YumSugar

Relax With Republic of Tea's Decaffeinated Rooibos Line

partysugar — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 11:15:14 -0800

Tea has been an incredibly trendy ingredient for the past two years. Recently, I was bombarded by so many different types of new tea products that I was quite overwhelmed. So much so that I avoided the enormous amount of tea booths at the Fancy Foods Show.

Until one - the Republic of Tea's Be Well Red Tea line - caught my eye. With names like "get happy," "get some zzz's," and "get relaxed" the collection of South African rooibos teas are each specified to change a certain aspect of your life. They're caffeine free and naturally healthful. They come in brightly colored, tin canisters. I enjoy their unpretentious packaging, clean herbal flavor, and soothing qualities.

Do you drink decaffeinated tea? Have you tried Republic of Tea?

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Do You Cook With Vanilla Beans?

YumSugar — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 09:00:11 -0800

At the Food Fête party this week after the Fancy Foods Show, a representative from Nielsen-Massey Vanillas handed me a kit sealed with a vanilla bean. She suggested that if I didn't want to cook with it, I could take advantage of its pleasant fragrance.

"Oh, don't worry - I'll cook with it," I reassured her. Although they're rather expensive - pods cost around $5 each - cooking with vanilla pods, in my opinion, imparts a more natural flavor than using vanilla extract. I like to use them in everything from cakes to vanilla-flavored hot chocolate. What about you?

PartySugar's Favorites From Fancy Foods

partysugar — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 05:30:33 -0800

Although there were over 200,000 products and 81 countries represented at the Fancy Foods Show, only seven items stood out in my mind (okay eight if you include the caviar!). These delicious bites were the highlight of the show. Start clicking to check them out.

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Happy Hour: Modmix Organic Cocktail Mixers

partysugar — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:00:00 -0800

Move over Stirrings, there's a new cocktail mixer on the market and it's made with 100 percent organic fruit juice. Meet Modmix ($9.99), the mixer for the luxury spirit. I was lucky enough to speak with one of the founders, Tricia McCracken, at the Fancy Foods Show. She explained that the mixers pair well with all types of liquor, including bubbly. For a non-alcoholic drink, she suggests diluting the mixer with sparkling water. Modmix comes in six flavors: citrus margarita, French martini, lavender lemon drop, mojito, pomegranate cosmopolitan, and wasabi bloody Mary. Unlike most mixers, Modmix is neither too artificial or too sweet - they taste surprisingly like fresh juice. I loved the French martini, a subtle blend of pineapple juice with a vibrant raspberry color, and the wasabi bloody Mary, a thick tomato juice that packs a spicy punch. The best thing about Modmix is that they have a very pure, intense, authentic fruit flavor. Have you tried Modmix? Did you think it was a step above other cocktail mixers?

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YumSugar's Favorites From Fancy Foods

YumSugar — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 05:30:33 -0800

This week, PartySugar and I ate and drank our way through the Fancy Foods Show. While we sampled countless things - from cassava chips to bacon-flavored lip gloss - there were definitely a few items that I can't live without. Keep reading to see my favorites.

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Trend Alert: Healthier Snack Chips

partysugar — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 10:15:22 -0800

When Oprah declared that she would stop eating organic blue corn tortilla chips in favor of sweet potato chips, little did she know that the food industry was one step ahead of her. Healthier, alternative snack chips were a huge trend at last weekend's Fancy Foods Show. With names like Corazonas and Yuka, these chips have South American roots. Corazonas the only chip made with potatoes, stood out because they actually help lower cholesterol. The rest of the chips, feature an up and coming tuber, known as the cassava. To find out more about this interesting starch, read more.

The cassava is ancient root similar to the potato. After rice and potatoes, it's the world's most widely consumed staple. Thus, it's only natural the cassava be turned into chip form.

Maxi Cassava is a gluten-free chip (and cracker) with an original flavor, while the Yuca brand's cassava was hot and spicy. Out of all the chips I tasted, Joseph Banks black pepper cassava root chips were my favorite. The crisp texture closely resembled thick-cut potato chips and the black pepper flavor was fresh and intense.

Overall, these snacks were intriguing to try once, but I won't incorporate them into my daily diet. Perhaps if I were more of a snacker, I would enjoy them on a regular basis.

Have you tried other root vegetable or cassava chips? What did you think of them?

