Posts for July 11th 2012

Sugar Shout Out July 11, 2012
Celebrity Style

Sugar Shout Out: Getaways Inspired by Fifty Shades of Grey

Fifty Shades of getaways inspired by Grey See Damon's best smolders from The Vampire Diaries A Comic-Con must have that's seriously functional A quick and healthy way to prep kale Jessica Alba shows of her bikini-ready body in Italy How to deal with online shopping gone wrong Which common ear shape does your furry friend have?
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Strawberry Jam Recipe
summer

Strawberry Jam

This recipe only makes one pint of strawberry jam, so it's up to you whether or not you would like to process the jar or simply put it in the fridge after the can reaches room temperature.
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This recipe only makes one pint of strawberry jam, so it's up to you whether or not you would like to process the jar or simply put it in the fridge after the can reaches room temperature. I'm of the nature to process any canned items I make, whether or not I plan on opening them that week. I think it helps destroy any looming bacteria, is an easy way to clean off the cans. Most importantly, I love that satisfactory snap when the can is processed correctly.

After the sugar dissolves, taste the berry mixture to make sure it is sweet enough. Depending on the ripeness of the strawberries, you may need to add more sugar, in half cup increments. In terms of fruit pectin, if you don't have any on hand, simply reduce the jam until it passes the freezer test noted below.

From Anna Monette Roberts, YumSugar

Strawberry Jam

Strawberry Jam Recipe

Ingredients

2 pounds ripe strawberries, quartered
2 lemons, juiced
3 tablespoons fruit pectin
1 1/2 cups sugar

Directions

  1. To sterilize jar: Wash jar, metal seal, and lid in soapy water, then rinse. In a deep pot or pressure cooker, cover the jar with enough water so it is completely covered. Bring to a boil, insert jar, and sanitize for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, but keep jar in the pot to say warm. (If the jar is not warm when you pour in boiling jam, it may crack.)
  2. To make jam: Chill a plate in the freezer to use later for testing the jam's consistency.
  3. Combine strawberries, lemon juice, and sugar in a bottom heavy, medium to large pot. Over medium heat, keep mixture at a simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching until strawberries are mostly broken down. Whisk in pectin, and cook for 1 minute. Take chilled plate out of freezer and dab a small amount of jam on plate. Return plate to freezer for 1 minute. If jam has gelled and does not slide down when the plate when tilted, then it is done. However, if the jam slides down, continue to cook jam for a few more minutes, and try the freezer test again. Continue cooking, until jam reaches the desired consistency.
  4. To process jar: Using the jar lifter, remove warm glass jars from warm water. Place funnel over jar, and pour jam mixture into jar, leaving about an inch of headroom. Place seal over the top of the jar, and screw on the lid tightly. Using the jar lifter, return jar to the water-filled deep pot. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Boil jar for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, remove jar, and set them on the counter or a wire rack to cool. You should hear a snap as it cools, signifying the seal has inverted and processed correctly. Sealed jams should last sealed for up to 12 months and once opened, they will last several months refrigerated.

Makes approximately 1 pint strawberry jam.

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2011 Rock Wall Grenache Rose Review
Wine

Wine of the Day: 2011 Rock Wall Grenache Rosé

While my significant other has many redeeming qualities, there's a gaping hole in his heart (tongue?) where his love for rosé ought to lie.
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While my significant other has many redeeming qualities, there's a gaping hole in his heart (tongue?) where his love for rosé ought to lie. So naturally, I was delighted at the chance to sample a blushing bottle of the quintessential Summer wine this week. Luckily, the 2011 vintage from Rock Wall ($18) made a good case for its genre — it may have even made a convert out of the aforementioned naysayer.

Composed entirely of Grenache grapes grown in Davis, CA, and bottled across the bay in Alameda (practically in Sugar HQ's backyard), the bottle was tart and refreshing, balanced with a subtle sweetness (I'd describe it as teetering between dry and off-dry), and perfumed with the scent of strawberries and citrus. In other words, dangerously drinkable. Like many of its rosy brethren, it would be most at home in an alfresco setting: paired with cheese and crackers at a picnic or with salty appetizers prior to a hearty barbecue meal. Minor domestic squabbles put aside, I imagine I'll be seeing more of this varietal on my table for some time to come.

