YumSugar

YumSugar Gift Guide: The Grillmaster

YumSugar — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:30:45 -0800

For the friend who lives for the backyard grill, there's no shortage of ideas. Indulge him in gadgets that do the grunt work, like this electric vacuum marinator, or give him the chance to sample new flavors with applewood planks and citrus rosemary skewers. He can finish his signature dish with a monogrammed flourish. And when that grilled steak is ready to eat, your gifts will keep on giving.

Want more gift ideas? Browse the selection below or check out all the gift guides on HolidaySugar.

Electric Vacuum Marinator - $199.95	Weber's Real Grilling® Cookbook - $24.95
Applewood Grilling Planks - $14.95	Grill Brush and Pumice Stone - $6.99
Steak Motif Apron - $24.99	Flavor-Spiked Skewers - $29.00
Bar-B Digital Thermometer Fork® - $9.99	Monogrammed Steak Brand & Carving Board - $69.95

Say Cheese

YumSugar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 11:15:21 -0700

In case you don't already own cheese serving tools, I went shopping for stylish cheese serving trays and found a fabulous selection. They run the gamut from ornate and over-the-top to sleek and minimalist. My favorite is this marble tray with silver bamboo hardware ($78); it's got the perfect amount of flair and will look excellent displaying everything from a pungent blue to a sharp cheddar.

To scope out all my finds, click on the arrows below.

The Big Chill

YumSugar — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:00:18 -0700

I don't know whether it's the sweltering heat or being cooped up inside on a sunny day, but when it's Summer, it seems all I want to do is kick back and relax in the sun, frosty cocktail in hand. My solution? Plotting out the margarita I'm going to make when it's five o'clock and I'm shopping for festive glassware that could be used to serve my beverage. Check out my finds below: My favorite is this oversized margarita goblet, which is large enough for you and your three BFFs. What'll you be toasting with? Bottoms up!

Here's Looking at You Kid!

YumSugar — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 05:30:00 -0700

I recently asked one of our amazing interns to check out ShopStyle Living, where she noticed loads of kitchen accessories with faces on them. Since it seems like we can never get enough whimsy, I asked her to put together a list of all the ones she thought were fun. From bar tools to trash cans, she found some amazingly cute products. Don't you just want one of these adorable honey bear plates ($36 for set of 4)? To get whimsical, scroll through her collection below.

Get Ready to Grill

YumSugar — Tue, 20 May 2008 11:14:12 -0700

Memorial Day is all about the barbecue. While some cooks grill up gourmet goodies like fish, pizza, and kabobs, to me, this holiday means burgers, hot dogs, and corn on the cob.

So forget about cedar planks and pizza stones. To cook up classic American fare, you need to trick out your grill with simple tools that make your burgers and dogs the best they can be. And don't forget about presentation: This Pottery Barn Barbecue Platter ($19) will give your grub the showcase it deserves. To see the rest of my Memorial Day grilling essentials, just click on the arrows below.

Keep Your Cool With These Icy Finds

YumSugar — Thu, 15 May 2008 01:00:24 -0700

Lately, every kitchen catalog I receive insists on reminding me that Summer is just around the corner. One of the trends that's catching my eye is the use of ice. It seems that nothing cools down Summer like a few ice cubes. In fact there are so many icy items, I was able to compile a list for your browsing enjoyment. There were trays of appetizers on ice, salads on ice, and even martini glasses nestled in ice ($29.95). To discover all of my cool-as-ice finds, just scroll through below.

Condiments On Ice - $24.99	Salad on Ice - $19.99
Appetizers On Ice - $29.99	Wine Enthusiast Set of 2 Martini Chillers - $29.95
Caviar Server - $29.95	Waring Ice Maker - $399.95
Cool Shooters Ice Tray - $7.95	Star Ice Pop Molds - $14.95
Hamilton Beach® Icy Treats Maker - $24.99	Slush-Ease Home Slushee Maker - $49.99
Cool Jewels Ice Cube Tray - $7.00	Yamazaki "Signature" Double Wall Ice Bucket - $55.00
Entertain with Style 8 Piece Vodka Set - $29.99	Italian Kufra Pitcher with Ice Container - $9.95
DuraClear® Icing Pitcher - $45.00	Magppie - tor ice bucket by karim rashid for magppie - $181.00
Stainless Steel Insulated Oval Wine/Ice Bucket - $79.99	Party Ice Luge - $19.99
Insulated Ice Buckets - $19.99	Ice Kabobs - $8.00
OXO Steel Ice Bucket with Tongs - $49.95	Jumbo Acrylic Ice Bucket - $19.99
Kim Seybert Ice Scoop- Black - $35.00	Kim Seybert Croco Ice Bucket & Tongs - $150.00

