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Candy-Off: Fruit & Nut Chocolate Bars

YumSugar — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 03:30:04 -0700

It was to my fortune - and misfortune - that a box of Lindt Raisin & Nuts chocolate bars arrived in the office today. Never one for self-restraint, I went for the chocolate as soon as the afternoon snack craving hit. As I was enjoying it, I couldn't help but wonder how it stood up to its Cadbury counterpart, the classic Fruit & Nut bar, in a side-by-side comparison. Find out how both fared after the jump

Taste Test: Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee

YumSugar — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 15:00:14 -0800

When Starbucks announced it would be launching VIA, an instant coffee product, the food world collectively gasped. How could a premium coffee chain start selling instant coffee, a product with a notorious reputation for bad taste?

Today, the VIA brews were introduced in two markets, Seattle and Chicago. They've been the subject of much speculation, since, according to the VIA label, it's taken "decades to develop" the soluble, microground arabica beans. We couldn't wait to see how they matched up to the standard Starbucks drip. To see the results of our blind comparison, read more.

Without knowing which coffee was which, several Sugar staffers sampled two VIA brews - an extra-bold Italian Roast and a medium blend from Colombia - against a same-sized cup of Pike Place Roast drip coffee purchased at a Starbucks store. Two of our tasters were able to correctly identify which cup of coffee was brewed and which two were instant; they described the instant cups as tasting "chalky" and "bitter at the end."

Two different tasters, however, not only thought the instant coffee was drip, but they believed the Starbucks drip was instant, tasting watery in comparison.

Italian Roast: Although this was PartySugar's favorite of the tasting ("I love strong, bitter black coffee"), it was my least favorite. Both another taster and I thought the coffee - described as "smooth, rich" - had a truly acrid aftertaste.

Colombia: Although this blend was slightly bitter, it was less aggressive than the Italian Roast and mellower in flavor.

When tasted next to brewed coffee, the taste of VIA was inferior in comparison, with a bitter end and little to no pleasant aroma. Still, I would drink VIA in a pinch and - at $9.95 for 12 servings - it's significantly more recession friendly than a traditional cup of Starbucks joe.

Do you plan to give VIA a chance? If you've tried it, I'd love to hear what you thought.

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Candy-Off: Hershey's vs. Brach's Candy Corn

YumSugar — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 09:00:42 -0700

Happy National Candy Corn Day! This Halloween, grocery aisles have been stocked with two distinct types of my favorite seasonal candy: the traditional version made by Brach's, as well as a newer Hershey's rendition.

Last year, when I first tried the Hershey's candy corn, I thought it had a cloying aftertaste, and despite giving them a second chance, I still didn't care for them. Just to make sure I was giving the candy a fair assessment, I sought out some other Sugar gals for a second opinion. To see what they had to say, read more.

"Candy corn is not allowed to have a wrapper!"
"Hershey's tastes more artificial, if that's possible."
"The candy corn lost something in the texture . . . just not right!"

While both are overly sweet, the Hershey's Kisses version lacks the wonderfully waxy, granulated texture that makes candy corn so addictive. Instead, it has the creaminess of white chocolate and a rich, butterscotch-y aroma. Many of us agreed that had Hershey's simply not labeled it candy corn, we would have preferred it.

The bottom line? When something is labeled as candy corn, there are expectations in taste. Candy corn may taste plastic-y, but an artificial rendition of it tastes even worse. There's one attribute, however, that both share in common: too much of either, and you'll be left with a belly ache.

Taste Test: Crunch vs. Krackel

partysugar — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:15:01 -0700

Last Friday after hearing the news that Hershey's had changed its chocolate formula, YumSugar and I decided to perform a taste test. Luckily we had the perfect place to host a chocolate taste test - CasaSugar's space at Park(ing) Day! For the taste test, we pitted Nestle's Crunch against Hershey's Krackel. To check out the taste test in action watch the video below!

To see the results, read more.

We blind folded each participant. Next we gave them a bite of Krackel followed by a bite of Crunch. The taster had to answer the following three questions:

Which is the Krackel and which is the Crunch?
Which tastes better?
Which tastes more chocolate-y?

According to our tasters:

47 percent think Krackel tastes better
53 percent think Crunch tastes better
79 percent could identify when blindfolded, while 21 percent guessed wrong!
33 percent thought Krackel was more chocolatey
67 percent thought Crunch was more chocolatey
Split on which was crunchier

If you were to choose one, which do you prefer: Hershey's Krackel or Nestle's Crunch?

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Photo Gallery: Candy-Off: Fruit & Nut Chocolate Bars

YumSugar — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:04:52 -0700

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Emeril Hosts Atlantic City Stadium Show - Sort Of

YumSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 04:00:05 -0700

Don't enjoy amateur cooks facing off on TV? Maybe you'll have different sentiments if you're watching them in person. At least, that's what Emeril Lagasse is hoping as he launches his new Atlantic City game show: Taste of Emeril's Cooking Challenge. It begins Oct. 21 at Caesars Atlantic City, and will run several times a week through Nov. 12.

Each night, the casino show will choose six members from the audience to square off onstage at two cooking stations, first competing in two teams, then facing elimination until the last two standing face off to take home the prize. Emeril will appear via the big screen to offer taped commentary and critique. While he admits the casino show is risky, the veteran culinary personality said he was looking for the right show that could be marketed to audiences at a reasonable price.

