YumSugar

Would You Join a Lunch Club?

YumSugar — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 10:27:11 -0700

I'm always talking about starting a Lunch Club - note to Sugar HQ: I'll do it someday, honest - where I organize lunch outings to various tasty eateries. However, I've never thought of starting a Lunch Club where people take turns making food for each other.

I recently discovered a Cooking Light article spotlighting the folks at Room and Board. Apparently they have a Healthy Lunch Club where folks cook for one another. Personally, I love the idea, but think it might create added stress in my life. I can barely find time to make my own lunch! Although, I'm sure once you get into the swing of it, it's probably pretty great. Homemade meals every day? How could you say no?

So tell me, what do you think of the Lunch Club idea? Is this something you'd want in your workplace?

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Taste Test: Quizno's Toasty Bullet Subs

YumSugar — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:30:07 -0700

It's a well documented fact that I'm a fiend for sandwiches; likewise, PartySugar loves them, especially warm, toasty paninis. Naturally, when Quizno's launched its new Toasty Bullets, it wasn't long before we went to our neighborhood outpost to check them out.

Customers can get a Toasty Bullet in five different flavors: Italian, Big Kahuna Tuna, Pesto Turkey, Turkey Club, and Beef, Bacon & Cheddar. The snack-sized sandwiches are about eight inches long and two inches wide, cost a dollar or two less than the average Quizno's sandwich, and come in a nifty paper pocket to assist with easy, on-the-go eating. Did any of these stun us with their bold flavors - or should you be dodging these bullets? Find out after the jump

'Wich of the Week: Lobster Club

YumSugar — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:00:37 -0700

Ever since I started my adventures in expensive sandwiches, I've been dying to try the ridiculously pricey Lobster Club at Neiman Marcus's Rotunda restaurant in San Francisco. I'll be the first to admit that $28 is way too much to pay for one sandwich, but I rationalized that it's made with lobster and big enough to feed two people. Plus, it's fun to pretend that I belong at this quintessential destination for ladies who lunch.

The Rotunda's lobster club is a double-decker served on toasted brioche, which has a slightly sweet French bakery flavor. The lobster portion was quite generous, so the taste came through even while competing with tomato and bacon. Was it worth $28? Find out and get the recipe when you read more.

I'm not going to say the lobster club wasn't good; I mean, it would be hard to make a lobster club taste bad. But for the price, I was a little disappointed.

As you can see in the photo, the avocado was sort of clumped together rather than distributed evenly, so the sandwich didn't hold together as well as it should have. But the flavors were still outstanding, particularly the lobster meat, and the brioche really stepped it up a notch.

If I were going back for seconds, I think I'd spring for a simple crab roll instead, or save my money and get an old-school diner club sandwich. I am very glad I tried it, but next time I'm at the Rotunda, I'll fill up on the signature warm popovers with strawberry butter.

Lobster Club Sandwich
Inspired by The Rotunda at Neiman Marcus

Ingredients

3 slices of brioche, about 1/2-inch thick, toasted
1/2 an avocado, thinly sliced
1 (8-ounce) lobster tail, cooked and diced
1 small tomato, thinly sliced
1/4 cup baby lettuce leaves
4 slices crisp bacon
1/8 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely diced roasted red peppers, undrained

Directions

On a work surface, lay flat one slice of toasted brioche and coat with a thin layer of mayonnaise. Top with avocado slices, followed by lobster.
On second piece of brioche, spread 1 tablespoon of diced peppers on one side, then place that side down atop the lobster.
On the other side of that slice, spread a thin layer of mayo.
Over the mayo, arrange tomato slices, followed by lettuce and bacon.
Spread remaining diced peppers on the third slice of toast, and place atop the bacon.
Cut into quarters, secure each section with toothpicks, and serve.

Makes 1 sandwich.

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'Wich of the Week: Old-School Club

YumSugar — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:15:08 -0700

Club sandwiches are so ubiquitous that I usually take them for granted. I order them very occasionally, maybe from hotel room service or when I'm looking for a "healthy" option at a diner. But every time I eat a good one - when the bread is only lightly browned and there's just enough mayo to balance out the crispy bacon - I realize that the club sandwich deserves more credit.

The club is actually one of the oldest original American sandwiches, invented sometime around the 1890s. Originally, club sandwiches were single decker and usually made with chicken instead of turkey. So for this 'Wich of the Week, I went in search of an authentic old-school club and found the object of my affection at St. Francis Fountain, an 80-year-old diner and soda fountain in San Francisco. For more details and my recipe, read more.

