Posts for April 13th 2011

Food News

You're Invited to Rocco's Dinner Party

When the Food Network debuted Chopped in January 2009, many people in the culinary world wondered if it was a cheap imitation of Bravo's Top Chef.

When the Food Network debuted Chopped in January 2009, many people in the culinary world wondered if it was a cheap imitation of Bravo's Top Chef. Now, with the premiere date of Rocco's Dinner Party set to air June 15 on Bravo, it seems like things have come full circle.

In each episode, Rocco DiSpirito hosts a dinner party in which three chefs are asked to cook. Only two advance to the next round, where they will have to create a menu for a themed dinner party.

With a guest list of celebrities like Liza Minnelli and Padma Lakshmi, the participating chefs have a lot of people to impress. Unfortunately, after watching the preview of the show I wasn't one of those people. Check it out below and tell me what you think in the comments! Are you interested in viewing Rocco's Dinner Party?

Photos courtesy of Bravo

Wine

Happy Hour: 2010 Clos Saron Out of the Blue

Although there were hundreds of wineries at this year's SF Vintners Market, I spent a disproportionate amount of time tasting reds at Clos Saron, a tiny winery located in the Sierra Foothills AVA of Northern California.

Although there were hundreds of wineries at this year's SF Vintners Market, I spent a disproportionate amount of time tasting reds at Clos Saron, a tiny winery located in the Sierra Foothills AVA of Northern California. Owner Gideon Bienstock wouldn't share his favorite bottling with me ("That'd be like choosing a favorite child!" he exclaimed), but I found my top pick anyhow.

It was his 2010 Out of the Blue, a unique blend of Cinsault and Syrah, that won me over. Cinsault is rarely prominent, but Bienstock's Out of the Blue features his Cinsault vines, which are over 130 years old, in a blend with 11 percent Syrah. Although the wine had structure, its light-bodiedness was reminiscent of Cru Beaujolais — but more intensely floral and less fruity. As Bienstock put it, "It's a happy wine." I'm already kicking myself for not having bought a bottle! What are your favorite Sierra Foothill wines?

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Enter to Win a $300 Merrell Gift Card and Its Barefoot Adventure Contest!

In case you missed it, Merrell wants to outfit three lucky winners with stylish and practical gear to get you ready for Spring and all the great outdoor adventures that come with warmer temps.

In case you missed it, Merrell wants to outfit three lucky winners with stylish and practical gear to get you ready for Spring and all the great outdoor adventures that come with warmer temps. To enter for your chance to win, just leave a comment telling us where your feet would lead you if the options were endless. Additionally, don't forget that Merrell is doing an in-store giveaway of its own. By trying on a pair of Merrell Barefoot, you'll be entered to win one of three awe-inspiring trips, along with head-to-toe Merrell gear! Don't forget to leave a comment here!

 

Official Rules

fast and easy

Fast & Easy Dinner: Spring Pizza

Tonight treat loved ones to a seasonal pizza!

Tonight treat loved ones to a seasonal pizza! Homemade pizza is luxurious, but also quick and simple. The key is to find a good-quality, store-bought dough and use this as the base. Trader Joe's makes my favorite pizza dough, in both regular and whole-wheat, while Whole Foods makes one that's not too shabby, either. If you can't find it at a local market, most pizzerias will let you purchase dough.

This scrumptious pie is topped with asparagus, green onions, garlic, pancetta, and basil. There's no tomato sauce, so it's not a heavy pizza. It makes a wonderful meal with a light salad. Check out my recipe — that you can totally adapt to suit your liking and what ingredients you have on hand — after the jump.

Food News

Yummy Links: From Donald Trump to Gwyneth Paltrow

  • Donald Trump eyes the wine business with a vineyard purchase.

TV

Did You Watch Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution 2?

Britain's Naked Chef Jamie Oliver made headlines when he took his campaign stateside for the first season of

Britain's Naked Chef Jamie Oliver made headlines when he took his campaign stateside for the first season of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, even winning a 2010 Primetime Emmy along the way. Although season one took place in Huntington, WV (onetime fattest city in America!), on season two, which debuted last night, he focuses on the schools of Los Angeles. Even though Jamie hits plenty of red tape and roadblocks, I'm still rooting for him. The most shocking part of last night's premiere was watching him fill a school bus with 57 tons of sand. Did you catch it? How do you feel this season compares to the last?

Photo copyright 2011 ABC, Inc.

Offers

Don't Miss This Week's PopSugar Exclusive Offer! 50% Off at Rent the Runway

Readers, we know you have impeccable taste, and now we want to help you save some dough on our favorite fabulous brands.

Readers, we know you have impeccable taste, and now we want to help you save some dough on our favorite fabulous brands. So we've created PopSugar Exclusive Offers, offering discounts handpicked for PopSugar Network readers from the best national brands we know.

Case in point: today's exclusive offer curated by our FabSugar editors of $50 for $100 worth of rentals from Rent the Runway. This cornucopia of designer apparel allows members to borrow items by the likes of Proenza Schouler, Halston Heritage, Hervé Léger, Diane von Furstenberg, and more, at a fraction of the retail price. The rental process is ridiculously simple, and Rent the Runway takes care of cleaning and return shipping. No wear-it-once guilt, and with our exclusive offer, you can get $100 worth of this high-end finery for just $50.

Stay tuned for new national and local offers every week across PopSugar Network, featuring savings of up to 90 percent off. Each offer will be curated by our editors and available on a different site, depending on the deal. So far we've featured Hello!Lucky letterpress stationery on CasaSugar and our favorite new chemical-free sunscreen on BellaSugar, and we've got countless more to-die-for deals in the pipeline.

Want to make sure you never miss an offer? It's as easy as signing up for our insanely addictive email PopSugar Daily. Happy shopping!

Spring

Spring Pizza

From Katie Sweeney Spring Pizza Ingredients1/4 cup diced pancetta (about 1/2-inch slice) Olive oil, for drizzling 1 store-bought pizza dough 1 1/4 heaping cups grated Monterey jack 1/2 cup grated mozzarella 6 asparagus stalks, cut in half lengthwise, then chopped into 1-inch pieces 2 green onions, finely chopped 4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup grated parmesan 10 basil leaves, finely chopped 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest Red pepper flakes, optional for garnish Directions Preheat the oven to 500°F.
Spring Pizza

Spring Pizza

Spring Pizza Recipe

Ingredients

1/4 cup diced pancetta (about 1/2-inch slice)
Olive oil, for drizzling
1 store-bought pizza dough
1 1/4 heaping cups grated Monterey jack
1/2 cup grated mozzarella
6 asparagus stalks, cut in half lengthwise, then chopped into 1-inch pieces
2 green onions, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated parmesan
10 basil leaves, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
Red pepper flakes, optional for garnish

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 500°F. Oil a large cookie sheet and place in the oven.
  2. Heat a medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until the fat is rendered and the pancetta is browned and starting to crisp, about 7 minutes. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
  3. Meanwhile, roll out the pizza dough to be a large square that will fit inside the cookie sheet.
  4. With a pot holder, remove the cookie sheet from the oven. Working quickly, place the rolled-out pizza dough on top of the pan. It will start to sizzle; this is OK.
  5. Sprinkle the Monterey jack and mozzarella evenly over the pizza dough. Top with the asparagus, green onions, pancetta, and garlic. Season the pizza with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the top of everything.
  6. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until the dough is crispy, the cheese is melted and starting to brown, and the vegetables are cooked through.
  7. Transfer to a cutting board or serving platter. Sprinkle with the basil, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes, if using. Enjoy immediately.

Makes 1 pizza.