Are you singing about Splenda? Or nuts for Nutrisweet? Ecstastic for Equal? Slaphappy for Sweet 'N Low? Seems like everyone has an opinion on coffee shop sweeteners. Are you ready to add one more sweetener to your non-sugar repertoire? Welcome Truvia, a stevia-based sugar substitute that was approved by the FDA in December. With sugar substitutes raking in over $1.2 billion a year, you can expect new competitors in the market, but are they any good? Why are the fans so brand loyal? And whatever happened to plain old sugar? The New York Times food writer Kim Severson joins us in an exploration of the fierce competition for our tastebuds.

For more, read Kim Severson's article, Showdown at the Coffee Shop, in today's New York Times.

Feed six people for fifty dollars? No problem. No problem that is until you realize what your competition is serving. When the New York Times asked two of their food writers to create menus for dinner parties on a strict $50 budget both of them quickly realized they couldn't offer chicken and salad, not when their competition was dishing up tilefish ceviche in handmade tortilla chips or cheddar gougeres and Jean-Georges desserts. In this culinary Thunderdome, it's Julia Moskin versus Kim Severson and they are battling it out for best budget dinner party. The judge? Frank Bruni, the feared New York Times food critic. They join The Takeaway for a reenactment.

The story of their dinners, Comrades at Arms: Two Food Writers in a Kitchen Smackdown, is in today's New York Times.

Recipe Files: Kim's Tacos de Carnitas
Adapted from Tara Duggan, The San Francisco Chronicle
Time: 2 1/2 hours

• 3 pounds pork shoulder, either butt or picnic
• 7 strips orange zest
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large onion, chopped, plus finely chopped onion for garnish
• 1 1/4 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 cinnamon stick, preferably Mexican canela
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed dried oregano leaves, preferably Mexican
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 24 small corn tortillas, warmed, for serving
• Chopped cilantro for garnish
• Salsa for garnish.

1. Trim any thick fat from surface of pork. Cut meat into 1-inch cubes, discarding any that are pure fat. Put pork in a large pot. Add enough water to cover by 2 inches, orange zest, garlic, chopped onion, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, bay leaves, oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the cloves.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Skim off any scum that forms on surface. Simmer uncovered for 1 1/2 hours, until pork is very soft; add water if necessary to keep meat submerged. Season with salt, then continue to cook until water has evaporated, about 30 minutes. Cook a little longer to fry meat slightly; cook even longer if you prefer crisper meat. Stir often and add a bit of water if meat sticks or seems about to burn.
3. Remove bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Spoon a few tablespoons of carnitas onto each tortilla. Top each taco with cilantro, finely chopped onion and salsa. Serve.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Julia's Tangerine-Vanilla Floats

Adapted from "Sunday Suppers at Lucques" by Suzanne Goin with Teri Gelber (Knopf, 2005)

Time: 10 minutes

• 6 large scoops vanilla ice cream
• 3 cups freshly squeezed tangerine juice (from about 12 tangerines) or orange juice (see note)
• Seltzer

Divide ice cream among 6 medium-size glasses or cups. Add 1/2 cup tangerine juice to each cup and top off with seltzer. Serve with a straw.

Yield: 6 servings.

Note: Fresh orange juice can be used instead of tangerine juice, but it should be very sweet and not too acidic. Try adding superfine sugar to taste.
Want more recipes? Click here.

Over the past few years a rash of food-related illnesses caused by everything from tomatoes to spinach to peanut butter has sparked nationwide concern over food safety. Conventional wisdom has always said you can assure your food is safe by buying organic. But New York Times reporter Kim Severson did some digging and she found that organic certification has nothing to do with food safety.

For more, read Kim Severson's and Andrew Walker's article, It’s Organic, but Does That Mean It’s Safer?, in today's New York Times.

Trouble viewing this video? Check out the YouTube version (click "watch in high quality" for best quality).

Over the past few years a rash of food-related illnesses caused by everything from tomatoes to spinach to peanut butter has sparked nationwide concern over food safety. Conventional wisdom has always said you can assure your food is safe by buying organic. But New York Times reporter Kim Severson did some digging and she found that organic certification has nothing to do with food safety.

Listen to the full Takeaway segment with Kim Severson here

The Bush White House chef may have served organic meals to the First Family, but many food policy watchers were unhappy with food and farm policy in the U.S. throughout the Bush administration. How will things change under Obama? Leonard talks to Gourmet magazine’s Ruth Reichl and New ...

Advocates for everything from healthier school lunches to more humane treatment of farm animals to sustainable agriculture see an ally in the future President, but so far there's not much evidence that Obama himself is interested in reforming the U.S. food system. Kim Severson of The New York Times joins The Takeaway to talk about what foodies want from the new administration.