YumSugar

Restaurants Are Dirtier Than You'd Like to Know

partysugar — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 10:15:15 -0700

A recent study by the Center For Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has shown that restaurants are incredibly dirty. From moldy refrigerators to live cockroaches to unsanitary prep and cook surfaces, the study illustrates the huge number of restaurants that are cited with health-code violations. Sarah Klein, an attorney for the CSPI, explains why most restaurants have a long way to go before they meet the Food and Drug Administration's health codes:

Restaurants aren't motivated to pass a very high safety bar. A restaurant may commit violations that the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention would classify as most critical - improper holding temperatures, poor employee hygiene, food bought from unsafe sources, food that is not thoroughly cooked, or food surfaces that are not properly disinfected - without much fear of being shut down. Even violations that involve rat infestations or unwell employees (restaurant workers tend not to get paid sick days) also may not lead to closure. Restaurants only have the incentive to do what they need to do to stay open. The consumer would never know how close they were to being shut down.

While opposition is quick to point out that the inspectors could have been too harsh, I have a feeling the study's disturbing conclusions may be true. After all, Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares takes an insider's look at such kitchens. Although the findings don't list the restaurants' names, it does provide the public with a breakdown of the worst and best cities in terms of health expectations. To find out how your city ranked, read more.

Austin, Texas: 58 violations in 30 restaurants

Boston: 63 violations in 30 restaurants

Milwaukee: 27 violations in 20 restaurants

Colorado Springs, Colo.: 46 violations in 30 restaurants

Kansas City, Mo.: 41 violations in 30 restaurants

Pittsburgh: 40 violations in 30 restaurants

Denver: 35 violations in 30 restaurants

Las Vegas: 30 violations in 25 restaurants

Washington, D.C.: 27 violations in 25 restaurants

New York: 32 violations in 30 restaurants

Atlanta: 19 violations in 20 restaurants

Portland: 25 violations in 27 restaurants

Baltimore: 14 violations in 14 restaurants

Minneapolis, Minn.: 31 violations in 29 restaurants

Chicago: 22 violations in 30 restaurants

St. Louis: 17 violations in 27 restaurants

Seattle: 16 violations in 30 restaurants

Philadelphia: 16 violations in 23 restaurants

San Francisco: 15 violations in 30 restaurants

Tucson, Ariz.: 14 violations in 29 restaurants

Source

Food Sizes Shrinking, Prices Stay the Same

partysugar — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 10:15:02 -0700

On Friday afternoon I was in the ice cream aisle at my local grocery store. Since food is incredibly pricey these days, I was searching for the cheapest vanilla ice cream. As I reached for what I thought was the cheapest, my bff pointed out that it was actually a smaller container with a more expensive price tag! As we all know, ice cream cartons aren't the only items on grocery store shelves that are shrinking, and Time magazine reports on the growing trend:

Soaring commodity and fuel prices are driving up costs for manufacturers; faced with a choice between raising prices (which consumers would surely notice) or quietly putting fewer ounces in the bag, carton or cup (which they generally don't) manufacturers are choosing the latter. This month, Kellogg's started shipping Apple Jacks, Cocoa Krispies, Corn Pops, Froot Loops and Honey Smacks containing an average of 2.4 fewer ounces per box.

Other brands that are offering consumers shrunken products at unchanged prices are Tropicana, Wrigley's, Hellman's, and Country Crock. Have you noticed any of these smaller products at your supermarket?

Source

Cheers To Peanuts

partysugar — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 03:00:11 -0700

On today's date in 1965, the characters of the popular cartoon comic strip, Peanuts, were on the cover of Time magazine. Peanuts was arguably the most popular of comic strips, and created solely by cartoonist Charles M. Schulz. The year before the Peanuts gang graced the cover of the magazine, Schulz created one of television's most beloved specials, A Charlie Brown Christmas. In the Peanuts comic strip, when Charlie Brown's sister Sally was born, the characters celebrated by enjoying a round of chocolate cigars. Revisit Charlie, Peppermint Patti, and friends by enjoying a box of delicious chocolate cigars today. Oh and if anybody remembers Charlie Brown's favorite food, please tell me what it is, I've been going crazy trying to figure it out...

