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.
Wine For The Rest Of Us
Wine For The Rest Of Us
Many of us love wine, but lack the purse that allows for expensive, "fine" wines. For that matter, I have found that if I want to enjoy wine regularly (which I do), I can't even afford $15 a bottle as that mounts up quickly in the old monthly budget. But fear not, budget oenophiles, good wines, even fine wines are available on a shoe string. Many people have already discovered the charms of Yellowtail and Two-buck Chuck (Charles Taylor) wines, to the point of these good wines being virtually ubiquitous on dinner tables everywhere. But did you know, or realize, that there are many, many quality varietals available through a host of other vineyards. Indeed, there are dozens of wines at half the price of Yellowtail, that produce a more sophisticated flavor, and are a more congenial match with most meals. Silver Sands is a South African vineyard of singular note. I haven't tried all of their varietals, but with a meal of broiled chuck roast in a garlic sauce, and sides of asparagus and gingered sweet potatoes, I found that the Silver Sands Shiraz was an able, even excellent companion to the meal, easily competing with wines valued at two or three times it's $5 per bottle cost. It's smoke and oak wood tones contrasting delightfully with the natural blackberry fruitiness of the Syrah grape, from which Shiraz is made. There is an initial bite to this Shiraz, not unpleasant, but attention-getting, which matures on the palate into waves of dark smoke, not unlike a fine single-malt, then into deeper, more subtle, woody and earthy tones, all overlaid with the fruitiness of Shiraz. This is a surprisingly nuanced wine, with a pleasant and promising nose and a rich, full body. Most importantly, this wine was a delightful complement to the meal, dancing the tongue away from the powerful, salty garlic marinade of the beef and preparing it for the ginger and autumn spices of the sweet potatoes. Or as a perfect counterpoint to the buttery smoothness of the steamed asparagus and a reminder of the richness of red meat to come. This might be a little strong as a companion for some pastas, but I can see it sitting proudly alongside a well-prepared steak, or a deliciously rare burger with blue-cheese crumbles over the top and slices of smoked bacon. You do need some starch with this one for balance: perhaps unsalted pub fries with malt vinegar, or maybe a monstrous baked potato smothered in butter, sour cream, bacon bits, broccoli florets and Vermont cheddar, or like I had, gingered sweet potatoes. But I think you’ll find that this wine is zippy enough to stand on its own quite nicely beside a host of entrees. This wine was actually quite a surprise. I am very familiar with South African reds, and have found them to be somewhat stratified, i.e. the cheap ones are cheap for a reason. But not so with Silver Sands. This is an absolutely delightful Shiraz, mature and flavorful, but not bombastic or heavy. I will definitely keep my eye out for this South African delight in the future, and at $5 a bottle, I know that it won’t break the bank if I bring it home. Happy hunting.
Many of us love wine, but lack the purse that allows for expensive, "fine" wines. For that matter, I have found that if I want to enjoy wine regularly (which I do), I can't even afford $15 a bottle as that mounts up quickly in the old monthly budget. But fear not, budget oenophiles, good wines, even fine wines are available on a shoe string. Many people have already discovered the charms of Yellowtail and Two-buck Chuck (Charles Taylor) wines, to the point of these good wines being virtually ubiquitous on dinner tables everywhere. But did you know, or realize, that there are many, many quality varietals available through a host of other vineyards. Indeed, there are dozens of wines at half the price of Yellowtail, that produce a more sophisticated flavor, and are a more congenial match with most meals. Silver Sands is a South African vineyard of singular note. I haven't tried all of their varietals, but with a meal of broiled chuck roast in a garlic sauce, and sides of asparagus and gingered sweet potatoes, I found that the Silver Sands Shiraz was an able, even excellent companion to the meal, easily competing with wines valued at two or three times it's $5 per bottle cost. It's smoke and oak wood tones contrasting delightfully with the natural blackberry fruitiness of the Syrah grape, from which Shiraz is made. There is an initial bite to this Shiraz, not unpleasant, but attention-getting, which matures on the palate into waves of dark smoke, not unlike a fine single-malt, then into deeper, more subtle, woody and earthy tones, all overlaid with the fruitiness of Shiraz. This is a surprisingly nuanced wine, with a pleasant and promising nose and a rich, full body. Most importantly, this wine was a delightful complement to the meal, dancing the tongue away from the powerful, salty garlic marinade of the beef and preparing it for the ginger and autumn spices of the sweet potatoes. Or as a perfect counterpoint to the buttery smoothness of the steamed asparagus and a reminder of the richness of red meat to come. This might be a little strong as a companion for some pastas, but I can see it sitting proudly alongside a well-prepared steak, or a deliciously rare burger with blue-cheese crumbles over the top and slices of smoked bacon. You do need some starch with this one for balance: perhaps unsalted pub fries with malt vinegar, or maybe a monstrous baked potato smothered in butter, sour cream, bacon bits, broccoli florets and Vermont cheddar, or like I had, gingered sweet potatoes. But I think you’ll find that this wine is zippy enough to stand on its own quite nicely beside a host of entrees. This wine was actually quite a surprise. I am very familiar with South African reds, and have found them to be somewhat stratified, i.e. the cheap ones are cheap for a reason. But not so with Silver Sands. This is an absolutely delightful Shiraz, mature and flavorful, but not bombastic or heavy. I will definitely keep my eye out for this South African delight in the future, and at $5 a bottle, I know that it won’t break the bank if I bring it home. Happy hunting.
How To Store Your Wine
How To Store Your Wine
So, you love wine, you've bought a few of your favorite bottles and you store them in a wine rack on your counter or on top of your refrigerator. Then one day your friend brings you a bottle and you get another bottle for a gift and you begin to run out of room on your counter. Then you begin thinking...where is the best place to store my wine. Most wine lovers have seen the day that requires graduating from a couple bottles in a rack to coming up with some sort of system to sort, store, and keep wine accessible. The following are some tips for keeping your wine healthy and tasting good long-term. Wine is best stored under cool, dark, airy conditions, free from vibration, odors and dampness. A cellar need not be under the house. The single most important factor is temperature stability. Wines stored where the temperature varies gradually with the seasons are better off than wines stored in a room which is heated during the day and then allowed to cool to winter temperatures at night. The ideal cellar temperature is 12-15oC(53-59F) with a relative humidity of 65-75%. It is worthwhile using a thermometer to monitor summer temperatures. It may be a cause for concern if the cellar temperature goes much over 18oC(64F), as warm conditions will accelerate the development of your wines, possibly reducing the pleasure to be had from them. Store wine on its side, ideally with the neck sloping slightly upwards so that the cork remains wet, the bubble of air is in the shoulder and any sediment will collect at the bottom of the bottle. This will make the wine easier to decant. Place the bottle with the label facing up or use written neck tags so you do not disturb a wine to identify it. Align the bottles so that the corks are visible - this will allow easy inspection for problems such as leakage. Depending on the size of your cellar and your budget, your wines can be stored in either racks or boxes. There are various racking and storage systems available ranging from metal individual bottle storage racks through to custom-built wooden systems. Cardboard cartons in which wines are packed provide efficient insulation and also protect the wine from light. Another alternative, albeit an expensive one, is specially designed styrene boxes, which provide excellent insulation and double as wine racks. Air conditioning and refrigeration may effectively reduce temperatures but will also reduce humidity causing cork shrinkage. Buckets filled with water and regularly topped up will usually solve this problem. Alternatively, several companies now offer cellaring cabinets of varying sizes, that are, effectively, modified refrigerators with humidity control and these same companies can also supply humidity control units for rooms. It is important to note that your wines will mature more quickly if your cellaring conditions are not ideal. If you are like me, you have more everyday style wine in your cellar than anything. These wines are better to drink quickly rather than store for years and years. However, proper storage conditions will keep your wine from spoiling too quick and you may be surprised with the excellent aging results you achieve with some higher end or more complex styles such as Bordeaux or Pinot Noir/Burgundy. Try asking your local wine merchant to suggest some wines for you that age well and have fun starting a collection of age worthy wine to go with your everyday wine.
