YumSugar

Do You Like to Eat at the Bar?

YumSugar — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:00:42 -0700

I'm a big fan of bars, and not just for drinking. If I'm dining alone or on a date, I love to eat at a restaurant's bar. It's cozy and intimate, and I enjoy being able to place my entire meal order with the bartender. How about you?

Source: Flickr User Mat Honan

Party Foul: Understaffed Bar

partysugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 07:13:31 -0700

A few Fridays ago, I attended the opening of a new club. The party was great; there was no line to get in, our names were actually on the list, it wasn't overcrowded, and the music was perfect! What put me in a bad mood very quickly was the wait to get a drink. The bar was completely understaffed. I stood at the front of the bar trying to get the bartender's attention for a half an hour! I know it's hard to make a lot of drinks super quickly - I was a bartender once - but the owner should know how many bartenders are needed based on the amount of people invited.

This is something to consider when hosting any party - a wedding, a birthday, or a shower - with a staffed bar. If you don't want guests (or bartenders) getting cranky because they had to wait forever for a cocktail, be sure your bar is staffed appropriately.

So what's the longest you've ever had to wait to get a drink? Have you ever left a party or bar because it took too long to get served?

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YumSugar Gift Guide: The Bartending Boy

partysugar — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 09:01:39 -0800

My friend Antonio is the best bartender I know. He's always looking for the latest, greatest addition to his home bar. Both Antonio, and your bartending boy, are sure to love any of these gifts.

Sleek coasters, a foil cutter, and a bar travel set are all fun and functional. A personalized bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue is a splurge well worth the price.

For more gift ideas for the bartender in your life, browse below.

Foil Cutter ($15.00)	Aluminum Coasters with Stand ($16.95)
Bar Travel Set ($40.00)	7-Piece Bar Tool Set ($49.95)
Johnnie Walker Scotch Blue ($159.99)	Everywhere Bar Storage ($129.00-449.00)

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Yummy Links: Weekly Food News Roundup

YumSugar — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 10:03:18 -0700

Should bars put sealed lids on drinks in order to prevent drugs from being slipped in? - Liquor Snob
Maybe someday I'll be lucky enough to make it to the Aspen Food & Wine Classic. Or as it's dubbed "The Sundance of Food." - Serious Eats

Need some more kitchen tips? Check out the top secrets from this years best new chefs - Yahoo Food
Did you hear about the toddler who was served alcohol at Applebee's? - Slashfood
With the newest round of certification in place, just how organic is organic? - Culinate
Sad but true, McDonald’s fish sandwich is more sustainable than Nobu’s tuna sashimi. - Chow
Wanna take up baking? Be sure to stock up on the 10 things you need for baking in your kitchen. - Baking Bites

Do You Eat Dinner At The Restaurant Bar?

partysugar — Thu, 03 May 2007 11:13:51 -0700

While I was on an adventure in vegetarianism recently, I had a discussion with the intelligent and dashing Mr. I'minlikewithyou about sitting at the bar in restaurants rather than at a table. I love sitting at the bar because it's much more intimate sitting shoulder to shoulder than seated with a table in between you. I like having the bartender nearby, being able to people watch, and the high chairs/stools. Also, bar seating is a great way to get a last-minute meal at a super crowded hot spot. I wondered what your opinion was, do you eat dinner at the restaurant bar?

Above: The bar at Hyde in San Francisco.

The Ultimate Bar: Ice Bucket

partysugar — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 11:58:13 -0700

Sure you can rush to the refrigerator's automatic ice maker or open the freezer and grab a tray of cubes, but come on, aren't ice buckets the height of chic when it comes to cocktailology? The supreme entertainer will have an ice bucket ready and waiting, with tongs nearby whenever guests need a refill. The tongs are as important as the ice bucket, one can not exist without the other. If you think about the way a professional bartender works, the ice is always in a nearby and easily accessible location. Often an overlooked ingredient in a cocktail, ice is essential to chilling drinks and is as necessary as the alcohol itself. While there are many novelty ice buckets out there, I prefer to keep things simple and classic to minimize the clutter on my bar counter space. This clear glass ice bucket comes with a beautiful crystal encrusted set of tongs. When it's not filled with ice fill it with fresh flowers to add elegance to your bar! It's even a steal, on sale for only $9.99.

