Words and pictures can hardly describe the grand tasting tent at the Food and Wine Classic in Aspen. When I first walked in, I was overwhelmed by the never-ending tables filled with wine, cocktails, and food. However, by the third tasting, I felt like a seasoned pro. To share the incredible experience, we've put together this exclusive video. Enjoy!
It was a very exciting week on YumSugar, with the Top Chef reunion, a Summer solstice party, and all of our coverage from the Food and Wine Classic in Aspen. Did you catch all of the yummy goodness? Find out now by taking our weekly quiz!
With the food ranging from s'more bites to duck paninis, you could imagine that the liquid side of Aspen was also quite varied. Although it's called the Food and Wine Classic, there were actually loads of mixed drinks to be found. During one of the five grand tastings, PartySugar and I ended up skipping the wine and going straight for the cocktails. To check out some of our favorite finds just click the "Start" button.
In what could be the strangest morsel of food news this week, a Virginia man named Chris Coleson has lost 86 pounds since December by eating nothing but McDonald's. Aspiring to be the Mickey D's equivalent of Subway's Jared, Coleson ate a "diet" consisting of McDonald's "salads, wraps, apple-walnut salads, and the occasional cheeseburger."
McDonald's isn't planning to sign Coleson as a spokeperson (oddly, the company has Heidi Klum endorsing its wraps in Germany). If McDonald's paid you, would you go on Coleson's diet?
Sloppy Joes are a delicious alternative to the boring old burger. This recipe, which uses chorizo, pork, garlic, Worcestershire, and brown sugar, is simple yet spicy. Because the meat is ground, the sandwiches come together quickly. The recipe can easily be doubled to feed a crowd.
Served with a cold beer and plenty of napkins, these sloppy Joe's are a scrumptious start to the weekend. Intrigued by the recipe? Get it now when you read more
The color scheme of any party should coincide with the invitation. For a Summer solstice dinner, choose colors that are bright and fresh, like sunny yellow and herb green.
If you don't have an outdoor table, move one outside to your patio or deck. Cover with a tablecloth, or if the table is wood, a pretty runner. Green patterned plates draw the focus to the table.
Place simple flatware on folded yellow napkins. Hang lights or lanterns from the trees and arrange yellow flowers in clear vases. Green votives cast a welcoming glow on the evening. Write the guest's name on a piece of cardstock, punch a hole in the cardstock, slide on a piece of ribbon, and tie to the back of each chair.
A couple weeks ago my dad surprised me with a gift of delicious Spanish chorizo. When he gave it to me, I knew exactly what dish I had to make: a crostini appetizer I saw in a recent issue of Food & Wine magazine. In the appetizer, a thick, crisp piece of sourdough is topped with pillows of creamy ricotta, spicy sautéed chorizo, and tangy balsamic red onion slices. 
Their version tops the hearty dish with frisee, but my local market didn't have any. No matter, it was still to die for! The recipe has you drain the ricotta overnight, but I didn't do that either. I simply drained it while I assembled the rest of the appetizer. The final dish is insanely good, next time I have to make it for dad! To take a look at how it's done, read more
At the three day Food and Wine Classic in Aspen there are five Grand Tastings: two on Friday, two on Saturday, and one on Sunday. During each session, the public is invited to enter the tasting tents and try a plethora of food and drink. At these power tastings I experienced some delicious bites. Here's a collection of my favorite foods from the tents.
While I was writing about my common kitchen mistake — I'm prone to burning plastic cutting boards! — I realized the best way to avoid burning any more would be to invest in wooden cutting boards and I asked you to help me find them. You looked for different sized, wooden cutting boards that are thick and durable. You bookmarked the boards in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag, Wood Cutting Board. I like the pale color of these bamboo cutting boards that jopperma discovered. They are lightweight and environmentally friendly. Check out the wood cutting boards below and let me know which one is your favorite!
To learn more about the bookmarking feature please read geeksugar's explanation.
