Posts for April 2nd 2008

restaurants Apr 02, 2008

What Would You Do?

We've all been in crazy situations and I want to know how you handle entertaining blusters and bad restaurant behavior.

by partysugar

We've all been in crazy situations and I want to know how you handle entertaining blusters and bad restaurant behavior. Much like our What Would You Make feature, I'll present a situation and you tell me what you would do.

Here's the scenario: you're at a new, trendy restaurant. You don't have a reservation but, it's 8:15 and you figure they might be able to squeeze you in. When you arrive at the restaurant there are several open tables. However, the hostess tells you there is a 20-minute wait. You are in no hurry and decide to wait. The 20 minutes go by and there is still an empty table. All of a sudden you realize you've been waiting 50 minutes and the table is still empty. What would you do?

To see what I did in this situation — true story, it happened to me a couple of weeks ago! — read more

celebrity chefs Apr 02, 2008

Forbes Names Top 10 Up-and-Coming Celebrity Chefs

We all know Bobby Flay, Wolfgang Puck, Thomas Keller, and loads of other celebrity chefs, but have you heard of Zakary Pelaccio, Nate Appleman, or April Bloomfield?

by POPSUGAR Food

We all know Bobby Flay, Wolfgang Puck, Thomas Keller, and loads of other celebrity chefs, but have you heard of Zakary Pelaccio, Nate Appleman, or April Bloomfield? The folks at Forbes magazine think you should be paying attention because you soon will. In recent article, Forbes has named their top 10 up-and-coming celebrity chefs. These are the folks who are part of the next generation to step into the spotlight.

Many of their picks have seasoned careers — despite being young — and have been pegged as James Beard nominees and have previously graced the cover of Food & Wine magazine's Best New Chefs issue. Forbes chose to highlight them due to the fact that many are making waves with their back-to-basics techniques. Susan Ungaro, the president of the James Beard Foundation, agrees with them and says:

Today's rising stars are taking food in an artisanal direction. When they talk about the menu, they can tell you not only where the lamb was raised, but where the butter came from.

To find out who made their list — and if one of these chefs is in your neighborhood, go eat at their restaurant before it takes months to get a reservation! — just read more

Wine Apr 02, 2008

Happy Hour: Michlits Frizzante 2006 Rose Burgenland

If you are looking for an interesting new wine to try, I highly recommend this sparkling Austrian Pinot Noir.

by partysugar

If you are looking for an interesting new wine to try, I highly recommend this sparkling Austrian Pinot Noir. I tasted it at a recent party for CandyBar — San Francisco's new dessert-only restaurant — and instantly fell in love with the pink champagne. Fizzy, light, and refreshing, this wine paired perfectly with savory appetizers and small sweets. Flavors of citrus mingle with a mineral undertone making it a complex, yet easily drinkable bubbly.

Michlits Frizzante 2006 Rose Burgenland is a popular wine-list wine, so look for it at your favorite wine bar. An exotic import that retails for only $19 — reasonable for the taste and quality —it's also a great wine to seek out for a celebration.

What Drinkware Items Should You Register For?

Tips Apr 02, 2008

Registry Roundup: Raise a Toast!

While you may have the patterns and theme picked out for all of the dinnerware on your registry, have you thought about your drinkware needs?

by POPSUGAR Food

While you may have the patterns and theme picked out for all of the dinnerware on your registry, have you thought about your drinkware needs? If you're big wine enthusiasts, you'll definitely want to add a full collection of glasses and wine accessories. If you and your sweetie prefer spirits over wine, then make sure you add a full range of drink glasses as well as all the essential bar extras. Likewise, if you're teetotalers, don't bother with all the drink glasses you won't use. Instead, concentrate on essential everyday glasses, a set of wine glasses — they'll double as water glasses — and mugs and teacups.

If you're not sure where to begin, take a look at our downloadable registry printout as well as all of our wedding coverage at IDoSugar.

