Don't make me cry folks, so far there have been no takers for my American Idol food challenge. Please tell me that you're all in your kitchens whipping up something tasty (or untasty, this is American Idol afterall...) for my challenge. Entries are due this Tuesday May 8. Do I have to extend the deadline? Was the challenge too hard? Come on, I know you guys are up for a challenge. If a cake shaped like Simon is too hard, how about a parfait where each layer represents one of the judges? I know you've got it in you.

Here's what you need to do to participate:

• Write about your creation by May 8 (be sure to include a link to this here post). If you don't have a blog, you can always sign up for a TeamSugar account and post it there. Or post it in the comments below.
• Send me an email by May 8 (the roundup will be posted on May 11) with the following information:

  - Your name & location
  - Your blog name
  - Permalink for your post
  - What you made and why
  - A 100x100 pixel image of your creation (optional)

Send the emails to yumsugar[at]gmail[dot]com with the subject "American Idol Creation" - I can't wait to see what you guys come up with! I'll post the full roundup on May 11th.

Oh and if you're wondering, that Sanjaya cookie came from the crazy folks over at Milk Fat.

Cooking should never be a chore and as much as I take myself super seriously in the kitchen, sometimes it's necessary to be reminded that it's just food and it's most enjoyable when it's fun and fabulous. Whimsical and fun gadgets/tools are a great way to lighten up your kitchen. Lucky for me, you have already found tons and saved them in the Yum Market on TeamSugar. I wish I had seen this butterfly spatula earlier, it's exactly what I could have used at the BBQ on Sunday. Lorioz found this cute little spatula.

Lighten up and read more

If you've ever been to a typical American college party, then you've probably had a Jello shot or two (or ten). Well the folks at Yebisu (a great Japanese beer) have created a beer based version. I wonder if it contains any alcohol or is just beer flavored... - Liquor Snob

Yum and I love receiving packages in the mail. Last week a Mr. Benjamin Wang sent us sample size bottles of Partida, a new tequila that has recently hit the grocery store shelves. In case you didn't know, tequila is totally in right now, not just because it's Cuatro de Mayo but because tequila tastings are growing in popularity. Yum and I decided to have our own little tequila tasting at work and were delighted to see the cute packaging of three small bottles, blanco, reposado, and añejo. Well I was excited by the little bottles with their cute cork lids and YumSugar was more into the organic pure agave nectar that came with the tequila. Tequila is made from the juices of the blue agave plant and the nectar is a natural sweetener extracted from the heart of this plant. According to their website, substituting the agave nectar for sugar syrup as a sweetener is much healthier because the nectar is sweeter than sugar and therefore less is needed to sweeten a drink. To me the nectar lacked a distinct taste and could have easily been a plain old simple syrup. Out of the three tequilas, Yum and I preferred the Añejo, (smooth and easy to sip), to the Blanco (harsh and processed flavor) and the Reposado (lacked a distinctive taste besides that common to most tequilas). While the aged was the best for sipping the blanco was the best for the margaritas. For the recipe we used, read more

Alan Richman, a writer for GQ, recently wrote:

"Alice Waters and sourdough bread aside, the Bay Area has contributed surprisingly little to the culinary ripening of America."

What? Is he crazy? Michael Bauer of the San Francisco Chronicle thought so and offered up a 25 point rebuttal on his blog today.

Included in his list are:

• Chuck Williams - founder of Williams-Sonoma
• Robert Mondavi - he brought French modern techniques in winemaking
• Ceclia Chiang - whom Alice Waters calls "The Julia Child of Chinese Food
• Thomas Keller - only American to have top ratings for both his NY and Bay Area restaurants
• Wine bars - The London Wine Bar is credited with starting the wine bar genre
• The Mai Tai, Martini & Lemon Drop - while there's some debate, both are usually credited to the Bay Area
• Laura Chenel - made the first artisan goat cheese in America (which makes her my hero)

The whole list is pretty interesting (although, admittedly, there are a few things that you've never heard of), but I'm glad he threw it together. This place is a tasty slice of food heaven.

