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Would You Eat These Soda-Flavored Doughnuts?

YumSugar — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 05:27:59 -0700

Last time I went to the store, I spotted these doughnuts in flavors such as Hawaiian Punch, Orange Crush, and Dr Pepper. At first, I was curious and somewhat puzzled: Why would anyone think to pair soda flavors with doughnuts?

Ultimately I'm not sure what to think of this concept; I'm inclined to believe that food and beverage companies are running out of novelty ideas. Have you ever come across these doughnuts?

Happy Hour: Clementine Crush

partysugar — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 13:13:30 -0700

To me, the screwdriver is a pretty boring drink. Vodka mixed with orange juice is plain, unoriginal, and dull. However with a little innovation, it can be turned into a deliciously complex concoction. The mixologists over at Chicago's Mexx Kitchen at The Whiskey have done just that with their Clementine Crush. Sugar, ginger, and tonic transform the screwdriver into a whole new drink. This cocktail is great at happy hour, and makes a wonderful addition to any brunch menu. If you can, use fresh squeezed orange juice as it makes a huge difference in the flavor. To get the recipe, read more

Clementine Crush
From Life & Style magazine
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3/4 ounce fresh squeezed orange juice
1 1/2 ounces orange flavored vodka (such as Svedka Clementine)
1/2 ounce tonic
3 small piece of peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon sugar

Muddle the ginger and sugar in a cocktail shaker.
Add ice, vodka, and orange juice. Shake to mix.
Strain mixture into a fun glass filled with ice.
Top with tonic and stir gently to combine. Garnish with fruit, if desired.

Serves 1.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Tortilla-Crusted Cod Cakes

partysugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:30:13 -0700

Make cooking more exciting with recipes that feature everyday ingredients in creative, new ways. In this recipe crushed tortilla chips replace boring breadcrumbs as a coating for fish cakes. The cakes are seared and finished off in the oven, resulting in a crisp, crunchy exterior and flaky, soft filling. A cilantro-orange-onion salsa adds a unique freshness to the cakes. This recipe is highly adaptable: salmon or crab can replace the cod, and parsley or mint are delicious substitutes for the cilantro.

To look at the recipe, read more.

Tortilla-Crusted Cod Cakes
From Real Simple magazine

Ingredients

1 medium red onion
1 bunch fresh cilantro
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds cod fillet
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup finely crushed tortilla chips (from 3 cups chips)
2 oranges, peeled and thinly sliced into circles

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F.
Finely chop enough onion to measure 3/4 cup and enough cilantro stems to measure 1 tablespoon (reserving the leaves).
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, cilantro stems, and jalapeño and cook until softened, 4 minutes.
Pulse the cod, egg, salt, pepper, and the onion mixture in a food processor until combined but not pureed.
Form 8 cod cakes. Coat each cake with the chips.
Wipe out skillet. Heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil over medium heat.
Add 4 cakes and cook until golden brown, 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a baking sheet. Wipe out skillet and repeat with 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil and the last 4 cakes. Bake until cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Thinly slice the remaining onion. Toss with the oranges, 1/2 cup of the cilantro leaves, and the remaining oil. Serve with the cakes.

Serves 4.

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 380(26% from fat); FAT 15g (sat 2.5g); CHOLESTEROL 120mg; CARBOHYDRATE 27g; SODIUM 1,090mg; PROTEIN 34g; FIBER 4g; SUGAR 9g

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Taste Test: Dr Pepper Popsicles

YumSugar — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:00:09 -0700

A few weeks ago, San Francisco found itself in the middle of a big heat wave. Everyone at the Sugar HQ was melting to their desks and in need of a cool treat. That's when I remembered an impromptu purchase I'd made the week before.I was at the local drugstore and noticed a display of Soda Pops Freezer Pops at the front counter. They were like old-school Otter Pops, only in soda flavors: Orange Crush, Dr Pepper, 7-Up, and A&W Root Beer. I kind of have a thing for Dr Pepper, so I picked up a pack of those. At only $2 a box (10 pops in each box), I probably should have picked up one of each kind. But I didn't, and we only had the Dr Pepper to taste. So how did it taste? Find out when you read more.

