YumSugar

Do You Use Food in Your Beauty Routine?

YumSugar — Fri, 16 May 2008 11:45:09 -0700

In People magazine's 100 most beautiful people issue, Food Network host Ingrid Hoffmann talks about her love of avocados - as both food and conditioner. She says she mashes up avocado and puts it in her shower cap to moisturize her hair. I've heard of people using other foods in their beauty routines, including lemons, eggs, beer, and olive oil. Have you tried anything like this?

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Want Beautiful Skin? Try Eating Piggy Feet

YumSugar — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 16:03:31 -0800

My mom has always enjoyed unique foods. As a kid I remember her chowing down on plates full of things that I couldn't - at the time - enjoy. One of her fave weird treats happened to be pigs' feet. I always thought she was crazy, why on earth would anyone want to eat feet? Well, turns out she might not be so crazy after all.

In Tokyo, pigs' feet and other collagen rich foods are the latest craze. So much that restaurants are now serving more pigs' feet, jelly drinks, and turtle meat and blood. Soft-shell turtle used to be served mainly to men - it was thought to boost sexual performance - but lately the women are the ones chowing down. Sosuke Myagawa, owner of a soft-shell turtle restaurant said:

There is a lot of collagen in [soft-shell turtle] meals. All our female customers that come to eat collagen say their skins are doing much better the next morning, when they put on makeup.

So there you have it, customers say collagen-loaded foods help their skin. Unfortunately there's no quote from the experts; however, the fact that my mom has amazing skin is proof enough, right?

Now tell me, would you eat turtles or pigs' feet in order to get better skin?

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Happy Hour: Twilight

partysugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:13:04 -0800

Well, folks, the moment everyone's been waiting for is here. The second movie in the Twilight series, New Moon, finally comes out today. Whether you're dying to see it or excited that the hype surrounding it will die down, there's only one way to celebrate - with a cocktail! Not just any boring old drink, but an aptly named concoction created by one of San Francisco's illustrious bar owners, Jon Gasparini. A couple of weeks ago when Jon (of one of my favorite bars, Rye) tweeted about a new cocktail called Twilight, I knew I needed the recipe.

Jon describes it as having a beautiful color and balance, and I couldn't agree more. The complex gin and Prosecco drink is easy to put together and elegant enough to serve at a Thanksgiving dinner or holiday soirée. To get his recipe, read more.

Twilight
From Jon Gasparini of Rye

Ingredients

3/4 ounce creme de violette
1 1/2 ounces gin
dash orange bitters
dash simple syrup or agave syrup
1 ounce Prosecco or other sparkling wine

Directions

Combine the violette, gin, bitters, and sweetener in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
Strain into a chilled Champagne coup and top with the Prosecco.

Makes 1 drink.

Print recipe with images | without images

Yummy Links: From Dungeness Crab to Turkey Cookies

partysugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:50:32 -0800

San Franciscans get excited: it's dungeness crab season! - SFoodie
This holiday season, why not bake a beautifully festive cake or cupcakes? - Hostess With the Mostess
Eating dark chocolate may help you handle stress. - The Epi-Log
The FDA has withdrawn the ban on the sale of Gulf Coast raw oysters during warm months. - Eater
Introducing: people talking on bananas. - People Talking on Bananas
Could Jose Garces be the next Iron Chef? - Grub Street Philadelphia
Rachael Ray on the Martha Stewart Show makes for some uncomfortable television. - Eat Me Daily
Learn how to fight wine snobbery. - Chow
Turn Keebler Fudge striped cookies into Thanksgiving turkeys. - Serious Eats

Nestlé Introduces Beauty Drink

YumSugar — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:15:04 -0700

The brand Nestlé is synonymous with chocolate bars, frozen meals, and those delectable Toll House cookies, but it's possible that the company may soon be just as recognizable at the cosmetics counter.

The world's largest food and beverage company has introduced Glowelle, a beauty drink that proclaims to have antiaging properties.

The bottled drinks come in two flavors, raspberry jasmine and pomegranate lychee, and are available for $7 a pop at Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman department stores. The blends claim to "nourish and hydrate the skin from within and help fight free radicals, known contributors to the signs of aging."

This drink is just the latest in a bevy of supplements that have hit the market. I've always been perplexed by beauty drinks: do they work? Have you ever tried a beauty supplement in the form of food or drink?

