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Yummy Links: From German Beer to Pabst Blue Ribbon

partysugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 06:50:51 -0700

What you should know about German beer. - Chow
On Chez Pim's cookbook: What really is a foodie? - Eat Me Daily
Meet the revuelto, Spain's answer to scrambled eggs, but with more veggies and less eggs.- The Atlantic
The movie Julie & Julia doesn't translate well with the French.- The New York Times
There's nothing more simply delicious than spaghetti alla carbonara. - Serious Eats
Soul Food Farm recently experienced a crippling fire. Here's how you can help. - Eater SF
Reusable produce bags get rid of the need for plastic. - The Epi-Log
More and more hipsters are drinking PBR. - Grub Street

Come Party With Me: Oktoberfest - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:00:43 -0700

Contrary to popular belief, Oktoberfest, the annual German beer festival, doesn't begin in October, it actually starts this weekend! Just because I can't travel to this year's event doesn't mean I shouldn't celebrate in the comforts of my own home. You can, too, by following my plan for the ultimate Oktoberfest.

Start by serving a delectable German-inspired meal. Sauteed bratwurst are succulent when paired with braised sauerkraut, soft onions, and sweet apples. A classic vinegar-based potato salad is a filling and savory side dish. To get these recipes please keep reading.

Yummy Links: From German Beer to Healthful Holiday Eating

partysugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:15:47 -0800

Five German beers worth trying. - The Atlantic
Do you live in Miami or Portland? Get excited because Eater has expanded to those cities. - Eater
Frank Bruni's memoir Born Round may be turned into a television show. - Grub Street NY
Learn what Josh Ozersky will be up to now that he has bid the Feedbag adieu. - The Feedbag
Scripps Networks has acquired the Travel Channel, meaning that the Food Network is back in bed with Anthony Bourdain. - Eat Me Daily
Must make: creamy corn soup with roasted poblano chili. - Serious Eats
Everything you need to know about stuffing. - The Epi-Log
How to stay healthy during the holidays. - Chow

Source: Flickr User Maggie Hoffman

What's Cooking at Slashfood

YumSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:50:49 -0800

We love Slashfood so much that every Thursday we round up their most delicious stories. Here are this week's finds:

Trader Joe's and other stores are forced to recall ground beef packages.
Why KFC's Colonel Sanders has a mixed reputation in his hometown.
The Skinny Chef's spin on German curry wurst.
Emeril's new burger bistro will have condiments made in-house.
Cozy up to cook with Long Nights and Log Fires.
You saw it coming: yet another frog-in-food incident.

Hostess-Inspired German Chocolate Cupcakes

YumSugar — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:15:40 -0700

For my uncle's birthday, I always bake him a German chocolate cake. However, this year I was bored with the regular old recipe and decided to try something new. Inspired by the classic Hostess Cupcakes, I created a rich German chocolate variation. First, I baked a moist chocolate cupcake. Next, I filled it with a coconut-pecan mixture. Finally, I topped it with a luscious layer of chocolate ganache.

Although the cake, ganache, and filling are simple to make, assembling the cupcake is more difficult. I tried using a pastry bag to stuff the center of the cupcakes, but quickly realized the pecans were too large and clogged the tip. Determined to fill the cakes, I used my finger to create a small cavity on the bottom of each cupcake and gently placed the filling inside. Any minor cracks were covered with thick a layer of ganache, so luckily, none of my guests noticed! To make your own scrumptious Hostess-inspired German chocolate cupcakes, read more.

German Chocolate Cupcakes
Adapted from Food & Wine

Ingredients

Cake
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup cold strong brewed coffee
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Ganache
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 pound imported semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
Nut Filling
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup evaporated whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup coarsely shredded sweetened coconut (about 2 1/2 ounces)
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans (about 4 ounces), toasted
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Toast pecan pieces at 350°F for 8-10 minutes until fragrant. Keep a close watch and occasionally toss the pecans to ensure that they don't burn.
Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a muffin pan. In a bowl, sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, coffee, buttermilk, and vanilla.
Beat the coffee mixture into the dry ingredients in 2 batches with an electric mixer on low speed. Beat in the butter. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tin and bake for 8-12 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the cakes cool in the pan on a rack.
Meanwhile, make the ganache: In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil over moderately high heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate.
Let stand for 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Transfer the ganache to a bowl and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until chilled and thickened, about 2 hours.
Make the nut filling: In a heavy medium saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Whisk in the evaporated milk and then the butter. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and lightly coats a spoon, about 10 minutes; do not let it boil.
Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut, pecans, and vanilla. Transfer to a bowl and let cool completely.
To fill the center of the cupcakes with nut filling, turn each cake upside down. Using your finger or a small spoon, carefully scoop out some of the cake to create a small hole. Gently insert the nut filling. Turn right side up.
Place on a cooling rack with either a pan underneath or wax paper to catch the extra ganache. If ganache is too hard, let it stand at room temperature and stir it briefly. Use a spoon to drizzle the ganache until the entire cupcake is covered. Place in a refrigerator or freezer to allow the ganache to set.
Top each cupcake with a dollop of nut filling. Enjoy.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

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Summer of Salads: German Potato Salad

YumSugar — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:00:46 -0700

One of the reasons I look forward to Summer is the remarkable seasonal fare that comes along with the warm weather, from barbecue to ceviche to tropical Popsicles and everything in between. Since Party and I have had such a blast putting together Summer recipes (we instated an ice cream sandwich series in years past), we've decided to bring you a brand new series: Summer of salads.

