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Come Party With Me: Potluck Thanksgiving - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:00:49 -0800

If your house is the location of a Thanksgiving potluck, you're hosting duties not only include making the turkey, but also preparing a cocktail. When guests arrive offer them a glass to get things started. Since the meal is a big one, serve an apéritif - something not too sweet that will stimulate the palate like these campari triple-sec concoctions.

On the flip side, when attending a Thanksgiving potluck, don't show up empty handed. Bring a bottle of sparkling wine or Beaujolais Nouveau or a six-pack of festive pumpkin ale.

To look at the campari cocktail recipe, which can be easily adapted for a crowd, read more.

Bitter Orange Kindler
From Gourmet

Ingredients

2 ounces triple sec
2 ounces campari
tonic water
orange peel, optional for garnish

Directions

In a tall glass combine the triple sec and Campari with 3 cubes of ice.
Fill the glass with chilled tonic water and stir to blend. Garnish with a strip of orange peel.

Makes 1 cocktail.

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Glazed Carrots Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

YumSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:50:07 -0800

It isn't a true Thanksgiving meal without loads of sides, scattered around the table like banchan at a Korean barbecue. And one side (other than creamed spinach) that I can't do without is a bowl of candied carrots.

The premise behind glazed carrots couldn't be more basic: you simmer the root vegetables in some form of sweetener (sugar, maple syrup, honey, etc.) until the sauce has thickened and coats the carrots.

If you're taking part in a beginner, budget-conscious, or fast Thanksgiving dinner, opt for a two-step recipe made of only four pantry ingredients. Alternately, add citrus for a side that has layers of complexity. Scope out both recipes after the break.

Come Party With Me: Vampire Party - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:50:29 -0700

Halloween happens to fall on a Saturday this year which makes it an ideal night for hosting a party. But don't just throw any party, select a theme, like vampires, and use this to inspire a ghoulish bash.

Start by sending our free vampire invitations specially designed for the online invitation service, Pingg. All you have to do is fill them out and send - how easy is that?

Once you've notified your friends, you can focus on more important things, like the menu. Select an assortment of finger-licking good foods that evoke the vampire culture.

Tomato soup filled test tubes resemble the addictive vampire blood popular in the HBO series, True Blood. Stefan Salvatore, the kind bloodsucker on the CW's Vampire Diaries who loves garlic, would devour a platter of garlic and cheese crostini. Guests will feel like Buffy the Vampire Slayer when they stake steak bites with skewers and dunk them into a bloody Mary dipping sauce. Finally, spicy sriracha doused chicken wings are so hearty they'd satiate even the toughest Cullen brother's hunger. Get these festive recipes when you read more.

Vampire Blood Tomato Soup
From Food Network

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 fennel bulb, chopped, about 2 1/2 cups
1/2 large onion, chopped, about 1 cup
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1 (28-ounce) can plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
2 cups homemade vegetable broth or low-sodium canned
2 cups tomato juice
6 basil leaves, torn
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Heat olive oil in a medium sauce pot over medium-high heat.
Add fennel, onion, garlic, salt, fennel seed and crushed pepper, if using, and cook until vegetables soften and brown slightly, about 5 minutes.
Drain and reserve juice from the tomatoes, then crush tomatoes gently with your hands. Add the tomatoes, increase heat to high, and cook until they begin to brown slightly, about 5 minutes.
Add the reserved tomato juice, vegetable broth, tomato juice, and basil leaves. Bring to a boil, stir, reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook until vegetables are cooked through and soup reduces and thickens, about 30 minutes.
Remove pot from stove and puree the soup in batches, with an immersion, regular blender, or food processor. Stir in lemon juice and season with pepper to taste. Serve.

Serves 8.

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Garlic and Cheese Crostini
From Gourmet

Ingredients

24 (1/3-inch-thick) baguette slices (from a baguette at least
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
3/4 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano (preferably imported)
5 large garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
Arrange bread slices in 1 layer on a large baking sheet and brush tops with 3 tablespoons oil.
Stir together remaining tablespoon oil, cheese, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle each slice with about 1 teaspoon cheese mixture, mounding it slightly.
Bake until topping just starts to melt, 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and kosher salt to taste. Serve warm.

Makes 24 hors d'oeuvres.

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Steak Bites With Bloody Mary Dipping Sauce
From Rachael Ray

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup vodka
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
1 cup tomato sauce
1 rounded tablespoon prepared horseradish
Salt and pepper
1 1/3 pounds beef sirloin cut into large bite-sized pieces, 1 by 2 inches
Steak seasoning blend or coarse salt and black pepper
6 to 8 inch bamboo skewers

Directions

Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add oil and onions and saute 5 minutes.
Add vodka and reduce by 1/2.
Add Worcestershire, hot sauce, tomato sauce and horseradish. Stir to combine the dipping sauce and return the sauce to a bubble. Add salt and pepper and adjust seasonings.
Heat nonstick skillet over high heat. Coat meat bites lightly in oil. Season with steak seasoning blend or salt and pepper, to taste.
Cook the meat until caramelized all over, about 2 minutes on each side.
Transfer dipping sauce to a small dish and place at the center of a serving platter. Surround the dip with meat bites and set several bamboo "stakes" or skewers along side meat.

