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A Peek at the Food and Wine Classic Cook-Off

partysugar — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:00:09 -0700

The most hyped part of the Food and Wine Classic is the culinary competition that takes place on the last day of the festivities. The Classic Cook-Off pits the reigning Top Chef winner - this year it was Hung - against master French chef Jacques Pepin and his BFF Jean-Claude. The chefs were given a whole salmon, a bunch of ingredients leftover from the previous day's demos, and 18 minutes to create a dish and a cocktail. While Hung created a delicious-looking salmon and a frothy coconut-milk cocktail, the Frenchmen wowed the crowd with their salmon appetizer, salmon entree, wasabi cocktail, and souffle dessert. To catch a glimpse of the competition, check out our exclusive video below!

For more pictures of the cook-off challenge, including images from the second competition that featured Michael Symon and Tom Colicchio vs. Roy Yamaguchi; and a look at the celebrity chefs who were in the audience, read more.

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Off To Market Recap: Kid's Cooking Kit

partysugar — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 01:18:39 -0700

Last week I introduced my cousin Caroline who is 11 going on 25. She is the oldest of four children, and loves helping her mom around the kitchen, so I thought it would be fun to get her a little cooking kit. I asked you to help me find a cooking kit that was age appropriate, informative and challenging. You bookmarked your finds in the TeamSugar Yum Market with the keyword tag Kid's Cooking Kit.

Lots of kits involve miniature kitchen gadgets instead of actual recipes and cooking techniques. I really liked the recipe box found by mellie_608, but my favorite was the Pizza Making Kit. It comes with an apron, recipe, and fun little pan so Caroline can host her own pizza party whenever she wants! Plus, it will teach her basic culinary methods such as how to grate cheese and slice mushrooms. Thanks for finding this gruaig_rua!

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To learn how to participate in Off To Market please refer to geeksugar's guide to bookmarking on TeamSugar.

Off To Market: Kid's Cooking Kit

partysugar — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 11:12:08 -0700

My cousin Caroline is very mature for her 11 years. She is the oldest of four children and loves learning. I'm not sure how much she cooks with her mom, but I thought it would be fun to get her a cooking kit. I'm hoping to find one that comes with an apron, cookbook, cooking tools, and everything in between. Let's head off to market in search of a fun cooking kit for Caroline. It should be age appropriate, informative and challenging. Bookmark your finds in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag Kid's Cooking Kit.

To learn how to participate in Off To Market please refer to geeksugar's guide to saving on TeamSugar.

How To Host a Chili Cook-off

partysugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 09:00:40 -0800

Yesterday morning I had the pleasure of speaking with three of San Francisco's busiest chefs, the men behind the PlumpJack restaurant kitchens. Jack Falstaff's Jonnatan Leiva, PlumpJack Cafe's Rick Edge, and Balboa Cafe's Jose Lemus each stopped by Balboa to deliver a batch of their ultimate chili. The chefs, along with the firefighters of Station 16, are taking part in an annual chili cook-off, benefiting the San Francisco Firefighter Toy Program. Each chef submitted a recipe for a different type of chili. From now until Friday, November 7th, diners at Balboa will have the chance to sample all four and vote on their favorite. If you don't live in San Francisco you may not be able to taste the chili, but you could host your own chili contest! A chili cook-off is the perfect alternative to a formal Thanksgiving dinner or ideal for game day. To check out my ideas for hosting your own chili cook-off and the PlumpJack chefs' tips for making the best chili, read more.

When Hosting:

Start by asking a few friends (who enjoy cooking) if they would like to submit a recipe for your contest. Be sure you have enough space to keep the chili warm. For example, if four guests are bringing chili, you'll need four stove tops or oven space for several large pots.
A batch of chili serves a large group, so invite a bunch of people over to be judges.
To ensure that the kitchen isn't over crowded, have guests bring the finished chili dish.
Keep the menu varied and interesting by assigning each chef a different type of chili. The Balboa menu includes a beef chili, a pork chili, a vegetarian chili, and a super spicy chili.
Set up a toppings bar with grated cheese, sour cream, charred limes, chopped cilantro, tortilla chips, cornbread, etc.
Make the judging anonymous. Give each chili a letter. Print out score sheets and grade the chilis based on taste, texture, smell, color, etc.
Decorate with dried corn and colorful chili peppers.
Serve plenty of cold beer.
Have prizes (a bottle of wine, a limited-edition flavor of Tabasco) for the winning chili.

