YumSugar

Man Tries to Pay For McDonald's Meal With Pot

YumSugar — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:00:47 -0700

The economic downturn has forced many people to save money on food in unconventional ways, from reinventing leftovers to organizing food swaps. However, one man may have crossed the line when it comes to creativity.

Shawn Pannullo was arrested in Vero Beach, FL, for trying to pay for his McDonald's meal with pot. The incident occurred just after midnight, at which time a McDonald's cashier called 911. Pannullo, 27, was charged with possession of cannabis and posted $500 bail. A report didn't disclose whether he ultimately paid for the meal using something other than marijuana.

While possession of cannabis is obviously a crime, I must admit I find this story entertaining. The report also failed to list what Pannullo ordered at McDonald's. I'm guessing . . . three of everything?

Source

Noteworthy Nibbles - Oct. 20-27, 2009

YumSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:30:55 -0700

This weekend, the T-minus one week countdown to Halloween begins. If you aren't too busy planning your fright night agenda and costume, take the time to hit up some of this month's biggest events, like Chicago's Champagne fête or the annual Kohler Food & Wine Experience. As the weather gets rainier, I'd personally love to spend a sun-spilled weekend eating my way through Scottsdale.

Know of any events we haven't included on the list? Feel free to pipe up about them below.

San Francisco, CA: Root Division's Annual Art/Food Auction - Oct. 22
Scottsdale, AZ: Crave Arizona - Oct. 22-24
Portland, ME: Harvest on the Harbor - Oct. 22-24
Kohler, WI: Kohler Food & Wine Experience - Oct. 22-25
Chicago, IL: Tour de Champagne Chicago - Oct. 23
Chicago, IL: Beef: From Plains to Plate - Oct. 23-25
Fredericksburg, TX: Fredericksburg Food & Wine Fest - Oct. 24
Lexington, NC: Barbecue Festival - Oct. 24
Detroit, MI: Harvest Beer Festival - Oct. 24
Orlando, FL: Central Florida Veg Fest - Oct. 24
Lynchburg, TN: Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitation Barbecue - Oct. 24

Source

Dead Frog Discovered in Diet Pepsi Can

YumSugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:00:02 -0700

How did a dead frog find its way into a Pepsi can? That's the seminal question at the center of the latest food safety gross-out. Fred and Amy DeNegri, a retired couple from Florida claim they discovered a dead frog in a Pepsi can, and have plans to take legal action.

Fred DeNegri took a sip of a newly opened Diet Pepsi and started gagging. DeNegri emptied the can in his sink, but could tell that a heavy weight remained inside. He shook it until something resembling "pink linguine" slid out, followed by "dark stuff," his wife said. They took pictures and called authorities. It wasn't until the sample went into lab testing that the larger object was identified as a frog or a toad "lacking internal organs," according to the FDA report, which could not conclude whether or not the frog was there before the can had been opened. The FDA conducted an investigation of the Orlando, FL, bottling plant, and found everything in normal condition.

On a recent CNN show, two correspondents discussed the controversy, insinuating that the situation could be a hoax, or even planted by competitor Coke. I'm repulsed by the situation - how could such a large animal find its way into an aluminum soda can? Do you feel for the traumatized couple, or do you see this as another finger-in-the-chili fabrication?

Source: Flickr User qnr

What's Cooking at Slashfood

YumSugar — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 04:30:13 -0700

We love Slashfood so much that every Thursday we round up their most delicious stories. Here are this week's finds:

Florida's beekeepers want a new law prohibiting blended honey products.
Quinoa adds texture - and protein - to ordinary breadcrumbs.
Denny's is sued for having too much sodium in its food.
Look to Washington and Australia for Rieslings that are of great value.
The search is on for the manliest restaurant in America.
Vermouth, when served in a French Kiss, is surprisingly seductive.

Noteworthy Nibbles - June 23-30, 2009

YumSugar — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:00:13 -0700

It's almost July, and the palatable parties just keep coming. If you're a wine enthusiast, head over to Pinot Days or the Telluride Wine Festival. Beer more your thing? Throw back some sake bombs at the Beer & Sake Festival, or hit up the Colorado Brewfest. Here in Fog City, the Best of the Bay looks to be one heck of a soirée. What happenings are you hitting up?