The popsicle - that definitely hit the spot during the heat wave - was nice, cool, and icy. However, it was also too sweet, and didn't taste much like Dr Pepper. There was that weird fruity-prune flavor that Dr Pepper has, but it wasn't as successful as Dr Pepper flavored Jelly Bellys.

Overall, I don't think I'd buy them again. They were a fun distraction, and definitely worth the 20 cents per popsicle, yet they weren't that satisfying. Next time I'll pick up the Root Beer flavor and see how that goes.

How about you? Have you tried these Soda Pops? If so, what flavor, and what did you think?

PartySugar Behind The Bash: de Young Opening Party for Vivienne Westwood: 36 Years in Fashion

partysugar — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 15:59:58 -0800

In order for me to fully provide you with the most informative advice on everything that has to do with parties, I'm writing a new feature entitled, PartySugar Behind The Bash where I'll give you the scoop on San Francisco's hottest parties and most outrageous nightlife. I'm attending the events, speaking with the party planners, and getting the recipes so you can incorporate the up to the minute trends, decor, and dishes into your fabulous parties. After fretting about what to wear, I attended the opening party for Couture & Cocktails Vivienne Westwood: 36 Years in Fashion, an incredibly fashionable exhibit at the de Young museum. Despite the fact that I didnt see Ms. Westwood, the party was totally oversold and overcrowded with about 2300 people in attendance and lines, lines, lines everywhere, the majority of the people looked amused, satisfied, and enlivened by the party and the atmosphere was like an old school rave with a grown up make over. For the menu, look, music, an interview with the event planner and lots of pics, read more

Bon Appetit catered the fiesta and the food consisted of two small tables, one upstairs and one downstairs. Although they were dressed in a beautiful royal blue satin tablecloth topped with a black and white damask runner with dimension, levels, and interesting platters, the food tables were extremely sad. The pretzel sticks, grissini, black olive tapenade and roasted garlic spread was picked over and ravaged looking and the poor servers could not restock the tables quickly enough. The candy tables were a wonderful source of decoration as the brightly colored wrappers were both childish and chic.

If you could stand waiting in the mile long lines to get to the bar you could choose from five drinks, one from each of the five major liquors: vodka, gin, rum, tequila, and whiskey. The specialty cocktail that was advertised on the invite, a Gin Viv (created especially for the party), was either missing or given a different name, because when I asked the bartender for one he gave me a blank stare and said the gin drink was called a Blueberry Crush. I ordered one, which was both too sweet and too bitter due to the pomegranate juice and gin respectively. I'm not much of a gin fan and preferred the vodka cocktail: a refreshing mix of sprite, vodka, and freshly squeezed (at least the bartender swore it was) blood orange juice. The best things about the drinks were the garnishes, which consisted of exotic fruits in vibrant colors: blueberries, blood oranges, prickly pears, apples, and mangos.

The look was staged by Blueprint Studios and was sparse with all of the tables dressed in the aforementioned royal blue and black/white combination creating a regal effect. At each side of the bars topiary floral arrangements of white roses, blue marbles, clear glass, and water were stationed. In the upstairs main room where the DJ was bumping his selection, the decor revolved around five giant paipier maché outfits: three dresses and two suits, all of which I am assuming were modeled after pieces by Westwood. While I enjoyed the arrangement of these sculptures, which was pyramid like with the largest and most beautiful dress being strategically placed above the bar, it felt off. The DJ was to the left side and party going-dancers didn't know whether they should congregate in front of the DJ or the focal point of the room, the bar.

