yumsugar -- To die for.

Noteworthy Nibbles — Sept. 30-Oct.6

YumSugar — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:00:04 -0700

Across the country this month Oktoberfest celebrations are in full force. There's something for you, whether you want to savor the last of the Summer with a seafood festival or switch your mindset to Fall by enjoying one of the many harvest celebrations. Have a tip for another event? Leave it in the comments below!

Santa Clarita, CA: Loose Goose Wine Festival — Oct. 1-5
Corinth, MS: Kansas City Hog Wild BBQ Festival — Oct. 2-4
San Francisco, CA: Oktoberfest by the Bay — Oct. 2-5
Kansas City, MO: American Royal Barbecue — Oct. 2-5
Napa, CA: Domaine Chandon Pink Party — Oc. 2
New York, NY: Plate by Plate New York — Oct. 3
Carpinteria, CA: California Avocado Festival — Oct. 3-5

To see the rest,

Do You Like Guinness?

partysugar — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 09:00:41 -0700

Do You Like Guinness?

Yes, I love the creamy, dark beer.

No, Guinness is too heavy for my taste.

I enjoy one glass, but in large quantities it's too much.

I don't drink.

Other — I'll tell you how I feel about Guinness below.

Happy Hour: Smithwick's Irish Ale

partysugar — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:15:13 -0700

Recently, my parents returned from a vacation in Ireland.
Being as it was their first time in on the island, they eagerly sampled the local products, pubs, and pints. They picked up a fondness for a chocolate-colored, Irish ale named Smithwick’s (pronounced Smitiks). Their rave reviews made me curious, so when my dad invited me to join him at a local Irish pub, I jumped at the chance to taste the brew. Despite its dark color, the beer was surprisingly light and refreshing. The rich liquid was not bitter, but smooth, full, and stimulating. According to my father, the American Smithwick's lacked the frothy head of the brew he enjoyed in the old country, but I didn't mind, I thought it was delicious.

Have you ever tried Smithwick's? What do you think of the beer?

Conan Irishes Up "His" St. Patrick's Day Stew

YumSugar — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 13:18:51 -0700

Earlier this week I let you in on how Good Housekeeping published Conan O'Brien's recipe. Unfortunately it wasn't actually Conan's recipe and so a feud was born. All week long Conan has been talking about it and creating Irish recipes of his own. I sort of thought it would never end, but last night Good Housekeeping's editor in chief, Rosemary Ellis, decided to pay Conan a visit. She apologized, gave him a lifetime subscription to Good Housekeeping, offered to teach him how to cook the stew, and actually brought some in for him to try.

After tasting it, Conan decided to "Irish it up" a bit. Let's see, what would make it more Irish? How about some Jameson? Perhaps some Guinness, too? If you want to see what he did, we got the clip, watch it when you

Savory Sight: St. Patrick's Day Dinner

YumSugar — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:21:58 -0700

I was checking out TeamSugar when I came across this post from member Phasekitty. She went all out and planned a fantastic-looking St. Patrick's Day dinner. She baked up some Irish Soda Bread, ate Guinness Beef Stew, and topped off the evening with a yummy green peppermint pie! It all looks so delicious, I wish I was there!

If you want to read more about her festive evening, and get links to all the recipes then,

Name This Drink!

partysugar — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 08:01:31 -0700

Welcome to the St. Patrick's Day version of Name That Dish. Below is a classic drink that features an Irish ingredient. Do you know what it's called?

Happy Hour: Homemade Baileys

partysugar — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 12:03:33 -0700

A couple of years ago I stumbled upon this recipe for a homemade version of Baileys Irish Cream. I love Baileys — it's an exceptional dessert drink —and this frothy version is to die for. I've made it for parties, given it as a hostess gift, and simply enjoyed it by myself.