Also, in a semi-related note: Peanuts, the edible legume, are the most common food allergy in children and are found in many shapes and forms as a groundnut, eaten plain or roasted, in salted and unsalted varieties, as peanut butter and peanut oil.

Happy Hour: The Normandy

YumSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:00:03 -0800

Over the weekend, something monumental happened: I discovered what is quite possibly the world's most perfect Fall cocktail. The Normandy, as it's called, has cool weather written all over it, with ingredients like cranberries, green apples, and Calvados, a type of French apple brandy from - you guessed it - Normandy.

The tipple balances all the elements you'd ever hope for in a drink. It's simultaneously cool and warm, sweet and tart. Despite being incredibly basic, its elegant simplicity has more sophistication than most of today's overthought cocktails. My only problem? Now that the pursuit for The Thanksgiving Cocktail is over, what do I look forward to? The drink to end all other Autumn drinks, when you read more.

Would You Care if Tipping Didn't Exist?

YumSugar — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 12:30:59 -0700

A provocative article that appeared in a recent issue of the New York Times Magazine broaches the question of whether America should still require tips.

The idea behind tipping is that it improves service by rewarding good waiters and punishing bad ones. But advocates for eliminating tipping say this logic is false, and they believe working for tips discourages teamwork. What's your two cents?

Source

Reader Recipe: Black Bean Tortilla Soup

Yum Community — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:50:10 -0800

This story was written by member SweetPeasMom and comes from the Kitchen Goddess group in the YumSugar Community. The soup looks like it would make a wonderful cold-weather dinner. It's quick, simple, and perfect for busy weeknights. Check out her recipe when you read more

Food Section Sampler - Nov. 4, 2009

YumSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:30:07 -0800

Isaac Mizrahi is now hawking plaid cheesecakes for QVC. - Women's Wear Daily
Did Gourmet magazine die by trying too hard to be all things to all people? - Los Angeles Times
One Brooklynite re-creates the famed St. Louis gooey butter cake. - New York Times
The economy hasn't quelled America's appetite for luxury foods. - San Francisco Chronicle
The science behind how gelatin works. - Boston Globe
Look forward to enjoying new cocktail classics. - Washington Post
Restaurants have a new way to cut back: Re-creating recipes to conserve on ingredients. - Wall Street Journal

Stun Friends With Martha Stewart's Snake Cake

partysugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:00:50 -0700

Sometimes I'll be flipping through a cooking magazine and see an item, say a chocolate cheesecake with a ganache glaze and a green sparkly sugar snake, and think, I'm going to make that. The majority of the time I rip out the recipe, add it to the "must-make" stack, and forget about it. But, sometimes the stars align and I do end up making said item. And so is the tale of the snake cake from the current issue of Martha Stewart Living.

Don't be intimidated, this cake is not that hard to make. It's a standard chocolate cheesecake and typical chocolate ganache. The most difficult part is cutting out the snake stencil. Completing the cake is wildly rewarding, I found it more satisfying than actually eating a piece, and regretted not making it for a party where it could be properly displayed and admired. It's perfect for Halloween or a Harry Potter-themed birthday party, so if you're feeling daring, get the recipe and read more.

Snake Cake With Venom Glaze
From Martha Stewart Living

Ingredients

For the crust
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the filling
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoonsunsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 pounds plus 10 ounces cream cheese, softened (from six 8-ounce blocks)
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs plus 1 large yolk
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (preferably 61 percent cacao), melted and cooled slightly
Boiling water, for pan
For the glaze
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (preferably 61 percent cacao)
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
For the decoration
Snake stencil
Green and red* powdered food coloring

