YumSugar

Say Goodbye to Bennigan's, Steak and Ale

YumSugar — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 07:45:59 -0700

For national chains Bennigan's and Steak and Ale, there is no pot o' gold at the end of the rainbow: The companies filed for bankruptcy protection and shut down all 292 corporate locations yesterday.

For the two bar and grill chains, the downhill slope has come steep and fast. In June, parent company Metromedia Restaurant Group asked lenders to restructure its debt, as earnings were lower than expected. A week ago, the group's CEO resigned. And yesterday, all of the corporate locations for the Irish-themed taverns and country steakhouses appeared empty. The company stated:

Similar to other members of the casual dining industry, current economic and industry trends have adversely affected the group's overall financial performance.

Fans need not despair just yet - for now, the franchise locations will stay open. But the question remains: for how long?

Source

St. Patrick's Day Fun Facts

partysugar — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 00:01:19 -0700

Oh how I do love the holidays. I was sitting here at my desk the other day and suddenly got incredibly excited. "YumSugar!" I said in my high pitched super excited cocker spaniel voice, "St. Patrick's Day is on Saturday and you know what that means?! I get to compile a whole bunch of fun facts!"

While you may not feel an exhilarated high by reading these facts, you will totally be the life of the party when you drunkenly impress your friends with these little tid bits. Did you know that St. Patrick's Day was first celebrated in Boston in 1737? Or that both Germans and Belgians consume more beer than the Irish? Want to know the name of the Irish brewed drink made from white potatoes? For the name and more fun facts, read more

The moon shining liquor that was outlawed in the late 1700s for its extreme potency is called Poteen and has recently been reintroduced to the market.
St. Patrick was actually of Scottish descent, not Irish, and contrary to popular folklore he never chased any snakes out of Ireland.

Green is associated with St. Patrick's Day because it is the color of Spring.
The shamrock is the traditional symbol because St. Patrick used it to explain the connection between the father, the son, and the holy spirit in the Christian religion.
The city with the largest population of Americans of Irish descent is Boston (23%).
On average, every American consumes 22 gallons of beer per year.
It is considered lucky to find a four leaf clover on St. Patrick's Day.
The children and grandchildren of people born in Ireland can obtain dual citizenship with the US and Ireland.

At one time, there were more Irish living in New York City, than in Dublin, Ireland.
Corned beef is strictly an American invention, the Irish don't actually eat it to celebrate the day.
St. Patrick’s isn’t a big drinking holiday in Ireland. In fact, many of the local pubs are closed for the day.
Leprechauns are the official shoe makers of the fairy kingdom.
Shamrocks are the national flower of Ireland and are picked on St. Patrick's Day and worn on the shoulder.
The ancient Irish used to wear green to show their love for the harvest gods.
34.5 million U.S residents claim Irish ancestry, that is 9 times the current population of Ireland.

Over 41.5 billion pounds of beef are produced each year for St. Patrick's Day, with the majority of it coming from Texas and over 2.5 billion pounds of cabbage are produced with the majority grown in California.
Over 8 million St. Patrick's Day cards are exchanged in America making today the ninth-largest card selling occasion in the US.
Over 94 million people plan to wear green on St. Patrick's Day.
The original Guinness Brewery in Dublin has a 9,000 year lease.
The Oscar was handcrafted by an Irishman, Cedric Gibbons, who was born in Dublin in 1823.

Bailey's Irish Cream which was launched in Ireland in the early seventies, is now the most popular liqueur in the world.

Got a St. Patrick's Day fun fact? Please share them below. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Fast & Easy Dinner: Fish and Chips

partysugar — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 06:50:51 -0700

To celebrate St. Patrick's Day tonight, serve your family a classic pub favorite. Although fish and chips is a traditionally British dish, this recipe pairs perfectly with an Irish pint.

Large chunks of fresh fish fillets are dipped in buttermilk and coated in cornmeal. The chips are baked in the oven, resulting in potatoes that are crisp, but not overly oily. For the uncomplicated recipe, read more.

Fish and Chips
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

2 large russet potatoes (about 1 pound), scrubbed
Four 6-ounce sea bass or cod fillets (about 1 inch thick), skin removed
For the seasoning:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
For the coating
1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon paprika
For the garnish
Lemon wedges
Malt vinegar

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven.
Cut potatoes lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick strips. Rinse well in a large bowl of cold water, and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Transfer to a large baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper; toss well. Arrange strips in an even layer on the sheet. Bake on lower rack until golden and crisp, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, place fish fillets in a large bowl. Add buttermilk, and gently turn fish to coat.
In another shallow bowl, combine cornmeal, paprika, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add fillets to cornmeal one at a time, turning to completely coat. Transfer to a plate while repeating with remaining fillets.
Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining tablespoon of oil; swirl to coat. Add fillets, being careful not to overcrowd pan. Cook until nicely crusted, about 1 minute; turn over with a spatula.
Place skillet in top third of oven, and cook until firm but beginning to flake when pressed in the center, about 8 minutes.
Transfer to plates, and serve with potatoes. Serve lemon wedges and malt vinegar on the side.