From a crunchy classic Caesar to a Calabrian tuna panzanella, this season is sure to be all about refreshing salads that will keep you going even when the mercury rises. Traditional German potato salad is one of my favorites. Since it's made with a vinegar-based sauce, it's not as creamy as American potato salad, but what it lacks in creaminess it more than makes up for in tang from the vinegar and smokiness from bacon bits. It also stands up to the heat better than classic potato salad. To make this for a Summer grillout or picnic, read more.

German Potato Salad
Adapted from Bobby Flay

Ingredients

3 pounds new potatoes
1 yellow onion, quartered
1/2 pound bacon, diced
1 large red onion, diced
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1/4 cup canola oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

Place potatoes in a large pot with the onion and cover with cold water. Cook on high until tender. Drain, discard the onion, and cut the potatoes into cubes when cool enough to handle. Place the potatoes in a large bowl and cover to keep warm.
In a large sauté pan, add the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Add the onions to the rendered bacon fat and cook until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully add the vinegar and mustard seeds and cook for 2 more minutes. Whisk in the canola oil and season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
Add the hot dressing and the bacon pieces to the potatoes and toss gently to coat. Fold in the green onions and parsley. Season again with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serves 8 as a side dish.

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Save a Cat on Facebook: In the LINK of an Eye!

PetSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:30:08 -0700

Check out the new Save a Cat Facebook app - Dogtime
Simon's Cat is still needy (but what a Friday feel good!) - TrèsSugar
RIP, 30-year-old cat, Caterack - People Pets
Learn more about Mutts creator Patrick McDonnell - Paw Nation
What's your take on sedating a pet after surgery? - Dolittler
Bingeing gets rats hooked on junk food - Discovery News
Cool products for the German katzen - moderncat

Spread Holiday Cheer With a Bûche de Noël

YumSugar — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 10:00:43 -0800

I've been dreaming of classic Christmas desserts, so this holiday, I thought I'd bake a bûche de Noël. Rather than opting for excessive designs and detailed accessories, I made a modern cake roll that looked (and felt) effortless. My guests couldn't get enough of the moist, light mocha sponge cake, which was a nice contrast to the sweet and nutty German chocolate filling. Impress your guests when you read more.

German Chocolate Cake Roll
From Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup plus 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large egg yolks plus 3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 stick cubed butter plus 1-1/2 sticks softened butter (2-1/2 sticks or 1-1/4 cups total)
1 teaspoon plus 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (3 teaspoons total)
1-2/3 cups sweetened coconut, toasted until light brown
1 cup chopped pecans
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/3 cup strong hot coffee
1/3 cup buttermilk
Confectioner's sugar, for dusting

Directions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 13-by-18-inch jelly roll pan; line with parchment paper, letting it come up the short sides by about 2 inches. Brush the paper with oil or melted butter and lightly dust with flour.
Make the filling: Whisk the evaporated milk, 1 cup sugar, 3 egg yolks, and the cubed butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until thick and creamy, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla, toasted coconut, and pecans. Set aside to cool completely, stirring occasionally.
Make the cake: Meanwhile, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
In another bowl, whisk the cocoa and chocolate. Add the hot coffee to the cocoa mixture, stirring until smooth; stir in the buttermilk and the remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla.
Using a mixer, beat the softened butter and remaining 1-1/4 cups sugar in a large bowl on high speed until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Reduce the speed to low; add the 3 whole eggs, 1 at a time, incorporating each one before adding the next. Add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the cocoa mixture in 2 parts, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat until just blended; if necessary, fold the batter together with a rubber spatula.
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake until cake springs back when pressed lightly, about 16 minutes. Cool slightly in the pan.
Run a knife around the edge and slide the cake with its paper onto a work surface. Spread the coconut filling evenly over the cake. Roll the cake from one of the short ends, pulling it away from the parchment into a tight cylinder; transfer to a platter. Cool completely and dust with the confectioners' sugar or cocoa.

Serves 8 to 12.

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Oktoberfest Quiz

YumSugar — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 05:30:42 -0700

This past week marked the beginning of Oktoberfest, the Autumn celebration that started in Munich, Germany, almost 200 years ago. It has since spawned festivals everywhere in the world, from Cincinnati to Brazil. Aside from the beer and German delicacies, the event also includes cultural entertainment and attractions.

What do you know about this event, which marks the beginning of the Winter brewing season? Take our quiz to find out!

Source

Take the quiz

Have You Ever Had an International Lover?

TresSugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:00:00 -0700

As with food, adding some international flavor to your love life can really spice things up. Results of a poll that asked women to rate the men they've slept with based on their country of origin (German men came in last and Spanish men came in first) got me curious about how many of us actually date people of different nationalities.

Now I'm looking to you readers to clue me in: have you only explored a dating pool made up of fellow citizens, or have you had an international lover? Be sure to share any juicy details in the comments!