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Shiloh and Zahara Are Stylish Sisters in Hats

Molly — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:30:34 -0700

Support for the UNHCR starts early in the Jolie-Pitt family! Shiloh was sporting one of the organizations famous blue hats - which we've seen Angelina wear once or twice - at the grocery store with Zahara, Brad and Angelina in late September. The family was out buying food in France and while Angelina and Brad checked out the produce, little tomboy Shiloh was all about her junk food. Zahara was ever the fashionista in her stylish rain boots. It's been quite the Jolie-Pitt fest this weekend including getting a glimpse at Knox and Vivienne as well as more of Shiloh's unique dress up choices for a trip to the store this morning.

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US and France at War Over Food Tariffs

YumSugar — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 03:00:04 -0800

France and the United States are engaged in another food war, and this time it's not over fries. The French government was infuriated by the legacy that President George W. Bush implemented right before leaving office: enacting a colossal tax on France's prized Roquefort cheese. While he imposed a 100 percent import duty on many products from the European Union, the former US President singled out the pungent blue cheese for a 300 percent tariff. As a result, Americans will soon be unable to buy Roquefort. In a letter to newly inaugurated President Barack Obama, French parliament member Philippe Folliot called for the removal of the steep duty. If the high tariff doesn't change, he said, there may be unfortunate consequences. "Symbol versus symbol," he said. "Since the United States has decided to surtax one of the most ancient (cheese) appellations, I think that the French government, with the European Union, must think about a heavy specific tax on imports of Coca-Cola concentrates produced in the US."

I hope Obama reconsiders the tax on Roquefort, so the US and France can return to more diplomatic times. Americans can still enjoy their Roquefort and the French can drink all the Coke they want.

What do you think - does it seem fair for France to tax the US in retaliation for a large tariff on Roquefort?

Source

Angelina Takes Shiloh and Zahara Shopping Back in France

PopSugarUK — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 07:09:40 -0700

Angelina Jolie was back in France this morning with Shiloh and Zahara, after spending the weekend in Jordan with Brad and the twins eating ice-cream! Shiloh was wearing her favourite hat again which she teamed a tie and trousers, while Zahara went for girly style in her purple dress and pink flip flops - so adorable! The trio went to a supermarket in Brignoles and shopped for food and treats for the kids, including dolls and a remote controlled car.

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Sunday Dinner: Cassoulet-Style Chicken Thighs

YumSugar — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 06:00:43 -0700

Filled with anticipation of the workweek, Sunday night can easily fall short of a relaxing evening. So, to keep my thoughts at bay, I'm going to prepare the ultimate in comfort food: cassoulet, a pork and bean casserole that hails from southern France.

Traditional cassoulet can be heavy and time-intensive, but I've found one that's luscious yet light - and takes less than an hour to prepare. Rather than using duck confit and pork sausage, the recipe employs boneless, skinless chicken thighs and turkey kielbasa. Interested yet? Check it out when you read more

Ming Tsai on Best Meals, Food Politics, and What's Next

YumSugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:30:41 -0700

If it hasn't become apparent over the last few days, I'm an enthusiastic fan of Ming Tsai's. Last week, the Simply Ming chef stopped into San Francisco to host a party for the Macy's Come Together campaign. While demonstrating how to make potstickers, Ming, an exceptional storyteller, made fun of his parents who were present in the audience, told tales of mischief in France's Michelin-starred restaurants, and recalled his win against Bobby Flay on Iron Chef America ("rumor has it that I may soon face off against Iron Chef Morimoto," he told the crowd).

I got to kick back with Chef Ming, who, in between his thoughts on joining Top Chef Masters, must-have kitchen ingredients, and tips for keeping cool when hosting a party, had more surprising thoughts to share! Learn what they are when you read more

Healthy Dose Link Time

FitSugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 11:00:34 -0700

Attention! Army appoints first female drill sergeant - That's Fit
Find low-cal meals on the run using the Internet - Vital Juice
Squeeze more antioxidants out of your tea by adding this ingredient - Health
Photoshopped ads in France to include disclaimers - FitCeleb
Bounce, baby bounce! Trampolines are back in fitness fashion - Vitamin G
Cubicle-tested exercise by the new receptionist on The Office - Fresh Fitness Tips
The skinny on Shape-Ups, the fitness shoe by Skechers -Fit Bottomed Girls
Why do restaurants put soooo much salt in their food? - Daily Spark
Tropical oils vs. saturated fats - Nutrition Data Blog