It's one of my most treasured recipes and I highly recommend you make it. All you need is a blender and it comes together in minutes. For best results, chill the ingredients before making. To take a look at how it's done,

It Only Comes Once a Year: Irish Soda Bread

partysugar — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:13:31 -0700

My dad makes Irish soda bread once every year and it always appears in the kitchen around St. Patrick's Day. Irish soda bread is a dense bread that is quite simple to make. This traditional recipe — it's from my Irish-born great-grandmother — includes caraway seeds and raisins. While you could leave these ingredients out, they are surprisingly delicious in the bread. It's an exceptional breakfast treat especially when lightly toasted and generously buttered. It would make a wonderful hostess gift or an accompaniment to Irish stew. To check out the recipe,

Irish Stew Two Ways — Beginner and Expert

partysugar — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 11:01:31 -0700

Irish stew is a great dish to serve at a St. Patrick's Day dinner party. In general, stews make wonderful dinner party fare because they're a one-pot meal that must be made in advance. Originally a peasant's meal, Irish stew normally consists of lamb, potatoes, and onions. To encourage that you experiment with this traditional recipe, I've found two versions. Both are straight forward, but one cooks the stew on the stove and the other bakes it in the oven. Choose which one suits your culinary needs or combine the two to make a delicious masterpiece. For both recipes please

St. Patrick's Day Side: Colcannon

partysugar — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 01:07:45 -0700

When I think of St. Patrick's Day dishes, potatoes immediately come to mind. Not just any kind of potatoes, mashed potatoes. The Irish love their mashed potatoes so much that they have specific names for different variations. Champ is mashed potatoes with green onions stirred in and Colcannon is mashed potatoes with onions and greens. Both are traditional Irish side dishes that are commonly served along side a meaty steak, sausage or bacon. I love Champ so much that I've used it on Thanksgiving, but I have yet to try colcannon. Thus I will take the opportunity to make it the next time I'm craving smooth potato puree. To do the same,

St. Patrick's Day Fun Facts

partysugar — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 00:01:19 -0700

Oh how I do love the holidays. I was sitting here at my desk the other day and suddenly got incredibly excited. "YumSugar!" I said in my high pitched super excited cocker spaniel voice, "St. Patrick's Day is on Saturday and you know what that means?! I get to compile a whole bunch of fun facts!"

While you may not feel an exhilarated high by reading these facts, you will totally be the life of the party when you drunkenly impress your friends with these little tid bits. Did you know that St. Patrick's Day was first celebrated in Boston in 1737? Or that both Germans and Belgians consume more beer than the Irish? Want to know the name of the Irish brewed drink made from white potatoes? For the name and more fun facts,

Delightful Irish Whiskey

partysugar — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 15:58:22 -0700

The other day I featured a super decadent dessert recipe in the form of a Bailey's Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cheesecake. I know it was incredibly mean for me to tease you by discussing a super delish cake, so today I am making up for it by giving you another St. Patrick's Day dessert that is quite a bit healthier. Keeping in mind that a healthy dessert is an oxymoron and essentially only exists in the form of plain fruit, this recipe called a cream delight gets its sweetness from honey. While the cheesecake highlighted Bailey's irish cream, this delightful dish highlights the flavor of good old Irish whiskey. For a peek at the recipe,

Happy Hour: Black Velvet

partysugar — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 12:57:41 -0700

This week YumSugar and I are all about highlighting fabulous ways for you to enjoy St. Patrick's Day to the fullest. There are many people who believe you can't celebrate St. Patrick's Day without drinking a glass of Ireland's most famous beer, Guinness. However Guinness with its dark, creamy thickness is not a beer for everyone. Even after pouring countless glasses way back in my Irish pub working days, I never developed a taste for it. How will we, the non-Guinness drinkers, really truly celebrate St. Patty's (without having to down several Irish Car Bombs)? By drinking a black velvet! A black velvet is a seductive mix of equal parts Guinness and champagne. Don't be scared or disgusted, be adventurous and experimental. To make this for your pals at your St. P Day soirée,

Come Party With Me: St. Patrick's Day - Menu (Main)

partysugar — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 10:58:41 -0700

Friday is my half birthday and Saturday is St. Patrick's Day, so I am celebrating 2-parties-in-1 with a pre going out dinner on Saturday night. I've invited my friends to join me for an Irish inspired meal before we head out to the bars for a wee bit of St. Patrick's Day shenanigans (I said that in my best Irish accent). Since the evening will most likely involve a lot of beer drinking, I'm serving up generously filling dishes. I'll have a corned beef and swiss appetizer just out of the oven for when my friends arrive. To see what we'll all be sitting down to eat together,