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Do You Buy Discounted Seasonal Candy?

YumSugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:45:30 -0800

Do You Purchase Seasonal Kitchen Linens?

partysugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:00:15 -0700

Not only am I a sucker for seasonal candy, but I also can't say no to holiday kitchen linens. From heart-printed dish towels to Halloween aprons to Christmas tablecloths, I love seasonal kitchen linens. How about you?

Know Your Labor Day Food Factoids?

YumSugar — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 03:50:27 -0700

Next Monday, Sept. 7, professionals everywhere will take advantage of Labor Day to play hooky, travel, and, of course, eat. Although the holiday originated out of labor disputes, the first Monday in September has become synonymous with many things - not the least of which is a national celebration of food. You may know exactly what you'll be snacking on next Monday, but what tasty tidbits do you know about the holiday weekend's food heritage? Click through our quiz to find out.

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Celebrate Rosh Hashanah With Honey-Glazed Cornish Hens

YumSugar — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:00:33 -0700

L'Shanah Tovah (Happy New Year)! Last night was the beginning of the Rosh Hashanah. During this time of reflection and rejoicing, much of the celebration happens at the dinner table. The evening meal often includes the bounty of the autumn harvest, such as pomegranates, persimmons, and avocados. Honey is also significant during Rosh Hashanah, as it symbolizes the hope for sweet and joyful days in the year ahead. To ring in the Jewish new year, which is observed through Wednesday night, I made honey-glazed Cornish hens. Since Cornish hens are smaller, they can be roasted whole in less time than it takes to make a roasted chicken. To get this holiday recipe, read more.

Honey and Cumin-Glazed Cornish Hens
From Jewish Holiday Feasts by Louise Fiszer and Jeannette Ferrary

Ingredients

Glaze
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons cumin seed, toasted and crushed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 Cornish hens, split in half
Salt and pepper

Directions

Combine glaze ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Rinse hens and blot dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Using about a third of the glaze, brush both sides of hen halves.
Place, skin side down, on a baking sheet with low sides. Place in oven and roast 10 minutes.
Turn heat down to 375°F, brush hens again with half the remaining glaze and roast 5 minutes.
Turn hens over and roast 10 minutes.
Brush with remaining glaze and roast until deep golden brown, about 5 minutes more. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 8.

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Join Us Today For Park(ing) Day!

YumSugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 08:00:00 -0700

In case you weren't aware, today is Park(ing) Day, a yearly event where businesses and volunteers take the time to construct parks in parking spaces in an effort to make the world a greener place.

We'll be hosting a special taste challenge at CasaSugar's Sweet Spot Park, so stop by between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. today to participate. CasaSugar's Sweet Spot Park will be in downtown San Francisco from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Howard Street between 2nd Street and New Montgomery. In addition to our fun, one lucky winner will be walking away with a $1,000 IKEA gift card courtesy of CasaSugar, and geeksugar will be on hand to show you the latest in solar technology.

Can't make it to our Park(ing) Day celebration? We'll keep you posted with the results of our taste challenge. Are you going to visit any Park(ing) Day parks in your town?

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2007's Favorite Food Holiday Is...

partysugar — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 08:01:31 -0800

When we asked about your favorite food holiday of 2007, most of you eagerly voted for Thanksgiving. In this case, I totally have to agree. Thanksgiving is the ultimate food holiday, a celebration that revolves around an elaborate meal. Like food magazines that devote their entire November issue to Thanksgiving, we provided plenty of turkey tips and delicious desserts. We tested a no fuss turkey, supplied decor ideas, and created three - a beginner, a vegetarian, and a classic - exceptional menus. I was sad to see it go and already look forward to next year's Thanksgiving!

What do you think? Are you as hungry for turkey as I am?

Yummy Link: Edible Christmas Ornaments

YumSugar — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 06:01:38 -0800

What is Christmas without Christmas decorations? These delicious edible ornaments are perfect for the Christmas tree and would be fun to make as well. - The Culinary Chase

What Is Your Favorite Food Holiday of 2007?

partysugar — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 06:01:31 -0800

As part of our ongoing Best of 2007 coverage, we want to know about what food celebrations you enjoy. What is your favorite holiday when it comes to food?

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Happy Hour: Gramona Grand Cuvee Cava 2002

partysugar — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 13:27:17 -0800

With the holidays rapidly approaching, it's a good time to stock up on that celebratory bubbly. While it's nice to offer guests Champagne, I love to serve something a teeny-bit different. An excellent choice is Cava, Spain's equivalent to France's Champagne.

Recently I was lucky enough to sip a glass of Gramona Grand Cuvee Cava at the opening of Bin 38. Its tiny bubbles reflect a ripe, well-rounded wine with fresh, citrusy undertones. I'll definitely stock up on bottles of this delightful drink.