Surprise Mom With a Little Dijon

YumSugar — Tue, 06 May 2008 15:15:04 -0700

If you're more like me than PartySugar - and by that I mean a solid procrastinator - I should probably remind you that Mother's Day is this Sunday. If you still don't know what to get for the lady of your life, well calm down, I've got some ideas.

Le Creuset recently announced a new Dijon color set. The bright and bold yellow color is wonderfully Spring friendly and a load of fun. Pots and pans don't sound like the most amazing Mother's day gift, but believe me a new Le Creuset set does. But, if mom ends up hating it, take her to a day spa and keep the Dijon set for yourself!

If you want to spoil her with an entire mustard-yellow theme, then scroll through to see some more bold finds.

Le Creuset® Dijon Enameled Cast Iron 6-Piece Set - $549.95	Martha Stewart Collection 3-Piece Yellow Kitchen Towels Set - $9.99
Stockholm Floral Apron - $28.00	Emile Henry Ruffled Auberge Rectangular Bakers, Dijon - $66.00
Potato Print Dishtowel, Yellow - $14.00	Dijon Tropical Flower Apron, Set of 2 Potholders or Set of 4 Napkins - $11.96
Peugeot U-Select Lacquered Salt & Pepper Mills, Dijon - $50.00	Emile Henry Ruffled Auberge Oval Baker, Dijon - $49.00
Le Creuset® Dijon Round Skillets - $119.95	Le Creuset® Dijon Round Braiser - $199.95
Mustard Tableware, Salad Plate - $12.00	LiveStrong Whistling Loop 1.8-Quart Tea Kettle by Chantal - $49.99
Paring Knife Sharpener, Yellow - $18.00	Komachi Sandwich Knife - $24.99
Grapefruit Knife - $5.95	Komachi Bread Knife - $27.00
Canisters - $64.00	Normann Copenhagen Strainer - $62.00
Lizkin Design Egg Pants - $20.00	Hawthorne Belvedere Vase in Yellow - $149.00

This Trend Is For the Birds

YumSugar — Thu, 01 May 2008 01:00:48 -0700

Recently CasaSugar and I were chatting about how nature's inspiring a lot of current design trends. The hot trend lies with our feathered friends. From cocktail plates to vegetable peelers, they're cropping up everywhere. Perhaps designers realized they needed things to hang out in all those empty branches?

To see all the birds I found over at ShopStyle Living just scroll through below.

Novelty Cocktail Plates - $19.00	Jan Barboglio Bird Bowl - $350.00
Two Of A Kind Dishtowel, Birds - $18.00	Villeroy & Boch "Golden Garden" Birds Mug - $44.00
Roost Arbor Collection - Vases - $44.00	Alessi - OrienTales paradise birds collection by stefano giovannoni for alessi - $29.00
Art Class Pitcher - $68.00	Backyard Cardinal Teapot - $28.00
Jason Miller Seconds Tall Teapot - Goldfinch - $95.00	Chatty Birds Dishtowel - $18.00
CLOSEOUT! Animal House Bird Veggie Peeler - $9.99	Bird-In-Hand Apron - $32.00
Patchwork Bird Dishtowel - $18.00	Bird-In-Hand Oven Mitt - $12.00
Placemat Birds N Trees Brown - $22.00	Passaro Napkin - $3.95
Flora & Fauna Placemats - $64.00	Ricci Silversmith - $84.90
Pop Ink Bird Feed Melamine Plate Set - $36.00	Parrot Cup & Saucer - $12.00
Parrot Dishtowel - $18.00	Herend - $60.00
Bird Plate - $55.00	Woodland by Spode Dinnerware Collection - $30.00
L'Objet Set of 4 Bird Napkin Rings - $99.00	Coaster Notz set of 4 Birds Gold & Silver - $23.00
Alessi - parrot corkscrew waiter's friend by alessandro mendini - $57.00	Gien Oiseau "Bleu" Square Plate - $170.00
Modern-Twist Vinotagz Designed Set - $14.00	D. L. & Co. Love Birds Plates - $175.00
Philippe Deshoulieres Pergola Fine China - $279.99	Cul De Sac Design Bird Square Sushi Dish - $48.00
Lenox Simply Fine Dinnerware, Chirp Collection - $18.00	Parrot Bottle Stoppers - $12.00
Ink Forest Dinner plate - $12.00	Villeroy & Boch "Golden Garden" Dinnerware Collection - $15.00

