Yesterday, before the National Governors Association Dinner — President Barack Obama's first official dinner at the White House — First Lady Michelle Obama and White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford opened up the White House kitchen to reporters from the New York Times and top students from L'Academie de Cuisine, a culinary school in nearby Gaithersburg, MD. Along with First Lady Obama, Comerford, Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses, and former Obama private chef Sam Kass gave the community an opportunity to see what goes on behind the scenes in the White House kitchen before a large event, and even sampled dishes, from citrus salad with watermelon radishes to Chesapeake crab agnolotti. Then the first lady opened up the floor for questions, asking the first: "Actually, how do you become executive chef of the White House?" she inquired. To watch the video and get a glimpse into the White House kitchen, read more

Much like hibiscus, lavender has become an increasingly popular ingredient at the table. I'll admit that when I first tried lavender in food, I wasn't crazy about it, as I'd always associated the flower's aroma with spa treatments.

Lavender first began to grow on me last November, when I tried Loft, a new line of flavored organic liqueurs and proclaimed the line's lavender infusion as my favorite. When a friend sent me a gift of lavender-and-thyme cookie mix for my birthday, I discovered I could appreciate those, too. I realized that, when used sparingly, lavender can lend an herbaceous, lemony quality to food that's floral, yet not overwhelmingly so.
My latest fixation is enjoying lavender infused in a sophisticated drink. If you're looking for something fresh yet simple, read more

While the entertainment industry turned to LA for the glitz and glamour of the 81st Academy Awards, the best and brightest stars of the culinary world gathered in Florida over the weekend for the South Beach Wine and Food Festival.

The four-day festival kicked off on Thursday night with the highly anticipated Burger Bash. Reigning Burger Bash queen, Katie Lee Joel, handed her crown over to the new king, Top Chef four's Spike Mendelsohn. His Coletti's Smokehouse burger (with Applewood bacon, sharp Vermont cheddar, fried Vidalia onion rings, and chipotle BBQ sauce) swept the competition.

Other highlights included a special dinner with the king and queen of Spain, a barbecue hosted by Tom Colicchio, a tribute to Emeril Lagasse, an Oscars viewing with Bobby Flay, several grand tastings, and countless demonstrations.

To check out a huge gallery of images of all your foodie favorites, read more

For those of you who believe nothing in life is free, you're wrong. To celebrate National Pancake Day breakfast big-name IHOP is giving away buttermilk pancakes gratis in participating stores. Between the hours of 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. on Feb. 24, diners can get three free pancakes — no coupon or purchase necessary.
This is the fourth year IHOP has celebrated National Pancake Day with this event, which it uses to raise money for community charities. In return for free pancakes, the chain asks that you consider making a donation to its charity, the Children's Miracle Network, or another local philanthropy. Will you be enjoying free pancakes at IHOP?

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I was at my vacation house when an intense craving for homemade waffles hit. Since it was snowing heavily, we had to make waffles with the ingredients in the kitchen. The recipe called for buttermilk, and rather than find another recipe, I decided to make the simple substitution for buttermilk that is a combination of milk and lemon juice.

Here's the easy recipe:

1. Place a tablespoon of lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup.
2. Add enough milk to bring the liquid up to the one-cup line.
3. Let stand for five minutes. Then, use as much as your recipe calls for.

I needed two cups of buttermilk, so I started with two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and then filled it up with milk. The waffles turned out perfectly and were insanely comforting.

Have you ever used this substitution for buttermilk?

If you're looking for something fast and easy to put on the table and are tired of your typical vegetables, turn to this dish. Its exotic flavors will wake up your palate.

This recipe transforms an ordinary ingredient like extra cannellini beans into a truly special meal with a quick whirl in the blender. To make this delightful dinner, read more

What with the Oscars, Mardi Gras, and St. Patrick's Day, I plan on doing a lot of entertaining in the next couple of weeks. From Champagne flutes, to tumblers, to pint glasses, each soirée requires a certain glass. I asked you to help me find the best party glassware by heading off to market. You looked for the most stylish stems and saved them in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag, Party Glasses. Aren't these triangular Champagne flutes fabulous? Jspeed suggested we use them for the Oscars, they'll be fun for Mardi Gras bubbly as well! Check out the entire selection of glassware below.

Geeksugar has put together an article that explains how to bookmark on TeamSugar.