Tickets are only $35 each, but for that amount, I'd still expect to see more than video footage of Emeril. What about you? Do you see the "interactive cooking competition" being a success?

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Off to Market Recap: Fall Cookbook

partysugar — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 03:00:43 -0700

Lately I've been feeling a little depressed about Summer coming to an end. I need something to get me excited for Fall, and have decided on a cookbook.

Not just any old cookbook; I want one that features Fall's most fabulous flavors, and I asked you to help me find it. You looked for cookbooks with recipes that feature Fall ingredients and hearty dishes. You saved the books you discovered in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag Fall Cookbook.

The book Taste of the Season: Inspired Recipes for Fall and Winter by Diane Rossen Worthington, that sofi discovered, sounds like the perfect thing to bring me out of my post-Summer rut.

The recipes - hearty lentil soup with grilled sweet and hot Italian sausages, spicy chicken gumbo, and tangy short ribs, to name a few - are filling, cozy, and comforting. The best thing about this cookbook is that I can use it during the Fall and all the way through to Winter! For more Fall cookbooks, browse below.

Please read geeksugar's explanation for more on how to bookmark.

Noteworthy Nibbles - Oct. 13-20, 2009

YumSugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:00:31 -0700

As food festival season dwindles down, you might find yourself searching harder for events that will entertain you as much as your tastebuds. But look no further than our list below. Where else can you touch a 1,658-pound pumpkin but the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival? Imagine the jack-o'-lantern possibilities with that one. Find out what Top Cheffer Stefan Richter's been up to in Martha's Vineyard, or watch fellow contestant Fabio Viviani cook in the City of Brotherly Love.

Know of anything we've left off the list this week? Then please feel free to drop a line below!

New York, NY: Global Kitchen: The Magic of Pickling - Oct. 13
Boston, MA: Share Our Strength's A Tasteful Pursuit Dinner - Oct. 13
San Francisco, CA: Whiskeyfest - Oct. 16
Philadelphia, PA: Philadelphia Food & Wine Festival - Oct. 16-18
Edgartown, MA: Martha's Vineyard Food & Wine Festival - Oct. 16-18
Baltimore, MD: Russian Festival - Oct. 16-18
Fort Collins, CO: Fall Harvest Brewfest - Oct. 17
Llano, TX: Llano River Chuck Wagon Cookoff - Oct. 17
Half Moon Bay, CA: Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival - Oct. 17-18
Wellfleet, MA: Wellfleet Oysterfest - Oct. 17-18
Chicago, IL: Friends of James Beard Benefit Chicago - Oct. 18

Noteworthy Nibbles - Oct. 6-13, 2009

YumSugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:00:10 -0700

This week kicks off one of the biggest culinary events of the year: the NYC Wine and Food Festival, featuring headliners like Rachael, Bobby, and new favorite celeb chef, Ming.

Not in New York? No worries - there's still something to raise your glass to. Even though Oktoberfest technically ended last weekend, the party rages on from the East Coast to the West Coast.

Where will this week take you? Let us know below!

New York, NY: Rum Fest - Oct. 8
New York, NY: NYC Wine & Food Festival - Oct. 8-11
Gulf Shores, AL: National Shrimp Festival - Oct. 8-11
Panama City, FL: Panama City Beach Seafood, Wine & Music Festival - Oct. 9-11
Puyallup, WA: Oktoberfest NW - Oct. 9-11
Timonium, MD: Maryland Brewer's Oktoberfest - Oct. 10
Atlanta, GA: Taste of Atlanta - Oct. 10-11
Port Angeles, WA: Dungeness Crab & Seafood Festival - Oct. 10-11
Alexandria, VA: Old Town Food & Wine Festival - Oct. 10-11
Boston, MA: Share Our Strength's A Tasteful Pursuit Dinner - Oct. 13
San Francisco, CA: Wine and Spirits Magazine Top 100 Tasting - Oct. 14

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Noteworthy Nibbles - Sept. 22-29, 2009

YumSugar — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:00:50 -0700

When it comes to food festivals, I've decided that the peak of the season isn't the three-month span between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Instead, it's right this minute, when the last of the season's seafood festivals converge with harvest celebrations and the beginning of chili cookoffs. We can't wait to check out the bites at the Taste of Petaluma.

Where will this week be leading you? Let us know in the comments below!

New York, NY: StarChefs New York Rising Stars Revue - Sept. 22
London, KY: World Chicken Festival - Sept. 24-27
Columbus, OH: Columbus Food & Wine Affair - Sept. 25
Redondo Beach, CA: Redondo Beach Lobster Festival - Sept. 25-27
Sonoma, CA: Valley of the Moon Vintage Festival - Sept. 25-27
Los Angeles, CA: Feast of San Gennaro - Sept. 25-27
Orlando, FL: Epcot International Food & Wine Festival - Sept. 25-Nov. 8
Petaluma, CA: Taste of Petaluma - Sept. 26
Pittsburgh, PA: Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival - Sept. 26
Stone Mountain, GA: The Great Miller Lite Chili Cook-Off - Sept. 26

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