YumSugar

YumSugar Gift Guide: Formidable Food Snobs

YumSugar — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 07:18:31 -0800

If you're worried about what to get those food know-it-alls on your shopping list, then fear no more. if the foodie in your life is constantly spouting off information, then test their knowledge by getting them the Food Lover's Trivia Game. If they don't yet know everything, then get them a copy of the Food Snob's Dictionary. This way they'll be able to wow and impress everyone with food facts and terminology. If you'd rather get them something edible, try these conserves from June Taylor. Or, go crazy and splurge completely by treating them to entire Serrano Ham, complete with stand! For more choices, scroll through below.

The Food Snob's Dictionary ($10.36)	Knife Skills Illustrated: A User's Manual ($19.77)
Food Lover's Trivia Game ($29.98)	1 lb Grade B Madagascar Vanilla Beans ($32.95)
June Taylor Conserves Gift Box ($33)	Serrano Whole Bone-In Ham with Ham Holder ($279)

YumSugar Gift Guide: Bonkers for Brewski

YumSugar — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 06:27:19 -0800

If you've got a brewski buddy or homebrewer on your holiday list, give them a gift that will allow them to revel in their love for beer. If they're not yet making their own brew, get them a Mr. Beer Micro-Brewery Kit. If they're already a master brewer, get them a beer tasting kit. It comes with 13 different kind of hops for them to discover and identify. If your beer lover is still in the early stages of their beer love, get them a set of engaging pint glasses.

For more great gift ideas, scroll through the options below.

HopHead Tee ($9.99)	Famous Beer Pint Glasses (Set of 4, $11.96)
Brewmaster Board Game ($19.90)	Beer Tasting Kit ($49)
Mr. Beer Micro-Brewery Beer Making Kit ($49.95)	Monogrammed Beer Mugs (Set of 4, $59)

Yummy Link: Celebrity Chef! The Game

YumSugar — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 14:30:36 -0700

For anyone hankering to play a Top Chef-style tournament at home, allow me to suggest Celebrity Chef! The Game. This trivia-based board game challenges players to answer questions, score virtual endorsements and TV deals, and win awards for their cooking. - The Epi Log

Come Party With Me: KatieSugar's First Birthday Party - The Look

partysugar — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 05:57:31 -0700

KatieSugar sure is growing up fast. Just this morning she was using her walker to toddle around the room and nobody could work because she was being way too adorable to ignore. A girl as special as lil'sugar deserves the most fabulous 1st birthday celebration. Naturally her parents turned to me to deal with all of the party planning details. So I got busy earlier this week (her birthday is June 1 and we want the invites to be sent at least three weeks in advance) making the invitation, creating a delicious menu of miniature party food, and coming up with a couple of all-pink drinks. Today I'm designing the look, inspired by the pink stripes that grace the walls of Katie's bedroom, so for the details read more

Since this is for a child's birthday keep the decorations fun, young, and fabulous.

Cover the ceiling of the party with pink balloons and long pink ribbons. These balloons will filter and reflect the natural daylight (the party is at 1pm) creating a beautiful rosy glow.
Fill vases with fresh pink tulips with long stems. Steer clear from using pink roses this isn't a wedding and you want the feel to remain casual.
Dress the tables in pink and white striped tablecloths.

Arrange the food on large pink platters garnished with pink berries and have pink striped cocktail napkins and white plates for the finger foods.
Fill bowls with tiny pink candies and more berries.
Arrange clear glass pitchers of the Pink Lemonade and Watermelon Martini on the bar. Fill a large silver tin with ice for beer and pink champagne.

To take the party outdoors line the pillars of your deck (or fence if you don't have a deck) with alternating pink and white streamers.
With thick pink ribbon tie bows to the back of chairs, around vases and on doorknobs.

For a fun game ask guests to send you a picture of themselves on their first birthday. Pin to a large cork bulletin board or arrange on your bulletin board and have everyone try and guess whose 1st birthday baby picture is who.
Give guests an old fashioned pink and white lollipop as a party favor.

