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Would You Lick a Magazine?

YumSugar — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 03:15:51 -0800

Food advertising is a funny thing. Unlike perfume ads, which can attack your sense of smell and sight, food ads have long relied on witty text and droolworthy images. That is, until now. In the Feb. 18th issue of People magazine, Welch's is running full page ads for their grape juice. The twist? These ads contain lickable flavor strips. That's right, they're hoping you'll lick the magazine.

The technology comes from a company named First Flavor, and the Peel 'n Taste ads work much like dissolvable breath strips. You tear the ad off, stick it on your tongue, and taste the product. They say that it can't be re-sealed once it's peeled, so you'll be able to know if someone else has licked it or not.

This isn't the first time lickable strips have been placed into magazines, CBS's Cane ran one last fall. However, I'm not sure if they'll catch on. Especially considering that not all strips will contain actual essences of what they're promoting. The Welch's ad does, but other ads in the works do not. So what do you think, would you lick a magazine?

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Feta-Stuffed Pita Burgers

partysugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:50:39 -0800

Who says a burger has to be served between two buns? This recipe takes the traditional notion of the cheeseburger and turns it on its head. Instead of crumbling cheese over the patties, the feta is stuffed into the middle of a ground meat mixture. A soft pita replaces the classic bun and spicy arugula stands in for the usual slice of lettuce. The resulting dish, which is full of Mediterranean flavors, would be great for impromptu weeknight entertaining. To create a meal, serve with store-bought hummus, pita chips, and kalamata olives. Want to see the recipe? Keep reading.

Monday's Leftovers: Pork Cutlets With Cranberry Port Sauce

YumSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:00:07 -0800

I just found the perfect use for my leftover cranberry sauce and boneless pork chops: this balanced dinner of sautéed pork cutlets.

I'll pan-fry some pork chops, then deglaze the pan with a combination of cranberries and port wine, for a sauce that's both sweet and tart.

The result? A mouthwatering meal that's full of flavor, not fat. Want to see the recipe? Then read more.

Sunday Dinner: Black-Eyed Peas With Pork and Greens

YumSugar — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 06:30:06 -0800

Pork chops may be filling and healthful, but because they're a leaner cut, they aren't always full of flavor.

To keep your taste buds dancing, incorporate the other white meat into a classic Southern staple that's got major sass: the Hoppin' John.

A medley of black-eyed peas, brown rice, kale, and pork come together with the help of tomato, broth, vinegar, and paprika. Enjoy a dish that's got a little bit of everything when you keep reading.

Come Party With Me: Bold Flavorful Thanksgiving - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:15:15 -0800

I'm a fan of trying out new recipes on Thanksgiving, but I always like to serve some sort of pumpkin dessert. It doesn't matter if it's pie, cookies, or ice cream - as long as it's pumpkiny. To finish a meal that is full of vibrant colors and bold flavors, I would offer guests a spirited twist on the classic crème brûlée. Pumpkin puree and brown sugar make this smooth and creamy treat perfect for turkey day.

Crème brûlée is also great because you can get people up and moving after the big meal: invite everyone to sugar and blow torch their own crème brûlée! To get this recipe, which can be prepared in advance, read more.

Pumpkin and Brown-Sugar Crème Brûlée
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
5 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups heavy whipping cream
8 tablespoons raw sugar or golden brown sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F. Whisk pumpkin, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 cup brown sugar in large bowl. Whisk in egg yolks and vanilla, then spices and salt.
Bring cream just to boil in medium saucepan. Gradually whisk hot cream into pumpkin mixture.
Divide mixture among eight 5x1-inch ramekins. Divide ramekins between 2 large roasting pans. Add enough hot water to pans to come halfway up sides of ramekins.
Bake until custards are just set in center, about 35 minutes. Chill custards until cold, about 6 hours. Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon raw sugar over pumpkin custard in each ramekin. Using kitchen torch, melt sugar until deep amber. Alternatively, use broiler. Place ramekins on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle tops with brown sugar [not raw sugar] and melt directly under broiler until deep amber. Refrigerate 15 minutes to allow sugar to harden. Can be made 1 hour ahead. Keep chilled.

Serves 8.

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Happy Hour: Firefly Mint Tea Vodka

YumSugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:00:38 -0700

Last week, Party and I attended a tasting showcasing winners of this year's San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The high moment of the day occurred when I got a taste of something I've been dying to try: sweet tea-flavored vodka made by South Carolina-based Firefly Distillery. I'm a fiend for Southern cuisine, and that includes sweet tea, a drink so ubiquitous that it's just referred to as "tea." Southerners also love to spike their tea, so it seems natural that someone would come up with tea-flavored vodka. That genius would be Jim Irvin, a distiller based in Wadmalaw Island, SC. Irvin, also a winemaker, distills the vodka four times, imbues it with tea grown from a plantation five miles away, and sweetens the finished product with sugarcane from Louisiana.

