. We are dealing with pharmaceutical and clinical supplies and most of these are imported. So, it’s fair to charge the patients a little extra.”

An Islamic healing centre in Malacca ceased operations on Sunday following investigations over a bill of RM32,800 for various treatments after a complaint was made by a son of the patient.

The bill included charges of RM2,600 for exorcism, RM10,000 for curing swollen kidneys, RM10,000 for treating nerve problems, RM4,300 for correcting a misaligned womb, RM5,000 for diabetes and RM900 for an “Islamic bath”.

FMT contacted several Islamic healing centres to ask how they priced their treatments.

Pusat Rawatan Islam Darussyifa said it was charity based and that its treatments were mostly free.

“Most of our treatments use water,” said a representative. “So they can bring their own and the treatment will be free. If they want to buy water from us, then we charge the normal price of a bottle of water.

“There is a donation box if they want to donate, but that’s up to them.

“The only thing we do charge is medicine for haemorrhoids, but that’s only RM20.”

Pusat Rawatan Islam Al Hidayah charges for its treatments but claimed its prices were low.

“For registration, you only need to pay RM10.60, and for normal treatment it only comes up to RM53,” said a representative. “We charge RM80 for exorcisms.”

Pusat Rawatan Islam Isnad Tadawi said its prices depended on the patient’s financial ability and sincerity.

“There have even been patients who don’t pay, but we still treat them,” said a representative.

Years ago, traveling with a computer required adding 5–10 pounds of weight for a small laptop with a battery that would hardly last the length of a full movie, let alone an entire flight.

Nowadays, things are different, and hitting the road with a laptop in tow isn’t the same burden it once was. Everyone wants to stay connected on the go, and to do so in the most efficient way possible means having an ultraportable computer. Consider this your go-to list of the best lightweight laptops for travel — presented below in no particular order — that are all powerful, have long last-lasting batteries and won’t break your back.

1. Apple MacBook

Apple’s recently rebooted MacBook is in a league of its own among all competitors. Weighing in at just a hair above two pounds — 2.03 lbs. to be exact — it’s the second lightest laptop on the list. This ultraportable machine has a stunning HD Retina display, 11 whole hours of battery life and comes in four gorgeous finishes.

While its processor doesn’t have the same level of horsepower you’ll find in some of the other laptops on this list, it does provide more than enough speed for everyday use. This computer’s biggest drawback, however, is the lack of ports, since it only comes with a single USB-C port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. This means you’ll probably need to buy an array of dongles and adapters before you can plug in your external devices. Keep in mind that USB-C is a new type of USB, so unless you’re up to date with the absolute latest in technology, chances are you probably don’t have any USB-C cables or devices on hand at the moment, so plan accordingly. Available on Amazon from $1,249. 

2. HP Spectre

This HP notebook shares its name with the last James Bond film, and we wouldn’t be surprised if the spy himself carried one in his bag. Although it weighs in a bit on the (relatively) heavier side at 2.45 pounds, its measurements are an impossibly thin 10.4 mm.

This machine features powerful Intel Core i series processors found traditionally on more beefy laptops. That means you’ll be able to get a lot more done on this device, especially considering its nine-hour battery life. The only downside is here is the lack of a touchscreen, something normally found on most Windows laptops in this category. Available on Amazon from $1,249. 

3. Dell XPS 13

Dell’s offering in the ultrabook category is certainly the heaviest notebook on the list — weighing between 2.7 and 2.9 pounds depending on which model you get — but its mile-long list of features make this more than worthy of making the cut. Winning multiple Laptop of the Year awards from numerous tech publications, the XPS combines the power and functionality of a full-sized laptop into nearly the same sized frame of the smallest laptops on the market. Better yet, Dell recently updated the machines with new processors and even longer battery life.

The XPS 13 sports an edge-to-edge touchscreen display, up to 22 hours of battery life (although most reviewers say this is exaggerated by Dell), Core i series processors and full-sized USB and SD card ports, among other features. Although the premium model retails at $1,599, you can still get the lowest base model for less than $1,000. Available on Amazon from $910. 

4. Asus ZenBook UX305

For the more budget conscious, Asus’ ZenBook might be the ultrabook for you. Priced at just $749, this is the cheapest laptop you’ll find with specs this good. Last year, many websites declared the ZenBook the year’s best budget notebook, and the 2016 model only improves on it. Measuring in at just 0.5 inches thick and 2.6 pounds, the ZenBook is no slouch in terms of specs.

