I was at Cost Plus scoping out the after-Christmas-holiday candy, when a certain wine display caught my eye. These wines — named Cab-ulous, Chardon-Yeah!, and Zin-fatuation — looked fun, flirty, and appealing. I assumed you guys would be into them, yet I couldn't help but wonder if it was just a clever, marketing ploy.

To find out, I bought a bottle of the Cab-u-lous and brought it over to my friendly, wine-snob pal. I figured if anyone was going to give me a good opinion, it would be him. The vintage we had was a 2005; it was still pretty young and it showed. The wine barely stained the cork, and the smell was rather fruity, actually make that Kool-Aidy. The initial signs were not good, but we carried on and were pleasantly surprised. It wasn't an amazing wine, but it was only $10 and was smooth and easy to drink. As the wine snob said, "She's everyone's friend. No one is going to really dislike her. They might not have an opinion, but they won't hate her." I couldn't have put it better myself. No one will have a problem drinking this wine. It's nothing amazing, but it does have a clever label and would be a good, inexpensive purchase.

Also, it appears to be distributed by Trinchero Family Estates, however, I could not find it for sale online. If you do see them, don't pay too much, the bottles were $9.99 at Cost Plus.

To celebrate the New Year, I thought it would be fun to hunt down a New Year's related food clip. I wasn't sure what I was going to find, but I landed on a gem. If you remember the British show Absolutely Fabulous, then you'll recall the long-running joke about how Patsy never eats. Well in a shocking New Year's twist, she actually eats something solid! It's hard to see what this "Food Thing" is, but I've got a list of things it could be!

To check out the video clip where Patsy actually eats something, as well as a list of "Food Things" you can serve at your next party, read more

One of my New Year's resolutions for 2008 is to eat more salads. To help me do so, I'll need new salad tongs. Can you help me search for some sublime salad tongs? The tongs should be fun, yet functional. Look for eclectic tongs that would be wonderful on a dinner party table. Save your finds in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag Salad Tongs. I'm excited to get started on my resolution and to see what you discover!

GeekSugar has put together an explanation on how to use TeamSugar's bookmarking features.

For a list of my favorite online stores to help you get started in your salad tong search, read more

• Heat is the invisible ingredient in every kitchen. Plus if you follow the Skinny B*tch series, you'll be thrilled to know there's now a Skinny B*tch cookbook. — New York Times
• Hoping to eat better this year? Nutrition pros help determine what is really good for you. Plus San Francisco's Dine About Town returns. — San Francisco Chronicle
• The Rameniac brings you daily adventures all about noodles. Additionally, be sure to tap into Japanese craft beers. — Los Angeles Times
• While most folks hope to shed some pounds this year, Winter is actually a time for packing on the fat. From pork belly to lamb, restaurant chefs have got us covered. — Boston Globe
• If you'd rather lose the weight, here are six recipe resolutions for a healthier, happier new year. — Houston Chronicle



• Jose Andres, one of my boyfriends favorite chefs, is stepping into the national realm with a new TV show and an expanding empire. — Washington Post
• Since we're on the subject of health, here are five powerhouse foods for 2008. — Dallas Morning News
• Sick of diet talk? Live a little. Don't settle for regular hot chocolate when you can have haute hot chocolate instead. — Seattle Times
• Receive a new knife set this Christmas? Learn how to store and care for your kitchen knives. — Sacramento Bee

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I spend a lot of time on YumSugar celebrating all sorts of gourmet indulgences. But it's not often enough that I pay tribute to one of my favorite and most simple foods: the sandwich. These deliciously portable meals come in countless forms, from humble PB&Js to international treats like Vietnamese banh mi. So this year I'm starting a new feature called 'Wich of the Week, where every Wednesday I'll feature a different sandwich I've eaten or prepared at home, complete with photos and instructions on how to recreate it.

I thought I'd start things off with the default turkey sandwich. I make this one when I want a good lunch that requires very little time or thought. It's turkey on multigrain, topped with sliced cucumber and cheese and toasted in the oven; I then toss on some sprouts for a little friction and avocado slices to hold it all together. To get the recipe, read more

After New Year's, the last thing I feel like doing is planning another huge party. However, I want to get all of my friends together for a family style dinner, so I've decided to do a potluck. Hosting a potluck is a no-fuss way to throw a party. Start by downloading and filling in our potluck invite. Ask or assign guests to bring a side, salad, pasta, appetizer, or dessert. If one friend loves to bake, ask her to bring a dessert. Likewise, if another friend is plagued with chronic lateness, don't appoint him an appetizer.

As the hostess you should supply the main dish. A delicious citrus glazed ham will feed a crowd and is simple to make. Also, make an appetizer so when guests arrive they have something to nibble on. Little mushroom tarts are bite sized pastries that will have your guests licking their fingers. For these recipes please, read more

Here's the scenario: you are at home and hungry. You have to cook up something scrumptious for you and your boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse/child/friend/etc., but the ingredients you have on hand are limited.

You have Italian sausage links, fresh mushrooms, and chicken broth. Using these products, along with whatever you currently have on hand in your cupboard and refrigerator, what would you make?

To see what I would whip up, read more

If you think this sushi looks absolutely delicious, I suggest you look again. It's actually not a savory sight, it's a sweet one! TeamSugar member treu shared these sushi-shaped cookies with us in the Savory Sights Group. These cookies were made by her sister and use rice krispies, marzipan, chocolate, gummi drops and marshmallow to portray a full sushi spread. They look so realistic, I want to host a sushi party just so I can make these for dessert!

Have you taken photos of any delicious food recently? If so, then post them to our Savory Sights Group. I'll post my favorite ones here on YumSugar, so what are you waiting for?!