However, even if it didn't have any of the history or famous people behind it, there are currently so many different cultures and great produce that it's definitely a food lover's dream come true.

So tell me, why is your hometown a culinary paradise?

A little while back, I was lucky enough to be sent a ticket to the Museum of Modern Art's biannual gala fundraiser, The Modern Ball. The event, which took place on Wednesday night, was absolutely spectacular. When I spoke to event planner Stanlee Gatti, he explained how he sees the world vibrantly through colors and it was wonderful to see his words transformed into reality. Gatti transformed the bottom floor of the museum (and part of Minna Street) into a lush playground perfect for a party. The entry room was lux and gracious with its billowing red curtains and plush velvet ottomans. Another room was green with astroturf covering every surface and artistic black and white photographs patterned on the walls. The third room was wallpapered in a shiny silver foil a la Andy Warhol's factory, with specially crafted Campbell soup cans as centerpieces.

To take a look at these rooms and hear more about my late night revelry with FabSugar, DearSugar, and the incredibly tall, dark, and handsome Anthony, read more

Yum. Yum. Yum. Who doesn't love ice cream on stick!? But wait, before you go sinking your teeth into these delectable looking treats, I should warn you, they're not real, they're made from soap. These special edition, handmade glycerin soaps were created by Debbie Chialtas especially for Mahar Dry Goods. They look so wonderful and cute, and smell great too (pink is strawberry, white is vanilla, brown is chocolate and so on). I personally don't think I could handle having these soaps in my house. I know in a tired, not-fully awake state, I would end up accidentally munching down. And alternatively, next time someone tells you to wash your mouth out with soap, you might actually want to do it. Available for $6 each.

Source: Poppy Talk

Isn't it wonderful when great minds think alike? Several Saturdays ago I watched an episode of Giada on the Food Network and made a mental note to give one of her pasta recipes a try (aren't her simple pasta dishes the best?). Working with so many different recipes from tons of different sources, I quickly forgot the seafood spaghetti recipe. Fast forward a few Saturdays when my dad showed me a recipe on his laptop accompanied by the question: tonight's dinner? He had found the GIada recipe that I had wanted to try, but forgot about. I thought perhaps he had read my mind, but turns out he just was in the mood for a fresh pasta dish with clams. The colors are beautiful in this meal that can be made in the time it takes to boil the pasta. I highly recommend you try it, it's excellent for a warm late Spring evening. Sip on the same wine you use in the pasta sauce. For the recipe, read more

Does Paris have room for another cafe? I guess that's a pretty silly question - sort of like asking whether or not I have room for another baked good (hint: the answer is always yes). However, does Paris have room for another McCafe? That's right a McCafe, as in McDonald's. Over the next two years, McDonald's is hoping to open 250 McDonald's-branded cafes in France. The move is being considered by McDonald's as a way to be considered more than just an American hamburger joint. The pilot McCafe is open now on the Champs Elysees and does not feature the classic McD's red & yellow colors, it uses a darker, richer color palette instead.

I'm personally not sure how this will do (although Starbucks broke through eventually), so maybe people will be okay with this. What I want to know is, if it does well in Paris, will McD's try to open some McCafes in the US too?

Source: Yummr

Well I'm taking the 5:30 flight down to San Diego and I have a lot to do when I arrive. In case you haven't been following along all week, I am planning a Cinco de Mayo barbeque fundraiser for my sister Trish and her sorority, Kappa Kappa Gamma. I sent her an email attachment with the flyer I made to advertise the event on and have everything planned from the food to the drinks and the decor. However all of this virtual planning is nothing compared to what I will have to do when I land. Trish is going to pick me up and we are going directly to Costco to purchase the goods for the bbq. I have to make cupcakes, count how many Mexican blankets we have, and make sure the sodas get chilled. Heading down with a long playlist of my favorite Spanish music will definitely ease the last minute stress. To see what I'll be putting on my compilation read more