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Slow Food Nation Highlights: Street Food

YumSugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:00:49 -0700

One of my favorite attractions at this weekend's Slow Food Nation was Slow on the Go, the tented market where vendors sold gourmet, ready-to-eat food. Like street food, the offerings were served out of carts and stands, but unlike typical fare, signs explained exactly where each ingredient was from. Here are a few of my favorite moments.

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Noteworthy Nibbles - Aug. 25-Sept. 1, 2009

YumSugar — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:30:03 -0700

Hoping to squeeze in a few more food festivals while Summer's still going strong? This week's the opportune time, whether you want to learn how to make your own pit barbecue and ice cream - or simply want to enjoy an assortment of top microbrews. I think this weekend's Epicurean Classic would be a fitting way to enjoy Michigan's gorgeous weather - and I'm pretty stoked by the prospect of attending Oakland's first-ever Eat Real Festival. Where will you be this week? Let us know.

Vail, CO: Taste of the Nation Vail - Aug. 27
Dallas, TX: RCA Pit BBQ Education Event - Aug. 27
Winterville, NC: Winterville Watermelon Festival - Aug. 27-29
Gueydan, LA: Gueydan Duck Festival - Aug. 27-30
Urbana, IL: Urbana Sweet Corn Festival - Aug. 28-29
Barnesville, MN: Potato Days - Aug. 28-29
Oakland, CA: Eat Real Festival - Aug. 28-30
St. Joseph, MI: Epicurean Classic - Aug. 28-30
Traverse City, MI: Traverse City Microbrew & Music Festival - Aug. 29
Providence, RI: Savor Providence - Aug. 29
Los Angeles, CA: Lean Times, Green Times - Aug. 29
Wells, ME: Wells Chili Fest - Aug. 29

To see the rest, read more.

Orlando, FL: Taste of the Nation Orlando - Aug. 29
Yorkville, CA: Yorkville Highlands Wine Festival - Aug. 29
Eagle River, WI: Festival of Flavors - Aug. 29-30
San Jose, CA: Italian Family Festa - Aug. 29-30
Bodega, CA: Bodega Seafood, Art & Wine Festival - Aug. 29-30
Dallas, TX: Share Our Strength, a Tasteful Pursuit Hosted by Stephan Pyles - Aug. 30
Tucker, GA: Slow Food Summer Harvest - Aug. 30
St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Cooks! - Sept. 1
New York, NY: Slow U: Ice Cream, from Sugar and Snow - Sept. 1

Source: Flickr User farlane

Shrunken Packaged Foods' Slow Return to Their Original Size

YumSugar — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:45:01 -0700

In a small indication that America may be on a slow road to economic recovery, consumer foods marketers are beginning to reintroduce larger packages at the same price. Last year, manufacturers were hit by high fuel and commodity prices, so to avoid blatantly transferring cost increases to consumers, manufacturers such as Hellman's, Tropicana, and Kellogg's quietly began downsizing packages.

Ben & Jerry's even went after the size of Haagen-Dazs in its marketing campaign, pointing out that the rival company had downsized its "pints" from 16 to 14 ounces. But recently, some consumer products, like Pringles Super Stacks, and certain bags of Frito-Lay's chips, have shot back up to their original sizes. It's unclear whether increased package sizes are going to be part of limited-time promotions or permanent reversals.

Which products have you noticed products increasing in size lately?

Tips For Using a Smoker

partysugar — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 07:50:24 -0700

For Father's Day, my dad got a shiny new smoker. While he's enjoyed experimenting with it so far, he's run into some technical difficulties. When I asked him what the instruction booklet said, I was shocked to hear that it does not include any smoking directions! Well listen up dad - and anyone else out there who is using a smoker this Summer - here are some important tips on how to properly use a smoker

Noteworthy Nibbles - July 7-14, 2009

YumSugar — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:00:31 -0700

July's biggest holiday may have come and gone, but there's still so much to celebrate in the realm of Summer eats - whether it's salmon, sandwiches, or super-sized ketchup. Next Tuesday, don't forget to raise your glass to France's independence day. I plan to hightail it straight to my nearest French bistro to enjoy some moules frites. What are your plans for Bastille Day?