It was a beautiful day, so I got to sit outside and enjoy my somewhat heavy lunch: a deliciously overstuffed club, a chocolate malt, and a salad for good measure. The best thing about a single-decker club is that by getting rid of the third piece of bread, you can go heavy on the other ingredients to create a much moister sandwich. St. Francis Fountain's club had the ideal ratio of crunchy bacon to juicy chicken; the shredded lettuce added a great texture, and the bread was perfectly toasted and just lightly buttered.

My only gripe is that there was a bit more mayo than I would have liked, so I've reduced the amount in my recipe below. How do you like your club? Do you think this classic sandwich is overrated or underappreciated? Tell me in the comments.

Old-School Club Sandwich
Inspired by the chicken club at St. Francis Fountain

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, grilled or roasted and thinly sliced
8 slices of thick-cut bacon, fried crisp and drained
1 cup iceberg lettuce, shredded
6 slices of tomato, medium thickness
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
4 slices of whole wheat bread, toasted until just lightly browned

Directions

Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on two pieces of the toast.
Divide the chicken slices between the two sandwiches and lay atop the mayo.
Place four slices of bacon on each sandwich, followed by three tomato slices.
Balance a handful of the shredded iceberg lettuce on top of the tomatoes.
Spread a thin layer of mayo on the other two pieces of toast, and press the mayo side down to assemble.

Makes 2 sandwiches.

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Trend Alert: Celebrity-Crafted Food Carryalls

YumSugar — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 09:00:00 -0700

These days, virtually every celebrity - from Lauren Conrad to Jessica Simpson - has his or her own womenswear, footwear, accessory, and fragrance line. But celebrity lunchbags and farmers market totebags? Lately we've seen the celebrity, fashion, and food worlds collide, with all sorts of celebrity-designed carryalls for everything from our groceries to our lunch.

PartySugar and I might have been on to something when we said that we prefer to carry our farmers market goodies in style. It seems others were thinking the exact same thing. First, Whole Foods announced Sheryl Crow would be custom-designing its latest green grocery bag. Then celebrity chef Mario Batali jumped on the design bandwagon, randomly unveiling his own line of sleek lunch bags. The latest? A collaboration between Jennie Garth and the Sierra Club.

While I'm a bigger fan of some of the designs than others, if this trend encourages shoppers to be more eco-friendly - wasting less resources on plastic and paper grocery bags and lunch bags - then it's for the better. What do you think of the trend? Would you buy Sheryl's, Mario's, or Jennie's bags?

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Veggie Club Sandwich

partysugar — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 09:01:31 -0700

Like a healthy dessert, a veggie club sandwich is a bit of an oxymoron. Club sandwiches are typically filled with smoky bacon and thick sliced turkey breast, but you don't have to be a meat eater to enjoy this stacked sandwich. The bacon is replaced with crisp cucumber, and the turkey with crunchy bell peppers. Not only does this make for a nutritional dinner, but it also packs well for a delicious lunch or picnic. To learn how to layer the ingredients in this scrumptious sandwich, read more

Veggie Club Sandwich
From The Nest
Image Source

Layering Order:
1 tablespoon light vegetable cream cheese
1 whole wheat bread slice
1/4 cup fresh spinach leaves, lightly packed
3 tomato slices
1 thin red onion slice, rings separated
pepper, sprinkle
1 tablespoon light vegetable cream cheese
1 whole wheat bread slice
8 English cucumber slices
3 yellow (or red) pepper rings
6 Avocado slices (about 1/2 avocado)
pepper, sprinkle
1 tablespoon light vegetable cream cheese
1 whole wheat bread slice

Toast the bread slices.
Spread first amount of cream cheese on 1 side of first bread slice. Layer next 3 ingredients, in order given, over cream cheese. Sprinkle with pepper.
Spread second amount of cream cheese on both sides of second bread slice. Place on top of onion. Layer next 3 ingredients, in order given, over cream cheese. Sprinkle with pepper.
Spread third amount of cream cheese on 1 side of third bread slice. Place cream cheese-side down, on top of sandwich. Cut sandwich diagonally into 4 small triangles.

Serves 1.

