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Red Lobster Adding Wood Grills in Attempt to Revive Sales

YumSugar — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 03:00:35 -0800

Darden Restaurants announced that beginning next week, it will install wood-fired grills in all 680 Red Lobster restaurants.

The company has been testing the wood-grilled menu for over a year, and will train 3,500 employees on the grills. New items will be going on the menu, such as wood-grilled lobster, wood-grilled sirloin and shrimp, and wood-grilled fish. According to the chain's president, Kim Lopdrup:

This is the most comprehensive culinary and menu change in Red Lobster's history. Wood-fired grilling introduces our guests to a whole new way to enjoy seafood.

Red Lobster's announcement to add these costly new grills comes at a time when the casual restaurant chain industry has stumbled. Chains such as Bennigan's, Steak & Ale, Ponderosa, and Bonanza have all filed for bankruptcy protection in the past year. Do the wood-grilled menu items sound appetizing to you, and will they be enough to turn Red Lobster around?

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How Rich Is Your Lobster Knowledge?

YumSugar — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 05:30:47 -0700

Like caviar, lobster is a food that's synonymous with luxury. Who among us hasn't joked about ordering the lobster when someone else is paying for dinner? But lobster isn't always hoity-toity: the shellfish has also inspired lobster bibs and Red Lobster restaurants.

In honor of National Lobster Day today (Friday the 13th!), take my quiz to see how much you know about this delicious dish.

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Must-Read: The Balthazar Cookbook

YumSugar — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 03:30:51 -0700

Even for those of us who don't live in New York, it's hard to ignore the accolades of Balthazar, Keith McNally's world-famous SoHo brasserie that's been perennially packed since it opened over a decade ago.

New Yorkers may think it's still hard to book a rez, but those of us on the West Coast really can't snag a seat for brunch. That's why I was psyched to get my hands on a copy of The Balthazar Cookbook ($24.75). Find out if the book deserves the same reputation as its namesake restaurant when you read more.
Pros:

A comprehensive anthology of France's seminal dishes, from bouillabaisse to cassoulet.
Elegant layout and stunning action shots make this a gorgeous coffee table tome.
Sidebar notes include techniques and suggestions for locating obscure products.

Cons:

With its beautiful red binding, elegant typography, and stylish photos, this compilation of recipes is almost too attractive to use.
Many recipes, such as potato gnocchi or cod with lobster, are not for the beginner cook.
Labor-intensive dishes (like Koulibiac - seared salmon with spinach, lettuce, rice, and mushrooms, all wrapped in puff pastry) seem better off ordered at a restaurant.

Recipes: The book includes all of the classic, national dishes of France. These dishes caught my eye:

Balthazar salad
Salt Cod Brandade
Onion Soup Gratinée
Duck Confit
Côte de Boeuf
Spaetzle
Banana Tarte Tatin

Imagery: More often than not, the recipes include vivid and luscious corresponding photos.

Overall Rating: While not the most practical of cookbooks, this book would be a great purchase for die-hard Balthazar fans, or experienced home cooks looking for a go-to for classic French favorites.

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Exercise in Excess: The French Laundry Part 2

YumSugar — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 08:01:18 -0700

Yesterday I walked you through the first part of my extravagant time at the French Laundry, and while everything I posted was definitely tasty, you guys haven't even seen the meat of the story (bad pun intended). Today I'll take you from fish course to beef and all the lovely bits in-between.

After the foie gras, the next course was either Filet of American Red Snapper with Summer Squash, San Marzano Tomato "Fondue," Cuttlefish and Arugula-Castelvetrano Olive Pudding (shown right) or Spanish Mackerel "En Escabeche" with Hawaiian Hearts of Peach Palm, English Cucumbers, Cilantro Shoots, Haas Avocado "Coulis" and Rangpur Lime "Gastrique" (shown above). I ordered the snapper, while Jimmy ordered the mackerel. When our dishes arrived I was envious of his dish - the presentation was so gorgeous - however after tasting both of them, his fell a little flat and I was certain I picked the winning dish.

To see what's up next (and believe me, the best parts are next),read more

Once the fish was devoured, they presented us with a selection of fresh baked breads. There were some delicious choices, but my favorite was definitely the pretzel bread. [Note to self: get recipe for pretzel bread.]

