YumSugar

Off to Market: Serving Tray

partysugar — Mon, 11 May 2009 06:50:47 -0700

With the weather warming up, I've turned my attention to alfresco entertaining. Last weekend, I suggested my guests and I grab our cocktails and appetizers and head out to the patio. There was a lot to carry and on my third trip back to the kitchen, I couldn't help but wonder why I don't own a stylish serving tray? Can you help me find one? Look for a large chic tray with edges to ensure that nothing slides off during transit. Save the trays in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag, Serving Tray. I'm excited to see your discoveries!

Geeksugar has put together an article that explains how to bookmark on TeamSugar.
Not sure where to start looking? Be inspired by some of my favorite online stores when you read more

Bed Bath & Beyond
CB2
Cooking.com
Crate & Barrel
Ikea
Linens and Things
NapaStyle
Pier 1
Plum Party
Pottery Barn
Sur La Table
Target
Restoration Hardware
Williams Sonoma
Wishing Fish
World Market

Yummy Links: From Balsamic Vinegar to Food Waste

partysugar — Tue, 20 May 2008 09:00:23 -0700

Learn everything you need to know about balsamic vinegar. - Start Cooking
California wine legend Robert Mondavi has died. - Tasting Room
The rising cost of popcorn may cause movie ticket prices to increase by 30 percent later this year. - Serious Eats
The 2008 Spirit Award nominations have been announced. - Martini Groove
Food Network is rebranding their "In the Kitchen" daytime lineup. Paula, Giada, and Ina are all getting new shows with different concepts. - Broadcasting and Cable
If you are hosting an alfresco event this weekend, be sure to check out these outdoor entertaining tips. - The Kitchn
Has anyone tried Flipsides, the new pretzel crackers by Keebler? - Slashfood
Change your grilling habits to be more healthful and eco-friendly. - Forecast Earth
This image of how much food Americans waste is disturbingly shocking. - New York Times

Source

Off To Market: Campground Tablecloth

partysugar — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 12:32:43 -0700

Before summer ends, my pal Jessie is off on a camping trip and she needs our help! She asked to borrow a sturdy, yet stylish, tablecloth to cover the campground's picnic table during her stay at Lake Pinecrest. I do not camp and therefore don't have a campground tablecloth to lend her. Can you folks help by searching for a reliable, cotton, vinyl, or linen tablecloth? It should be fun, colorful, and outdoorsy. Bookmark the tablecloths you discover in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag Campground Tablecloth. Good luck!

If you're unclear about how to bookmark on TeamSugar please read geeksugar's informative article.

Off To Market: Beer Bucket

partysugar — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 03:18:01 -0700

I'm planning on doing a lot of outdoor entertaining in the next few weeks. Instead of putting bottles of beer in a boring old everyday cooler, I desperately need a chic little beer bucket. I'm always writing about them when I plan the look for my parties, and yet I do not own one of my own. The time has come for me to buy one and I want you to help me find it. I want the bucket to be versatile (one party it may hold beer and the next party it may hold mini champagne), durable (it should last all summer holding the weight of ice and bottles), and fabulous (no corny designs or beer logos please). Bookmark the beer buckets you find in the Yum Market on TeamSugar tagging them with the keyword Beer Bucket.

To learn how to bookmark cool stuff read geeksugar's easy to understand explanation.

Come Party With Me: Memorial Day BBQ - The Look

partysugar — Thu, 24 May 2007 06:59:13 -0700

Although Memorial Day is a holiday that is generally associated with patriotic colors, I've decided to keep my bbq light, festive, and fun by using bright red and vibrant yellow (keeping in theme with the invitation). Just because the event is outdoors doesn't mean that I don't have to transform my space from everyday to party day. For my outdoor entertaining decorating tips, read more

The first thing you should consider when planning any outdoor event is the weather. If you live in a climate where it usually gets cooler in the afternoon, set up a fire pit or outdoor heaters. If it's really hot make sure there is plenty of shade for your guests to keep cool in. If rain is scheduled, you may unfortunately have to take your party inside.

My bbq begins at 4:30 and will most likely go until dark, meaning I'll have to consider outdoor lighting. Use a combination of candles, hanging lanterns, and electrical lighting (like Christmas lights). Place candles in taller glass votives or in areas where you know they will be shielded from the wind. Hide electrical cords under bark and along the bottom of the fence.
Set up stations for food and eating. A buffet set near the barbeque is essential to place just grilled food quickly and effortlessly. Place the salads, desserts, drinks, and grilled foods each on a different table area to encourage mingling and general flow of the guests.

Create eating stations by arranging chair clusters around the patio and grass.
Cover the tables and bar areas with yellow linen tablecloths.
Fill vases with red and yellow tulips.
Use either high quality colored paper plates and napkins or your white everyday china. If you have a set of plates/silverware specifically for outdoor dining, use this.

Don't bother with using your glass stemware, purchase a nice set of clear plastic glasses.
Next to the beer buckets place a few bottle openers.
Don't forget big trash bins - one labeled for trash and the other for recycling.
Designate a trusted friend to be in charge of bringing you a few bags of ice about fifteen minutes before the party is scheduled to start.

