Blog Posts by YumSugar

Source: Briny Business: How to Select Shrimp

Shrimp's briny-sweet flavor, satisfyingly snappy texture, and ease of preparation (few foods cook up faster) make it a perennial favorite. Whether the crustacean's final destination is an easy appetizer or expedited étouffée, keep these crucial guidelines in mind the next time you hit the seafood counter.

• Avoid purchasing shrimp from Southeast Asia, as the regulations on shrimp farming and harvesting are far less stringent than American standards. Look for sustainably farmed US shrimp or those that are wild caught using traps in Canada or the US. For an in-depth look at the sustainability of different shrimp options, consult the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch guide.
• Like all seafood, shrimp should smell of the ocean - briny and sweet, like seaweed - and not off-putting or "fishy" in any way. Particularly avoid any that smell of ammonia.
• Eschew labels such as "jumbo" and "large," as these are often inconsistent. Instead,

Source: 8 Things That'll Surprise You About Paula Deen

In January, Southern cooking queen Paula Deen - who's known for recipes like deep-fried butter and burgers with doughnuts as buns - revealed that she'd been living with type 2 diabetes for years. Public outrage ensued. Since then, she's stayed busy trying to help confused fans reconcile her famous lowcountry cooking with a healthier way of living.

She addressed this at a recent New York City Wine & Food Festival event, a TimesTalk hosted by The New York Times and moderated by Kim Severson. During the forthright (and at times bizarre) conversation, I was surprised to learn a number of surprising facts about Paula.

• She was in denial about having diabetes. Paula, who sees her doctor twice a year, went to three checkups before admitting that she really had diabetes. "When she told me I was diabetic, I thought . . . baloney. It was that half a cake I had yesterday. Nobody in my family has diabetes, and they all eat the same way.

Source: Trendspotting: Bone Marrow

Roasted bone marrow, the affordable luxury food item, has been experiencing a surge at restaurants. Normally, I can't resist the cheese plate on a dinner menu, but recently, I'm forgoing the brie for gelatinous, roasted bone marrow, slathered generously atop crusty bread. One of the most famous preparations of roasted bone marrow is at St. John restaurant in London, where the medallions are topped with parsley, capers, and lemon juice to cut through the fatty richness. Anthony Bourdain claimed it used to be his "death row meal."

However, chefs are breaking away from the traditional pairings and serving bone marrow with unique, unusual accompaniments. Recently at Saxon + Parole in NYC, the bone marrow was glazed in miso and served with an olive marmalade, lightening the dish with its briny and citrusy flavors. Wolfgang Puck's Cut restaurant in Las Vegas serves a bone marrow flan with mushroom marmalade and a parsley salad. In San Francisco, Marlowe

Source: How to Season to Taste

Season to taste: three simple words that can, and often do, mean the difference between a bland and a boisterous dish, but what does it mean exactly? It may seem like a cop-out directive added by lazy recipe writers, but truly, even if a recipe does not explicitly call this step out, it's best practice to include it in your cooking process. In an ideal world, a recipe would turn out the same regardless of who's at the stove, the ingredients and tools they used, and their interpretation of instructions, but that's simply not the case. While most foods should not taste explicitly salty, tart, hot, or oily, the inclusion of small amounts of ingredients with these qualities can take a dish from bland to exceptional in a flash.

• Taste as you're cooking: This may seem obvious, but half the battle to seasoning food properly is understanding what you're starting with. Rather than seasoning blindly, taste the dish before amending with salt, acid, or spice.

YumSugarSource: Back to Basics: Knife Skills to Learn and Master

Don't let the fancy names or the impressive chopping speed of master chefs intimidate you when it comes to learning basic knife skills. With a little practice, cutting techniques are rather simple and easy to perfect. Knowing how to properly cut fresh herbs, vegetables, and fruit will make recipes and preparation easier, while taking your dishes to the next level in terms of aesthetics and texture. For mastering everything from mincing garlic to cutting a chiffonade, turn to these six step-by-step tutorials.

• Chiffonade Cut: A chiffonade is a simple cut of leafy vegetables, like basil, into long, thin strips. To learn this elegant cut or garnish, take a look at step-by-step photos to cut a chiffonade.
• Mincing : Mincing is a very fine chop that can bring flavor to a dish without significant texture. It is most common when cooking with garlic, but can be done with several vegetables. Since many recipes begin with

YumSugarSource: 16 Foodie Reasons to Love Fall

For cooks and eaters alike, Fall is the season when our favorite foods take a turn for the better: pies become pumpkin, Starbucks gets sweet, and corn takes to candy. If you still aren't convinced why you should love this food-filled season, these 16 reasons should certainly seal the deal.

• Pumpkin Spice Lattes : Pumpkin spice lattes become a valid excuse to enjoy a coffee break every day.
• Popcorn Balls: Popcorn is no longer just a movie theater treat.
• Candy, Candy, and More Candy!: Having to settle on just one candy bar is no longer an issue.
• Fun Takes on Classic Candy: Classic candies like Pop Rocks get even tastier.
• Seasonal Ice Cream: Two of our favorite desserts, pumpkin pie and Dairy Queen Blizzards, blend in perfect harmony.
• Seasonal Veggies: Farmers markets are filled with a colorful variety of seasonal fruits and veggies like apples, pumpkins, squash, and leafy greens.

YumSugarSource: Makin' Bacon: 15 Mouthwatering Bacon Dishes

News of an impending bacon shortage has our minds on the briny breakfast delight. Rather than curtailing our consumption, we'll feast on the game-changing ingredient, starting with these 15 fabulous bacon-enhanced treats.

• Caramelized Leek, Goat Cheese, and Bacon Dip: Bacon adds a great crunchy texture to this creamy, savory dip that also features caramelized leek and goat cheese.
• Individual Bacon and Spinach Quiches: Bolster brunch with these hearty individual bacon and spinach quiches.
• Sweet Potato-Bacon Endive Boats: Who says bacon can't be elegant? These endive boats filled with sweet potatoes and bacon are like a more sophisticated baked potato.
• Oven-Roasted Bacon: Bacon purists, try this life-changing method for roasting bacon in the oven. It's less messy than skillet-crisped slices, and the texture can be controlled to a closer degree - perfect for persnickety perfectionists. For a slightly

YumSugarSource: Weekly Meal Plan: 5 Breakfasts For Dinner

Switch up your dinner routine this week, and end your day with breakfast. The most important meal of the day doesn't have to be restricted to the morning; rather, breakfast can be a savory and satisfying way to end the day. From a healthy veggie-filled frittata to easy, homemade breakfast burritos, we have this week's menu planned. Stock up on the eggs, load up on veggies, and get your bacon fix with these five recipes to enjoy before bed!

Related Content:

Plan the Weeknights Ahead With 5 Ways to Use Chicken Leftovers

5 Fast and Easy Italian Dinners

5 Chilled Soups to Temper the Heat

Follow YumSugar on Twitter

Become a Fan of YumSugar on Facebook