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Name That Dish!

YumSugar — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:00:05 -0700

If you're a fan of eating saffron mussels, chances are, you'd also like this similar preparation. Are you able to name it?

Will You be Upset If Belgian Company Buys Budweiser?

partysugar — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 07:45:36 -0700

There is no other beer as quintessentially American as Budweiser. With its red, white, and blue label, the beer is known around the world as the American brew. But, how would you feel if the "great American lager" was no longer owned by an American company?

Big time Belgian brewer InBev, which makes Stella, Becks, and many other brews, has offered to buy Anheuser-Busch's beer. Both Americans and Belgians are outraged by the possible takeover. Americans - who are putting up a fight at savebudweiser.com - don't want to lose the national symbol, and the Belgians don't want to be associated with it.

Considering that I prefer Stella to Bud, I'm not affected by the possible merger. How about you? Will you be upset if a Belgian company buys America's favorite beer?

Source

Happy Hour: Lindemans Lambic

YumSugar — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 13:52:36 -0800

I love Lambics, do you?
What, you've never heard of a Lambic?! Okay, well let me give you some background. Lambics are technically Belgian wheat beers, that are spontaneously fermented (meaning there's no added yeast). They're strong in acid and tend to be a bit sour. Once the fermentation happens, whole fruits are added (my personal favorite is black currant, although raspberry is pretty good too), this brings up the carbonization factor and the flavor.

I'm not totally sure how I got introduced to Lambics, but I've been drinking them for years now. I definitely have a thing for the fruit flavors (it's like soda!) and the best part is that there's practically no noticeable alcoholic taste at all. Even though it's a beer, you feel as though you're drinking a wine. A carbonated, slightly thick champagne-y wine.

If you can, definitely pick yourself up a bottle of Lindemans Lambic ($4.99 at BevMo!), they may be too sweet for some, but perfectly tasty for most, and always, always delicious. Many well stocked pubs and bars tend to carry it on tap too. Definitely look for black currant (cassis), peach (pêche) or raspberry (framboise). The apple (pomme) is too murky and the cherry (kriek) tastes like cough syrup.

Monday's Leftovers: Belgian Endive, Chicken and Citrus Salad

YumSugar — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 08:57:32 -0700

The best part about a roast chicken (or in our case a hen), is that the leftovers can be used in a trillion different ways: sandwiches, wraps, soups, fried rice, the list goes on and on. This past weekend I ended up eating too much meat and not enough vegetables, so I'm thinking that a salad sounds fantastic. One of my favorite things is a simple, light salad (or salad wrap) and right now I'm totally obsessed with Belgian endives. So when I stumbled across this recipe for Belgian Endive, Chicken and Citrus Salad, I knew I'd found the perfect recipe for the leftover cornish hen. To check out the recipe (and we're talking simple, low-cal and delicious), read more

Just replace the chicken breast in the recipe with any leftover meat from yesterday's cornish hen.

Belgian Endive, Chicken, and Citrus Salad
From Delicious Living

Serves 1

1 leftover chicken breast
1 small Belgian endive
1 navel orange
1 pink grapefruit
2 leaves butter lettuce
1/2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon agave nectar or honey
Pinch of chili powder
Salt and pepper

1. Slice chicken and set aside. Trim and core endive. Slice leaves crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces.
2. With a paring knife, remove peel and pith from orange and grapefruit. Using the paring knife, remove pulp segments from membranes (do not discard membranes). Toss citrus segments with endive and arrange over butter lettuce leaves. Top with sliced chicken.
3. Squeeze orange and grapefruit membranes into a small bowl to extract remaining juice. Add vinegar, oil, agave or honey, and chili powder; whisk and season with salt and pepper. Pour dressing over chicken and salad.

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Belgian City Is First to Go Meatless

YumSugar — Thu, 14 May 2009 09:00:57 -0700

Belgium's made its mark on the culinary world with waffles and chocolate. But could Ghent, Belgium, become the world's first city known for its vegetarianism? Starting today, the city has instituted a weekly "veggie day" in which government officials opt for meatless meals. When school begins again in September, schoolchildren will also have a weekly meat-free day.

Deputy mayor of Ghent Tom Balthazar explained that the reasons for going vegetarian are manifold: in addition to tackling obesity, raising awareness for vegetarianism reduces the city's environmental footprint and helps fight hunger. "Eighteen percent of the greenhouse gas emissions are caused by the meat industry . . . and the fight against hunger will go better and smoother if we eat less meat. For producing one kilogram of meat, you need seven to 10 kilograms of grains," he said.Citizens of Ghent still have the option to eat meat on "veggie day." However, as Balthazar (who is a self-described flexitarian) explains, the main menu on these days at city schools and many restaurants will be meatless, and the alternative menu will contain meat.

Although I consider myself a big meat eater, it's a relevant time to consider the social, health, and environmental impacts of consuming less meat. Would you support a vegetarian movement in your town?

Source

Beer Prices on the Rise; Budweiser Goes Global

YumSugar — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 03:30:45 -0700

In the mood for a brew? Be forewarned, a cold one could cost you. Anheuser-Busch InBev and MillerCoors have both announced plans to hike beer prices. Falling sales and higher costs of commodities like barley and hops have forced them to compensate by raising prices. In a statement Tuesday, US-Belgian company Anheuser-Busch InBev said it will raise stickers "across different price tiers" in "a majority of markets this Fall" to cover "input costs." Likewise, InBev's biggest competitor, MillerCoors, intends to increase prices this season. Higher prices from the two conglomerates - which together comprise more than 80 percent of the market - will impact the beer industry during a time when beer drinkers are reaching for the cheapest selections.

