Posts for September 19th 2011

Emmy Awards

Emmy Awards: See the Best of the Best in Fashion, Beauty, and More!

Red-carpet fashion coverage: Best in show: play Fab's best dressed Emmys bracket Vote on all our fashion and beauty red carpet love it or hate it polls Going glam: see all the hottest looks from the after-hours parties Final touches: guess the Emmys attendee by her luxurious accessory Bragging rights: which dress is number one?

Red-carpet fashion coverage:

Red carpet beauty coverage:

Video, polls, your favorite moments, and more:

history

Burning Question: How Did Pound Cake Get Its Name?

I love pound cake, and ever since I've been old enough to eat it, I've wondered: where did it get that name?

I love pound cake, and ever since I've been old enough to eat it, I've wondered: where did it get that name?

In my childhood I speculated if it weighed a pound, or whether it would cause me to put on a pound or two. But that's actually not where the name comes from. Pound cake, which originated in Europe in the first half of the 18th century, initially weighed four pounds. That's because it called for a pound of each of four ingredients — flour, butter, eggs, and sugar — hence the name.

The recipe produced something far larger than what a modern-day family would consume — an amount over twice the volume of most loaf pans. Traditional recipes, therefore, preserve the simple ratio, but serve a much smaller quantity than the original recipe; in contemporary times, most have modified the recipe for a lighter, richer dessert with a prominent butter flavor. In France, where some argue the pound cake originated, the name of the original cake has stuck as well. There, it's called quatre-quarts, or "four quarts," a quart referring to a pound.

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.

Source: Flickr User asha susan

summer

In Season: Okra

Today at the farmers market, the okra looked so fresh that I simply had to buy some.

Today at the farmers market, the okra looked so fresh that I simply had to buy some. Right now is the perfect time to purchase a seasonal ingredient like okra, which is only available through early November. The folks at Padao Farms, the stand where I got the beloved green pods, gave me a few tips for picking the vegetable. Keep reading to get pointers for selecting okra.

ginger

Carrot-Ginger Dressing

Original Recipe By The Simple DelightsCarrot-Ginger DressingIngredients2 medium carrots 1 inch chunk of fresh ginger 1 clove garlic 2 T soy sauce 1/4 C seasoned rice vinegar 3 T water 1 t sesame oil 1 t fresh cracked pepper (I like it really peppery- you can reduce this or leave it out all together!

Original Recipe By The Simple Delights

Carrot-Ginger Dressing

Carrot-Ginger Dressing

Ingredients

2 medium carrots
1 inch chunk of fresh ginger
1 clove garlic
2 T soy sauce
1/4 C seasoned rice vinegar
3 T water
1 t sesame oil
1 t fresh cracked pepper (I like it really peppery- you can reduce this or leave it out all together!

Directions

Throw all of the ingredients into a blender- and blend until smooth! Wa-la!

taste test

Hassle-Free Smokey Flavor With enFuso Smoked Olive Oil

Summer's quickly drawing to a close, but that doesn't have to mean the end of smoky flavors.

Summer's quickly drawing to a close, but that doesn't have to mean the end of smoky flavors. I recently discovered a useful product, enFuso, that doesn't require hours with a smoker to achieve woodsy flavors in meat or vegetables.

This smoke-infused, extra-virgin olive oil starts with Spanish arbequina olives from California's Capay Valley; they're hand harvested in small batches and infused with a blend of different wood types in a temperature-controlled smoker.

I tried the Robust Smoke variety, and I especially loved sautéing white fish, then serving it with a lemon, caper, white wine, and enFuso-flavored sauce. I envisioned using it to add a hale and hearty quality to roasted potatoes, pizza, hummus, popcorn, and stir-frys.

I can't wait to celebrate the Fall and fast-approaching cold weather by experimenting with this smoke-infused oil. Have you ever tried something similar?

Appetizers

Game Day Eats: Buffalo Chicken Strips With Blue Cheese Dip

Buffalo wings are quintessential game day eats, but they're often a little hard and messy to make at home, and those premade ones from the store just never seem like a good idea.


Buffalo wings are quintessential game day eats, but they're often a little hard and messy to make at home, and those premade ones from the store just never seem like a good idea. Thankfully, this recipe's perfect for Monday Night Football; it brings together crunchy, panko-crusted chicken, numbingly tangy buffalo sauce, and blue cheese dip for a classic buffalo wing combination without as much hassle.

You can make the strips even healthier by swapping the regular mayo for a lower-fat alternative, or even using sour cream or milk instead. If you find yourself with leftovers, just thin the dip with a bit more milk for a blue cheese dressing, and toss the strips into lettuce leaves to make an amazing chicken salad! Skip out on your local pub's food — we promise you won't miss the orange-tinted fingers — and make your own buffalo chicken strips when you keep reading.

Quiz

Guess Whether the Grape's Red or White!

A decade ago, wine aisles across America were stocked primarily with well-known varietals like Chardonnay, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc.

A decade ago, wine aisles across America were stocked primarily with well-known varietals like Chardonnay, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc. Not today.

From Viognier to Fumé Blanc to Grenache Rosé, grocery stores are flooded with distinctive grape varieties that are lesser known yet slowly becoming more prominent. Do you know anything about them?

I'll start by testing you on the most elemental classification: whether these up-and-coming varieties are red or white grapes. How educated is your best guess? Find out when you take this quiz!

Take the Quiz
community

Savory Sight: Tomato, Avocado, and Onion Salad

Don't let those heirloom tomatoes fade into the Summer without trying this simple salad that Yum reader senorita submitted to Savory Sights.Simple salads are always my favorites since it shouldn't be a fussy meal.

Don't let those heirloom tomatoes fade into the Summer without trying this simple salad that Yum reader senorita submitted to Savory Sights.Simple salads are always my favorites since it shouldn't be a fussy meal. My friend recently made this tomato, avocado and onion salad topped with fresh parsley and champagne vinaigrette. Super simple and super delicious just as salad should be!

Snap photos of your favorite tomato dishes before the season is over and share them in our Savory Sights group. We might just feature your fantastic food photo!