If you know if anything else that's going on, please feel free to chime in below.

Traverse City, MI: National Cherry Festival - July 4-11
New Orleans, LA: Tales of the Cocktail - July 8-12
Hollywood, FL: Slow Food Glades to Coast Hot Tropical Night - July 9
Cordova, AK: Copper River Wild Salmon Festival - July 9-11
Park Ridge, IL: Taste of Park Ridge - July 9-11
Pleasanton, CA: Alameda County Fair's Rib Cook-Off - July 9-12

To see the rest, read more.

Brentwood, CA: Brentwood Cornfest - July 10-12
Cambridge, MA: Taste of Cambridge - July 11
Bedford, VA: Horse and Hound Wine Festival - July 11
Sandwich, MA: SandwichFest - July 11
Los Altos, CA: Los Altos Arts and Wine Festival - July 11-12
Coral Gables, FL: International Mango Festival - July 11-12
Buffalo, NY: Taste of Buffalo - July 11-12
Santa Barbara, CA: Santa Barbara French Festival - July 11-12
Collinsville, IL: World's Largest Catsup Bottle Festival - July 12
Providence, RI: Rhode Island's World of Flavors - July 12
Seattle, WA: Seattle Chocolate Salon - July 12
Los Angeles, CA: Bastille Day Los Angeles - July 12
Athens, OH: Ohio Brew Week - July 12-18
New York, NY: Softshell Crab Extravaganza - July 13
New York, NY: Bastille Day on 60th Street - July 13
New York, NY: Bastille Day: La Fête Nationale - July 14

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Noteworthy Nibbles - June 23-30, 2009

YumSugar — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:00:13 -0700

It's almost July, and the palatable parties just keep coming. If you're a wine enthusiast, head over to Pinot Days or the Telluride Wine Festival. Beer more your thing? Throw back some sake bombs at the Beer & Sake Festival, or hit up the Colorado Brewfest. Here in Fog City, the Best of the Bay looks to be one heck of a soirée. What happenings are you hitting up?

If you know of anything that's been left off the list, please go ahead and chime in below!

Sedona, AZ: Dine in Sedona Restaurant Fest - June 23-30
Hampton, SC: Hampton County Watermelon Festival - June 23-28
Gettysburg, PA: Gettysburg Festival - June 23-28
Portsmouth, NH: Taste of the Nation Portsmouth - June 24
London, OH: London Strawberry Festival - June 24-27
San Francisco, CA: Pinot Days - June 24-28
Wisconsin Rapids, WI: Cranberry Blossom Festival - June 24-28
San Diego, CA: Beer & Sake Festival - June 25
Milwaukee, WI: The 2009 Big Taste - June 25
San Francisco, CA: Best of the Bay - June 25
Ft. Lauderdale, FL: Taste of the Nation South Florida - June 25

To see the rest, read more.

Cedar Rapids, IA: Cedar Rapids BBQ Roundup _ June 25-28
Telluride, CO: Telluride Wine Festival - June 25-28
Luling, TX: Luling Watermelon Thump - June 25-28
Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Wine Festival - June 26-27
Emerson, AR: Purple Hull Pea Festival - June 26-27
Chipley, FL: Panhandle Watermelon Festival - June 26-27
Tacoma, WA: Taste of Tacoma - June 26-28
Long Grove, IL: Long Grove Strawberry Festival - June 26-28
Burlington, VT: Green Mountain Chew Chew Food & Music Fest - June 26-28
Chicago, IL: Taste of Chicago - June 26-July 5
Honolulu, HI: Slow Food's Honolulu Fish Auction Tour - June 27
Washington DC: National Capital Barbecue Battle - June 27-28
Fort Collins, CO: Colorado Brewfest - June 27-28
Pennington, NJ: East Coast Food & Wine Festival - June 27-28
New York, NY: Summer Rosé Celebration With Ariane Duarte - June 29

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Noteworthy Nibbles - May 26-June 2, 2009

YumSugar — Tue, 26 May 2009 14:30:35 -0700

If you didn't get your fill of celebrations and libations over Memorial Day weekend, there's plenty more going on, from craft beer tastings to Champagne parties. What will you be attending this week? Feel free to share any other events you're looking forward to below!

