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Would You Eat This Salad Mix With Flowers?

YumSugar — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 05:30:35 -0700

The other day while at the farmers market, I came across these bags of spring mix with edible flowers. Because I grew up with the mantra that it's healthy to "eat the colors of the rainbow," the flowers' vibrant hues were enticing to my palate. I'm an adventurous eater, but I could imagine a picky eater not being too fond of the idea. Have you ever tried edible flowers?

Taste Test: Dried Sweetened Hibiscus Flowers

YumSugar — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:00:19 -0700

I like to keep my pantry stocked full of things - olive tapenade, cheese, crackers, and dried fruits - for an impromptu party. The other day I noticed it was sparse, so I headed off to Trader Joe's. While there, I found these dried sweetened hibiscus flowers and decided to take home a package.

I've had hibiscus cooler, but I had never actually eaten dried hibiscus flowers. Although I was a bit weirded out - the petals shriveled up into long fingerlike prongs - I was curious to try them. Surprisingly, and I'm sure this has to do with the fact that they're sweetened, they were delicious! With a sweet yet tart flavor, they're like a chewier version of dried cranberries.

Great for snacking, they would also be an excellent addition to salads or baked goods. I stirred some into a pitcher of sparkling lemonade, and it made for a super BBQ hit. Folks were intrigued by the look, the flavor melded with the lemonade well, and the flowers tinted the liquid a pretty color.

What do you think? Is this something you would try?

Veggie Flower Arrangement Is a Cool Centerpiece - and Snack

YumSugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 04:00:39 -0700

As a parting present to a friend, Sugar staffer (and OnSugar manager!) sabs creatively crafted a floral arrangement - made entirely out of fresh, edible vegetables! The result was a stunning centerpiece that, like a flower cake, would be a thoughtful (and edible!) gift for someone who avoids sugar.

I loved the idea so much that I had to ask sabs how she did it. Interested in making one yourself? Find out how when you read more

Scape: The Other Side of Garlic

YumSugar — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 03:00:47 -0700

When browsing the farmers market, I'm drawn to things I don't recognize. The minute I saw these beauties, I stopped to learn what they were. Called scapes, these vegetables are flowering stalks of still-developing garlic.Only certain varieties of garlic produce these delicate shoots. They are similar to the stems you find on leeks, scallions, and chives. When young, scapes are tender and have similar properties to green onions; when scapes mature, their stems grow too woody to eat, but they develop edible seed pods. To learn how I experimented with scapes in the kitchen, read more.

To get a true sense of their flavor, I decided to use the seed pods to make a deconstructed garlic bread. Here's how to recreate the dish in your kitchen:

Remove the woody stemmed pods from the papery bulbs. Leave the edible, purple skin around the pods.
Sauté the seeds on medium-low heat in extra-virgin olive oil and butter for about 20 minutes until they are soft and fragrant.
Pour the mixture over freshly baked French bread and enjoy immediately!

This different take on garlic bread was delicious: the flavor is decidedly garlicky, but it's much milder than the common garlic clove. Here are some other unconventional ideas for enjoying garlic scapes:

Substitute the usual garlic clove for the scape pods in a stir-fry.
Use garlic scapes and scallions in a frittata.
Make pesto with garlic scapes.
Replace garlic cloves with the same amount of scape pods for a milder garlic soup.

Have you experimented with scapes or their seed pods? What did you think of them?

What's Yummy This Week - YumSugar Weekly Recap

YumSugar — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 09:30:13 -0700

From Tyler Florence's ultimate dinner to a tour of the tasting tent, check out all the yums from the NYC Food and Wine Festival.
Savor Fall's bounty with fruit and caramel fondue.
Plan a Halloweeny bash in a pumpkin patch.
See if you remember your classic Halloween candy.
Master this crabmeat risotto just in time for the holidays.
How do you feel about salad with edible flowers?
Help me find a slick new vegetable peeler.
Celebrity-designed eco totes are all the rage.

What's in Season: Artichokes

YumSugar — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 10:00:12 -0700

My friend calamari recently asked me what was up with artichokes. He and his gal are having a hard time figuring out how to pick and eat them, so I thought I'd give him some advice. To see how to select the best artichokes in the bunch, and what to do once you've brought them home, read more.

Selecting:

Choose artichokes that are firm and heavy feeling. A heavier weight usually means more water, which means it's fresh.
Look for ones whose leaves are tight and held together. Blooming ones are pretty and edible, but may have tough leaves.
Just because it's large doesn't mean its center (aka the heart) is going to be large.
Select artichokes that are dark green in color and have a slight glossy sheen to them.

Storing:

Like flowers, you can store artichokes in a vase of water.
Alternatively wash them in cold water, and place them - still wet - in to a plastic bag stored in your refrigerator.

Preparing:

Tap them upside down over your sink to dislodge any debris residing between leaves.
Wash them under cold running water.
Remove the sharp outer leaves by cutting the top of the artichoke off. You'll cut about 1/4 off.
Trim the bottom base. Some people remove the whole thing, while others just trim the end.
Now follow your recipe, or steam them for about 30-40 minutes. Check often to make sure the water (seasoned with salt and with lemon juice if you like) level has not depleted.

Do you have any great artichoke tips? Share them with us in the comments!

