YumSugar

Yummy Links: From Anthony Bourdain to Bruce Willis

YumSugar — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:18:19 -0700

Adam Roberts chats with a tipsy Bourdain in the video above. If that whets your palate then check out the extended Bourdain interview. - The FN Dish
Have we gone too far with pre-packaged foods? - Slashfood
Discover how to find bargain wines. - Chow
Do you know what Ojai Pixie Tangerines are? - Glamdish
Insects are everywhere, and they're good for you too. - Culinate
Should Starbucks owe its baristas $105 million? - SavvySugar
Bruce Willis is now a partner in the Bowery Wine Co. - NY Post

Today's Special: Italian Tuna, Green Olive and Tangerine Salad on Grilled Bread

partysugar — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 08:46:32 -0800

I'm a big fan of tuna canned in olive oil. I know there was a huge health craze and practically all of the tuna canners started canning their fish in water but I prefer the tuna canned in olive oil: to me it tastes better (YumSugar disagrees with me on this one, but says she rarely uses canned tuna and prefers the real stuff). If you have yet to try a recipe that calls for canned tuna in olive oil as an ingredient, I would recommend using a can of the good stuff to make today's special recipe. It's easy, healthy (yes even if it was packed in olive oil), and delicious. Not your ordinary tuna salad, this one includes bright tangy tangerines and salty olives, for the recipe, read more

Italian Tuna, Green Olive and Tangerine Salad on Grilled Bread
From Food & Wine magazine

1 medium tangerine
One 8-ounce jar Italian tuna in olive oil, drained and lightly flaked
1/4 cup mayonnaise
16 pitted Picholine olives, chopped
2 tablespoons minced chives
1 tablespoon minced shallot
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 baguette, split lengthwise
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
1 large garlic clove, peeled

Light a grill.
Peel the tangerine, removing the white pith. Using a small, sharp knife, cut between the membranes to release the sections onto a plate. Cut the sections into 1/2-inch pieces; discard any seeds.
In a large bowl, mix the tuna with the tangerine pieces, mayonnaise, chopped olives, chives and shallot and season with salt and pepper.
Brush the cut sides of the baguette with olive oil. Grill over high heat, cut sides down, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned and crisp. Turn them and grill until lightly browned on the second side, about 30 seconds longer.

Rub the cut sides of the baguette with the garlic clove. Mound the tuna salad on the grilled baguette, cut into 8 pieces and serve.

Serves 8.

Make Ahead: The tuna salad minus the tangerines can be refrigerated overnight. Fold in the fruit and grill the bread just before serving.

Print recipe with images | without images

Happy Hour: Trick-or-Tini

partysugar — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 13:15:00 -0700

Just in case you don't have enough Halloween themed cocktail recipes, here's another! It's a twist on the classic martini, the trick-or-tini. With its fun name and Halloween hues, this candy corn look-alike is a dessert in itself. Coconut cream, tangerine juice, and banana liqueur are carefully layered to make this delicious cocktail. To prevent mixing when layering liquors, be sure to pour super slowly with a steady hand over the back of a big spoon. Want to make this tonight? Get the recipe when you read more

Trick-or-Tini
From Stirrings

1 part coconut cream
1 part tangerine flavored mixer (suggested, Stirrings Tangerini)
1 part banana liqueur
Splash of white rum

Chill ingredients in fridge or freezer.
Once cooled, pour the first three ingredients, in the order listed above, slowly over the back side of a spoon into a martini glass.
Top with a splash of white rum.

Serves 1.

Print recipe with images | without images

Happy Hour: Vodka Tan Mash Up

partysugar — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 12:18:39 -0700

A few weekends ago I found myself at the Union Street Festival with Dear, Yum, and Geek. We started off at Umami, a sushi restaurant where Dear is friends with the bartender. As a favor to us, she had him make his specialty: a vodka tangerine mash up. It's an original concoction that he calls a faded crane, but I like calling it a vodka tan mash up. Refreshingly wonderful, this drink isn't too sweet, too sour, or too strong. In fact its only problem is that it goes down a little too easily - so drink carefully when you consume these. I'll definitely be serving them at my next party and you can too. Get the recipe, just read more

Vodka Tan Mash Up
From Umami

1 tangerine, cut into four wedges
2 oz vodka
1 tsp fine sugar (or small sugar cube)
1-2 dashes of bitters
soda water
juice of one lime

In a chilled old fashioned glass, muddle tangerine, sugar and bitters.
Add ice, pour vodka and lime juice over it and stir.
Top off with a quality soda water. Drink up!