The Woodlands, TX: Wine & Food Week - May 26-31
Houston, TX: Tour de Champagne - May 28
Augusta, NJ: Crawfish Fest - May 29-31
Vashon Island, WA: Slow Food Seattle Spring With Seabreeze Farm - May 30
Washington DC: Savor Craft Beer - May 30
Miami, FL: Slow Food Miami Picnic & Pie Contest - May 30
Toms River, NJ: New Jersey State Chili & Salsa Cookoff - May 30
Franklin, AL: Franklin Food & Spirits Festival - May 30-31

To see the rest, read more.

Richmond, VA: Beer, Bourbon, & BBQ Festival - May 30
York, PA: Taste of Pennsylvania - May 30-31
San Francisco, CA: Top Chef Dinner at Scala's Bistro - May 31
Santa Barbara, CA: Taste of Santa Barbara - May 31
Temecula, CA: Field to the Fork - May 31
Cape Cod, MA: Cape Cod Life Food & Wine Festival - May 31-June 6
Palm Springs, CA: Palm Springs Restaurant Week - May 31-June 9
New Orleans, LA: The Global Cocktail Bar Phenomenon - June 1
New York, NY: Wine & Spirits Magazine's Top of the List - June 2

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Must-Read: Slow and Easy

YumSugar — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 15:00:16 -0800

If you've seen my Sunday Slow Cooker series, you probably know by now that I consider the electric slow cooker indispensable for convenient, low-maintenance cooking. Naturally, I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy of Slow and Easy: Fast-Fix Recipes For Your Electric Slow Cooker ($15.61), by the Los Angeles Daily News food editor, Natalie Haughton.
Haughton has penned five other cookbooks, including The Best Slow Cooker Cookbook Ever, so she's clearly spent a lot of time with her Crock-Pot. To find out what I thought of the book, read more.

Pros:

The introduction has helpful information from choosing and getting to know your slow cooker to which foods are most forgiving and which are most demanding.
There's a wide range of recipes, from smoky roasted cashews to gingerbread for dessert, and although the the book contains over 250 recipes, it's surprisingly light.
A "cook's notes" sidebar proves helpful, explaining nuances such as the differences in types of paprika available at the grocery store.

Cons:

The book contains no pictures.
If you don't have interest in a slow cooker, then this book isn't for you.
Many of the seafood recipes require adding in the protein near the end of cooking time, which requires more attentiveness on your part.

Recipes: The recipes cover just about everything. Here are some that caught my attention:

Caponata, Edamame Cheese Dip
Shrimp Chowder, Vegetable Stock
Artichoke Pasta Sauce
Shortcut Lasagna
Mac and Cheese
Turkey Molé
Shrimp Veracruz Style
Beef Lettuce Wraps
Tagine of Lamb With Apricots
Asian-Flavored Quinoa With Broccoli and Chard
Spanish Pistou
Blueberry Coffee Cake
Green Pepper Jelly
Flourless Chocolate Torte

Imagery: None.

Overall Rating: If you're a fan of the slow cooker (and aren't bothered that it doesn't contain pictures), then this informative yet innovative slow-cooker guide would be a useful, go-to book to add to your repertoire.

Brisket Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

YumSugar — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:30:24 -0700

Tonight, Passover begins at sundown. At a loss about what to make that's still kosher for the holiday? You can never go wrong with brisket, a timeless classic and crucial component of Jewish holiday cooking. If you're looking for a simple, straightforward basic, opt for a recipe that slow-cooks the beef in the oven with minimal attention. If you're more experienced, spring for an elaborate rendition that's served with dried fruits and vegetables in a rich red wine reduction. To see both recipes, read more.