Food & Wine's Top Tastes to Try in 2008

YumSugar — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 16:22:11 -0800

In their recent January issue, Food & Wine magazine released their annual 100 Tastes to Try. This year the tastes have been broken down into 15 categories ranging from food trips to new ingredients. I took a look through the list and here are some of the ones that are topping my personal list of tastes to try in 2008. I don't know how feasible some of them are, but I know I can cross a few of these off my list.

A meal at Elizabeth Falkner's new restaurant Orson
Rare, edible plants like Sechuan button-flower bud
Honeydew-scented sake
Chocolate bars with popcorn
Saffron-flavored popsicles from Koolfreeze
Tom Douglas's Culinary Summer Camp

For the rest of my picks, read more.

More Sweetbreads - this one's easy, I already love that stuff!
A refreshing Amberjack
Faux Gras. I like the real deal, but am really curious about this one.
Barrel-aged American beers
Hungarian table wine
Exploring Instanbul's bazaars and Anatolia's clay-pot cooking with Nancy Harmon Jenkins
Something off the Treats Truck in New York

How about you? Why don't you look through the full list and tell me which ones you are hoping to try!

Source

Find the Perfect Wedding Cake - Part 2

YumSugar — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 06:58:31 -0700

Once you have your cake design planned and your flavors picked out, it's now time to figure out different costs. Cakes are usually priced by the slice. Will the cake be large enough to feed your guests, or will you need to purchase another sheet cake to serve? Would it be cheaper for you to have a smaller cake and a larger sheet cake? Some even offer a fake cake (with real top tier) and a sheet cake in order to cut the costs. Also, what about the flavor/filling combos - you might love the fresh mixed berries, but if you're on a budget, replacing them with something else might be a good idea.

If you're going for floral decorations, make sure the baker is supplying them all, and if so, do you have a better connection that can get them at a better price? (Now's when I should also add, make sure the flowers you use are edible).

Don't overlook things like cake stands, cutters, toppers, either. Find out if they come with the cake (a cake always looks so much prettier on a cake stand), or if they require a deposit.

To read the last few tips, read more

Be sure to find out how busy the bakery is and how much time/attention they give to each cake. If they have a small staff and have several cakes needed for your wedding day, ask how they plan on pulling it off. Also, find out how far in advance the cake is prepared. The cake portion can be made up to a week in advance, but the icing shouldn't be more than a day or two.

One really important, and sometimes overlooked, fee is the delivery charge. Is there one? Does the place even deliver or will you have to pick it up (which to me, sounds like a recipe for disaster). Does a decorator accompany the cake delivery, or do they use a service. The ideal situation is one where a cake decorator accompanies the cake, this way if something slips during transportation, they'll be able to make any necessary repairs. Is it delivered whole or placed together on spot? Will the company travel to your location, or is it out of their delivery range? If they will, is it going to cost extra? Be sure to figure this stuff out, so that there are no "hidden" costs later.

Finally, have fun, be unique and be yourself - but don't skimp out, make sure it lives up to your expectations. As cake designer Edith Meyer (who created the two very different cakes shown here, and the one from yesterday) states, "Remember, it's the last thing your guests are going to remember from the reception, and it should be as special as the rest of your day."

Be sure to check out part one of how to find the perfect wedding cake!

Do you have any great tips on what to ask when choosing a cake designer? Or how about any great cake-tasting tales? Let us know below!

2007 Winter Fancy Food Show - Part 6 (Tea)

YumSugar — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 15:58:41 -0800

The last trend from the Fancy Food Show that I want to talk about is tea. Ice tea, hot tea, blooming tea, organic tea, chai tea, flavored teas, tea infused chocolate. Tea. Tea. Tea. Tea.

There were at least a billion and a half tea booths (that is not a completely accurate statement, I lost count at around 22 and just rounded up) and most of them had some pretty pleasant teas on hand. The big show crowd pleaser was the new "blooming" teas. These teas are made by hand-tying edible flowers (like roses, carnations, jasmine, etc.) into a ball that "blooms" when placed into hot water. It's pretty gimmicky, but definitely elegant. The only catch is, you'll now have to invest in a clear teapot as well. The one pictured here is either the Jasmine & Chrysanthemum or Jasmine & Marigold from Tzuni (just one of several companies promoting blooming teas). A box of 12 tea "pearls" will set you back $19.20.

Even though there were many normal teas to try, one of my favorites came from Ineeka. Their award winning teas are grown and shipped directly from founder Shashank Goel's family plantations in India. They only use whole leaves with no added flavorings or oils. The teas are treated with love much like a fine wine and their packaging even shows it. It's like loose leaf tea inside of an ingenious tea bag that opens up and allows the tea to unfurl completely. Founder Shashank Goel was kind enough to talk to us about their start, and show us how to brew the perfect cup of delicious tea. Check out the video below to see:

To see more tea coverage, read more

Some more teas I really enjoyed included:

Finally, the last thing I noticed in the world of tea was the number of energy teas. Steaz had an organic energy drink made from green tea, yerba mate, açaí and guarana (it tasted a lot like red bull, but without the lingering aftertaste). Whereas the folks at TeaTech, had Jackie Chan's XGT (a green tea energy drink mix complete with Jackie's face on the packet).

Click on an image to view some of the teas we saw:

View 14 Photos ›