Coffee - Is It Good for You?
Coffee has been enjoyed by millions of people around the world for at least a thousand years. Apart from it's wonderful aroma, the attraction of coffee lies in its properties as a stimulant. In many people, coffee enhances alertness, concentration and mental and physical performance. This is due to its caffeine content. The average cup of instant coffee contains about 60mg caffeine while filter coffee contains about 85mg. For those who are sensitive to caffeine and prefer decaf blends, the decaffeinated beverage contains only 3mg. Some have worried that coffee is not good to consume during pregnancy, but there is no sound evidence to suggest that modest consumption of coffee has any effects on the wellbeing of an unborn infant. There is also no evidnece that coffee increases the risk of breast, ovary, pancreas or kidney cancer in women. There is also evidence that coffee protects against colon cancer and some preliminary evidence that it protects against male breast cancer. Some even use coffee for colonic irrigation. There is no evidence that coffee increases the risk of heart disease. Some have reported heart palpitations and a rise in blood pressure after coffee consumption, but there is no persistent hypertensive effect in the long term. Others have claimed that drinking coffee promotes indigestion, but this is not the case in the majority of people, although it has been known to produce heartburn in people with gastro-oesophageal reflux problems. But there is no evidence that coffee increases the risk of peptic ulcers and there is some evidence that it protects against gallstones. Evidence is growing that coffee might protect against developing Parkinson's disease and possibly Alzheimer's. Diabetes is still under investigation. Because coffee is a diuretic, it is important to drink enough fluid to replace what is lost. Coffee is rich in anti-oxidants, far moreso than other common beverages. This is due to compounds formed during coffee bean roasting. Anti-oxidants prevent free radicals from multiplying and are a major deterrent of chronic illnesses such as cancer and heart disease. In recent years the gourmet coffee industry has come of age. Discerning consumers have come to expect distinctive coffee tastes and aromas with all the passion of fine wine connoisseurs. Coffee lovers all over the world are discovering the experience of the finest gourmet coffees which can be ordered with a few mouse-clicks on the internet and delivered to your door or workplace shortly after. Boca Java gourmet coffee and teas are fast becoming one of the main players in the online coffee market.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Wine Food Pairing - Thanksgiving, Share the Tale of Bird Day!
Wine Food Pairing - Thanksgiving, Share the Tale of Bird Day!
I grew up celebrating Thanksgiving. Most Americans in some way, shape or form tend to hold this holiday very dear. Thanksgiving is one of the busiest traveling times for the airlines and the highways. It is not a specific religious holiday, although many people attend the church of their choice to give thanks to their God for all their blessings. In all, Americans use this day to enjoy the fellowship of their family and friends, do wine food pairing,eat a lot of turkey, ham and pumpkin pie and of course, watch the Macy's Parade on TV! It is a perfect day for wine food pairing. Traditions that we all love and take for granted. I live in an international household. My husband is from Austria, not to be confused with Australia where they have kangaroos, and over the years I have fully trained him in the ways of Bird Day! We have many Austrian friends that visit the United States every year, but they don't understand the concept of this holiday and wonder, why all the fuss. Last year, I took the opportunity to have a Thanksgiving training session for these Austrian folks. We invited three couples and instructed them to bring only wine, something that would pair nicely with turkey, that I would prepare all the food. After all, I couldn't chance having a stray leberknoedel, or liver dumpling, sneak in! I chose the fresh turkey with care and made my Mother's special stuffing that she got from her mother. I prepared my favorite sweet potato casserole that I have perfected over the years with crushed pecans and marshmallows. My mashed potatoes are very traditional and I even use my Grandmothers manual potato masher. It is all about tradition and the warm, fuzzy feelings that they evoke. As I bustle about the kitchen with all my preparations I sip a flute of Champagne and freshly squeezed orange juice, after all I need my vitamin C, and munch on a warm croissant. The table is set and the guests begin to arrive. The house smells wonderful! It is the kind of smell that can not be duplicated in a spray bottle and everyone is anxious for the dinner to begin. The turkey and all the traditional side dishes are passed around, my husband opens a bottle of Pinot Grigio to pair with the meal and I begin the storytelling of Thanksgiving. I tell them of the British colonists that came over from England on the Mayflower to find a better way of life and how the Native Americans helped them learn the ways of the new world. I talk about how so many of these Pilgrims, as they named themselves, died that first year and that if it hadn't been for the Indians that they might all have perished from disease and starvation. The story continues to include that how, after the Pilgrims first successful crop, they wanted to give thanks for their bounty and so this was how Thanksgiving was actually born. Of course there are many more details to the story, but I wanted to keep it simple for the German speaking Austrians. I then bring out my cherished, chubby Pilgrim salt and pepper shakers. This is how the Pilgrims dressed back then I say, and they laugh because the Austrians always wondered what these strange little guys signified and why they were in all the stores! Thanksgiving is always a wonderful way to do Wine Food Pairing with your friends and family. If you can do something to make it even more memorable, then go that extra mile, that is what this season is all about. CHEERS!