Got a great bbq decorating idea? Please share your ideas and inspirations with us below!

Off to Market Recap: Indoor Outdoor Basket

partysugar — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:00:21 -0700

A light, portable basket is essential to outdoor entertaining. Instead of making a million trips from the kitchen to the patio, you can load the basket - with utensils, napkins, servingware, etc. - and make one quick trip. To ensure that we all have enjoyable al fresco-dining experiences, you headed off to market in search of indoor outdoor baskets. You looked for baskets made of any material that are fun yet functional. You bookmarked the baskets in the Yum Market on Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag, Indoor Outdoor Basket. I love this woven basket and tray set that hippiecowgirl discovered. It's practical but attractive and will go with most party themes. Awesome find! To look at all of the baskets, browse below.

GeekSugar has created an explanation on how TeamSugar's bookmarking feature works so check it out if you are feeling confused.

Off to Market: Indoor Outdoor Basket

partysugar — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 03:00:17 -0700

A light, portable basket is essential to outdoor entertaining. Instead of making a million trips from the kitchen to the patio, you can load the basket - with utensils, napkins, servingware, etc. - and make one quick trip. To ensure that we all have enjoyable al fresco dining experiences, let's head off to market in search of indoor outdoor baskets. Look for baskets that are fun yet functional like the bright blue ones seen here. The baskets can be woven, plastic, silicone, or any other type of durable material. Bookmark the baskets you discover in the Yum Market on Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag, Indoor Outdoor Basket. Happy hunting!

Geeksugar has created an explanation on how TeamSugar's bookmarking feature works so check it out if you are feeling confused.

For a list of my favorite places to shop online, read more.

Bed Bath & Beyond
CB2
Cooking.com
Crate & Barrel
Ikea
Linens and Things
NapaStyle
Pier 1
Plum Party
Pottery Barn
Sur La Table
Target
Restoration Hardware
Williams Sonoma
Wishing Fish
World Market

Gifts For The Dad Who Likes To Drink

partysugar — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 10:01:18 -0700

Every afternoon my father goes to have a drink at one of his local hangouts. "Getting liquored up" is a daily ritual for him, and it's not so much about the booze, but about his buddies. If your dad likes to drink and entertain, surprise him with one of these drinker-friendly items. For the wine connoisseur, give a wine cellar or wine preservation kit to trap the air in opened bottles. Does your dad drink whiskey? How about a leather and crystal decanter. If he's more of a beer buff, show your love and gratitude with new glasses. Have a lot of siblings? Rally the family together to all pitch in and splurge on an outdoor portable bar. Browse these finds below by scrolling to the right.

Where Do You Eat Outdoors?

partysugar — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 08:30:10 -0700

Must-Read: BBQ Bash

partysugar — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:00:59 -0700

Last year I received a copy of BBQ Bash: The Be-All, End-All Party Guide, from Barefoot to Black Tie ($16.95) by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig. I quickly flipped through the pages, but since it was October, I stored it on the book shelf.

Then two weeks ago I was sitting on my couch, looked up, and swore BBQ Bash jumped out at me. I scooped it up and started reading. To find out why I couldn't put this book down - even on the bus - read more.

Pros:

It's written by two females, the BBQ Queens, so instead of taking a stereotypical manly point of view, the tone offers a refreshing anyone-can-do-it attitude.
Filled with hundreds of mouthwatering recipes, helpful tips, party plans, interesting lists (example: 15 different flavored butters), general information on grilling, smoking, and barbecuing.
To the authors, barbecue is a 24/seven, 365-day-a-year thing - meaning there is something for everyone.
The party plans are festive and fun. They include such themes as A Black-Tie Barbecue, Home For the Holidays Barbecue, and A Cozy Dinner a Deux.
There're plenty of cocktail recipes, too.

Cons:

Lack of photos. There's a small color photo spread in the center of the book that features 14 images. Other than that, the book is photo-free.
Some of the recipes call for specialty ingredients like artisanal prosciutto, peppadews, and tarragon vinegar.
Other recipes are uncreative and rely on store-made products. A salmon recipe is little more than salmon fillets marinated in Italian dressing and Seafood Magic rub.
There's no index or list of the drink recipes making them hard to find.

Recipes: Each recipe is followed up with helpful pointers: to "deck it out" (make the dish seem more formal), to "take it easy" (simplify the recipe), to "change it up" (meat, herb, and cheese substitutions), and to "raise a glass" (alcoholic beverage pairing suggestions). Here are some that caught my eye:

Rioja-style grilled pork tenderloin tapas
Limoncello spritzers
Big Easy grilled beef tenderloin, Zinfandel-glazed baby back ribs with a kiss of smoke
Blue cheese coleslaw
Grilled Winter-greens with warm cranberry port-vinaigrette
Grilled chocolate crostini
Dulce de leche sauce

Imagery: As mentioned above, there are only 14 color photos. The rest of the book is filled with curvy illustrations.

Overall: If you do a lot of outdoor entertaining and don't mind a cookbook without images, this book is perfect for you!

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