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Full-Caffeine Eclipse

YumSugar — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 10:41:31 -0800

Not that Starbucks needs any more free publicity - which is what some folks are calling their retraining shutdown - but last night on The Daily Show, correspondent Jason Jones talked about the shut down. In this clip, Jones tries to figure out what to do during the "full-caffeine eclipse." My favorite parts include when he asks his local deli owner for a fancy drink only to be greeted with a completely blank expression. Or perhaps it was when he wanted to know where the "douchebags with laptops" were.

Tell me which part is your favorite, watch the clip when you read more.

So were any of you like this? What did you do during the Starbucks blackout?

Yummy Links: From Dungeness Crab to Turkey Cookies

partysugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:50:32 -0800

San Franciscans get excited: it's dungeness crab season! - SFoodie
This holiday season, why not bake a beautifully festive cake or cupcakes? - Hostess With the Mostess
Eating dark chocolate may help you handle stress. - The Epi-Log
The FDA has withdrawn the ban on the sale of Gulf Coast raw oysters during warm months. - Eater
Introducing: people talking on bananas. - People Talking on Bananas
Could Jose Garces be the next Iron Chef? - Grub Street Philadelphia
Rachael Ray on the Martha Stewart Show makes for some uncomfortable television. - Eat Me Daily
Learn how to fight wine snobbery. - Chow
Turn Keebler Fudge striped cookies into Thanksgiving turkeys. - Serious Eats

Yummy Links: From German Beer to Healthful Holiday Eating

partysugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:15:47 -0800

Five German beers worth trying. - The Atlantic
Do you live in Miami or Portland? Get excited because Eater has expanded to those cities. - Eater
Frank Bruni's memoir Born Round may be turned into a television show. - Grub Street NY
Learn what Josh Ozersky will be up to now that he has bid the Feedbag adieu. - The Feedbag
Scripps Networks has acquired the Travel Channel, meaning that the Food Network is back in bed with Anthony Bourdain. - Eat Me Daily
Must make: creamy corn soup with roasted poblano chili. - Serious Eats
Everything you need to know about stuffing. - The Epi-Log
How to stay healthy during the holidays. - Chow

Source: Flickr User Maggie Hoffman

Is Food Network's Chopped a Ripoff of Top Chef?

partysugar — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:15:09 -0800

If you watch Food Network on a regular basis, you must know - by the bombardment of promotional commercials - about its new culinary competition, Chopped.

The show, which is described as a series that "challenges four up-and-coming chefs to turn a selection of everyday ingredients into an extraordinary three-course meal. After each course, a contestant gets 'chopped' until the last man or woman left standing claims victory," is hosted by former Top Chef judge, Ted Allen. Although Chopped does not air until Tuesday, Jan. 13 (at 10 p.m.), many feel the show is a complete ripoff of Top Chef.

After watching the promo video, Eat Me Daily declared that "Food Network is totally trying to mimic Top Chef's more professional veneer, especially in the light of the more amateurish low-budget feel of the Next Food Network Star."

Spurred by the Internet's backlash against Chopped, Ted Allen has taken to his blog to defend the series. To find out what he had to say, read more.

Following a long, detailed description of each episode Allen states:

There also is a culinary straightforwardness about this show that I find really satisfying, and particularly appropriate for a company called Food Network. There is no sleep deprivation, no "Big Brother" house full of bunk beds and cameras, no booze-fueled personal drama (as much as we all love the brainwashing and catfights on that certain show I used to judge). There are no team or catering challenges. Best of all, there is no product placement, so you never see passionate lovers of good food being forced to use packaged convenience junk thanks to Kraft/Altria/Exxon's sponsorship.

I'll admit when I first heard about the show, I wondered if it would be too similar to Top Chef. What do you think about the competition's resemblance? Is Chopped a cheap, made-for-the-masses knockoff?

Source, Source

Yummy Links: From Brian Boitano to Meryl Streep

partysugar — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 07:00:42 -0700

Check out the trailer of Brian Boitano's new Food Network show. - New York Magazine
Possible disguises for Sam Sifton, the New York Times new restaurant critic. - Eat Me Daily
Give classic caprese salad a stone-fruit twist by making it with peaches. - Serious Eats
Bon Appétit has named the nation's best new restaurants. - Bon Appétit
10 of Julia Child's most prolific quotes. - Chow
Learn how to turn a strawberry box and strawberries into a beautiful centerpiece. - Design*Sponge
5 reasons that explain why Meryl Streep played Julia Child perfectly. - The Hungry Beast

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Catching Up With Chris Cosentino

partysugar — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:04:20 -0700

Since he competed in the Next Iron Chef two Summers ago, San Francisco's acclaimed offal-chef, Chris Cosentino, has been a very busy guy. He's worked nights at his head-to-tail rustic Italian restaurant, Incanto, opened a salumeria, Boccalone, at the Ferry Building in SF, and filmed a new television show, Chef vs. City, for the Food Network. Last week Chris took some time out of his hectic day-to-day to show me the graffiti-style "Shut Up and Cook" mural in the kitchen and to chat about everything from his 4-year-old son's eating habits to why he actively tweets. Find out what the chef had to say and read more.

