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Petit Fours aka Cute Mini Desserts

OnSugar Blog — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:00:44 PST

Ever wonder what those French petit fours really are? Well, wonder no more; A La Tart is happy to demystify them for you. (Hint: they're really just cute and mini!)

In case you didn't know, petit fours aren't just those kinda gross square white cakes with a crusty pink flour on top that you've had at a tea or shower. Petit four is just a classy french way of saying mini dainty dessert, they can come in tarts, cookies, cakes - just make them tiny. They can even be savory (petit fours sales).

A classic french petit four is the French macaroon; more pictures of those to come later this week!

Want more pastry goodness? Be sure to start following A La Tart, then get to work on your own OnSugar blog. You may even wind up featured here.

Tea Party: Food and Beverages

LilSugar — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 14:00:37 PDT

It's pretty obvious that tea will be the beverage of choice at this baby shower whether you choose to serve it piping hot or iced with lemon.

And, what goes better with the herbal elixir than savory finger sandwiches and sugary treats? From the traditional cucumber to the more worldly roasted turkey and mango chutney, tea sandwiches are a fun way for guests to sample several flavors on a plate.

Get creative with the nibblers by shaping them into bottles, teddy bears and baby feet with cookie cutters. To see what's for dessert,

And, for something to satisfy the sweet tooth, buy some bakery made petit fours (32 lil cakes for $64) in the colors of the baby-to-be's nursery.

Source and Source

How Does Your Garden Grow?

YumSugar — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:29:51 PDT

It's the first day of spring, and my thoughts are turning towards fresh veggies and bright colors. Normally it's the appetizers and main courses that get the spring treatment, but this year, dessert can play along too. This Garden Patch Cakelet Pan ($34) is a garden-themed cake pan that features rows of carrots, cauliflower, radishes and peas. It would make the most adorable petit-fours and hey, maybe it'll get your little ones (or big ones) to finally eat their veggies.

An Everyday Athlete Is Still an Athlete

espnW — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:59:39 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from espnW here on FitSugar!

By Risa Isard

On June 23, 1972, Title IX was signed into law, leveling the playing field for female athletes. To mark the 40th anniversary, espnW explore the impact of this landmark legislation.

You might not know me, but chances are you know someone like me. I'm that girl who grew up playing hoops in the driveway with my dad and brother every night after dinner. The one who played rec soccer for 10 years, starting out on a boys team. The one who persuaded her middle-school gym teacher to let her run the monthly timed mile against boys, then wrote her target time on her arm - in permanent marker. The one who took field day just a little too seriously.

The one who is thankful every day for Title IX.

Counting down the best of the past 40 years

Growing up, I wasn't an elite athlete, but I had passion to spare. I ran, jumped, threw, and kicked on a daily basis and eventually I found my calling in high school track and cross country. I was good (I earned seven varsity letters), but not good enough for the next level.

So when I arrived at Duke nearly four years ago, I found myself wondering something that had never crossed my mind before: was I still an athlete?

Answering that question was no easy task. As I read about various elite athletes, I recognized our shared pasts. Like gymnast Jordyn Wieber, I used to pull old cushions into the middle of the family room and do cartwheels, somersaults, and front handsprings. Like many WNBA stars, I was the only girl in neighborhood basketball games. I lacked their natural ability, but I came to realize that we are connected through dreams and experiences. We all began by thinking of ourselves as athletes and scheduling our lives around sports at a young age. That doesn't just go away.

Read on for more.

Transgender Beauty Queen Jenna Talackova Has Already Won

Annie Scudder — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 11:15:00 PDT

The Miss Universe Canada pageant wasn't feeling so congenial when it disqualified contestant Jenna Talackova, 23, on account of being transgender. But since the news broke last week, Jenna has received lots of positive support and her publicist released a statement today saying, "Jenna is overwhelmed, and deeply moved by the support she has received from around the globe."

When she was 19, Jenna, who was born a man and is seen on the right in the above photo, underwent gender reassignment surgery. Jenna says she knew she was meant to be a woman at the age of four, and started hormone therapy at age 14. The Miss Universe Canada pageant, which is owned by Donald Trump, said it disqualified her after she reached the finals in the Miss Vancouver competition because "she did not meet the requirements to compete despite having stated otherwise on her entry form." Prerequisites for competition include being a non-married Canadian citizen between the ages of 18 and 27. Although there are no specific rules about sex changes or cosmetic surgery, Miss Universe Canada says Jenna falsely stated that she had been born female on her application.

A Change.org petition asking the pageant to reinstate her already has over 30,000 signatures. It reads, "This is discriminatory, unjust, and quite frankly disgusting. She is a woman and deserves to be treated as any other woman would be. What kind of genitals she was or was not born with (and even what kind of genitals she has today) is completely irrelevant." Jenna says she hopes her experience will help prevent discrimination in the future, and it seems like she's well on her way to raising awareness. Would you sign the petition to get her reinstated?