The music, spun by DJ Shissla, was electronic based remixes of urban classics such as Lady Marmalade and the Pussy Cat Doll's Don't Cha. The crowd was a touch on the raunchy side of scandalous: more punk than glam, more deconstructed than structured, with girls in corsets, men in skirts, and swaying bodies in teetering chunky platform shoes everywhere.

The highlights of the evening were the trio of stylish young ladies who instantly adopted me as their friend and allowed me to cut in line with them at both the bar and the exhibit (thank you Katie Coleman!), seeing the oversized blue alligator skin 7 inch platform shoes that caused Naomi Campbell infamously to fall on the runway, and speaking with the lovely, modestly dressed young event planner.

Ashley, the event planner for the museum, informed me that this party was a test of sorts as it was the first time the de Young had ever opened up its doors for the opening of an exposition to the public. Here's what she had to say:

Party: What was your most memorable party?
Ashley: This is it! There are over 2300 people here and I think this is the best party I've done so far.
Party: What is your favorite flower?
Ashley: Tulips.
Party: What is your guilty pleasure food?
Ashley: Kit Kats.
Party: What's your advice to the everyday hostess?
Ashley: You've got to be really organized. Think from the guests perspective and think through everything from beginning to end.
Party: A successful party is...
Ashley: When a lot of people are laughing, dancing, drinking, and smiling. Most importantly laughing.

View 42 Photos ›

Come Party With Me: Super Bowl Party - Drinks

partysugar — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 06:59:32 -0800

Super Bowl Sunday is just a few days away and slowly but surely I'm putting together my blowout bash. In order for me not to get overwhelmed when planning a party, I like to do it in little increments. The invitations one day, the menu the next, and so on and so forth until the entire fete is prepared. After the game and the food, the next essential piece of any Super Bowl party puzzle is the drinks. I went all out in the menu and will do the same with the drinks that I pair with my food. (Random side note that has nothing to do with drinks at all: maybe I'm a little excited from FabSugar's sexy week but isn't this pic of a football player's body HOT?) To see what I will be serving my guests while I cheer on the Chicago Bears, read more

Obviously an assortment of beers is a must. I plan on purchasing 3 different twelve packs: Heineken Light (for the gals who are watching their weight), Pacifico (to pair with the Mexican flavors that run through the dishes: chipotle, chili, nachos...), and Stella (for those who are beer snobs). To figure out how much beer you will need in relation to the number of guests who attend your fiesta, check out this handy dandy party drink calculator. Place the beer in a spot close to your tv and make sure to have several bottle openers on hand - it always seems they go missing at my parties pretty quickly! A silver bucket or a big plastic bin in your team's colors filled with ice will work perfectly.

If you want to serve wine as well as beer, pick American wines - afterall the Super Bowl is the ultimate American event. As California produces every nine out of ten American bottles of wine, look to your favorite wines from the Napa or Sonoma Valleys or the Southern regions around Los Angeles. Look for a Zinfandel with attitude, an easy-drinking Chardonnay, or a crispy, light Sauvignon Blanc.

I find that at parties guests are inclined to try one cocktail and then shift over to drinking wine or beer. Since this is the case, I'll have one super special cocktail for when my guests arrive. What says Super Bowl more than the Ultimate Margarita? You can serve it blended (but you'll have to make the mess with the blender during the game...), but I'll mix mine in a pitcher to prevent watering down the cocktail and then pour it over ice into a fun festive glass. If you are feeling like a dare devil and want to have some really outrageous drinks on hand for your overly excited guests, why not mix up a few cocktails with beer as the base? Here's a list of ways to jazz up your boring old bottle of beer:

Lager and lime: Add a dash of lime juice or lime cordial to a light lager.
Snakebite: Mix your favorite beer (usually a heavier beer, like stout, works well) half and half with cider.
Black Velvet: Mix stout and champagne, half and half.
Beer Bloody Mary: Mix beer and tomato juice, half and half. Add a dash of Tabasco and a dash of Worcestershire.
Red Eye: Add a shot of tomato juice to any ale or lager (this cocktail is also known as Tomato Beer or a Red Rooster). If you add a splash of Tabasco, the drink becomes a Ruddy Mary.
Liverpool kiss: Mix a dark beer with Cassis.
BeeSting: Dark beer and orange juice.
Skip and go naked: Combine beer, lemon juice and gin, with a dash of grenadine.
Broadway: Popular in Japan, mixing beer and cola is known as a Broadway
Caribbean Night: Beer and an ounce of coffee liqueur.
South Wind: Beer with a shot of melon liqueur.

Lastly be sure to have lots of water on hand (both sparkling and still) and an assortment of classic ballpark sodas: Coke, 7-Up, root beer, and Orange Crush. Got an amazing drink recipe that you will be mixing at your Super Bowl Party? Please tell me about it below! Next up on the game plan: winning decorations that are sure to score you a touchdown. Look for Come Party With Me tomorrow for the details.

Source: That's The Spirit

Hottest Men On Food Network

YumSugar — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 08:01:31 -0700

The other day Stuff Magazine created their list of the top ten hottest women of Food Network. Many of you thought their list wasn't quite right, but the rest of you thought we should come up with our own list of the top ten hottest men of Food Network. When I mentioned this idea to PartySugar, she quickly agreed and handed over her list. After a little bit of tweaking (I really wanted Alton higher on the list!), we finally settled on our top 10.

#10 - Robert Irvine
The host of Dinner: Impossible always manages to whip up a meal while under pressure. His fast thinking ways, body builder physique and British accent have garnered him a spot on our list.

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#9 Emeril Lagasse
Despite his success and his "BAM"itude, Emeril is devoted to great food and fresh ingredients. His toothpaste ads may have pushed him down a few notches, but his passion for getting everyone in the kitchen solidifies his place on this list.

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#8 Duff Goldman
In addition to owning and operating Charm City Cakes, he's also a sculptor, artist and musician. Besides, any man that can cook up fancy wedding cakes has earned a place on this list.

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#7 Bobby Flay
Bobby's bad-boy attitude (remember when he stood on the cutting board during Iron Chef?), charm and grill skills makes him a rock-solid addition to this top ten list.

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For the rest of the list, read more

#6 Michael Chiarello
If you're not careful, Chiarello will charm your socks off. His local food loving, grape growing and down-to-earth self (not to mention his adorable smile) is enough to make any gal swoon.

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#5 Mario Batali
Mario is a wonderful educator whose passion oozes out of every pore. His cuddly teddy bear looks and the fact that he hob knobs with celebrities are just added bonuses. Oh and I know you all don't agree with me, but I love the fact that he wears shorts and bright orange crocs.

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#4 Dave Lieberman
With his boyishly good looks and culinary talent, Mr. Lieberman is often called "America's Naked Chef." Oh and any man that loves a good deal earns bonus points in my book.

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#3 Alton Brown
If I had my way, Alton would've been the top of the list, however I know his know-it-all dorky attitude isn't for everyone. Personally I love how everything in his kitchen can be explained with props and that I always feel smarter after hanging out with him. Oh and he broke his collarbone all in the name of good eats, how hot is that?!

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#2 The Deen Brothers
Two for the price of one! The dynamic duo known as Bobby and Jamie Deen travel around the country hoping to educate viewers on unique and interesting products. Their frat-boy looks and Southern charm make them memorable, and their soft cuddly insides and tough exterior make them just like their mama's deep fried butter balls!

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#1 Tyler Florence
I think that almost every lady watching Food Network has had a mini-crush on Tyler at some point in time. Whether he's boiling water, or making a delicious Sunday roast, Tyler's boy-next door looks and fantastic personality just light up the screen. His perspective in the kitchen is amazing - he knows what people want to eat and how to make them want to make it. For that he earns the number one spot on our list!

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