So, you love wine, you've bought a few of your favorite bottles and you store them in a wine rack on your counter or on top of your refrigerator. Then one day your friend brings you a bottle and you get another bottle for a gift and you begin to run out of room on your counter. Then you begin thinking...where is the best place to store my wine. Most wine lovers have seen the day that requires graduating from a couple bottles in a rack to coming up with some sort of system to sort, store, and keep wine accessible. The following are some tips for keeping your wine healthy and tasting good long-term. Wine is best stored under cool, dark, airy conditions, free from vibration, odors and dampness. A cellar need not be under the house. The single most important factor is temperature stability. Wines stored where the temperature varies gradually with the seasons are better off than wines stored in a room which is heated during the day and then allowed to cool to winter temperatures at night. The ideal cellar temperature is 12-15oC(53-59F) with a relative humidity of 65-75%. It is worthwhile using a thermometer to monitor summer temperatures. It may be a cause for concern if the cellar temperature goes much over 18oC(64F), as warm conditions will accelerate the development of your wines, possibly reducing the pleasure to be had from them. Store wine on its side, ideally with the neck sloping slightly upwards so that the cork remains wet, the bubble of air is in the shoulder and any sediment will collect at the bottom of the bottle. This will make the wine easier to decant. Place the bottle with the label facing up or use written neck tags so you do not disturb a wine to identify it. Align the bottles so that the corks are visible - this will allow easy inspection for problems such as leakage. Depending on the size of your cellar and your budget, your wines can be stored in either racks or boxes. There are various racking and storage systems available ranging from metal individual bottle storage racks through to custom-built wooden systems. Cardboard cartons in which wines are packed provide efficient insulation and also protect the wine from light. Another alternative, albeit an expensive one, is specially designed styrene boxes, which provide excellent insulation and double as wine racks. Air conditioning and refrigeration may effectively reduce temperatures but will also reduce humidity causing cork shrinkage. Buckets filled with water and regularly topped up will usually solve this problem. Alternatively, several companies now offer cellaring cabinets of varying sizes, that are, effectively, modified refrigerators with humidity control and these same companies can also supply humidity control units for rooms. It is important to note that your wines will mature more quickly if your cellaring conditions are not ideal. If you are like me, you have more everyday style wine in your cellar than anything. These wines are better to drink quickly rather than store for years and years. However, proper storage conditions will keep your wine from spoiling too quick and you may be surprised with the excellent aging results you achieve with some higher end or more complex styles such as Bordeaux or Pinot Noir/Burgundy. Try asking your local wine merchant to suggest some wines for you that age well and have fun starting a collection of age worthy wine to go with your everyday wine.
Wine Tasting 101 - Quick Terms To Enhance Your Tasting Enjoyment
Wine Tasting 101 - Quick Terms To Enhance Your Tasting Enjoyment
Wine is a wonderful beverage with many different facets. Some people only drink wine on special occasions, but if you are like me you enjoy trying as many new wines as possible as often as you can. In order to increase your enjoyment and wine drinking satisfaction there are a series of terms and techniques you should become familiar with. Wine comes in different taste, color and ingredients. Tasting more and more of wines will make you more aware of your specific taste and preferences and the specific characteristics of the different varietals. Tasting wine is a sequence of event that enhances the enjoyment of imbibing. Wine can be an intimidating subject, but becoming familiar with the following terms in regards to the taste, flavors, and ingredients of wine will break down the "snob factor" associated with wine and start you on the road to becoming a true connoisseur. The following are some basic wine words to become familiar with. Sweetness The degree to which a wine tastes sweet. Sweetness is tasted on the tongue. Residual sugar also can change the viscosity of a wine, making it richer. The impression of sweetness comes from either sugars, or alcohol, or both, and can be altered in relationship to the presence of acidity. The sweetness of the wine can be determined by the amount of fermented sugar and fruit added to it. Acidity The next flavor tasted in wine is the feel of acidity. The acid taste can be felt to create taste and freshness in the flavor established. The taste of acidity creates freshness, crispy and zest in a balanced manner. Most of the drinkers prefer acidity taste of wine to come up with the purpose of having the wine. It helps the people to enjoy the taste and make it meaningful. The characteristic of wine differs in each kind of taste and flavor mixed. The degree to which a wine has sourness, or tartness, a taste perceived on the tongue. Derived from natural grape acids, primarily tartaric and malic, but may also include lactic and acetic from microbial action, whether intentional or otherwise. A compound present in all grapes and an essential component of wine that preserves it, enlivens and shapes its flavors and helps prolong its aftertaste. There are four major kinds of acids--tartaric, malic, lactic and citric--found in wine. Acid is identifiable by the crisp, sharp character it imparts to a wine. Alcohol Essential component of wine which gives a sense of sweetness, especially in dry wine, and contributes to body and length of finish. Can be noticed as warmth in the back of the throat. Big is a term used often to describe a wine high in alcohol, usually also heavy in body. Too much alcohol in a wine makes it hot. Its affects run from the obvious to the not so obvious. Alcohol doesn't just provide the kick it gives texture ("body"), flavor (roundness and sweetness) and vinosity (makes it smell and taste like wine) as well as providing balance and a certain chemical and physical stability to wines. The primary alcohol is known as ethyl alcohol or ethanol, but there are dozens of other so-called "higher" alcohols which though in minute quantites provide hundreds of flavors. Fruitiness The fruitiness can be tasted more in wine, because it is product which extracted from rich grapey fruits. It comes in crispy, freshly and tasty flavors. Tasting term for wine which has retained the fresh flavor of the grapes used in its fermentation. Not to be confused with sweetness. A wine can be fruity and not sweet. Structure Related to balance; all of the in mouth basic impressions of sweet, sour, salty, bitter, along with alcohol, body, etc., but in absence of the more complex, organoleptic impressions detectable by the olfactory bulb. In other words, everything but the aroma. Body The impression of weight or fullness on the palate; usually the result of a combination of glycerin, alcohol and sugar. Commonly expressed as full-bodied, medium-bodied or medium-weight, or light-bodied. Understanding these basics will help you to figure out the style of wine that suits you best and will help you to be a much more educated consumer. Soon you will be able to taste a wine and by using these wine basics you should be able to narrow down the type of wine you are drinking without even looking at the label. Your friends will be impressed and your wine confidence will be sky high. CHEERS!
