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Yummy Links: From Under Pressure to Gwyneth Paltrow

partysugar — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 06:45:09 -0800

Cooking with Thomas Keller's new book Under Pressure. - Serious Eats
Ten tea towels perfect for gifting. - The Kitchn
Make the holidays over with a bright pink and green theme. - Simply Stated
Get your serving of greens with this Winter green lasagna. - Chow
Find out why Gwyneth Paltrow is serious about food. - The Epi-Log

Under Pressure

partysugar — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 03:17:43 -0800

The other day I went to my girlfriend's house for lunch. She was in the kitchen when I arrived, and I was shocked to see that she was making a Spanish style garbanzo bean stew with a pressure cooker! When I asked in wonder if she was using it to reduce the cook time of the stew, she replied that she was. Her statement was quickly followed by an "I use it all the time, more often than you use your food processor." Ever since then, I have become obsessed with pressure cookers and can't stop thinking about them.

A pressure cooker looks like other kitchen pots, except the lid is a bit more elaborate. The heavy-duty lid completely seals the pot and when the liquid inside boils, it is trapped inside. Having nowhere else to go, steam builds up pressure which results in higher cooking temperatures and shorter cooking times.

Cooking with a pressure cooker is kind of like a science project that can result in a kitchen catastrophe. The first and only time I used a pressure cooker I ended up cleaning vegetable puree off the ceiling for the next week. Still, I'm eager to get my hands on one. Today's pressure cookers have at least three valves for safety and will automatically release pressure should it build too high. Different types of pressure cookers have different styles of valves, but if you hear hissing or noise coming from the cooker, it's the valve telling you to check the pressure.

I'll keep you posted on my adventures in pressure cooking and if you've got one lying around the kitchen, take it out, it's time we bring pressure cookers back.

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Jacques Pepin on the Perfect Boiled Egg

YumSugar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:00:34 -0700

One of my favorite seminars at this year's Classic was a cooking demo performed by French luminary Jacques Pépin along with his daughter, Claudine. On this sunny Saturday in Aspen, you'd never have guessed that Jacques, who's cooked for Charles de Gaulle and with Julia Child, turns 74 this year: the ebullient chef and his witty daughter exchanged lots of lively banter, and managed to make a whopping six tomato dishes in 45 minutes!

Although I can't wait to make the pair's appetizing tomato dishes, the most useful facts were his tips on boiling eggs, which they used in a harlequin tomato salad. "Just cooking an egg white is like a big deal for me," Jacques said. To see how the world's most blissful boiled egg is made, read on

Robert Irvine's Back in a New Season of Dinner: Impossible

YumSugar — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:00:00 -0700

In 2008, Food Network chef and host Robert Irvine sure had a roller coaster of a year. And his ride's not over quite yet: He's back and ready to return to the set of Dinner: Impossible.

According to the network, in the newest season of D:I, which premieres April 8, Irvine faces some of his most unique predicaments thus far. Now, more so than ever, he'll be forced to think creatively under great pressures and time limits. In the first challenge, Irvine must act under severe outdoor conditions to put together an extreme menu for athletes at the Winter X Games. In another challenge, the chef visits Yahoo's headquarters and faces a curve ball to cook with top-searched ingredients.

I think Food Network made the right decision in bringing back Irvine, and I'm pumped to see the ex-military chef bust his chops again in a new season of the show. Will you be tuning in?

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What Would You Do?

YumSugar — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 14:00:22 -0700

We've all been in crazy situations, and I want to know how you handle entertaining fiascoes and bad restaurant behavior. I'll present a situation and you tell me what you would do. Here's today's scenario:

You and a friend have sidled up to the bar at a small French bistro famous for burgers. You share the burger and a bowl of mussels, which are so good, you want to enjoy them to the last bite. But before you're finished eating, the waiter starts accosting you with polite, yet passive-aggressive questions like, "May I take your plate? Are you done with that?" You're still working on the mussels, but the shell plate - and all your silverware - get cleared without asking! After a few attempts to finish your meal sans utensils, you finally throw in the napkin.

Following the aggressively rushed service, you receive your bill, and want to tip accordingly. That's when you realize that the bistro's lone server is standing over you, watching you fill in the gratuity on the bill. What would you do?

