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Yummy Link: Menu for Hope Raises More Than $90K

YumSugar — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 14:28:31 -0800

This year's Menu for Hope managed to raise $91,188. Pim has posted the entire list of winners, so find out if you were one of the lucky ones! - Chez Pim

Menu For Hope 4 - Donate to Win Great Prizes!

YumSugar — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 10:06:17 -0800

This year is the fourth year that food bloggers around the world have gotten together to raise money to support the UN World Food Programme. The event is called Menu For Hope and last year they raised nearly $63,000.

Organized by Chez Pim, the raffle event runs for 10 days - now until Dec. 21 - and this year all money collected will go to the UNWFP's school lunch program in Lesotho, Africa.

So how do you donate and why would you want to?

Well, besides the warm fuzzy feeling you'll have inside, donating money will actually give you the chance to win a bunch of awesome prizes. Food bloggers around the world have come up with great prizes for you to choose from. Each raffle ticket costs $10, and you choose which prize you'd like to try and take home. The prizes cover the complete foodie gamut: cookbooks, meals out, kitchen gadgets and everything in between.

Here are some of the prizes I'd like to win:

EU31: A personal tour of elBulli kitchen laboratory with Ferran Adria
UE19: NYC Pizza Tour for 2 from SliceNY
UW10: Dinner for 2 with wine pairing and a private tour of Manresa biodynamic garden with the chef, David Kinch from Chez Pim
UW03: Your choice of three cookbooks from Ten Speed Press, from the Bunrab
UC06: Four Indian cookbooks with spice tin, spices, Indian teas, and assorted dals from Tigers and Strawberries
UW26: $100 Gift Certificate to Chuao Chocolatier from Candy Blog
AP07: A bag of the world's hottest chillies, homegrown in Nagaland, India from Rambling Spoon
EU17: Kitchen Aid stand mixer with ice cream attachment + David's latest cookbook from David Lebovitz

This is just a small sampling from a huge list of prizes. Be sure to check it out and donate to win! Visit Chez Pim for a full list of prizes and details on how to enter.

Domino's Pizza To Do Sandwiches

partysugar — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:15:14 -0700

Last week Jack in the Box expanded their breakfast menu to include brunch bowls, and this week Domino's Pizza has announced plans to introduce submarine sandwiches. The pizza delivery chain will offer four different kinds of baked sandwiches, including a Chicken Bacon Ranch sandwich and a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich. The $4.99 sandwiches will be delivered with or without a pizza order.With the sandwiches, which are available to order beginning on Aug. 25, Domino's hopes to increase lunch sales. Last Spring, Pizza Hut added pasta to their menu, so it's no surprise that Domino's is looking for other ways to grow profits. What do you think about the expansion? Will you try Domino's sandwiches?

Source and Source

Let's Dish: Top Chef 4.14 - In It for the Win

YumSugar — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 01:03:33 -0700

Alright folks, let's just get down to it. Top Chef Season 4 has drawn to a close, and we now have a new chef to join Harold, Ilan, and Hung. What did you think of this season? Are you happy with the outcome? Spoilers after the jump. Tell us all your thoughts in the comments! Answer my questions when you, read more.

I'm thrilled that Stephanie won, how about you? Did you think she would take it?

I've been saying all season long that it was Richard's to lose. What did you think about him telling the judges he choked?
They seemed a teeny bit surprised to have to make dessert. Don't you think they'd just assume that stuff by now?
Did you see Chef Eric Ripert chop carrots? I was so impressed, he wasn't even looking down.
Lisa seemed pretty chipper when she was working with April Bloomfield, no?
As much as I am into Richard's banana scallop, weren't you hoping for something new?
Which menu did you think looked the best?
What was your favorite part of the season?
How did you think this season compared to last?
What sort of surprises do you hope they'll do next season?
Anything else you want to add?

View 14 Photos ›

Photos courtesy of Bravo

Charlando Con Ingrid Hoffmann

partysugar — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 09:01:31 -0700

A few weeks ago YumSugar and I were lucky enough to speak with Food Network's newest star, the Latino sensation Ingrid Hoffmann. Born in Colombia and based out of Miami, Hoffmann is the Shakira of the culinary world - she's the first Spanish speaking celebrity chef to make the cross over and currently she has shows on both Food Network and Univision - making her the first person to have shows aired in both English and Spanish.

Like a breath of breezy ocean air, Ingrid is personable, likable, and ready to party. She has a certain flavor and spice that is apparent in both her cooking and her personality. To learn a little bit more about Ingrid and find out what her hectic schedule is like, read more

Party/YumSugar: How did you get into cooking?
Ingrid Hoffmann: I got into cooking when I was little. I would always cook with my mother.

P/YSugar: What is your biggest inspiration?
IH: The love of life. I get inspiration in the oddest places, like looking out the window or seeing a pretty plate. I approach food backwards. I'm very visual, I see the plate first then visualize the theme and the food and textures on top of it.

