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Kellan Flexes at LAX, Cam Gets Steamy With Xtina, and Garner Scrubs Toilets!

Molly — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:00:00 -0700

Kellan Lutz jokes around with the paparazzi on his way back to Vancouver to film Eclipse, plus the latest role for Twilight star Cam Gigandet and some updates from New Moon. Late night included Jennifer Garner talking about her preschool duties and President Obama on Letterman. All that and more so watch PopSugar Rush now!

First-Ever White House Farmers Market Makes Its Debut

YumSugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 03:50:44 -0700

Some legislation, like healthcare reform, might take a little more work for the White House to push through, but other initiatives, like the White House farmers market, are happening virtually overnight. Less than a month ago President Obama revealed that he and the first lady were looking into holding a farmers market outside the White House - and the plan's already come to fruition. At the opening of the FreshFarm market yesterday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Washington DC mayor Adrian Fenty spoke to a crowd of about 300 shoppers about the importance of eating healthy, local food.

The visitor that drew the most attention was Michelle Obama, who encouraged Americans to get to know the farmers that grow the market's food, and stressed the importance of fresh markets, particularly in urban deserts.

Located at 810 Vermont Avenue, just blocks from the White House, the market runs Thursday afternoons through the end of October, and accepts food stamps. It sells pasture-raised meats, artisan cheeses, milk, yogurt, fresh fruits and vegetables, breads, flowers, and preserves. DCers, have you had a chance to visit?

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Yummy Links: From Oatmeal Cookie Milk Shakes to Food Cities

partysugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:15:03 -0700

Must make: oatmeal cookie milk shake. - Chow
Is Eric Ripert the most interesting man in the world? - Eat Me Daily
Padma Lakshmi denies that there is a gender bias on Top Chef. - Grub Street
Grant Achatz on why wine and food pairings matter.- The Atlantic
Learn more about Gourmet's Adventures With Ruth. - Gourmet
Meet the Fojol Brothers, an interesting street food truck that operates out of Washington DC - Serious Eats
Yesterday President Obama and Bill Clinton enjoyed a healthy lunch at Il Mulino in New York City. - Eater
What do you consider to be the top 10 food cities in the world? - The Epi-Log

President Obama Hopes For White House Farmers Market

YumSugar — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:00:20 -0700

In March, Alice Waters and other supporters of the local food movement thought they'd finally gotten what they wanted when the Obamas announced the planting of an organic garden in the White House. But yesterday reformers were pleasantly shocked when President Obama announced his hopes to set up a farmers market at the White House. At the Organizing for America National Health Care Forum on Thursday, Barack Obama revealed that he and the first lady are looking into the idea of a farmers market outside the White House that would sell food from the White House garden or other local farmers:

"One of the things that we’re trying to do now is to figure out, can we get a little farmers’ market - outside of the White House . . . that is a win-win situation. It gives suddenly D.C. more access to good, fresh food, but it also is this enormous potential revenue-maker for local farmers in the area."

He also discussed the importance of connecting local farmers to school districts, in an effort to improve the federal school lunch program. I wholeheartedly applaud the idea - if established, it would be the first-ever White House farmers market, setting a landmark precedent for Americans to start shopping more frequently at farmers markets across the nation. Do you think President Obama will follow through on this idea?

Bobby Flay Dishes on Cooking With Obama

YumSugar — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:45:40 -0700

Much like last year, Bobby Flay was scheduled to cook at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen last Friday. But at the eleventh hour, he got a call from the White House to take part in a Father's Day grilling session, so he hopped on a plane, cooked with the president, and was back in Aspen to give a demo the next morning, where he shared some of his thoughts on cooking with Obama. To see what they were, keep reading

First Couple Faces Criticism For Dining Decisions

YumSugar — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 15:00:33 -0700

The first couple have continued to convey political messages about food with their recent dining choices. The Obamas spent Saturday evening in Manhattan, where they dined at James Beard Award-winning chef Dan Barber's restaurant Blue Hill before catching a Broadway show.

