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Is It Beer or Chocolate?

partysugar — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 03:00:02 -0700

Today July 7 is chocolate day. To celebrate I thought I'd create a second round of our wildly popular beer or chocolate quiz. I hope you studied your chocolates and beers because I'm going to list a bunch of different brands. You tell me if it's a beer or a chocolate. Sound like fun? Get started!

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Is it Beer or Chocolate?

YumSugar — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 03:28:33 -0800

A new finding is causing researchers to believe that chocolate was accidentally discovered around 1100 B.C. by beer makers in Central America. This date puts chocolate discovery 500 years earlier than originally presumed.

I find it completely fascinating that two of my favorite things go hand-in-hand like this. To commemorate this discovery I thought it would be fun to see if you know your chocolates from your beers. I'm going to list a bunch of different brands and you tell me if it's a beer or a chocolate. Think you're up for the challenge? Source

Take the quiz

Yummy Link: Seven Beer Wonders of the World

YumSugar — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 06:13:31 -0700

Did you know there was such a thing as chocolate beer, champagne beer and dog's beer? If not then be sure to check out this list of the seven beer wonders of the world. - Trifter

Yummy Links: From Hubert Keller to Root Beer

partysugar — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 07:50:04 -0700

The hottest chef at last weekend's food festival in San Francisco? DJ Hubert Keller. - Eater SF
How to start your own food truck. - Grub Street
If you love Pop Tarts, you'll enjoy this Pop Tart art. - Eat Me Daily
Taste test: milk chocolate bars. - Serious Eats
Where to taste wine while traveling in Sonoma. - Chow
Are you America's best home cook? Enter this contest and you could win big. - Food & Wine
Kelly Choi just got a little more ridiculous: here she is dressed up as Catwoman. - The Feedbag
The latest trend to hit the beverage scene is old-fashioned root beer. - Bon Appétit

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Noteworthy Nibbles - Feb. 2-10, 2009

YumSugar — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 14:00:20 -0800

Restaurant week continues to be big, with prix fixe deals all across the country. Get in the Valentine's Day mood with chocolate festivals and wine events. If you're in the Bay Area, use SF Beer Week's numerous events as a solid excuse to get boisterous while sipping craft brews. I'll raise a toast to that!

Los Angeles, CA: dineLA Restaurant Week - Feb. 2-6
New York, NY: NYC Restaurant Week - Feb. 2-27
Miami, FL: Miami Spice - Feb. 2-12
Naples, FL: Naples Winter Wine Festival - Feb. 6-8
Morehead City, NC: Carolina Chocolate Festival - Feb. 6-9
San Francisco, CA: SF Beer Week - Feb. 6-15

To see the rest, read more.

San Francisco, CA: CUESA's Citrus Celebration - Feb. 7
Fairfax, VA: Chocolate Lovers Festival - Feb. 7-8
Chantilly, VA: Virginia Wine Showcase - Feb. 7-8
Houston, TX: Rodeo Uncorked! Roundup and Best Bites Competition - Feb. 8
New Orleans, LA: History in a Glass: Famous New Orleans Cocktails - Feb. 10

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Noteworthy Nibbles - Nov. 4-10, 2008

YumSugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:00:33 -0800

This week Noteworthy Nibbles includes an international chocolate show complete with chocolate-inspired runway designs. In sunny Florida, the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival should be quite the spectacle. Folks who live in Virginia have the great fortune of two oyster events this weekend. Personally, I'm looking forward to San Francisco Wine Week!

Know of anything we've left out? Drop us a line in the comments below!

Orlando, FL: Epcot International Food & Wine Festival - Nov. 4-9
Philadelphia, PA: Celebrity Chef Tour - Nov. 6
St. Helena, CA: CIA Worlds of Flavor International Conference - Nov. 6-8
Palm Desert, CA: The Art of Food & Wine - Nov. 6-9
Ann Arbor, MI: Save a Heart Celebration of Wine and Food - Nov. 7

To see the rest, read more.

Ponte Vedra Beach, FL: Food & Wine Fest - Nov. 7
Urbanna, VA: Urbanna Oyster Festival - Nov. 7-8
Cleveland, OH: Heinen's/WVIZ World Series of Wine - Nov. 7-8
Dover, DE: Dover Downs Delaware Wine Festival - Nov. 7-8
Las Vegas, NV: Odyssey Las Vegas - Nov. 7-9
New York, NY: Tastings NYC - Nov. 7-9
New York, NY: Chocolate Show - Nov. 7-9
Kona, HI: Kona Coffee Cultural Festival - Nov. 7-16
Providence, RI: The Great International Beer Festival – Nov. 8
Reedville, VA: Oyster Roast - Nov. 8
Washington, DC: Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show - Nov. 8-9
Studio City, CA: Go Green, Go Organic - Nov. 9
San Francisco, CA: SF Wine Week - Nov. 10-15

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Noteworthy Nibbles - July 7-14, 2009

YumSugar — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:00:31 -0700

July's biggest holiday may have come and gone, but there's still so much to celebrate in the realm of Summer eats - whether it's salmon, sandwiches, or super-sized ketchup. Next Tuesday, don't forget to raise your glass to France's independence day. I plan to hightail it straight to my nearest French bistro to enjoy some moules frites. What are your plans for Bastille Day?

If you know if anything else that's going on, please feel free to chime in below.

