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This Year's Trendy Ingredient

partysugar — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 14:30:06 -0800

In our Best of 2008 poll, the majority of you picked pomegranate as your favorite trendy ingredient this year. However, Yum and I have to disagree. Due to its incredible popularity and extreme exposure (it's been seen everywhere from wrapped around hot dogs to dipped in chocolate) - bacon is our editor's pick for favorite trendy ingredient.

The craze for bacon continues: Now there's a way to add bacon to any website! Bacolicio.us makes everything taste better with bacon - including YumSugar.com!

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What's Your Favorite Trendy Ingredient of 2008?

YumSugar — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:00:28 -0800

Much like fashion or beauty, the epicurean world ebbs and flows. Certain ingredients or techniques fade away into obscurity while others suddenly come to the culinary forefront.

This year it was all about the pig - using the whole thing, from snout to tail. Exotic berries from goji to acai were all the rage. Ingredients with health benefits, such as antioxidant-rich fruits, continued to gain momentum. Which of these items do think is the Best of 2008?

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Let's Dish: What Foods Are You Sick Of?

YumSugar — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 15:00:36 -0800

On last Wednesday's season finale of Top Chef, guest judge Rocco DiSpirito declared that he was sick of eating foie gras.

Although, I have to side with fellow judge Branford Marsalis, who claimed he "could eat foie gras all day," I can completely relate to Rocco when it comes to being tired of certain foods.

Personally, I'm weary of seeing nothing but crème brûlée, sorbet trios, and flourless chocolate cakes on dessert menus.

What dishes are you completely over?

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Let's Dish: What's Your Favorite Cookbook of All Time?

YumSugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 06:50:01 -0700

Since I just quizzed your knowledge of classic cooking works, I figured I'd go full circle: Whether it's battered and old or trendy and new, I'm curious to know what your most beloved kitchen book is. I have so many, it's hard to pick, but among them, I love the Bon Appétit Cookbook for its exhaustive collection of American recipes, and Ten by Sheila Lukins for its thoroughly tested instructions, as well as On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee. Even though the last isn't technically a cookbook, it's a great resource for understanding the chemical interactions between food ingredients, and the science behind various cooking methods.

What are your favorite cookbooks?

Billionaire's Bacon Is Porky Heaven on a Plate

YumSugar — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 08:00:00 -0800

We recently declared bacon to be our editor's pick for top trendy ingredient of 2008. To honor the new titleholder, I thought I'd pay homage to my favorite ingredient by making a dish that highlights its pure essence.

When Sugar staffer MandyWH first sent me this recipe, I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. It reminded me of the bacon at my favorite brunch spot in the world! The bacon is chewy, crispy, caramelized, and lick-your-fingers delicious. It would be a delightful appetizer at a football-watching party. To make your own priceless billionaire's bacon, read more.

Billionaire’s Bacon
From Saveur

Ingredients

1 lb. bacon
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar

Directions

Separate strips of bacon and blot dry with paper towels. Put sugar into a wide dish. Coat both sides of bacon in sugar, firmly pressing sugar into each strip. Lay bacon out on sheet pans as coated (some sugar will fall off).
Cook bacon in a preheated 425° oven, turning once, until browned and lacquered, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a lightly oiled sheet pan to let cool. Break slices into thirds.

Serves 8 to 10 as an appetizer.

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Catching Up With Top Chef's Jen Biesty

partysugar — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 07:45:29 -0800

What do you do when your 15 minutes of Top Chef fame have ended and the latest crop of cheftestants are the talk of the town? Well, you take a tip from season 4's Jen Biesty and go back to the kitchen. Not just any kitchen, but a well regarded kitchen in one of the busiest parts of town. Chef Biesty is currently the executive chef at San Francisco's Scala's Bistro. Located off of the bustling Union Square, Scala's Bistro has been catering to tourists for the past 14 years. Biesty took over the kitchen in October and recently debuted a new menu. Last week I dined at the classic San Francisco bistro. It's not a hotspot or overly trendy, but an old time San Francisco place with dusty rose lighting and a welcoming atmosphere. To find more out about the experience, read more.

When I spoke with Jen she was wonderfully polite and somewhat reserved. The powerful personality that was portrayed on Bravo's culinary competition was replaced with a quiet focus on the food. She explained that although Scala's is a bistro, the cuisine is mostly Italian with subtle French influences. Like most chefs in the city by the bay, Biesty's menu is based on seasonal, local ingredients.

While she did not comment on the current season of Top Chef, the chef, who is no longer romantically involved with fellow TC 4 contestant Zoi, mentioned that she's reading "a cookbook about culinary gastronomy by that famous French guy."

When my sister proudly told Biesty that her food "inspired her to be a better chef," Biesty modestly nodded, said a courteous "thanks," and turned to resume her post in the kitchen. It was clear that Biesty wanted the food to do the talking - proving that she's ready to shed her image as reality TV competitor and assume her rightful role as respected chef.

