Posts for October 8th 2012

recipes

A Texan Take on Blueberry Muffins

As a food enthusiast growing up in Texas, it was blueberry muffins for breakfast and cornbread for dinner.

As a food enthusiast growing up in Texas, it was blueberry muffins for breakfast and cornbread for dinner. I always wondered what would happen if the two collided — which is why I created this a rich, buttery cornbread muffin oozing with fresh blueberries. It's subtly sweet and surprisingly light on the palate. With a sour pungency from the Greek yogurt and a bright, floral flavor from the lemon zest and honey, the flavors are perfectly balanced and complex, making this one delightful love child of two Texan quick bread recipes. Try the cornbread muffin recipe here.

taste test

Puffy Delights: Tasting Kraft's Jet-Puffed Flavored Marshmallows

Marshmallows are popular around these parts; at Sugar HQ, we can't get enough of their springy texture and blank-slate readiness for whimsical flavors like green tea and rose.

Marshmallows are popular around these parts; at Sugar HQ, we can't get enough of their springy texture and blank-slate readiness for whimsical flavors like green tea and rose. So when I came across an assortment of seasonal flavors from Kraft's classic Jet-Puffed marshmallow brand, I knew it was time for an office taste test. Keep reading to find out what taste testers thought of mallow flavors like cinnamon bun and German chocolate cake.

Cooking Basics

Beer Tasting For Beginners

Like wine, beer deserves to be tasted and slowly appreciated too.

Like wine, beer deserves to be tasted and slowly appreciated too. But how does one begin? And how to describe it as anything other than foamy and fermented? Here are a few tips to tasting beer better than you have before.

  1. Pour the beer in another glass: I love drinking beer straight from the bottle, but to appreciate the color and foam, pour it into a tall, chilled glass. Take a look at the color, whether it's golden or amber, cloudy or clear. These details distinguish the beer variety. Pouring the beer in a wide-rimmed glass also enables you to smell and thus taste the beer better.
  2. Take several whiffs: Swirl the beer in the glass (careful not to slosh it out of the sides) and take short "puppy" whiffs to intensify the scent. Note what you smell. Does it smell sweet like honey? Roasted like coffee? Take several sniffs before sipping the beer.
  3. Take a small sip: Taste the beer and determine your immediate reaction. Breathing in through your nose as your sip boosts the flavor of the beer. Is there a great discrepancy between the beer's scent and taste?
  4. Think about the middle and end: Pay attention to how the beer coats the tongue and its finish. Like wine, beer can evolve and change the longer it sits on the tongue. Sometimes beer can start out sweet and foamy and finish bitter and sludgy.
  5. Continue sipping for more details: Sip slowly and pick up more details like the beer's texture or interesting and unusual flavors like soy sauce or soap.
Cooking Basics

How to Make a Parchment Circle, in Pictures

We've all been there: excited over the prospect of a home-baked cake, you hastily assemble all of the necessary ingredients, read through the instructions, and realize one crucial step was overlooked: how to prep the cake pans.

We've all been there: excited over the prospect of a home-baked cake, you hastily assemble all of the necessary ingredients, read through the instructions, and realize one crucial step was overlooked: how to prep the cake pans. Now you could certainly purchase parchment rounds (and may as well so you're stocked for the next go-around), but sometimes cake cannot wait, and you must take matters into your own hands. Luckily, with a little know-how (if you've ever made a paper snowflake, the process will seem familiar), this is an easy fix.

savory sights

Savory Sight: Crispy Five-Spice Wings

These chicken wings by PrettyGirlsCook have a spicy kick and a crispy texture without being deep-fried.

These chicken wings by PrettyGirlsCook have a spicy kick and a crispy texture without being deep-fried.

Inspired by Alton Brown's method, these chicken wings are baked but still have the classic crispy texture found in fried wings. Although it takes a little more preparation than the traditional fried wing, the results are well worth it and much healthier!

To read more and for the full recipe, check out her blog and be sure to upload your latest food-related obsessions with us in the YumSugar Community. If you're on Instagram, then join us by tagging your pictures with the hashtag #savorysight.