Serves 6.

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Spicy Sriracha Chicken Wings
From Food & Wine

Ingredients

10 pounds chicken wings, split
1/4 cup coriander seeds, crushed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup Sriracha chile sauce
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Finely grated zest and juice of 3 limes
3 quarts vegetable oil, for frying

Directions

In a very large bowl, toss the wings with the coriander and cumin seeds, cinnamon, kosher salt and olive oil. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 375°. Spread the wings on 3 large rimmed baking sheets and roast for about 30 minutes, until firm but not cooked through. (At this point, if you don't want to fry the wings, you can roast them for 1 hour longer, until crispy and golden.)
Wash out the bowl. Add the Sriracha, butter, cilantro, lime zest and juice.
In a deep fryer or a very large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil to 375°.
Fry the wings in 4 or 5 batches until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes per batch; drain, shaking off the excess oil. As each batch is finished, add the wings to the sauce and toss well. Transfer the wings to a platter, leaving the sauce in the bowl for the remaining batches. Serve hot.

Serves 10.

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Cheese-Stuffed Mushrooms Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

YumSugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 05:50:53 -0700

Rustic, woodsy cremini mushrooms are the perfect flavor this time of year, and they make a killer app for gatherings big and small - especially when combined with the nuttiness of aged, hard Italian cheeses such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano.

Whether you're new to cooking or a seasoned expert, stuffed mushrooms are an ideal start to any meal, and many versions are vegetarian! Keep it simple by baking 'shroom caps with a cold cheese mixture, or opt for a more sophisticated variation by making your own breadcrumbs, then adding sautéed vegetables into the stuffing before sticking the bites into the oven. Interested? Then keep reading.

Do You Like Processed Cheese?

YumSugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:45:50 -0700

As someone who loves the lowbrow as much as the highbrow, I eat processed American cheese more times a week than I care to admit. I'll never turn down a creamy Robiola, but I'll also never stray far from processed cheese, especially if it's on a burger or in cheese dip. I had been embarrassed about it, but recently I discovered I'm not alone in the food world. A Gourmet writer extolled its mild flavors and creamy texture, and Eric Ripert even holds some appreciation for it. Do you love it as much as we do?

Yummy Links: From Steering Wheel Tables to Preggatinis

partysugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 05:50:34 -0700

Just what the world needs! A steering wheel dining table. - Eat Me Daily
Michael Symon has plans to open a burger joint. - Eater
Did the Internet kill Gourmet magazine?- Serious Eats
Ashley talks about her experience on Top Chef. - The Feedbag
Do you have a food blog? Here's how you can celebrate Gourmet. - A Mingling of Tastes
Michael Ruhlman is now excepting your comments and questions. - Chow
Mario Batali describes his ideal last meal. - The Epi-Log
Ben Ali, the founder of Ben's Chili Bowl has passed away. - Grub Street NY
Moms-to-be: check out these non-alcoholic mocktails. - Simply Stated

Come Party With Me: Harvest Party - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:00:48 -0700

During the main meal at my harvest-themed dinner party, I'll pair the chicken and risotto with wine. However, before we sit down to the table, I want to treat guests to a luxurious champagne cocktail.

Since a punch easily quenches the thirst of a crowd, I'll be mixing a large bowl of classic champagne punch. The cocktail gets its rosy hue from chambord, a raspberry-flavored liquor.

With the poached pear dessert, I'll let guests sip a sweet late harvest wine. To check out the recipe I'll be using for the punch, keep reading.

Did You Read Gourmet Magazine?

partysugar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 09:00:45 -0700

Yummy Links: The Food World Mourns Gourmet

partysugar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 04:00:58 -0700

Looking back at 68 years of covers. - Eater
Go inside the first magazine ever, 1941's holiday issue.- Serious Eats
Alice Waters remembers the first time she read it. - Grub Street SF
What's next for Ruth Reichl? She'll write a book about her 10 years at Conde Nast. - Diner's Journal
The empty cubicles mark the end of an era. - Gawker
All of the recipes will continue to live on Epicurious. - The Epi-Log
What New York City's chefs are saying about it. - Grub Street NY

More Details on Gourmet's Collapse

YumSugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:30:32 -0700

Yesterday morning began with breaking news that, after 68 years of publication, Gourmet was going out of print, and now we have more details on the magazine's collapse. Although the glossy will cease to exist, the Gourmet brand will live on through book publishing and TV programs. Staffers at the magazine were first unaware, then teary-eyed and harried, as they were allegedly given 48 hours to leave.

According to publisher Condé Nast, which staunchly defended its position, star editor Ruth Reichl will likely part ways with the publishing house, although this has not been confirmed. She, too, admitted her surprise, tweeting, "Thank you all so much for this outpouring of support. We're all stunned, sad . . . Hard to believe it's over."

Hard to believe indeed. From food personalities to subscribers, everyone has shown an overwhelming amount of regret. I'll miss the pages of exquisite photography and timeless travel pieces, and Party doesn't know how she'll live without the recipes. What will you miss about Gourmet?