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Do You Recycle Food Packaging?

partysugar — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:15:06 -0700

From egg cartons to aluminum cans, there are a lot of recyclables when it comes to food packaging. Since today is Earth Day, I want to know what you do with this excess of packaging? Do you recycle it?

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Match the Tagline to the Packaged Food!

YumSugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 05:30:33 -0700

You may eat it every day, but can you match the ice cream you're eating to its advertising slogan? Or what about those beers you're double- fisting? Test your S.I.Q. (slogan I.Q.) to see how well you do!

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Take the quiz

Yummy Links: From Chile Peppers to Tyler Florence

partysugar — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 06:50:56 -0700

A visual guide to chile peppers. - Chow
A detailed look at Fall's cookbooks. - Eat Me Daily
Find out which brand of Greek yogurt tastes the best. - Serious Eats
Rachael Ray's not the only one with wacky recipe names; Guy Fieri's are pretty out there, too. - Food Network Humor
Easy secrets for doctoring up packaged foods. - The Epi-Log
Learn how to make a rooftop garden. - Grub Street
Tyler Florence is doing more than just television: he's opening several restaurants and stores. - Eater SF

If You're Drinking This Holiday Season, Go Green

FitSugar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:28:54 -0800

To me, being healthy involves more than exercise and a balanced diet - I also try to live in ways that are eco-conscious and sustainable. I recycle, eat organic and local food, and do my best to cut down on waste. I feel better knowing that I'm helping preserve our planet, and a good state of mind is essential for healthy living!

This philosophy shouldn't stop at cocktail hour. Luckily, there are more choices than ever before when it comes to organic alcohol. Since the holidays often involve parties and grand meals, why not choose responsibly made alcohol if you're imbibing this season?

To see a list of organic spirits, beer, and wine, read more.

Tru Organic Vodka ($20). Tru vodka is made from organic ingredients, and the company plants a tree in Central America for every bottle sold. The company uses less glass to produce its bottles, and the glass that is used is recycled. Top that off with a synthetic cork, soy-based ink, and packaging that converts into a shelf and you've got yourself a carbon negative rating! Aside from its straight vodka offering, choose from lemon or vanilla flavored vodka too.
Casa Noble Tequila ($40-130). Award-winning Casa Noble is made from 100% organically farmed Blue Agave plants and is USDA certified organic. All the tequila is made harvest-to-bottle on the Casa Noble estate where water usage is carefully monitored and organic cleaning products dominate. Choose from silver, resposado, anejo, single barrel resposado, and single barrel anejo.
Juniper Green Gin ($20). Juniper Green has the bragging rights of being the first organic gin ever, and is made using organic ingredients like grain, juniper, and coriander. Besides being USDA certified it also has certification from the British Soil Association for its use of sustainable farming practices.
Papagayo Organic Rum ($28). The organic sugarcane used to make Papagayo single estate rum comes from small family farms in Paraguay, and the rum is distilled using organic practices. Available as a white or spiced rum.
Benromach Organic Single Malt Scotch Whisky ($60). The raw ingredients of Benromach are all organic, and the company is certified by the British Soil Association. Though it's not reclaimed wood, its casks are made from materials that come from sustainably managed forests.
Parducci Wine ($12). Parducci wines are not only affordable they are made using organic grapes from family owned farms and come delivered in eco-friendly packaging. The Parducci estate uses solar and renewable energy to power itself, as well as sustainable farming practices.
Domaine Carneros Sparkling Wine ($30). Made from organic grapes, bubbly from Domaine Carneros is also vegan. (If you didn't already know champagne and sparkling wine has animal products like egg whites in them.) The winery uses solar power and is a big fan of composting.
Wolaver's Organic Ale ($10 for a 6-pack). Wolaver's uses organic ingredients and its sustainable farming practices include the use of bio-diesel fuel, free-air refrigeration and relying on local ingredients. The company also donates profits to research in organic farming. There are eight varieties available that include pale ale, oatmeal stout, and alta gracia coffee porter.

You Asked: Could Wine Give Me a Headache?

FitSugar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:50:53 -0800

Dear Fit,
In college, I was more into sipping cocktails and drinking beer, but recently I started drinking wine with dinner. I love the taste and how it pairs with more complicated dishes I have started to cook. I've noticed that I get this dull headache when I drink it though. Is this common? Is there a way to prevent it?
- Whining About Wine

As Thomas Jefferson said,"Good wine is a necessity of life for me." Although Jefferson's "necessity" is considered a relaxant and offers a variety of health benefits, drinking wine can cause some unfortunate side effects, including headaches. To find out why, continue reading