With the bread out of the way, we moved on to the lobster course, or as the menu said: Lobster Tail "Pochée Au Beurre Doux" with Caramelized Cipollini Onions, Oregon Hazelnuts, Sunchoke Purée and Valrhona Chocolate-Coffee Emulsion. I believe this was my favorite part of the meal, as it was perfectly cooked and paired well with the sauce. Also, whenever anyone asks how my experience was, I immediately tell them about the lobster, so this must've been my favorite part.

After the lobster it was time for either All-Day Braised Kurobuta Pork Belly with Brentwood Corn, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Piquillo Peppers, Fava Beans and "Pimenton Jus" (shown right) or Devil's Gulch Ranch Rabbit Shoulder "Farci Au Ris De Veau" with Jacobsen's Farm La Ratte Potatoes, Lovage, Celery Branch and Apricot Mustard (aka fancy pants rabbit lollipop that my fellow diners wished they ordered instead).

Finally, rounding out the main course, and pushing out my waistline, was the "Chateaubriand" of Nature-Fed Veal with Morel Mushrooms, Green Asparagus, Veal Cheek "Pierogi" and Madeira Sauce. This might actually have been the highlight of the feast. However, at this point I had way too many glasses of wine and far too much brioche to fully enjoy it. In fact, I'm ashamed to say, I actually had to GIVE 1/3 of it to my fellow diners. I also couldn't down all the pierogi, which was a crying shame because they were delicious.

Now wipe up your drool, because after a little breather (seriously, I had to get up for a minute and catch my breath and appetite), we'll hit the cheese & dessert courses tomorrow - so be sure to come back!

Chinese New Year Fun Facts

partysugar — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 09:57:32 -0800

Boy is it my lucky week: two holidays = two lists of fun facts... Woo-hoo! I am jumping for joy at my desk right now. I enjoy collecting random bits of useless knowledge about traditional holidays and festivals. It's my secret weapon: when I'm at a party and suddenly find myself at a loss for words, I simply state one of my fun facts. If you get nervous about attending parties where you don't know a lot of people, I highly recommend memorizing a few interesting, yet completely pointless facts. The Chinese are very superstitious and there are lots of little things you should and should not do on and around the New Year. Did you know that to cry on New Year's Day is to cry all year long, so children are indulged and never spanked on Chinese New Year? Or that Chinese New Year is actually celebrated over a 15 day long period? To learn the politically correct name of Chinese New Year and much more, read more

The politically correct term is now Lunar New Year, as opposed to Chinese New Year since many Asian cultures other than China's observe the lunar calendar.
The Chinese year is based on the cycles of the moon. This is called a lunar schedule (hence the Lunar New Year).
A complete cycle of the Chinese calendar takes 60 years.
The Chinese calendar dates back to 2600 B.C. It is the oldest known calendar.
2007 is the Year of the Boar (pig).
Red is considered a lucky color in China.
At one time wedding dresses were red.

The Chinese pay tribute to the Kitchen God at the end of a lunar year. The Kitchen God's mission is to inform the chief spirits of a family's behavior over the past year. A household burns a paper image of the Kitchen God, so that he may ascend to the Jade Emperor in the heavens. The Chinese include a paper horse to lift him on his journey, while the Vietnamese prefer a carp fish. Some families smear the lips of the Kitchen God with honey or sweet glutinous rice, to ensure he says sweet things about them.
According to superstition you must clean your house thoroughly to sweep away misfortune and make way for good luck and fortune in the coming year. The old year and its spirits are banished by sweeping the floors before New Year's Day. (Don't sweep on New Year's Day itself - you'll sweep away the New Year fortune if you do.)
The house should be decorated with paper cutouts of the words happiness, wealth and longevity.
Shooting fireworks on New Year's Eve scares away the old year, and households open up windows and doors at midnight as exits for the old year.

At New Year, special emphasis is placed on the symbology of different foods. Here are what a few foods symbolize:

Bamboo shoots = wealth
Black moss seaweed = wealth
Dried Bean Curd = happiness (note: fresh tofu is not served because the color white symbolizes death and misfortune in Chinese culture).
Chicken = happiness and marriage (especially when served with "dragon foods," such as lobster), family reunion (if served whole)

Eggs = fertility
Egg Rolls = wealth
Fish served whole = prosperity
Chinese garlic chives = everlasting, a long life
Lychee nuts = close family ties
Noodles = A long life
Oranges = wealth
Peanuts = a long life
Pomelo = abundance, prosperity, having children
Seeds = lotus seeds, watermelon seeds, etc. - having a large number of children
Tangerines = luck

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