Weekend Reading: The Health Benefits of Bubbly, Creative Iced Coffee, and More

What we’re reading, cooking, and clicking this week

Let's be real: Iced coffee is basically chocolate milk. It's magic. I like mine strong and with whole milk, but after reading the New York Times' round-up of shops serving innovative iced coffees—like a shot of espresso poured over tonic and ice, or one that's nitrogenated like Guiness—I'm itching to expand my repetoire. —Zoe Schaeffer [New York Times Dining]

A writer for GQ spent three months eating nothing but superfoods—quinoa, acai, goji berries, noni, stuff like that—and despite some initial miseries, found his life ultimately got a lot better when he thought about food nutrient-first. (I read the story with a slice of pizza in hand, so my own opinion on the matter probably isn't relevant.) —Helen Rosner [GQ]

The Washington Post reports what I believe many of us probably already knew: Drinking champagne and bubbly makes us happy (the million bubbles that are released in just one glass of the stuff are said to improve mood). Although usually consumed around New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day or other celebratory occasions, there's no need to wait—celebrate the weekend with a bottle today. —Farideh Sadeghin The Washington Post

Earth Justice's brilliant infographic on what is killing the bees that pollinate our food crops is essential reading for anyone who cares not only about bees but about the future of our food supplies. Surprise, surprise. It's pesticides. Now we need to work to ban these harmful neonics. —_Betsy Andrews_Earth Justice

We've all been there. We sit down to a nice dinner, scan the menu and then confidently order something with a unique name but completely botch the pronunciation. Maybe our server corrects us, maybe he doesn't—this list of 30 most commonly mispronounced food words comes to the rescue. Of all of them, ("dzah-DZEE-kee") is my favorite to say. —_Michellina Jones_Huffington Post

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In case anyone else wondered, while watching the House of Lannister sit down to an epic feast on HBO's Game of Thrones that featured roast swans, "Why don't we eat swans any more?", Modern Farmer has the answer. Despite the fact that they're delicious (and mean, and a pest in states such as Michigan), most people think they're too pretty to eat. —Karen Shimizu [Modern Farmer]

While working simultaneously on our upcoming India issue (due out August 2014), and a feature I'm writing focusing on the Deep South (we'll keep you posted), I've noticed some striking similarities in the cuisine: The Indian pickled vegetable known as achar is very much like Southern chow-chow, and whether you're in Mississippi or Mumbai, you're likely to find some of the best fried okra you've ever tasted. Food historian John T. Edge has noticed the resemblances, too. —Keith Pandolfi [Oxford American]