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How To Store Caviar

YumSugar — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 05:30:29 -0800

Yesterday, I offered some tips for tasting and serving caviar, courtesy of Michael Kupfer and Ali Bolourchi of Pacific Plaza Imports, a California-based caviar importer. I caught up with them while enjoying some Siberian sturgeon roe, and got some pointers on how to keep caviar in its best condition. To learn more about storing sturgeon roe, read more.

The ideal temperature for storing caviar is between 28ºF and 30ºF.
Set the eggs in the coldest part of your refrigerator, atop packs of ice. Since caviar has such a high salt content, don't worry about it freezing,
Caviar that's been vacuum-sealed will keep up to 90 days. Kupfer recommends consuming it within 60 days.
Once opened, sturgeon roe has a shelf life of less than a week; after 48 hours, the caviar, due to exposure to oxygen, loses its integrity and begins to break down.

Now that I know how to properly care for my caviar, I'm looking forward to purchasing some for myself. Will these tips inspire you to buy a jar for entertaining at home?

Happy Hour: Izzi Sambuca

partysugar — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:15:42 -0800

While YumSugar was busy learning about caviar at the Fancy Foods Show, I was searching the Italian section for exciting new drinks. With its smooth, easy-drinking liquid, and clear anise-y taste, Izzi Sambuca caught my eye.

Sambuca is a popular Italian liqueur that's great for sipping on a cold afternoon. The distinctive flavor of licorice is prominent, but not overpowering. Izzi makes two kinds: premium original and Sumbuca al Caffé, a variation on theme with subtle undertones of coffee beans and a rich caramel color. Both are warming, but not too strong, full bodied yet not syrupy, and slightly sweet.

Sambuca was popular at the show and Izzi's offerings were my favorite. I definitely plan on adding a bottle to my liquor collection. How about you? Have you tried Sambuca?

Tips For Enjoying Caviar

YumSugar — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 11:23:56 -0800

Last weekend, PartySugar and I spent most of our time eating and drinking at the Winter Fancy Foods Show, the largest food show in North America. With more than 250,000 food and beverage products on display, one could say that perhaps I bit off a little more than I could chew.

We tasted wine, cheese, meat, and everything else you can think of (more on that later!), but one of the biggest highlights had to be learning more about caviar from the pros. I turned to Ali Bolourchi and Michael Kupfer of Pacific Plaza Imports, a California-based caviar importer, to get some tips. To find out how to serve, taste, and enjoy caviar, read more.

What to buy: True caviar, the most prized (and therefore expensive!) is from Russian sturgeon. However, if you've never tasted caviar, American sturgeon is a great starting point, and only costs $20 to $25 an ounce - a fraction of the cost of the real thing. Also, know what it is that you're tasting: Neither red caviar or salmon roe is technically caviar. Genuine caviar falls under three categories: beluga, osetra, and sevruga.
How to taste: The best caviar should be devoid of smell, and should taste clean, buttery, and not too salty. The eggs should have a nice pop to them, and shouldn't be soupy or sticky.
How to serve: Buy a mother-of-pearl spoon to scoop the caviar, as metal imparts an unwanted flavor to the eggs. Each taste should contain a gram or two of caviar. Serve on a toast point, canapé, or blini, with smoked salmon, creme fraîche, lemon, and chive.
If you truly want to taste the pure flavor of caviar, serve the caviar solo on the nook of the hand between the index finger and thumb.

Of course, I couldn't learn fully without experiencing the taste of caviar. Michael served DeSietra Farms Siberian sturgeon caviar that was sustainably farmed in Germany. It was not fishy at all, and subtly briny, with a nutty finish - the perfect way to end a lesson about caviar.

Are you a fan of the delicacy? What are your favorite ways to enjoy it?

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Get Your Own Fancy Foods

YumSugar — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 11:56:46 -0800

Since I know most of you are outside of the SF Bay Area, I try to keep my posts region free, but this news is too interesting to keep to myself. You know how I went on and on about the Fancy Food Show and how delicious and amazing everything was? Turns out when the show is over, the goods and samples that vendors haven't given away are donated to charity. In this case they were donated to Under One Roof (a non-profit dedicated to AIDS/HIV education and support) and (here's the interesting part) they're going to be on sale. The event lasts four days and begins on Thursday, Feb 15. I don't know about you guys, but I'm definitely going to check it out. To get the details, read more

8th Annual Under One Roof
Gourmet Food & Wine Sale
President's Day Weekend 2/15 - 2/19 (Thurs - Mon)
2278 Market Street (formerly Tower Records)
Doors open at 10 am - 8pm
Wine Tastings 5pm - 7pm
415.503.2300

Check out the Gourmet Food & Wine Sale flyer.