Traverse City, MI: National Cherry Festival - July 4-11
New Orleans, LA: Tales of the Cocktail - July 8-12
Hollywood, FL: Slow Food Glades to Coast Hot Tropical Night - July 9
Cordova, AK: Copper River Wild Salmon Festival - July 9-11
Park Ridge, IL: Taste of Park Ridge - July 9-11
Pleasanton, CA: Alameda County Fair's Rib Cook-Off - July 9-12

To see the rest, read more.

Brentwood, CA: Brentwood Cornfest - July 10-12
Cambridge, MA: Taste of Cambridge - July 11
Bedford, VA: Horse and Hound Wine Festival - July 11
Sandwich, MA: SandwichFest - July 11
Los Altos, CA: Los Altos Arts and Wine Festival - July 11-12
Coral Gables, FL: International Mango Festival - July 11-12
Buffalo, NY: Taste of Buffalo - July 11-12
Santa Barbara, CA: Santa Barbara French Festival - July 11-12
Collinsville, IL: World's Largest Catsup Bottle Festival - July 12
Providence, RI: Rhode Island's World of Flavors - July 12
Seattle, WA: Seattle Chocolate Salon - July 12
Los Angeles, CA: Bastille Day Los Angeles - July 12
Athens, OH: Ohio Brew Week - July 12-18
New York, NY: Softshell Crab Extravaganza - July 13
New York, NY: Bastille Day on 60th Street - July 13
New York, NY: Bastille Day: La Fête Nationale - July 14

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Guinness Takes the Cake

YumSugar — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:15:54 -0800

Every once in a while it's nice to have a little indulgence in life. This weekend, I made a decadent chocolate-stout cake to celebrate the start of the new year. The addition of Guinness creates an incredibly moist cake with a delicious, bittersweet aftertaste. For chocoholics, the cake is absolutely heavenly!

To balance the dense richness, I served each slice with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. Whipped cream would also be lovely on the side. The original recipe calls for three, 8-inch cake pans, but I own 9-inch pans, so I halved the recipe and made a two-layer cake. To satisfy your chocolate craving, read more.

Chocolate Stout Cake
Bon Appétit

Ingredients

Cake
1 cup stout (such as Guinness)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sour cream
Icing
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 pound bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

Directions

For cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper. Butter paper.
Bring the stout and butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat.
Add cocoa powder to the stout and butter mixture. Whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large bowl to blend.
Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine.
Slowly Add flour mixture to the chocolate and egg mixture. Beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
Transfer cakes to rack; cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely.
For icing: Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chopped chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Refrigerate until icing is spreadable, stirring frequently, about 2 hours.
Place 1 cake layer on plate. Spread icing over. Top with second cake layer. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake. Cut and enjoy.

Serves 12.

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Noteworthy Nibbles - June 9-16, 2009

YumSugar — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:00:07 -0700

From Dr Pepper to pork to Philly cheesesteaks, this week's noteworthy nibbles seem to pay homage to time-honored American food traditions. We can't wait for the first ever Great American Food & Music Fest in Silicon Valley, which will feature guests like Bobby Flay and Guy Fieri, as well as famous regional specialties from all across the United States. Know of anything we've left off the list? Please feel free to chime in below!

Ithaca, NY: Taste of the Nation Ithaca - June 9
New York, NY: Wine Enthusiast Toast of the Town - June 15
Emporia, VA: Virginia Pork Festival - June 10
Lockhart, TX: Chisholm Trail Roundup - June 11-13
Kapalua, HI: Kapalua Wine & Food Festival - June 11-14
Winston-Salem, NC: Hot Ribs, Cool Music - June 11-14
Minneapolis, MN: Taste of the Nation Minneapolis - June 12
Salem, OR: Wine, Chocolate, and More! - June 12-13
Las Vegas, NV: Coffee Fest Las Vegas - June 12-14
Mountain View, CA: Great American Food & Music Festival - June 13

To see the rest, read more.

Oak Grove, VA: Chesapeake Bay Wine Festival - June 13
Minneapolis, MN: Famous Dave's BBQ & Blues Festival - June 13
Dublin, TX: Dr Pepper Birthday Celebration - June 13
Richmond, VA: St. Joseph's Italian Festival - June 13-14
Cockeysville, MD: Great Grapes! Wine, Art, and Food Festival - June 13-14
San Francisco, CA: Cochon 555 - June 14
Los Angeles, CA: Taste of the Nation LA - June 14
Ojai, CA: Ojai Wine Festival - June 14
Sedona, AZ: Dine in Sedona Restaurant Fest - June 15-30

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How Does a Sweetened Condensed Guinness Sound?

YumSugar — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:28:31 -0800

Earlier this week, I tipped you off to the winners of the Chocolate Adventure Recipe Contest, and while the top three spots do sound delicious, I was more intrigued by the runner-up. The name is Chocolate Ginger Delight, and it's a Guinness stout with sweetened condensed milk, ground ginger, and chocolate. Creator Karen Ariele Imm has really taken this pub favorite to a new level. If it sounds intriguing to you, get the recipe when you read more.

Chocolate Ginger Delight
By Karen Ariele Imm, for the 2007 Chocolate Adventure Contest

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 oz Scharffen Berger 62% semisweet chocolate
1/8 tsp ground ginger
12 oz cold Guinness brand stout
Shaved chocolate (for garnish)

In a small, heavy-bottom sauce pan, over low heat, melt sweetened condensed milk and chocolate.
Remove from heat and whisk in ginger.
Place chocolate mixture into a medium-sized bowl. Set aside to let cool (between 5 and 10 minutes).
Pour Guinness over the chocolate mixture and stir until well combined.
Divide equally into two glasses.
Garnish with shaved chocolate and serve.

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