If you know of anything that's been left off the list, please go ahead and chime in below!

Sedona, AZ: Dine in Sedona Restaurant Fest - June 23-30
Hampton, SC: Hampton County Watermelon Festival - June 23-28
Gettysburg, PA: Gettysburg Festival - June 23-28
Portsmouth, NH: Taste of the Nation Portsmouth - June 24
London, OH: London Strawberry Festival - June 24-27
San Francisco, CA: Pinot Days - June 24-28
Wisconsin Rapids, WI: Cranberry Blossom Festival - June 24-28
San Diego, CA: Beer & Sake Festival - June 25
Milwaukee, WI: The 2009 Big Taste - June 25
San Francisco, CA: Best of the Bay - June 25
Ft. Lauderdale, FL: Taste of the Nation South Florida - June 25

To see the rest, read more.

Cedar Rapids, IA: Cedar Rapids BBQ Roundup _ June 25-28
Telluride, CO: Telluride Wine Festival - June 25-28
Luling, TX: Luling Watermelon Thump - June 25-28
Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Wine Festival - June 26-27
Emerson, AR: Purple Hull Pea Festival - June 26-27
Chipley, FL: Panhandle Watermelon Festival - June 26-27
Tacoma, WA: Taste of Tacoma - June 26-28
Long Grove, IL: Long Grove Strawberry Festival - June 26-28
Burlington, VT: Green Mountain Chew Chew Food & Music Fest - June 26-28
Chicago, IL: Taste of Chicago - June 26-July 5
Honolulu, HI: Slow Food's Honolulu Fish Auction Tour - June 27
Washington DC: National Capital Barbecue Battle - June 27-28
Fort Collins, CO: Colorado Brewfest - June 27-28
Pennington, NJ: East Coast Food & Wine Festival - June 27-28
New York, NY: Summer Rosé Celebration With Ariane Duarte - June 29

Source

Food Section Sampler - Apr. 29, 2009

YumSugar — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 12:50:48 -0700

Which type of coffee pot is the perfect match for you? - Chicago Tribune
Forget the gizmos, Michael Ruhlman suggests investing in a kitchen scale. - Los Angeles Times
Food service companies have threatened to boycott Florida tomatoes if growers don't improve farm workers' wages and conditions. - Washington Post
Restaurateurs have been showing appreciation for their regulars with extra-special perks. - Boston Globe
Fava leaves are just as satisfying to eat as their legume counterparts. - San Francisco Chronicle
Familiarize yourself with the right cooking techniques for inexpensive cuts of meat. - New York Times
Italian Prosecco is inexpensive, wildly available, and better-tasting than ever. - Wall Street Journal

Source

Dylan Lauren's Sweet Tips For Your Wedding

YumSugar — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:00:01 -0700

If you want your wedding to be a grand production but don't have the budget, remember that tiny flourishes like thoughtful candy will make the moment just as delightful. We employed the help of Dylan Lauren, daughter of Ralph Lauren and owner of Dylan's Candy Bar, a dessert outpost with locations in New York, Houston, and Florida. "We do a lot of candy favors for weddings," Lauren says. To see her pointers for making your wedding a sweet success, read more.

Include jordan almonds. In Italy, jordan almonds are popular because their egg shape symbolizes fertility and life.
Integrate silver and white candies. For a wedding theme, incorporate white chocolate roses or white petits fours.
Match candy to the bridesmaids' dresses. Reinforce your wedding's color scheme in a unique way by matching candy colors to the hues of the wedding party.
Customize favors. Design custom candy bar wrappers to announce your marriage, or enchant guests with customized lollipops.

Have you seen any other creative uses of candy in weddings past? If so, share them with us below!

Source

Noteworthy Nibbles - Feb. 24-Mar. 2, 2009

YumSugar — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 14:00:30 -0800

With Mardi Gras parades and festivals going on today across the country and a handful of restaurant weeks still going strong, this week's a great time to pay a visit to your favorite food events: If you live anywhere nearby, celebrate dungeness crab season in Northern California, as well as the beginning of Florida's strawberry season. And if you're attending the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, perhaps I'll see you there!

