North America tomato industry reeling: growers

MIAMI (Reuters) - Florida's tomato industry is in "complete collapse" and growers in California and Mexico are having trouble selling their crops as U.S. regulators hunt the source of a salmonella outbreak linked to certain tomato varieties, growers said on Tuesday.

Oil zooms nearly 9 percent higher to record $139

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil jumped nearly 9 percent to a record $139 a barrel on Friday, extending a two-day rally to more than $16 as the slumping U.S. dollar and mounting tensions between Israel and Iran attracted a stampede of buyers.

Becoming a Chef - Get Ready to Pay Your Dues

The most common misconception is that you come out of cooking school and you are a 'chef". That is far from true! You have to slug it out, build a repertoire, put up with low pay, long hours, abuse from co workers and your head chef. Not to forget the burns, cuts, lack of social life with possibly no holidays or weekends off. In most cases, you'll average about 12 dollars an hour and benefits may or may not exist. Be sure that your feet will hurt and your back will be sore. The moment you end your shift and finally step into your room, all you going to do is just drop onto bed completely exhausted. But, you will be learning many new knowledge, developing your speed and techniques, tasting and creativity, and hopefully finding your own style along the way. However, all these achievements do not happen overnight. Always remember to do it for your passion and your love of food and the learning. The fact is, it is going to be a trade off for a normal life.