P/YSugar: What is your favorite theme?
IH: I rummage around the house and convert stuff I find into something else to be a part of the table. Anything to do with the beach. I've done a lot of catering and events and many of my ideas come from these weddings and parties I've done. I'm always thinking.

P/YSugar: What trends are emerging in the culinary world?
IH: It's a very interesting concept for someone to have two shows in two different markets like I do. Nuevo Latino, modern Latin food is a huge emerging trend. I love playing with dishes my grandmother would make and use real authentic ingredients to make something new and modern. Rum and fruit are very important to the Nuevo Andina, a huge movement that is taking place in Peru now. All these classically trained Peruvian chefs have returned home to combine the indigenous ingredients with the modern techniques to create a new type of cuisine.

P/YSugar: What are you hoping to teach to American people?
IH: People in America think that Latin food is Mexican food and I want to teach them that it goes above and beyond this. Each region of Latin and Southern America has its own type of cuisine. Mainstream America is not used to my type of food. It's a whole new thing - I add a lot of coconut, raisins, lime, and cilantro to dishes. I love fusing Asian flavors with Latin flavors. I love making ceviches. I use quinoa. Latin America is influenced by China and Europe, and that is reflected in our cuisine.

P/YSugar: What's your filming schedule like?
IH: I film in two-three month blocks on sets. The Food Network built me one here. Right now I'm in pre-production for my Latin show on Univision and I just finished shooting for the Food Network. When I'm shooting, I'm up every morning at 4:30 or 5 for make up because it takes 2 hours to get ready. I just got back from an amazing wine festival in Puerto Rico where I did some appearances for my Latin show. I'm very busy because I have to do this, the press on both sides.

P/YSugar: Do you cook at home?
IH: Yeah, absolutely! I always try to eat healthy.

P/YSugar: What's in your fridge?
IH: Always yogurt, milk, butter, herbs - I have a cilantro pot on my terrace - parsley, rosemary. I use a lot of woshy [worcestershire] sauce, avocado, tortillas, and arepas which are a type of Colombian tortilla.
P/YSugar: What's your advice to the everyday hostess?
IH: Pick smart menus. People like to do fancy stuff when they invite guests over, often choosing dishes they don't know how to make. Choose yummy things that you are not going to stress over. Make things three days ahead, two days ahead. Plan really well. Buy the ice and stock the bar five days before. Set the table three days before. Get as much as you can done before the day of the party.

P/YSugar: A successful party is...
IH: Picking a light and make ahead menu.

P/YSugar: What did you eat for lunch today?
IH: A churasco steak with jicama and watercress, radishes and arugula with olive oil and lime.

P/YSugar: How is it on Food Network vs Univision?
IH: It was a dream come true to be on Food Network. It's a challenge to do food that the general American public can relate to that wont upset the Latin population with my portrayal of their cultural cuisine. How do I keep everyone happy? Each has been amazing to me.

P/YSugar: What is your guilty pleasure food?
IH: Anything with starch in it. Rice.

P/YSugar: How has life changed since your show aired on Food Network?
IH: I'm doing lots more press. Life has gotten busier. I'm learning what is relevant to one market that is not relevant to another. Americans want things to be easy and Hispanics are much more price conscious of the menu. It's very interesting noting the difference between the two markets.

P/YSugar: What's next for you?
IH: Multiple shows. Obviously a dream would be to have a travel show But right now I just want this one to be a success.

Have you seen Ingrid's show, Simply Delicioso on Food Network? Now that you know a little bit more about her, what do you think??

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What's Yummy This Week: YumSugar Weekly Recap

YumSugar — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 08:03:30 -0700

We hope everyone had a great 4th of July! This week we finished up our planning, and if you didn't get enough patriotic eats, be sure to check out this flag cake.
Speaking of the 4th of July, in this year's competition, American Joey Chestnut defeated Japan's Takeru Kobayashi in the Nathan's famous hot dog eating competition.

The reality cooking shows are bonkers this week. Alton Brown wishes they could start over on The Next Food Network Star, while Gordon Ramsay gives Melissa another chance on Hell's Kitchen.
Quite the discussion is going on about whether or not unwanted food should be left for the homeless. Be sure to voice your opinion.
If you've just kicked off your grilling season, be sure to check out these must have grilling accessories.

Did your local 7-Eleven turn into a Kwik-E-Mart?
If you've got a lot of time on your hands, check out this recipe for fresh lime chiffon cake. If you don't then just steal the filling recipe - it takes 3 minutes to make and is well worth it.
The film Ratatouille is doing well at the box office, but have you ever wondered exactly what ratatouille is?
Looking for a unique dinner? Try cucumber & apricot sandwiches.
Friends coming over and you don't know what to make? Get a few tips for a no fail impromptu party menu.
Finally, we'd like to know, how much do you usually tip?