YumSugar

Study Finds Girls Have Superior Taste to Boys

YumSugar — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 14:00:46 -0800

For those of you who never understood how your college boyfriend could eat delivery pizza every night, we may have found your answer.

A study of 8,900 Danish schoolchildren at the University of Copenhagen has found that girls are better at recognizing tastes than boys, particularly when it comes to sweet and sour. Since males and females have the same number of tastebuds, the difference lies in how they process taste impressions.

According to the study, boys need, on average, 10 percent more sourness and 20 percent more sweetness than girls to recognize the taste. In addition, because boys seemed less sensitive to recognizing tastes, it only makes sense that boys tended to prefer more extreme flavors than girls.

The study attempted to quantify the tasting ability of children, and its results had a clear message: Children are better tasters than the industry presumes them to be. "One could easily develop more varied food products and snacks for children and young people," said Bodil Allesen-Holm, the scientific head of the study. Could fish sticks and chicken nuggets make way for something more gourmet in the future?

Source

Say Cheese! Grilled Fontina and Prosciutto Pizza

partysugar — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:15:24 -0700

Fontina is a creamy Italian cow's milk cheese with a texture that varies depending on the age. Typically young fontina is soft and extremely good for melting, while mature fontina is hard. Originally native to Italy's Aosta Valley, fontina is now produced in Denmark, France, and the United States. However, Italian fontina has a stronger, richer, more pungent flavor than those created in other areas. Fontina has a pale-yellow color and mild, nutty flavor that's wonderful for almost any use, whether it's eating out of hand or smashed in a sandwich. To find out how fontina made these grilled pizza bites incredibly delectable, read more.

This recipe takes advantage of fontina's wonderful melting qualities. It combines the gooey cheese with other Italian ingredients - prosciutto, pecorino romano, and basil - to make a pie that is wildly delicious and insanely addictive. I sliced the pizza into small pieces and served it as an appetizer at a recent party. It was so good, I hope to make it again soon.

Grilled Fontina and Prosciutto Pizza
From Food & Wine

When I made this pizza, I charred both sides of the dough on the grill until it was cooked and slightly puffy. Then I topped it with the garlic and cheese and finished cooking it in a 450°F oven.

Ingredients

1/2 pound fontina cheese, shredded (about 2 cups loosely packed)
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese (about 1 1/2 ounces)
1 1/2 pounds store bought or homemade pizza dough
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing and drizzling
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Two 14-ounce cans chopped Italian tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons
12 paper-thin slices prosciutto di Parma, torn into large pieces

Directions

Light a grill, preferably using hardwood charcoal. Set the grill grate 3 to 4 inches above the coals.
In a medium bowl, toss the Fontina with the Pecorino Romano cheese.
Divide the Pizza Dough into 6 equal pieces; work with 1 piece at a time and keep the rest covered with a towel.
On 3 lightly oiled baking sheets, flatten and stretch the dough with your hands to form six 8-inch rounds about 1/16 inch thick; do not make a lip and don't stretch the dough so thinly that it tears. Brush the rounds with olive oil.
When the grill is hot, working in batches if necessary, gently drape the pizza dough over the hot grate and cook until it puffs slightly, the underside firms up and grill marks appear, about 1 minute. Rotate the dough once and cook for 30 seconds.
Brush the top of the pizza rounds with oil and flip them over using tongs.
Scatter one-sixth of the garlic and cheese over each pizza, followed by 3 heaping tablespoons of chopped tomatoes. Then drizzle each pizza with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil.
Slide the pizzas near the hot coals but not directly over them. Using tongs, rotate the pizzas frequently, checking often to make sure that the undersides are not charring. The pizzas are done when the cheese is melted and the tomatoes are hot, 3 to 4 minutes.
Scatter one-sixth of the basil and prosciutto over each pizza and serve hot off the grill.

Serves 12.

Print recipe with images | without images

View 9 Photos ›

Ramsay Missing From the World's Best Restaurants List

partysugar — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 10:15:44 -0700

Yesterday Restaurant magazine and S. Pellegrino announced its famed list of the world's 50 best restaurants. The list is developed by a large panel of well-regarded international judges consisting of 806 chefs, restaurateurs, food critics, and journalists.

For the fourth year in a row, Ferran Adriá's experimental Spanish restaurant, El Bulli, has been named the best eatery in the world. Coming in at sixth, Thomas Keller's Per Se is the highest-ranking US restaurant.

The most shocking news, however, is that Gordon Ramsay's flagship London establishment, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, which was number 13 on last year's list, is totally absent from this year's. To check out the complete list, read more.

