St. Patrick's Day is this coming weekend, but before you start cooking and sipping your way through the holiday, see how much you know about this Irish day's eats and drinks. From corned beef to colcannon, test your Irish know-how now!
It's one thing to light some candles on Valentine's Day, but why not ignite the passion by setting your dessert aflame? Get the mood going with these torched, fiery, and flambéed sweets that are guaranteed to heat things up — in the kitchen and beyond.
— Additional reporting by Lisette Mejia
Set the mood this V-Day with these sip-worthy cocktails, inspired by the Feb. 14 holiday. From romantic red concoctions to blissful bubbly, I've rounded up 20 sweet, tart, and fruity drinks for you to toast to a romantic night in or to share with gal pals at a Valentine's Day singles soirée. Get the recipes now!
From homemade gin to chocolate caramel corn, we've got you covered when it comes to edible gifts for the holidays. But now it's time to wrap 'em up! We've grouped your tasty goodies into five categories: cookies, jams and sauces, spirits, nuts and popcorn, and spices. Click on for tips and wrapping products to package your yummy gifts with style. And if you're shipping them, be sure to check out FedEx's tips for crumble-free packing.
I'm not too surprised that a majority of you prefer cupcakes over macarons at weddings. For those of you into Savory Sights, I thought I'd round up some pretty examples of wedding cupcakes. If you're tackling the big-day treats yourself, we particularly love these five options: lemon meringue cupcakes, Vietnamese coffee cupcakes, hummingbird cupcakes, brown sugar-pecan cupcakes with caramel frosting, and tiramisu cupcakes. Otherwise, start clicking to be inspired!
Photo by Lisa Pearce
Whether your wedding dessert of choice is a three-tiered wedding cake, homemade pies, cupcakes, or macarons, you need a picture-perfect way to display your big day's saccharine delights. And when it comes to cake pedestals, I'm seeing everything from vintage to modern and rustic to girlie designs. Don't be afraid to use mismatched styles and colors on a dessert table, or try grouping a variety of pedestals in a monochromatic palette. Here are 15 of my favorites, dig in!
Start sharing your big day with our community. Just head to the Wedding Talk group, click "new post," and check the wedding content box.
Photo by Jill Thomas via Source
If you're entertaining friends at a Spring soiree, you need a setup that's as fresh as the produce you're incorporating in the meal. With rustic touches and a nod to the crisp green asparagus in this vegetarian lasagna and the ruby-red strawberries in the bruschetta appetizer and berry curd cake, I've put together some seasonal party must haves that are sure to be a hit. For your entrée, serve guests on these pretty De Vincennes dinner plates ($24), and for dessert, scoop vanilla ice cream into these berry-red Latte Bowls ($20). Don't forget to decorate your table with these ceramic fruit baskets ($20-$38) filled with flowers. To shop the rest of the look, click on the images above!
Usually when I'm looking for a bite to eat somewhere new, on vacation, or just a place I haven't researched beforehand, I ask for a menu before being seated to make sure it's something I'd be interested in. But there are those times when you get caught up and end up being seated and served water before you realize there's nothing you like. 
I hate having to awkwardly get up and walk out because I always feel slightly bad for leaving without tipping and for the obvious diss on the restaurant. However, when I've been seated just to have to wait 30 minutes for the server to return, I don't feel bad for getting up and leaving. Whether it's been because of the menu, poor service, or maybe something unpleasant like a hair in your food, have you ever left a restaurant early? What happened?
Source: Flickr User _Pek_
The baby carrot marketing blitz we showed you last year is accomplishing what it set out to do — giving bite-sized veggies a junk food makeover. A recent Fast Company article digs into this new campaign, which has taken cues from companies like Doritos and Coca-Cola to rebrand baby carrots as a cool, snackable alternative to both traditional carrots and unhealthy salty and sweet options. Using clever commercials, social media, chips-like packaging, and out-of-the-box strategies like baby carrot vending machines at schools, these lil guys are making a comeback.
But what do you think about baby carrots? Some find them overrated, but I think they are super convenient for a healthy, midafternoon snack, especially since they don't require the standard fresh fruit and vegetable prep.
And I have to say it's a lot better to be absentmindedly munching on baby carrots at my desk than, say, gummy bears. What do you think?
Since both my mother and my grandmother are avid pie-makers, I've grown up eating a fair share of buttery, crust-covered, fruit-filled desserts in many different shapes and flavors. From galettes to fried pies to traditional berry and peach, for me pie beats out cake any day of the week. So I'm loving that pie is generating some sweet buzz at restaurants and bakeries as well as weddings (goodbye, cupcake tower, hello, pie bar). The rustic, down-home dessert is having a "moment," so now's the time to have some fun with it! Whether it's just for your family or it's for wedding favors, I've rounded up some new ways to bake, package, and display pies. So, dig in!
It's snow watch 2011 here in San Francisco, and while it may be barely enough to count, it's still pretty exciting for us Bay Area residents. I've always been fascinated by snow-based dishes like snow ice cream and maple syrup snow candy, but I've never made them. For those of you who live in chilly climates, have you ever made something tasty with snow? What was it? And if you are lucky enough to have loads of powdery white fluff, I found a a recipe for snow-made maple syrup taffy on The Kitchn!