Wine is a wonderful beverage with many different facets. Some people only drink wine on special occasions, but if you are like me you enjoy trying as many new wines as possible as often as you can. In order to increase your enjoyment and wine drinking satisfaction there are a series of terms and techniques you should become familiar with. Wine comes in different taste, color and ingredients. Tasting more and more of wines will make you more aware of your specific taste and preferences and the specific characteristics of the different varietals. Tasting wine is a sequence of event that enhances the enjoyment of imbibing. Wine can be an intimidating subject, but becoming familiar with the following terms in regards to the taste, flavors, and ingredients of wine will break down the "snob factor" associated with wine and start you on the road to becoming a true connoisseur. The following are some basic wine words to become familiar with. Sweetness The degree to which a wine tastes sweet. Sweetness is tasted on the tongue. Residual sugar also can change the viscosity of a wine, making it richer. The impression of sweetness comes from either sugars, or alcohol, or both, and can be altered in relationship to the presence of acidity. The sweetness of the wine can be determined by the amount of fermented sugar and fruit added to it. Acidity The next flavor tasted in wine is the feel of acidity. The acid taste can be felt to create taste and freshness in the flavor established. The taste of acidity creates freshness, crispy and zest in a balanced manner. Most of the drinkers prefer acidity taste of wine to come up with the purpose of having the wine. It helps the people to enjoy the taste and make it meaningful. The characteristic of wine differs in each kind of taste and flavor mixed. The degree to which a wine has sourness, or tartness, a taste perceived on the tongue. Derived from natural grape acids, primarily tartaric and malic, but may also include lactic and acetic from microbial action, whether intentional or otherwise. A compound present in all grapes and an essential component of wine that preserves it, enlivens and shapes its flavors and helps prolong its aftertaste. There are four major kinds of acids--tartaric, malic, lactic and citric--found in wine. Acid is identifiable by the crisp, sharp character it imparts to a wine. Alcohol Essential component of wine which gives a sense of sweetness, especially in dry wine, and contributes to body and length of finish. Can be noticed as warmth in the back of the throat. Big is a term used often to describe a wine high in alcohol, usually also heavy in body. Too much alcohol in a wine makes it hot. Its affects run from the obvious to the not so obvious. Alcohol doesn't just provide the kick it gives texture ("body"), flavor (roundness and sweetness) and vinosity (makes it smell and taste like wine) as well as providing balance and a certain chemical and physical stability to wines. The primary alcohol is known as ethyl alcohol or ethanol, but there are dozens of other so-called "higher" alcohols which though in minute quantites provide hundreds of flavors. Fruitiness The fruitiness can be tasted more in wine, because it is product which extracted from rich grapey fruits. It comes in crispy, freshly and tasty flavors. Tasting term for wine which has retained the fresh flavor of the grapes used in its fermentation. Not to be confused with sweetness. A wine can be fruity and not sweet. Structure Related to balance; all of the in mouth basic impressions of sweet, sour, salty, bitter, along with alcohol, body, etc., but in absence of the more complex, organoleptic impressions detectable by the olfactory bulb. In other words, everything but the aroma. Body The impression of weight or fullness on the palate; usually the result of a combination of glycerin, alcohol and sugar. Commonly expressed as full-bodied, medium-bodied or medium-weight, or light-bodied. Understanding these basics will help you to figure out the style of wine that suits you best and will help you to be a much more educated consumer. Soon you will be able to taste a wine and by using these wine basics you should be able to narrow down the type of wine you are drinking without even looking at the label. Your friends will be impressed and your wine confidence will be sky high. CHEERS!
Fun, Healthy, Delicious Food – Can You Really Have it All?
Fun, Healthy, Delicious Food – Can You Really Have it All?
Is there really such a thing as food that is fun, healthy, and delicious? So many people think grub that’s good for you automatically takes all the fun out of eating. After all, healthy food can’t possibly taste good, can it? Of course it can! I have been busy gathering some ideas for fun, healthy, delicious foods to share with you. If you have kids, these are recipes I think they’ll like too. And here’s another bonus – they are all easy to make: • Have you seen those “Flatout Mini” soft wraps? I love these! They are small-size wraps that are low in calories, convenient, and very versatile. Try this easy recipe – all you need are the wraps, cooking spray, Mrs. Dash, and Parmesan cheese. Cut each wrap into 16 wedges and place on a cookie sheet coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with a little Mrs. Dash and a bit of Parmesan. Bake at 350-degrees for about ten minutes or until lightly brown and crisp. • Fruit kabobs – This is a fun alternative to a plain old bowl of fruit. Just pick a few of your favorites – maybe apples, pineapple, bananas - and cut them into chunks. Slide the fruit onto a skewer. Next, roll the skewer in a plate of nonfat yogurt… then roll again in a plate of shredded coconut. Voila! A fun, healthy, delicious snack! • Sandwich kabobs - Cut whole-grain bread, low-fat cheese, and your favorite deli meat into cubes. Slide them onto skewers along with some veggies like grape tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, and olives. Dip into fat-free or low-fat Italian dressing. • For a quick mini-pizza, top an English muffin (go for the whole grain ones) with spaghetti sauce and a little shredded low-fat mozzarella. Broil until the cheese melts. • Pop a frozen waffle or pancake into the toaster and top it with warm applesauce and cinnamon. Too easy, huh? • Freeze some grapes, bananas, cherries, or maybe peaches and blend with yogurt for a fruit smoothie. • Yogurt pops – fill paper cups with your favorite non-fat or low-fat yogurt and put a popsicle stick in each cup. Freeze and enjoy! • Creamy Coolwich (from Nabisco World) - put 2 tablespoons of sugar free Cool Whip in between graham cracker squares. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for three hours or until firm. Yum! • Blueberry Cracker Bites (from Kraft Foods) – spread 1 teaspoon light cream cheese on a reduced-fat Ritz cracker and top with 5 frozen blueberries. Too fun! So, you see – healthy foods can be fun and delicious. Now, I am a firm believer that the key to a successful, healthy lifestyle is to choose fun good-for-you foods and exercises when you can. It’s a tough enough fight out there whether you’re trying to lose or maintain weight. But enjoying the journey is half the battle.