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Yummy Links: From Baked Apples to Organized Kitchens

YumSugar — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 07:01:13 -0800

Looking for a delicious, but healthy dessert? Try baked apples. - FitSugar
Does the world really need more fancy-pants restaurants? - Serious Eats
Why do we shun pasta? Here are two common pasta myths debunked. - Culinate
Love Dogs? Love Wine? Then join the Dog Lovers Wine Club. - PetSugar
Set your Tivos! Top Chef 4 starts March 19th. - Blogging Top Chef
This is a ridiculously simple tip, but one that will make sure you never forget your lunch again. - The Kitchn
How green is your takeaway container? - Chow
Get some quick tips on how to organize your kitchen. - CasaSugar

Discover Your Napastyle With Michael Chiarello

partysugar — Wed, 09 May 2007 12:58:32 -0700

Last Thursday evening, YumSugar and I had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with one of my favorite Food Network chefs and the creator of Napastyle, Michael Chiarello. Michael specializes in homey Italian influenced Northern California cuisine and has been the host of many television shows including Season by Season on PBS, Easy Entertaining on FN, and Napastyle on Fine Living. I love Michael for his friendly, easy going approach toward food and his fresh, delicious, recipes. In October of last year Michael opened his first store, Napastyle, in Berkeley - which is where Yum and I spoke with him. The event was a private party, tasting, and demonstration. In person, Michael is a lot like his TV personality: charming, welcoming, laid back and surprisingly he's more charismatic, incredibly personable, and quite funny.

Before the demonstration began, guests were invited to taste wines from his wine club (if anybody wants to surprise me and get me a subscription to it I would be ecstatic), sample homemade sausages and dips from his store, and to mingle with Michael. Once everyone had passed by the sample table (my favs: the parmesan dip & the rosemary garlic salami), the demonstration began.

For Michael's philosophy on food and life, the difference between taste and flavor in a dish, what he has to say about fellow Food Network celebrity chefs and our interview (including a video with a fantastic Julia Child impersonation), read more.

Growing up, Michael learned at a very young age the importance of sustainability, seasonality, and eating locally. He was raised on a farm in the California Central Valley where his mother taught him about the love that is put into making a meal. He doesn't believe in fast food - which he defines as any meal that is not worth remembering and has jokingly told Rachael Ray, "I can't even clean the kitchen in under 30 minutes."

Michael enjoys turning the ordinary into the extraordinary, being a guest at his own parties, and gray salt. Although his life is beyond busy, he inserts self-imposed speed bumps or meditation time to spend time with his 14 month old baby boy (maybe we should set him up with KatieSugar), 3 older daughters, and his wife (whom he lovingly refers to as his girlfriend because it "sounds better").

Afterwards Michael took a moment to chat with us and even set me up on a date with his sous chef! Here's how it went:

PartySugar/YumSugar: What did you eat today?
Michael Chiarello: For breakfast I had organic cheerios, mangoes, and strawberries. For lunch my wife made me asparagus soup with Point Reyes blue cheese and I drank dinner.

P/YSugar: What are you inspired by?
MC: My mother. That little girl in the crowd, Samantha, who watches my show every Saturday. The fact that food can open your heart and bring people into your life. One time a woman came up to me and told me that she had never gotten along with her mom and when she asked her mom why she had never tried making pasta, the mother answered it was because she didn't have anyone to help her, so the daughter offered. Cooking brought them back together as a family. The best food is like gospel music, it makes you feel good.

P/YSugar: What's your advice to the everyday hostess?
MC: The Greeks set aside time while building the Parthenon to eat, so eat well even while busy. Set aside the time to eat well.

P/YSugar: A successful party is…
MC: Spending half as much time at the table as your guest do. When somebody else cleans up. When the wine is wonderful.

P/YSugar: What’s in your fridge?
MC: Organic Greek yogurt. Mango and papayas. Organic milk. Lots of cooked and ready to go protein.

P/YSugar: What is your guilty pleasure food?
MC: Ruffles.

P/YSugar: Is your show filmed in your house?
MC: No, my first show that aired on PBS was but not anymore.

P/YSugar: Did you read the Omnivore's Dilemma and if so what did you think of it?
MC: Yes, I read it twice. Michael Pollan is an amazing writer and he presents the facts as good as he can. He is conventional and brilliant.

Michael jokes about being upset by the fact that he rarely gets invited out to a friend's house for dinner and dislikes that his favorite organic milk is available only in glass bottles. And while his style is definitely different, he loves that his buddy Emeril has brought millions of people back into the kitchen.

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