YumSugar

Cabernet Grapevine Bonsai: Love It or Hate It?

YumSugar — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 03:15:51 -0700

I saw this Cabernet Grapevine Bonsai ($69) over on Tastespotting and thought it would make a great gift for the right person. It flowers in the Spring and sheds in the Fall and is a fun take on the regular bonsai. I almost want one for my desk! What do you think, would you want one of these plants?

YumSugar Gift Guide: Remember Your Co-Workers

YumSugar — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 07:28:31 -0800

Finding the perfect gift for a co-worker can sometimes be a tricky task. You hang out with them for more hours than you do your own family, but for the most part it's still an office relationship. Selecting a gift for the ones you know well will be easy, but the ones you're not as familiar with might be a bit more difficult. To help you out, I've selected a few gifts that will be just perfect. For the person who's always in charge of lunch, get them this useful Takeout Menu Organizer. Or, share a laugh by giving them a chocolate voodoo doll and watch them take revenge on the boss! For more food relevant co-worker gift ideas, scroll through the list below.

Chocolate Voodoo Doll ($7.95)	Atomic Food Containers ($8.99)
Herb Growing Tater Pots ($14)	Cool Bean Espresso Maker ($18)
Cafe Cup ($20)	Takeout Menu Organizer ($27.95)

Grow Stars and Moon In Your Garden

YumSugar — Thu, 31 May 2007 11:29:12 -0700

I love the look of these Moon & Stars Watermelon - which gets its name from the striking pattern of small dots and one larger one. This extra sweet Amish heirloom variety was once on the verge of extinction, but is making a comeback. If you're interested in growing them in your garden, a packet of purple variety seeds costs $2.39 and a packet of the green variety costs $2.69.

Source: Outblush

How Does Your Matchstick Garden Grow?

YumSugar — Fri, 25 May 2007 01:08:13 -0700

If an eggling herb garden is not your style, then I suggest you check out the clever matchstick garden instead. Available in two sets (herbs or wildflowers), each matchstick garden contains sticks that you plant tip first into the ground (or a cute container of your choice). Once you do that, you'll soon have a flower or herb garden of your very own! The herb set comes with basil, chives, parsley and thyme and the wildflower set comes with cornflower, shasta daisy, corn marigold and field poppy. If you like the idea, you can find one in a store near you or order 5 packs for $12.50.

Source: Daily Olive

Plant-Me Pets

YumSugar — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:58:39 -0700

If you haven't noticed I have a special place in my heart for whimsy, particularly when it comes to plants. I found these guys today while I was trolling around the web (seriously, can one do anything besides troll when they're on the internet?) and they're soo soo cute. Called Plant-Me Pets, these little guys are made of natural latex rubber and their eyes are made from seeds. They can hang out on your desk and when you get bored. Ploomp! Plant them in the ground by burying them head first (seems a bit wrong doesn't it?). Add some sun, water and voila! The rubber will decompose, the seeds will sprout and you'll have a plant in no time. Available in three varieties (cantaloupe, tomato and pumpkin) for $20 each.

Happy Earth Day! Get Yourself an Edible Miniature Garden

YumSugar — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 05:58:31 -0700

This Sunday, April 22, marks the 38th annual Earth Day and one of the tips that FitSugar recommends to be healthy and green at the same time is to "eat local fruits and vegetables." I'm all for eating locally, but I don't think it gets much more local than your own backyard. I personally don't have much of a green thumb and need all the help I can get (although I actually brought an almost dead tree back to life last summer!). However, I think I've found something that even the blackest of thumbs can manage. This miniature edible indoor garden is just the perfect size and needs little maintenance (just some water). I think it will look so cute on my desk (which is a bonus, because if it's on my desk I probably won't forget to water it). It comes with the interesting structure, four reusable felt pads with seed packets (clover, cress, lettuce and mustard) and a packet refill. All you have to do is provide the water and you're in business. Oh and it'll look adorable next to these little egglings. Happy Earth Day!