Is there really such a thing as food that is fun, healthy, and delicious? So many people think grub that’s good for you automatically takes all the fun out of eating. After all, healthy food can’t possibly taste good, can it? Of course it can! I have been busy gathering some ideas for fun, healthy, delicious foods to share with you. If you have kids, these are recipes I think they’ll like too. And here’s another bonus – they are all easy to make: • Have you seen those “Flatout Mini” soft wraps? I love these! They are small-size wraps that are low in calories, convenient, and very versatile. Try this easy recipe – all you need are the wraps, cooking spray, Mrs. Dash, and Parmesan cheese. Cut each wrap into 16 wedges and place on a cookie sheet coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with a little Mrs. Dash and a bit of Parmesan. Bake at 350-degrees for about ten minutes or until lightly brown and crisp. • Fruit kabobs – This is a fun alternative to a plain old bowl of fruit. Just pick a few of your favorites – maybe apples, pineapple, bananas - and cut them into chunks. Slide the fruit onto a skewer. Next, roll the skewer in a plate of nonfat yogurt… then roll again in a plate of shredded coconut. Voila! A fun, healthy, delicious snack! • Sandwich kabobs - Cut whole-grain bread, low-fat cheese, and your favorite deli meat into cubes. Slide them onto skewers along with some veggies like grape tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, and olives. Dip into fat-free or low-fat Italian dressing. • For a quick mini-pizza, top an English muffin (go for the whole grain ones) with spaghetti sauce and a little shredded low-fat mozzarella. Broil until the cheese melts. • Pop a frozen waffle or pancake into the toaster and top it with warm applesauce and cinnamon. Too easy, huh? • Freeze some grapes, bananas, cherries, or maybe peaches and blend with yogurt for a fruit smoothie. • Yogurt pops – fill paper cups with your favorite non-fat or low-fat yogurt and put a popsicle stick in each cup. Freeze and enjoy! • Creamy Coolwich (from Nabisco World) - put 2 tablespoons of sugar free Cool Whip in between graham cracker squares. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for three hours or until firm. Yum! • Blueberry Cracker Bites (from Kraft Foods) – spread 1 teaspoon light cream cheese on a reduced-fat Ritz cracker and top with 5 frozen blueberries. Too fun! So, you see – healthy foods can be fun and delicious. Now, I am a firm believer that the key to a successful, healthy lifestyle is to choose fun good-for-you foods and exercises when you can. It’s a tough enough fight out there whether you’re trying to lose or maintain weight. But enjoying the journey is half the battle.
How To Enjoy A Glass Of Beer
How To Enjoy A Glass Of Beer
Drink and be merry is a familiar phrase that people would usually say back to you when you are on a vacation in Cork, Ireland. Car hire can provide assistance in bringing tourists to the various bars and pubs located all over Ireland. In the same way, this allows them total flexibility, since car for hire vehicles allow tourists the benefit of choosing the desired place, or to be able to hop from one bar to another. These benefits are limited in a way when people disregard their need for mobility and transportation, having to look at time always to be able to ensure that they go home safe and sound, without the hassles of needing to worry about their means of getting back to their lodging accommodations. Unimportant as it may seem for most people, a vehicle for hire really has a lot of benefits rather than worrying about the expenses. Not only concentrated on the pubs, but car hire also extends its coverage into other tourist wants, as nearby sites, drinking, dining and other activities that tourists would prefer while they are on vacation. Ideally, people will be restless once they are in Ireland. Thinking of what to do and where to go are only some of the issues that they have to address. Car hire also extends assistance on this aspect, providing tourists with information as to what ideal places would be worth their while. This car for hire organization is not solely aimed at providing vehicles for profit, but would also like to ensure that such tourists will get the most out of their vacation. Besides, a one shot deal is nothing compared to customer loyalty on their next visit and referral to their friends, if people are to find a trustworthy organization when they go on tour in Ireland. Among the alternative places where people may meet and bring women would be that of bars. Mixing alcohol with music and some pleasantries along the way are a good mix of better things to come, even perhaps leading to a stage where they can be able get to know each other better. Part of this of course comes from enjoying the company of each other and this proves to be an advantage on the part of the guy. You see, one of the hardest parts of trying to gain the nod of women is providing them a good time and impressing them that they made the right decision in giving in to your company. By all means, this is one hard thing to do if a man is not careful. The judgment phase, that of which is trying to win the woman’s nod is perhaps the most invigorating part that cannot promise anything frugal. It is an open battle field for them as they try to save face or obtain their trophy of trust from the apple of their eyes. Women of course will not give in to easily. Men have to find out the funny bone of their intimate and romantic desires. The things that make them click as a whole are the most important aspect since women rarely have the time to waste time for men who pursue them without purpose. Flings may be possible but honestly, women today have become wiser. Time is an essential element in maturity and this can be seen once a woman shows that she is not playing around with men. Companionship is one thing but going towards the next level is something else. Moreover, women value the effort and persistence. A woman will automatically not entertain the would-be suitors if they are not interested. With an open minded, most women would provide equal chances. If in the first try you are turned down, then perhaps it would be better not to pursue or expect more. The whole thing will become useless and moot. These are the realities in love and relationships. Many would want to get intimate and take on life together even if there is not seen bond just yet. However, for most people wanting something serious, their road towards it will say it all. Persistence and sincerity will be tested and all of these can be seen sooner than they think.
Drink and be merry is a familiar phrase that people would usually say back to you when you are on a vacation in Cork, Ireland. Car hire can provide assistance in bringing tourists to the various bars and pubs located all over Ireland. In the same way, this allows them total flexibility, since car for hire vehicles allow tourists the benefit of choosing the desired place, or to be able to hop from one bar to another. These benefits are limited in a way when people disregard their need for mobility and transportation, having to look at time always to be able to ensure that they go home safe and sound, without the hassles of needing to worry about their means of getting back to their lodging accommodations. Unimportant as it may seem for most people, a vehicle for hire really has a lot of benefits rather than worrying about the expenses. Not only concentrated on the pubs, but car hire also extends its coverage into other tourist wants, as nearby sites, drinking, dining and other activities that tourists would prefer while they are on vacation. Ideally, people will be restless once they are in Ireland. Thinking of what to do and where to go are only some of the issues that they have to address. Car hire also extends assistance on this aspect, providing tourists with information as to what ideal places would be worth their while. This car for hire organization is not solely aimed at providing vehicles for profit, but would also like to ensure that such tourists will get the most out of their vacation. Besides, a one shot deal is nothing compared to customer loyalty on their next visit and referral to their friends, if people are to find a trustworthy organization when they go on tour in Ireland. Among the alternative places where people may meet and bring women would be that of bars. Mixing alcohol with music and some pleasantries along the way are a good mix of better things to come, even perhaps leading to a stage where they can be able get to know each other better. Part of this of course comes from enjoying the company of each other and this proves to be an advantage on the part of the guy. You see, one of the hardest parts of trying to gain the nod of women is providing them a good time and impressing them that they made the right decision in giving in to your company. By all means, this is one hard thing to do if a man is not careful. The judgment phase, that of which is trying to win the woman’s nod is perhaps the most invigorating part that cannot promise anything frugal. It is an open battle field for them as they try to save face or obtain their trophy of trust from the apple of their eyes. Women of course will not give in to easily. Men have to find out the funny bone of their intimate and romantic desires. The things that make them click as a whole are the most important aspect since women rarely have the time to waste time for men who pursue them without purpose. Flings may be possible but honestly, women today have become wiser. Time is an essential element in maturity and this can be seen once a woman shows that she is not playing around with men. Companionship is one thing but going towards the next level is something else. Moreover, women value the effort and persistence. A woman will automatically not entertain the would-be suitors if they are not interested. With an open minded, most women would provide equal chances. If in the first try you are turned down, then perhaps it would be better not to pursue or expect more. The whole thing will become useless and moot. These are the realities in love and relationships. Many would want to get intimate and take on life together even if there is not seen bond just yet. However, for most people wanting something serious, their road towards it will say it all. Persistence and sincerity will be tested and all of these can be seen sooner than they think.