We tried one of the distillery's newest vodka flavors, Mint Tea, which won a Double Gold Medal in the competition. It has a natural minty finish that tastes both soothing and refreshing. It was so easy to drink alone that I'm almost certain I could enjoy an entire pitcher before realizing the product's full effects. I can't wait to buy a bottle for myself!

Have you tried Firefly's tea-flavored vodkas? What did you think of them?

Killer App: Figs in Blanket

YumSugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:15:55 -0700

Figs are one of my favorite late Summer, early Fall fruits. Thus, after making bacon-wrapped dates, I looked for a similar recipe that used fresh figs. To my delight, I came across this Sandra Lee recipe that combines figs, goat cheese, and prosciutto. Inspired by her recipe but wanting to keep it simple, I came up with my take on her killer app. Rather than heat up the house, I decided to throw these tasty little bites on the barbecue.Although any variety of fig will work, I used Calimyrna and found that the easiest way to remove the flesh is with a melon baller. This delicious appetizer is perfect for a party because it can be prepped ahead of time and only requires a few minutes on the grill, so you won't miss any of the fun. With the salty prosciutto, sweet fig, and tangy goat cheese center, these nibbles are full of flavor and texture. If you want to impress your guests with figs in a blanket, keep reading.

Happy Hour: Desmond's Pleasure

partysugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:00:36 -0700

If you're a fan of Beefeater, you should definitely get your hands on the brand's latest release, Beefeater 24. The artisan gin, that's made in London, features 12 specially selected botanicals, including a rare Japanese tea and Chinese green tea. The spirit is brewed for 24 hours, hence the name. Unlike classic Beefeater, the 24 is distinctly smoother and more complex with a slightly floral aroma. It makes an excellently drinkable gin and tonic and an elegant rickey.

I recently enjoyed Beefeater 24 in a cocktail named for its creator, master distiller Desmond Payne, at Clock Bar in San Francisco. Crafted by one of my favorite bartenders, Steven Liles, this drink is full of tart citrus flavor. The combination of elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, bitter lemon soda, and Pimm's does not overshadow the Beefeater 24. Instead, it enhances and balances out the gin, resulting in a drink that is intricate and refreshing.

To look at Steven's recipe, read more.

Desmond’s Pleasure
From Steven Liles of Clock Bar

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz. Beefeater 24
1/2 oz. St. Germain elderflower liqueur
1/2 oz. Lemon juice
3 dashes Fees Bros. Grapefruit Bitters
Fever Tree bitter lemon soda
1/2 oz. Pimm's No.1

Directions

Shake first 4 ingredients and strain into ice filled Collins glass.
Add bitter lemon soda and float pimm's over the top. Garnish with a long slice of lemon peel.

Makes 1 drink.

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Earn Brownie Points With Peanut Butter

YumSugar — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:15:03 -0700

After drooling over Party's amazing brownies, I knew I was going to have pull out the butter and flour and get to baking my own batch. Rather than making an uber chocolate one like she did, I opted for a peanut butter and chocolate variation. Initially, I wanted a recipe for chocolate brownies with a peanut butter swirl, but I came across the reverse - peanut butter brownies with chocolate chunks - and had to give it a try!

These peanut butter brownies are dense, moist, and full of flavor. I added three quarters of a cup of chocolate chips and next time will make it an even cup, so every bite has both peanut butter and chocolate. These brownies are easy to make and would be out of this world served fresh from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. If you want to earn brownie points with your friends and family who are obsessed with the combination of peanut butter and chocolate, keep reading.

Happy Hour: Quady Elysium

YumSugar — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:30:49 -0700

While hosting a spur-of-the-moment dinner two nights ago, I wanted something sweet to end our meal, so I invited my guests to enjoy a glass of liquid dessert: Quady Elysium ($15.99), made with black muscat grapes.

The concentrated, blackberry-hued wine is rich with both floral and fruity flavors, so I enjoyed it in little sips. Because it's so intensely sweet and full-bodied, it's easy to overlook the alcohol content. Although it's detectable on the nose, I was surprised to find it was 15 percent alcohol, and had to pace myself! The winery also recommends enjoying it on ice with equal parts tonic water and wine, with a squeeze of lemon - something I fully intend to try next time I want a sweet sip that won't get me sloshed.

I've been hooked on stickies made by Quady Winery, a Central California-based producer that specializes in fortified wines, ever since I sampled its other dessert wine, Electra. Have you ever enjoyed Elysium or Quady's other dessert wines?