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YumSugar Gift Guide: The Tea Aficionado Grandma

YumSugar — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:00:10 -0800

There are a number of high-end tea gifts that will delight the discerning tea lover in your life. The key is to know what type of drinker she is: If she enjoys hosting afternoon tea, present her with this hand-embellished Fortnum & Mason serving set. For the on-the-go sipper, try a travel tea infuser. Is grandma a stylish trendsetter? Gift her this show-stopping teapot.

For more gift ideas, browse the selection below. Check out all the gift guides on HolidaySugar.

YumSugar Gift Guide: The Geeky Kitchen Dad

YumSugar — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 11:15:16 -0800

Don't know what to get the guy who already has every kitchen gadget known to man? Try these high-tech kitchen appliances. They're so cutting edge, chances are he's never seen them.

Dad will definitely impress his friends in the kitchen when he whips out just-carbonated water or controls grilled meat from a yard's length away at the touch of a button.

For more gift ideas, browse the selection below. Check out all the gift guides on HolidaySugar.

Yum's May Must Haves

partysugar — Thu, 01 May 2008 06:01:00 -0700

May is the unofficial start to my favorite time of year - Summer! To help you savor the magnificent month of May, I've rounded up a few things I'm currently obsessed with. Trust me, these items will make your life more enjoyable. To check out my must haves for May, click the "Start" button.

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George Orwell's Tea Time Tips

partysugar — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 07:51:12 -0700

George Orwell, famed old school author of 1984 (raise your hand if you've read it), was a big time tea drinker. "There are 11 rules for perfect tea making, rules from which nobody should dare depart," said good old George Orwell. His steps to making the perfect cup of tea are at times absolutely absurd (6 spoonfuls of tea leaves? You'll end up with one potent tea!) and specifically objective (Orwell despised when people diluted tea with sugar). Since I'm hosting a tea party this weekend I thought it would be fun to read his tips over and mention them at the party when there is a lull in the conversation. To take a peek at the outdated eleven steps to make a perfect cup of tea, according to George Orwell, read more

George Orwell's Tea Rules:

Use tea from India or Ceylon (Sri Lanka), not China
Use a teapot, preferably ceramic
Warm the pot over direct heat
Tea should be strong - six spoons of leaves per 1 liter

Let the leaves move around the pot - no bags or strainers
Take the pot to the boiling kettle
Stir or shake the pot
Drink out of a tall, mug-shaped tea cup
Don't add creamy milk
Add milk to the tea, not vice versa
No sugar!

Source

Come Party With Me: Knitting Party - Drinks

partysugar — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 07:02:12 -0800

I love ripping pages out of magazines. There's something so satisfying about hearing the tear noise when I rip the pages out, it just makes me happy. I rip out everything and anything: fashion ads to decorate with, recipes to make, beauty products to buy, images to use as inspiration. A while ago I ripped out a page of Harper's Bazaar magazine that had the most beautiful charcoal gray cowl neck knitted sweater. I didn't want to purchase the sweater, I wanted to make it. There was only one teeny little problem: I had no clue how to knit. Well, I actually still don't really have a full understanding and that's why I am hosting a knitting party this Saturday afternoon. It's time to get up off the couch and plan a party that will gather together my girlfriends and teach us a new useful skill as well. The invites were sent and the menu is planned, so today I'm talking about one of my favorite parts of any party: the drinks! For my drink menu, read more

The party takes place in the late afternoon which is the time for both tea and cocktails. Thus I will be offering both options. First I'll set up a Tea Bar by brewing several kettles of different flavored teas. I'll offer a whole bunch of accompaniments for the tea: mini bottles of liquors (amaretto, rum, frangelico, etc.), milk, cream, sugar, lemon, whipped cream, flavored syrups, wedges of fresh citrus, ginger, cinnamon, and vanilla. The tea will be drank from Moroccan style embellished glass glasses.

It's the dead of winter and to liven things up I'll make a tropical Raspberry Rum Punch for the girls who are more in the mood for cocktails than tea. The punch is a vibrant pink color and fits in lovely with the purple/pink color scheme. The punch can be placed on the same banquette where I create the tea bar. It shall be served in festive red wine glasses tied with a piece of dark purple satin ribbon.

As with all of my parties I'll have pitchers of both sparkling and still waters. If anyone fancies a glass of white wine, I'll have a few bottles of Pinot Grigio chilling in the fridge too.

Click on the image below for the recipe:

Next up on the plan: the decorations!

Do you know a cock(or mock)tail that would be absolutely divine at a knitting party? Tell me about it below.

Yum Market Finds: Time For Tea

partysugar — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 16:11:11 -0800

It's tea drinking season and you can't have a steaming cup of heart warming tea without a cute little teapot, right? As I was looking through the Yum Market I noticed that you gals have found some pretty cool pots. Here are a few that are worth sharing:

If you have an old fashioned or country style kitchen this cast iron mustard teapot saved by ForgetMeNot will sit gracefully on the top of your stove.