I grew up celebrating Thanksgiving. Most Americans in some way, shape or form tend to hold this holiday very dear. Thanksgiving is one of the busiest traveling times for the airlines and the highways. It is not a specific religious holiday, although many people attend the church of their choice to give thanks to their God for all their blessings. In all, Americans use this day to enjoy the fellowship of their family and friends, do wine food pairing,eat a lot of turkey, ham and pumpkin pie and of course, watch the Macy's Parade on TV! It is a perfect day for wine food pairing. Traditions that we all love and take for granted. I live in an international household. My husband is from Austria, not to be confused with Australia where they have kangaroos, and over the years I have fully trained him in the ways of Bird Day! We have many Austrian friends that visit the United States every year, but they don't understand the concept of this holiday and wonder, why all the fuss. Last year, I took the opportunity to have a Thanksgiving training session for these Austrian folks. We invited three couples and instructed them to bring only wine, something that would pair nicely with turkey, that I would prepare all the food. After all, I couldn't chance having a stray leberknoedel, or liver dumpling, sneak in! I chose the fresh turkey with care and made my Mother's special stuffing that she got from her mother. I prepared my favorite sweet potato casserole that I have perfected over the years with crushed pecans and marshmallows. My mashed potatoes are very traditional and I even use my Grandmothers manual potato masher. It is all about tradition and the warm, fuzzy feelings that they evoke. As I bustle about the kitchen with all my preparations I sip a flute of Champagne and freshly squeezed orange juice, after all I need my vitamin C, and munch on a warm croissant. The table is set and the guests begin to arrive. The house smells wonderful! It is the kind of smell that can not be duplicated in a spray bottle and everyone is anxious for the dinner to begin. The turkey and all the traditional side dishes are passed around, my husband opens a bottle of Pinot Grigio to pair with the meal and I begin the storytelling of Thanksgiving. I tell them of the British colonists that came over from England on the Mayflower to find a better way of life and how the Native Americans helped them learn the ways of the new world. I talk about how so many of these Pilgrims, as they named themselves, died that first year and that if it hadn't been for the Indians that they might all have perished from disease and starvation. The story continues to include that how, after the Pilgrims first successful crop, they wanted to give thanks for their bounty and so this was how Thanksgiving was actually born. Of course there are many more details to the story, but I wanted to keep it simple for the German speaking Austrians. I then bring out my cherished, chubby Pilgrim salt and pepper shakers. This is how the Pilgrims dressed back then I say, and they laugh because the Austrians always wondered what these strange little guys signified and why they were in all the stores! Thanksgiving is always a wonderful way to do Wine Food Pairing with your friends and family. If you can do something to make it even more memorable, then go that extra mile, that is what this season is all about. CHEERS!
Wine Food Pairing - Live large with Great Wine and Comfort Food!
Wine Food Pairing - Live large with Great Wine and Comfort Food!
What is it about comfort foods that make them, so, comfortable? Is it a personal thing that we bring with us from childhood or maybe a food that we ate while going through tough times? I guess, if that would be the case, then spam would be on everybody's must have list and how do you do wine food pairing with spam? My definition of a comfort food is something we crave to eat when we want to cocoon ourselves in the comfort of "food love", perhaps a good home cooked meal or memories of that special dish prepared lovingly by a friend or family member. Food high in sugar or carbohydrates, filling our bellies and nourishing our very soul seems to fit the bill. I guess you could almost call it a guilty pleasure. One of my favorite comfort foods around the holiday season is ham and cheese scalloped potatoes. My Mom used to make this every year when we had leftover ham from Thanksgiving and Christmas. Of course, potatoes were always plentiful around the kitchen. This rich, wonderful casserole is a mixture of potatoes sliced thinly, bite sized pieces of ham, onions, peppers and canned cream of mushroom soup. Dotted with real butter and sprinkled with grated cheddar this is one of my guilty pleasures. It is easy to put together and I have even learned to use my kitchen mandolin to thinly slice the spuds. The most difficult part of the whole dish is to wait for it to cook in the oven! The last time I made this treat, I paired it with a crisp green salad and unoaked Chardonnay from Heron Hills, located in the Finger Lakes region of New York. This is a crisp white wine which reminds me a lot of Pinot Grigio, one of my faves, and it pairs well with a lot of food. After a busy day of holiday shopping, what could be better than to call up your local pizza parlor and order a double pepperoni pizza with thin crust and have it delivered directly to your home. Set your table with cloth napkins, light a candle and pair this with inexpensive Chianti served in your best crystal wine glasses. This is definitely a guilty pleasure delight! The night before any big holiday celebration try treating your self to warm from the oven, double fudge chocolate chip brownies. The cake portion of the brownie will be moist and the dark chocolate chips will still be gooey, OH MY!Pair this with a full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile and it will bring out the best in the chocolate as well as the wine. Total decadence! I could, of course, go on and on about the joys of wine food pairing with comfort foods, but I am sure you get the idea. It is easy and fun to do. Remember, comfort food does not mean low rent! You can live large with comfort food and your favorite wines with just a little experimentation. So, go out there, use your imagination and let wine food pairing be a part of your life. CHEERS!
