If you are recently out of office as a popular agricultural state governor and your campaign for president went bust, getting yourself appointed as Secretary of Agriculture is your next logical option. But if you’ve already done that: Why would you do it again?
Tom Vilsack, who served as
Continue Reading Letter From The Editor: We wish there was a difference, but there’s not
For the first time in five years, the state restaurant inspection posted on the wall at Taylor’s Maid-Rite in Marshalltown, IA does not contain an active “red” violation.
In its most recent inspection on July 13, Taylor’s Maid-Rite was not written up for cross contamination in the cooking vessel
Continue Reading Taylor's Maid-Rite Cooking Vessel Clears Inspection
One of my news alerts lit up like a Christmas tree over the Fourth of July weekend.
Most, I think, use news alerts for topics and events that occur with some frequency. I don’t. I set news alerts for making sure I do not miss some remote or isolated event.
In the last year, Taylor’s Maid-Rite has gone from being a popular cause in the Iowa Assembly to being an appellant in its hometown district court in Marshalltown.
While ultimately losing the Iowa House, and losing the highest administrative appeal, the iconic Marshalltown eatery has continued to turn out
Iowa Health Director Tom Newton has heard the appeal of Taylor’s Maid-Rite in Marshalltown, but has not yet issued a decision, says department spokesperson Polly Carver-Kimm.
And while it awaits the decision, Taylor’s practice of shipping its loose-meat sandwiches has come to the attention of food safety officials.
The popular
Continue Reading No Iowa Ruling; Maid-Rite Runs with Red Violation
Taylor’s Maid-Rite in Marshalltown, the restaurant that tried unsuccessfully to get itself exempted by Iowa’s Legislature from some state food safety rules, continues to operate in violation of the law.
The restaurant can continue to operate using its traditional Maid-Rite cooking vessel for as long as it takes to run
Taylor’s Maid-Rite in Marshalltown, Iowa learned Friday that in politics, biting the hand that feeds you is not all that unusual.
The iconic restaurant kicked off its campaign for a special waiver from part of the Iowa food code by feeding the Iowa General Assembly its popular Maid-Rite loose meat
Continue Reading Taylor’s Maid-Rite Waiver Goes Down in Iowa
There is much to be said for tradition, especially as it relates to food. When my mother was alive, her tradition at Christmas was to make twice-baked potatoes, which she prepared the day ahead and set in the garage to await baking at the appointed time. It was not particularly
Continue Reading Keeping Tradition Alive (despite the risks)
The Iowa restaurant that wants the state legislature to exempt it from important food safety rules says its way of making loose meat sandwiches has never made anyone sick.
Taylor’s Maid-Rite in Marshalltown, however, is not without safety blemishes on its record. Putting aside the red or critical violations it
Continue Reading Taylor’s Maid-Rite Not Without Safety Blemishes
The Iowa Legislature is on the brink of extending a waiver of food safety regulations that have allowed a handful of Maid-Rite franchisees to cook and store loose hamburger meat in the same cooking vessel at the same time.
Food safety experts say the practice risks both undercooking the