Serves 1.

Print recipe with images | without images

Come Party With Me: Gossip Girl Premiere - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:50:55 -0700

No season premiere party is complete without a special drink, especially if the show in question is Gossip Girl, where the characters seem to be constantly guzzling cocktails. All the recipes I'm making next Monday night were created by acclaimed New York City chefs: Daniel Boulud, Mario Batali, Eric Ripert - Blair and Serena have surely dined at their respective restaurants.

Not to be forgotten is Jean-Georges Vongerichten. The Frenchman came up with this Champagne-based concoction, an elegant take on the classic bellini. Instead of peach nectar, Jean-Georges uses a combination of cherry puree and yuzu juice.

Don't worry if you can't get your hands on fresh yuzu; Vongerichten recommends a mixture of tangerine and lime juice instead. To look at the recipe, keep reading.

Happy Hour: Loft Liqueurs

YumSugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 14:00:39 -0800

Earlier this month, I was pleasantly surprised to hear about the opening of the world's first all-organic bar. So when I learned of Loft Liqueurs, the first USDA certified organic liqueur, I had to find out what all the hype was about.

Created by two best friends and San Francisco hospitality veterans to save people from "the bright neon color of your average apple martini," the limoncello-inspired spirits are at the forefront of sustainability and eco-consciousness. In addition to being made with all-natural ingredients, the kosher-certified liqueur is sweetened primarily with agave nectar. The company supports small farms and biodynamic agricultural practices when possible, and uses recycled cases, biodegradable inks, and bamboo-based paper.

I tried four flavors - lavender, spicy ginger, tangerine, and lemongrass. To hear what I thought of them, read more.

Lavender: Although I sometimes eschew lavender in food (if it's too perfumy, I associate it with a spa treatment) the botanical notes were sweet, floral, and prominent yet not overwhelming. In fact, it was my favorite flavor.

Spicy Ginger: Contrary to its name, this flavor was not particularly spicy. PartySugar felt the taste was not as prominent or fresh as Canton, another ginger liqueur. Nevertheless, this flavor would impart subtlety to a cocktail such as a lemon drop.

Tangerine: Although I love tangerines, this seasonal flavor was my least favorite flavor. Ironically, both of us thought it tasted somewhat artificial and syrupy.

Lemongrass: This award-winning flavor was PartySugar's favorite. We enjoyed the delicately fragrant and bright flavors of this liqueur, which could be the star of a lemongrass cocktail, or just as refreshing on its own.

Have you ever tried Loft Liqueurs, and are you impressed by their environmentally friendly practices?

Must-Read: Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey

YumSugar — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 03:30:04 -0800

Party recently polled you about dessert preferences, and it came as no surprise that most of you love dessert in any form. Many of you, however, singled out gooey, sticky sweets as your preference. Naturally, I had this in mind when I came across Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey: Desserts for the Serious Sweet Tooth ($15.61) by pastry chef Jill O'Connor. To find out what I thought of this collection of puddings, cookies, cakes, and sweet pies, read more.

Pros:

Helpful primer explains everything from the differences between types of cocoa powder to the best bristles for a pastry brush.
Desserts strive to be complex, with innovative, sophisticated flavor pairings.
Whimsical, vintage-inspired graphic design makes for an aesthetically pleasing book.
O'Connell adds plenty of personal flourish, telling amusing anecdotes, explaining the story behind every recipe, and sprinkling poignant quips about desserts along the way.

Cons:

Some recipes, like Cap-n Crunch Crispy Treats, are basic, but others - such as a three-page recipe for Coconut Cream Puffs - are tricky and complex.
Unless you're cooking for a party of eight, you may need to cut the recipes in half.
As pretty as the typography is, the ingredient list is written in such small font that it can be difficult to read quickly.
Rather than being easily numbered, the steps are written in paragraph form.