Wondering what Chef Biesty's food is like? Click on one of the images below to find out more about her unique, delicious dishes.

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Relax With Republic of Tea's Decaffeinated Rooibos Line

partysugar — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 11:15:14 -0800

Tea has been an incredibly trendy ingredient for the past two years. Recently, I was bombarded by so many different types of new tea products that I was quite overwhelmed. So much so that I avoided the enormous amount of tea booths at the Fancy Foods Show.

Until one - the Republic of Tea's Be Well Red Tea line - caught my eye. With names like "get happy," "get some zzz's," and "get relaxed" the collection of South African rooibos teas are each specified to change a certain aspect of your life. They're caffeine free and naturally healthful. They come in brightly colored, tin canisters. I enjoy their unpretentious packaging, clean herbal flavor, and soothing qualities.

Do you drink decaffeinated tea? Have you tried Republic of Tea?

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What's Yummy This Week - YumSugar Weekly Recap

YumSugar — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 09:30:11 -0800

Begin 2009 on a sweet note with sticky honey buns.
Or, if you are avoiding sweets, consider a wholesome, nutritious, and sophisticated Winter salad.
PartySugar plans an elegant New Year's Day lunch fitting for any classy occasion.
Find out what sets Président's new brie log apart from the rest.
From minimalist to intricate, PartySugar's picked out the most stylish Champagne flutes.
In our Best of 2008 series, we reveal our pick for the year's most trendy ingredient.
Tell us what your culinary resolutions are for the new year.

Trend Alert: Sherry

partysugar — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:15:02 -0700

Back in February I printed out a cocktail recipe from the Seattle Times that featured sherry as an ingredient. Like many recipes I print out, it got buried and forgotten. Until now, recently I've been noticing sherry everywhere. Could it be that the fortified wine usually associated with Spanish old men is set to make a roaring comeback?

According to an article in this month's Saveur magazine, sherry no longer seems outdated. With the renaissance of classic cocktail ingredients (bitters, whiskey, rye, etc.), the popularity of 60s-era drinking on Mad Men, and the food world's current obsession with all things Spanish, it's not surprising that Sherry is popping up on bar menus across the nation. For more on how Sherry is suddenly becoming trendy, read more.

San Francisco's Duggan McDonnell serves a sherry cocktail at his hotspot Cantina and several concoctions at New York's Milk and Honey feature the Spanish wine.

The ladies at the Kitchn point out that Sherry is incredibly versatile and it can be served with any dinner course. Sherry also makes a flavorful cooking wine. Sherry vinegar has been a long-time favorite for salad dressings, but it's pure form is also delicious in appetizers, chicken, and even granitas.

If you're interested in sipping a bottle, Chow recommends a briny La Gitana Manzanilla Sherry, while the folks at Imbibe prefer the brand Lustau.

I plan on making the aforementioned cocktail recipe as soon possible and have started to be more aware of the Spanish wine. How about you? What do you think of this trend? Has Sherry suddenly become more interesting to you?

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Try Something New Side: Quinoa Salad With Mangos & Walnuts

partysugar — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 04:18:39 -0700

Quinoa is a super trendy grain right now, especially amongst the health conscious crew - you know which crew I'm talking about those hip natural foods folks who shop at farmer's markets and are buddies with the fish guy at Whole Foods. I don't consider myself a member, but every now and again I love a good salad full of distinctive flavors and fresh ingredients. This can be made for a picnic or barbeque, and pairs well alongside grilled meats and chicken. According to FitSugar it's a great source of protein as well. If you've never tried quinoa, you'll want to make this salad soon, so look at the recipe - just read more

Quinoa Salad with Mango and Walnuts
From eMax Health

Dressing:
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp minced gingerroot
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp each, salt and pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salad:
1 cup quinoa
2 ripe mangoes, chopped
1 red pepper, sliced
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 chili pepper, finely chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint or parsley
1 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

Make dressing: in medium bowl, whisk together yogurt, lime juice, ginger, curry, salt, pepper and oil. Set aside.
Make salad: add quinoa to a large saucepan of boiling salted water. Cook 10 minutes.
Pour quinoa into a fine strainer, reserving cooking liquid. Return cooking liquid to pan and place quinoa, in strainer, over cooking liquid. Cover with lid or foil and continue to steam about 10 minutes more or until quinoa is tender. Let cool.
In bowl, combine quinoa and dressing until well combined. Gently stir in mango, red pepper, green onion, chilies, mint and walnuts.

Serves 4.

NUTRIENTS PER SERVING: 12.7 g protein, 37.2 g fat, 57.1 g carbohydrates, 6.1 mg iron, 127 mg calcium, 770 mg sodium, 7.8 g fibre, 582 calories.

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