So last night's episode of Top Chef was a bit of a shocker in the sense that no one won, but really, was anyone surprised about Mike getting the boot? Okay, so I actually thought Cliff was going to pack his knives this time, but really, even though I loved the fact that Mikey won everything last week, hasn't he overstayed his welcome? Don't get me wrong, I'm sure he's plenty talented, but he didn't really seem like he ever wanted it.


I was glad that this week was more about the cooking and less about the bickering, but I must ask, what was with Marcel's rooftop rap? (If anyone has the words, please post, I forgot to write them down.) Oh and another what's with Marcel moment: what was with the "Cut Out 4 Us" hand gestures? Did it remind anyone else of Uncle Joey from Full House?

Anyway, enough chatter, let's talk food. To check out my full recap, read more

Quick! Run out and stock up on beer!
Pretty soon gas prices won't be the only reason to think twice about another beer run. Turns out that the cost of barley is rising fast and an increase in barley prices could translate to an increase in beer prices too.

It also doesn't help that production numbers were already down, energy prices already up, and the cost of raw material (like aluminum) also up. In fact, several breweries have already raised prices due to the raw material costs, however, you might not have noticed since distributors have been eating the cost.

Those price increases aren't always felt in consumers' pocketbooks. Distributors and retailers frequently eat the costs themselves. But with prices shooting up quickly, that could soon change.

Bernstein Research analyst Robert van Brugge forecast that this year's barley price increases will impact brewers' cost of goods sold - or the cost of the raw materials used in production - by 1 to 2 percent in 2007.

The analyst said he believes brewers will be forced to pass along some of that increase this year to consumers.

So run out and stock up! It's recommended that most canned beer should be consumed within 3 months of bottling. However some strong ales can be stored in the fridge for up to 6 months. Now, I'm not saying you can't drink it after 3 months, but it's definitely going to taste better if you drink it before.

Source: Forbes

Today my dear friend FabSugar brought over a sad empty packet of Papaya Seed Dressing Mix. Apparently both she and her mom picked up a few packets when they were in Hawaii this Thanksgiving and have just run out. She wanted to know if I could help her track it down and lucky for her (and the rest of you), I have!

The Papaya Seed Dressing Mix is available in a 2 oz. bag. To prepare, you just add the mix to white wine vinegar (Fab used champagne vinegar for a better kick!) and then dilute with water. According to FabSugar, this dressing is similar to a light vinaigrette, only with a subtle papaya flavor that is not too sweet - like many other fruit flavored dressings.

There was a tiny bit of mix left in the packet that FabSugar gave me, however it wasn't enough to make any dressing. The mix is white with black flecks and is a granular blend of salt, sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, dehydrated papaya seeds, spices and a gum stabilizer. Out of curiosity I decided to taste it. It was salty, with a kick of sweet and you could definitely taste the garlic and onion powders. I think I may try to make my own flavoring mix someday, but until then we can always order Papaya Seed Dressing Mix for $2.50 a bag. It's also available in a low-calorie version: six 1.2 oz bags for $14.50.

Update: The link for the regular version of the Papaya Seed Dressing now says "Under Construction." Seems a bit weird... you can also buy it at the 2nd link, but you have to buy several bags.

How about you, do you have any weird food items that you need help finding? Drop me a line and I'll see what I can do!

Since YumSugar's Shirley Temple Happy Hour was such a hit, I decided today to post one of my favorite non-alcoholic drinks, the good old, Arnold Palmer. Equal parts lemonade and iced tea, this drink combines two of my favorite beverages to make one cool concoction. For the recipe, read more

A friend of mine is having a drink contest that revolves around a cocktail made with vodka. Everyone's put their bets on my drink, but I needed your help. I asked you to help out by posting your best drink recipes and chic accessories in the recipe database and Yum Market, respectively.

The contest is this weekend and I plan on shaking the drink in this cocktail shaker found by justjaime27.

To see what else I'll be using, read more

Did you guys watch last night's Top Chef? Come tell me what you thought about it, I can't wait to discuss this one. I'll be online in the SugarChat from 11am Pacific (2pm Eastern) until around 11:30am. We'll talk winners, losers, watermelon gnocchi (am I the only one who wants to try it??), Marcel's little rap, and anything else that comes up.

Update:
Thanks for those that participated, we'll do it again next week! For the rest of you, I'll post an episode recap later this afternoon!

Source

You guys are doing a fantastic job of posting your recipes. I went to look for a recipe that caught my eye and ended up spending over two hours drooling at all your posts! And, to make things worse, there were so many great sounding recipes that I had the most difficult time deciding on a recipe to highlight. Eventually I realized that I was craving breakfast, and so I decided on a Delicious Creme Brulee French Toast. Submitted by ashleyk4214, this french toast uses Challah bread and Grand Marnier. Sounds like my kind of delectable treat! To check out her recipe, read more

Remember when wraps were all the rage? Everyone was making them and specialty wrap restaurants were popping up all over. However, like many new trends that rise quickly, the concept of wraps fizzled fast. Despite their waning popularity, I like to make wraps at home for a simple dinner that is a pleasant alternative to a sandwich or burrito. In your own kitchen you have control over the quality of ingredients and can make wraps exactly to your liking. To learn my favorite wrap recipe, read more