YumSugar

Killer App: Spicy Onion and Tomato Dip

YumSugar — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 08:00:22 -0700

This weekend, I'll be spending Labor Day at a friend's barbecue bash. She's already got the barbecue and its essential accoutrements entirely covered, so I've been racking my brain to come up with an appropriate contribution. I had no idea what that was going to be - until I had a lightbulb moment for the perfect pièce de résistance.Since I won't be spending the holiday with family, I figure I'll bring a bit of my family to the festivities. As a child, I hardly liked spicy food, but from the first time I watched my mother whip together this slightly cooling, slightly fiery cream dip, I was hooked. It's one part Southern, one part retro, and 10 parts addictive, whether served with Ruffles, saltines, or celery sticks. See the two-second recipe when you keep reading.

Taste Test: Doritos Late Night Tacos at Midnight

YumSugar — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 03:30:32 -0700

In the interest of living a healthier lifestyle, I've been trying to cut out my habit of late-night snacking. Unfortunately, it hasn't gone so well, as that's my favorite time of the day to snack. And the fact that Doritos sent me a bag of special-edition Late Night Tacos at Midnight? That doesn't make it any easier, either.

These chips are intense: each triangular bite is densely covered in a blizzard of burnt orange powder and flecked with black spices. Upon first trying them, I wasn't too crazy about their seemingly artificial taste. They had a flavor that I couldn't pin down - but by the 15th chip or so, I'd figured it out. To find out what they taste like, keep reading

British Court Rules Pringles Are Indeed Potato Chips

YumSugar — Thu, 28 May 2009 10:30:26 -0700

Pringles might be nicknamed "crack in a cardboard tube," but in the eyes of the UK government, they are still considered potato chips.

Last year, a UK judge ruled that because Pringles contains less than 50 percent potato and is formed into an artificial shape, it's not a chip, and therefore isn't subject to the 15 percent country's value-added tax. But in a major defeat for Pringles parent company P&G, this ruling was overturned, and the corporation must fork over approximately £100 million, or $159 million, in taxes.

In the appeal, P&G's lawyers insisted that the snacks were not potato chips, citing the "uniform color" and arguing that its "regular shape" is "not found in nature." P&G also maintains that Pringles are only 42 percent potato, a fact I'm pretty taken aback by. The chips other ingredients include maltodextrin, dextrose, and wheat starch.

Are you surprised to hear about these ingredients? Do you consider Pringles to be chips?

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Taste Test: Jalapeño Kettle Chips

partysugar — Mon, 18 May 2009 12:50:30 -0700

The other day when I went to purchase chips for a barbecue, I was surprised to see a new flavor on the supermarket shelves. Dubbed "a fiesta in a bag," jalapeño is the latest addition to the Kettle Brand family. Since I'm a huge fan of Kettle Chips, I grabbed one of the green bags - the fiery red jalapeño looked so enticing! To find out how these chips taste, read more.

With a thick crispness and satisfying crunch, the texture of the chips is signature Kettle. A slightly sweet onion flavor hits the tongue first, and it's followed by the unmistakable punch of fresh green jalapeño. In each bite there is a nice heat that's not too spicy or overpowering. There's nothing artificial about these all-natural chips, and they're incredibly addictive. While the chips are delicious on their own and a nice accompaniment to a sandwich, I wasn't too crazy about them with dip. When I dipped a chip into pico de gallo, the flavors clashed and did not complement each other. Still these chips are good; if you enjoy jalapeños, give them a chance.

Have you tried jalapeño Kettle Chips? What did you think of them?

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Lay's Goes Local

partysugar — Wed, 13 May 2009 07:50:33 -0700

Frito-Lay, the nation's biggest snack-food company, has announced plans to go local. Next Tuesday the Lay's brand of chips will roll out a new marketing strategy. Dubbed "Lay's Local," the campaign focuses on the 80 farms (scattered across 27 states) that grow the potatoes used to make the chips. Dave Skena, the vice president of potato chip marketing for Frito-Lay, explains the reasoning behind the emphasis on locally grown potatoes:

Knowing where food is made and grown is important to consumers. Sharing with consumers how regional we are is relevant and compelling. Our intention is solely on celebrating the contributions people and communities across the country have made to the Lay's brand.

A Chip Tracker on Lays.com allows consumers to find out where a bag of chips is made. With other companies promoting the use of natural and local ingredients, it comes as no surprise that the snack maker has jumped on the bandwagon.

Lay's potato chips has always been one of my guilty pleasure foods, but how can I feel guilty knowing they're made from locally grown produce? What do you think of the news?

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Kale Chips: A Savory, Simple, and Nourishing Snack

YumSugar — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 08:30:18 -0700

When some friends announced they'd be stopping by last Sunday, I wanted to make a welcoming snack in a flash. But after hours of munching on heavy March Madness snacks the day before, I needed to give my body a little lovin' with some lighter, vegetable-centric fare.