Curry Simple Lets You Make Curry In a Hurry

YumSugar — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 11:01:39 -0700

A few weeks ago the folks at Curry Simple sent us a care package containing several of their curry sauces. At first glance, I was a bit skeptical. Unlike most food packaging, there are no luscious shiny food photographs staring back at you; instead it's simply packaged in all white with plain writing. In fact, they actually reminded me of rations, or sample packaging. However, because I love Thai food, I decided to put my judgmental notions aside and give it a try. I'm really glad I did, because it made dinner a snap. Thai food at home in less than 30 minutes without complicated ingredients?! To find out how it is, read more

I personally tried both the Tom Kha (coconut soup) as well as the Red Curry. I found the instructions to be wonderfully simple - sauté meat, add veggies, pour in the sauce, heat it all up and serve! - and the flavor to be aromatic and authentic. I can't say that it was my favorite Red Curry ever, but I must say it was definitely on par with and even better than several restaurants I've been to. However, given that the meal was whipped up in less than 30 minutes - with most of the time spent on the rice - it was definitely worth it. I've made Thai food at home before, and there's always a worry that you've either forgotten the curry paste, or the coconut milk, or any number of other ingredients needed - with Curry Simple it's all in there and ready for you to add.

The Tom Kha was also simple and easy. However, since it was lacking all the actual bits and pieces that a tom kha has (lemon grass stalks, etc.) - it seemed odd from a texture point of view. However the flavor was there, and again I almost felt bad by how simple it was. Also, it says to add equal amounts of the sauce and water, but mine was just too watery. In fact, that's the one complaint I had about both packets: The sauces come out a bit thin. To work around this, I'd say drain the juices off of the meat and veggies and then add in the sauce. Either way it's a simple way to get dinner on the table.

They're available online starting at $5.95 per packet and have recently been placed in the Atlanta Whole Foods.

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Are There Too Many Chef Shows on TV?

BuzzSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:30:02 -0800

We've already talked about the abundance of dance shows on TV, but there's another genre that seems to be taking over the networks - competitive cooking. NBC just picked up United Plates of America, a new series by the producers of Top Chef which will pit hopeful restaurateurs against each other for the ultimate prize of starting their own chain. The winner gets to open four locations on the night of the finale. That's a pretty cool gift package, but it has me thinking - don't we have enough of this programming on TV already?

The premise does sound more unique than most, but it used to be that the Food Network was the only TV cooking choice with its popular Iron Chef franchise. Since then, other channels have gotten in on the act, too, like Fox's Hell's Kitchen and of course Bravo with Top Chef, Top Chef Masters, Top Chef: Just Desserts . . . need I go on?

Of course, if you're a foodie, you may be excited to have yet another show for your TiVo queue, but I wonder if all of this is overkill. How about you?

To the Rescue: Can Adult Dogs Eat Puppy Formula?

PetSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:55:24 -0800

Can they? Yes. Should they? Probably not. Although not that different ingredient-wise than adult formulas, puppy-specific kibble usually has more fat and protein.

The meat sources are likely listed first (ie, in higher proportion) for a growing body, which obviously makes it more appealing to an adult dog. The high protein and caloric content can make adult dogs overweight super quickly, so there's a reason the packaging says to only feed to the lil ones for a limited time - that meal for an extended period of time is damaging and dangerous to health.

In fact, some breeders of large dogs (especially those prone to weight issues or bloat) recommend not feeding these puppy formulas more than a few months due to the high content of all those things mentioned above. Did you feed your pets puppy food or move straight into adult bits for the babes?

Source: Flickr User estoril

Shrunken Packaged Foods' Slow Return to Their Original Size

YumSugar — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:45:01 -0700

In a small indication that America may be on a slow road to economic recovery, consumer foods marketers are beginning to reintroduce larger packages at the same price. Last year, manufacturers were hit by high fuel and commodity prices, so to avoid blatantly transferring cost increases to consumers, manufacturers such as Hellman's, Tropicana, and Kellogg's quietly began downsizing packages.

Ben & Jerry's even went after the size of Haagen-Dazs in its marketing campaign, pointing out that the rival company had downsized its "pints" from 16 to 14 ounces. But recently, some consumer products, like Pringles Super Stacks, and certain bags of Frito-Lay's chips, have shot back up to their original sizes. It's unclear whether increased package sizes are going to be part of limited-time promotions or permanent reversals.

Which products have you noticed products increasing in size lately?

What's Yummy This Week - YumSugar Weekly Recap

YumSugar — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 09:30:25 -0800

This holiday, make a homemade crust with shortening for an apple pie you won't forget.
Enter to win our ultimate Thanksgiving package!
Top Chef took food into the bedroom; did you watch?
You'll want to make this Maryland-style crab dip again and again.
It's a tired turkey day no more, thanks to Party's bold flavorful Thanksgiving.
Can you identify which classic dishes were named after people?
Decide what seasonal cocktails to serve with your big feast.