5 Simple Tips to Trim Your Wedding Guest List


Updated 05/10/12 3:55 PM · Posted by · 0 comments

How to Cut Your Wedding Guest List

From long-lost aunts and uncles to your father-in-law's best friend's cousin, it's easy to let your wedding guest list spin out of control. It's tough to pick and choose who to invite — where do you draw the line? Still, when it comes to watching expenses, cutting the guest list can be one of the quickest ways to keep costs low. Whether you're narrowing it down in hopes of a more intimate Read more

Choosing a Ring: Diamond's Cheaper, Identical Twin


Updated 04/25/12 3:55 PM · Posted by · 1 comment

Man-Made Diamonds vs. Real Diamonds

Do a diamond's origins matter that much? We have come to a point in which scientists can create diamonds in the lab that are virtually indistinguishable from mined diamonds. If you're contemplating buying this lab-grown gem during your engagement ring hunt, here are a few things you should know: It's not cubic zirconia. Everyone's familiar with cubic zirconia, which is known to imitate the look Read more

Taste the Rainbow With These Seasonally-Inspired Vegetarian Salads


Updated 04/03/12 2:04 PM · Posted by · 1 comment

Colorful Spring Salad Recipes

Spring brings a bounty of colorful fruits and vegetables, rich in essential phytonutrients. Phytonutrients boost the immune system, help prevent disease and cancer, and are classified by their pigment or color. To load up on the full spectrum of phytonutrients, click through to see some of our favorite rainbow-bright salad recipes. Photos by: Camilla Salem Read more

How to Clean Out Your Closet


Updated 03/26/12 9:54 AM · Posted by · 2 comments

How to Clean a Closet

Getting dressed is a much more enjoyable process when you have a neat, organized closet to rummage through each morning. Stray belts, mismatched shoes, and a pole lined with tangled, broken hangers makes for extra, unnecessary stress. Sure, cleaning out your closet may be an elaborate process, but the results will have a major, time-saving payoff. Not sure where to begin? Follow this Read more

Get to Know the 5 French Mother Sauces


Updated 03/06/12 2:15 PM · Posted by · 0 comments

French Mother Sauces

Ever heard of the five French mother sauces? Originally classified by Antonin Carême in the 19th century and later updated by Auguste Escoffier in the 20th century, the sauces include béchamel, velouté, espagnole, hollandaise, and tomato. Most other sauces find their origins in these five types, hence the term "mother." Here's a brief rundown on the ingredients of each sauce, plus common Read more

Know Your Techniques: Brunoise


Updated 01/30/12 2:57 PM · Posted by · 1 comment

How to Cut a Brunoise

Don't be scared off by the fancy name of this cut; it's actually quite simple. If you followed along with our lesson on how to julienne vegetables, then you already know most of the steps to achieve this fine dice. A brunoise is classified as a tiny cube, measuring 1/8 of an inch on each side. Luckily for us, a julienne leaves us with sticks that are 1/8 inch by 1/8 inch by 2 1/2 to 3 inches. Read more

Fresh Start Resolution: Organize Your Desk


Updated 01/13/12 3:10 AM · Posted by SavvySugar · 0 comments

How to Organize a Desk

Having an organized workspace will streamline your schedule and boost your productivity, so take some time to assess your desk situation and sort your supplies. Whether you're in need of a major overhaul or just a mini makeover, you can follow these six easy steps to create a clean, clutter-free desk space. Clear it all out. Before you can arrange your things or add new supplies, you'll need to Read more

Pizza Is a Vegetable? Congress's Latest Bill Seems to Think So!


Updated 11/17/11 4:23 PM · Posted by · 2 comments

Pizza Considered Vegetable by Congress

Somebody call Jamie Oliver, because US legislators need a quick lesson in nutrition. Earlier this year, the Department of Agriculture introduced new school meal nutrition standards created in the wake of our childhood obesity epidemic. Among the lunch-line changes were new standards limiting the use of potatoes and sodium and increasing the use of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in the Read more

Havana Nights: A Cuban Food Primer


Updated 11/09/11 4:59 PM · Posted by · 4 comments

Cuban Dishes and Ingredients

When you taste Cuban food for the first time, you'd swear that Spanish and Caribbean cuisines had a little love child — which isn't too far from the truth. The diversity of Cuban culture is indicative in the rich and varied flavors of the country's cuisine. One of the most thriving Cuban communities in the US is located in Miami, FL (and let me tell you, they've got the food to prove it!). Read more

Wine Writer Ray Isle on Seeking Out the Right Wines — and Wineries


Updated 06/17/11 6:30 PM · Posted by YumSugar · 0 comments

Interview With Ray Isle

Food & Wine Editor Kate Krader may be the darling of the restaurant world, but when it comes to wine, that's the domain of Executive Wine Editor Ray Isle, who not only runs the magazine's wine section, but also organizes all of the wine seminars and tastings at the Aspen Food & Wine Classic. We managed to snag Ray away from his busy schedule for a moment to ask him about his favorite Read more