What is it about comfort foods that make them, so, comfortable? Is it a personal thing that we bring with us from childhood or maybe a food that we ate while going through tough times? I guess, if that would be the case, then spam would be on everybody's must have list and how do you do wine food pairing with spam? My definition of a comfort food is something we crave to eat when we want to cocoon ourselves in the comfort of "food love", perhaps a good home cooked meal or memories of that special dish prepared lovingly by a friend or family member. Food high in sugar or carbohydrates, filling our bellies and nourishing our very soul seems to fit the bill. I guess you could almost call it a guilty pleasure. One of my favorite comfort foods around the holiday season is ham and cheese scalloped potatoes. My Mom used to make this every year when we had leftover ham from Thanksgiving and Christmas. Of course, potatoes were always plentiful around the kitchen. This rich, wonderful casserole is a mixture of potatoes sliced thinly, bite sized pieces of ham, onions, peppers and canned cream of mushroom soup. Dotted with real butter and sprinkled with grated cheddar this is one of my guilty pleasures. It is easy to put together and I have even learned to use my kitchen mandolin to thinly slice the spuds. The most difficult part of the whole dish is to wait for it to cook in the oven! The last time I made this treat, I paired it with a crisp green salad and unoaked Chardonnay from Heron Hills, located in the Finger Lakes region of New York. This is a crisp white wine which reminds me a lot of Pinot Grigio, one of my faves, and it pairs well with a lot of food. After a busy day of holiday shopping, what could be better than to call up your local pizza parlor and order a double pepperoni pizza with thin crust and have it delivered directly to your home. Set your table with cloth napkins, light a candle and pair this with inexpensive Chianti served in your best crystal wine glasses. This is definitely a guilty pleasure delight! The night before any big holiday celebration try treating your self to warm from the oven, double fudge chocolate chip brownies. The cake portion of the brownie will be moist and the dark chocolate chips will still be gooey, OH MY!Pair this with a full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile and it will bring out the best in the chocolate as well as the wine. Total decadence! I could, of course, go on and on about the joys of wine food pairing with comfort foods, but I am sure you get the idea. It is easy and fun to do. Remember, comfort food does not mean low rent! You can live large with comfort food and your favorite wines with just a little experimentation. So, go out there, use your imagination and let wine food pairing be a part of your life. CHEERS!
Wine Food Pairing - Turducken, Three Birds in One!
Wine Food Pairing - Turducken, Three Birds in One!
Remember the old TV commercial "two, two, two mints in one"? Well, a Turducken is "three, three, three birds in one"! A turkey, a duck and a chicken are combined together to make this delightful bird. Turducken is one of my husband's specialties to prepare. Yes, I know that you can buy them premade, but they do not taste nearly as good and of course you miss all the fun and adventure of trying to stuff a chicken inside a duck,and a duck inside a turkey. YIKES! Sounds naughty just talking about it! To begin this fowl journey, pun intended, you need to decide the number of people you will be serving. Our last turducken made about 60 servings, no kidding! This feast was made with a twenty pound turkey, a six pound duck and a three pound chicken. The first step is to prepare the birds the night before by deboning. WARNING! You must be cold sober at this point because you will be dealing with very sharp knives. The chicken and duck will be totally deboned and leave the legs and wings on the turkey for a nice presentation. This is not an easy job and requires a great deal of patience. When this task is completed, I highly recommend that you wrap up the birds and pop them in the fridge to chill for the night and then pour your self a healthy shot of Jack Daniels and you chill out on the couch! Early the next morning, prepare your favorite stuffing. My husband likes to cube up sourdough rolls that have been dried out in the oven. To this he adds several eggs, chicken stock, fresh parsley and sage, butter, salt and pepper. OK, now it gets interesting. The rest is definitely a job for two people. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and at this point, opening a bottle of sparkling wine and taking a quick break is a good idea. Your nerves must be steady to complete the stuffing process and try not to lose your sense of humor! Back to work! Stuff your deboned chicken with your prepared mix. Now slice open the duck and sprinkle a little sherry, salt and pepper on the meat. Place a layer of fresh spinach and a small amount of stuffing on the duck as well as your stuffed chicken. COOL! The "ducken" part of the feast is prepared. Let me digress a bit. I am a retired paramedic and have delivered countless babies in my career. The next step to the turducken brings back a lot of these memories, sort of a reverse birthing process. My husband has positioned the turkey, the drumsticks are askew and I am pushing the "ducken" into the open cavity. I twist and he turns, the turkey is slippery, but not as slippery as the chicken/duck. The whole thing almost slides off the countertop and my husband speaks a few naughty German words, and then, it is in! YEAH!!! VICTORY! We quickly change positions and I hold up the drumsticks to keep a rebirth from happening while my dearly beloved begins to stitch up the opening. I must say that he is pretty darn good with a needle and thread! It is finally completed. It has only taken us three hours to go from various deboned fowl to one fine looking trussed up turkey. It will take about six to eight hours to get the birds up to the proper temperature so now is the time to kick back and enjoy the rest of your sparkling wine and chill a couple bottles of Chardonnay for the actual turducken feast. We actually paired the bird with Yellow Tail Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc from Chile. Both worked well and complimented each other nicely. This is what the adventure of wine food pairing is all about. CHEERS!
