YumSugar

Do You Prefer to Shop at the Farmers Market or Grocery Store?

partysugar — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 01:30:58 -0700

First-Ever White House Farmers Market Makes Its Debut

YumSugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 03:50:44 -0700

Some legislation, like healthcare reform, might take a little more work for the White House to push through, but other initiatives, like the White House farmers market, are happening virtually overnight. Less than a month ago President Obama revealed that he and the first lady were looking into holding a farmers market outside the White House - and the plan's already come to fruition. At the opening of the FreshFarm market yesterday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Washington DC mayor Adrian Fenty spoke to a crowd of about 300 shoppers about the importance of eating healthy, local food.

The visitor that drew the most attention was Michelle Obama, who encouraged Americans to get to know the farmers that grow the market's food, and stressed the importance of fresh markets, particularly in urban deserts.

Located at 810 Vermont Avenue, just blocks from the White House, the market runs Thursday afternoons through the end of October, and accepts food stamps. It sells pasture-raised meats, artisan cheeses, milk, yogurt, fresh fruits and vegetables, breads, flowers, and preserves. DCers, have you had a chance to visit?

View 5 Photos ›

Malaysia's Saturday Night Market Is a Foodie Paradise

partysugar — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:15:55 -0700

Recently reader FinnLover traveled to the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. While visiting the vast city, she spent one Saturday night hitting up Little India's weekly street market. With its incredible diversity - there are stalls that serve Thai, Chinese, Malaysian, Western, and Indonesian cuisine - Finn describes the event as the "biggest food celebration ever." It took her two hours to walk from one end of the market to the other, but along the way she snapped an amazing array of photos.

Lucky for us, she shared the images in the Savory Sights group on the community page. Want your mouth-watering images to be featured on YumSugar? Join the group and start participating in the YumSugar community. To check out all of FinnLover's deliciously visual Malaysian market experience, keep reading

President Obama Hopes For White House Farmers Market

YumSugar — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:00:20 -0700

In March, Alice Waters and other supporters of the local food movement thought they'd finally gotten what they wanted when the Obamas announced the planting of an organic garden in the White House. But yesterday reformers were pleasantly shocked when President Obama announced his hopes to set up a farmers market at the White House. At the Organizing for America National Health Care Forum on Thursday, Barack Obama revealed that he and the first lady are looking into the idea of a farmers market outside the White House that would sell food from the White House garden or other local farmers:

"One of the things that we’re trying to do now is to figure out, can we get a little farmers’ market - outside of the White House . . . that is a win-win situation. It gives suddenly D.C. more access to good, fresh food, but it also is this enormous potential revenue-maker for local farmers in the area."

He also discussed the importance of connecting local farmers to school districts, in an effort to improve the federal school lunch program. I wholeheartedly applaud the idea - if established, it would be the first-ever White House farmers market, setting a landmark precedent for Americans to start shopping more frequently at farmers markets across the nation. Do you think President Obama will follow through on this idea?

7 Spectacular US Farmers Markets

YumSugar — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 06:50:45 -0700

Last week, US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack proclaimed Aug. 2-8 as National Farmers Market Week. In the past year, the number of farmers markets has grown nearly five percent, and there's good reason to get behind them: they're sustainable, community-driven, and personal. But perhaps most importantly, they're fun! While all farmers markets have a way with engaging all the senses, here are some of our top picks from across the country. Keep reading for greenmarkets worth seeking out.
Source: Flickr User ahl

View Slideshow ›

A Sweet (and Sour) Taste of Tayberries

YumSugar — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 03:30:36 -0700

I grew up in a fruit-forward household, so I'm intrigued whenever I come across a variety I don't recognize. So when I found an article about mythical-sounding fruits called tayberries, I knew I needed to try them for myself. A cross between the Aurora blackberry and a European raspberry variety, this relatively young berry breed was developed at the Scottish Horticultural Research Institute, and named after the country's River Tay. It's been said to resemble the tart loganberry - a fruit I've never had the pleasure of trying - but with a sweeter finish. Follow me on my search to locate tayberries and see my comparison photos after the jump.