In a New York Times commentary, "Rising Beer Prices Hint at Oligopoly," the op-ed's writers lament that the two companies' abilities to raise prices while customers are hurting "highlights the pricing power that has accompanied industry consolidation" and "begs for an antitrust review."

Anheuser-Busch isn't stopping there. The beer overlord has aggressive plans to transform Budweiser into a global player, using Coca-Cola as a marketing model. The corporation hopes to introduce the "King of Beers" into dozens of new markets, including parts of Africa. Have you noticed rising beer prices? Could Budweiser eventually become an international symbol like Coke? Should Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors face antitrust allegations?

Wine Has Finally Met Its Chocolate Match With Brix

YumSugar — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:00:52 -0700

A few months back, while attending the San Francisco Chocolate Salon, I discovered Brix, a new line of chocolates designed specifically to be paired with wine. I was impressed by how the chocolate stood up to even the boldest of reds, so when PartySugar and I learned Dr. Nick Proia, the founder of Brix, was in town to host a chocolate and wine pairing, we couldn't wait to scope it out. The wine and chocolate extravaganza was held at the Winery Collective, a new multi-winery tasting room in San Francisco that's focused on California's boutique vineyards. There, Proia, a practicing pulmonologist from Ohio, shared the story behind Brix. After deciding cheese and wine pairings were less than heart-healthy, the lifelong wine lover turned to pairing chocolate with wine, only to find few chocolates made a good match. From there, his determination to discover a perfect pairing got him into the chocolate business. Learn what we thought of the tasting when you read more.

Brix blends single-origin chocolate from Ghana with fine Belgian chocolate to create eight-ounce milk, dark, and extra-dark chocolate "bricks" ($12.95) to be chiseled off and consumed with various wines. The high cocoa content of the milk chocolate means it tastes luscious and addictive, with a creaminess to contrast the tannins in Pinot Noir. The sumptuous medium dark chocolate was our favorite, enhancing the raspberry jam notes of a fruit-ripe Lake County Zinfandel. And the intense, concentrated chocolate flavor of the extra dark brick is a great foil for an ultra-sweet Calaveras County vintage port.

Are you a fan of pairing wine with chocolate? Have you ever sampled Brix chocolate?

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Come Party With Me: Baby Shower - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:00:09 -0700

After a rich, savory brunch have the young mother open up her gifts. While guests shower the lady of honor with baby toys, set up a small Belgian waffle bar. Place the batter in a pretty pitcher and plug in several waffle irons. Stack plates and arrange toppings - chocolate sauce, whipped cream, fresh berries, maple syrup, etc. - buffet style near the waffle irons. Once all the presents have been opened, invite everyone to Belgian waffles. For a more diverse spread, purchase dainty pastries from your favorite bakery. To see the waffle recipe I'll be using for Denise's baby shower, read more.

Belgian Waffles
From Food and Wine

Ingredients

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Belgian Chocolate-Fudge Sauce (recipe below), for serving

Directions

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water.
In a large bowl, stir the flour with the salt. Whisk in the yeast mixture, milk, butter, egg yolks, and vanilla until smooth.
In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold them into the batter and let stand for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 225°F.
Heat and grease a waffle iron. Pour 1 1/4 cups of the batter into the iron and cook until the waffles are golden, 6 minutes. Transfer the waffles to the oven. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Dust the waffles with confectioners’ sugar, drizzle with the Belgian Chocolate-Fudge Sauce and serve.

Makes 4 waffles.

Belgian Hot Fudge Sauce

1 cup heavy cream
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

In a saucepan, bring the cream to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate.
Let stand for 2 minutes, then stir until the chocolate is melted.
Add the confectioners’ sugar and whisk until smooth.

Makes 2 cups.

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A Marble Floor Made of . . . Salami?

YumSugar — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 11:15:09 -0700

I was checking out one of my favorite websites when I came across some gasp-worthy food art. Belgian contemporary artist Wim Delvoye has created a marble floor with salami. Upon first sight of the piece, I was simultaneously wowed by the Delvoye's creativity and . . . hungry.

I already consider food art, but this installation made me consider art as food. Alas, it turns out the patterns are actually made of C prints of the meat (not actual meat) so it couldn't be eaten anyway. What do you think of it? Would you want an inedible marble salami floor?

Source

All The News That's Fit To Eat - August 22, 2007

YumSugar — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 11:03:31 -0700

Herb gardens are coming to a lovely peak at the moment. Don't miss the know your herbs primer. Plus, in the market of frozen vanilla non-dairy desserts, Whole Soy is deemed queen. - San Francisco Chronicle
A pizzeria in Southern Italy is touting their new anti-wrinkle pizza - even the pope loves it. - BellaSugar
Tomato season is upon us! Here's a week's worth of recipes. Plus, read the review of 23 belgian summer beers. - New York Times
One of these days I'm going to finally make a blueberry pie from scratch. Especially since this step-by-step video makes it look rather manageable. - Boston Globe
Too hot to turn on the stove? Try one of these no-cook summer meals instead. - Dallas Morning News

Remember the non-edible wii cake Martha Stewart made for Wired? Well, someone has one-upped her by making a beautiful edible wii cake. - GeekSugar
Two of my favorite things about summer: simmering salsa and sinful sangria. - The News and Observer
Funny how the bill can turn a nice group of people into animals. Here's a funny breakdown of each type of group bill-paying personality. I'm so the calculator... - Seattle Times
Handmade paletas - Mexican ice pops - are a way to bring traditional flavors and style to your next party. - Los Angeles Times
Lunchbox ideas guaranteed to get you an A+ from your child. - Houston Chronicle