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Food Fight!

YumSugar — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 01:03:18 -0800

I saw this video earlier this week and thought it would make a nice weekend distraction. In Food Fight, a video by Stefan Nadelman, various modern battles are recreated using food from the regions of the world engaged in the conflict. It begins at WWII, but if you're not that well versed in war, don't worry, the folks at Boing Boing have kindly edited the video to include subtitles. It's really a captivating video, and if you haven't already seen it, then check it out, just read more.

This version has been edited down, check out the official website to see the full version. And if you're confused as to which country is what, take a glance at the food fight cheat sheet.

Does Soda Mess With Your DNA?

YumSugar — Tue, 29 May 2007 06:58:31 -0700

All of you soda drinkers might want to pay attention to this one. A new study from Britain's Sheffield University is linking sodium benzoate, a preservative found in some sodas, to cell damage. Research is suggesting that the preservative has the ability to switch vital parts of DNA.

Professor Peter Piper, a professor of molecular biology and biotechnology, tested the impact of sodium benzoate on living yeast cells in his laboratory. What he found alarmed him: the benzoate was damaging an important area of DNA in the "power station" of cells known as the mitochondria.

He told The Independent on Sunday: "These chemicals have the ability to cause severe damage to DNA in the mitochondria to the point that they totally inactivate it: they knock it out altogether."

It can be identified in soft drinks by the phrase "sodium benzoate" or E211. Oh and in case you were wondering, it is also used in fireworks as a powder that makes the whistling noises.

This is not the first time sodium benzoate has found its way into the spotlight. In March of 2006, the Food & Drug Administration was said to be running tests on whether or not combined with ascorbic acid, heat and light, it forms benzene, a known carcinogen.

Source: The Independent via Boing Boing

Yummy Link: Chocolate "Carbonite" Han Solo

YumSugar — Fri, 11 May 2007 05:58:19 -0700

geeksugar often likes to tell me how awful her cooking skills are (which, btw folks, they are not) - I think she's just intimidated by the recipes. However, I just came across a food creation that I think she'll love. Remember that scene in Star Wars where Han Solo gets stuck in carbonite? Well now she can get all the steps needed to recreate it in chocolate. That's right a chocolate frozen Han Solo - talk about hot... - Instructables via Boing Boing

Miracle Fruit Will Get Your Taste Buds High

YumSugar — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 03:27:12 -0800

Sure, we've all heard of the Superfruits, but how about miracle fruit? Miracle fruit is a little known berry that alters taste buds making bitter things better and sour things sweet. The effect lasts anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours. If you ask me, it sounds like it makes your taste buds high.

Several food bloggers were able to get their hands on some miracle fruit and tested it out.

It may be impossible for one to realize how much sweetness is present in citrus until one has had the sourness chemically masked. Lemons and limes are full of natural sugars, salts, and acids, but those flavors are normally pretty well-hidden behind the tartness.

I don't know about you guys, but I have got to get my hands on some of this stuff. And lucky for me, FitSugar found a place to order the plant online.

Source: Boing Boing

Taste Test: La Famiglia DelGrosso Pasta Sauce

YumSugar — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:00:00 -0700

Since it's easy to prepare and so versatile, I cook pasta at least once a week. Lately, I've been experimenting with various sauces and pasta shapes to see how the factors make a difference in taste, so I gave La Famiglia DelGrosso a try.

I sampled three of eight different sauces, all of which have kitschy titles named after family members. My boyfriend thought Aunt Mary Ann's Sunday Marinara was "light on flavor," but I preferred it to its competitors. A Trader Joe's pomodoro sauce tasted sickly sweet in comparison. Uncle Joe's Vodka Celebration was my favorite of the bunch: the texture was creamy, but the sauce wasn't as light in color as most commercial vodka sauces, which often are too heavy on cream.

The sauce possessed a strong umami quality (incidentally, tomatoes contain high amounts of umami). Uncle Bo's Roasted Red Pepper Tour was made with - you guessed it - roasted red peppers, and it was my sweetie's favorite of the three because of its deep, smoky flavor.

Certainly no commercial variety can replace a homemade pasta sauce, but La Famiglia sauces work in a pinch. They are available at select Whole Foods and other grocers across the country. Have you tried any of the brand's flavors? What did you think of them?

Reader Recipe: Grilled Three Cheese Sandwich with Tomatoes

YumSugar — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 16:15:18 -0800

One of my favorite things in the whole world is a great grilled cheese sandwich. I love the way the melted cheese oozes along the crispy bread. Apparently, I am not the only one. TeamSugar member BoHoBaby108 recently shared her recipe for Grilled Three Cheese and Tomato Sandwiches. These look so great to me; in fact, I think I just figured out what's for dinner tonight!

