GeekSugar

Website of the Day: Bacon Today

GeekSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:40:35 PDT

Two words for you: Bacon Brownies. That's the kind of stuff you'll find on Bacon Today, a website concerned with giving you all the bacon content you can possibly handle.

Are you up to it? Maybe you need to know about your local bacon events, or how bacon is affecting the economy? I don't eat bacon myself, but for bacon enthusiasts it's all here.

To learn how to post your favorite websites to our Website of the Day group,

read more.
I know that this long list looks scary, but trust me, once you get the hang of it, it'll be a snap the second time around.

First of all, join the Website of the Day group.
Click the pink "Share" menu on the top left side of the page.
Choose "Blog" and “Regular Post.”
Give your story a “Title.”
Fill in the “Body” with a link to your favorite website and the reasons why you love it.
Click “Next."
Choose the audience for your story to “Website of the Day” in the drop-down menu
Add keyword(s) (for example mine for this photo was "Website of the Day").
Change channel to “Technology and Gadgets.”
Fill in tag field with relevant tags.
Click “I’m done” to submit content.

So join the Website of the Day group and share information about all your favorite sites! Yours just might end up on the geeksugar homepage!

Score a Touchdown at the Snack Table!

YumSugar — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 04:23:28 PST

Are you ready to see the Giants and the Patriots face off once again in next week's ultimate Super Bowl rematch? Well, in preparation for today's major game, don't forget to pull out all the stops in the snack department. Here are a few of our all-time favorites - and for more championship chow, check out the rest of our game day eats, too.

Buffalo Chicken Cheese Dip	Gyro Jalapeño Poppers	Super Sloppy Joes
Spicy Buffalo Wings	Carbonara Potato Skins	Bacon Guacamole

From My Kitchen: Chili Honey Butter

Padma Lakshmi — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:34:26 PST

We've got a new partnership with Padma Lakshmi! The host of the Emmy-winning Top Chef, writer, and designer started Padma Lakshmi, a social networking site that celebrates our favorite topics, including food adventures, recipes, and party planning. She'll be dishing up goodies for us here on YumSugar monthly. Today, Padma sings the virtues of a lesser-known condiment: homemade chili honey butter.

Chili . . . honey . . . butter. Need I say more? It's actually dangerous to keep this condiment around because you will find yourself buttering your toast with it, frying up eggs with a bit of it melted in the pan, not to mention making home fries, too. And that's just breakfast. It can be used to sauté green beans and carrots, to brush on grilled fish, even to baste a whole chicken for roasting.

Related: Global Pantry: Garam Masala

Get her recipe after the break.

5 Reasons to Love Peanut Butter

Camilla Salem — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:11:11 PST

It's creamy (and sometimes crunchy!), salty, and sweet. It goes really well in sandwiches and baked goods, with chocolate, and even in sauces. It's the ultimate comfort food. Today is National Peanut Butter Day and whether you like to cook with it, bake with it, or simply eat it out of the jar with the spoon, we've got five reasons to love peanut butter.

You have options: Not a fan of crunchy peanut butter? Not to worry, there's a creamy version. Are you worried about hydrogenated oils? Opt for a natural variety. Chances are you'll be able to find a peanut butter that fits your taste buds.
It's sweet and salty: One of nature's best combinations of tastes, peanut butter embodies what it means to be sweet and salty. It satisfies so many cravings in one creamy spoonful.
It's an American classic: Peanut butter as we know it today was invented in America in 1884, and it has been deeply loved by Americans ever since. The United States is one of the leading exporters of peanut butter in the world and the majority of peanut butter is eaten by Americans.

Keep reading for more.

13 Foods For Freaky Friday

YumSugar — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:55:19 PST

In honor of Freaky Friday (today's Friday the 13th!), I thought I'd pull together a list of 13 freaky foods. Even if you don't have triskaidekaphobia (the fear of the number 13), you may be afraid of some of the things on this list. I know there are a bunch of other freaky things out there (how about almost anything Andrew Zimmern eats on his show?), so if you think something's missing, we want to hear it.

#13: Bubble Tea
I personally love this stuff; however, I've known quite a few folks who are freaked out by the tapioca inside of the tea. Come to think of it, I know a lot of people freaked out by tapioca in general . . .
#12: Squid ink pasta
I don't have a problem with this lovely pasta dyed with squid ink, but some find eating black pasta to be just a bit too freaky.
Keep reading to see more freaky foods perfect for Friday the 13th.

The Fuss Over Paula Deen's Diabetes - and What We Can Learn From It

Susannah Chen — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:53:28 PST

Today, the food world's gone into hyper-discussion mode over the fact that Paula Deen reportedly has diabetes. This isn't a first - we've been hearing rumors of her diabetes for a while now - but she's also reportedly signed on to be the spokesperson for a diabetes drug from pharmaceutical company Novartis.

Paula Deen, who's been dubbed the Queen of Southern Cuisine, is known for her decadent Southern dishes and her liberal use of butter without pause to any concerns about health. "I really don't worry about it," she told a reporter in one interview. Yet with increasing concern over America's obesity epidemic, her push for exceedingly rich foods has faced more than a few tough questions.