Recipes: The recipes cover just about everything. A few that left my mouth watering:

Chocolate Mascarpone Cheesecake Pots With Shortbread Spoons
Coconut Milk-Cream Cheese Flan
Milky Way Tempura-on-a-Stick
White Trash Panini
Gingersnap Dulce de Leche Ice Cream Sandwiches
Dark Chocolate Soup With Cinnamon-Toasted Pound Cake Croutons
Double-Crumble Hot Apple Pies
Sweet Pink Grapefruit-Tangerine Mousse With Phyllo Ruffles

Imagery: Although only a third of the recipes have pictures, the photographs are vivid, lush, and beautifully arranged.

Overall Rating: If you're a dessert fanatic looking to experiment with creative recipes, this would be the perfect cookbook to turn to. It would also make a gracious hostess gift.

View 4 Photos ›

Happy Hour: Tanger-rum-ita

YumSugar — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:00:05 -0800

When it comes to food, I try to be as receptive as possible. If I don't like something on the first taste, I'll often try it again later, just to keep an open mind and palate. I wasn't a fan of Loft's Tangerine Liqueur on its own, but I wanted to give it another chance. When I spotted a creative cocktail recipe that called for the citrus spirit, I decided this was my opportunity to try it again. Guess what? I really enjoyed it. While I thought the cello was cloying on its own, it foiled perfectly with tart lime juice.

This recipe is for a tangerine-flavored margarita - but it calls for rum instead of tequila. This tangy sipper would make an ideal happy hour cocktail for someone who prefers rum or eschews drinking tequila. To make it, read more.

Tanger-rum-ita
From Loft Liqueurs

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz Loft Tangerine Cello (or other tangerine liqueur)
1 1/2 oz white rum
3/4 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
1/2 oz simple syrup or agave nectar, if desired
Lime wedge, for garnish
Coarse salt, for glass

Directions

In a shaker with ice, combine tangerine liqueur, white rum, lime juice, and syrup (if using).
Salt rim of margarita glass by dipping edge of glass in water, then in salt.
Strain and serve in glass. Garnish with lime.

Makes 1 cocktail.

Print recipe with images | without images

Come Party With Me: Chinese New Year - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 09:15:06 -0800

Red and gold are the perfect colors for an elegant Chinese New Year dinner. Use Asian prints and symbols as accents. Start by covering the table in a rich red tablecloth. Set the table with gold plates, gold napkin rings, and golden stemmed flatware. Instead of a floral arrangement, place a large golden bowl in the center of the table. Fill with vibrant tangerines.

Glass barware with a dragon motif is divine for serving shinsei sangria. Run globular votives down the middle of the table. Place fresh bamboo planters in the corners of the dining space. Write the name of each guest on the back of traditional red envelopes and use instead of place card holders.

Source

Come Party With Me: Chinese New Year - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 15:00:50 -0800

Although desserts are not tremendously popular in Asian cuisine, for a Chinese New Year celebration, there are plenty of options. First there's the traditional Nian Gao, a sticky, sweet gelatinous cake. Then there's the modern spring roll: filled with fruit, fried until a golden, and served with a caramel rum dipping sauce.

Finally, there's this recipe for sweet sesame wonton crisps. Serve with a tart tangerine sorbet for a soft-crunchy balance of textures. Not only is this dish unexpected, but it also symbolizes luck. To check out the recipe, read more.

Sweet Sesame Wonton Crisps
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

8 square wonton wrappers, thawed if frozen
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of salt
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy cream
4 teaspoons white or black sesame seeds, or a mixture
1 pint tangerine sorbet, for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange wonton wrappers in a single layer on baking sheet, and set aside.
Stir together sugar, ginger, and salt in a small bowl; set aside.
Whisk together the egg yolk and cream in another small bowl. Brush wontons with egg wash, and sprinkle each with about 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds and scant 1/4 teaspoon sugar mixture. Bake until wontons are golden and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool on sheet on a wire rack. Serve wonton crisps with sorbet.

Serves 4.

Print recipe with images | without images