Wine Gifts – The Perfect Present This Christmas
Wine Gifts – The Perfect Present This Christmas
Not sure what to buy your friends or relatives this Christmas? Well, why not opt for a wine gift? It’s a definite crowd pleaser, looks classy and can be bought from the comfort of your armchair, so you simply can’t go wrong with it. Buying wine gifts is easy. Just follow a few handy tips below and you’ll have your Christmas shopping sorted in no time. The simplest piece of advice to remember is that sparkles always go down well. Whether you are buying for your Great Aunt or best mate, for a 50th wedding anniversary or 21st birthday, champagne is always well received. It looks elegant and tastes great. If you are buying for a range of people and are not sure what to buy for who, you can generally expect that people over the age of 50 will prefer Old World wine, whilst people under the age of 50 are more likely to opt for New World wines. When buying for your partner or loved one, the best option is to choose something that you are both going to enjoy. Go for a bottle you know you both will love or a mixed case of both of your favourites and you are bound to impress. If you are looking to make an impact with your wine, why not go for a pre-packaged wine gift? Many wine retailers usually have a range of wine gifts available, which have been carefully prepared for that special occasion. And if you want to go the extra mile, always opt for a wooden gift box. They are a great way of making a bottle of wine look even more perfect, for relatively little extra cost. Always remember to personalise your gifts with a message. Whether you’ve opted for a case of wine or something from the gift selection, a short message will make it meaningful for the lucky recipient. For comfort and stress-free shopping, make sure you buy online. Buying from an online wine retailer will mean that you can complete your gift shopping in the cosy surroundings of your own home without the hustle and bustle of supermarket trolleys, Christmas Shoppers and pushy sales assistants. What’s more, unlike traditional retailers, online retailers aren’t restricted by space and don’t have so many hefty overheads, so it means that they can offer a wider range of products at lower prices. Finally, make sure your buy early, particularly if you are ordering online. Whilst online retailers will often promise to order within a few days, there’s nothing worse than a present arriving late. Make sure you don’t disappoint and place your order with a couple of extra days notice, particularly at Christmas, which is always a busy time.
Not sure what to buy your friends or relatives this Christmas? Well, why not opt for a wine gift? It’s a definite crowd pleaser, looks classy and can be bought from the comfort of your armchair, so you simply can’t go wrong with it. Buying wine gifts is easy. Just follow a few handy tips below and you’ll have your Christmas shopping sorted in no time. The simplest piece of advice to remember is that sparkles always go down well. Whether you are buying for your Great Aunt or best mate, for a 50th wedding anniversary or 21st birthday, champagne is always well received. It looks elegant and tastes great. If you are buying for a range of people and are not sure what to buy for who, you can generally expect that people over the age of 50 will prefer Old World wine, whilst people under the age of 50 are more likely to opt for New World wines. When buying for your partner or loved one, the best option is to choose something that you are both going to enjoy. Go for a bottle you know you both will love or a mixed case of both of your favourites and you are bound to impress. If you are looking to make an impact with your wine, why not go for a pre-packaged wine gift? Many wine retailers usually have a range of wine gifts available, which have been carefully prepared for that special occasion. And if you want to go the extra mile, always opt for a wooden gift box. They are a great way of making a bottle of wine look even more perfect, for relatively little extra cost. Always remember to personalise your gifts with a message. Whether you’ve opted for a case of wine or something from the gift selection, a short message will make it meaningful for the lucky recipient. For comfort and stress-free shopping, make sure you buy online. Buying from an online wine retailer will mean that you can complete your gift shopping in the cosy surroundings of your own home without the hustle and bustle of supermarket trolleys, Christmas Shoppers and pushy sales assistants. What’s more, unlike traditional retailers, online retailers aren’t restricted by space and don’t have so many hefty overheads, so it means that they can offer a wider range of products at lower prices. Finally, make sure your buy early, particularly if you are ordering online. Whilst online retailers will often promise to order within a few days, there’s nothing worse than a present arriving late. Make sure you don’t disappoint and place your order with a couple of extra days notice, particularly at Christmas, which is always a busy time.
Lay Man Way To Cook Healthy And Low Fat Meal
Lay Man Way To Cook Healthy And Low Fat Meal
Today we are so engrossed in our work and other day to day activities that at the end of the day we aren’t left with enough time to fulfill the desires of our taste with delicious food which can be readily available at home. So, either we rush to restaurants or we appoint chefs. Still some desires remain. So here is a package: quick, delicious & healthy from the kitchen of the experts. Every recipe from our kitchen is a result of the research by our team of Doctors and the experienced Chefs. Apart from the recipe below, I would like to bust the myths people have, due to lack of knowledge. Some of the most common misconceptions about nutrition are: 1. LOW FAT MEANS HEALTHY: Low fat can be healthy. Not always though. Many processed foods that are low in fat are high in sugar, which gives you extra calories and may cause wide swings in your blood sugar levels. This makes you gain weight and loose energy, and you may raise your risk of several diseases. Some people believe “low fat” means “Eat all you want”. I remember a dieting patient who was puzzled because you were gaining weight. He mentioned he was eating a low-fat cake. When I asked him how much, he replied, “One or two pieces?” “No, one or two cakes!” An ideal diet is low in fat and low in sugar. Most people can enjoy high sugar, high fat treats on occasion, but if you indulge one day, be sure to eat healthier the next. 2. CANNED FRUITS AND VEGATABLES AREN’T NUTRITIOUS: They can be. Results of recent studies have proved that nutrients are generally similar in comparable fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables. The following recipe is an example of the standards of taste and biological research at our unique kitchen-cum-lab. At the Universal Kitchen our chefs, doctors and researchers advise variety of food keeping in mind the client’s health and the impact of the beverages on the health at no cost because it runs on charity and God’s grace and our sole purpose is human service, universal peace and healthy environment. Each one of us is unique. Hence, our eating habits and needs are different. Our health is precious to us so and it deserves care. Gazpacho with croutons It serves four. Per serving: 250 calories; 5 g fat; 1 g saturated fat; 6 g fibre; 8 gram protein; 730 mg sodium; 46 g carbohydrate. ½ cup coarsely chopped red onion 1 garlic clove, peeled 8 medium-sized tomatoes ½ cup seasoned dry breadcrumbs ½ cup chopped parsley 3 tbs. red wine vinegar 1 tbs. olive oil ½ tbs. salt ½ tbs. pepper 2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped Homemade or purchased croutons 1. Beat onion and garlic in blender. Add half of tomatoes. Purée. Add next 6 ingredients. Blend. Pour into a glass bowl. 2. Chop remaining tomatoes. Stir into purée with half of cucumbers and half of red and green peppers. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Ladle into bowls. Top with remaining cucumber and peppers. Garnish with croutons. Serves 4.