I knew exactly what to make: oven-baked chips made from nothing but olive oil and Tuscan kale. The crispy bite, conceived by James Beard-nominated chef Dan Barber, is so basic, it's practically a non-recipe. Find out how I made these nutty, melt-in-your mouth chips when you read more.

Tuscan Kale Chips
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

12 large Tuscan kale leaves, rinsed, dried, cut lengthwise in half, center ribs and stems removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 250°F. Toss kale with oil in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Arrange leaves in single layer on 2 large baking sheets. Bake until crisp, about 30 minutes for flat leaves and up to 33 minutes for wrinkled leaves.
Transfer leaves to rack to cool.

Makes approximately 24 chips.

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Flavor Your Own Chips With Kettle's Create-a-Chip Kit

YumSugar — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:15:34 -0700

My whole life, I've been a sucker for trying the every possible packaged food novelty, from bacon-flavored mayonnaise to ice cream cupcakes. However, my favorite kind of food promotion is - hands down - the interactive kind. For example, some time ago, Kettle sent Party and I an assortment of new chips, and asked us to vote on the brand's next flavor. This year, the chipmakers took it to the next level with an even more hands-on promotion. For their Create-a-Chip Challenge, Kettle sent a kit with seven seasoning packets, four bags of unseasoned chips, three Kettle flavors for inspiration, and a card with recipe suggestions. To see what original flavors we came up with, read more.

We giddily toyed around with the seasoning blends, which included sweet chili, vinegar, sour cream and chive, lemon butter, caramelized onion, cheddar, and roasted tomato. Our first combination, curry ketchup, was a mix of roasted tomato, vinegar, sweet chili, and some garam masala we had lying around. We felt it was pleasantly distinctive, but we liked our second idea even better: fully loaded baked potato, made with sour cream and chives, lemon butter, and cheddar.

Both Party and I agreed Kettle's Create-a-Chip Kit ($14.99 or $24.99 for two) was one of the best work diversions ever. We've even uploaded our recipes to the company's online recipe gallery, and we've reserved two unflavored bags of chips to come up with even better flavors. What should we make with them? Please share your ideas!

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Fish and Chips

partysugar — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 06:50:51 -0700

To celebrate St. Patrick's Day tonight, serve your family a classic pub favorite. Although fish and chips is a traditionally British dish, this recipe pairs perfectly with an Irish pint.

Large chunks of fresh fish fillets are dipped in buttermilk and coated in cornmeal. The chips are baked in the oven, resulting in potatoes that are crisp, but not overly oily. For the uncomplicated recipe, read more.

Fish and Chips
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

2 large russet potatoes (about 1 pound), scrubbed
Four 6-ounce sea bass or cod fillets (about 1 inch thick), skin removed
For the seasoning:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
For the coating
1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon paprika
For the garnish
Lemon wedges
Malt vinegar

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven.
Cut potatoes lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick strips. Rinse well in a large bowl of cold water, and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Transfer to a large baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper; toss well. Arrange strips in an even layer on the sheet. Bake on lower rack until golden and crisp, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, place fish fillets in a large bowl. Add buttermilk, and gently turn fish to coat.
In another shallow bowl, combine cornmeal, paprika, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add fillets to cornmeal one at a time, turning to completely coat. Transfer to a plate while repeating with remaining fillets.
Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining tablespoon of oil; swirl to coat. Add fillets, being careful not to overcrowd pan. Cook until nicely crusted, about 1 minute; turn over with a spatula.
Place skillet in top third of oven, and cook until firm but beginning to flake when pressed in the center, about 8 minutes.
Transfer to plates, and serve with potatoes. Serve lemon wedges and malt vinegar on the side.

Serves 4.

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Do You Enjoy Potato Chips in Sandwiches?

partysugar — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 10:15:41 -0800

All the News That's Fit to Eat - Feb. 25, 2009

YumSugar — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:50:47 -0800

Even pizza delivery chains are proclaiming this year to be the worst they've ever seen. - Wall Street Journal
The rib-sticking recipe for this Latvian cabbage pie has traveled around the world. - Boston Globe
Harold McGee answers the question: How much water do you need when cooking pasta? - New York Times
Chef Jeremy Fox of Ubuntu in Napa, CA, is paving the way for vegetarian cuisine. - Washington Post
In a taste test of canned tomatoes, find out which variety came out on top (not San Marzano!). - San Francisco Chronicle
Learn the secrets to making sensationally crunchy vegetable chips at home. - Chicago Tribune
Now that slow cookers have gotten a makeover, they've become instrumental in a new movement. - Los Angeles Times

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