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Homemade Ceviche Is Fresh, Flavorful, and Fabulous

partysugar — Sat, 30 May 2009 08:00:04 -0700

Ceviche is a cool and delicious dish in which raw fish is marinated in fresh citrus juice. The acid of the juice "cooks" the fish until it is firm and plump. It's a wonderful Summer course that can be served as an appetizer with tortilla chips or placed atop a bed of greens as an entree. Although it may not be the most authentic Peruvian recipe, this is my favorite rendition of ceviche. It's packed with vibrant colors and crunchy flavors. When making any variation of ceviche, it's important to purchase the most fresh fish available. Using fish that has been previously frozen won't yield the same results. If experimenting with this scrumptious dish popular in Latin America is of interest to you, check out this rewarding recipe and read more.

Ceviche
From Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

12 ounces very fresh (sushi-grade) white-fleshed ocean fish, such as grouper, wahoo, sea bass, or red snapper*
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons pineapple juice
1 1/2 tablespoons finely diced serrano pepper
2 tablespoons finely diced yellow bell pepper
2 tablespoons finely diced red bell pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons minced red onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon good quality extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 (3-inch) plantain chips*
Lime wedges, for serving

Directions

Cut the fish into 1/4-inch dice. Place in a glass dish with the lime juice, orange juice, pineapple juice, peppers, onions, and garlic, tossing to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
Add the cilantro, olive oil, and salt. Fold gently to mix. Serve ceviche in martini glasses and garnish with fried plantain chips and lime wedges.

Serves 4.

*I used halibut and chose to serve the ceviche with tortilla chips.

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Happy Hour: Caipirinha

YumSugar — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 14:00:30 -0800

It may be the dead of Winter, but this past weekend, San Francisco felt like pure Summer, with clear skies and balmy temperatures. I decided to celebrate with a drink that couldn't be more appropriate: the Caipirinha.

This drink, is made with limes, as well as a special liquor called achaça, which incidentally happens to be the national liquor of Brazil. Over the past five years, cachaça has developed a large fan base in the United States. Like rum, it's made from sugarcane, but while rum is made from distilled molasses, cachaça is the product of fermented sugarcane juice. To make this cocktail, you can choose any brand, but I used Água Luca ($28.99), a premium variety of cachaça that's filtered a whopping 12 times.

On the nose, it resembles tequila, and it has a light, clean flavor with a slightly sweet finish. Although Água Luca can easily be enjoyed by itself on the rocks, its sweet-tart flavor is incredible when used in a caipirinha. To transport your palate to Brazil, read more.

Caipirinha
From Água Luca

Ingredients

2 oz. cachaça
1 oz. simple syrup
1 lime, quartered
Cracked ice

Directions

In a shaker, muddle sugar and limes thoroughly.
Add cachaça and cracked ice. Shake vigorously and pour contents of shaker, including ice, into an old-fashioned glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Makes 1 cocktail.

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A Condiment Worth Making: Chimichurri

partysugar — Mon, 19 May 2008 09:07:36 -0700

When I went to South America, I made it my mission to find an amazing chimichurri recipe. The green paste-like sauce is Argentina's most popular condiment. An essential topping for grilled meat, the sauce is incredibly easy to make and much more delicious than anything that comes out of a bottle.

Since Memorial Day is this weekend, I thought you might be interested in experimenting with my recipe. After tasting chimichurri at countless restaurants, I came across this variation at a packed parilla. I begged the waiter for the recipe and wrote it down on a napkin that I still have. To experiment with this scrumptious sauce - it's delicious on grilled fish, chicken, or even vegetables - read more.

Chimichurri
Original recipe by PartySugar

This recipe should be used as a guide and can easily be adapted to your liking and taste.

Ingredients

1 cup fresh oregano, finely minced
1 tablespoon garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon red pepper, finely minced
1 tablespoon Spanish Pimenton Picante (or smoky Spanish Paprika)
1/4-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper

Directions
Combine first five ingredients in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes about 3/4 cup of sauce.