To find out what I did - yes, it happened to me at a San Francisco hot spot! - read more.

Despite the server's rushed attitude, I refused to crack under the pressure. After all, I had already finished my meal before I was ready! My friend and I waited for what seemed like an eternity before he walked away and then signed our checks, which, it goes without saying, reflected the terrible service.

What do you think about the way in which the situation was handled? How would you have reacted if it happened to you?

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Top Chef 5.14: Season Finale Part 2

partysugar — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 00:30:14 -0800

It's over! The final episode of Top Chef 5 aired last night and a new cheftestant was named Top Chef. It was an exciting end to the competition. One chef stepped up to the plate, another failed to shine, and the third cracked under the pressure. To see what I thought of the outcome - warning: the winner is announced, so if you don't want to know who is Top Chef, don't click through! If you did watch, read more.

What do you think of the rivalry between Hosea and Stefan?
Is the make-whatever you want challenge too easy or too hard?
Were you disappointed or happy to see the previous contestants as the sous chefs? I was disappointed! I liked it when they had professional chefs as sous chefs.
How did the old contestants look? I remembered Casey being prettier.
Going into the finale, do you think the chefs had an idea of what they would make as their final meal?
Does anyone know the best way to cook alligator? Please enlighten us below!
What on earth happened to Carla? Did Casey inadvertently sabotage her?
When you have a three-course meal do you want one of the courses to be dessert?
Do you think it's fair the winner is selected based on this one meal and not the entire season?
Only 8% of you thought Hosea should win, so how did you feel when Padma named him Top Chef?

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Built-In Tips: Fair or Not?

YumSugar — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:37:33 -0800

Of all cities in America, New York is certainly one that's suffered severe economic blows - yet it has the highest cost of living in the country. To protect its diners from sky-high gratuities, the city's Department of Consumer Affairs has instituted a policy preventing parties under eight from being charged automatically for tip.

Big Apple blog Newyorkology set the record straight: New York restaurants may impose gratuities only for parties of eight or more. Even in those cases, the fee must be 15 percent or less, and diners must be forewarned with a listing on the establishment's menu in font that is 10 point or larger. Despite these strict guidelines, the New York Post uncovered a dozen restaurants that were breaking the local law; those violators are hit with fines ranging from $50 to $500.

In a city where a good percentage of the denizens make a living waiting tables, I can understand the pressure for higher gratuity. But I also feel that diners need to be protected against rising costs - if not, there won't be anyone dining out at all. What do you think about the predicament? When dining out with friends, do you mind getting a built-in service charge?

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Let's Dish: Hell's Kitchen 4.3

partysugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:10:33 -0700

In last night's episode of Hell's Kitchen, the contestants chickened out - literally and figuratively. As a wake-up call, the wannabe chefs had to chase and catch live chickens. Later, during the dinner service several members of each team cracked under the pressure. After the girls won the chicken-cutting challenge - and took a trip to one of the Sunset strip's most famous restaurants, the Saddle Ranch - they stooped to new lows to figure out the men's weaknesses. To discuss the episode and check out my favorite Ramsay quotes, read more.

I don't know about you, but I was incredibly relieved to see Jason sent home. Weren't you disgusted by his futile attempt - and sexist remarks - at being a pastry chef? The episode brought to mind more questions:

Does Corey have evil tendencies or was she just playing the game?
Did you think Gordon was really going to make the chefs chop off a live chicken's head?
Was it a good or bad idea for the girls to discuss their strategy with Ramsay?
Were the girls obviously trying too hard when they wanted to get the guys in the hot tub?
Doesn't Gordon seem totally obsessed with tableside serving?
Did anyone else wonder what dish the crispy bacon was for?
How would you feel if Gordon yelled at you in the middle of the service? Would you cry?
Did you think Christina was going to put Corey up to the chopping block?