The ZenBook has three full-sized USB ports and an SD card slot, a quad-HD display, offers 10 hours of battery life, and includes special technology by Asus called IceCool, which is meant to keep the palm rests by the trackpad cool so you don’t get sweaty hands while using the laptop. While the processor isn’t as premium as what you’ll get with other laptops here, it’s definitely a machine to consider if you’re particularly concerned with keeping your spending down. Available on Amazon from $749. 

5. Samsung Notebook 9

If having the single lightest laptop is most important to you, look no further than the Samsung Notebook 9. This thing nearly levitates at just 1.9 pounds and 0.53″ thin. Don’t let the weight fool you though — the Notebook 9 has an HD 13.3-inch display, two full-sized USB ports, stereo speakers, a Core i series processor, and 10 hours of battery life.

While there’s no touchscreen, the Notebook 9 is particularly appealing if you have a Samsung smartphone, as you can pair the two devices so all your phone calls, text messages and other notifications are pushed directly from your phone to your computer. Available on Amazon from $939. 

6. Microsoft Surface Pro 4

This machine blurs the line between tablet and laptop, but if we’re going to be technical here, the Surface Pro runs full Windows and has a detachable keyboard, so we’ll say it’s a true notebook. However, the appeal of the Surface Pro is exactly what makes it hard to categorize — the keyboard detaches, giving this machine the ability to be the lightest device out of the six, but we’re assuming you’ll want to use it with the keyboard.

Even with the keyboard attached, it only weighs 2.36 pounds and measures at 0.52″ thin. Add a Core i processor, nine hours of battery life, an optional smart-stylus like device called the Surface Pen and a beautiful ultra-HD display, and the Surface Pro emerges as quite possibly the most perfect travel companion. Available on Amazon from $849. 

Which is your favorite laptop to take with you on the road? Let us know in the comments, below.

Compact dash cams, Instant Pot pressure cookers, and a $22 bidet lead off Saturday’s best deals.

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The Islamic State group has crushed a rebellion plot in its stronghold city of Mosul in Iraq, Reuters reported Friday. The conspiracy was reportedly lead by one of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s own aides, who along with 57 others, were executed for treason. The accused were...

On Oct. 15, 1997, a seven-year journey to the ringed planet Saturn began with the liftoff of a Titan IVB/Centaur carrying the Cassini orbiter and its attached Huygens probe. This spectacular streak shot was taken from Hangar AF on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, with a solid rocket booster...

This article originally appeared on Medical Daily. Hallucinations, or non-existent experiences, are far more common than you might be comfortable with. For example, one study suggested that as many as one in 20 people in the general population has experienced at least one hallucination in their...

We see a lot of hairy landings at TPG, but this might be the craziest. In this crazy aviation video, a crosswind almost derails a 737’s landing. The crew and passengers were surely holding their breath on this flight.

The Boeing 737-400, operated by Air Horizont, approaches the runway at Václav Havel Airport (PRG) in Prague. According to the video, the wind is blowing at a paltry 13 knots, but as the jet touches the runway at a 45-degree angle, it wobbles back and forth, and the wings look like they almost scrape the tarmac. The plane proceeds to climb again, and eventually lands safely after a second attempt at landing.

Have you experienced a crazy crosswind landing?

Be honest: it’s not farting that bothers you, it’s when your farts are really stinky. Skipping fiber might make you fart less, but it won’t get rid of that rotten-egg smell we all dread. Instead, take a good look at your cysteine-containing protein sources.

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Welcome kind readers to another Friday of wonder and amazement on the Hackerspace Open Thread, brought to you by Lifehacker.

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In the market of beautiful, modern, intelligent leather accessories to complement your EDC, This Is Ground is untouchable, but demands your touch. I’ve lusted after their Mod series, a briefcase and messenger bag-disrupting line of tricked out leather pouches that hold your laptop or tablet and lots more, for years.

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Nothing beats a juicy, oven-roasted turkey with crispy skin. With a little prep time, you can achieve perfect crispiness using salt and another common kitchen staple.

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We've been talking a lot about date night in lately. Whether it's with your friends, your significant other, or your kid, you're going to need something to snack on — something a little special to set the night apart from just any ol' evening. Enter: pizza waffle fries.