When submitting a chili recipe:

Keep the recipe simple.
Get a good flavor base by slowly cooking the onions and garlic.
When making vegetarian chili use a lot of vegetables. Grilled mushrooms and grilled tofu are hearty substitutes for meat.
For maximum flavor-melding, cook the chili for a long time. If you need more stove top space, cook the chili in the oven.
Roast chili peppers before adding to the chili.
Take the time to brown the meat before adding it to the chili pot.

Have you ever hosted or attended a chili cook-off? What is your secret for making the perfect chili?

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Off to Market: Spoon Rest

partysugar — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 07:50:36 -0700

A spoon rest is a handy kitchen tool that sits on stovetops. In between sautéing and stirring, it's a safe place to rest the spatula or spoon you're using. Sadly, I don't own one and the other day when I was making macaroni and cheese, I finally decided it's time to invest in this practical kitchen essential.

Can you help me find a fabulous, dishwasher safe spoon rest? All you have to do is search the Internet for spoon rests and bookmark your favorite finds. Be sure to save them in the Off to Market group and tag them with the keyword spoon rest. Good luck!

Interested in learning more about bookmarking? Check out the complete instructions here. Need some shopping inspiration? See a list of my favorite online stores when you read more.

Bed Bath & Beyond
CB2
Cooking.com
Crate & Barrel
Ikea
Linens and Things
NapaStyle
Pier 1
Plum Party
Pottery Barn
Sur La Table
Target
Restoration Hardware
Williams Sonoma
Wishing Fish
World Market

Top Chef Vegas: Episode 12

partysugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:12:49 -0800

It was down to five cheftestants on last night's episode of Top Chef. The final Las Vegas challenge - the next two shows take place in Napa, California - highlighted the Bocuse d'Or, the world's most prestigious classical cooking competition. A plethora of big name chefs including Thomas Keller and Daniel Boulud, guest judged. Ready to discuss? Keep reading.

Off to Market: Serving Ware

partysugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:50:32 -0800

In the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, I like to take inventory of my serving ware. I plan on doing a lot of entertaining between now and New Year's, and whether I'm plating up bite-sized appetizers or slicing pieces of roast chicken, I'm going to need a lot of serving trays and bowls.

I want to invest in a couple of new ones, can you help me find them? To share your favorite serving ware, bookmark the items in the Off to Market group in the YumSugar Community. Don't forget to tag the bookmarks with the keywords Serving Ware. Happy hunting!

Interested in learning more about bookmarking? Check out the complete instructions here. Need some shopping inspiration? See a list of my favorite online stores when you read more.

Bed Bath & Beyond
CB2
Cooking.com
Crate & Barrel
Ikea
Linens and Things
NapaStyle
Pier 1
Plum Party
Pottery Barn
Sur La Table
Target
Restoration Hardware
Williams Sonoma
Wishing Fish
World Market

Finger-Lickin' Good: Scenes from a Barbecue Cookoff

YumSugar — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:00:09 -0700

There is nothing that I love more than Southern barbecue, so when I heard that the Bay Area Barbecue Cook-Off was being held this weekend, I eschewed any social engagements in favor of firing up the 'cue. It was a perfect day for the event with clear blue skies, live country music, and some of the best barbecue around. Here are a couple of highlights.

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In Season: Butternut Squash

YumSugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:00:29 -0800

Perhaps the most-loved variety of Winter squash, butternut squash is to Thanksgiving what pumpkin is to Halloween: ubiquitous. Reasonably priced and versatile, with a long shelf life, these mild, vibrantly-hued veggies are at their best during the cold days ahead. When selecting, look for squash free of bruises, feel heavy for their size, and have a matte skin. Those with wider necks and smaller bulbs will have the most flesh. Because of its rigid exterior, butternut squash has an extended shelf life, and storing it for longer - up to a month, unrefrigerated, in a cool, dark place - can bring out its sweetness. Once peeled, the vegetable will keep for up to a week if covered tightly in the fridge. Learn how to make the most of it when you keep reading.

Top Chef Quiz: Strip Around the World

partysugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:15:58 -0800

From breakfast in bed to big top-inspired soup, last night's episode of Top Chef had the chefs cooking up some crazy casino-inspired dishes, but not everyone's gamble paid off.

Emotions were high, and, of course, someone went home. Did you get too wrapped up in the drama to pay attention to the details? Take my quiz and test your savvy.

Photo courtesy of Bravo

Take the quiz