On the Aug. 7 debut of Chef vs. City: It's very exciting, but it makes you nervous. We've already shot the entire show, but I don't get to see any of the final edits. I am what I am.

On food trends: I don't think food is trendy at all. I'm not reinventing anything here at Incanto. I'm just reintroducing. It's a realization of the past. Folks are more connected to where their food comes from. People are more interested in food - they're sharing with their neighbors, they're joining meat co-ops. They feel more connected to food because it's the ethical thing to do, not because it's trendy. You could say that Korean food is trendy right now, but to me a trend is something that comes, gets really popular, and goes away. Korean food isn't going to go away. It's just that more people are aware of Korean food. It's becoming mainstream, but it's not a trend. It's like bacon, people aren't going to stop eating bacon. Ever.

On his love affair with offal: Working in restaurants you see all the meat come in. Sure, there's always foie gras and sweetbreads, but when I came to work here [at Incanto] I wanted to cook rustic peasant food and the basis for this type of food is using every piece of meat. Using the whole animal. I've started harvesting my own animals and that changes your perspective.

On the one thing he won't eat: I eat everything. The only item I ever disliked - it turned my stomach - was balut.

On what's next for Boccalone: We just launched the mortadella hot dog. I like to do a hot dog during baseball season. We already make mortadella, but now we are just packaging it in a different way. I plan to continue rolling with what we are doing. I like to make really good consistent products. This is what we strive to do on a daily basis.

On how the Internet has changed the role of the modern chef: I have a lot of fun with Twitter. It's only 140 characters, so you really have to think about what you are saying. These sort of things are important because people want to communicate. People want to be in contact with chefs. They want to know how to cook, they want to ask questions. With my website, I try to bridge the gap. It gives me direct contact with the people. The Internet, Twitter, blogs have broken down a barrier. There is more exchanging of information occurring. I try to answer all the emails I get.

On raising a foodie son: My son will eat anything. He's had tripe, he's had beef heart tartar. At the Ferry Building last Saturday, he ate a dozen oysters by himself and he's 4 years old!

Source: Lisa Hamilton

Video Pokes Fun at Sandra Lee's Most Suggestive Moments

YumSugar — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:02:20 -0700

If you haven't gotten enough of Sandra Lee from her new show, Eat Me Daily has discovered a YouTube compilation of Sandra Lee's most memorable quotes which, when taken out of context, sound rather suggestive.

The video reveals Sandy's ridiculous preference for the word "delicious," her affinity for vodka-spiked cocktails, and her mispronunciation of the word "espresso."

My initial reaction was what fanatic has this kind of time on his hands? But my second thought was to hit the play button again as soon as it was over - it's that funny. What do you think of the video - is it an accurate representation?

Yummy Links: From Keanu Reeves to Jamie Oliver

partysugar — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 07:50:43 -0700

Inspired by famous French chef Herve This, Keanu Reeves wants to become a chef. - Eater SF
Tips for cooking pizza on the grill. - Serious Eats
Joey Chestnut wasn't the only one to compete in an eating contest over the weekend; so did a group of elephants. - The Feedbag
Calling all maids of honor: be inspired by this Parisian bridal shower. - Hostess With the Mostess
A day in the life of Spanish chef José Andrés. - Gourmet
Must make: tequila shrimp and asadero quesadillas. - Chow
To promote his upcoming book and television show, Jamie Oliver dressed up like the Village People. - Eat Me Daily

Yummy Links: From Michael Chiarello to Michael Ruhlman

partysugar — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:50:20 -0700

How chef Michael Chiarello deals with the crazies who come to his restaurant. - Eater SF
Calling all hot girls: Carl's Jr. wants you to star in its next burger commercial. - Eat Me Daily
Ten drinks that could only have been invented in America. - Endless Simmer
Learn how to make perfect French fries a la Bobby Flay. - Serious Eats
Take a closer look at Brooklyn's UnFancy Foods Show. - The Feedbag
Is the torta the new banh mi? - Grub Street
A brown sugar berry cobbler is a welcome finish to a Summer barbecue. - Epicurious
Michael Ruhlman discusses his new book. - Chow

Yummy Links: From Jay Rayner to Food Party

partysugar — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 07:50:05 -0700

Who is Top Chef Masters judge Jay Rayner?- Eat Me Daily
Can someone in New York City cook the same way they do in rural Italy? - The Epi-Log
Staying in is the new going out. - Chow
Have your Facebook image immortalized in chocolate.- The Feedbag
Introducing the pizza wallet and how to eat it. - Grub Street
Meet Food Party, a new culinary television show for puppet-lovers. - Serious Eats

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