There's big trouble in France for the oyster market. Bloomberg reports that close to 80% of France's annual 130,000-ton oyster harvest have been killed off this summer due to a herpes-like virus. The virus affected the 12- to 18-month-old oysters that would be edible in 2010. Those due to be harvested this year and next year weren't harmed. Oyster growers are trying to replenish the stocks but the oyster business which generates $1.5 billion is sales is in serious jeopardy in two years.

Researchers at the French Research Institute for the Exploitation of the Sea found larger than usual quantities of the Ostreid Herpes, or OsHV-1, virus as well as bacteria called Vibrio Splendidus. They believe that the bacteria might have made the oysters more vulnerable and that climate change may also have been a factor. Winter temperatures in 2007 and 2008 were 2 percent above average. So far the oyster crisis has only occurred in France.

Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli becomes the latest designer to take his talent to a hotel project in Dubai. The Fairmont Dubai will be the site of Roberto Cavalli's first Cavalli Club a new 'entertainment and night-life' concept. In Dubai, Cavalli is planning a two-story club with a separate entrance from the Fairmont Dubai. The floors will be done in shiny black quartz with reflective crystal dust and tall walls of Swarovski crystals create sparkling curtains. Want to shop late at night? The ground floor will showcase jewelry, watches and exclusive accessories from the Cavalli Maison. There will also be selection of refined food products chosen by Roberto Cavalli to express the best of 'Made in Italy."

Upstairs, an Italian restaurant is at center of the hall, while on either side of the Italian restaurant, there are are two large atolls in gold-colored glass and fur, suspended from the floor, which host a sushi bar and a wine bar featuring Cavalli Selection red wine. The upper floor also features a lounge bar with music and a suspended platform that will host the DJ and the dancers, as well as other entertainment and shows. The Cavalli Club Dubai will open in November 2008, with Cavalli set to take his party to Florence and Milan later.

(In this photo Cavalli poses with a plate portrait done by Julian Schnabel. Cavalli bought the plate portrait in 2007 at an AmFar auction).

Sugarcane is the latest night club to open on the Las Vegas Strip. Sugarcane opened on Friday at the Palazzo Resort-Hotel-Casino. The club is located adjacent to SushiSamba's Las Vegas restaurant and will feature samba dancers, geishas, distinctive cocktails and over-the-top interior design. The 4,000 square foot club includes a stage, dance floor and DJ booth made of bamboo, smoked and frosted acrylic, resin and paper. Gold and chocolate brown leather cover wenge wood banquettes and the club's theme is displayed through 4,000 custom-made simulated "sugarcanes" which drop down from the ceiling and contain moving lights that wind through the tubes and rods. Brazilian graffiti artist Felipe Yung ("Flip") has also taken the spray paint can to various elements of Sugarcanes décor.

Continuing the Brazil meets Japan theme, entertainment will include exhibitions of capoeira, a Brazilian dance that incorporates martial arts, samba dancers, geishas, Japanese taiko drummers, models posing as Brazilian soccer players who will juggle soccer balls at the entrance and Sugarcane's in-house dancers. The cocktails also reflect the restaurant's Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian culinary roots with drinks such as the Parisian Geisha (vodka, sake, mint and lemongrass), the Figo (Montecristo spiced wine, fig liquor, pear juice and lime) and the Bushido or "Soul of Japan" (shochu, plum sake, muddled plum and daikon beer float). Sugarcane's Cocktail Tree ($70) showcases 12 different drinks (four samples of three different drinks), positioned within the branches of a wrought-iron, sculptural "tree." They also have a large sake collection and offer sake bottle service.

Molecular mixology, or the creative construction of cocktails through texture and viscosity changes, has been highlighted before but Grand Marnier's Cocktail Macaroons are the most edible of these inventions to greet our palates yet. Inside a carefully crafted macaroon will be one of four cocktail gelées mimicking either a Grand Marnier mojito, margarita, cosmo, or orange crush depending on the flavor you choose. Created in part by François Payard, of Payard Pâtisserie & Bistro in NYC, these little gems will be exclusively available in the city and online come mid-September. Spend $18 and you will receive a custom package with four macaroon treasures inside -- one of each flavor. It will be like a dessert and beverage tasting all in one!

Sub-Zero has just announced a new line, its "Built In Refrigeration Series," which will keep food fresher longer, effectively reducing food waste. Between its unique dual-compressor system, advanced air purification and water filtration system, this refrigerator is a work of science. For those of us who don't quite understand how aforementioned systems work, there's also a "freshness guide" inside the unit to tell us where best to store fruits versus leftovers.

The line will be available in Fall 08. Check out the gallery to see some of your options!

Few things say 'summer' more than a picnic outside with goodies like fresh watermelon and grilled sweet corn, but few things can ruin that fun faster than a gust of wind blowing the tablecloth up, over, and off -- taking with it any unfortunately placed beverages and paper plates. But you can avoid that whole nasty scenario with these very simple but really pretty looking tablecloth clips from Nuance. Made of stainless steel they'll fit right in with all kinds of decor and tablecloth patterns, and keep your fun summer meal from turning into a disaster story. Set of 4 clips for $98.

Via Wists

This summer, Dean & Deluca is sending its customers Maine-caught lobster in one of two rolls: light mayo, lemon and celery or mayo and tarragon. This lobster is prime to eat right now, weeks before shedder season when lobsters molt, meaning soft shells and wimpy meat. As far as fresh lobster goes, it's reasonably priced at $135 for eight rolls (plus $35 for mandatory next day shipping). If no decadent picnics are in your future, at least get on the Dean & Deluca mailing list. Because a full-page spread of plump lobster is kind of like foodie Playboy.