Directions

Make the crust: Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Beat butter and sugars with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in yolk and vanilla. Reduce speed to low, and mix in flour mixture, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Press dough evenly into bottom of a 10-inch springform pan** to form a 1/4-inch-thick crust. Let chill in freezer for 15 minutes. Bake until firm, about 15 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Leave oven on.
Make the filling: Whisk together granulated sugar, flour, and cocoa powder. Beat cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy, scraping down sides as needed, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add the sugar mixture, and mix until smooth. Add sour cream and vanilla, and mix until smooth. Add eggs and yolk, 1 at a time, mixing just to combine after each addition. Add chocolate, and mix until combined.
Wrap exterior of springform pan with a double layer of foil. Pour filling onto prepared crust, and set springform pan in a large roasting pan. Fill roasting pan with enough boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of springform pan. Bake cheesecake for 45 minutes.
Reduce heat to 325 degrees. Bake until set but slightly wobbly in the center, about 30 minutes more. Turn oven off; leave cake in oven with door ajar for 1 hour.
Transfer springform pan to a wire rack, remove foil, and let cake cool completely. Run an offset spatula or a knife around edge of cake, and carefully unmold. Set cake on wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet.
Make the glaze: Combine chocolate and corn syrup in a small bowl. Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour cream over chocolate. Let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. (Do not whisk too much or bubbles will form). Let cool for 10 minutes.
Decorate the cake: Pour glaze over cake in a circular motion, starting at the center and slowly moving outward toward the edge, to cover entire surface. Refrigerate, uncovered, until set, at least 4 hours (or overnight). Cake can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Set snake stencil on cake: Print template. Place it under a sheet of calendar vinyl. Use a permanent marker to trace the outline and the snake design onto vinyl. Working on a cutting mat, use a craft knife to cut along the lines. Work slowly and carefully. The vinyl will dull the knife's blade; change the blade as necessary. Sift green powdered food coloring over snake, avoiding the tongue, Carefully sift red powdered food coloring over tongue.

Serves 10-12.

*I used pink sugar instead of red, because that's what I had on hand.

**I made this in a 9-inch springform pan and had lots of leftover batter.

Print recipe with images | without images

View 33 Photos ›

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Blondies. Enough Said.

partysugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:00:51 -0700

When I saw this recipe on the last page of October's Everyday Food magazine, I knew, instantly, that I had to make it. Reese's Pieces are my favorite Halloween candy and the thought of their crunchy shell and peanut butter filling in combination with brown-sugar blondies was too good to be true.

Unfortunately, the day I planned on making them, I couldn't find Reese's Pieces anywhere and didn't have time to run to another grocery store. Thus, I grabbed the next best thing: Reese's peanut butter cups. The resulting blondies weren't as festive as the original, but they sure were scrumptious! To check out the super easy recipe that can be topped with your preferred Halloween chocolate, read more.

Halloween Blondies
From Everyday Food

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus more, room temperature, for pan
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1/4 cup each orange, yellow, and brown candy-coated chocolates (from a 12.6-ounce bag) or 8 Reese's peanut butter cups, removed from their wrappers and corasely chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Brush an 8-inch square baking pan with butter; line pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Butter paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together butter and sugars until smooth. Whisk in eggs and vanilla. Add flour and salt; stir just until moistened. Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth top. Arrange candies or chopped peanut butter cups in 12 rows (2 rows per color, repeating once) on top of dough.
Bake until top of cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Set pan on a wire rack and let cool completely. Using parchment overhang, lift cake from pan and transfer to a cutting board; cut into 16 squares. To store, keep in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 2 days.

Makes 16.

Print recipe with images | without images

View 15 Photos ›

Yummy Links: The Food World Mourns Gourmet

partysugar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 04:00:58 -0700

Looking back at 68 years of covers. - Eater
Go inside the first magazine ever, 1941's holiday issue.- Serious Eats
Alice Waters remembers the first time she read it. - Grub Street SF
What's next for Ruth Reichl? She'll write a book about her 10 years at Conde Nast. - Diner's Journal
The empty cubicles mark the end of an era. - Gawker
All of the recipes will continue to live on Epicurious. - The Epi-Log
What New York City's chefs are saying about it. - Grub Street NY