Remember the old TV commercial "two, two, two mints in one"? Well, a Turducken is "three, three, three birds in one"! A turkey, a duck and a chicken are combined together to make this delightful bird. Turducken is one of my husband's specialties to prepare. Yes, I know that you can buy them premade, but they do not taste nearly as good and of course you miss all the fun and adventure of trying to stuff a chicken inside a duck,and a duck inside a turkey. YIKES! Sounds naughty just talking about it! To begin this fowl journey, pun intended, you need to decide the number of people you will be serving. Our last turducken made about 60 servings, no kidding! This feast was made with a twenty pound turkey, a six pound duck and a three pound chicken. The first step is to prepare the birds the night before by deboning. WARNING! You must be cold sober at this point because you will be dealing with very sharp knives. The chicken and duck will be totally deboned and leave the legs and wings on the turkey for a nice presentation. This is not an easy job and requires a great deal of patience. When this task is completed, I highly recommend that you wrap up the birds and pop them in the fridge to chill for the night and then pour your self a healthy shot of Jack Daniels and you chill out on the couch! Early the next morning, prepare your favorite stuffing. My husband likes to cube up sourdough rolls that have been dried out in the oven. To this he adds several eggs, chicken stock, fresh parsley and sage, butter, salt and pepper. OK, now it gets interesting. The rest is definitely a job for two people. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and at this point, opening a bottle of sparkling wine and taking a quick break is a good idea. Your nerves must be steady to complete the stuffing process and try not to lose your sense of humor! Back to work! Stuff your deboned chicken with your prepared mix. Now slice open the duck and sprinkle a little sherry, salt and pepper on the meat. Place a layer of fresh spinach and a small amount of stuffing on the duck as well as your stuffed chicken. COOL! The "ducken" part of the feast is prepared. Let me digress a bit. I am a retired paramedic and have delivered countless babies in my career. The next step to the turducken brings back a lot of these memories, sort of a reverse birthing process. My husband has positioned the turkey, the drumsticks are askew and I am pushing the "ducken" into the open cavity. I twist and he turns, the turkey is slippery, but not as slippery as the chicken/duck. The whole thing almost slides off the countertop and my husband speaks a few naughty German words, and then, it is in! YEAH!!! VICTORY! We quickly change positions and I hold up the drumsticks to keep a rebirth from happening while my dearly beloved begins to stitch up the opening. I must say that he is pretty darn good with a needle and thread! It is finally completed. It has only taken us three hours to go from various deboned fowl to one fine looking trussed up turkey. It will take about six to eight hours to get the birds up to the proper temperature so now is the time to kick back and enjoy the rest of your sparkling wine and chill a couple bottles of Chardonnay for the actual turducken feast. We actually paired the bird with Yellow Tail Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc from Chile. Both worked well and complimented each other nicely. This is what the adventure of wine food pairing is all about. CHEERS!
Get Free Commercial Coffee Maker With 3 Surefire Techniques
Get Free Commercial Coffee Maker With 3 Surefire Techniques
Now, the very first thing you need to know is that commercial coffee maker,e.g. Keurig B3000 or Nescafe Lioness H5 that are being used for offices, is free. That means, if you have it in the office, you would not have to pay for it, unless you are the boss!:) So, now the focus becomes how to get the commercial coffee maker into the office. Not an easy task, given the shrinking profit margin due to lousy exchange rate and rising cost of goods. And having a coffee machine is an additional expense, something that the management does not think would add to the bottom line of the company. And it is this bottom line that would be our life saver, the one single component that we would use to convince management that the commercial coffee maker's expense does indeed improves the bottom line! Bring these points across and segment it into 3 main pointers: Team work, Morale and productivity. These 3 elements gives you a better work force that is loyal and willing to go the extra mile (say it with some zeal, practice it before presenting to management) 1. Team work Ask the boss this: do you want a project that can bring the whole department together? Trust me, you would get a resounding YES. Then tell him the plan to start a pantry project to bring in a commercial coffee maker to better the welfare of the department. Sell on the points of how everyone is working together to better the welfare and how this would be the stage for future collaboration. If he/she buys the pitch at this point, stop and proceed to "plan" and "team work" for the commercial coffee maker. If he/she is still hesitant, move on to the next point. 2. Morale Other than the team work, this is a project that the employees are doing for themselves. The bosses can take this opportunity to highlight and impress on the employees, that the management cares for their welfare by providing them a pantry with this commercial coffee maker. And nothing lingers on more by being exposed to it for a long period of time. Getting involved in a project to get the commercial coffee maker for themselves, the employees would be continually be reminded on the point that the "management cares". This is usually something that the bosses want, a group of loyal employees that knows the bosses care for them. At this point, you should get the coffee machine approval. He/she is still considering? Man...time to use point 3 that should do the trick. 3. Productivity Highlight to the boss that everyone goes for coffee break and he/she has a choice of an employee taking the break in the office or across the street in a Starbucks. Time savings would be at least 15 minutes. Employees generally spent lesser time taking break in office, with various factors such as people are watching, saves on the traveling time and bosses might be around. Given that each employee has 2 breaks, that would be 30 minutes savings. Based on an executive pay of $50/hour, that would be $25 savings for a day, $125 productivity dollars saved per week or $6500 per year! Using the productivity variable with shrewd costing should get you the commercial coffee maker, and your next headache would be which coffee makers to purchase to get the best coffee experience in office! Oh, just in case, all 3 techniques did not succeed in getting that coffee maker, then you should still be pleased! Imagine, there you are enjoying a cuppa from Starbucks knowing that the time is paid by the company at a cost of approximately $6500/year or more!:)