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recipes Apr 02, 2008

'Wich of the Week: Chicken Caesar Wraps

Possibly the only thing easier to make than a sandwich is a salad.

by POPSUGAR Food

Possibly the only thing easier to make than a sandwich is a salad. So when I wanted an easy sandwich to make en masse for a recent party, I decided to toss up a Caesar salad and wrap up the results in Middle Eastern lavash bread. I figured that pretty much everyone loves Caesar salad, and the wrap-style 'wich made for fun finger food.

Since the sandwiches would be sitting out on a tray, I didn't want to make a traditional Caesar dressing with raw eggs. So I modified a healthier recipe that uses buttermilk and light mayo. It was incredibly easy, and the salad had a great kick to it, unlike some other healthy (and bland) Caesar salads I've tried. To get the recipe and for more photos, read more

TV Apr 02, 2008

Let's Dish: Hell's Kitchen 4.1

You know Gordon Ramsay and you've already met the contestants of Hell's Kitchen Season 4, but what did you think of the first episode?

by partysugar

You know Gordon Ramsay and you've already met the contestants of Hell's Kitchen Season 4, but what did you think of the first episode? I'm incredibly disappointed. Since Ramsay is searching for a chef for his own restaurant, I hoped this season would be more serious than past years.

However, it ended up being like a bad April Fools' joke. It was uncomfortable to watch and I felt bad for the contestants. Watching them slip and trip around Hell's Kitchen was like watching a parody of Top Chef on Saturday Night Live. I miss the heroic, do-good Ramsay of Kitchen Nightmares. To discuss the episode in more depth, and check out my top five Ramsayism of the night, read more

Wedding Apr 02, 2008

How-To: Registering Online From a Variety of Sources

Click to ReadHow-To: Registering Online From a Variety of Sources If you want to register with Macy's for your espresso machine, but also want to register at Etsy for some original art then I have good news for you.

by POPSUGAR Food Click to Read

How-To: Registering Online From a Variety of Sources
If you want to register with Macy's for your espresso machine, but also want to register at Etsy for some original art then I have good news for you. You can fit a variety of items on your registry, pulled from a variety of stores, boutiques, and individual artists or craftspeople, or services on the site MyRegisty.

News Apr 02, 2008

All the News That's Fit to Eat — April 2, 2008

Comfort food, such as spoonbread, continues to make us drool.

by POPSUGAR Food

Comfort food, such as spoonbread, continues to make us drool. — San Francisco Chronicle

You use the microwave often, but can you make it cook? — New York Times
Get ready, gin cocktails are making a splashy comeback. — Los Angeles Times
Forget the appetizers, the real first course is the bread. — Boston Globe
At Nats Park, sports fans cheer the great food, but jeer at the prices. — Washington Post
Can France take the Baking World Cup back from the Americans? — Wall Street Journal
Julia Child's grandnephew chats about the much adored TV chef. — Philly.com
Discover the secrets of intriguing Indian spices. — Seattle Times

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recipes Apr 02, 2008

Come Party With Me: Engagement Party — Dessert

Besides serving savory nibbles at a champagne cocktail engagement party, offer guests a couple of sweet treats too.

by partysugar

Besides serving savory nibbles at a champagne cocktail engagement party, offer guests a couple of sweet treats too. Fill bowls with chocolate candies and make one delicious dessert for guests to enjoy.

Cupcakes are classic and quintessential. They look pretty, can be prepared in advance, and are universally loved. This recipe features raspberry filled angel food cupcakes with a simple powdered sugar glaze.

For more fabulous wedding ideas, check out IDoSugar. And to see the recipe, read more

Breakfast Apr 02, 2008

Would You Prefer a Good Breakfast or Extra Sleep?

The folks at Panera Bread just revealed the results to a new survey about breakfast.

by POPSUGAR Food

The folks at Panera Bread just revealed the results to a new survey about breakfast. In their survey they discovered that 73 percent of Americans would choose a good breakfast over an extra 15 minutes of sleep. I found this hard to believe as most of the people I know rarely have the chance to eat breakfast. And as much as I love breakfast — and I do love breakfast — I'd opt for an extra 15 minutes of sleep. So tell me, which would you prefer? A good breakfast or extra sleep?

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