We don't drink much soda in our household, it's not that we're better than soda or anything, it's just that we don't really like it (although we have been known to keep a few bottles of root beer & ginger ale for when the mood strikes). My boyfriend especially hates on it, he really just doesn't enjoy it. Which is why it surprised me when we were at a little taqueria and he ordered a Coke. I asked him why and he said, "I like Mexican Coke sometimes. It tastes way better than American Coke." It was surprising to hear him say, but it's definitely true, you see, Mexican Coke is made with real sugar cane and American Coke is made with high-fructose corn syrup.

So how do you get real coke without importing it from Mexico? Well if you're lucky enough to find it, it seems that the Coca-Cola company makes Coke with real sugar for Passover (so it can be deemed kosher). You'll be able to identify these bottles by their brightly colored yellow tops, as well as the kosher symbol on the cap. And if you find them (they're only available in major metropolitan areas with large Jewish populations), you might want to stock up, they're only in stores for a few weeks.

Which leaves me wondering this, I know it costs more, but why can't we have real sugar coke all year round?

Note: Apparently there is also kosher Sprite and Pepsi as well, and all of this is most commonly found in 2-liter bottles, although there have been rumors of a highly-coveted canned variety.

Source: BuzzFeed and Off the Broiler

The other day I featured a super decadent dessert recipe in the form of a Bailey's Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cheesecake. I know it was incredibly mean for me to tease you by discussing a super delish cake, so today I am making up for it by giving you another St. Patrick's Day dessert that is quite a bit healthier. Keeping in mind that a healthy dessert is an oxymoron and essentially only exists in the form of plain fruit, this recipe called a cream delight gets its sweetness from honey. While the cheesecake highlighted Bailey's irish cream, this delightful dish highlights the flavor of good old Irish whiskey. For a peek at the recipe, read more

This weekend I found myself in the wine section of my local grocery store, staring at what appeared to be a green wine. Since St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner, I figured I might as well take it home and see what it was all about (besides thanks to global warming, it was really warm out that day and a cold white wine sounded great).

The bottle had a bright green screw on cap and a simple white label with the word "Lois" printed on it. It appeared green, but on futher inspection we discovered that the inside of the label was green, and the reflection gave the wine a nice emerald hue. Lois is an Austrian wine formally called Loimer Lois Grüner Veltliner and is naturally light in alcohol (11.8%). Grüner Veltliner (which is known as "Gru-vee" and happens to be Austria's national grape) is becoming one of the world's new trendy white wines.

Overall Lois was very pale (there was a slight greeny-yellow tint) and was rather tart and dry with hints of green apple, lemon-lime and a tiny bit of white pepper. It was definitely refreshing on such a warm night and was sipped down quite easily.

Is it really a St. Patty's Day drink? Not particularly, but it will look festive sitting on your table and is a great way to start the night. Available for under $15.

A little while back I told you about my girlfriend Melissa who is a vegetarian and lives in Seattle. She called me in a panic asking me for a few vegetarian and lactose intolerant appetizer ideas. I asked you to save your best recipes in the recipe database on TeamSugar with the keyword tag No Meat-Dairy Appetizer because most of my crowd-pleasing hors d'oeurves have either meat or cheese (or both!). Luckily for Melissa, and her fragile stomached friend Nicole, you guys came up with a lot of amazing appetizers. Here are the one's I think Melissa should use to create a well rounded spread of scrumptious starters:

Nixievixeypixie's recipe for Sweet and Spicy Mixed Nuts is perfect for a crunchy taste treat. Nuts have classically been considered a bar food and will be an excellent appetizer for a cocktail party.