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South America's Most Beloved Cookie: The Alfajor

partysugar — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 12:45:16 -0700

Upon my early morning arrival the first time I visited Buenos Aires, I begged my sister to take me to a decent cafeteria, where I immediately ordered a cortado. Along with the espresso came a small but delicious sandwich cookie. My sister explained that this cookie, the "alpha whore," was as ubiquitous in South America as chocolate chip cookies are in the US. While the name made me laugh, the subtle butter taste highlighted with the creamy caramel filling made me hungry for more. However, you don't have to travel south of the equator to enjoy these delightful cookies. To whip up a batch - they make excellent gifts and pair nicely with coffee - read more

Alfajores
From Diana's Desserts

For the Dulce de Leche Filling:
2 cups milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons brown sugar
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 stick (1 oz/28g) unsalted butter
For the Cookie Dough:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 stick (2 oz/56g) butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Few drops of rum (optional)
Pinch of grated lemon peel (optional)
For Garnish: (optional)
Confectioners' sugar
Dark chocolate, melted
Milk chocolate, melted

Prepare the Filling: Boil the milk with the sugars, salt and baking soda. Let it cook for about 1 1/2 hours on a very low flame (if cooking on an electric stovetop, cook on low heat), stirring regularly. Cover the pot with plastic wrap and place pot inside a larger pot with boiling water. Cook for another 1 1/2 hours. The mixture should get sticky and become caramelized. Remove from heat, add butter and vanilla extract, stir and allow to cool. You may prepare the dulce de leche ahead of time and store, covered, in the refrigerator.
Prepare the Cookie Dough: Mix all the ingredients together to make a thick dough. If it is too dry, add some water. Refrigerate the dough for 2 hours. Remove and let stand to soften.
Roll out dough to 1/8 of an inch thick and use a floured 2 to 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter to cut cookie dough into circles.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C).
Bake the cookies for about 8 to 10 minutes, until the tops are a very pale golden brown. Cool completely on wire racks.
When ready to eat, spread dulce de leche cream between 2 cookie rounds. If desired, cover with melted chocolate or confectioner's sugar. If you opt to cover the cookies with chocolate, melt the dark chocolate and milk chocolate together on top of the stove (over very low heat) or in a microwave oven.

Substitute: In place of the rum, try using rum extract or add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the cookie dough.

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Che Guevara's Granddaughter Shows Skin For PETA Campaign

YumSugar — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:35:58 -0700

PETA is targeting South America as the market for its latest campaign. The organization's spokesperson? None other than Lydia Guevara, granddaughter of Marxist leader Ernesto "Che" Guevara. In the organization's first-ever South American campaign for vegetarianism, the scantily clad Lydia, a vegetarian, wears nothing but bandoliers of baby carrots and a red beret, in a reference to her grandfather, a revolutionary who contributed to Fidel Castro's rise to leadership in Cuba.

"It very much evokes the tagline of the ad, which is 'Join the vegetarian revolution," said PETA representative Michael McGraw. "It's an homage of sorts to her late grandfather." What do you think of the campaign? Does it get your attention in the right way, or it is too racy and politically charged?

Source

Noteworthy Nibbles - Apr. 21-28, 2009

YumSugar — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:00:24 -0700

If you thought last week was jam-packed with food events, then get excited for this week, as the festivals just get better. If I could teleport myself around the world, there's no question I'd hit up the nation's celebrations, from pickles to pie to asparagus to spam.

We will, however, be supporting the cause to end childhood hunger at Share Our Strength's Taste of the Nation series (if you're signed up to go to the San Francisco event, perhaps we'll see you there!). If you know of any other events we've left off the list, chime in below!

Dallas, TX: Dallas Wine & Food Festival - Apr. 22-26
Beaufort, NC: Beaufort Wine & Food weekend - Apr. 22-26
Sugarland, TX: The Grand Wine & Food Affair - Apr. 22-26
San Francisco, CA: Taste of the Nation San Francisco - Apr. 23
New Haven, CT: Taste of the Nation New Haven - Apr. 23
Wilmington, DE: Taste of the Nation Wilmington - Apr. 23
Mount Olive, NC: North Carolina Pickle Festival - Apr. 24-25
Stockton, CA: Asparagus Festival - Apr. 24-26
Pompano Beach, FL: Pompano Beach Seafood Festival - Apr. 24-26
Waikiki, HI: Waikiki Spam Jam - Apr. 25
La Crosse, WI: Between the Bluffs Beer, Wine & Cheese Festival - Apr. 25
Celebration, FL: Great American Pie Festival - Apr. 25

To see the rest, read more.