Pour it for appetizers or present it to a hostess. Whatever way you serve it, just make sure you buy it now; it's on sale for $9.99, nearly 50 percent off!

Rustic Apple Tart Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

partysugar — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 15:27:33 -0800

Nothing is as comforting as an old-fashioned apple tart. When warm, gooey, and fresh from the oven, a dessert of this magnitude has the ability to alter moods and capture hearts. There are a million different recipes available and it's easy to find one that suits your experience level as a home cook. Whatever recipe you use, don't forget to serve the tart with vanilla ice cream! For two recipes for the classic dessert - both highlight the simple and pure flavor of apples - read more

Beginner Rustic Apple Tart
From Real Simple magazine

1/2 15-oz. package refrigerated piecrust (1 crust, not the pie-plate version)
2 10-oz. packages frozen cinnamon apples, partially thawed
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tsp. sugar

Heat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray.
Unfold the piecrust and place on sheet. Place the cinnamon apples in the center of the crust and mix in the lemon peel.
Fold the edges over the filling, making pleats as you go. Brush the edges with the egg; sprinkle with the sugar.
Bake 20 minutes or until the crust is golden. With a spatula, transfer from baking sheet to a platter. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 6.

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Expert Rustic Apple Tart
From Roya's Tea Garden

For Crust:
3 egg yolks
Pinch of salt
Pinch of ground vanilla bean or 1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. water
5 oz. butter at room temperature
1 cup confectioner's sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
For Apples and Topping:
2 lbs Apples (any kind except for Granny Smith or Red Delicious)
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Pinch of ground vanilla bean or 1 tsp. vanilla extract
25 oz butter (1/2 stick butter)
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. confectioner's sugar for dusting
3 Tbsp. Apple Jelly or Apricot Preserve

Make crust: in a large bowl, mix together egg yolks, salt, vanilla, and water.
Add in the softened butter in small chunks. Gradually mix in the flour.
On a lightly floured surface, knead dough briefly, about 3 times. Using the palm of your hand, press the dough out and with the help of a scraper gather all the dough pieces together. Repeat this process until dough can be easily formed into a smooth ball.
Form the dough in to a ball, wrap in wax paper and let stand in refrigerator for at least two hours, ideally overnight.
On a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin, roll dough flat to 1/8” thickness. Use a floured silpat or wax paper on the work surface for easier handling. Roll dough large enough to fit your tart pan.
Using the rolling pin, place the dough lightly on the pin and place it onto pan carefully centering it at the same time. Once on the pan, press the sides to the edge of the pan. Use the rolling pin and roll it once on top of the tart pan to separate all the extra dough. Make sure the dough is upright and tight against the sides of the pan. You can use any size pan up to 12-in. for this amount of dough. You may need to increase the apples by one or two for a larger tart.
Using a fork, puncture holes in the dough covered pan. This facilitates the baking and the prevention of air bubbles in the crust. Place the pan in freezer or refrigerator for about one hour.
Heat the oven to 350°F and place pan in oven for about 30 minutes to bake halfway. Then take it out of oven and let it stand to cool.For the filling: while the dough is in the oven start peeling the apples. Leave 3–4 apples for the top but peel the rest, cutting them into quarters disposing the core and seeds. Apply the lemon juice to prevent discoloring while peeling.
Place the peeled apples in a 2-qt. sauce pan and add the water, vanilla and sugar. Cooking stirring occasionally for about 40–50 minutes. Cover saucepan halfway and let stand on medium low heat for the apples to cook. This will form an apple sauce for the interior. Stir this mixture from time to time until thick. The sauce should be dry with most of the water evaporated.
Once apple sauce is made into a thick soft mixture, put aside to cool. Peel the remainder of the apples (about 3–4), into halves and gently dispose the core and seeds making certain the shape of the apples is well kept. Then slice the apples into thin wedges. For best results, sprinkle of lemon juice to prevent discoloring.
Place cooled apple sauce in cooled tart crust. Even it out on tart and decorate the apple sauce by the apple wedges as in the picture.
Melt the butter and spread it over the apples. Dust the apples with the confectioners sugar and place in the 350°F oven.
Bake tart in oven for about one hour. The apples should be nicely crisp and brown on their edges.
Once baked, take tart out of oven and let stand to cool. Once cool, loosen the tart-pan sides and take tart out of pan. At this point, you can either loosen the bottom of the pan using a long spatula or large knife and then sliding the tart onto your serving dish or simply use the bottom of pan for support and slide it onto the serving dish together with the tart.
For the top gloss, add a few drops of water to the apple jelly or apricot preserve in a small saucepan or microwave bowl. Heat on stove or in microwave (30 seconds) until jelly/ preserve is melted.
Brush jelly or preserve on the apples adding a beautiful gloss to the pastry. Instead of the gloss, you can also dust the tart with confectioners sugar if you prefer a more rustic look.

Serves 6–8.

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