Archive for November, 2010
Feast on This: Pear and Squash Bruschetta
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©USAPears
Tired of the usual bland artichoke and spinach dip, aka mundane holiday appetizers served everywhere? Feast on this: Chef Craig Richards from La Tovola restaurant in Atlanta shares a creative in season Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday recipe your guests will love: A warm pear and squash bruschetta with sourdough bread, topped with slices of savory cheese. Enjoy!
For more information regarding pear varieties, facts, recipes, and culinary uses, visit USA Pears.
Pear and Squash Bruschetta
Chef Craig Richards
12-14 pieces, serving 6-12 people
1 butternut squash (1-1/2 pounds)
2 yellow onions (1 pound), coarsely chopped
2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
4 sage leaves
3 ripe pears, cored and cut into half-inch cubes (we love the Bosc variety)
1/2 pound loaf sourdough bread
1/4 pound smoked ricotta or smoked mozzarella cheese
Pumpkin seed oil or extra virgin olive oil
Peel squash. Combine squash trimmings, onion and carrots in a large saucepan; add water to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer 45 minutes or until liquid is flavorful, adding additional water to keep about 3 cups liquid in pan. Strain. Reserve liquid and discard solids.
Scrape seeds from squash and discard. Cut squash into 1/2-inch cubes. Heat olive oil and butter in a large shallow pan. Add sage and fry for 30 seconds or until crisp and fragrant. Remove sage with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towel and reserve for garnish. Add squash and pears to pan. Cook over medium heat stirring frequently until just starting to brown. Add 1 cup of the squash stock and cook until reduced. Repeat, using about 3 cups stock. Pears and squash should be soft but still hold shape. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, slice bread into 1/2-inch slices. Toast in 350ºF oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Spoon about ¼ cup warm pear-squash mixture onto each bruschetta. Using a vegetable peeler, make ribbons of cheese and place on top of each. Drizzle with pumpkin seed or olive oil if desired. Garnish servings with fried sage.
Celebrity Chefs Share Thanksgiving Tips
Posted by: | CommentsAre you a Yum Sugar reader? If not you we highly recommend them! We lovingly think of them as an online foodie pop culture venue. Featuring food trends, great recipes, celebrity chef news, and food festival event coverage, they are on our daily “must read” RSS Google reader feed list. We’ve met key player Katie Sweeny aka SweenCat and the YumSugar team in real time at the Food and Wine Classic in Aspen, and not only do the girls share our true mutual adoration for tasty nosh and chefs, more importantly they are seriously super fun to spend time with.
Yesterday the YumSugar team published a great video with a Thanksgiving focus featuring the lovely Katie with many of our favorite chefs, including Jamie Oliver, Emeril, Rocco DiSpirito, Anne Burrell, and Jacques Torres . The chefs discuss the best cooking advice they’ve ever been given, their favorite food trends, and what they are up to for the holidays. Bobby Flay is calorie counting. Jamie is adorable as ever. And as much as this surprises us to say, the cooking tip from Rocco is ridiculously spot on.
P.S. Hurry! Ending December 6th, you still have time to win the Yum Sugar Ultimate Foodie Holiday Giveaway for delicious prizes including a gorgeous Italian soft leather Valextra travel bag.
7 Delicious Gifts For Chefs and Foodies
Posted by: | CommentsCertain genres of people can be tough to buy for during the holiday season. For example, the man who has everything is always a challenge. The princess shopaholic types are a nightmare. Foodies, chefs, and cooks are tricky as well. Cookbooks? Probably not, they have them all, and may have published a few themselves. A gourmet food product? Perhaps, but will it live up to their standards? Kitchen gadgets are always a thought, but it’s likely that most of the standard classics are already living comfortably at home in their kitchens.
We’re here to help solve your holiday challenge! Here are seven creative and unique Christmas gift ideas for the chefs, foodies, epicures, and gourmands in your life that may seem to already have everything:
The Flatware Clock with Spoon Pendulum, $80
From one of our favorite Etsy sellers, MetalMedia in Chicago, this unique clock features brushed stainless steel forks, spoons, and knives with a swinging pendulum serving spoon, and is packaged for delivery in a pizza box. ♥
The Whirley Pop Vintage Popcorn Maker, $29:
This retro style stovetop popper features a vented lid for crisp fluffy kernals, a stainless steel stirring mechanism to keep popcorn moving while preventing burning, and a wooden handle that stays cool. We love it’s 25 year warranty on all moving parts, as well as its rave reviews on Chefs Catalog.
The Chefs Knife Pendant, $50
We love this edgy sterling silver necklace, handmade by New York artist Debbie Howe. You can purchase it at Uncommon Goods.
Van Gogh’s Table at the Auberge Ravoux, Recipes From the Artist’s Last Home and Paintings of Cafe Life, $19.95 for the paperback, or $24.98 for the hardcover.
Absolutely coffee table worthy, Van Gogh’s Table features a gorgeous combination of stories, artwork, and French bistro café recipes from his last days in the Auberge Ravoux, his temporary home in a small artists village near Paris.
Perfex Salt and Pepper Mills, $90 each at Williams-Sonoma
Of course, they already have salt and pepper mills, but trust us these are better! The Bentley of mills, Perfex are made in France from strong cast aluminum, have adjustable grinders for coarseness, front loading chutes, and a lifetime warranty. We have them, are in love, and will never go back to any other.
The Mario Batali Lunch Tote, $39.99
Featuring an insulated area to keep hot food hot and a back sleeve that slides on to rolling luggage handles, this chic Chef Batali lunch bag is perfect for impromptu picnics or airplane travel, and a portion of the proceeds benefit the Lunchbox Fund and the Food Bank for NYC. For a smaller more feminine option, we also love this tweed insulated lunch bag by KOKO.
Vintage Spoon & Fork Pendant Lights, $449.00 – $1999.00
Le sigh. Chef Michael Chiarello of Napa Style has selected a gorgeous piece of kitchen or dining lighting that we desperately crave. Composed of antique silver flatware hung from forged iron frames, these pendant lights come in various sizes and price points, and project a “fabulous play of light and shine”. You may purchase it for us here, thank you!
If you have a unique idea we haven’t mentioned here, we’d love to hear about it in the comments. Happy Shopping!