<p><a href='http://www.thekitchn.com/pizza-waffle-fries-are-a-glorious-sight-to-behold-236986'><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

Here are six of the best photos that readers added to the Consumerist Flickr Pool in the last week, picked for usability in a Consumerist post or for just plain neatness.

Want to see your pictures on our site? Our Flickr pool is the place where Consumerist readers upload photos for possible use in future Consumerist posts. Just be a registered Flickr user, go here, and click “Join Group?” up on the top right. Choose your best photos, then click “send to group” on the individual images you want to add to the pool.

PETALING JAYA: Lawyer Siti Kasim believes the investigation against her for flashing the middle finger at the audience in a forum is simply a reaction to the jolt caused by a Malay woman speaking up against certain Islamist ideas.

She told The Australian: “This is not about my middle finger. It is about them being shaken by a Malay woman daring to speak up against their idea of Islam, their wish to ­Islamise Malaysia.”

Siti Kasim had her statement taken by police on Monday. She is being investigated under Section 509 of the Penal Code for outraging the modesty of a person.

It was earlier reported that Siti had shown the middle finger after those in the audience harassed her for speaking out against the Private Member’s Bill tabled in Parliament at a forum on Sept 5 titled Bill 355 Amendment: Between Reality and Perception.
Siti was quoted as saying by The Australian: “The man who has lodged the report is trying to pin on me that I have insulted Islam, a serious offence in this country.

“But everyone can see the video. I didn’t say anything about Islam. They were heckling and booing me and it was an automatic response. There was no point in shouting back at them. I flashed my finger to show my contempt for them.

“If they really want to introduce shariah, then be specific about the penalties they are seeking.”

The report went on to say that the Bill aims to give wider powers to shariah courts and increase punishments for offences, including amputation.

The questioning of Siti comes days before the private member’s Bill is to be debated in Parliament, which sits from Monday.

The report said opponents of the Bill – which requires only a simple majority to pass into law – felt it was a way of introducing hudud into Malaysia by stealth, rather than through a change to the Constitution, which requires a two-thirds majority.

It said those advocating hudud claimed they wanted to elevate the power of the shariah courts for Muslims, and that the changes would not affect non-Muslims.

The Australian report pointed out that in Aceh, Indonesia, hudud was introduced for Muslims in 2001, but that last year it was expanded to cover all residents. In April, a 60-year-old Christian woman found guilty of selling alcohol became the first non-Muslim in the state to be whipped under the laws.

Come, dear readers, and gather round for a tale of a land far away where the the people eat seven times more cheese than the rest of the world on average. In that magical-sounding, yet very real place, getting people to eat more cheese — when the country is already at peak cheese — is a very real problem for the industry.

Stagnant sales in the country’s home market are pushing Switzerland’s biggest dairy company to pull out some new tricks in the cheese aisle, Bloomberg reports: Emmi AG is trying to get the Swiss to eat microwaveable fondue, and diary purists are up in arms.

The Swiss know their cheese, consuming 28 pounds of cheese per person each year. But with such a high cheese intake, it’s increasingly difficult to see any growth in the industry.

So, the company is planning to debut its All-in-One Fondü kit in Switzlerland next year, Chief Executive Officer Urs Riedener said. You may be familiar with the product, as the $15 set has been on sale in the U.S. since last year.

Cheap foreign cheese is also in the mix, vying for consumers’ dollars, either with imports coming into the country or the Swiss hopping across borders to visit cheesy neighbors like France and Germany.

Emmi thinks this microwave cheese could be the trick, considering promising sales in the U.S.

“We have to move away from that Swiss mountain chalet atmosphere, because it’s a bit old-fashioned,” Riedener said. “The trend was that fondue had become very boring and you had to have the equipment.”

The Swiss, however, are a bit suspicious.

“I wouldn’t buy it and think it’s blasphemy,” said one cheese-eater. “Cozily sitting together around the fondue pot is just as much the experience as the cheese.”

The Swiss Are Outraged Over a New Microwave Fondue [Bloomberg]

San Marzano tomatoes are often celebrated as the best canned tomatoes money can buy, but they can be a little pricey. According to Epicurious however, the best tasting canned tomato isn’t a San Marzano, and it’s a bit cheaper.

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