Get Rolling Sushi Style

YumSugar — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 11:03:19 -0700

Every time a friend of mine hosts a sushi party, I somehow end up behind the sushi-rolling station, churning out roll after roll. I don't mind because I get the chance to talk with everyone at the party. Recently a friend suggested hosting one soon. I think it'll be fun, as sushi is a great treat for a warm, Spring evening.

All this sushi talk got me thinking about how nice sushi boards are, so I scoped out Shopstyle Living to see what I could find. From nigiri molds to soy sauce dispensers, I found everything one needs to host a fabulous sushi party! To see the collection, scroll through below.

Rosenthal Sushi for Two - $139.99	Wood Sushi Plate with Bowl - $19.99
White 11-Piece Sushi Set - $19.99	Sushi Serving Board with Chopsticks - $24.95
Cul De Sac Design Bird Square Sushi Dish - $48.00	Ming Tsai Traditional Sushi Board - $14.95
Maki Sushi Plates - $5.95	White Porcelain Soy Sauce Dispenser - $4.95
Serving Dish - $19.95	Abra Cadabra Gift Set - White - $71.50
Sushi Press - $28.95	"Sushi" - $9.95
Panasonic Fuzzy Logic Rice Cooker - $149.95	Nigiri Sushi Mold - $5.95
Red Bamboo Table Decor - $51.96	Goods of Desire - double happiness chopsticks by goods of desire - $6.00
Global Sashimi Knife, 10" - $128.00	Chopsticks with Rattan Holder - $1.99
Wavy Bamboo Chopsticks Sets of 2 Pairs - $5.98	Alessi - OrienTales lily pond collection by stefano giovannoni for alessi - $16.00
Petal Chopstick Rest - $1.95	Ikebana Appetizer Tray with Three Dishes - $110.00
Platter with Dipping Dish - $24.95	Villeroy & Boch "Flow" Oval Platter/Fish Plate - $42.00
Cul De Sac Design Branchy Tree Rectangle Platter - $120.00	Japanese Ceramic Sake Flask and Cups - $9.95
Owling Sake Pot - $28.00	Sake: A Modern Guide - $18.95

Tax Day Savings: Save 50% or More!

YumSugar — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:18:33 -0700

If you've already filed your taxes - and if you haven't, what are you waiting for?! - then you either owe the government money or you plan on getting money from them. If you're in the latter then that wad of cash should be spent wisely, and if you're in the former, you're going to need to save your money wisely. Either way, buying sale items is the perfect way to save money. I went through ShopStyle Living and pulled out a bunch of great products that are all 50 percent off or more. Savvy might prefer you invest your money some place else, but at least we won't be paying full price! And besides it doesn't hurt to window shop, now does it? To get started, just browse through below.