Today we are so engrossed in our work and other day to day activities that at the end of the day we aren’t left with enough time to fulfill the desires of our taste with delicious food which can be readily available at home. So, either we rush to restaurants or we appoint chefs. Still some desires remain. So here is a package: quick, delicious & healthy from the kitchen of the experts. Every recipe from our kitchen is a result of the research by our team of Doctors and the experienced Chefs. Apart from the recipe below, I would like to bust the myths people have, due to lack of knowledge. Some of the most common misconceptions about nutrition are: 1. LOW FAT MEANS HEALTHY: Low fat can be healthy. Not always though. Many processed foods that are low in fat are high in sugar, which gives you extra calories and may cause wide swings in your blood sugar levels. This makes you gain weight and loose energy, and you may raise your risk of several diseases. Some people believe “low fat” means “Eat all you want”. I remember a dieting patient who was puzzled because you were gaining weight. He mentioned he was eating a low-fat cake. When I asked him how much, he replied, “One or two pieces?” “No, one or two cakes!” An ideal diet is low in fat and low in sugar. Most people can enjoy high sugar, high fat treats on occasion, but if you indulge one day, be sure to eat healthier the next. 2. CANNED FRUITS AND VEGATABLES AREN’T NUTRITIOUS: They can be. Results of recent studies have proved that nutrients are generally similar in comparable fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables. The following recipe is an example of the standards of taste and biological research at our unique kitchen-cum-lab. At the Universal Kitchen our chefs, doctors and researchers advise variety of food keeping in mind the client’s health and the impact of the beverages on the health at no cost because it runs on charity and God’s grace and our sole purpose is human service, universal peace and healthy environment. Each one of us is unique. Hence, our eating habits and needs are different. Our health is precious to us so and it deserves care. Gazpacho with croutons It serves four. Per serving: 250 calories; 5 g fat; 1 g saturated fat; 6 g fibre; 8 gram protein; 730 mg sodium; 46 g carbohydrate. ½ cup coarsely chopped red onion 1 garlic clove, peeled 8 medium-sized tomatoes ½ cup seasoned dry breadcrumbs ½ cup chopped parsley 3 tbs. red wine vinegar 1 tbs. olive oil ½ tbs. salt ½ tbs. pepper 2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped Homemade or purchased croutons 1. Beat onion and garlic in blender. Add half of tomatoes. Purée. Add next 6 ingredients. Blend. Pour into a glass bowl. 2. Chop remaining tomatoes. Stir into purée with half of cucumbers and half of red and green peppers. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Ladle into bowls. Top with remaining cucumber and peppers. Garnish with croutons. Serves 4.
How Healthy and Safe Is Your Dogs Food
How Healthy and Safe Is Your Dogs Food
This article seeks to give you a solid knowledge base regarding the healthiness and safety of yor dog's food, no matter what your previous experiences on the topic. With the issue of the healthiness and wellbeing of your dog's food inside the last 12 months, the question still stands. How healthy is your dog's food? The other issue with dog food is will your dog eat it and will they get tried of eating the same food every day through out their life. I know of numerous dog owners that did just that, fed their dog the same food through out the dog's adult life until the dog has been eating the same food for over ten years. Then marvel why their dog stops eating their food and start eating table scrappes. Many world-renowned Doctors of Veterinary Medicine and Published "Dog Care Experts" universally allow any dog that eats commercial dog food is at a much serious threat of failing prematurely and by the time symptoms are noticeable, it's regularly too late to stop an agonizing death excluding by lethal shot. We hope that you have gained a clear grasp if the subject matter presented in the first half of this article. World-Renowned vet and dog care novelist Alfred Plechner, says the meager nutritional politeties of commercial dog food inevitably advance to disease. Raw Ingredients vs. Cooked Ingredients: People who supply their dogs raw food diets feel that nature planned for animals food vs. cooking human food. That all of the nutrients are still active in cooked food providing healthy meals for animals. People who consider in supplying their dogs raw food feel that no additives are wanted and that their animals are receiving all of the nutrients they oblige. They feel that the commercial food companies use additives to enhance the palatability of their food effectively "addicting" a dog to it. Commercial food advocates say that additives such as omega 3 and 6 greasy acids are central to the dog"s health system, while raw food is gone some central vitamins and minerals. It is little things, such as this that may aid you in your search. So, sit down and decide which avenue would be best for you to take for your dog.
This article seeks to give you a solid knowledge base regarding the healthiness and safety of yor dog's food, no matter what your previous experiences on the topic. With the issue of the healthiness and wellbeing of your dog's food inside the last 12 months, the question still stands. How healthy is your dog's food? The other issue with dog food is will your dog eat it and will they get tried of eating the same food every day through out their life. I know of numerous dog owners that did just that, fed their dog the same food through out the dog's adult life until the dog has been eating the same food for over ten years. Then marvel why their dog stops eating their food and start eating table scrappes. Many world-renowned Doctors of Veterinary Medicine and Published "Dog Care Experts" universally allow any dog that eats commercial dog food is at a much serious threat of failing prematurely and by the time symptoms are noticeable, it's regularly too late to stop an agonizing death excluding by lethal shot. We hope that you have gained a clear grasp if the subject matter presented in the first half of this article. World-Renowned vet and dog care novelist Alfred Plechner, says the meager nutritional politeties of commercial dog food inevitably advance to disease. Raw Ingredients vs. Cooked Ingredients: People who supply their dogs raw food diets feel that nature planned for animals food vs. cooking human food. That all of the nutrients are still active in cooked food providing healthy meals for animals. People who consider in supplying their dogs raw food feel that no additives are wanted and that their animals are receiving all of the nutrients they oblige. They feel that the commercial food companies use additives to enhance the palatability of their food effectively "addicting" a dog to it. Commercial food advocates say that additives such as omega 3 and 6 greasy acids are central to the dog"s health system, while raw food is gone some central vitamins and minerals. It is little things, such as this that may aid you in your search. So, sit down and decide which avenue would be best for you to take for your dog.
Best Food And Wine Pairings
Best Food And Wine Pairings
Are you looking forward to pair your favorite meal with a good quality wine, then you require to have an extensive knowledge about pairing the wine and food in a correct order. In case, you fail to do so, you will spoil the whole fun. In fact you would be spoiling the taste of the best quality wine and the best food item. The bad qualities you may introduce via pairing wine and food in an incorrect form include extra sweetness, bitterness, alcoholic properties and non-desirable metallic flavors. You can easily adopt several foolproof methods to pair food and wine in correct form. First and foremost, you should remember that the food and wine you want to pair should have similar characteristics. You should think of a porter if you want to have red wine in your lunch or dinner. The reason is that both these items have strong flavors. You should not mix and pair food and wine that consist of characteristics different from each other. Most people try to pair sweet wine with steak and end up getting undesirable results. Mixing wine and food of different characteristics will prove to be a very bad experience for you. Proper pairing will work towards providing a distinct and pleasant element to your overall wining and dining experience. Experts believe that wine with citrus taste will go well with chicken laced with butter and garlic sauce. You would simply love the outcome. You should follow certain rules before starting off to prepare new dishes for wines with high alcohol flavor. High alcohol flavored wines should be combined with barbecued dishes such as barbecued meats. If you happen to pair your favorite wine with light flavored dish, then chances are that wine will overpower the dish. You will end up feeling that you have been just having a glass of wine for so long. In case, you like wines that consist of a lot of tannin, then you should pair them with dishes rich in salt or protein content. You can also enjoy desert wine via mixing sweet wine with your favorite dessert that is sweet in moderate amount. Do not look for sweets that have too much sugar content. This will over seventeen your dish. You should also trust you own instincts prior to combining foods and wines together. Try to figure out what you want to drink and eat. Thereafter, slip some wine and take a bite of the food you have prepared in order to figure out what will suit your taste buds. You should not go for wine that you don’t like or a dish you have never tried before. Experimenting is good but don’t try to go for anything that may provide you bad taste. Best food and wine pairings result from a lot of research and experiment. You should learn a lot about wine, different types of cuisines and the results these provide when in combination. You would definitely be able to make great pairs if you make some efforts towards research work.