Everyone knows that the best part of Hell's Kitchen is when Gordon goes crazy. Besides repeatedly banging his head on the kitchen counter, here are my favorite Gordon Ramsay moments from last night:

On waking the contestants to hunt for chickens: Wakey, wakey. Get your chicken and head downstairs now. . . . Not these chickens you doughnuts!
On Rosann screwing up the Caesar salad: You're not f**king stupid, you're from the backstreets. . . . you got me, yeah f***ing right you got me. Welcome back you f***ing bitches of hell!
On Jason finally remembering the desserts: Big boy put your mind to it, you would be surprised what you can do in life.
On the girls burning four steaks: This is f***ing embarrassing, that's not a f***ng saute pan. That's a furnace, it's scorched. Cooking my ass!
On Vanessa's presence in the kitchen: Talking to you in service is like talking to a refrigeration unit, you're stone cold

Photos courtesy of Fox.

Hottest Men On Food Network

YumSugar — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 08:01:31 -0700

The other day Stuff Magazine created their list of the top ten hottest women of Food Network. Many of you thought their list wasn't quite right, but the rest of you thought we should come up with our own list of the top ten hottest men of Food Network. When I mentioned this idea to PartySugar, she quickly agreed and handed over her list. After a little bit of tweaking (I really wanted Alton higher on the list!), we finally settled on our top 10.

#10 - Robert Irvine
The host of Dinner: Impossible always manages to whip up a meal while under pressure. His fast thinking ways, body builder physique and British accent have garnered him a spot on our list.

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#9 Emeril Lagasse
Despite his success and his "BAM"itude, Emeril is devoted to great food and fresh ingredients. His toothpaste ads may have pushed him down a few notches, but his passion for getting everyone in the kitchen solidifies his place on this list.

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#8 Duff Goldman
In addition to owning and operating Charm City Cakes, he's also a sculptor, artist and musician. Besides, any man that can cook up fancy wedding cakes has earned a place on this list.

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#7 Bobby Flay
Bobby's bad-boy attitude (remember when he stood on the cutting board during Iron Chef?), charm and grill skills makes him a rock-solid addition to this top ten list.

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For the rest of the list, read more

#6 Michael Chiarello
If you're not careful, Chiarello will charm your socks off. His local food loving, grape growing and down-to-earth self (not to mention his adorable smile) is enough to make any gal swoon.

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#5 Mario Batali
Mario is a wonderful educator whose passion oozes out of every pore. His cuddly teddy bear looks and the fact that he hob knobs with celebrities are just added bonuses. Oh and I know you all don't agree with me, but I love the fact that he wears shorts and bright orange crocs.

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#4 Dave Lieberman
With his boyishly good looks and culinary talent, Mr. Lieberman is often called "America's Naked Chef." Oh and any man that loves a good deal earns bonus points in my book.

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#3 Alton Brown
If I had my way, Alton would've been the top of the list, however I know his know-it-all dorky attitude isn't for everyone. Personally I love how everything in his kitchen can be explained with props and that I always feel smarter after hanging out with him. Oh and he broke his collarbone all in the name of good eats, how hot is that?!

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#2 The Deen Brothers
Two for the price of one! The dynamic duo known as Bobby and Jamie Deen travel around the country hoping to educate viewers on unique and interesting products. Their frat-boy looks and Southern charm make them memorable, and their soft cuddly insides and tough exterior make them just like their mama's deep fried butter balls!

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#1 Tyler Florence
I think that almost every lady watching Food Network has had a mini-crush on Tyler at some point in time. Whether he's boiling water, or making a delicious Sunday roast, Tyler's boy-next door looks and fantastic personality just light up the screen. His perspective in the kitchen is amazing - he knows what people want to eat and how to make them want to make it. For that he earns the number one spot on our list!

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In Case of Emergency Chocolate Bar

YumSugar — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 11:03:13 -0700

This Emergency Chocolate Bar is a little bit gimmicky (okay so it's a lot gimmicky), however you all know that there are those days where something like this would have been just enough to fix everything. The label says, "For immediate relief of: Chocolate Cravings, Lovesickness, Exam Pressure, Mild Anxiety, and Extreme Hunger." They'd make a great gift, but I'm imagining them under glass with a "break in case of emergency" label on them. Maybe we can get them installed here at the Sugar HQ...

Available in milk or dark chocolate, each bar is 3.5 oz and is made with cocoa from Malaysia, sugar from Australia and milk from New Zealand. I've seen them at Cost Plus, but you can buy them online for $4.49 each.