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Guess Who?

YumSugar — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 07:45:26 -0700

Guess who we spotted out and about at Slow Food Nation?

Good Food Garden: Love It or Hate It?

YumSugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 05:32:54 -0700

While attending the country's first-ever Slow Food Nation this weekend, I came across the Good Food Garden structure that the Food Network and the Share Our Strength unveiled just a week ago.

While I love the fact that Teich Garden Systems, which built the garden, designed it for everything from schoolyards to backyards, I also wonder if it's really necessary to have a special gardening platform, since people have been planting gardens for hundreds of years without them. What do you think of the Good Food Garden?

Food Network's Last-Minute Jump on the SFN Bandwagon

YumSugar — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:00:48 -0700

Yesterday morning, Food Network announced its participation in Slow Food Nation. Food Network, along with its charitable partner Share Our Strength, will "unveil a new original platform" called Good Food Gardens. The fully sustainable gardens will be filled with seasonal fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

The enclosed 10-by-16-foot cedar wood structures that hold the gardens are designed for the likes of schools, organizations, and homeowners. The first garden will debut across from San Francisco's highly buzzed-about Victory Garden, and be donated to a local Boys & Girls Club after the close of the event.

I find it unusual for Food Network to announce a partnership with Slow Food Nation just four days before the start of the event. They're also beating everyone to the punch by unveiling their proprietary garden the day before the festival actually begins. What do you think? Was this a last-minute effort on the part of the network?

Harvesting San Francisco's Victory Garden

partysugar — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:39:02 -0700

Last week I went to City Hall to help harvest the Slow Food Victory Garden. Developed as a solution to food shortages during World War I and II, victory gardens not only supply vegetables, fruit, and herbs to the masses, but they also act as a morale booster during tough times. Today Slow Food has partnered with San Francisco to showcase the spirit and power of the public victory garden. The victory of these gardens, however, is to reduce the food miles normally associated with the average American meal and promote homegrown local produce. Every Thursday a group of volunteers meets to harvest the vegetables. Arranged in a stunning concentric design, the garden provides food and illustrates the pure beauty of such vegetables as red chard and squash blossoms. While I picked bunches of collard greens and washed heads of lettuce, I couldn't help but think how vegetables are as gorgeous and colorful as flowers.

Do you have a garden? Have you ever been a part of a large-scale harvest? While you may not be able to experience this victory garden's harvest firsthand, you can take a look at my gallery filled with images. To do so, read more.

View 75 Photos ›

Obamas to Plant White House Garden Today

YumSugar — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 03:30:53 -0700

Today is the day that Alice Waters and other Slow Food supporters have been waiting for: the Obamas will begin planting a garden on the White House lawn, the first such victory garden to be created since the one Eleanor Roosevelt planted during World War II.

The garden, which will be overseen by Sam Kass, the Obamas' former private chef from Chicago, will provide food for the first family's meals and formal dinners. White House executive chef Cristeta Comerford will write menus based on what's available in the garden.According to First Lady Michelle Obama, the biggest reason for growing a garden is to educate children about the benefits of growing fresh produce locally. She said:

There’s nothing really cooler than coming to the White House and harvesting some of the vegetables and being in the kitchen with Cris and Sam and Bill, and cutting and cooking and actually experiencing the joys of your work.

The first lady, who will dig up soil for the 1,100-square-foot plot of land with fifth graders from a local elementary school, has stressed the significance of healthful eating ever since entering the White House. Last month, she opened up the White House kitchen for a press tour, and recently spoke about the importance of fresh, local eating.

Advocates of farm-to-table eating have been campaigning for a White House edible garden for months now, and there is little doubt that many eat-local proponents consider this to be a huge step in the right direction. To see what fruits and vegetables will be in the White House garden, read more.

Arugula
Spinach
Chard
Black kale
Red romaine
Green oak leaf
Butterhead lettuce
Red leaf lettuce
Spinach
Cilantro
Tomatillos
Hot peppers
Berries
Thai basil
Bees, for honey

What do you think of the project? What would you plant if you were Michelle Obama?

Farmers Target the White House

YumSugar — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 03:00:41 -0700

Last month, right before Slow Food Nation, PartySugar helped harvest the newly planted Victory Gardens in downtown San Francisco. Apparently the success of the public garden was so strong that various groups are taking the matter to the White House - both metaphorically and literally.

Several organizations are campaigning for the next president to create a garden on the White House lawn. TheWhoFarmMobile has been on tour throughout the United States spreading the word and encouraging participation.

Eat the View has drafted a White House Food Garden petition online, and is even holding a "lawn sale," where buyers can purchase (symbolic) parcels of White House lawn ($10 each) that will go toward the edible garden project.

Seeing as the future president will have a lot on his plate, I'm not sure whether this proposal will prove successful, but I intend to follow it. I think the president growing an edible garden would set the tone for the rest of the country. What do you think of the venture? Do you see one candidate being more open to the project than another?

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Yummy Links: From Crustaceans to Food Trends

partysugar — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 07:45:57 -0800

Find out why crustaceans turn pink when cooked. - The Kitchn
Take a virtual field trip to a tomato farm. - Chow
Would you eat crispy fried chicken skins? - Serious Eats
San Francisco says goodbye to the victory garden. - Eater SF
Chocolate covered marshmallows are a delightful edible gift. - Baking Bites
Love to entertain? Submit your holiday party ideas to win a $2,500 prize! - Hostess with the Mostess
Epicurious predicts the top 10 food trends for 2009. - The Epi-Log

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Yummy Links: From Kitschy Kitchens to Top Chef 5

partysugar — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 06:45:12 -0700

Decorate your kitchen with these kitschy, retro-glam finds. - Hostess with the Mostess
Make gourmet coffee at home. - Slashfood
New to cooking? Check a beginner cookbook out of your library. - Chow
Just how good are Starbucks's smoothies? - Baking Bites
Get to know David Chang of Momofuku fame a little better. - Serious Eats
Take a look at San Francisco's just-planted Slow Food Nation Victory Garden. - CasaSugar
Cookthink gets a stylish new makeover. - Cookthink
Learn how to make crispy and delicious fried green tomatoes. - The Kitchn
Help McDonald's name its new dollar menu. - The Epi-Log
Calling all New Yorkers: be on the lookout for the filming of Top Chef Season 5! - Eater

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Harvesting San Francisco's Victory Garden

partysugar — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:40:53 -0700

View Slideshow ›

Keep 'Em Guessing With Complex Flavors of Tonnato Sauce

YumSugar — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:30:02 -0700

Two weekends ago, I joined a friend at a potluck dinner organized by Slow Food San Francisco. While I do support the movement's good, clean, and fair principles, I also realized I'd probably be dining amongst a fair share of victory garden-sowing, microwave-loathing culinary crusaders. Eager to please the environmentally aware diners at the potluck, I decided to bring a wholesome spread of unadulterated vegetables fresh from that morning's farmers market, served alongside a rustic Italian tuna sauce.

Flash-forward to dinner - I'd returned to the serving table for seconds after filling my plate with a few too many vegan farro and quinoa courses the first time around. As I reached for my tonnato and vegetables, and the guy next to me in line interrupted. "Have you tried that? I can't figure out what it is, but it is absolutely delicious. And have you ever seen a purple carrot before?!" I blushed, explained what went into the tonnato, and considered my mission to impress Slow Foodies accomplished. See the crowd-pleasing recipe.