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Party Foul: No Serving Spoons

partysugar — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:43:56 -0700

Recently I went to a wine tasting where there was a huge platter of lamb with no serving spoon. The lamb - which had a succulent red wine sauce - was sliced into small bite-sized pieces and served warm in a caterer's pan. Like not having enough eating utensils, not having the proper serving tools at a party is not okay. Some guests made do with toothpicks or paper plates, but it was a messy struggle to taste the lamb.
If you are going to host a party with a large quantity of food, be sure to have all of the equipment necessary to serve the food appropriately. This is especially important if guests had to purchase a ticket to the event.

Are you familiar with this experience? Have you ever been unable to eat something due to a lack of servingware?

Reader Recipe: Black Bean Tortilla Soup

Yum Community — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:50:10 -0800

This story was written by member SweetPeasMom and comes from the Kitchen Goddess group in the YumSugar Community. The soup looks like it would make a wonderful cold-weather dinner. It's quick, simple, and perfect for busy weeknights. Check out her recipe when you read more

Yummy Links: From Sustainable Seafood to Baconfest

partysugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:50:47 -0700

Is it too late to save the world's seafood population?- The Atlantic
Twenty-five reasons to love the spoon. - Mouthing Off
Hosting a party in San Francisco? Consider having it at one of these restaurants. - 7x7
Angelina Jolie is a fan of Sandra Lee's no-bake birthday cake. - Eat Me Daily
Catch up with New York City chefs via Twitter. - Eater NY
Haven't figured out what to serve on Halloween? Here are four awesome menu ideas. - Bon Appétit
Did anyone attend Baconfest in Chicago? - Serious Eats

Tips For Enjoying Caviar

YumSugar — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 11:23:56 -0800

Last weekend, PartySugar and I spent most of our time eating and drinking at the Winter Fancy Foods Show, the largest food show in North America. With more than 250,000 food and beverage products on display, one could say that perhaps I bit off a little more than I could chew.

We tasted wine, cheese, meat, and everything else you can think of (more on that later!), but one of the biggest highlights had to be learning more about caviar from the pros. I turned to Ali Bolourchi and Michael Kupfer of Pacific Plaza Imports, a California-based caviar importer, to get some tips. To find out how to serve, taste, and enjoy caviar, read more.

What to buy: True caviar, the most prized (and therefore expensive!) is from Russian sturgeon. However, if you've never tasted caviar, American sturgeon is a great starting point, and only costs $20 to $25 an ounce - a fraction of the cost of the real thing. Also, know what it is that you're tasting: Neither red caviar or salmon roe is technically caviar. Genuine caviar falls under three categories: beluga, osetra, and sevruga.
How to taste: The best caviar should be devoid of smell, and should taste clean, buttery, and not too salty. The eggs should have a nice pop to them, and shouldn't be soupy or sticky.
How to serve: Buy a mother-of-pearl spoon to scoop the caviar, as metal imparts an unwanted flavor to the eggs. Each taste should contain a gram or two of caviar. Serve on a toast point, canapé, or blini, with smoked salmon, creme fraîche, lemon, and chive.
If you truly want to taste the pure flavor of caviar, serve the caviar solo on the nook of the hand between the index finger and thumb.

Of course, I couldn't learn fully without experiencing the taste of caviar. Michael served DeSietra Farms Siberian sturgeon caviar that was sustainably farmed in Germany. It was not fishy at all, and subtly briny, with a nutty finish - the perfect way to end a lesson about caviar.

Are you a fan of the delicacy? What are your favorite ways to enjoy it?

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Come Party With Me: Hoedown - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 09:15:14 -0700

If you're lucky enough to have access to a barn, host the hoedown inside. Open the doors and place a long table covered with a red bandanna-print tablecloth in the middle of the space. Set the table with blue bandanna-print napkins and divided plastic plates. Serve the food buffet-style on another table. Plate the brisket on a large white serving platter and spoon the beans into a matching white bowl. Outside of the barn, light a fire in a fire pit. Create a circular seating area around the pit with bales of hay. Place the keg and punch nearby under a tree. Stack etch-it cups next to the keg and have guests label the cups with their name. A bouquet with Fall's beautiful colors adds a touch of elegance to this rustic soirée.

Source

Happy Hour: Jell-O Shots Three Ways

YumSugar — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 12:13:39 -0800

I seriously thought I'd make it out of my 20s without ever having made Jell-O shots. However, sometimes a party calls for a little extra fun.