Are you looking forward to pair your favorite meal with a good quality wine, then you require to have an extensive knowledge about pairing the wine and food in a correct order. In case, you fail to do so, you will spoil the whole fun. In fact you would be spoiling the taste of the best quality wine and the best food item. The bad qualities you may introduce via pairing wine and food in an incorrect form include extra sweetness, bitterness, alcoholic properties and non-desirable metallic flavors. You can easily adopt several foolproof methods to pair food and wine in correct form. First and foremost, you should remember that the food and wine you want to pair should have similar characteristics. You should think of a porter if you want to have red wine in your lunch or dinner. The reason is that both these items have strong flavors. You should not mix and pair food and wine that consist of characteristics different from each other. Most people try to pair sweet wine with steak and end up getting undesirable results. Mixing wine and food of different characteristics will prove to be a very bad experience for you. Proper pairing will work towards providing a distinct and pleasant element to your overall wining and dining experience. Experts believe that wine with citrus taste will go well with chicken laced with butter and garlic sauce. You would simply love the outcome. You should follow certain rules before starting off to prepare new dishes for wines with high alcohol flavor. High alcohol flavored wines should be combined with barbecued dishes such as barbecued meats. If you happen to pair your favorite wine with light flavored dish, then chances are that wine will overpower the dish. You will end up feeling that you have been just having a glass of wine for so long. In case, you like wines that consist of a lot of tannin, then you should pair them with dishes rich in salt or protein content. You can also enjoy desert wine via mixing sweet wine with your favorite dessert that is sweet in moderate amount. Do not look for sweets that have too much sugar content. This will over seventeen your dish. You should also trust you own instincts prior to combining foods and wines together. Try to figure out what you want to drink and eat. Thereafter, slip some wine and take a bite of the food you have prepared in order to figure out what will suit your taste buds. You should not go for wine that you don’t like or a dish you have never tried before. Experimenting is good but don’t try to go for anything that may provide you bad taste. Best food and wine pairings result from a lot of research and experiment. You should learn a lot about wine, different types of cuisines and the results these provide when in combination. You would definitely be able to make great pairs if you make some efforts towards research work.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
7 Tips To Get Rid Of A Wine Hangover
7 Tips To Get Rid Of A Wine Hangover
How about teaming up your favorite meal with the best of wine this weekend? It sounds a great idea but don’t you think you may overindulge? Well, you may not mind this but what about the hangover you have to face, the other morning. How about spending you entire Sunday afternoon sitting inside the bathroom, with one hand on your forehead and the other on your stomach? Scary isn’t it? Hey, hold on! I am not trying to scare the life out of you. I am just showing you the real picture of a hangover that you may require to face the following day after you have overindulged in your favorite wine. This sounds really bad but don’t worry, there are many tips you can follow in order to get rid of a wine hangover. All you need to do is to follow the instructions given below: a) Water, water and water: Water is the key to get over the wine hangover. Drink plenty of water. Alcohol has a tendency to dehydrate your body. This is the main reason that most people end up having a lot of liquids in the form of plain water, lemon water, coffee and black tea without having pee for a single time. If you want to stay away from the temptation of overindulging in wine, the best way is to have a glass of water for each glass of wine you desire to have. Wine is a great source of water, but the presence of water tends to produce adverse effects on the body. Hence, it is necessary to keep hydrating your body with water. b) Binge in: Sounds great! Believe me, it really works. Eat your favorite meal or some snacks an hour before a drink. This will save you from getting involved into overindulge and the hangover. The meal or snack should include bread or pasta. c) No prescription drugs: So you want to save money! It’s a good idea but you should not save money via mixing your glass of wine with prescription drugs for more effects. This will only damage your body. Drink less if you really want to save money. d) Milk: Drink a glass of milk prior to consuming wine. This will provide a protection coat to your stomach and helps you absorb the alcohol in the wine. e) No salt: Salt will prove dangerous as it tends to maximize the process of dehydration. You should stay away from salt when having margarita... f) An aspirin: An aspirin will help you to remove headache. Avoid taking ibuprofen or paracetamol. These medicines usually have adverse effects on the body especially after the consumption of wine. g) Avoid dark drinks: The major hangover you experience may be due to combining red wine with whiskey. You should mix whiskey with soda or water. Avoid mixing it with cola and tonic. Hangover is due to over indulgence in wine. Try to stay away from it. Follow the instructions mentioned above you would feel better after a wine party with your friends.
How about teaming up your favorite meal with the best of wine this weekend? It sounds a great idea but don’t you think you may overindulge? Well, you may not mind this but what about the hangover you have to face, the other morning. How about spending you entire Sunday afternoon sitting inside the bathroom, with one hand on your forehead and the other on your stomach? Scary isn’t it? Hey, hold on! I am not trying to scare the life out of you. I am just showing you the real picture of a hangover that you may require to face the following day after you have overindulged in your favorite wine. This sounds really bad but don’t worry, there are many tips you can follow in order to get rid of a wine hangover. All you need to do is to follow the instructions given below: a) Water, water and water: Water is the key to get over the wine hangover. Drink plenty of water. Alcohol has a tendency to dehydrate your body. This is the main reason that most people end up having a lot of liquids in the form of plain water, lemon water, coffee and black tea without having pee for a single time. If you want to stay away from the temptation of overindulging in wine, the best way is to have a glass of water for each glass of wine you desire to have. Wine is a great source of water, but the presence of water tends to produce adverse effects on the body. Hence, it is necessary to keep hydrating your body with water. b) Binge in: Sounds great! Believe me, it really works. Eat your favorite meal or some snacks an hour before a drink. This will save you from getting involved into overindulge and the hangover. The meal or snack should include bread or pasta. c) No prescription drugs: So you want to save money! It’s a good idea but you should not save money via mixing your glass of wine with prescription drugs for more effects. This will only damage your body. Drink less if you really want to save money. d) Milk: Drink a glass of milk prior to consuming wine. This will provide a protection coat to your stomach and helps you absorb the alcohol in the wine. e) No salt: Salt will prove dangerous as it tends to maximize the process of dehydration. You should stay away from salt when having margarita... f) An aspirin: An aspirin will help you to remove headache. Avoid taking ibuprofen or paracetamol. These medicines usually have adverse effects on the body especially after the consumption of wine. g) Avoid dark drinks: The major hangover you experience may be due to combining red wine with whiskey. You should mix whiskey with soda or water. Avoid mixing it with cola and tonic. Hangover is due to over indulgence in wine. Try to stay away from it. Follow the instructions mentioned above you would feel better after a wine party with your friends.