Two more rewarding recipes so read more

It's Wednesday, time for a food news roundup, and what do you know it seems like (almost) everyone has St. Patrick's Day on the brain... (sorry most of these stories come are on sites that require logins)

• Someone is reading my mind, my beloved egg is the new "it" ingredient. Oh and lemons are hot too. Don't miss out on the Meyer Lemon Muffins (photo by Bryan Chan).- LA Times
• Irish food is moving up in the world with fresh, local ingredients. Also, homemade bread made in a can. - San Francisco Chronicle
• Simple Irish soda bread can really make a great side dish. Also, more and more restaurants are taking steps to become "green." - Boston Globe
• Beer is great for drinking, but some argue that beer is better for cooking. Also don't miss the call to bring back American "chop suey" (which has no relation to its Asian cousin). - Houston Chronicle



• Seven nights. Seven hotels. Seven dinners. Seven breakfasts. Go behind the scenes of NYC's hotel room service (photo by Evan Sung). Plus, are latex gloves really safe in the restaurant kitchen? - New York Times
• CeCe Sullivan pulls out the stops with her dad's St. Patrick's Day recipes, including traditional boiled corned beef. Plus, check out these food and dieting myths. - Seattle Times
• Gastronmy + pub = gastropub, a growing trend that pairs craft beers with upscale fare. Plus a recipe for authentic Irish colcannon and "green" wines. - Chicago Tribune

This week's secret ingredient is cumin.

There's still a few days left, so don't forget to submit your best recipe! I can't wait to see what you guys come up with. I'll pick my favorites and put them on the site for everyone to see.

To submit your cumin recipe just tag your recipe (it can live in any group) with the keyword phrase: Secret Ingredient Cumin.

I can't wait to see what you come up with! To learn how to post a recipe, read more

I love grocery shopping. OK I confess: I love all kinds of shopping, grocery included. I would get super excited when my dad would invite me to purchase the food with him. He taught me his organized system for grocery shopping and now I can maneuver my way through the store swiftly and efficiently. Start by making a list of all of the ingredients you need. The most important thing about this list is to arrange it in sections by thinking of the sections of a grocery store. Put all of your produce on one portion of the page, dairy on another, meats on another, pantry goods in another, and so on and so forth. If you are familiar with your grocery store lay out create your list according to the market's floor plan. At my Safeway I like to start in the produce section and make my way through the back of the store stopping to pick up chicken, bacon, frozen goods, milk, cheese, wine, and bread along the way. Having a list in your hands will also keep you from purchasing impulse foods that aren't good for your wallet or your weight. Once you get used to shopping with your list you will realize that you can be in and out of the grocery store in no time and you might just find you actually enjoy your walks down the super market aisles.

Some days you need a dish that requires little to no time in the kitchen. A baked pasta is an excellent option in these conditions. It's a meal that, with minimal chopping and stove top time, can be quickly thrown together and left in the oven. You can get dinner done and have time to hop in the shower while it bakes. Another wonderful weeknight advantage of a meal like this? You don't have to wash a whole bunch of pots, pans, and bowls. To take a peep at the recipe, read more

A couple of months ago, I got together with my pals April and Jessie for what I hope is to become a new tradition of ours: hanging out drinking champagne while doing random bits of domestic diva-ry. This time we were doing one of Jessie's specialties: jam - blueberry jam to be exact.

It all came about when I had my housewarming party back in August. When Jessie arrived she presented me with a jar of homemade jam which caused me to totally pull an Elaine (from Seinfeld). I yelled "SHUT UP," nearly knocked her down and then rudely demanded that we get together to make some in the future. Lucky for me Jessie is a great gal and knows my rudeness was just because I was excited to make my own jam. To check out how ours came out (which I'll cheat and tell you it was great, if not too sweet), and see step-by-step pictures so you can make some yourself, read more

St. Patrick's Day is Saturday and I can't contain my excitement. I have been obsessing about what to wear internally for a few weeks now, and had intended on wearing this green mini dress until I found this fabulous old football jersey of my mom's with my Irish last name plastered across the front. Now that I have my sporty chic green outfit picked out, I can focus all of my attention on my pre-pub-hopping, St. Patrick's Day themed dinner party. The invites have been sent and the menu (including a vintage Irish soda bread recipe and a glamorous layer cake) has been planned. Today I am turning my thoughts towards a classic St Patrick's Day subject: drinking. To see what I'll be pouring during my dinner (homemade Baileys anyone?), please read more