Last week I was pulled aside and asked if I could make 60 Jell-O shots by the next day. Being YumSugar, I said sure thing, no problem; it wasn't until later that I went into panic mode. Jell-O shots? Seriously? How do I make them? What's the correct ratio? What do I serve them in? After a few minutes on Google, the panic went away, and soon I had several unpredictable flavors and a clever serving tip. So I bought my supplies, spent an hour in the kitchen, and the next day there were Jell-O shots in three flavors: margarita, classic cherry, and spiked tropical punch.

If you've always wanted to try Jell-O shots, get my recipes and tips on how to serve when you read more

First of all, if you can, find cups that are half the size of the ones pictured. Look for something like the little cups you get salsa in at taquerias or ketchup in at some fast food places. Most party supply places will have these in stock. Unfortunately, by the time I was able to get my supplies, none of these places were open. In a pinch Dixie Cups work very well. You may want to spray the insides with a quick coating of Pam or some other oil spray. This is so the shots will come out easily. I didn't like the way it sounded so I skipped that step; however, I think it would have helped.

If you'd rather serve your shots as orange slices, simply omit the cups and pour the Jell-O mixture into cleaned out orange halves. To prepare, slice orange in half horizontally, use a grapefruit spoon to remove the contents, and pour Jell-O mixture in as if it were a bowl. Slice with a sharp knife just prior to serving.

Spiked Punch Jell-O Shots

6 oz package of Tropical Fusion Jell-O
16 oz boiling water
8 oz rum
1 oz peach schnapps
7 oz cold water

Empty Jell-O packet into a large bowl or container.
Add boiling water to bowl. Whisk together until fully dissolved. About 3 minutes.
Add rum, peach schnapps, and cold water. Whisk together.
Spoon or pour into prepared cups.
Refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.

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Margarita Jell-O Shots

6 oz package of Lime Jell-O
Two cups (16 oz) boiling water
6 oz tequila
2 oz triple sec
1 oz lime juice
1 oz cold water

Empty Jell-O packet into a large bowl or container
Add boiling water to bowl. Whisk together until fully dissolved. About 3 minutes.
Add tequila, triple sec, lime juice and cold water. Whisk together.
Spoon or pour into prepared cups.
Refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.

Print recipe with images | without images

Classic Jell-O Shots
6 oz package of Jell-O (any flavor, although cranberry could then be called a "cosmo")
16 oz boiling water
8 oz cold water
8 oz vodka

Empty Jell-O packet into a large bowl or container.
Add boiling water to bowl. Whisk together until fully dissolved. About 3 minutes.
Add vodka and cold water. Whisk together. [Note: you can add more alcohol if desired; make sure the total is 16 oz (two cups) of liquid. The more alcohol you add, the harder it is for it to set. You may not want to exceed 12 oz vodka and 4 oz cold water.]
Spoon or pour into prepared cups.
Refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.

Print recipe with images | without images

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Exercise in Excess: The French Laundry Part 3

YumSugar — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 05:58:39 -0700

After the first two parts of my French Laundry excursion, I've arrived at the final installment: the cheese & dessert. I must say, although I was ridiculously full at this point, I somehow managed to make room - which actually came as no surprise. The night we were there, Thomas Keller was actually at a big Food & Wine event in Aspen. However the man pictured, Corey Lee, the chef de cuisine, really took care of us. The entire evening was a fantastic (if not overly hot and stuffy - it was 109F outside when we started our meal!) experience. To see how the number one restaurant in America does dessert read more

After the proteins were finished, we headed straight to the cheese course. We all had the chef's tasting menu, so we were all presented with "Brescianella Aquavite" French Laundry Garden Beets, Bing Cherry Purée, Toasted Pecans and Watercress Leaves. Now I'm a huge stinky, gooey cheese fan, but I met my match that evening. Partially because I was full, but mostly because of the heat - with it being over 100F outside, earthy, pungent cheese was the last thing I wanted in my mouth.

After they whisked the cheese away (which I know is really sad, I still don't understand how I of all people could let cheese go), we were presented with a beautiful "Glace de Fruits Exotiques" Pineapple "Granité," Lilikoi and Coconut Sauce. This dish was nice and light and my warm palate definitely appreciated the bit of cooling down.

