POPSUGAR Food

How to Taste Fancy Cheese Like an Expert

Anna Monette Roberts — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 05:30:38 PDT

You don't have to be a certified cheesemonger to know how to talk cheese. At the California's Artisan Cheese Festival, Lassa Skinner, retail director of the magazine Culture: The Word on Cheese, spoke about how to conduct a cheese tasting on a basic level. Like wine, it begins with the varietal (of milk), continues to the body (the rind and cheese's texture), and ends with sniffing and savoring (the flavor). According to Lassa, when in doubt about the name of the cheese you recently had at a restaurant or party, describing these four components will help your cheesemonger guide you in the right cheesy direction. Keep reading to start smart cheese talking.

Our Favorite Bites at the Artisan Cheese Festival's Grand Tasting

Nicole Perry — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:59:48 PDT

Take exceptional artisan cheeses and pair them with a cadre of chefs from prominent local restaurants, and the results are bound to be exciting, enticing, and all-around enjoyable, as we learned at California's Artisan Cheese Festival's Grand Tasting and Best in Cheese Competition. Click through to get inspired by our favorite cheese-packed bites from the event.

Photos: Anna Monette Roberts

Too Sweet! A Sneak Peek at Yigit Pura's New Shop, Tout Sweet

Nicole Perry — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 13:14:30 PDT

Rejoice, Top Chef: Just Desserts fans! Season one winner Yigit Pura has a new San Francisco patisserie, Tout Sweet, opening this Saturday, Sept. 8. Billed as a French patisserie inspired by Northern California produce, this très chic pastry shop is sure to tempt all but the most stalwart sweets-averse. For those of you living outside the SF Bay Area, don't fret: chef Pura is currently penning a cookbook titled Sweet Alchemy, due out next Fall, and has plans for eventual nationwide expansion.

From Nose to Tail: Inside the Cochon Heritage Fire Event

Nicole Perry — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 16:30:43 PDT

Vegans beware! Cochon Heritage Fire is a celebration of mouth-watering, carnivore-friendly fare. Last Saturday, prominent local and visiting chefs (including Jason Vincent from Chicago's Nightwood, the 2012 Grand Cochon winner) convened at the River Terrace Inn in Napa to dish up a variety of enticing bites, highlighting heritage breed goats, lamb, pigs, rabbits, foraged mushrooms, and wild birds.

A Truly Memorable Farm-to-Table Beach Dinner

Anna Monette Roberts — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 06:30:08 PDT

Imagine burrowing your feet underneath warm sand while breathing in a swirl of fresh sea breeze and smoked salmon. You're surrounded by interesting new friends, engaged in intimate conversations that that seem as bottomless as the wine refills. There's no distractions, no place to be, and nothing to think about other than passing around the heavy ceramic bowls full of the freshest produce, picked literally hours before dinner service.

Yes, this event is real. It's called Outstanding in the Field. The organization connects diners with the food on their plate. Founded in 1998 by Jim Denevan, the dinners are organized all around the United States to bring diners, local farmers, and sustainable chefs together. Each event is located on or near a farm in stunning outdoor locations.

I was lucky enough to attend one of these dinners, hosted by Freewheelin' Farm in Santa Cruz, CA. The rustic, family-style dinner was prepared by Kim Alter, the executive chef of Haven restaurant in Oakland, CA. Enter my version of culinary heaven by taking a look at the photos of the food and scenery from this truly outstanding dining experience.

Red Carpet to Real Life: Re-Create the Top Looks From the SAG Awards

Melody Nazarian — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:33:15 PST

The 2012 Screen Actors Guild Awards went down at LA's Shrine Auditorium last night - be sure to catch who wore what on FabSugar. While it's fun to see what celebs wore to the red-carpet affair, their over-the-top gowns aren't always the most translatable to our everyday life. That's why we've taken the top looks from the SAGs and created inspired ensembles that you can wear everywhere from a birthday soiree to dinner or a hot nightclub. Click through to find out which dazzling looks made the cut and to shop our glitzy, glamorous recommendations.

Get Your Hands on Sundance's It Bag - Coach's New Leather Crossbody

Melody Nazarian — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:10:04 PST

While most of the fashion focus at the Sundance Film Festival is on how celebs make cold-weather clothes look fabulous, this year an It bag has emerged on the scene. Both Rashida Jones and Christina Hendricks have been spotted toting Coach's leather New Willis bag ($298) over their cozy outerwear around town. The crossbody detail, turnlock closure, and adorable tassel make this a bag that would look equally standout outside Park City. If the natural color is too light for you, it also comes in a dark tan hue that would look amazing against any dark denim. Plus the price and size are perfect, so be sure to bag Coach's New Willis.

Red Carpet to Real Life: Cameron Diaz Goes La Femme in France

Melody Nazarian — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:50:04 PST

Cameron Diaz's trip to Paris Fashion Week has been quite inspirational. First she wowed us in all-black, fringed Versace, and now the actress is sweetening things up in Valentino lace. To take this look from the red carpet to the streets of your 'hood, pair an equally sweet white lace or crochet top with a pair of slouchy boyfriend jeans, then finish off the look with nude pointy pumps just like Cameron did. You'll end up with a nod to Valentino, but with a casual, way-cool edge.

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Red Carpet to Real Life: Diana Kruger Dons Black and White Versace

Melody Nazarian — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:15:03 PST

While the Versace Resort 2012 frock Diane Kruger wore to Paris Fashion Week is a standout, it's far better suited for the front row than it is for the sidewalk. Plus, it's not easy to pull off such a funky print in your day-to-day. But in small doses - like with the black and white abstract tee we chose - the black and white print trend is one everyone can pull off. Just tuck the front into a pair of skinny black jeans, throw on a white belt for added pizazz, and finish the look off with black patent pumps. Or opt for flats or boots if you're just grabbing a casual bite.

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A Look Back at the Second Annual Good Food Awards

POPSUGAR Food — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:05:17 PST

Food artisans from around the country were honored at the second annual Good Food Awards, which celebrate American food producers, who enhance the country's agricultural landscape and help to build community. On Friday, we hit up the awards ceremony, where a veritable who's who of the food industry, from Alice Waters to Ruth Reichl, spoke to the importance of heirloom products, and where we had a chance to taste some of the best heirloom products being made in this country right now. For a few snapshots from the event, keep reading.