Recently, my parents returned from a vacation in Ireland.
Being as it was their first time in on the island, they eagerly sampled the local products, pubs, and pints. They picked up a fondness for a chocolate-colored, Irish ale named Smithwick’s (pronounced Smitiks). Their rave reviews made me curious, so when my dad invited me to join him at a local Irish pub, I jumped at the chance to taste the brew. Despite its dark color, the beer was surprisingly light and refreshing. The rich liquid was not bitter, but smooth, full, and stimulating. According to my father, the American Smithwick's lacked the frothy head of the brew he enjoyed in the old country, but I didn't mind, I thought it was delicious.

Have you ever tried Smithwick's? What do you think of the beer?

Although cheesecakes squares or macaroons are delightful options, my birthday party won't be complete without a birthday cake. Chocolate cake is my favorite and this interesting twist on the classic German chocolate cake is unexpected and scrumptious.

Since my party is at a bar, 15 Romolo, I'll show up early enough for the bartenders to securely store the cake in a refrigerator. Let the bartenders know when you want to sing "Happy Birthday" and don't forget candles. For the inside-out German chocolate cake recipe, read more

The other day I saw a bag of Yukon gold potatoes sitting on the counter at my parents house. Since potatoes weren't on that night's dinner menu, I knew I could use them to make a delicious and easy appetizer. Inspired by a crisp potato recipe from the latest Everyday Food magazine, I decided to make these nachos with blue cheese, green onions, and grape tomatoes. The final, bite-sized result was the perfect amuse bouche — warm, crunchy, salty — pure scrumptiousness. Some of my guests dislike blue cheese, so I made a fresh mozzarella version to suit their picky tastebuds. The recipe is highly adaptable, you can top the potato chip with any cheese and vegetable combination, so get it now and read more

• Meet the blueberry's wild cousin, the huckleberry. — The Oregonian
• Get the 411 on all of Slow Food Nation's events in a jiffy.— San Francisco Chronicle
• Brought to light: A new string of restaurants from the underground. — New York Times
• Croatia's vines prove to be resilient, much like the country itself. — Chicago Tribune
• Politics and food have gone hand in hand throughout the Presidential campaigns. — Los Angeles Times
• How to scale down a recipe when cooking for one. — Washington Post
• Celebrity chef Ming Tsai dines like a champion on a tour through Beijing. — Boston Globe
• These budget-wine picks get the seal of approval. — Houston Chronicle
• Stretch your menu repertoire (and your budget) by using ground meat. — Miami Herald

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Back in February I printed out a cocktail recipe from the Seattle Times that featured sherry as an ingredient. Like many recipes I print out, it got buried and forgotten. Until now, recently I've been noticing sherry everywhere. Could it be that the fortified wine usually associated with Spanish old men is set to make a roaring comeback?

According to an article in this month's Saveur magazine, sherry no longer seems outdated. With the renaissance of classic cocktail ingredients (bitters, whiskey, rye, etc.), the popularity of 60s-era drinking on Mad Men, and the food world's current obsession with all things Spanish, it's not surprising that Sherry is popping up on bar menus across the nation. For more on how Sherry is suddenly becoming trendy, read more

Despite the soaring cost of food prices, fast-food chain Burger King announced that it will be adding two petite-sized, lower-cost items priced at $1.39: the Cheesy Bacon BK Wrapper and the Spicy Chicken BK Wrapper.

Burger King is attempting this strategy in a frenzied fast-food climate, as the industry is struggling to balance rising costs of food with value-added items. Fast-food companies such as McDonald's have had a difficult time keeping value items under the traditional $1 mark. Earlier this year, Burger King pulled a test for a double cheeseburger on its value menu for $1, and Jack in the Box just announced a new rollout of pita snacks, or "snack-sized wrap-style sandwiches" for $1.99.

I'm not sure that these tactics will be enough to excel in the current economic environment, but perhaps these changes will allow all of the fast-food chains to gain back some market share. What do you think?

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In honor of this weekend's colossal Slow Food Nation event, PartySugar and I are celebrating sustainable living by using (and showing off!) our favorite farmers market totes. Now we want you to do the same! Snap a pic of you with your favorite reusable farmers market bag and send it to us. I'll feature all the submissions in an upcoming post.

After we've received all of the entries, we'll pick one lucky winner to get her very own YumSugar tote! I can't wait to see your favorite totes.

Savor the last of Summer's strawberries with this flavor-packed meal. The berries add a delightful sweetness to both the salad and sauce. The pork chops are seasoned with fresh ginger, and the scrumptious sauce combines juicy ginger with the plump berries.

An unexpected ingredient, frozen lemonade concentrate, brings a syrupy tartness to the sauce. Served atop a bed of spinach, this meal is balanced and filling, so get the recipe and read more