El Bulli, Spain
The Fat Duck, UK
Noma, Denmark
Mugaritz, Spain
El Celler de Can Roca, Spain
Per Se, US
Bras, France
Arzak, Spain
Pierre Gagnaire, France
Alinea, US
L’Astrance, France
The French Laundry US
Osteria Francescana, Italy
St. John, UK
Le Bernardin, US
Restaurant de l’Hotel de Ville, Switzerland
Tetsuya’s, Australia
L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, France
Jean Georges, US
Les Creations de Narisawa, Japan
Chez Dominique, Finland
Ristorante Cracco, Italy
Die Schwarzwaldstube, Germany
D.O.M., Brazil
Vendome, Germany
Hof van Cleve, Belgium
Masa, US
Gambero Rosso, Italy
Oud Sluis, Netherlands
Steirereck, Austria
Momofuku Ssam Bar, US
Oaxen Skaergaardskrog, Sweden
Martin Berasategui, Spain
Nobu UK
Mirazur, France
Hakkasan, UK
Le Quartier Francais, South Africa
La Colombe, South Africa
Asador Etxebarri, Spain
Le Chateaubriand, France
Daniel, US
Combal Zero, Italy
Le Louis XV, France
Tantris, Germany
Iggy’s, Singapore
Quay, Australia
Les Ambassadeurs, France
Dal Pescatore, Italy
Le Calandre, Italy
Mathias Dahlgren, Sweden

Source

Wine May Prevent Dementia

YumSugar — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 03:00:07 -0800

Last week we learned of a study that showed chemicals in beer can inhibit cancer. This week studies indicate that wine may protect against Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

One recently released study, which began in 1968 at Gothenburg University in Sweden, demonstrated that a group of wine-drinkers had a significantly below-average rate of dementia, versus other women who regularly drank beer or spirits. Another study, produced by the Danish Institute of Preventive Medicine in Denmark, had similar findings: those who drank wine weekly or monthly were more than two times less likely to develop dementia.

The positive health effects are the result of flavonoids, antioxidant compounds found in red wine. Do any of you drink wine for its purported health benefits?

Source

Discover the 2008 List of 50 Best Restaurants in the World

YumSugar — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 08:11:11 -0700

Every year San Pellegrino and Restaurant magazine releases a list of the 50 best restaurants in the world. The list is put together by The Nespresso World's 50 Best Academy, a group that consists of over 650 chefs, restauranteurs, food writers and critics. There is no list of nominees, each member of the voting panel votes for their favorite five restaurants. They can't vote for their own restaurant, and they have to have eaten at their nominees within the past 18 months. So after 3,410 votes, who came out on top?

The top three are unchanged from last year, with Ferran Adria's El Bulli ranking number one. There are also four re-entries and two new entries. To discover the whole list, read more.

1. El Bulli, Spain
2. The Fat Duck, UK
3. Pierre Gagnaire, France
4. Mugaritz, Spain
5. The French Laundry, US
6. Per Se, US
7. Bras, France
8. Arzak, Spain
9. Tetsuya's, Australia
10. Noma, Denmark
11. L'Astrance, France
12. Gambero Rosso, Italy
13. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, UK
14. L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, France
15. Le Louis XV, Monaco
16. St John, UK Highest Climber, up 18 places from last year
17. Jean Georges, US
18. Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée, France
19. Hakkasan, UK
20. Le Bernardin, US
21. Alinea, US
22. Le Gavroche, UK
23. Dal Pescatore, Italy
24. Le Cinq, France
25. Troisgros, France
26. El Celler de Can Roca, Spain
27. Restaurant de l'Hotel de Ville, Switzerland Highest Re-Entry
28. Hof van Cleve, Belgium
29. Martin Berasategui, Spain
30. Nobu London, UK
31. Can Fabes, Spain
32. Enoteca Pinchiorri, Italy
33. Le Meurice, France
34. Vendome, Germany Highest New Entry
35. Die Schwarzwaldstube, Germany
36. Le Calandre, Italy
37. Chez Panisse, US
38. Charlie Trotter's, US
39. Chez Dominique, Finland
40. DOM, Brazil
41. Daniel, US
42. Oud Sluis, The Netherlands
43. Cracco Peck, Italy
44. Asador Etxebarri, Spain
45. Les Ambassadeurs, France
46. L'Arpege, France
47. Tantris, Germany
48. Oaxen Skaergaardskrog, Sweden
49. Rockpool, Australia
50. Le Quartier Francais, South Africa

While I find this list completely fascinating - and I definitely want to eat at more than one of them - I'm a little dismayed by the fact that there isn't a single restaurant in Asia on this list. Not to mention the overall lack of diversity. What do you guys think about it?