Source: Outblush

Three New Egglings

YumSugar — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 07:57:19 -0700

I just learned that my favorite little egglings have three new varieties: spicy red pepper, lavender and wild strawberries. Egglings, for those of you that don't know, look and feel like a large egg, but are really a ceramic container that you crack open, water and voila! You've got a plant that will grow for about five months before having to be planted in the soil. Available in basil, mint, phlox (a flowering plant), petunia, chrysanthemum, and now spicy red pepper, lavender and wild strawberries. The cost is $9.50 each.

Source: Design*Sponge

Creamless Creamed Spinach Is a Healthy Thanksgiving Side

YumSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:00:12 -0800

Michelle Obama has only been a resident at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for 10 months, yet she's already managed to set an example for Americans to eat more fresh food, from planting a garden to starting a White House farmers market.

Earlier this year, I spotted a recipe for one of the first lady's favorite White House dishes, a creamed spinach without the cream. I bookmarked it, thinking it would make a satisfying yet light steak side, or a healthful addition to a large Thanksgiving feast.

The recipe calls for blanched, puréed spinach, which adds an airy, creamy taste without the calories. To see the technique, keep reading.

Obamas to Plant White House Garden Today

YumSugar — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 03:30:53 -0700

Today is the day that Alice Waters and other Slow Food supporters have been waiting for: the Obamas will begin planting a garden on the White House lawn, the first such victory garden to be created since the one Eleanor Roosevelt planted during World War II.

The garden, which will be overseen by Sam Kass, the Obamas' former private chef from Chicago, will provide food for the first family's meals and formal dinners. White House executive chef Cristeta Comerford will write menus based on what's available in the garden.According to First Lady Michelle Obama, the biggest reason for growing a garden is to educate children about the benefits of growing fresh produce locally. She said:

There’s nothing really cooler than coming to the White House and harvesting some of the vegetables and being in the kitchen with Cris and Sam and Bill, and cutting and cooking and actually experiencing the joys of your work.

The first lady, who will dig up soil for the 1,100-square-foot plot of land with fifth graders from a local elementary school, has stressed the significance of healthful eating ever since entering the White House. Last month, she opened up the White House kitchen for a press tour, and recently spoke about the importance of fresh, local eating.

Advocates of farm-to-table eating have been campaigning for a White House edible garden for months now, and there is little doubt that many eat-local proponents consider this to be a huge step in the right direction. To see what fruits and vegetables will be in the White House garden, read more.

Arugula
Spinach
Chard
Black kale
Red romaine
Green oak leaf
Butterhead lettuce
Red leaf lettuce
Spinach
Cilantro
Tomatillos
Hot peppers
Berries
Thai basil
Bees, for honey

What do you think of the project? What would you plant if you were Michelle Obama?

Hershey's Closes Scharffen Berger, Joseph Schmidt Plants

YumSugar — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 14:00:34 -0800

Lovers of local artisan chocolate, be prepared for some bitter news: This week, Hershey announced plans to close the plant where Scharffen Berger chocolate is manufactured, as well as the factory where Joseph Schmidt chocolates are produced.

Although Hershey will continue production of the two brands, the chocolates will no longer be produced where they first became popular – in the Bay Area. The plants are not commenting, but a spokesperson from Hershey's headquarters said, "We will maintain the highest quality standard for all our artisan productions."Both brands, founded in San Francisco, were pioneers credited for increasing the popularity of high-end, premium chocolates. Scharffen Berger, founded in 1996, made a name for itself with its discerning selection of cacao beans, its diligent roasting techniques, and the the chocolate's complex, smooth flavors. Its Berkeley, CA-based plant offered factory tours to local visitors.

I'm sad to hear this news, and a bit skeptical of Hershey's promise. After the company acquired both brands in 2005, it reassured customers that it wouldn't alter the businesses, and would most likely expand them. Hershey's insists it will maintain both brands' integrity, but the chocolate czar recently made the choice to switch to cheaper ingredients.

Does this signal an end of an artisan chocolate era? Will you continue to buy these brands?

Source