YumSugar

You Are What You Eat: A Study in Consumption

YumSugar — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:00:34 -0700

This month, Good magazine features a collection of narrative images that explores the different ways people address food. "You Are What You Eat," a collection of narrative images by artist Mark Menjivar, divulges the contents of various eaters' refrigerators.

One fridge, stacked haphazardly with various styrofoam takeout containers, reflects the night owl habits of a bartender. Another icebox, stocked mostly with beer, coffee drinks, and a lone plate of leftovers, reflects the eating habits of three college students. Even sadder, another contains nothing but mayonnaise and a black plastic bag - it's the fridge of a street advertiser who makes $432 a month in wages.Menjivar's work reminds us that the food we stock in our refrigerators is as much a footprint of our lives as what we do or how we dress. If I were to publish my own, I would submit the above photo, with the header, "Food Writer | San Francisco, CA | 2-Person Household | Living on soup to get over bronchitis | 2009."

What would yours say? Check out Menjivar's work (below are a few examples) and tell me what you think: are you what you eat?

View 4 Photos ›

Source

All the News That's Fit to Eat - Nov. 19, 2008

YumSugar — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:30:37 -0800

How novices can put together a successful Thanksgiving. - Boston Globe
This year, give your guests something to talk about: unusual wines. - The Oregonian
At home with chef Tyler Florence in his new Mill Valley digs.- San Francisco Chronicle
For last-minute holiday help, consider calling one of these hotlines. - Chicago Tribune
What's the science to roasting a (nearly) perfect turkey? - Washington Post
The supporting star of Thanksgiving is the gravy; how to get it right. - New York Times
Pay a pretty penny for the newest wave of refrigerators, which claim to keep food fresh for longer. - Wall Street Journal
The US Department of Agriculture is finalizing parameters for organic milk. - USA Today
As a Thanksgiving guest, think of the host when considering which sides to bring. - Los Angeles Times

Source

Flatshare Fridge: Love It or Hate It?

partysugar — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 04:00:38 -0700

Got roommates who steal your food? What you need is a flatshare fridge! This creative fridge consists of a base fridge and four stackable pieces that allow each user to have a private fridge. Made for the Electrolux Design Lab Competition by Austrian designer Stefan Buchberger, the flatshare - which comes in a variety of colors - can be customized to include a bottle opener or whiteboard. I think this fridge is incredibly clever, but wonder if the small compartment could hold all of my culinary needs. What do you think?

Source

Simple Tip: Label Plastic Wrap With Cheese's First Initial

partysugar — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 10:30:05 -0700

Thanks to Say Cheese!, my weekly series featuring different types of cheese, the charcuterie drawer in my refrigerator is full of cheese. However, when the packaging is removed and the cheese is partially grated, many of them look the same. To ensure that I don't confuse the pecorino with the parmesan, I've started labeling them.

Here's how you do it: instead of writing out the cheese's entire name, simply write the first initial, like A for asaigo or R for romano. For easy identification, use a thick, colored Sharpie. Place the labeled cheese in the drawer with the initial facing up.

Are you an avid cheese eater? How do you distinguish one opened cheese from the other?

Know Your Ingredients: Shortening

YumSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:50:13 -0800

While baking apple pie, I enlisted the help of my boyfriend, who took notice of the substantial amount of Crisco that was going into the pie dough. What exactly is shortening? he wanted to know. When I couldn't give him a solid answer (no pun intended), I decided it was time to find out.

The term shortening generically refers to any baking fat that's solid at room temperature, like butter and margarine. But more often, it describes a semi-solid fat made from hydrogenated vegetable oil that's used in baking to achieve a "short," or flaky, texture.

By adding hydrogen gas to vegetable oil at a high pressure and temperature, the flavorless substance goes from being a liquid to a solid at room temperature.

Although shortening has fallen out of favor in recent years because it contains trans fat, the ingredient remains a staple around the world for many reasons. It has a higher smoke point than butter or margarine, meaning it won't burn in a sauté pan. It also requires no refrigeration, and can lengthen the shelf life of baked goods. What do you use shortening for?

Source: Flickr User VirtualErn

How to Clean Your Fridge

partysugar — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 03:30:00 -0700

Although it's a dirty job, someone has to clean out the refrigerator. Especially if you cook at home often, it's best to get rid of old milk before it spoils. I clean my fridge out once a week, but if you haven't checked the contents of the cheese drawer in a while, I suggest you start your Spring cleaning now. Here's what you should do to maintain a pristine, fresh-smelling fridge.

View Slideshow ›

Match the Fridge to Its Year of Manufacture

partysugar — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 01:18:31 -0800

On today's date, Feb. 21, in 1994 Whirlpool began producing a new type of refrigerator. The more efficient and improved fridge functioned without freon - a component that is bad for the atmosphere. To commemorate the fridge's first step towards becoming green, I've put together a fun little quiz. I've found images of refrigerators throughout time and you have to choose what year they were manufactured in. Sound like fun? Take the quiz now!

Take the quiz

Time to Clean Out Your Fridge

partysugar — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 01:18:33 -0800

Today is National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day. I think it's an opportune time to celebrate this holiday and prep your fridge for Thanksgiving by cleaning it out. To help you out, here are my suggestions on how to clean out the refrigerator:

Place a large, empty garbage bag next to your fridge. Have a couple smaller bags on hand for recyclables and leftovers.
Starting at the bottom with the vegetable drawers, look through your entire fridge. Throw away wilted, moldy, or old vegetables. If you have herbs that come in plastic containers, dump the herbs in the brown garbage bag and the container in the bag designated for recycling.

Empty tupperware with leftovers into plastic baggies and place these in the larger garbage bag. Taking the extra time to put the pasta, sauces, dips, etc. into a plastic baggy will ensure that the wetness doesn't seep through the larger bag or spill before you make it to the trash can.
Check yogurt, milk, and other dairy containers' expiration dates. If expired, remove from the fridge.
Dump out old, half full bottles of flat sodas, sparkling water, or wine.
Throw away smelly lunchmeats.

Did I forget something? Share your fridge cleaning out techniques below!

Source

The Creator Of The Modern Fridge Turns 165

partysugar — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 01:31:19 -0700

Let's all give a celebratory happy birthday to Carl Paul Gottfried Linde! Although you may not know who this German engineer was, your daily life is indeed affected by him. Born in 1842, Linde developed a process to liquefy gases that lead to the creation of the modern refrigerator. After his research and proposal for the technology of refrigeration was published in a Bavarian Industry & Trade Journal, he was approached by Europe's top breweries that were investigating ways of maintaining beer's temperature for longer periods of time. In 1873, the first fridge was installed and declared a huge success. Linde continued his studies and variations on his ideas are still practiced today. So when you open your fridge today remember Linde, without him who knows how beer - or anything else - would have been kept cold!

Coming Soon: Apples That Don't Rot?

YumSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:00:03 -0800

Can you imagine leaving a piece of fruit in the crisper and being able to take a bite out of it after four months? That's the idea behind a new variety of apple that's being tweaked by researchers at Queensland Primary Industries. The RS103-130, as it's called, can stay fresh for at least 14 days without refrigeration, and keep in a refrigerator for four months.

Scientists are touting many benefits behind the fruit's longevity, which comes from incorporating a gene from a black-spot resistant apple. For one, the RS103-130 requires less fungicides; it would also need less cold storage, cutting down on energy costs.

As far as the most important factor - taste - is concerned, developers say the fruit is very sweet, and has come out on top in preliminary taste tests. Does the RS103-130 apple sound convenient, creepy, or both?