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Know Your Ingredients: Capers

YumSugar — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:00:33 -0700

Like hearts of palm, capers have become a fixture in salad bars, smoked salmon spreads, and meat marinades. But besides their characteristically piquant flavor, what do we know about them? Capers have played a significant role in Mediterranean cuisine for thousands of years; early dishes have been traced back to before 3000 BC. These tiny green dots are the immature flower buds of a thorny, prickly bush that's widespread all over the Middle East and Mediterranean.

Processing the buds is labor-intensive, as they must be plucked at a specific point in the maturation process. The bud, which is generally flavorless when fresh, develops an intense, sharp flavor after the blossoms are sun-dried and brined in vinegar, salt, or wine. And while they range in size from 7 mm to the size of a small olive, smaller caper varieties are more aromatic and come with a higher price tag.

Are you astonished to hear that capers have been preserved for thousands of years? What are your favorite ways to enjoy them?

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What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:30:36 -0700

All of the new DVD releases hit stores (and Netflix) on Tuesdays. So each week in What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday, I sort through the best of the batch and tell you what to add to your queue. Oh and even though it's not on Netflix, don't forget that Ally McBeal: The Complete Series is finally available on DVD today!

Year One

The comedy chops of Michael Cera and Jack Black weren't enough to make prehistoric comedy Year One a hit, but the movie still has some laughs, especially if you're fans of the two actors.

The gross-out humor definitely wore on me, but the funny supporting cast might make it worth the rental (Paul Rudd, Hank Azaria, and David Cross all make cameos) - if you can stand all the toilet humor.

16%

See two more new releases when you read more.

Anvil! The Story of Anvil

Anvil! The Story of Anvil became a surprising sleeper hit, thanks in large part to word of mouth (aka Twitter). The documentary centers around Canadian heavy metal band Anvil, who may have been little known to the public, but actually went on to influence other popular acts like Metallica. Metallica even shows up in the movie to talk about the band.

The movie was beloved by critics (check that Rotten Tomatoes rating!) and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award.

98%

Assassination of a High School President

Bruce Willis and Mischa Barton star in Assassination of a High School President, a comedy/crime caper set in a high school. The film made a splash at last year's Sundance Film Festival, but then kind of faded away when it came to a theatrical release . . . no matter, because it's on Netflix now.

I was intrigued by the trailer for this movie and will probably check it out, especially since it has Rocket Science's cute protagonist, Reece Thompson.

57%

Which movie will you be adding to your Netflix queue?

Summer of Salads: Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

partysugar — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 10:15:42 -0700

Whenever I'm cooking for a crowd and need a recipe that's portable, I always consider pasta salad. It's filling and easy to make a large batch. While sometimes I assemble a Mediterranean pasta salad with orzo and feta, I also like to make this recipe with tomatoes and mozzarella.

What provides this salad with incredible flavor is the sun-dried tomato dressing - it's so good I've enjoyed it with fish! Made in a blender or food processor, the dressing is a mixture of tomatoes, capers, and garlic, thinned with oil and red wine vinegar. A generous handful of parmesan cheese and fresh basil finish off the satisfying salad that only tastes better the next day. To make it before tomato season is over get the recipe now

Know Your Ingredients: Caperberries

YumSugar — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 09:00:18 -0700

If you were surprised to learn where capers came from, it might be helpful to get a primer on a close relative, the caperberry. Do you know the difference between the two?

These oblong, semi-green fruits, which are picked from the same plant as capers, are similar in size to small grapes or olives. The berries have a brined, lemony taste that's reminiscent of capers, but with less salt and intensity. If the immature blossoms of the flowering bush aren't selected to become capers, they flower into a white and violet-colored bloom, and later fruit to produce a berry that, when brined, has a milder, less piquant flavor than a caper.

Caperberries have varied uses from their smaller counterparts; they're often eaten as a snack alongside antipasti or placed in lieu of olives as a garnish in Bloody Marys and martinis. They can also be incorporated into savory salads.

Do you prefer caperberries to capers? What are your favorite ways to consume them?