Two more ice buckets so read more

For the sleek bachelor who has it all, this modern-deco ice bucket makes an excellent host gift. The bucket, that is polished stainless steel, has a cute tiny knob lid. The only downside is that the tongs don't come with the bucket (which is also on sale for $29.95) - you have to purchase the ice scoop separately.

The design for this opulent black leather ice bucket (the most expensive at $99.99) was inspired by the Jazz Age's Parisian nightclub furniture. The bucket is double walled for extra insulation and the tongs are modern and stainless steel.

The Ultimate Bar: Corkscrew

partysugar — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 11:43:52 -0800

Every week YumSugar highlights an essential tool for the ultimate kitchen. People are always asking her what her favorite kitchen tool is and in a response to this perpetual question, she is creating a list of kitchen must-haves and special splurges (attention brides: use this as a checklist when creating your registry!). Lately I've noticed that more and more people are asking me about what the perfect hostess should have in her bar. To answer this question I thought I would put together a list of important tools, glasses, and gadgets that The Ultimate Bar (for the ultimate at home mixologist) should have.

Let's start with a tool that no bar (or kitchen for that matter) should be without: a good, reliable corkscrew. I have tried out the more expensive rabbit screw pull gadget like wine openers (test for yourself: the one pictured is $100), yet the two that I had both broke after several months of use. That's why I prefer the leverage winged, modern spiral corkscrew. It's by far the most dependable and one of the easiest to use: as the center coil is screwed into the cork, the arms rise up. When you press the arms down, the cork extracts. In some circles this twin handled affordable ($9.99) corkscrew is referred to as the Charles de Gaulle. The top of most can also be used to remove bottle caps.

Two more corkscrews so read more

Another option is the two-pronged cork fork, or butler's friend, that swiftly opens a bottle of wine without damaging the cork. It's recommended for use with older vintages of wine whose corks are more likely to crumble with the injection of a metal coil. ($18.95)

Some consider the corkscrew that waiters use, a waiter's friend, to be the most sturdy and handy corkscrew. This corkscrew relies on simple leverage to remove the cork and is light and compact. All parts fold up inside the handle, like a pocket knife making it extremely convenient and portable. When I worked in a bar I never got the hang of maneuvering this tool swiftly with one hand, however if used properly it's a great gadget complete with foil cutter, bottle rest, and battle cap opener. If you are on a budget this baby is your best bet, a fun, colorful one can be purchased under $8.00.

Off To Market: Cocktail Shaker

partysugar — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 09:54:43 -0800

Andrew is a friend of mine who lives in New York City. He is an incredible artist and man about town. When he's not building sets or making videos, he spends the majority of his time partying (you can imagine what it must be like when we get together: PartyAndrew and PartySugar...). Lately he's been into throwing sophisticated cocktail parties at his house. He has one tiny/huge problem: the cocktail shaker he stole from me years ago has disappeared. I owe him a birthday present and a Christmas present and want to send him a really cool cocktail shaker and I need you to help me find it. Andrew is the type of guy who dresses great and always has the newest phone/iPod/gadget/sunglasses before everyone else. The shaker should be functional but modern and artistic at the same time. Save the shakers you find in the Yum Market with the keyword tag, Cocktail Shaker. Thanks for your help!

What's the Yum Market? geeksugar has written a quick, easy to read guide to bookmarking on TeamSugar.

Yummy Links: From Cranberry Bars to Drink Sticks

partysugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:50:34 -0800

Make your own Starbucks-style cranberry bliss bars. - Serious Eats
An inside look at New York's Top Chef season seven casting call. - Eater NY
Speaking of Top Chef casting calls, here's what the head of casting has to say. - Andrew Zimmern
Why you should give Spanish paprika a try. - The Atlantic
Jay Leno does his best impression of Gordon Ramsay. - Eat Me Daily
Feeling adventurous this Thanksgiving? Then learn how to deep-fry a turkey. - Chow
Catch up with Top Chef season three alum Chris CJ Jacobson. - Grub Street LA
At your next party, serve cocktails with homemade swizzle sticks. - Hostess With the Mostess

What's Your Favorite Dive-Bar Snack?

partysugar — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 06:45:42 -0700

Recently I read an interesting article in 7x7 magazine about the pleasures of dive bars. It got me thinking about dive-bar food. You don't have to admit that you frequent dive bars, but 'fess up: What is your favorite dive bar snack?

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