Source

50 Best Restaurants in The World

YumSugar — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 12:31:38 -0700

Last night Restaurant Magazine announced their annual list of the world's 50 best restaurants and I am ridiculously embarrassed to say that even though two of them are really close by (Chez Panisse and the French Laundry), I have not been to any of the ones on the list. While I go hang my head in foodie shame, you can check out the list. Oh and it's worth noting that the top 6 are the same as last year and there are only 5 new entries and one that has re-entered. And finally, if you don't recognize him, that's El Bulli's head chef Ferran Adria in the photograph.

1 - El Bulli, Spain - Best in Europe
2 - The Fat Duck, UK
3 - Pierre Gagnaire, France
4 - The French Laundry, USA - Best in the Americas
5 - Tetsuya’s, Australia - Best in Australasia
6 - Bras, France
7 - Mugaritz, Spain
8 - Le Louis XV, Monaco
9 - Per Se, USA
10 - Arzak, Spain

To see the rest of the list, none of which I've eaten at either, read more

11 - El Celler de Can Roca, Spain
12 - Gambero Rosso, Italy
13 - L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, France
14 - Hof van Cleve, Belgium
15 - Noma, Denmark - The biggest climber - up 18 places from last year
16 - Le Calandre, Italy
17 - Nobu London, UK
18 - Jean Georges, USA
19 - Hakkasan, UK
20 - Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée, France
21 - L’Astrance, France
22 - Can Fabes, Spain
23 - L’Ambroisie, France
24 - Restaurant Gordon Ramsay UK
25 - Troisgros, France
26 - Le Bernardin, USA
27 - Martin Berasategui, Spain
28 - Le Gavroche, UK
29 - Le Cinq, France
30 - Charlie Trotter’s, USA
31 - Dal Pescatore, Italy
32 - Daniel, USA
33 - Rockpool, Australia
34 - St John, UK
35 - Chez Dominique, Finland
36 - Alinea, USA - Highest New Entry
37 - Bukhara, India - Best in Asia
38 - DOM, Brazil
39 - Oaxen Skärgårdskrog, Sweden
40 - Chez Panisse, USA
41 - Enoteca Pinchiorri, Italy
42 - Cracco Peck, Italy - New Entry
43 - L’Arpège, France
44 - River Café, UK - Re-Entry
45 - Oud Sluis, Netherlands - Biggest drop - down 26 places from last year
46 - Combal Zero, Italy - New Entry
47 - Le Quartier Français, South Africa - Best in Mid East & Africa
48 - Taillevent, France - New Entry
49 - Bocuse, France
50 - Les Ambassadeurs, France - New Entry

Image Source

National Peanut Butter Day

partysugar — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 03:38:12 -0800

Woo-Hoo! I know you've all been waiting for it anxiously and finally it's here! Today is National Peanut Butter Day! Maybe I'm being a bit too enthusiastic about the whole thing, but I mean come on, who doesn't love a little peanut butter every now and again? Did you know that peanut butter was originally created to perform the same function as toothpaste way back in 1880? Or that peanut butter and jelly was a result of World War II? Apparently soldiers were given peanut butter instead of meat due to enforced rationing. The soldiers added jelly to make it taste better and viola the all American sandwich was born. To celebrate National Peanut Butter Day, I've rounded up a bunch of fun facts about peanut butter so read more

Following the regulations stated by the U.S Food and Drug Administration, 2 rodent hairs are allowed in every 100 grams of peanut butter. (Ewww, isn't that gross?!)
In Denmark peanut butter is called pindakass which translates to peanut cheese. The Dutch government protects the word butter so the peanut butter makers had to improvise and substitute cheese for butter.

Apparently there is a sandwich called the fluffernutter (what a funny name! I should tell GiggleSugar, she would have a field day) that pairs peanut butter with marshmallow creme (if anyone has tried this please tell me about it below).
You probably already know this, but one of Elvis' favorite foods was a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich (has anyone ever tried this?).
I would love to know the scientific explanation behind this one: creamy peanut butter can be used to remove gum from hair and clothing.

Boscul Peanut Butter glasses - which were originally glass jars of peanut butter from the 50s - are a sought after collectors item.
Peanut butter has been banned in many schools all across America because of the severe allergic reaction that may occur to those who can not eat peanuts.
For peanut butter to be real it must consist of at least 90% peanuts.
While Americans prefer peanut butter, Europeans favor nutella.

Know a crazy fun fact about peanut butter that I failed to list here? Tell me about it por favor! I love busting out with these meaningless pieces of trivia at a dull dinner party.