Weinstein Company's Bully Documentary Receives "R" Rating

Rebecca M Gruber — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 11:16:37 PST

It all comes down to six lil curse words. One of the biggest issues facing school children today is bullying, with some statistics showing that as many as half of all kids are bullied at one point during their school years. Following the tragic deaths of kids who just couldn't face the torture anymore, movie bigwig Harvey Weinstein is preparing to premiere Bully, a documentary about the consequences of bullying, later this month. The film has already earned accolades at various film festivals and 10-minute long standing ovations at screenings around the country.

So what's wrong? Because the film includes six four-letter words, it has earned an "R" rating from the Motion Picture Association of America - meaning no one under the age of 17 is allowed to see it without adult supervision. That means no screenings at school assemblies and no groups of kids heading to the theater to see it on a Friday night. The onus will be placed on parents to take their kids to see it. The Weinstein Company is appealing the rating and petitions are currently circulating throughout the country.

From My Kitchen: Chili Honey Butter

Padma Lakshmi — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:34:26 PST

We've got a new partnership with Padma Lakshmi! The host of the Emmy-winning Top Chef, writer, and designer started Padma Lakshmi, a social networking site that celebrates our favorite topics, including food adventures, recipes, and party planning. She'll be dishing up goodies for us here on YumSugar monthly. Today, Padma sings the virtues of a lesser-known condiment: homemade chili honey butter.

Chili . . . honey . . . butter. Need I say more? It's actually dangerous to keep this condiment around because you will find yourself buttering your toast with it, frying up eggs with a bit of it melted in the pan, not to mention making home fries, too. And that's just breakfast. It can be used to sauté green beans and carrots, to brush on grilled fish, even to baste a whole chicken for roasting.

Related: Global Pantry: Garam Masala

Get her recipe after the break.

Trendspotting: Teeny Tiny Sweet Treats

Nancy Einhart — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 12:10:25 PDT

What's cuter than a cupcake? A mini cupcake, of course! Increasingly, sweet treats come in two sizes: regular and petite. Almost every cupcakery is cooking up mini cakes for birthday parties and office soirees, three-bite cake pops put the trend on a stick, and national chains like Starbucks and Baskin-Robbins are getting even more creative with tiny treats.

On the heels of the Starbucks petites line of mini cupcakes, whoopie pies, and cake pops (pictured above), Baskin-Robbins is debuting cake bites, which are basically four-bite nuggets of ice cream cake.

We've also spotted brownie bites ranging from Trader Joe's tasty treats to Pillsbury's Sweet Moments line of brownie bites. Bakery line Entenmann's also sells mini versions of its cakes, while Starbucks plans to roll out new holiday-themed petites this November.

Why are tiny treats so big? Surely it's a combination of cuteness and the calorie factor, letting eaters indulge in just a few bites rather than a large, decadent dessert. So what do you think of the trend: too cute to resist or too much already?

Rachel, Rodger, and Skyler Share a Pre-Father's Day Night Out on the Town

Lindsay Miller — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 11:40:05 PDT

Rachel Zoe and husband Rodger Berman took their little guy, Skyler, out on Rodeo Drive last Friday evening. The trio stepped out on Beverly Hills' famed street following another appearance earlier in the week at upscale children's boutique Petit Tresor on nearby Robertson Boulevard. The family was on hand at Petit Tresor to celebrate the owners' new collaboration with Babies"R"Us. The family has had an eventful June so far, with yesterday also marking Rodger's first Father's Day. Skyler, who was born in March, is already reaching some major milestones of his own. Just this morning, Rachel tweeted that he's started dancing to songs on the radio! The adorable infant will be the newest addition to the cast of The Rachel Zoe Project when season four debuts on Bravo this August.

Rachel Zoe Makes a Red Carpet Appearance With Skyler and Rodger by Her Side and Sings the Praises of "Supermom" Jennifer Garner

Lindsay Miller — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 16:49:44 PDT

Rachel Zoe, her husband, Rodger Berman, and their son, Skyler, stepped out at Petit Tresor children's boutique in LA this afternoon. Rodger held adorable Skyler in his arms, while Rachel greeted attendees and spoke to reporters during the festivities. She told us that her life has changed a lot since she and Rodger welcomed the little guy in March. She said season four of The Rachel Zoe Project won't feature her flying around the world as frequently as usual because her new role as mom meant she couldn't travel to Milan or Paris for last season's shows. She also admitted she wears fewer pieces from her famous jewelry collection on a day-to-day basis because Skyler loves to grab them! Rachel, who works with lots of A-list moms, also revealed that one of the famous women who has given her the greatest parenting advice is "supermom" Jennifer Garner!