Beginner Brisket
From Everyday Food

Ingredients

1 well-trimmed beef brisket (3 1/2 pounds)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/3 cup light-brown sugar
1 small onion, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Rub beef with salt, pepper, ginger, and allspice. In a medium bowl, combine vinegar, tomato paste, brown sugar, onion, garlic, and 1/2 cup water.
Spoon half of the sauce into a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Place brisket in dish, and spoon remaining sauce over the top. Cover tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil or a double layer of regular foil.
Bake until brisket is falling-apart tender, about 3 hours. Remove brisket from dish. Skim any fat from the surface of the sauce.
Transfer sauce to a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 5 minutes to reduce slightly. Slice brisket against the grain; serve with sauce.

Serves 8.

Print recipe with images | without images

Expert Brisket
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

2 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 4 1/2- to 5 1/2-pound flat-cut (first-cut) brisket, well-trimmed
2 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only), sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
24 whole dried apricots, divided
10 garlic cloves, peeled
6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 Turkish bay leaves
2 cups dry red wine
1 tablespoon matzo cake meal
Chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Stir first 8 ingredients in small bowl. Arrange brisket in large roasting pan; spread spice mixture evenly over both sides. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat broiler. Uncover brisket. Broil until brown, about 5 minutes per side. Turn brisket fat side up in pan.
Set oven temperature to 325°F. Sprinkle leeks, onion, 12 apricots, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves around brisket. Pour wine over. Cover pan with heavy-duty foil and bake brisket until tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Uncover; cool 1 1/2 hours.
Transfer brisket to work surface. Pour juices into large measuring cup. Spoon off fat, reserving 1 tablespoon. Thinly slice brisket across grain on slight diagonal; overlap slices in 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish. Spoon 1 cup degreased pan juices over brisket; cover with foil. Stir reserved 1 tablespoon fat and matzo cake meal in medium saucepan over medium heat 3 minutes. Add remaining degreased pan juices; add remaining 12 apricots. Simmer until sauce thickens and boils, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (To make up to 2 days ahead, cover brisket and sauce separately and chill.) Rewarm covered brisket in 350°F oven 30 minutes or 45 minutes if chilled. Rewarm sauce over low heat.
Sprinkle brisket with cilantro and serve with sauce.

Serves 8.

Print recipe with images | without images

Noteworthy Nibbles - Mar. 3-9, 2009

YumSugar — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 14:00:28 -0800

Springtime is coming, as illustrated by the fact that the country is buzzing with fun food events this week. Whether you want to watch a coffee competition in Portland, OR, or attend a gastronomic gala in Charleston, SC, there's likely to be a fabulous food event near you.

Know of any goings-on that you see left off this list? If so, chime in below. Will you be at any of this week's events?

Plant City, FL: Florida Strawberry Festival - Feb. 26-Mar. 8
Chicago, IL: Chicago Restaurant Week - Mar. 3-6
New York, NY: NYC Restaurant Week - Mar. 3-20
Garden Grove, CA: Japanese Food and Sake Festival - Mar. 5
Fulton, TX: Oysterfest - Mar. 5-8
Charleston, SC: Charleston Food and Wine Festival - Mar. 5-8
Dare County, NC: Taste of the Beach - Mar. 5-8
Portland, OR: United States Barista Championship - Mar. 5-8

To see the rest, read more.

Dallas, TX: Savor Dallas - Mar. 6-7
Philadelphia, PA: Philly Beer Week - Mar. 6-15
Calistoga, CA: Mustard, Mud, and Music: Calistoga Jazz Festival - Mar. 7-8
Tempe, AZ: Great Arizona Beer Festival - Mar. 7-8
Sonoma County, CA: Annual Barrel Tasting - Mar. 7-8
New Orleans, LA: World Cocktail Week in the Big Easy - Mar. 8
San Francisco, CA: Slow Food Nation Eat-In - Mar. 8
New York, NY: Taste Napa Valley - Mar. 9-12

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