YumSugar

Do You Ever Buy Foods Solely For Their Cuteness?

YumSugar — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 09:00:12 -0700

Last time I went shopping at Whole Foods, I came across some tomatoes that were so dainty, the smallest ones were tinier than my baby fingernail! I found them incredibly adorable and, admittedly for this reason only, found myself shelling out $4 for a carton. Have you ever been swayed to buy something just because it's (almost) too cute to eat?

Would You Hire This 13-Year Old to Cater Your Event?

YumSugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:00:23 -0700

While most eighth graders whittled away this Summer at swim camp, one young man became the hottest rising caterer in the Hamptons.

Meet Greg Grossman, a 13-year-old chef prodigy from East Hampton, NY. Recently profiled in the New York Post, Grossman so far this Summer has "seared 75 pounds of scallops, cured 30 pounds of salmon, plated 200 micro-green salads and reduced at least 20 bottles of red wine" while catering for parties.

Despite the "killer" truffles and fish soufflés he made for a recent gallery opening, Grossman's not old enough to qualify for a catering license, so clients must employ him as a "personal chef." While his parents say he "practically teethed at Nobu, Cipriani and the Four Seasons Hotel in Palm Beach," they knew he was really something when he presented them with pan-seared sea scallops under a balsamic vinegar glaze with a wild-mushroom medley at the ripe old age of 10.

I don't know what to make of this preteen personal chef. On the one hand, I think it's an incredible feat; on the other hand, I think that true culinary mastery requires a bit of maturity. What say you? Would you hire him to cater your events?

Source

Rachael Ray Meet Rachael Ray

partysugar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:15:54 -0700

What would you do if you had the exact same name as celebrity chef Rachael Ray? Well, cook of course! Last week the Oakland Tribune introduced the world to the other Rachael Ray, a 10-year-old Fremont resident, who enjoys spending her time in the kitchen:

Rachael was born years before the cooking show host hit the big time, she definitely wasn't named after Rachael Ray, and she's used to getting yak-back about her name. When she was 7, she had a Rachael Ray birthday party. Guests dressed as chefs and got little cookbooks filled with family recipes for things such as cheeseburger soup.

The newspaper asked the energetic youngster to test out recipes from the Food Network star's latest cookbook Rachael Ray Yum-O! The Family Cookbook. When celeb Rachael Ray heard about the story, she was absolutely charmed and sent the girl a complete set of her signature pots and pans.

I know that many of you find Rachael Ray annoying, but you have to admit this story is pretty cute!

Source

Chamomile Camel Teapot: Love It or Hate It?

YumSugar — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 04:05:30 -0700

A friend of mine recently moved into a new apartment. To help her celebrate, I decided to get her a cute teapot. While looking for one, I came across this chamomile camel teapot ($24). Part of me thinks it's adorable, but there's something about it that hasn't won me over. How about you? Are you in to this docile dromedary?

They're on Your Soda Bottle, Making You Laugh

YumSugar — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:21:31 -0700

I'll admit it now, I really love the awful lolspeak and lolcats, and I'm surprised by how much it's taken off. At first it was just something that people who spend too much time on the internet understood, and now almost everyone has seen the cheezburger cat that started it all. (If you have no idea what I'm talking about, check out these lolcat examples.)

So why am I talking about lolcats? Well, the folks at Jones Soda - yes the ones responsible for dirt flavored soda - want to put pictures of them on their bottles. That's right, lolcats will be in your stores adorning your soda!

Right now there's a contest to find the best lolcat for the labels. You can vote on other submissions or submit one yourself. You have until Apr. 25 to do it, so get cracking! I think this is so fun, u noes wut i meanz?

Reader Recipe: Carrot Cake Easter Basket

YumSugar — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 03:01:31 -0700

It's a few days late for Easter, but I just had to share this cake. I was looking through TeamSugar and came across Bettyesque's Carrot Cake Easter Basket. I loved how she provided the recipe and gave us step-by-step directions on how to make the cake on our own. It's so simple, but looks absolutely divine. I wish I had one of these on my Easter table!

If you want to try and make it yourself - or if you just want to see her process - then get the recipe, just read more.

Submitted by TeamSugar member Bettyesque

Well I was working on this all morning ... here is the recipe for the cake. Now the basket was entirely different task. I used crushed pecans for the basket, use a teaspoon and just drizzle and shape a basket. I then mixed food coloring in the icing for the grass and eggs. I left the icing mixtures out for a bit so they would stiffen some. I applied the green icing with a knife making upward strokes to appear as grass. I used a teaspoon to scoop the other colors and then lightly placed on the cake reshaping if necessary. I used gels and non perils to decorate the eggs....Its really not that difficult and adds a nice touch to a carrot cake for Easter.

Hope you enjoy this post!

Cake Recipe

INGREDIENTS

* 4 eggs - I use 5 more fluffy
* 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
* 2 cups white sugar
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 3 cups grated carrots
* 1 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan or two 8in pans
2. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting Or ... Make your Own

# 1/2 cup butter, softened
# 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
# 4 cups confectioners' sugar
# 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
# 1 cup chopped pecans

To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans. Frost the cooled cake.

Print recipe with images | without images

The Washington Post's 2nd Annual Peep Show

YumSugar — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 05:48:12 -0700

This year the folks at the Washington Post put together their second annual Peeps Show. It's a contest they run in which they invite their readers to put together Peeps dioramas. This year they received over 800 entries, and narrowed that down to 31 semi-finalists and one winner. The winner is Laura Sillers, who whipped up a diorama called "The Tomb of King Peepankhamun." It includes Peeps hieroglyphics, a mummified Peep and more.

I've put a few of my favorites below, but be sure to check out all 32 winning entries.

View 5 Photos ›

Source

Cupcake of the Week: Easter Nests

YumSugar — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 14:08:51 -0700

This week's cupcake of the week comes from Steph at the Frosted Garden. These adorable Easter Nests are delightfully festive and oh so cute. I hope she inspires you to make your own batch for Sunday!

Bluesuze Had a Little Lamb

YumSugar — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:40:19 -0700

If one adorable cake wasn't enough for you today then here's another! I was hunting for cakes on TeamSugar when I came across this adorable Easter Lamb Cake by bluesuze. It's so wonderfully cute and precious. She says that her family makes an Easter Lamb Cake every year. To create her masterpiece she used the Wilton Lamb Cake Pan ($12.99) and I think hers looks even better than theirs!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

YumSugar — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:29:51 -0700

It's the first day of spring, and my thoughts are turning towards fresh veggies and bright colors. Normally it's the appetizers and main courses that get the spring treatment, but this year, dessert can play along too. This Garden Patch Cakelet Pan ($34) is a garden-themed cake pan that features rows of carrots, cauliflower, radishes and peas. It would make the most adorable petit-fours and hey, maybe it'll get your little ones (or big ones) to finally eat their veggies.