Posts for February 18th 2008

Gadgets

Wake Up and Smell the Oatmeal!

There are some pretty fun alarm clocks out there, but this weekend the internet was abuzz over a different kind of alarm clock.

There are some pretty fun alarm clocks out there, but this weekend the internet was abuzz over a different kind of alarm clock. According to Scotland's Daily Record, Quaker Oats is testing a bedside alarm in the UK. Now you'll be able to wake up to a warm bowl of porridge or oatmeal each and every morning.

The device, which is called The Porridgemaid, contains a thermos to keep the milk cold overnight. However, once the alarm goes off, the thermos is heated up and in three minutes you've got yourself a bowl of breakfast. In our ever increasingly fast-paced lifestyles, I suppose every minute counts. However, I could see myself reaching for the snooze button and putting my hand right into a bowl of porridge. It also reminds me of the episode of The Office where Michael cooks his foot, and we all know that that was a completely bad idea. What do you think!?

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definition

Definition: Scaloppine

Scaloppine An Italian term used to describe a thinly pounded piece of meat, veal, chicken, or pork.


Scaloppine
An Italian term used to describe a thinly pounded piece of meat, veal, chicken, or pork. Usually it's coated in flour and prepared in a sauté pan. Sometimes it's served with a tomato or wine-based sauce.

Also known as scaloppini.

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Wine

Talking Wine With Austrailian Vintner Chris Pfeiffer

A couple of weeks ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to chat with one of Australia's most famed winemakers, Chris Pfeiffer.

A couple of weeks ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to chat with one of Australia's most famed winemakers, Chris Pfeiffer. Not only did he pour me tastes of his wonderful wines — the Muscat was my fave — but he also gave me a whole new perspective on Australian wines.

With 30 years of winemaking under his belt, Chris is incredibly knowledgeable without being pretentious. He takes pride in his homeland, the Southern Australia region known as Rutherglen, and has created a distinct style of wine that he refers to as "refined restraint." Unlike more traditional, big and rich Australian wines, Pfeiffer's are beautifully balanced. To see what Chris had to say on a recent trip to San Francisco, read more

recipes

Happy Hour: El Presidente

While there are a lot of red, white, and blue drinks to celebrate the 4th of July with, there's really only one for President's Day: El Presidente.

While there are a lot of red, white, and blue drinks to celebrate the 4th of July with, there's really only one for President's Day: El Presidente.

Okay, so it's actually named after the General Carmen Menocal, former president of Cuba, and doesn't have much to do with US culture, but I think the namesake is still rather fun. Plus, doesn't the mix of white rum, orange curacao, French vermouth, and grenadine sound delicious?

To get the recipe and enjoy en El Presidente on President's Day, read more

tablescape

Off to Market: Oscar Napkin Rings

The Oscars are just around the corner, and I'm assisting my aunt with her annual watching party.

The Oscars are just around the corner, and I'm assisting my aunt with her annual watching party. This year, I'm in charge of the table setting. While I have the tablecloths and napkins, I still need to find napkin rings! Can you help me find napkin rings worthy of the Oscars? Look for gold or red embellished rings with ornate details. Bookmark your discoveries in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag, Oscar Napkin Rings. ¡Buena suerte!

To learn more about the bookmarking feature of TeamSugar please read GeekSugar's explanation.

Check out where I shop online and read more

beer

Samuel Adams Offers to Share Its Hops

Beer lovers beware, your favorite microbrews may be at risk.

Beer lovers beware, your favorite microbrews may be at risk. Last year, beer prices were on the rise due to the cost of barley, and this year a worldwide shortage of hops is making things even worse. Due to a bout of bad weather in Europe — along with decreased production in the US — the price of hops has risen 20 percent for most varieties, and up to 80 percent for specialty hops. This leaves many specialty microbreweries scrambling.

However, the folks at Samuel Adams are actually doing an interesting thing. They're selling their extra hops at below market value. The company said:

The purpose of doing this is to get some hops to the brewers who really need them. So if you don’t really need them, please don’t order them. And don’t order them just because we’re making them available at a price way below market. Order them because you need these hops to make your beer. We’re not asking questions, so let your conscience be your guide.

We hope this makes brewing a little easier for those hardest hit by the hop shortage.

I think this is a really interesting choice for Sam Adams. Instead of taking advantage of the situation, they're reaching out to help the community. I find their actions to be rather diplomatic and selfless. How about you? What do you think of the situation?

Wine

Have You Ever Been Wine Tasting?

This past weekend, I was lucky enough to spend an afternoon at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition Tasting.

This past weekend, I was lucky enough to spend an afternoon at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition Tasting. It's a big event that's open to the public. While there I saw some seasoned pros — folks who brought their own wine appetizer trays and wine glass necklaces — but the majority of the people were casual wine tasters, or first-timers. It was a huge sight to behold, and the numbers of wines to try were overwhelming. After a few hours I had definitely tasted my share! So, now I want to know, have you ever been to a wine tasting? How about doing a wine tasting at a winery?

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recipes

Monday's Leftovers: Chicken Posole

There are hundreds of different things one can do with leftover chicken.


There are hundreds of different things one can do with leftover chicken. An obvious choice is to make soup. Not just any old chicken soup, but a flavor packed chicken posole. Posole is a hearty main course soup with hominy as the defining ingredient. Originated in Jalisco, Mexico, this fragrant soup is easy to make and delicious to eat. To take a look at this exciting way to deal with leftovers read more

Come Party With Me

Come Party With Me: Oscars Viewing — Invite

The Oscars are less than a week away and while the stars are busy deciding what gowns to wear, I'm busy planning my annual Oscars viewing party.

The Oscars are less than a week away and while the stars are busy deciding what gowns to wear, I'm busy planning my annual Oscars viewing party. Watching the Oscars is super fun, especially if you are surrounded by a group of friends and platters of delicious food. All week I'll be featuring ideas to help you host an Oscars watching party at your home. As always let's start with the invitation. To see how I made the golden invite shown here read more