Serves 4.

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Come Party With Me: St. Patrick's Day - Music

partysugar — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 06:55:19 -0700

I've been a wild rover for many of year, and I've spent all me money on whiskey and beer. And now I'm returning with wealth in great store and I never will play the wild rover no more. And it's no nay, never... Yes, I know the lyrics to an Irish drinking song. Ok I confess I know the lyrics to more than one Irish drinking song: when I was little Al, my grandfather, taught me and my sister a whole bunch and we would sing them to our relatives. Tomorrow I'll sing them (with the help of a few beers) to my friends while I celebrate St. Patrick's Day. I've invited them to join me for an Irish inspired dinner followed by a pub crawl. I'm decorating my house with lots of shamrocks and serving green beer. Practically everything is all prepped and it's looking like one fabulous party. I just have to figure out what music will be playing softly in the background while we eat. To see the soundtrack to my dinner, read more

At a dinner party with a set theme with a certain type of music, Irish drinking music, I like to have one cd in my rotation consist of these songs entirely. A great example is this compilation, Irish Drinking Songs. Next I'll go on the iTunes music store and search St. Patrick's Day songs and create my own playlist with songs selected from the search such as John Mayer, St. Patrick's Day and The Hit Crew, When Irish Eyes Are Smiling.
Lastly I'll throw in a few songs by Green Day, Al Green, and a few that have the color mentioned in the title or lyrics. The cds of U2, The Cranberries, Enya, and the Pogues (see BuzzSugar tomorrow for more on this group) will fill up the rest of the spots in my stereo's ten changer. I'll hit random and be good to go for the entire night.

Have a great Irish inspired song you will be playing at your party? Share it with me below. I hope everyone has a happy and fabulous St. Patrick's Day!

Happy Hour: Smithwick's Irish Ale

partysugar — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:15:13 -0700

Recently, my parents returned from a vacation in Ireland.
Being as it was their first time in on the island, they eagerly sampled the local products, pubs, and pints. They picked up a fondness for a chocolate-colored, Irish ale named Smithwick’s (pronounced Smitiks). Their rave reviews made me curious, so when my dad invited me to join him at a local Irish pub, I jumped at the chance to taste the brew. Despite its dark color, the beer was surprisingly light and refreshing. The rich liquid was not bitter, but smooth, full, and stimulating. According to my father, the American Smithwick's lacked the frothy head of the brew he enjoyed in the old country, but I didn't mind, I thought it was delicious.

Have you ever tried Smithwick's? What do you think of the beer?

Fast & Easy Dinner: Reuben Quesadillas

partysugar — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 05:41:18 -0700

Every time I'm at my favorite Irish pub, FinBar Devine's, I have to order the Irish quesadillas. A tasty twist on the Mexican classic, this dish features tortillas filled with traditional Reuben sandwich ingredients: corned beef, coleslaw, and swiss cheese. It's bar food at its best.

It's okay if your neighborhood lacks an Irish pub, you can easily enjoy this delicious dish in your kitchen instead. It comes together in minutes and is a perfect middle of the week meal. Get the recipe when you read more

Reuben Quesadillas
From Sunset magazine
Image Source

1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups (1/2 lb.) shredded Swiss cheese
4 flour tortillas (10-in. size)
3 cups packaged coleslaw mix
1/2 pound thinly sliced corned beef

In a small bowl, mix salsa and sour cream.
Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the cheese over half of 1 tortilla. Then place 3/4 cup coleslaw mix on cheese. Drizzle about 3 tablespoons of the salsa mixture over coleslaw. Lay 1/4 of the corned beef onto coleslaw; top with 1/4 cup more cheese. Fold tortilla over to cover filling. Repeat to make 3 more quesadillas.
Place quesadillas slightly apart on baking sheets. Broil 4 to 6 inches below heat until crisp and lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes (watch closely).
Using a wide spatula, carefully turn each quesadilla over. Broil until crisp and lightly browned on other side, 1 to 2 minutes more.
Cut quesadillas into wedges. Serve with remaining salsa mixture.

Serves 4.