San Francisco, CA: San Francisco Beer Festival - Apr. 25
Vidalia, GA: Vidalia Onion Festival - Apr. 25-26
Maui, HI: Taro Festival - Apr. 25-26
Branson, MO: Missouri Wine Fest - Apr. 25-26
South Pittsburg, TN: National Cornbread Festival - Apr. 25-26
Pittsburgh, PA: Pittsburgh Wine Festival - Apr. 25-30
Toledo, OH: Taste of the Nation Toledo - Apr. 26
Portland, OR: Taste of the Nation Portland - Apr. 27
Worcester, MA: Taste of the Nation Worcester - Apr. 27

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Are Chicken Fried and Country Fried Steak the Same Thing?

YumSugar — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 03:30:19 -0700

I've always been curious to know myself - so you can imagine my delight when The New York Times and Southern food expert John T. Edge answered my own personal burning question. Find out what the answer is when you read more.

To many Americans, the terms "chicken fried steak" and "country fried steak" are used interchangeably to describe steak that's been pounded, coated and fried, and served with gravy. But there is a regional distinction, Edge maintains: Country-fried steak is a "pan-Southern" dish - a dish that sort of embodies the cuisine of the collective South - and is usually simmered in gravy. Chicken fried steak is a Texas variation that's fried and served alongside creamy gravy.

Other authorities contend that chicken fried steak, a favorite in Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, is deep-fried in the manner of fried chicken, as opposed to country fried steak - popular in Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and the Carolinas - which is dredged and then pan-fried in gravy. And although the gravy in country fried steak may be brown or white, chicken fried steak is served with a white pepper gravy.

Were you aware of the distinction? Do you prefer country fried steak or chicken fried steak?

Could the US and France Resolve the Roquefort Dispute?

YumSugar — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 09:00:17 -0700

For months now the US and France have been engaged in a stinky war over taxes on Roquefort, the pungent blue cheese from the south of France. The 300 percent import duty, which President George W. Bush enacted right before he left office, was scheduled to take effect March 23. But in the riff over Roquefort, might Presidents Barack Obama and Nicolas Sarkozy be able to smooth things over? Federal trade agency officials, hoping to strike middle ground with France, have postponed the tariff; it is now scheduled to take effect April 23. A duty on the cheese was first proposed in 1999 in response to a European Union ban on hormone-treated American beef. Said agency spokesperson Nefeterius McPherson: "The Obama administration is continuing the long-standing US policy of trying to reach a negotiated settlement that offers real benefits to the US beef industry."

France has also continued to lobby for the cheese in the States, since a tax would have drastic consequences on the availability of Roquefort. Martin Malvy, president of the cheese's home region, even sent President Obama a special package of the blue cheese for his inauguration. The delay shows hope that the two nations may find middle ground. Are you taking this as a good sign, or do you think the trade on this famed, blue-veined cheese is destined to crumble?

Source

A Delightful Day at See's Candies

YumSugar — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 03:30:34 -0700

Today isn't just St. Patrick's Day; it also happens to be American Chocolate Week! To celebrate - and because I had so much fun quizzing you on See's Candies last month - I took a rare private tour of the company's South San Francisco plant. When I walked through the parking lot smelling nothing but chocolate, I knew I was in for a treat. To join me on my adventures, keep reading.

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Trend Alert: Healthier Snack Chips

partysugar — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 10:15:22 -0800

When Oprah declared that she would stop eating organic blue corn tortilla chips in favor of sweet potato chips, little did she know that the food industry was one step ahead of her. Healthier, alternative snack chips were a huge trend at last weekend's Fancy Foods Show. With names like Corazonas and Yuka, these chips have South American roots. Corazonas the only chip made with potatoes, stood out because they actually help lower cholesterol. The rest of the chips, feature an up and coming tuber, known as the cassava. To find out more about this interesting starch, read more.

The cassava is ancient root similar to the potato. After rice and potatoes, it's the world's most widely consumed staple. Thus, it's only natural the cassava be turned into chip form.

Maxi Cassava is a gluten-free chip (and cracker) with an original flavor, while the Yuca brand's cassava was hot and spicy. Out of all the chips I tasted, Joseph Banks black pepper cassava root chips were my favorite. The crisp texture closely resembled thick-cut potato chips and the black pepper flavor was fresh and intense.

Overall, these snacks were intriguing to try once, but I won't incorporate them into my daily diet. Perhaps if I were more of a snacker, I would enjoy them on a regular basis.

Have you tried other root vegetable or cassava chips? What did you think of them?

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