Now, the very first thing you need to know is that commercial coffee maker,e.g. Keurig B3000 or Nescafe Lioness H5 that are being used for offices, is free. That means, if you have it in the office, you would not have to pay for it, unless you are the boss!:) So, now the focus becomes how to get the commercial coffee maker into the office. Not an easy task, given the shrinking profit margin due to lousy exchange rate and rising cost of goods. And having a coffee machine is an additional expense, something that the management does not think would add to the bottom line of the company. And it is this bottom line that would be our life saver, the one single component that we would use to convince management that the commercial coffee maker's expense does indeed improves the bottom line! Bring these points across and segment it into 3 main pointers: Team work, Morale and productivity. These 3 elements gives you a better work force that is loyal and willing to go the extra mile (say it with some zeal, practice it before presenting to management) 1. Team work Ask the boss this: do you want a project that can bring the whole department together? Trust me, you would get a resounding YES. Then tell him the plan to start a pantry project to bring in a commercial coffee maker to better the welfare of the department. Sell on the points of how everyone is working together to better the welfare and how this would be the stage for future collaboration. If he/she buys the pitch at this point, stop and proceed to "plan" and "team work" for the commercial coffee maker. If he/she is still hesitant, move on to the next point. 2. Morale Other than the team work, this is a project that the employees are doing for themselves. The bosses can take this opportunity to highlight and impress on the employees, that the management cares for their welfare by providing them a pantry with this commercial coffee maker. And nothing lingers on more by being exposed to it for a long period of time. Getting involved in a project to get the commercial coffee maker for themselves, the employees would be continually be reminded on the point that the "management cares". This is usually something that the bosses want, a group of loyal employees that knows the bosses care for them. At this point, you should get the coffee machine approval. He/she is still considering? Man...time to use point 3 that should do the trick. 3. Productivity Highlight to the boss that everyone goes for coffee break and he/she has a choice of an employee taking the break in the office or across the street in a Starbucks. Time savings would be at least 15 minutes. Employees generally spent lesser time taking break in office, with various factors such as people are watching, saves on the traveling time and bosses might be around. Given that each employee has 2 breaks, that would be 30 minutes savings. Based on an executive pay of $50/hour, that would be $25 savings for a day, $125 productivity dollars saved per week or $6500 per year! Using the productivity variable with shrewd costing should get you the commercial coffee maker, and your next headache would be which coffee makers to purchase to get the best coffee experience in office! Oh, just in case, all 3 techniques did not succeed in getting that coffee maker, then you should still be pleased! Imagine, there you are enjoying a cuppa from Starbucks knowing that the time is paid by the company at a cost of approximately $6500/year or more!:)
How To Buy Good Wines Cheaply
How To Buy Good Wines Cheaply
No matter what you may have heard elsewhere, buying good wines cheaply is easy. Simply follow these useful tips and you’ll be well on the way to finding great value wines without compromising quality. Firstly, always “back the little guy”. By this, we mean hunting down small, boutique wineries, which don’t have large advertising budgets to convince you to buy their wines, or cash to buy space on supermarket shelves. Instead, the only way that they can get their wines noticed is to ensure that the quality is of a very high standard. Wines of this type can be bought from retailers who support small producers. When looking for a decent, cheap wine, a good tip is to seek out less fashionable regions. The wine trade is obsessed with fashion and the result of this can be a compromise in quality. Wine estates in Bordeaux and California for example, are often more known for their investments by millionaires, rather than the wine itself. So to enjoy good wines without the fashion tag, you should search out the retailers who source their wines from places that make similar wines. Chilean Cabernet Merlot is a good alternative to Bordeaux, while Grenache/Syrah blends are a perfect substitute to Chateauneuf du Pape and Chilean Chardonnay is to Chablis. And don’t forget New World fizz if you are looking for a cheaper alternative to Champagne. Another useful hint is to avoid wine brands and heavily advertised wines. Why? Well, large brand wines are produced in significant volumes, using mass production techniques, and as winemakers look to achieve consistency, they compromise quality by using artificial processes such as adding sugars and adding citric acid to their wines. In addition, they heavily promote and market their wines, meaning that significant mark ups are likely. Similarly, big name bargains are a definite no no. Although, through their buying power, supermarkets and large wine retailers can force producers to sell wines at incredibly low prices, they can only do this at the expense of the quality of the wine. To make ends meet, producers will be forced to plant on land that isn’t good enough to bear the region’s name or worse, they will increase yields and dilute the wines. So while a bottle of Chablis for a fiver may sound great, we guarantee that it will leave you feeling disappointed! Finally, make sure that you buy your wine from an online wine retailer. Online wine retailers will offer you far better value for money compared to supermarkets and ordinary merchants, as they don’t incur many of the building costs, which are then passed on to you, the customer. Also, as online retailers aren’t restricted by shelf space, they can offer an unlimited range of wines that ordinary merchants don’t necessarily have space for.