With our palates cleared, it was time for dessert. Jimmy opted for the "Composition de Chocolat Italien" Amedei Gianduja Chocolate "Creme Patissiere," Toscano Nut Brownie and "Nougat Glacé" while I ordered the "Summer Pudding" with French Laundry Garden Lemon Verbena Ice Cream and Summer Berry "Compote." Here's where I'm not sure what happened. I only had one bite of Jimmy's, it was delicious, but not mind-blowing - whereas mine could have been mind-blowing, but instead it was just awkward. I really wish I had also managed to get the size of the spoon it was served with into the picture. In my opinion, it was way too large for the mouth of the glass. When I tried to get a spoonful of all the layers (which when possible, was the best way to eat it), it was nearly impossible. I ended up with mouthfuls of lemon verbena ice cream foam and later, mouthfuls of mushy compote. It was oddly tragic as all the flavors were amazing. Definitely a fault in the plating (or was it simply just the spoon?) and not the dessert itself.

Once our slightly tragic desserts were devoured (I guess they weren't that tragic afterall) we moved on to the mignardises (sweet treats!). First up was either a creme brulée or fruit trifle. Jimmy received the trifle and me the brulée. Upon tasting each other's dishes, we promptly swapped plates. The trifle was a delight, and although I practically had fine dining coming out of my ears, I could have easily eaten another.

Next we were presented with chocolate-covered macadamia nuts and then, a few minutes later, an empty silver plate. At first we were a little perplexed - the wine and food slowing down our thought processes - and then we realized it was for the truffles. That's right it was now time to choose from an assortment of truffles: peanut butter, coffee, strawberry & pepper, caramel, hazelnut. Then, nearly four hours after we began, we were given the check, some shortbread wrapped in ribbon and kindly asked if we would like to "retire to the outside courtyard" where it was cooler. We kindly accepted the suggestion only to realize 10 minutes later that it was by far the nicest way we'd ever been kicked out of a restaurant!

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What Exactly Is in a $60,000 Ice Cream Sundae?

YumSugar — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:21:19 -0700

I was recently at the new Oxbow Public Market in Napa, where I came across a little organic scoop shop from Three Twins Ice Cream. While the ice cream is smooth and delicious, it was actually the absurdly expensive sundaes that caught my eye.

I asked the gal behind the counter if they've ever served an expensive sundae, and she said not yet, but she was sure it was bound to happen someday. The sundae costs $3,333.33 and consists of a banana split made with syrups from three rare dessert wines, served with an ice cream spoon from the 1850s. If you give them a day's notice, they'll even have a cellist play while you eat it. If you think the cost is too absurd - it is on the "absurdity" menu, after all - maybe it'll help to know that 1/3 of the price is being donated to a local land trust.

If, however, you think this is too tame to be considered the world's most expensive ice cream sundae, then perhaps the $60,000 "World's More Expensive Most Expensive Ice Cream Sundae" will pique your interest. To find out what all that cash will buy you, read more.

For $60,000 you can travel to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, where the Three Twins Ice Cream founder will handchurn a batch of ice cream using the glacial ice found at the summit. The cost includes first class airfare to Tanzania, five-star accommodations, a guided climb, all the ice cream you can eat, and an organic T-shirt, of course. Oh, and you can bring a friend for a mere $25,000 more. It should also be noted that a portion of the purchase will go to an African environmental nonprofit.

So tell me, if you had the money, is this something you'd do? I know I would!

Would You Eat This Lamb and Couscous Without Utensils?

partysugar — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 05:30:49 -0700

Last week before interviewing Marcus Samuelsson, I ate his African spiced lamb chops and mango lime couscous. The pairing was delicious: the meat was moist and succulent and the couscous flavorful and exotic.

While the ingredients were not grossly insane, the method for eating the dish was out of the ordinary. There were no serving utensils and the chef requested that we eat the lamb while using the bone to scoop the couscous out of the bowl.

I greatly enjoyed sucking on the lamb bone as it doubled as a spoon, however I can understand how some people might not be interested in eating without utensils. Do you have a problem with it?

Would You Eat Bone Marrow?

YumSugar — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:15:03 -0700

I recently went out to dinner and found an intriguing dish on the appetizer menu: bone marrow served with little toasts. A long, skinny spoon is used to scoop the marrow out of the bone. It can be spread on the toast, or eaten alone. The flavor is surprisingly delicious and rich. It's a bit oily, but the texture is smooth. Similar to paté's flavor palate (only not so livery), bone marrow is a rare treat that I highly recommend. What do you think, could you eat bone marrow?