Nancy Silverton and Mario Batali Talk Italian Food

partysugar — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:44:44 -0700

At the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen over the weekend I was lucky enough to attend a demonstration lead by Nancy Silverton and Mario Batali. The duo are the masterminds behind a popular Los Angeles restaurant, Osteria Mozza. Silverton works most nights at the eatery behind the mozzarella bar. Batali, of course, is busy with lots of projects like a new line of tomato sauce and a pizza oven. When he hit the stage he dipped his hand in a pot of boiling pasta water and used it to slick back his hair! The two cooked, joked, and talked Italian cuisine. To find out what they had to say, read more.

To cook like an Italian, Mario insists on spending quality time shopping. "If you get good ingredients and don't really mess around with them, then you're cooking like an Italian."
When looking for ingredients, both Silverton and Batali seek out harder to find Italian specialty items like straticella (a type of fresh cheese), speck (smoked prosciutto), and guanicale (similar to bacon, but made from pork cheeks). Mario shamelessly pointed out that this kind of charcuterie can be purchased from his father's salumeria.

When making pasta, Batali undercooks it by two minutes. "When the box says it cooks in 10-12 minutes, I take it out after 8 minutes of cooking, then cook it for one more minute in the pan."
Like many Italian chefs, Batali said the "most crucial ingredient when making pasta is the starchy pasta water."
Instead of liquid honey, when she can find it, Silverton likes to use whole edible honey comb on cheese plates.
Let the pan do the work. Place meat and fish in a hot pan and leave it there. Don't mess with it, especially if it's fish.
Try making pesto in a mortar and pestle. Silverton, whose a huge fan of pestos, makes a variety including the classic basil, and other more interesting renditions like celery leaf, tomato, and caper pestos. While the elements may change, she makes pesto by hand in a mortar and pestle instead of a food processor. "The difference between male and female cooking is that men like machines and women like to be hands-on."
In Italy, they cook with everything from the head to the tail and from the leaf to the root, so make the most of your ingredients.
Unlike in French cooking, Italians (and Batali) don't worry about emulsifying sauces. Batali likes it when each bite is different and textured.
Lightly dress salads.
Spend the extra dollar on more expensive pasta. It will affect the overall flavor of the dish and is worth it.

The most important thing that Batali and Silverton stressed was that Italians are regionally focused. Each town has its own specific type of local cuisine. To truly cook like an Italian, look to your hometown for ingredients that are local and special to that region.

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Breaking News: Dug From Up, the Palm Dog Winner at Cannes!

PetSugar — Fri, 22 May 2009 10:20:51 -0700

Four paws up to the super cute Dug, can you dig it? The animated star of the upcoming Disney-Pixar 3D animated caper captured this year's Palm Dog award at the Cannes Film Festival! The flick, Up, features several hilarious dogs - and a ginormous bird - and I can't wait to see this pooch in action, especially after what my pals BuzzSugar and geeksugar had to say about their sneak peek and interviews with the director and producer.

I guess you can't give an animated dog a treat, but here's an e-bone for you, lil guy!

Traci Des Jardins on Being a More Savvy Home Cook

partysugar — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 10:15:59 -0700

I had the chance to speak with one of San Francisco's most prominent female chefs, Traci Des Jardins. You may be familiar with her, thanks to an appearance on the Food Network's Next Iron Chef competition. Now Des Jardins is happy to be out of the spotlight, "I don't like being that recognizable," and back in the kitchen. Her elegant eatery, Jardiniere, recently launched a Monday night themed price-fixe dinner and she's working on a signature restaurant at Tahoe's NorthStar resort, which will be mountainesque with a casual feel (think wood tables), great service, and sophisticated food.

Des Jardins believes the key to restaurant success during a tough economy is to "control costs and be really financially savvy." We talked about how this concept can translate to the everyday kitchen. To find out what she had to say and check out her advice for being a better home cook, read more.