No matter what you may have heard elsewhere, buying good wines cheaply is easy. Simply follow these useful tips and you’ll be well on the way to finding great value wines without compromising quality. Firstly, always “back the little guy”. By this, we mean hunting down small, boutique wineries, which don’t have large advertising budgets to convince you to buy their wines, or cash to buy space on supermarket shelves. Instead, the only way that they can get their wines noticed is to ensure that the quality is of a very high standard. Wines of this type can be bought from retailers who support small producers. When looking for a decent, cheap wine, a good tip is to seek out less fashionable regions. The wine trade is obsessed with fashion and the result of this can be a compromise in quality. Wine estates in Bordeaux and California for example, are often more known for their investments by millionaires, rather than the wine itself. So to enjoy good wines without the fashion tag, you should search out the retailers who source their wines from places that make similar wines. Chilean Cabernet Merlot is a good alternative to Bordeaux, while Grenache/Syrah blends are a perfect substitute to Chateauneuf du Pape and Chilean Chardonnay is to Chablis. And don’t forget New World fizz if you are looking for a cheaper alternative to Champagne. Another useful hint is to avoid wine brands and heavily advertised wines. Why? Well, large brand wines are produced in significant volumes, using mass production techniques, and as winemakers look to achieve consistency, they compromise quality by using artificial processes such as adding sugars and adding citric acid to their wines. In addition, they heavily promote and market their wines, meaning that significant mark ups are likely. Similarly, big name bargains are a definite no no. Although, through their buying power, supermarkets and large wine retailers can force producers to sell wines at incredibly low prices, they can only do this at the expense of the quality of the wine. To make ends meet, producers will be forced to plant on land that isn’t good enough to bear the region’s name or worse, they will increase yields and dilute the wines. So while a bottle of Chablis for a fiver may sound great, we guarantee that it will leave you feeling disappointed! Finally, make sure that you buy your wine from an online wine retailer. Online wine retailers will offer you far better value for money compared to supermarkets and ordinary merchants, as they don’t incur many of the building costs, which are then passed on to you, the customer. Also, as online retailers aren’t restricted by shelf space, they can offer an unlimited range of wines that ordinary merchants don’t necessarily have space for.
How To Buy And Store Your Vegetables
How To Buy And Store Your Vegetables
Short of curing cancer and promising never-ending longevity, vegetables are accredited with so many health benefits it's a wonder that their daily consumption is not a common obsession. Rich in vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre, vegetables are THE cornerstone of a healthy diet. Once the exclusive domain of vegetarians, vegetable-only meals are being incorporated into a growing number of weekly menu plans. And why not? They're good for health, they help with weight loss and they're easy on the budget. With increased demand comes increased availability and today's supermarkets and grocers offer an exciting diversity of vegetables. If you're shopping for lettuce, what type? Good shops will have at least 5 varieties of hand. Check out the cos, iceberg, mignonette, green coral, red coral, butter endive, rocket and radicchio. And potatoes? Look for the pink eye, desiree, pontiac, king edward, new and sebago. Capsicums are available in a multitude colours. Asian vegetables such as bok choy, chinese cabbage and ginger are plentiful and fresh. There are lots of books that shows versatility of vegetables. It is used almost in every dishes. Don't you ever think why people don't like spinach when it has lot to offer? BUYING AND STORING When shopping for vegetables, it's worth remembering that freshness is important. Buy only what you need - shopping for small amounts of vegetables a few times a week is much better than once weekly shop for everything. Plan meals with vegetables in seasons. These will be the freshest and most reasonably priced vegetables available. Watch the weather - long periods of rain can reduce the supply and the price will rise. If you establish a good relationship with your fruit and vegetable provider, they will be able to assist you in the best buys from week to week. Also keep in mind that frozen vegetables can be added to soups and simmering dishes. Despite being frozen, they still