This teapot doesn't really coincide with the look of your kitchen? Check out these two teapots and read more

For the gal with a sleek, modern, stainless steel kitchen add a punchy splash of vibrant red with this modern, Asian-inspired teapot. Chlyn discovered this beauty that is functional and fashion forward.

Throw a lot of tea parties? Wow your guests with a glass teapot and blooming floral tea. Atkoester found this kettle that allows you to marvel at a natural wonder in the comfort of your own kitchen. This teapot is perfect for serving gorgeously colored liquids.

Keep on saving your fabulous foodie finds in the Yum Market, I'm always impressed by all the crazy cool stuff you discover!

YiXing Teapot: Love It or Hate It?

YumSugar — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 03:29:11 -0700

TeamSugar member aimeeb bookmarked this funny fella. On one hand I love that it's literally a whistling tea kettle, but on the other it's a bit too kitschy for my personal taste. What do you think, would the YiXing Teapot ($26.95) make his way on to your table?

Valentine's Day Gift Guide: Whimsical Kitchen Finds

YumSugar — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 11:43:17 -0800

Today's gift guide is all about the kitchen. Spruce his/hers up with one of these fun finds.

The folks at Alessi always come up with the niftiest products. This time they've created a glamorous way to serve up ice cream. The Big Love Ice Cream Bowl has a stainless center (which will help keep the ice cream cold longer) and a transparent fuchsia base. It also comes complete with a heart shaped spoon (which you can actually buy separately in a set of 6 for $36 or individually for $9).

The next item is something I actually put in the Yum Market a few months ago. However the Heart Tea Kettle is so appropriate for the season that I had to dig it back out and share it with you now. For $19.99 you can show your love with every cup of tea.

Two more Valentine's Day finds, so read more

This adorable, shiny Red Bread Bin will add a burst of cheer to anyone's kitchen counter. It will look wonderfully festive for Valentine's Day, but it will also look great year round.

Looking for something whimsical to brighten his/her day? How about this Heart Bended Spoon. Although it is meant to be bought in bulk (for wedding favors, etc.), you can purchase one for $2.99. The unique bending characteristic will allow you to easily rest the spoon in a cup or a bowl.

Wedding Registry 101: Cookware

YumSugar — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 05:57:31 -0700

To round out our wedding registry tips, I thought I'd cover my favorite category, cookware & bakeware. To begin, look at both of your current pots/pans and see if there are any worth keeping, or any sets you have already started. Also look to see what kind of pans you have, are there any you love and want more of? Or maybe you splurged on a fancy brand only to learn you hated the way they heated. Also think about your cooking style. If you're more health conscious, you may want to consider non-stick so that you can use less oil. If you're an aspiring chef, go for hard anodized stainless or copper for superior heat conductivity. To learn what you should look for when selecting pots, pans and bakeware, as well as a pretty full list of things you might want to register for, read more

Be sure to select materials and styles that reflect your cooking style.
Consider registering for a few different types of pans. Stainless steel requires the least maintenance and can go in the dishwasher, and sometimes you really don't feel like washing the pans by hand.
Copper pans are the best heat conductors, yet cool quickly allowing for maximum heat control. They are also oven safe, however you will have to hand wash them and occasionally polish them too.
Stainless Steel pans have a clean look, and are easy to take care of. They're also oven and dishwasher safe (bonus!).
Enameled Cast Iron pans heat slowly, but distribute heat effectively. The ones with porcelain-enamel insides are stick-resistant and the ones with the porcelain-enamel outsides are quite durable and cute. Plus, the enameled ones are dishwasher and oven safe.
If you don't like baking, then there's probably no need for specialty pans such as springform or popover. You may decide to register for more dinnerware or appliances instead.
Consider registering for pan sets as well as individual pieces. This way you'll break apart the range of prices your guests can choose from.
Cookware should feel good and sturdy in your hands. Also note the weight. If you find the pot too heavy to carry while empty, imagine it full of food.
Be sure to include at least 2 round cake pans and a square or rectangular cake pan. Also most muffin/cupcake recipes yield 24, so you may consider adding two to your registry.
For a fully stocked kitchen, you'll want to consider some of the following:
Cookware:
- Sauce Pans
- Sauté Pans
- Stock Pots
- Frying Pans
- Cast Iron Skillet
- Double Burner Griddle
- Casserole Dishes
- Wok
- Grill Pan
- Braiser
- Roasting Pan
- Paella Pan
- Fish Poacher
- Asparagus Pot
- Double Boiler
- Fondue Pot
- Steamer
- Pressure Cooker
- Tea Kettle
- Dutch Oven

Bakeware:
- Pizza Pans
- Muffin Pans
- Cookie Sheets
- Cake Pans (Round, Square, Rectangular)
- Pie Pans
- Tart Pans
- Loaf Pans
- Bundt Pans
- Popover Pans
- Ramekins
- Rolling Pins
- Springform Pans
- SilPat
- Pizza Stone
- Flour Sifter

- Mixing Bowls
- Cookbook Holder
- Measuring Cups

Shown: Sur La Table Professional HD Hard-Anodized Nonstick 8-Piece Cookware Set