real life test kitchen: guinness cupcakes
What’s better than a beer? Beer cupcakes! I made these Guinness cupcakes a little early for St. Patrick’s Day, and they were gobbled up faster than you can say, “Erin go bragh.†Guinness has a subtle, naturally sweet taste to it, so it melded nicely into cupcakes. The desserts weren’t overly sugary and heavy like some cupcakes are (which is both good and dangerous since I ate about four before I realized what happened). Tie on your green apron and try the recipe after the jump! — Katie D. Click for Guiness cupcakes! (more…)
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taking a shine to oven-safe “pewter”
Yes, my pewter obsession continues with a new line from Juliska, “‘Pewter’ Stoneware.†That’s right — Juliska’s “pewter” is actually stoneware with a hammered luster, so it can go from table to a 500-degree oven, the microwave, or even the freezer. A far cry from real pewter, which would melt at just 450 degrees, or old pewter, which was made with lead! While it looks great in the photo, I’m curious to see if in-store the “Pewter” Stoneware surface will be too shiny compared to the patina I adore in old pewter. A large platter is $92 and chargers are $66 each. — Sarah L.
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Holiday prep time
mark your calendars! pi day is March 14
Nerds around the world, sharpen your pencils and shine your calculators — Pi Day is upon us again. Every year, 3/14 is a day we set apart to celebrate Pi, the mathematical constant describing the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, because the first three digits are 3, 1, and 4. Last year, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a non-binding resolution (H.RES.224) recognizing the holiday, which is also Einstein’s birthday. That’s all the justification I need to party.
Because this year’s celebration, isn’t until next Sunday, we have plenty of time to get our pi-parations in order. Visit PiDay.org to learn more about the greatness that is Pi, or send your most deserving friends an e-card. Stock up on your Pi apparel, like this T-shirt from Neatorama or hoodies and housewares from ThinkGeek.
And get those Pi-cecubes a-chillin’ for their signature Pi-Tini, because once Pi Day eclipses, we’ve got 365 long ones until it’s here again. (Unless, of course, you count Pi Approximation Day on 7/22.) And if you need a little Pi year-round, check out Katie D.’s Pi dresser find for some furniture inspiration. — Sarah C.
new obsession: el yucateco habanero sauce
In a span of 30 years, I’ve gone from putting French dressing on my tacos (because mild salsa was TOO HOT) to becoming a real chili-head. I’ve become almost addicted to the flush of my cheeks and the burning lips that come after eating something really high on the Scoville scale. So when a friend brought over a bottle of El Yucateco, I was immediately hooked. It’s not just spicy, which the habaner- based sauce guarantees, but it’s also got a unique almost floral-like sweetness that preludes the barrage of heat on your tongue. Apparently, I’m not the only one who loves this stuff — I just recently spotted an episode of “Mexico: One Plate at a TIme” where chef/host Rick Bayless takes a tour of the factory down in the Yucatan Peninsula. Gourmet, yes, but not at all pricey — I spent a mere $2 on my little bottle at the local Salvadorean Bakery, but it’s available here, starting at $3.40. — Megan B.
steal this idea: oscar party bingo
There’s no better Sunday of the year than Oscar night (that’s right, I’m including the Super bowl in that statement). This year, I’m throwing an Oscar party, and have stocked up on these Academy Award-themed bingo cards from How About Orange. They’re very tongue-in-cheek and a welcome alternative to the boring old nominee ballots. Bingo is especially good for the non-movie buffs in the crowd whose attention is sure to wander unless they’re watching to closely see if they can cross off that “woman trips” square. — Katie D.