5 Boozy Frozen Treats

5 Boozy Frozen Treats

This Summer is a scorcher! In our humble opinion, the best way to cool down is with a tasty — and boozy — frozen treat. Keep reading to find out where to stock up.
Win a Trip to the NYC Wine & Food Festival With YumSugar
Wine

Last Chance: Enter to Win a Trip to the NYC Wine & Food Festival

New York City in the Fall only gets better when incredible food and delicious wine enter the picture.
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New York City in the Fall only gets better when incredible food and delicious wine enter the picture. YumSugar is partnering with Food & Wine to make that experience possible, just for you!

Spend a weekend in the Big Apple exploring the New York City Wine & Food Festival alongside our YumSugar editors, discovering new delicacies and learning the art of wine pairing from experts. Your favorite personalities, chefs, culinary stars, and wine connoisseurs will teach you everything you need to know about your favorites and introduce you to new discoveries.

Enter to win — and spend a weekend changing the way you think about food. To whet your palate for the New York City Wine & Food Festival, check out YumSugar's coverage of the Aspen Food & Wine Classic!

Ketchup on Hot Dogs
Food News

Link Time: Is Ketchup on a Hot Dog OK?

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Japanese Baumkuchen
Travel

Meet Baumkuchen, Part II: Japan's Take

I recently embarked on a search for Germany's so-called "king of cakes," or baumkuchen, a hollow, concentric cake that's made by applying layer after layer of batter on a rotating spit.
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I recently embarked on a search for Germany's so-called "king of cakes," or baumkuchen, a hollow, concentric cake that's made by applying layer after layer of batter on a rotating spit. I discovered the hard-to-find pastry at Lutz Bakery and Pastry Shop, an old-school Central European bakery in Chicago's Ravenswood neighborhood.

In the baumkuchen research that followed, I learned that the cake is not just a delicacy in its home country; it's also been one of the most popular pastries in Japan since it was first brought over to the country after World War I. Thanks to its ring shape, baumkuchen is also a popular Japanese wedding staple.

Keep reading for more on Japanese-style baumkuchen.

Best Grills For Small Spaces
summer

Petite but Powerful: Grills for Small Spaces

Like many city dwellers, we frequently find ourselves lamenting our lack of space.
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Like many city dwellers, we frequently find ourselves lamenting our lack of space. While we've been unusually blessed by the apartment gods with a sizable (shared) backyard, most of our friends are not as lucky. Perhaps hoping to relinquish our BBQ-hosting duties (or, as we like to think, out of sheer benevolence) we've done the legwork and rounded up some of our favorite grills that pack plenty of power despite their diminutive footprint.

Weber Portable Propane Gas Grill Lodge Logic Hibachi Grill Weber Smokey Joe Grill Fire Sense Hotspot Notebook Portable Grill Fuego Element Gas Grill O-Grill Portable Gas Grill Bodum Fyrkat Green Grill
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The Dish on Decanting

The Dish on Decanting

Ever wondered if the process of decanting's merely for show? Find out the answer — and all the details you could possible want about decanting — when you keep reading.
Grilled Meyer Lemon Chicken Recipe
community

Savory Sight: Grilled Meyer Lemon Chicken

Grilled chicken breasts often turn out sad and stringy, a victim of overcooking.
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Grilled chicken breasts often turn out sad and stringy, a victim of overcooking. Luckily, Pretty Girls Cook has come to the rescue; her smart technique of cooking the marinated and cubed light meat on kebabs results in a succulent and quick Summer meal.

Now that the heat wave is over here on the East Coast, it's possible to go out and grill again. If you are unable to find meyer lemons, you can substitute with regular lemons. If you are using regular lemons, add an extra tablespoon of honey. I served this chicken kebab style with a quick grilled flat bread that I made using some leftover pizza dough. Just lightly brush the dough with olive oil and grill for just a few minutes on each side.

For more, check out her blog, then be sure to share your favorite recipes and photos with us in the Savory Sights community group. If you're on Instagram, then don't forget to tag your food photos #savorysight.