Within hours, news sites were awash with commentary on the first couple's romantic dinner. "Is it possible to be too political at mealtime?" the Washington Post posited, noting the couple has adopted a pattern of choosing eateries with strong local ties and sustainable food agendas. The Times' Frank Bruni called the decision "too pat and controlled," portraying the president as overly somber and self-restrained when it comes to enjoying food.

Ironically, the same day the Obamas were chided for overthinking dinner, the Times also criticized the First Lady for not going far enough in her message about food. Writer Amanda Hesser lauded Michelle Obama for bringing attention to the local foods movement, then criticized her for stopping short of promoting cooking. Wrote Hesser: "Terrific local ingredients aren't of much use if people aren't cooking them . . . Just as she highlighted American fashion by wearing the clothes of young designers, she could call attention to cooking by bringing America's talented young chefs to the White House for a food summit meeting."

Shouldn't the Obamas be commended for making educated dining choices? Is the media coming down too hard on the presidential couple? How do you feel about the food selections the Obamas have made thus far?

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Yummy Links: From Sandra Lee to TV Dinners

partysugar — Tue, 12 May 2009 07:50:59 -0700

Semi homemade be gone: Sandra Lee gets a seasonal fresh-ingredient makeover. - Eat Me Daily
Mustard manufacturer Grey Poupon wants Obama to pardon Dijon lovers. - Grubstreet
Ten food moments from The Office. - Chow
Be inspired: An adorable owl is a fun theme for a baby shower. - Hostess With the Mostess
Thomas Keller's casual Napa Valley eatery, Ad Hoc, is now serving breakfast. - Eater SF
Lemon and basil make a healthy and delicious pasta salad. - Serious Eats
Menus and party plans inspired by your favorite television shows. - The Epi-Log

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Obama & Biden Grab Cheeseburgers at Arlington Burger Joint

YumSugar — Wed, 06 May 2009 05:50:01 -0700

Maybe President Obama and Vice President Biden needed a break from white-tablecloth dining or perhaps they just felt like getting out on the town. Either way, the two took a short lunch trip yesterday to a popular local burger joint called Ray's Hell Burger.

Upon arriving at the strip plaza eatery, the duo declined offers from other patrons to cut the line. Ray's - which prides itself in serving unconventional sodas and cheesy tater puffs in lieu of fries - couldn't accept Obama's order for fries, so he went with the potato puffs and a bottle of water instead. To check out footage of the presidential lunch outing, read more.

Since it's well-documented that President Obama prefers his burger medium well, it's no surprise that he ordered a basic cheddar cheeseburger, medium well, with lettuce, tomatoes, spicy mustard, and no ketchup. The executive branch must love its burgers medium well, since Biden ordered his Swiss cheeseburger prepared the same way, but topped with ketchup and jalapeño peppers, and a good old-fashioned root beer to drink.

The best part? When the cashier taking the presidential order wanted to take care of the tab, Obama insisted otherwise: "See all those people?" he said, pointing to the press pool that came along. "They'll write about how we were freeloaders." He paid for all the burgers in cash, leaving a $5 bill in the tip jar.

Check out the footage below - I was particularly entertained by the fans taking pictures of the president in the background - and tell me your thoughts.

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Yummy Links: From Margaritas to Tom Colicchio

partysugar — Tue, 05 May 2009 08:00:46 -0700

A simple tip for keeping your blended margarita colder longer. - Chow
Speaking of margaritas, here are ten unique flavors to experiment with. - Hostess with the Mostess
Pinkberry, the frozen yogurt chain, announces plans to expand in the Bay Area and the Middle East. - Eater SF
Catch up with New York City's ex-Top Chef contestants. - The New York Times
Only the trailer has been released, but the movie Julie and Julia is already getting criticized. - Eat me daily
What Obama's first 100 days as president mean to serious eaters. - Serious Eats
Find out what's inside actress Jennifer Garner's kitchen. - Bon Appétit
Tom Colicchio talks guitars, tuna, and tequila. - The NYT Magazine

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Beets: Love Them or Hate Them?

YumSugar — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 05:50:13 -0700

Recently PartySugar and I got into a discussion about beets. While we both love them, we agreed that they're definitely a point of contention, as many people we know dislike them (our president included). How do you feel about these sweet root vegetables?