"You know, we don't eat this [stuff] every day," she said, defending herself to an unconvinced Barbara Walters in 2009. Her mantra of licking the bacon grease spoon - in moderation, of course! - has faltered. Even the Cooking Channel's admitting to that, with the debut of Not My Mama's Meals, with a lighter, healthier bent on Paula Deen dishes.

And so it comes full circle. The expected announcement is bleak, yet clear: nobody, even a personality with rock-star status like Paula Deen, is immune to health consequences. It's time to face the reality that we can't routinely succumb to indulgences, even if they're "in moderation." With almond milk and quinoa flying off shelves, we're finally starting to realize that you can't have red velvet cake every day. Maybe once a week - if you eat a bit of kale on the side, too.

Global Pantry: Black Garlic

Padma Lakshmi — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 12:49:23 PST

We are thrilled to announce our new partnership with Padma Lakshmi! The host of the Emmy-winning Top Chef, writer, and designer started Padma Lakshmi, a social networking site that celebrates our favorite topics, including food adventures, recipes, and party planning. She'll be dishing up goodies for us here on YumSugar monthly! Today, Padma offers her thoughts on the specialty ingredient known as black garlic.

Korean culture, famous for kimchi, has perfected the art of fermentation, patiently coaxing the flavors of everyday food to an entirely new level. Not surprisingly, the origin of black garlic is in Korea. After aging for at least 30 days, it possesses a caramelized, savory richness that has a mouth feel similar to eating a date. Because it’s sweet and mild, it’s hard to believe you’re eating garlic at all.

But it is indeed garlic - definitely less attractive, but with all the best assets intact and an umami sensation to boot. These smooth, smoky fermented cloves are irresistible and easy to eat on their own - minus the lingering, pungent breath.

I’ve seen it popping up more and more over the past few years in the states, and once again, it’s at the top of many seasonal, must-have ingredient lists for the best restaurants and now even pizza joints. Keep reading to learn how to cook with black garlic.

Thai Omelet in Coconut Curry Broth

OnSugar Blog — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 12:21:37 PDT

Inspired by a trip to a local farmers market, Fresh Tart whips up a quick version of a food-stand favorite: the coconut curry Thai omelet.

My son Nathan and I spent our summer Sundays eating our way through Kingfield Farmers Market. We did it last summer too and got in such a fun groove of eating together, visiting with friends, and stocking up on all of our favorite treats for the week.

It's worth noting that it was a much less expensive endeavor last year, when Nathan was around my height and was satisfied with a Chef Shack hot dog. Uh, not this year, not at 6'4" and counting, when he still ate a Chef Shack hot dog, but added their soft-shell crab sandwich, mini-donuts, and Arnie Palmer; Gai Gai Thai curry; Cafe Palmira iced coffee; Foxy Falafel curry falafel with a load of perfect pickles, extra hummus to go; Sun Street Bakery turnovers and sourdough loaf; and Bogart Loves maple-bacon donuts.

I scored plenty of bites, of course, and a good portion of it all we brought home to share with John...but I'm telling you, Sunday became a day for feasting.

So damn cool.

One of my favorites toward the end of the season was Gai Gai's Thai omelet served in a curry broth. On a chilly morning, perhaps after being out too late the night before, that crispy omelet in creamy coconut broth tasted spicy-sublime.

Keep reading for her take on the recipe.

Michelle Obama's Book Has a Name: American Grown

Susannah Chen — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 09:39:14 PDT

Remember that gardening and healthy eating book that the first lady's been penning? It finally has a name: today, Crown Publishers announced the book will be called American Grown: How the White House Kitchen Garden Inspires Families, Schools, and Communities. The tome will discuss how changing our eating habits can impact public health in America.

According to the book's pre-order page on Amazon, American Grown will drop on April 10, 2012, with a retail price of $30 (all proceeds will go to an as-yet-unnamed charity). More reported details: Australian food photographer Quentin Bacon is behind the 256-page book's images, and the ghostwriter is Lyric Winik, who also helped write Laura Bush's memoir.

Now that we've gotten a glimpse of the White House gardens, I personally can't wait to see what the White House recipes entail. Perhaps the first lady will include some other favorite Fall sides along with her beloved no-cream creamed spinach?

Birthday Boy Ryan Reynolds Breaks From Blake to Suit Up on Set

Lauren Turner — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 10:57:28 PDT

Ryan Reynolds hopped on a bike while filming R.I.P.D. in Boston yesterday. He was decked out in police gear for the day on set, which included costar Kevin Bacon and a few young actors. It's Ryan's 35th birthday today, and he fit in a few celebrations before having to focus on work this weekend. Ryan and his new flame Blake Lively partied with pal Sandra Bullock and other friends in NYC on Thursday. They started their night with dinner at Palma and then headed to The Box, where they apparently stayed until 2 a.m. Ryan continued his birthday fun with Blake in Boston, and the two were spotted leaving his apartment early Saturday morning.