Subway Poised to Surpass McDonald's in Locations

YumSugar — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:35:03 -0700

Could Subway be the world's new McDonald's? It sure looks that way. In the next few months, it will become the world's largest food chain. Although McDonald's has a total of 32,158 eateries worldwide, it has largely curtailed expansion efforts, preferring to hone in on existing store sales. Subway, on the other hand, has been multiplying exponentially, with outposts in China, Qatar, India, and France. This week, it's expected to exceed 31,800 total stores. At a time when restaurants and fast-food establishments are struggling, Subway turned a profit in the last year with its its $5 foot-long sandwich promotion. Yet in overall sales, McDonald's remains untouched. According to industry experts, the average US McDonald's generates $2.3 million in sales, compared to $445,000 for Subway. I'm surprised - I had no idea that Subway was so ubiquitous in other parts of the world. What about you? Would you rather patronize a Subway or a McDonald's?

Source: Flickr User zyphbear

Burning Question: Are Cajun and Creole Cooking the Same?

YumSugar — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 06:50:18 -0700

It's an age-old question: is there a distinction between Cajun and Creole cooking - or are they really just the same thing?

The answer is somewhere in between. Creole cooking evolved out of the cosmopolitan culture of New Orleans, a city affected by the influx of international colonists who settled there after the Louisiana Purchase. New Orleans's denizens adopted spices from Africa and the Caribbean, butter and cream from France, tomatoes from Italy, and peppers from Spain and took advantage of the abundance of oysters, shrimp, and crab abundantly available in the Gulf.

Cajun cooking developed in Louisiana's rural backcountry. Acadians drew from their French and Southern roots, cooking whatever could be farmed and trapped locally, along with other inexpensive ingredients such as crawfish, rice, beans, and pork fat. Some of Louisiana's dishes are distinctly Creole, like shrimp rémoulade. Others - take crawfish étouffée, for instance - are credited to the Cajuns. But certain dishes shared by both cuisines, such as jambalaya, possess subtler differences: the Creole version typically contains tomatoes, while its Cajun counterpart employs a roux.

Over time, as the two terms have been used more generically and interchangeably, the differences between Cajun and Creole cooking have become blurred, and food historians have taken to focusing on regional differences within the state. What's your take on Cajun versus Creole? Which do you like more?

Ruth Reichl to Star in New Gourmet Travel Show

YumSugar — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:30:53 -0700

Looking forward to Bravo's Top Chef 6, Food Network's The Next Iron Chef, and the rest of Fall's food-focused lineup? Then there's one more show to TiVo. On Oct. 17, Gourmet magazine will debut a series on public television entitled Gourmet's Adventures With Ruth. On the half-hour show, editor Ruth Reichl travels the world visiting cooking schools with the likes of Frances McDormand and Lorraine Bracco. Gourmet's Adventures With Ruth will also air on Gourmet's TiVo channel, as well as the American Airlines in-flight television channel. At least 10 episodes will be backed by the airlines, whose sponsorship includes branding spots, ad pages in the magazine, and a presence on the website.

As Ruth Reichl's number-one fan, I can't wait to see this show - although I'm curious to know how different the point of view will be from its predecessor, Diary of a Foodie. Will you watch Ruth Reichl eat her way around the globe?

Forbes Ranks the 100 Most Powerful Women in the World

SavvySugar — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:00:18 -0700

For the sixth year in a row, Forbes has rounded up its list of the world's most powerful women. It measures influence by scoring each female leader on visibility (not to be mistaken for popularity) and the size of the organization or country these women lead. The top spot remains unchanged from the previous three years, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel sits at number one of 100 for leading the fourth largest economy in the world.

Notable American newcomers to the 2009 rankings include Michele Obama who debuted at number 40 (just ahead of Oprah Winfrey at 41 and Britain's Queen Elizabeth at 42); Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor at 54; Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius at 56; Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano at 51; and Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Mary Schapiro at 55. Visit Forbes for the full list, and find out who are the 10 most influential women when you read more.

Angela Merkel: Chancellor, Germany
Sheila Bair: Chairman, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., US
Indra Nooyi: Chairman and chief executive, PepsiCo, US
Cynthia Carroll: Chief executive, Anglo American, UK
Ho Ching: Chief executive, Temasek Holdings, Singapore
Irene Rosenfeld: Chairman, chief executive, Kraft Foods, US
Ellen Kullman: Chief executive, DuPont, US
Angela Braly: Chief executive and president, WellPoint, US
Anne Lauvergeon: Chief executive, Areva, France
Lynn Elsenhans: Chief executive, Sunoco, US