Street Food Explodes Onto the Scene at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market

YumSugar — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 03:30:45 -0700

I'm completely serious when I tell people that the Ferry Plaza farmers market is a major reason why I live in San Francisco - it would not be an overstatement to say that the first time I went there, it changed my view of eating. So I could barely contain my excitement when the market's organizer, the Center For Urban Education and Sustainable Agriculture, or CUESA, announced it would be instituting a Thursday farmers market with an emphasis on artisanal street food. I took a trip over during my lunch break to see what the hype was all about. Learn more about the street food market - only in its second week of existence! - when you read on.

View Slideshow ›

Exploring the Farmers Market of Oahu

YumSugar — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:45:08 -0700

After sampling the tasty treats around Oahu, I had to stop by a farmers market to witness the local food revolution firsthand. Luckily, Kapiolani Community College hosts a weekly market on Saturdays. While the vendors sell everything from tomatoes to abalone, the deliciousness of fresh local pineapple is hard to beat. I arrived around 8 a.m. and found the market already bustling with activity. Here are the highlights.

View Slideshow ›

Food Section Sampler - May 13, 2009

YumSugar — Wed, 13 May 2009 12:50:34 -0700

El Bulli's Ferran Adrià is studying the art of pizza making in hopes to open a pizzeria in Barcelona. - Los Angeles Times
New York City has become a hotbed for cook-off challenges. - New York Times
Soave, the once ubiquitous Italian white, is working hard to make a comeback. - Wall Street Journal
How to get the most out of shopping at the farmers market. - Chicago Tribune
Strawberry-rhubarb chicken is a seasonal twist on the classic sweet-and-sour chicken. - Washington Post
Boston's African-American communities are paving the way for a new class of healthy, sustainable soul food. - Boston Globe

Source

Traci Des Jardins on Being a More Savvy Home Cook

partysugar — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 10:15:59 -0700

I had the chance to speak with one of San Francisco's most prominent female chefs, Traci Des Jardins. You may be familiar with her, thanks to an appearance on the Food Network's Next Iron Chef competition. Now Des Jardins is happy to be out of the spotlight, "I don't like being that recognizable," and back in the kitchen. Her elegant eatery, Jardiniere, recently launched a Monday night themed price-fixe dinner and she's working on a signature restaurant at Tahoe's NorthStar resort, which will be mountainesque with a casual feel (think wood tables), great service, and sophisticated food.

Des Jardins believes the key to restaurant success during a tough economy is to "control costs and be really financially savvy." We talked about how this concept can translate to the everyday kitchen. To find out what she had to say and check out her advice for being a better home cook, read more.

According to Des Jardins, being a clever cook is not about having the latest gadgets. It's about properly stocking your kitchen with the components to make a meal. Items she recommends having on hand are salt, olive oil, capers, anchovies, and tomato sauce. Here are her tips for being a more practical home chef:

Go to smaller farmers markets and speak with the farmers. You don't always have to purchase organic to get fruit and vegetables that are pesticide free.
Go to the farmers market when it's closing down. You'll see more deals that way. None of the farmers want to carry their produce home with them, so they may be willing to bargain or cut costs.
Select lesser cuts of meat and consume less meat. In general, vegetarian cooking is cheaper.
Cook your kids' favorite foods in batches and freeze them.
Skip the boxed macaroni and cheese and Stove Top stuffing and stock your pantry instead, with the fixings for burritos (tortillas, canned beans, rice) and pasta.
Fill your freezer with ingredients that can be used to make quick meals like frozen peas and fresh bread.
If you are going to splurge on one cooking item, make it olive oil. Since it's the foundation of so many dishes, purchase a high-quality oil that will enhance and enrich the overall flavor of the dish.

What do you think of Des Jardins's tips?

Source