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What's Yummy This Week - YumSugar Weekly Recap

YumSugar — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 09:30:37 -0700

Almost too good to be true: Buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese.
It's jack-o-lantern time; why not throw a carving party?
Martha Stewart's snake cake is daring - but not difficult.
Cute food costumes to keep you looking delicious on Halloween night.
Celebrate National Cookie Month with cookies, cookies, and more cookies.
This week, it was all about pigs and Pinot in Top Chef land. Did you tune in?
A vegetable bouquet is a beautiful centerpiece and thoughtful gift.

Yum Market Finds: Beautiful Colorful Glasses

partysugar — Sat, 17 Feb 2007 10:11:52 -0800

Just as we fill our closets with shoes and handbags for each and every occasion we should fill our cabinets with the perfect glasses for each and every drink. Every time I show up with a new box of glasses it drives my father a little more crazy. After seeing Marie Antoinette I ran out in search of fabulous dainty little champagne glasses. We already have champagne glasses my dad grumbled. My response: we have champagne flutes and these are champagne saucers. As I was looking through the Yum Market, I realized that you recognize the importance of having a variety of glasses in all shapes and sizes. Here are a few of my favorite finds (that you found!):

almost famous found these gorgeous little brocade glasses. She says she is going to use them for decoration in her apartment or to pot tiny flowers (great idea!) but I would serve super hot tea or really cold beer in these glasses like they do in Spain.

There's more so read more

atkoester discovered these fabulous stemless martini glasses. I would use these to serve whiskey on the rocks or a classic vodka/gin martini. Thanks for finding these babies atkoester!

For everyday juices, milks, iced teas, and lemonades these functional, classic glasses saved by DesignRchic are ideal. Their tinted purple glass adds a touch of color to an otherwise ordinary day. Get them now because a set of 4 is on sale!

Keep on saving your amazing foodie finds in the Yum Market! Don't know what the Yum Market is all about? Read geeksugar's informative explanation.

In Season: Figs

YumSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:00:10 -0700

Fig season is like pre-Fall in the fashion world, a tasty little teaser that helps bridge the gap between Summer and Autumn. Perhaps it's partly because the season is so fleeting that this fruit tastes so sweet, but when figs are just right, they taste downright sinful. When people tell me they don't like figs, I say, they just haven't had a good one yet.

This soft, fleshy fruit with a thick but edible skin comes in many colors and forms. In North America, the most common types are Mission figs, Brown Turkey, and Brunswick, which have dark skin and a pink-purple middle; Calimyrna, the green-and-pink beauties like the fig pictured above; and Kadota, another green-skinned variety. Learn how to select fresh figs, and how to prepare them when you read more.

When buying figs, choose fruits that are firm but not hard, with a slight amount of give. Pick figs that feel juicy and rich, rather than dry, and be sure to handle them gingerly until you're ready to eat them, as they bruise easily. They are delicious on their own, but figs also play nicely against salty cheeses and cured meats. Here are some recipes to try:

Wrap them in prosciutto for figs in a blanket hors d'oeuvres.
Poach them for an elegant but simple dessert.
Smash them into panini with nut butter and banana.
Use them as a sweet topper for a salty pizza.
Bake them in a fig and goat cheese scone.

How do you plan to cook with figs this season?

For a Quick Bite, Roll Your Own Spring Rolls

YumSugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:00:59 -0700

This past weekend, San Francisco experienced a couple of the hottest days of the year. After a blistering morning walk around the city with out-of-town visitors, I invited my friends over for lunch. To keep things appropriately light, I served wine spritzers and made fresh Vietnamese-style Spring rolls.

Although they may look and sound labor-intensive, non-fried Spring rolls - or Summer rolls, as they're sometimes called - can make for an incredibly speedy meal. While this recipe calls for deli roast beef (an unusual filling for Spring rolls), you can use any protein you like; I later made rolls with roasted turkey, which tasted great as well. The versatility of the filling is part of the beauty of the dish. Learn how to roll your own when you read more

Yummy Links: From Club Sandwiches to Street Food

partysugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 07:50:00 -0700

There's nothing quite as delicious as the classic club sandwich.- Serious Eats
Stressed? Here are 10 nutrients that can help relieve the tension. - Chow
Paula Deen's beauty advice is featured in next month's Allure. - Eat Me Daily
What you need to remember when dining outdoors with your pet. - OpenTable
Learn how Corton's chef Paul Liebrandt makes rabbit and scallop duo. - The Feedbag
If you love street food, be sure to check out this extensive guide to the nation's best. - Gourmet

Source: Flickr User Geoff604