tips

Cut the Cost Use Petals Instead of Flowers

by partysugar 5:28 pm, March 3rd, 2008 , Leave Response

A great way to reduce the cost of flowers at a party is to use day-old rose petals instead of fresh-cut roses. At a recent event at Carrots, the hostess filled oversized martini glasses with deep red rose petals. The petals were scattered on tables between candles and used as garnish in the pomegranate martini.

I talked to a local florist and a grocery bag filled with day-old rose petals costs $30-40, much less than the fresh ...

How to Bring Salad to a Potluck

by partysugar 1:01 pm, February 29th, 2008 , Leave Response

Salads don't travel as well as other dishes, especially when the greens are doused in dressing or vinaigrette. When bringing a salad to a potluck, prepare all of the elements in advance. Assemble the salad later upon arrival at the dinner. To avoid a soggy salad use the following technique:

Always wash the greens and lettuce. Even if you purchase a washed bag of greens there are so many recalls these days, it's best to take the time ...

Come Party With Me Wine and Chocolate Tasting ” Drinks

by partysugar 4:28 pm, February 28th, 2008 , Leave Response

Normally I always serve a signature cocktail at my parties, but in the case of a wine and chocolate tasting, no hard alcohol is necessary. Instead be sure to have several different types of wine to pair with each chocolate course. If you don't know a lot about wine ask your local wine shop owner to help you. Explain what you are making �" chocolate and brie sandwiches and chocolate orange cake �" and that you ...

Simple Tip Peeling Roasted Red Peppers

by yumsugar 10:01 am, February 28th, 2008 , Leave Response

I absolutely adore using roasted red peppers to add a gourmet touch to sandwiches, salads, and all sorts of entrees. I already gave you a primer on how to roast red peppers, but lately I've been using this easy tip for peeling them that I wanted to share.

You can roast peppers several different ways: I prefer to coat mine lightly with olive oil and blacken them in the broiler for five to 10 minutes. No matter what ...

Sadly, Tomatoes Are Not in Season Right Now

by yumsugar 7:20 pm, February 26th, 2008 , Leave Response

A friend of mine was complaining about how she had an awful caprese salad the other day. I felt sad for her food misstep, but I couldn't really feel sorry for her. After all, neither tomatoes nor basil are in season right now.

Yet my friend doesn't seem to be the only one who is setting herself up for food disappointment. I snapped this pic at my local market the other day. Looks like they must be getting ...

Martha and Emeril Offer Their Top Entertaining Tips

by yumsugar 7:18 pm, February 22nd, 2008 , Leave Response

In their first appearance since Martha bought Emeril's empire, the duo appeared on the Late Show With David Letterman to provide their top 10 entertaining tips. There are some great gems including:

9. Run out of cream? In a pinch you can substitute Martha Stewart's White Semi-Gloss Paint

However I think the cleverest part is the fact that they're actually doing the show. Martha's a pretty savvy business lady, and I think this was a great marketing move. To ...

Sharing Blogging Tips - FastStone Capture

by Di Overton 9:22 am, February 22nd, 2008 , Leave Response

Drop Shadow (the effect I use)

People often ask me how I get that drop shadow effect around my images well I am going to share it with you - I use a fantastic image capture package called FastStone. It used to be free but is now $19.95 with a lifetime license which is great value for money.
These are just some of things you can do, in a split second, with this package and if you want ...

Making the Most Fabulous Fondue

by partysugar 1:03 pm, February 15th, 2008 , Leave Response

While it may seem incredibly easy to throw a bunch of cheese into a pot and melt it, crafting a super-creamy fondue takes a little skill. In the February issue of Vogue, Jeffrey Steingarten acknowledges that the perfect fondue is hard to find. He said:
Fondues as smooth and suave as this are rare; more often the cheese separates and settles on the bottom of the pan in stringy clumps and lonely curds whose flavor is as ...

All About Lychees

by partysugar 1:01 pm, February 8th, 2008 , Leave Response

Yesterday I suggested you serve a cool lychee cocktail for a Chinese New Year dinner party. If you found yourself scratching your head and wondering what on earth is a lychee, I'm here to help:

Lychees �" or litchis �" are one of China's most cherished fruits. They are small, walnut-sized fruits with a perfumed, creamy, jelly-like flesh.

The lychee is native to Southeast Asia and is cultivated in subtropical regions like California, Hawaii, and Florida.

Peak season for fresh lychees ...

Would You Use Goggles While Cutting Onions?

by yumsugar 11:10 am, February 6th, 2008 , Leave Response

While on a ski vacation, a friend of mine was put in charge of cutting onions for the group meal. The cook needed a ton of tiny pearl onions, and after the first few my friend's eyes were watering like mad. She remembered this post on onion goggles, and being a resourceful gal, she decided to use her ski goggles instead. She said that although she looked dorky, it prevented her from crying. So tell me, would you ...