- Scream for it! Peanut butter and chocolate popsicles
- Betsey Johnson's most memorable runway beauty looks
- Miss Universe pageant's good, bad, and scandalous history
- PopSugar LA: Margherita Missoni shares her top LA hot spots
- See all the celebrities in attendance at New York Fashion Week
- Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux enjoy an LA day together!
- Get a refresher course on all of last season's finales
- Learn the secret to spending less
- What helps (and what doesn't) in the quest for a faster metabolism
- Listen up: common shapes for furry lobes
- Helpful geek tips for using Google+
- Get inspired by geometric runway looks from Derek Lam
- Fun and stylish toddler beds for every budget
- Try whipping up a Caesar Croque Monsieur,
- Video: George Clooney goes public with Stacy Keibler at TIFF!
Posts for September 12th 2011
Why We're Currently Freaking Out For Farmigo

We've been proponents of farm-to-table dining, farmers markets, and CSA boxes for some time, but sometimes finding these resources can be tough, especially if you don't live in a city with a strong local food movement. But there's a new service that may be the answer to your foodie prayers.
As part of the TechCrunch Disrupt Battlefield, a new service is in town: a website called Farmigo. According to TechCrunch, Farmigo is "looking to make these CSAs more accessible, more popular, and more efficient — disrupting the way you set about buying your produce." The premise is simple. Type in your zip code and find a location that's convenient for you. Select a producer and find a subscription that works for you. Pick up your food and enjoy. Be sure to check out the super cute video Farmigo provided, explaining the service and all its splendors.
There are so many benefits to eating farm-to-table and supporting local farmers; we could go on for days. Do you think you'll utilize this site or try out a CSA subscription? Or do you still prefer to pick up your fruits and veggies from a farmers market or grocery store without any commitment?
Watch Marcel Vigneron Explain a Tako Taco
These days, Marcel Vigneron — of Top Chef and Marcel's Quantum Kitchen — isn't just playing with molecules. He's also playing with words, as demonstrated by the tako taco he was demonstrating at LA's Taste event. In between plating his signature dish, Marcel took the time to chat about molecular gastronomy and why you shouldn't be afraid to toy around with it at home.
Fast & Easy Seafood Dinner: Spicy Scallops With Capellini
As much as I love chili and a simple meatloaf, they often become an all-too-regular part of my weeknight meal rotation. The best cure for a rut, I've discovered, is to stray for a moment from the usual suspects (chicken, beef, tofu) and opt for something less habitual.
The last time I did this, I sat down to a light but piquant plate of briny scallops tossed together with angel hair pasta and a chipotle-and-garlic-inflected Chilean pil-pil sauce.
To keep the dinner from being price-prohibitive, I subbed bay scallops instead of sea scallops, but the latter would be a nice splurge. The whole dish is extremely quick-cooking; prepare to sit down within the half hour! For the recipe, read ahead.
In Season: Figs
Fig season is like pre-Fall in the fashion world, a tasty little teaser that helps bridge the gap between Summer and Autumn. Perhaps it's partly because the season is so fleeting that this fruit tastes so sweet, but when figs are just right, they taste downright sinful. When people tell me they don't like figs, I say, they just haven't had a good one yet.
This soft, fleshy fruit with a thick but edible skin comes in many colors and forms. In North America, the most common types are Mission figs, Brown Turkey, and Brunswick, which have dark skin and a pink-purple middle; Calimyrna, the green-and-pink beauties like the fig pictured above; and Kadota, another green-skinned variety.
Keep reading to learn how to select fresh figs, and how to prepare them.
Burning Question: Why Does Spinach Make Your Teeth Gritty?
Not too long ago, I enjoyed my favorite steakhouse side, creamed spinach, with a reliable hunk of aged meat at the House of Prime Rib. I hadn't had the dish in a while, and when I took my first bite I instantly remembered what it felt like to have "spinach teeth" — a gritty, uncomfortable sensation that one experiences after eating spinach. Why, I wondered, does spinach leave your teeth feeling rough?
For starters, spinach grows best in sandy soil, so the grittiness may very well come from actual sand if it's not been thoroughly washed. But on top of this, the plant's leaves contain a high amount of oxalic acid crystals, which spread onto the teeth during the chewing process, resulting in a chalky sensation in the mouth. Spinach teeth may be enhanced when the vegetable is eaten with iron-rich substances like milk, which explains why the phenomenon is so detectable with creamed spinach.
Got a burning question? Join the Burning Question group in the YumSugar Community! It's your place to post the most pressing questions about the culinary world.
Aarti Sequeira Shows You How to Spice Up Your Cooking
Making Indian food doesn't have to be complicated! At the Taste in Los Angeles, Aarti Sequeira of Food Network's Aarti Party shared why you shouldn't be afraid to prepare the likes of chicken tikka masala at home. Keep watching to hear about her easiest beginner recipe, and the five spices any Indian food lover should keep on hand.
Scream For It! Peanut Butter and Chocolate Popsicles
There are certain things in this world that are a natural match made in heaven; the pairing of peanut butter and chocolate is one of those combinations in my book. Everyone's seen this in ice cream, but I decided that it's time for a peanut butter pop dipped in some choc!
I used all-natural peanut butter since I had it on hand, but a traditional store-bought peanut butter like Skippy or Jif would make a better base, as the flavor is more intense. Since these little guys are exceptionally rich, keeping these popsicles on the miniature side is key (if you don't have small popsicle molds, use tiny paper cups or shot glasses instead). The chocolate shell needs to be cool to room temperature to ensure you don't melt the popsicles while dipping. Once dipped, however, the popsicles are ready to eat; alternatively, store them in the freezer until you're ready to serve them.
If you, too, are a peanut butter-and-chocolate fiend, bust out your popsicle sticks and get to freezing these easy chocolate and peanut butter packed popsicles. Read ahead for the recipe.
10 Appetizers Ready in 5 Steps or Less
While it's always nice to plan ahead, some nights just call for an impromptu get-together. Whether you have unexpected guests from out of town, or you simply want to enjoy a happy hour at home instead of a crowded bar, these dishes are sure to be your savior. Each has less than five steps and doesn't require a lot of laborious assembling. Instead of worrying about how you're going to throw this thing together, grab a glass of vino and remember you're the hostess with the mostess. Get cooking with these 10 easy and elegant appetizers everyone will adore.
Savory Sight: Bacon and Sweet Corn Panna Cotta
Panna cotta's one dessert that tastes as good with savory ingredients as it does sweet. Here, Fresh Tart shows how it's done right. Check out her rendition of panna cotta infused with sweet corn, then topped with bacon and blue cheese.

Head on over to her blog for even more panna cotta recipes. And if you love taking photos of your delicious dishes, be sure to join our Savory Sights group to share your favorites!