contain nutrients and can be extremely handy if you don't have the time to shop every couple of days. Lettuce and leafy greens Looks for lettuces and leafy greens with crisp shiny leaves. The base of the lettuce should be dry and not slimy. Wash the lettuce, remove the core and, if possible, spin dry in a salad spinner or pat dry in a tea towel. Store the lettuce in a plastic bag or wrap in wetted absorbent paper in the crisper section of your refrigerator. Lettuce should keep for up to 7 days for the crisper varieties, softer leaf types will only last for 3-4 days. Salad leaves deteriorate after a few days, so it's best to only buy what you need; some supermarkets are now selling prepackaged salad mixes that last up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Root vegetables Avoid root vegetables with blemished skin, green or purple marks, a musty smell or that have started to sprout. Carrots, potatoes, parsnips, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, beetroot, celeriac, sewedes, jerusalem artichokes and turnips are all quick to show signs of spoilage, When purchased, carrots should be firm with no signs of wrinkles. Store most root vegetables in the vegetable crisper of your refrigerator for 6-8 days. There are many different varieties of potatoes available for cooking; the two main groups being floury and waxy. Floury potatoes are suited to baking, mashing and frying while waxy potatoes are good for boiling. Potatoes should be bought with the dirt still on to protect them from bruising and exposure to light. If stored in a cool dark placecc in a hessian bag, potatoes can last for up to 1 month. Whole pumpkins will keep for months in a cool dark place. Wedges wrapped in a plastic can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Unless you have a good, sharp and large knife, it is probably best to buy pumpkin bu the wedge. Check that the seed area is moist, but not slimy, and that there is no mould. Tomatoes Store tomatoes at room temperature as refrigerating will soften the flesh. To ripen tomatoes leave them on a window sill in a sunny spot in the kitchen. Unfortunately, the colour of a tomato is no longer indicative if the flavour. Vine ripened tomatoes that have been, as the name implies, left to ripen on the vine usually have a stronger sweeter flavour. Roma or egg tomatoes can also be sweet. Brassicas Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts are quick to show signs of spoilage. With broccoli and cauliflower, look for tightly packed florets that show no evidence of yellowing or tiny flower. Cabbages and brussels sprouts should be dense with crisp out leaves. Onions Purchase onions with skins intact and no soft spots, green sprouts or any signs of moisture. Spring onions (also known as green onions) should have crisp green stems with moist roots. Peas and Beans The best way to test the freshness of a beans is to bend it - if it snaps it is fresh, it it bends it is on its way out. Try to purchase beans loose as this allows you to pick your own. Store them in a plastic bag in your refrigerator for 2-3 days. Sugar snap and snow peas (also known as mangetout) should be crisp and bright green with no sign of blemishes; they should be eaten on the day of purchase. Buy peas in the pod and shell them just before cooking - 1 kg peas will yield 500 grams shelled peas. About the only way to tell the sweetness of a pea is to put it to the taste test. Capsicums Look for capsicums (also known as peppers) with shiny waxy skins; they should also be heavy for their size with no signs of softening. They can be stored at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the vegetable crisper of the refrigerator for 4-5 days Celery, Fennel and Asparagus Stalky vegetables should be crisp with upright stalks. Celery should have bright green leaves. Look for asparagus with firmly closed buds. Store stalky vegetables in the vegetable crisper for 2-3 days. Avocado To select a ripe avocado, gently press your thumb into the top near the stem and if it gives slightly it's ready to eat. Ripe ones should be eaten with 2-3 days of purchasing. Store unripe avocados at the room temperature. Sweet Corn Corn is best purchased in its husk. Peel back the husk and silk and check the kernels for signs of drying. Also, the silk should no be starting to moisten - the whiter the silk the fresher the corn. Corn is best eaten soon after purchased. Mushrooms Look for clean white mushrooms with a fresh earthy aroma and tight caps. Exotic mushrooms are usually sold in trays covered in plastic so check carefully for any signs of decay. Mushrooms last longer when stored in paper bags in the vegetable crisper in the refrigerator. Do not wash or peel mushrooms; brush clean with a piece of absorbent paper towel.
