YumSugar

Sweet Expansion at Dylan's Candy Bar

partysugar — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 05:30:57 -0700

Just in time for Halloween, Dylan's Candy Bar in New York City has expanded. An additional 5,000 square feet have been added, making it the largest candy store in the world. Opened in September 2001 by Dylan Lauren, daughter of fashion icon Ralph, the store sells more than 5,000 varieties of candy - from bulk chocolate treats and gummy candies to 21 different colors of M&Ms and novelty sweets such as three-foot-tall lollipops and candy mobile phones. A real-life Candyland, Dylan's is a destination for kids and adults alike with its candy-themed clothing and jewelry, a private party room, and a soda shop. To celebrate the store's expansion, Dylan's hosted a grand reopening party earlier this week that brought out the child in all of its attendees, including yours truly! Here's my behind-the-scenes look at the fiesta.

View Slideshow ›

Katie Lee Joel on the Burger Backlash

partysugar — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 07:45:11 -0700

Yesterday I had the lovely opportunity of speaking with cookbook author and burger queen Katie Lee Joel over the phone. She was calling from New York City to set the record straight about her Burger Bash win. According to her critics, the Logan County Burger, which won fair and square, is not a burger at all, but rather a popular sandwich known as a patty melt. To find out what the soft-spoken, charming chef had to say, read more.

PartySugar: How did it feel to win the Burger Bash?
Katie Lee Joel: I was so excited and so surprised! There were so many big New York City chefs who participated that I thought I didn't even have a shot.

But when I noticed that there was more and more buzz around my booth I thought it might happen.

PS: Why do you think your burger won?
KLJ: I think because it's so simple, that was part of the appeal. It's nostalgic, it reminded people of getting a patty melt. It's easy to eat, easy to hold, and really, who doesn't love the combination of ground beef, melted cheese, and buttered bread?

PS: How did it feel to be the only female participating in the competition?
KLJ: It was pretty exciting and even more so that I won. Women are really underrepresented in the culinary field, they are still second on the totem pole, so it feels great to change that. And I love some of the burgers that were competing! I eat a BLT burger at least once a week.
PS: Why did you decide to use bread instead of a bun?
KLJ: My grandma came up with the recipe. She is from Logan County, WV, and didn't have much money. She would make these burgers with very thin patties to make the meat last longer. I grew up eating them and calling them burgers. I love the buttered bread. But honestly, I love a burger any way!

PS: How many burgers did you make that night?
KLJ: I made 400 burgers cut into quarters. That's 1,600 burgers total. There was five of us doing it. It's actually a really simple recipe for serving a large group. You make all the patties and then you put together the burgers in an assembly line. I always love to cook recipes that you can do ahead.

PS: Critics complain that your burger was not a burger, but a patty melt - what do you have to say to them?
KLJ: I don't really understand the critics. The burger patty makes it a burger. There were no rules or guidelines that said the burger had to be a specific way or on a specific type of bread. I don't think it was that avant-garde. It's pretty funny because there were a lot more inventive and creative burgers being made, so I don't know why mine caused the controversy!

Actually a lot of the Internet controversy bugged me. People in the food world wanted to be so crappy about it, but that's not what food is about. To me food is about bringing people together, not criticizing each other. It's really getting almost as bad as the fashion industry! I mean at the end of the day, it's just a hamburger.

PS: What’s next for you?
KLJ: Well now I'm planning for the Burger Bash in South Beach. I have to defend my title! I'm also writing my next cookbook; this one is dinner menu oriented. There will be menus for everyday dinners and menus that can be made on the weekend. But it's still going to be me and my style of cooking like the comfort table.

Source

Katie Lee Joel's Award-Winning Burger

partysugar — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:15:16 -0700

Former Top Chef hostess and cookbook author Katie Lee Joel was crowned this year's queen of the Burger Bash. The event, which was hosted by Rachael Ray, was a part of the Food Network's NYC Wine and Food Festival. Joel was the only participating female among the 18 chefs who submitted burgers. Her burger was a cross between a hamburger and a grilled cheese.Dubbed the Logan County Hamburger, the burger is a creation of Joel's grandmother who made the burger with cheap ingredients during tough times. It's simple, yet delicious and intensely comforting. The combination of the beef, melted cheese, and crisp bread is perfectly satisfying. Look at Joel's recipe and read more.

Logan County Hamburgers
From The Comfort Table by Katie Lee Joel

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef (85 percent lean)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 medium yellow onion, half grated, the other half thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 slices white bread
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
12 slices American cheese, optional

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine the beef, egg, grated onion, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined.
Form into thin patties.
Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread.
Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the burgers about 3 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. Drain the grease from the skillet.
In the same skillet, place six slices of bread, butter side down. Top each with a slice of cheese, if desired, some onions and a burger. Top with remaining slices of cheese, if using, and bread, butter side up.
Cook each sandwich until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.
Serve with mustard, ketchup, pickles, or any other desired hamburger toppings.

Makes 6 burgers.

Print recipe with images | without images

View 17 Photos ›

Too Many Burgers: Rachael Ray's Burger Bash

partysugar — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 05:30:21 -0700

During the South Beach Festival, Rachael Ray's Burger Bash is one of the weekend's most coveted tickets. Naturally the event planners decided to recreate the party at the New York City counterpart. I was lucky (or unlucky - that many burgers made me sick, literally!) enough to attend the party last Friday night. While I wasn't able to stomach all 18 burgers, I did taste quite a few. Love burgers? Take a closer look at the Burger Bash!

View Slideshow ›

Take a Look at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival

YumSugar — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 13:15:51 -0800

Yesterday marked the kick-off of the 2008 Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival. Think of it as spring break for the culinary elite. While Hollywood may be galavanting off to Los Angeles for the Oscars, your favorite chefs and Food Network personalities are hanging out on the beach, drinking beer, eating burgers, playing poker, and having what looks like tons of fun.

Today we've got photos from Paula's Poker Party, Rachael's Burger Bash, and the Today Show. Check them out and pretend you're right there, too.

View 25 Photos ›

Source and Source