Got any fine food events that you see left off this list? If so, chime in below. Will you be going to any of this week's events?

New Orleans, LA: New Orleans Mardi Gras - Feb. 24
St. Louis, MO: St. Louis Mardi Gras - Feb. 24
New York, NY: NYC Restaurant Week - Feb. 24-27
Chicago, IL: Chicago Restaurant Week - Feb. 24-27
Orange County, CA: Orange County Restaurant Week - Feb. 24-28
San Francisco, CA: Dungeness Crab Week - Feb. 24-Mar. 1
Houston, TX: Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Championship Bar-B-Que Contest - Feb. 26-28
Minneapolis, MN: Minnesota Monthly Food & Wine Experience - Feb. 26-Mar. 1

To see the rest, read more.

Plant City, FL: Florida Strawberry Festival - Feb. 26-Mar. 8
Albuquerque, NM: Fiery Foods & BBQ Show - Feb. 27-Mar. 1
New York, NY: New York Wine Expo - Feb. 27-28
Boca Raton, FL: Boca Bacchanal - Feb. 27-Mar. 1
San Francisco, CA: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition - Feb. 28
San Francisco, CA: 7th Annual Celebrity Crab Fest - Feb. 28
Comstock Park, MI: Winter Beer Festival - Feb. 28
Grant, FL: Grant Seafood Festival - Feb. 28-Mar. 1
New Orleans, LA: Culinary Inspired Seasonal Mixology - Mar. 2

Noteworthy Nibbles - Mar. 17-23, 2009

YumSugar — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:30:16 -0700

This week, the country's gone crazy for wine, cheese, and chocolate. If you're in Northern California, you may find yourself faced with the tough decision of choosing between three of life's greatest indulgences. We'll be getting cocoa butter and sugar high at the San Francisco International Chocolate Salon, and saying cheese at California's Artisan Cheese Festival. Maybe we'll see you there! Let us know what events you're attending this weekend - and feel free to add any other food events below.

Del Mar, CA: Family Winemakers of California Tasting 2009 - Mar. 17
Green Bay, WI: US Championship Cheese Contest - Mar. 17-19
New York, NY: NYC Restaurant Week - Mar. 17-20
Tallahassee, FL: Florida Wine Festival - Mar. 20-21
Paso Robles, CA: Zinfandel Festival - Mar. 20-22

To see the rest, read more.

Petaluma, CA: California's Artisan Cheese Festival - Mar. 20-23
San Francisco, CA: San Francisco International Chocolate Salon - Mar. 21
Yountville, CA: Taste of Yountville - Mar. 21
Monterey, VA: Highland Maple Festival - Mar. 21-22

Source

In Season: Sweet Limes

YumSugar — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 05:50:06 -0800

Although the assortment of produce seems to be more varied when the weather is warmer, I encountered an unusual fruit on a recent trip to the farmers market: the sweet lime. Also referred to as a Palestine sweet lime, the citrus fruit is native to India, where it's used medicinally to allay upset stomachs, nausea, and throat infections. It's still somewhat obscure in America, but the hardy lime, which blooms in Winter and Spring, has long been commercially grown in Vietnam, Egypt, along the Mediterranean coastline, and in states such as California and Florida. To learn how sweet limes get their yellow color, read more.

Generally, limes are picked while they're still green, but they actually turn yellowish in color when completely mature. Likewise, green sweet limes, while unoffensive, have yet to reach their full sweetness. Rather than having a high amount of sugar, the fruit contains less acid than ordinary limes, causing it to taste sweeter. Although the fruit's pale yellow flesh is praised for its mildness and palatability, some have described the fruit's taste as insipid due to its complete lack of tartness.

A few ways to use sweet limes:

Make sweet limeade, or add some to your ice water for a refreshing aroma.
Use the fruit's juice to make sweet lime-flavored granita.
Incorporate the fragrant peel into in a homemade marmalade.
Toss into a Winter fruit salad for an unusual bite.
Tone down your cocktails by using in place of sour limes.

If you've ever encountered sweet limes, how do you enjoy them?