Short of curing cancer and promising never-ending longevity, vegetables are accredited with so many health benefits it's a wonder that their daily consumption is not a common obsession. Rich in vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre, vegetables are THE cornerstone of a healthy diet. Once the exclusive domain of vegetarians, vegetable-only meals are being incorporated into a growing number of weekly menu plans. And why not? They're good for health, they help with weight loss and they're easy on the budget. With increased demand comes increased availability and today's supermarkets and grocers offer an exciting diversity of vegetables. If you're shopping for lettuce, what type? Good shops will have at least 5 varieties of hand. Check out the cos, iceberg, mignonette, green coral, red coral, butter endive, rocket and radicchio. And potatoes? Look for the pink eye, desiree, pontiac, king edward, new and sebago. Capsicums are available in a multitude colours. Asian vegetables such as bok choy, chinese cabbage and ginger are plentiful and fresh. There are lots of books that shows versatility of vegetables. It is used almost in every dishes. Don't you ever think why people don't like spinach when it has lot to offer? BUYING AND STORING When shopping for vegetables, it's worth remembering that freshness is important. Buy only what you need - shopping for small amounts of vegetables a few times a week is much better than once weekly shop for everything. Plan meals with vegetables in seasons. These will be the freshest and most reasonably priced vegetables available. Watch the weather - long periods of rain can reduce the supply and the price will rise. If you establish a good relationship with your fruit and vegetable provider, they will be able to assist you in the best buys from week to week. Also keep in mind that frozen vegetables can be added to soups and simmering dishes. Despite being frozen, they still contain nutrients and can be extremely handy if you don't have the time to shop every couple of days. Lettuce and leafy greens Looks for lettuces and leafy greens with crisp shiny leaves. The base of the lettuce should be dry and not slimy. Wash the lettuce, remove the core and, if possible, spin dry in a salad spinner or pat dry in a tea towel. Store the lettuce in a plastic bag or wrap in wetted absorbent paper in the crisper section of your refrigerator. Lettuce should keep for up to 7 days for the crisper varieties, softer leaf types will only last for 3-4 days. Salad leaves deteriorate after a few days, so it's best to only buy what you need; some supermarkets are now selling prepackaged salad mixes that last up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Root vegetables Avoid root vegetables with blemished skin, green or purple marks, a musty smell or that have started to sprout. Carrots, potatoes, parsnips, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, beetroot, celeriac, sewedes, jerusalem artichokes and turnips are all quick to show signs of spoilage, When purchased, carrots should be firm with no signs of wrinkles. Store most root vegetables in the vegetable crisper of your refrigerator for 6-8 days. There are many different varieties of potatoes available for cooking; the two main groups being floury and waxy. Floury potatoes are suited to baking, mashing and frying while waxy potatoes are good for boiling. Potatoes should be bought with the dirt still on to protect them from bruising and exposure to light. If stored in a cool dark placecc in a hessian bag, potatoes can last for up to 1 month. Whole pumpkins will keep for months in a cool dark place. Wedges wrapped in a plastic can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Unless you have a good, sharp and large knife, it is probably best to buy pumpkin bu the wedge. Check that the seed area is moist, but not slimy, and that there is no mould. Tomatoes Store tomatoes at room temperature as refrigerating will soften the flesh. To ripen tomatoes leave them on a window sill in a sunny spot in the kitchen. Unfortunately, the colour of a tomato is no longer indicative if the flavour. Vine ripened tomatoes that have been, as the name implies, left to ripen on the vine usually have a stronger sweeter flavour. Roma or egg tomatoes can also be sweet. Brassicas Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts are quick to show signs of spoilage. With broccoli and cauliflower, look for tightly packed florets that show no evidence of yellowing or tiny flower. Cabbages and brussels sprouts should be dense with crisp out leaves. Onions Purchase onions with skins intact and no soft spots, green sprouts or any signs of moisture. Spring onions (also known as green onions) should have crisp green stems with moist roots. Peas and Beans The best way to test the freshness of a beans is to bend it - if it snaps it is fresh, it it bends it is on its way out. Try to purchase beans loose as this allows you to pick your own. Store them in a plastic bag in your refrigerator for 2-3 days. Sugar snap and snow peas (also known as mangetout) should be crisp and bright green with no sign of blemishes; they should be eaten on the day of purchase. Buy peas in the pod and shell them just before cooking - 1 kg peas will yield 500 grams shelled peas. About the only way to tell the sweetness of a pea is to put it to the taste test. Capsicums Look for capsicums (also known as peppers) with shiny waxy skins; they should also be heavy for their size with no signs of softening. They can be stored at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the vegetable crisper of the refrigerator for 4-5 days Celery, Fennel and Asparagus Stalky vegetables should be crisp with upright stalks. Celery should have bright green leaves. Look for asparagus with firmly closed buds. Store stalky vegetables in the vegetable crisper for 2-3 days. Avocado To select a ripe avocado, gently press your thumb into the top near the stem and if it gives slightly it's ready to eat. Ripe ones should be eaten with 2-3 days of purchasing. Store unripe avocados at the room temperature. Sweet Corn Corn is best purchased in its husk. Peel back the husk and silk and check the kernels for signs of drying. Also, the silk should no be starting to moisten - the whiter the silk the fresher the corn. Corn is best eaten soon after purchased. Mushrooms Look for clean white mushrooms with a fresh earthy aroma and tight caps. Exotic mushrooms are usually sold in trays covered in plastic so check carefully for any signs of decay. Mushrooms last longer when stored in paper bags in the vegetable crisper in the refrigerator. Do not wash or peel mushrooms; brush clean with a piece of absorbent paper towel.
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