CALORIES 640(52% from fat); FAT 37g (sat 18g); PROTEIN 34g; CHOLESTEROL 120mg; SODIUM 1414mg; FIBER 2.1g; CARBOHYDRATE 43g

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Come Party With Me: St. Patrick's Day - Drinks

partysugar — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 06:58:19 -0700

St. Patrick's Day is Saturday and I can't contain my excitement. I have been obsessing about what to wear internally for a few weeks now, and had intended on wearing this green mini dress until I found this fabulous old football jersey of my mom's with my Irish last name plastered across the front. Now that I have my sporty chic green outfit picked out, I can focus all of my attention on my pre-pub-hopping, St. Patrick's Day themed dinner party. The invites have been sent and the menu (including a vintage Irish soda bread recipe and a glamorous layer cake) has been planned. Today I am turning my thoughts towards a classic St Patrick's Day subject: drinking. To see what I'll be pouring during my dinner (homemade Baileys anyone?), please read more

After we finish dinner we are going bar hopping, so I dont want to go overboard with specialty cocktails. I'll offer a simple yet widely popular drink, green beer. It's totally uncomplicated, all you do is add green food coloring to your favorite beer. I'll get a few six packs of Harps and Guinness Irish beer, enough for everyone to have a glass or two during the meal. We will be taking cabs and walking to our destinations, but if you are having a get together be sure to have an option for your designated drivers. Sparkling water enhanced with lime and mint or sprite mixed with lime sherbet are two refreshing choices. With dessert I am going to offer everyone a small glass of homemade Irish cream liquor that tastes and looks just like Baileys. I've made this for the last few years and it's absolutely creamy and fabulous. If you are attending a party a bottle of this makes an excellent hostess gift.

Homemade Bailey's Irish Cream
From Gail's Recipe Swap

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 pint whipping cream
3 eggs
3 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 oz. Irish whiskey (suggested Jameson)

Mix all of the ingredients in blender and refridgerate.
Shake before using
Enjoy chilled over ice.

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I know a few of you are hosting parties as well and want to know what do you plan on pouring? Share with me below and come back tomorrow and Friday for more. I still have to design a look and select a playlist for this shin-dig.

All the News That's Fit to Eat - March 14, 2007

YumSugar — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 11:58:19 -0700

It's Wednesday, time for a food news roundup, and what do you know it seems like (almost) everyone has St. Patrick's Day on the brain... (sorry most of these stories come are on sites that require logins)

Someone is reading my mind, my beloved egg is the new "it" ingredient. Oh and lemons are hot too. Don't miss out on the Meyer Lemon Muffins (photo by Bryan Chan).- LA Times
Irish food is moving up in the world with fresh, local ingredients. Also, homemade bread made in a can. - San Francisco Chronicle
Simple Irish soda bread can really make a great side dish. Also, more and more restaurants are taking steps to become "green." - Boston Globe
Beer is great for drinking, but some argue that beer is better for cooking. Also don't miss the call to bring back American "chop suey" (which has no relation to its Asian cousin). - Houston Chronicle

Seven nights. Seven hotels. Seven dinners. Seven breakfasts. Go behind the scenes of NYC's hotel room service (photo by Evan Sung). Plus, are latex gloves really safe in the restaurant kitchen? - New York Times
CeCe Sullivan pulls out the stops with her dad's St. Patrick's Day recipes, including traditional boiled corned beef. Plus, check out these food and dieting myths. - Seattle Times
Gastronmy + pub = gastropub, a growing trend that pairs craft beers with upscale fare. Plus a recipe for authentic Irish colcannon and "green" wines. - Chicago Tribune

Happy Hour: Black Velvet

partysugar — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 12:57:41 -0700

This week YumSugar and I are all about highlighting fabulous ways for you to enjoy St. Patrick's Day to the fullest. There are many people who believe you can't celebrate St. Patrick's Day without drinking a glass of Ireland's most famous beer, Guinness. However Guinness with its dark, creamy thickness is not a beer for everyone. Even after pouring countless glasses way back in my Irish pub working days, I never developed a taste for it. How will we, the non-Guinness drinkers, really truly celebrate St. Patty's (without having to down several Irish Car Bombs)? By drinking a black velvet! A black velvet is a seductive mix of equal parts Guinness and champagne. Don't be scared or disgusted, be adventurous and experimental. To make this for your pals at your St. P Day soirée, read more

Black Velvet
From Drinks Mixer

5 oz chilled Guinness
5 oz chilled Champagne

Pour Guinness into a champagne flute.
Add champagne carefully, so it does not mix with stout, and serve.

Serves 1.

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Would You Fire a Family Member?

partysugar — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 10:48:11 -0800

On last night's episode of Kitchen Nightmares, Gordon Ramsay saved a failing family business from financial and emotional ruin. He made over the Irish Pub, Finn McCool's, where the food was so horrible it made him puke! The chef's arrogant attitude and lack of passion severely affected the success of the restaurant and the morale of his family.

The owner knew that his chef was the reason for their failure, but he refused to fire him because the chef was his own son. His actions got me thinking about the relationships I have with my loved ones. Would I be capable of firing my own family member if it meant financial success and emotional stability? Would you?

Photo Courtesy of Fox