To get the recipe, read more

Recipe submitted by TeamSugar BoHoBaby108

The other day my fiance and I decided to have traditional combination of soup and sandwiches for dinner. I was tired of the typical tomato soup and grilled cheese, so I grew it up a bit with my creation of the grilled three cheese and tomato sandwiches which I served with Campbell's Select Gold Label Creamy Tomato Parmesan Bisque.

Ingredients:
Serves 4

8 pieces of whole wheat bread
4 slices provolone cheese
4 slices of Colby cheese
4 slices of muenster cheese
1 small sweet yellow onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/8 cup Sherry
1 medium beefsteak tomato, thinly sliced
Italian seasoning
Softened butter

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil and sherry in a medium sauce pan over med-high heat. Add chopped onions and caramelize about 10 min. Transfer to paper towel and cool.

2. Lightly butter one side of each bread slice. Sprinkle buttered side with Italian seasoning.

3. Prepare sandwiches - Place one slice of bread buttered side down on a plate and layer with 1 slice of Colby , a spoonful of caramelized onions, a slice of Muenster, two slices of tomato, and a slice of provolone. Place top slice of bread on with buttered slice up.

4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray and place two sandwiches at a time to grill. Grill each side until lightly browned and crisp about 3min.

Enjoy!Grilled 3 Cheese and Tomato Sandwiches

Print recipe with images | without images

Get Stōked - Add Coffee to Your Coffee

YumSugar — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 09:08:31 -0700

Would you like cream or sugar with your coffee? How about an extra shot of coffee with your coffee? A new company called Stōk has created a Black Coffee Shot that is sold in those little containers that usually contain creamer.

The Black Coffee Shot is a non-dairy product that adds an additional 40 milligrams of caffeine (equivalent to one shot of espresso) to your morning. Right now it's available in two different varieties, the plain Black Shot and the Sweet Shot (which is like adding a packet of sugar to your coffee). Right now they are showing up in convenience stores for free - which makes me wonder why you'd even buy the coffee, when you can have the caffeine jolt for free - but there's a disclaimer limit of 2 per day. If you're interested to try it yourself, you can get 50 shots for $13.95 or 200 for $39.95.

Have any of you seen/tried it? If so, let us know how it is!

Source: Boing Boing

Robert Rodriguez's 10 Minute Cooking School

YumSugar — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 14:28:18 -0700

Any of you guys fans of director Robert Rodriguez? Well, did you know that he includes his own 10 minute cooking school videos on many of his DVDs? In each episode you get footage of Rodriguez walking you through one of his favorite recipes, intermixed with footage of his films. To check out videos for Sin City Breakfast Tacos (homemade tortillas even!) and Puerco Pibil (from Once Upon a Time In Mexico with Johnny Depp!), read more

Sin City Breakfast Tacos:

Once Upon A Time In Mexico Puerco Pibil:

These both look great, but what I want to know is, what recipe will he use for his upcoming remake of the Jetsons?

Source: Boing Boing

Stephen Colbert for Dessert!

YumSugar — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 12:52:04 -0800

If the rumor mill is true, looks like you'll soon, as in this summer, be able to have Stephen Colbert for dessert too! The folks at No Fact Zone have gotten an inside "scoop" and it appears that Ben & Jerry's is planning a Stephen Colbert "Americone Dream" flavor (currently, vanilla ice cream with fudge covered waffle cone pieces and a caramel swirl, but it may change). All I can say is that it better have the delicious sweet taste of the Truth!

Source: Boing Boing

The Machine Project's Dorkbake

YumSugar — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 08:58:56 -0800

Alright, so maybe I should have passed this news on to geeksugar instead of writing my own post, but I couldn't resist! The folks over at the Machine Project are hosting a "dorkbake" bake-off and I just had to share the news.

Now you're probably asking yourself, what's a "dorkbake"? Well, it's a bake-off where the contestants have to have a killer recipe, but, there are a few small catches. One: they'll only be able to use ingredients off a pre-determined list, and two: they have to bring their own HOMEMADE 100-watt light bulb heated oven. Yep, that's right, they have to make their OWN easy-bake styled oven!

The event takes place in Los Angeles on Feb. 3rd and will be judged on engineering, tastiness and presentation. I wish I could be there, this sounds like it could be a lot of fun.

If you live in the Los Angeles area, you should check this out and report back to all of us! Or better yet, enter (it only costs $13.37 to register) and come up with your own "easy-bake" creation.

Source: Boing Boing