Cuisinart Classic Nonstick 17-Piece Cookware Set - $670.00	Brigida Moka-Espresso Maker - $48.00
Norsk Platter - $125.00	Cocktail Strainer - $7.95
Heart Felt Coasters - $34.00	Kira Stemless Flute - $2.95
Laroma 8-Cup Glass Coffee Press with Black Handle - $40.00	CLOSEOUT! The Cellar Naturaware Square Salad Plate - $10.00
Party Picks - $7.95	Joe Colombo Smoke Glasses - Whiskey Tall Set of 2 - $275.00
Big-Shot Little Cups - $28.00	Set of Six Grass Acrylic Shot Glasses - $9.95
Stemless Martini Glass - $2.95	Kira Martini Glass - $5.95
Decanter - $9.00	The Cellar Bridgette 45 Piece Flatware Set - $100.00
Spode "Blue Italian" 12-Piece Dinnerware Set - $308.00	Prism Centerpiece Bowl - $36.95
Reed & Barton Wooden Flatware Storage Chest - $85.00	Duo Bowls - $26.95
Garden Table Linens and Bumblebee Napkin Rings - $40.00	Pie Server - $6.95
Folding Triple Timer - $19.95	Apple Spatula - $6.95
Lever Model Elegance With Stopper by Screwpull - $69.99	Botanica Fruit Dishtowel - $18.00
Herb Collage Kitchen Accessories - $3.99	J.A. Henckels International EverEdge Plus 13-Piece Cutlery Set - $120.00
Heart Ramekin - $3.95	Cuisinart Chef's Classic Stainless Steel 17-Piece Cookware Set - $670.00
Calphalon One Nonstick Deep Sauté Pan with Steamer - $99.95	Circulon "Total" Double Burner Griddle, 18" x 10" - $119.99
Martha Stewart Collection Blue Enameled Cast Iron Chili Pot, 5.5 Qt. - $99.99	KitchenAid Distinctions 1.75 Qt. Covered Saucepan - $60.00
Emerilware™ Cast Iron Skillet, 12" - $54.99	Marla Dawn: Two for Two Sugar & Creamer Set Dogwood Blossom - $39.60
Blossom Teacup - $6.95	Monogrammed Assorted Boxes, Set of 8 - $29.00
Cuisinart Electric Fondue - $120.00	Glass Teapot - $26.95
Mirror Star Coasters - $24.95	Veranda Acrylic Pilsner - $4.50
La Chocolatière Cocoa Maker - $29.95	Cocktail Picks with Caddy - $19.95
Gibson Wall Street 16-Piece Dinnerware Set - $60.00	Shannon Crystal Ingrid 6 Piece Martini Set - $49.99
Set of 6 Metropolitan Shot Glasses - $19.99	Veranda Acrylic Margarita Glass - $2.95
The Cellar Vento Square Mug - $11.00	Villeroy & Boch "Kensington" 5 Piece Place Setting - $72.00
Reed & Barton "Perspective" 65-Piece Set - $240.00	Ron Gilad Porcelain Platter - Rectangle - $230.00
Sagaform Tapas Oval Serving Tray, Large - $23.97	Stoneware Salt Pig - $9.95
Organic Bowls - $26.95	The Cellar Serveware, Acacia Wood Bowl - $26.00
Royal Doulton "Cream" Leaf Platter, 14" - $28.97	Yamazaki "Hospitality" Stainless Steel Casserole Spoon - $30.00
Jingle Bell Napkin Ring - $2.95

Source

Yamazaki "Signature" Cheese Tray, 14" - $50.00	Agate Cheese Plates - $60.00
4 Piece Marble Cheese Set by All-Clad - $99.99	Georg Jensen Cheeseboard and Knife - $155.00
Stelton - stainless cheese plane by martin rosquist for stelton - $48.00	Petrified Wood Cheese Trays - $78.00
Silver Bamboo & Marble Cheese Set - $78.00	Cheese Board with Tools - $19.95
Michael Aram "Swiss Cheese" Cutting Board & Knife - $65.00	Granite Cheese Board with Hammered Metal Handles - $39.95
Fitz and Floyd "Ricamo" Cheese Tray with Knife, 14 1/8" - $62.00	Eclipse Cheese Tray by Nambé - $195.00
Michael Aram "Vine" Cheese Board with Knife - $79.00

Nambe "Chill" Martini Glass - $50.00	Stemless Margarita Glasses, Sets of 4 - $23.50
Villeroy & Boch "Boston Blue" Goblet - $25.00	DuraClear® Margarita Glasses, Set of 6 - $49.95
Super Margarita Glass - $19.99	Avellino Goblets, Set of Four - $29.90
Villeroy & Boch "Dune" Goblet - $32.00	Verve Martini Glass - $12.95
Handcrafted Mexican Glass - $19.95	Mendoza All-Purpose Glass - $6.95
Pretty Big Acrylic Margarita Glass - $4.50

Joseph Joseph Elvis Cutting Board - $29.99	Carl Mertens -tutto caffè cappuccino cream patterns by carl mertens - $15.00
'Faces' Stainless Steel Bar Set by WMF/USA - $99.90	Ibride Andrea Tray - $40.00
Egg Whisky - $2.99	Marilyn Plate - $3.95
Animal Swing-Lid Cans - $11.99	Animal House Monkey Peeler - $7.99
Modern-Twist Matte Stephens Placemats - $17.00	Bob's Your Uncle Diner Dinner Plates - $36.00
Tweet Knob - $10.00	Lobster Corn-Picks - $5.95