Auberge Resorts is set to unveil their latest resort, Encantado. The resort is set against the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in northern New Mexico. The resort offers 65 casitas, a luxury spa, and a fine dining restaurant led by Executive Chef Charles Dale, who was named Best New Chef in America by Food + Wine Magazine in 1995 and twice nominated for Best American Chef in the Southwest by the James Beard Foundation.

The resort offers a variety of packages. The luxurious Too Much Of A Good Thing package includes three nights accommodation in a Casita or suite, a welcome spa gift, a couples Mountain Spirit Purification spa treatment, Moisture Drench facials for two, Encantado Classic Massage for two, private instruction in yoga, pilates or Tai Chi for two, a daily spa breakfast and a special turn down amenity. Rates start at $3380 for the package.

Gourmet ice cream makers, Philippe Faur, have created some of the most decadent ice creams and sorbets around and even their new savory line lives up to that expectation. With such flavors as mustard, caviar and black truffle these ice creams can be used to enhance sauces or exist as side dishes themselves -- not just as the dessert course. One of this French company's most luxurious offerings is the Foie Gras ice cream which is made from 50% bloc foie gras de canard. I have to say as a dessert I have no interest but in combination with a meal I am sure this unique scoop would impress even the most sophisticated of palates. For the larger 100mL size it will cost you about 118€...maybe I'll just take the sample for a spin.

[via Luxury Insider]

These aren't what I usually think of when I think of cocktail rings but these have more of a purpose than just to dazzle bystanders. The FingerFood Rings from Fred & Friends are packs of 12 reusable plates that fit on your finger and hold small hors d'ouevres. Definitely a risky idea for those who talk with their hands or who have an interest in eating more than one canape at a time but I can see them perhaps serving a function similar to the white spoons that often hold an amuse bouche. They could look quite cute all topped and arranged on a tray.

[via CNET]

Jonathan Denby, who owns three hotels in England's Lake District, takes the food he feeds his guests very seriously. In addition to thriving kitchen gardens, he has an entire farm devoted to raising livestock. Now he's taken it to the next level by importing embryos of Japanese Wagyu calves. Denby plans to become a Wagyu breeder to provide the famous luxury steaks for his three hotel restaurants. Denby is continue the Wagyu-style tradition by pampering his calves with massages, classic music and tastes of the local beer. While most restaurants and suppliers in the UK import the meat from elsewhere, Denby would be one of the few to offer meat he raised himself. His first two calves were just born recently so it will be a bit of a wait for that steak dinner.

While the phrase "Enter to win!" is often accompanied by eyerolling and a lesson in probability, when it comes to the 2008 Sub-Zero Dream Kitchen -- and dreamy it is, complete with sleek sub-zero fridge, freeze and wine storage alongside $2,000 worth of gourmet goodies from Dean & Deluca, Wolf dual range, Kohler kitchen gear ... the list goes on -- the words just may inspire a foodie frenzy. Until July 31, enter here if you aspire to cook and entertain in this kitchen-for-the-gods (did we mention ambrosia flows freely from those Kohler products? And there is a subscription to the Windsor Sonoma Wine Club?). Winners of the $50,000 in kitchen booty will be notified August 3. I hope I'm invited to your first dinner party.

Summertime is ice cream time. But for some of us, all year long is ice cream time. So naturally I was excited when I saw this handsome Cuisinart Supreme Commercial Quality Ice Cream Maker on Williams-Sonoma. For not much money and in just a few steps, you can whip up homemade ice cream, gelato, sorbet, frozen yogurt or even a frozen drink. This fully automatic machine can prepare up to 1.5 quarts in less than an hour. It features a built-in compressor freezer, so no prefreezing is required -- just add the ingredients and set the timer. Adding mix-ins is easy, thanks to an ingredient spout in the lid. The lid, paddle and bowl are removable for hand-washing. The brushed stainless steel housing means it's nice enough to match today's renovated kitchens. 150W; 15 1/2" x 10 3/4" x 10 1/2"; $299 on Cuisinart or Williams-Sonoma.

With fishing restrictions in the Caspian Sea limiting the amount of sturgeon caviar available, paddlefish caviar production has grown in the past few years. The dark gray eggs of the paddlefish are prized for their mild flavor and the paddlefish are native here in the U.S. But could there be risks to paddlefish consumption? Health officials are worried that the eggs from the paddlefish, which swim in the American lakes and rivers, may contain dangerous toxins including mercury, chlordane and cancer-causing polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs.

The paddlefish, also known as the spoonbill, gets its nutrients from swimming with its mouth open and collecting plankton. This method leaves them vulnerable to the pollutants in the water. Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee have warned consumers to limit their consumption of paddlefish caviar from portions of the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee rivers. But right now the average consumer may not be aware of the risk or may not know what river their paddlefish caviar came from since it is generally not listed on the label. Advocates of the caviar say the levels of toxins are far below FDA advisory levels and not really a concern, especially since most people don't eat caviar in large portions. Others say that with PCBs and other potential carcinogens there really are no safe levels and to steer clear.

The blog Jewelry Insider hit upon a great item that combines jewels and chocolate -- perfection! A Swiss chocolate company, Cocoa Gourmet, has created what its calls its "Royal Collection," which features 12 chocolates made with safe-to-eat gold or silver, or sprinkled with diamonds. Priced at $1,250, the collection has four 22-carat gold chocolates, four pure silver chocolates and four sweet diamond pieces. There's also a $520 Gemstone Collection. Lovely, and an unusual gift idea, but I'm not convinced that ingesting metal is such a hot idea, though I guess if you have dental work you're ingesting it all the time ... Order here, if you're braver than I. Free worldwide shipping!