It's almost Oscar time! If you're throwing a showstopping soiree this Sunday, you'll need to set the stage with some glam table toppers. For serving decadent apps like crab cakes and chive tartines, I recommend the Nagoya 3-Part Server ($15) and Kate Spade's Ticker Tape Tidbit Plates ($50). Pour your guests citrus sparklers in these Mr. and Mrs. Cocktail glasses ($18) set on black braided coasters ($36). And in honor of the star-studded event, sparkle up the tables with gold origami star confetti ($4). To shop the rest of the look, click on the images above!
The Oscars are almost here, and that means you may be catching up on all of the nominated flicks leading up to the golden statue showdown. If you're at the movies, pick up your fave theater snacks, and if you're at home, why not try something a little more on the wild side? I've handpicked 10 snackable goodies — from the unusual like bacon trail mix and s'mores on a stick to the more traditional like soft pretzels — that will make your movie-watching experience as tasty as it is entertaining. Check 'em now!
This weekend is the San Francisco Wine Competition, so to get in the mood for sipping, test your vino knowledge with my grape quiz. You may know your Chardonnay from your Merlot, but how about the less mainstream varieties? Tell me, red grape or white grape?
Source: Flickr User Nick Allen
Take the Quiz
With snow flurries and rain-filled clouds, nothing warms you up this Winter like a steaming cup of your favorite beverage. Whether you're sipping on a maple latte, spruced-up hot cocoa, or Earl Grey, I've found some artsy mugs with painterly designs for your toasty drink (or soup!) of choice. You could even use one of these pretties for serving chocolate cake. I especially love Etsy artist Yevgenia's botanical ceramic travel mugs, like this daisy one ($45), which has me dreaming of springtime flowers. To shop the rest of these handheld works of art, click on the images above!
For a truly romantic dinner for two this Valentine's Day, create a regal, Moroccan-inspired setting with luxe gold and red details. Set the mood with this Red Sea Reef No. 20° Candle ($50) and Jodphur Red Lantern Candleholders ($15), then pour some vino into these gold-rimmed glasses ($28). Use Le Creuset's heart-shaped casserole ($160) for the herbed potato gratin and DWR's Hungry Bowls ($175) for the arugula salad with blood oranges and fennel. To shop the rest of the look, click on the above images!
I'll admit I'm a huge fan of doughnuts. I'll also admit the idea of making the delicious fried dough is a little intimidating. Enter, Stonewall Kitchen Chocolate Doughnut Mix and Wilton Doughnut Pan. The boxed mix was a piece of cake (pun intended) to make, and baking them in the doughnut pan meant less mess and less fat than the frying method. (Although frying is still the best tasting method, in my opinion.)
The sole ingredients for the batter and frosting were milk, butter, and an egg. The only tricky part was spooning the extremely thick and goopy batter into the doughnut pan, but I got the hang of it by the second batch.
After about 12 minutes in the oven, I simply turned the pan over onto a baking rack, dipped the rings in frosting, and enjoyed the very moist, super rich, and almost brownie-like chocolate doughnuts. While they are no substitute for the real deal, they were easy and tasty enough to make again — I can't wait to try the cinnamon sugar doughnut mix! Have you tried any good doughnut mixes?
It's National Hot Tea Month, and it's no wonder the brewed beverage is in January's spotlight. Not only is it perfect for warming cold hands during Winter days, but many New Year's resolution-makers are swapping their cup of joe for a cup of tea to cut out caffeine or partake in a cleanse. From oolong to herbal, picking a type of leaf and flavor is almost as fun as taking the first sip — my favorite is Mighty Leaf's vanilla bean black tea! But before boiling your water, be sure to check out these tips for brewing the perfect cup. To get started, I've handpicked some brew tools, teapots, and teacups for all you tea enthusiasts, so shop them below. And share your favorite type of tea in the comments below!
Source: Flickr User Marco Arment
Ice wine, as we in the US call it, is a delicious dessert wine I discovered in my wine tasting travels to British Columbia, Canada. If you, too, happen to be visiting our northern neighbor (or live there!), there are festivals dedicated to the special vino taking place right now, like the Niagara Icewine Festival or the Okanagan's Winter Icewine Festival. So in honor of this crisp, sweet wine, I've put together a quiz to test your smarts on the grape-derived drink. Let's see what you've got!
Source: Flickr User Craig Hatfield
Take the Quiz
If you, too, are in the mood for comfort foods this Winter, I've got you covered with these kitchen essentials. Whether you're making lasagna, chili, pizza, or grilled cheese, here are the tools for heatin' up that kitchen with steamy, roasted, and broiled dishes. From big-ticket must haves like the Mauviel Roasting Pan ($200), Le Creuset's 5-piece Soup for Supper Set ($100), and the Breville Panini Quattro Press ($50), to stylish bowls ($14) and a slick ladle stand ($15), get ready to serve up some comfort. Click the above pics to shop the rest of the goods!
