YumSugar

Can You Identify the Bean?

YumSugar — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:00:08 -0800

You might think that since New Year's is over, there are no more holidays to celebrate for a while, but you're wrong: today is National Bean Day! For thousands of years, legumes have served as a staple ingredient to virtually every culture in the world because they're nutritious, healthy, and affordable.

As Americans become increasingly conscious of their waistlines and their spending, I predict that the country's obsession with beans will continue to grow.

The real question is, how do you fare when it comes to identifying them? Find out when you take our quiz.

Source

Take the quiz

National Root Beer Float Day: The First Black Cow

partysugar — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 01:18:31 -0700

With smooth vanilla ice cream, coppery root beer, and frothy foam, a root beer float is an all-American classic. Root beer was manufactured, bottled, and sold starting in 1880, and legend has it that thirteen years later, the root beer float, which is sometimes referred to as a black cow, was first invented. After glancing out the window late one night, Frank Wisner of Cripple Creek, Colorado, was inspired to float a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of his glass of root beer. The illumination of the full moon allowed him to glimpse the snow on top of nearby Cow Mountain. The tasty treat was tremendously popular among the town's children, who then called it a "black cow."

Image Source

Would You Drink Kopi Luwak Coffee?

YumSugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:50:33 -0700

In honor of today being National Coffee Day, I thought I'd ask all you coffee lovers out there how far you'd go for a good brew. At more than $100 a pound, kopi luwak, also known as civet coffee, likely takes the title of the world's most expensive coffee. But it also holds the title of world's only twice-consumed coffee.

Before you've enjoyed it, it's been consumed by the palm civet, a cat-sized mammal native to Southeast Asia. The civet, or luwak, eats fresh coffee berries, which are collected by coffee specialists after they've been excreted. The beans are then washed in spring water and sold as coffee.

According to civet coffee connoisseurs, the animal's digestive enzymes help to mellow out the acidity, causing it to taste mild and smooth. I think I could give it a try - so long as you didn't tell me what it was first. What about you? Have you ever tried civet coffee?

Why Settle For Ordinary S'Mores?

YumSugar — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 01:31:41 -0700

Today is National S'mores Day and while you could easily whip up a batch by going for the standard graham crackers, Hershey's bar and jet-puff marshmallows, why not treat yourself to something a little more decadent? Recchiuti Chocolates of San Francisco is offering a deluxe S'more's Kit for you to savor. The eight serving kit comes complete with handmade vanilla bean marshmallows, delicious Recchiuti Grahams and a wonderfully bittersweet (85%) chocolate bar. The kit will cost you $22, but National S'mores Day only comes once a year, and besides you're worth it, right?

Have You Ever Eaten Peking Duck?

YumSugar — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 01:31:31 -0800

This past October, I was lucky enough to find myself in Beijing, eating platefuls of Peking Duck. The Quanjude Roast Duck restaurant was established in 1979 and is one of Beijing's "must try" foods. There are actually several locations, and the one I visited did not let me down. The chefs carve the delicious duck table-side and when it hits your lips, it just melts. The fragrant duck meat is complemented by thin crepe-like pancakes, plum/bean sauce and some sliced cucumbers, jalapenos and lettuce. Our feast lasted quite some time, and I only left the restaurant because we had devoured every last bite, and they were closing. I'm pretty sure someone had to roll me out of the place, I was in such a food-coma bliss, that it's a bit of a blur.

So why am I talking about Peking Duck? Well it turns out that today, Jan. 18 is National Peking Duck Day. I thought you might be interested to hear about it, and then I was wondering, have you ever had Peking Duck?

View 7 Photos ›

What's Yummy This Week: YumSugar Weekly Recap

YumSugar — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 11:00:49 -0700

For a crowd-pleasing appetizer, try making mini crab cakes a la Desperate Housewives.
Partysugar's Halloween Bash is fast approaching, and she needs help finding some special Halloween treats.
Pick a pumpkin baking project: pumpkin cream-cheese cookie bars or baby pumpkins with garlic custard.
If you're not a pumpkin fan, these spiderweb cookies are too cute to pass up.
National Nut Day has come and gone, but it's not too late to take our nutty quiz.
Is your favorite kind of bean an ingredient in this classic Italian soup? If so, can you name the dish?
Try a new twist on roasted pork with these easy red chile pork tacos.
Then tell me: How does this photo make you feel?
And finally, help us by taking the annual YumSugar survey!