Got a perfectly pink party decoration idea for KatieSugar's 1st birthday bash?? Share your ideas with us below!

Hell's Kitchen - 3.8 Recap

partysugar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 11:03:37 -0700

This week we found our favorite chefs of Hell's Kitchen narrowed down to the last five: Bonnie, Jen, Julia, Rock, and Josh. Before things get boiling, Ramsay tells the cheftestants they will no longer be working in separate teams, boys vs. girls. Instead, the five will cook, clean, and cooperate as one big happy family. Bickering and bitching abounds, Ramsay loses it (surprise, surprise), and Bonnie has her best night ever. For all this and more - including what happens when the chefs feed some of L.A's most prominent trendsetters - read more

In the day's first challenge, the final five must feed trendsetters. Blindfolded, they are driven to an off-site location where they will find the, "people with their fingers on the pulse." Although they are expecting celebrities, the chefs find themselves in the middle of a high school cafeteria. Given an hour to prepare a school lunch for 100 high school kids, the chefs - who are working individually against one another - get down to business. Rock makes Kobe beef meatloaf sandwiches, Josh does a baked salmon, Julia whips up grilled cheeses and onion rings, Bonnie tosses a salad with fried goat cheese, and Jen boils up a chicken and pasta dish. The chefs personally serve their lunches and chummily chat up the students. With over 51% of the student votes, the wining prize of a ~~romantic~~ glamourous getaway to Las Vegas with Ramsay, goes to Julia who picks Jen as her escort to Vegas. The gals are whisked off, champagne in hands, to board Ramsay's private jet. The losing three are left to vacuum, clean, and iron the linens of the Hell's Kitchen dining room.

In Vegas, Julia and Jen are given the royal treatment: lux suite, Cristal champagne, spa treatments, and lunch with last season's HK winner Heather West. Back at the chopping block, for the first time in Hell's Kitchen history, the men and the women have to work together. Rock overcooks the scallops and Josh jumps the gun by preparing both risotto and spaghetti before anyone has even ordered it. Julia screws up her garnishes and is overall not on. Several of Josh's risottos get sent back for being undercooked and Ramsay violently kicks Josh out of the kitchen and off the show.

The four are left to finish the service. Julia fumbles, Bonnie takes the lead, Jen perfectly seasons Josh's risottos, and Rock throws an immature temper tantrum when the girls push him into cooperating. After much arguing between Rock (could Rock be any more of a complete jerk???) and Jen, the dinner service is finally over. Bonnie is chosen to select two of her teammates for elimination. She picks Rock (for being such an asshole) and Julia (for falling off her game). Ramsay says it's the hardest decision he has made so far and with a huge hug, asks Julia to hang up her chef's coat. For all of her potential, improvement, and hard work, he awards her a full ride to culinary school along with job placement aid when she graduates - who would have thought Ramsay was such a nice guy???
Oh that Ramsay, isn't he just full of surprises? And insults? Here are my top five Ramsayisms from last night:

Open wide Josh, you do have a talent, you can catch champagne!
Ladies, you didn't think we were going to be traveling commercial, did you?
We've opened, we haven't served anything yet but we've lost money! What a f**king doughnut.
Even my mom cooks spaghetti seven minutes before she wants it... We cook spaghetti to order, even the f**king dirtiest, scummiest Italian restaurant in Venice Beach cooks spaghetti to order!
Oh my god almighty! Come here you, what the fuck are you doing? You stand there and you screw me. You are f**king useless, get out! Get out! *throws spoon at Josh's head*

Finally a few things to think about until we meet Ramsay & Co again: Wasn't it cute how they got so excited about getting new chefs jackets? Wasn't it obvious that Julia was going to win the high school food challenge? I mean kids don't want food their parents will make them! Baked salmon? Chicken & pasta? Hello! Obviously the high schoolers are going to like the onion rings the best, come on!

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