According to Des Jardins, being a clever cook is not about having the latest gadgets. It's about properly stocking your kitchen with the components to make a meal. Items she recommends having on hand are salt, olive oil, capers, anchovies, and tomato sauce. Here are her tips for being a more practical home chef:

Go to smaller farmers markets and speak with the farmers. You don't always have to purchase organic to get fruit and vegetables that are pesticide free.
Go to the farmers market when it's closing down. You'll see more deals that way. None of the farmers want to carry their produce home with them, so they may be willing to bargain or cut costs.
Select lesser cuts of meat and consume less meat. In general, vegetarian cooking is cheaper.
Cook your kids' favorite foods in batches and freeze them.
Skip the boxed macaroni and cheese and Stove Top stuffing and stock your pantry instead, with the fixings for burritos (tortillas, canned beans, rice) and pasta.
Fill your freezer with ingredients that can be used to make quick meals like frozen peas and fresh bread.
If you are going to splurge on one cooking item, make it olive oil. Since it's the foundation of so many dishes, purchase a high-quality oil that will enhance and enrich the overall flavor of the dish.

What do you think of Des Jardins's tips?

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Sugar Shout Out: Obama Lands on a License Plate

PopSugar — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 23:50:00 -0800

Obama license plates: Love it or leave it?
I want this wardrobe: Confessions of a Shopaholic, Rebecca Bloomwood
Love It or Hate It? Erin Fetherston Gets Kinky
The International: Who's afraid of the big bad bank?
Celebrity Apprentice season 2 sneak peek
Watch cute cat Daphne and her kittens
Heidi Klum is a heart health champion
Dear poll: Do you tell your friends what they want to hear?
Coveted crib: A sleek Hamptons home
Celebrate Mardi Gras with a frozen bananas foster bombe
Tori Spelling's top 5 potty-training tips
Oscar-worthy gadgets: The Dark Knight's cell phone capers
Flashback: Cher goes off on David Letterman

PopUK's New Release Roundup!

PopSugarUK — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 06:00:00 -0800

It's time to let you know all the new releases that I recommend this week! First up I have a couple of DVDs for you - Guy Ritchie's RocknRolla came out yesterday and I very much enjoyed this fun-filled crime caper. It has some amusing performances in it, especially from Gerard Butler and face to watch Tom Hardy.

I also recommend The House Bunny for some laugh out loud moments, and I have to admit I was very skeptical of it before I watched it. Anna Faris makes the Playboy bunny of the title likeable and amusing - it's a comedy in the same vein as Legally Blonde - though Colin Hanks is an uninspiring love interest for her. There's amusing support from the sorority girls she takes under her wing, including Kat Dennings, Emma Stone, American Idol's Katharine McPhee and Rumer Willis.

I'll be telling you all about The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button in my review on Friday, but films also worth checking out at the cinema this weekend include animated movie Bolt, a cavalcade of stars including Jennifer Aniston and Drew Barrymore in He's Just Not That Into You, or if you fancy something a little more serious you could go and see Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman in Doubt.

To check out all my music choices this week, just read more.

Album releases this week include Which Bitch by The View - you can click on the album name to preview all the tracks! Welsh songstress Jem has her album Down To Earth available to download this week, and if you're looking for something a little different or what to discover some new artists, then check out Rough Trade's Counter Culture 2008 which includes tracks from Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes, as well as bands you might not have heard of. If you want some new singles to download, then Coldplay's "Life In Technicolour II" is released this week, as is Daniel Merriweather's "Change" and the awesome Of Montreal's uplifting "An Eluardian Instance".

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Snack Attack: Cucumber Boat with Lox Spread

FitSugar — Tue, 22 May 2007 09:30:00 -0700

Since bagels are so dang high in calories, I have been searching for a new way to satisfy my craving for lox spread sprinkled with capers. The substitute is a seeded cucumber boat!!! It is not only satisfying and delish, but talk about increasing your veggie intake!!!

Here's what you need:

Half an English cucumber
Light Lox Spread
Capers
Diced tomato

Here's what you do:

Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds.
Fill cucumber "boat" with lox spread.
Sprinkle with capers and tomatoes.
Eat and enjoy!!!

Fit's Tip: Smoked salmon is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids even though it is smoke cured salmon. Also, you can make your own schmear with canned salmon and light or non-fat cream cheese.