Best Food And Wine Pairings
Best Food And Wine Pairings
Are you looking forward to pair your favorite meal with a good quality wine, then you require to have an extensive knowledge about pairing the wine and food in a correct order. In case, you fail to do so, you will spoil the whole fun. In fact you would be spoiling the taste of the best quality wine and the best food item. The bad qualities you may introduce via pairing wine and food in an incorrect form include extra sweetness, bitterness, alcoholic properties and non-desirable metallic flavors. You can easily adopt several foolproof methods to pair food and wine in correct form. First and foremost, you should remember that the food and wine you want to pair should have similar characteristics. You should think of a porter if you want to have red wine in your lunch or dinner. The reason is that both these items have strong flavors. You should not mix and pair food and wine that consist of characteristics different from each other. Most people try to pair sweet wine with steak and end up getting undesirable results. Mixing wine and food of different characteristics will prove to be a very bad experience for you. Proper pairing will work towards providing a distinct and pleasant element to your overall wining and dining experience. Experts believe that wine with citrus taste will go well with chicken laced with butter and garlic sauce. You would simply love the outcome. You should follow certain rules before starting off to prepare new dishes for wines with high alcohol flavor. High alcohol flavored wines should be combined with barbecued dishes such as barbecued meats. If you happen to pair your favorite wine with light flavored dish, then chances are that wine will overpower the dish. You will end up feeling that you have been just having a glass of wine for so long. In case, you like wines that consist of a lot of tannin, then you should pair them with dishes rich in salt or protein content. You can also enjoy desert wine via mixing sweet wine with your favorite dessert that is sweet in moderate amount. Do not look for sweets that have too much sugar content. This will over seventeen your dish. You should also trust you own instincts prior to combining foods and wines together. Try to figure out what you want to drink and eat. Thereafter, slip some wine and take a bite of the food you have prepared in order to figure out what will suit your taste buds. You should not go for wine that you don’t like or a dish you have never tried before. Experimenting is good but don’t try to go for anything that may provide you bad taste. Best food and wine pairings result from a lot of research and experiment. You should learn a lot about wine, different types of cuisines and the results these provide when in combination. You would definitely be able to make great pairs if you make some efforts towards research work.
Are you looking forward to pair your favorite meal with a good quality wine, then you require to have an extensive knowledge about pairing the wine and food in a correct order. In case, you fail to do so, you will spoil the whole fun. In fact you would be spoiling the taste of the best quality wine and the best food item. The bad qualities you may introduce via pairing wine and food in an incorrect form include extra sweetness, bitterness, alcoholic properties and non-desirable metallic flavors. You can easily adopt several foolproof methods to pair food and wine in correct form. First and foremost, you should remember that the food and wine you want to pair should have similar characteristics. You should think of a porter if you want to have red wine in your lunch or dinner. The reason is that both these items have strong flavors. You should not mix and pair food and wine that consist of characteristics different from each other. Most people try to pair sweet wine with steak and end up getting undesirable results. Mixing wine and food of different characteristics will prove to be a very bad experience for you. Proper pairing will work towards providing a distinct and pleasant element to your overall wining and dining experience. Experts believe that wine with citrus taste will go well with chicken laced with butter and garlic sauce. You would simply love the outcome. You should follow certain rules before starting off to prepare new dishes for wines with high alcohol flavor. High alcohol flavored wines should be combined with barbecued dishes such as barbecued meats. If you happen to pair your favorite wine with light flavored dish, then chances are that wine will overpower the dish. You will end up feeling that you have been just having a glass of wine for so long. In case, you like wines that consist of a lot of tannin, then you should pair them with dishes rich in salt or protein content. You can also enjoy desert wine via mixing sweet wine with your favorite dessert that is sweet in moderate amount. Do not look for sweets that have too much sugar content. This will over seventeen your dish. You should also trust you own instincts prior to combining foods and wines together. Try to figure out what you want to drink and eat. Thereafter, slip some wine and take a bite of the food you have prepared in order to figure out what will suit your taste buds. You should not go for wine that you don’t like or a dish you have never tried before. Experimenting is good but don’t try to go for anything that may provide you bad taste. Best food and wine pairings result from a lot of research and experiment. You should learn a lot about wine, different types of cuisines and the results these provide when in combination. You would definitely be able to make great pairs if you make some efforts towards research work.
Are you looking forward to pair your favorite meal with a good quality wine, then you require to have an extensive knowledge about pairing the wine and food in a correct order. In case, you fail to do so, you will spoil the whole fun. In fact you would be spoiling the taste of the best quality wine and the best food item. The bad qualities you may introduce via pairing wine and food in an incorrect form include extra sweetness, bitterness, alcoholic properties and non-desirable metallic flavors. You can easily adopt several foolproof methods to pair food and wine in correct form. First and foremost, you should remember that the food and wine you want to pair should have similar characteristics. You should think of a porter if you want to have red wine in your lunch or dinner. The reason is that both these items have strong flavors. You should not mix and pair food and wine that consist of characteristics different from each other. Most people try to pair sweet wine with steak and end up getting undesirable results. Mixing wine and food of different characteristics will prove to be a very bad experience for you. Proper pairing will work towards providing a distinct and pleasant element to your overall wining and dining experience. Experts believe that wine with citrus taste will go well with chicken laced with butter and garlic sauce. You would simply love the outcome. You should follow certain rules before starting off to prepare new dishes for wines with high alcohol flavor. High alcohol flavored wines should be combined with barbecued dishes such as barbecued meats. If you happen to pair your favorite wine with light flavored dish, then chances are that wine will overpower the dish. You will end up feeling that you have been just having a glass of wine for so long. In case, you like wines that consist of a lot of tannin, then you should pair them with dishes rich in salt or protein content. You can also enjoy desert wine via mixing sweet wine with your favorite dessert that is sweet in moderate amount. Do not look for sweets that have too much sugar content. This will over seventeen your dish. You should also trust you own instincts prior to combining foods and wines together. Try to figure out what you want to drink and eat. Thereafter, slip some wine and take a bite of the food you have prepared in order to figure out what will suit your taste buds. You should not go for wine that you don’t like or a dish you have never tried before. Experimenting is good but don’t try to go for anything that may provide you bad taste. Best food and wine pairings result from a lot of research and experiment. You should learn a lot about wine, different types of cuisines and the results these provide when in combination. You would definitely be able to make great pairs if you make some efforts towards research work.
Are you looking forward to pair your favorite meal with a good quality wine, then you require to have an extensive knowledge about pairing the wine and food in a correct order. In case, you fail to do so, you will spoil the whole fun. In fact you would be spoiling the taste of the best quality wine and the best food item. The bad qualities you may introduce via pairing wine and food in an incorrect form include extra sweetness, bitterness, alcoholic properties and non-desirable metallic flavors. You can easily adopt several foolproof methods to pair food and wine in correct form. First and foremost, you should remember that the food and wine you want to pair should have similar characteristics. You should think of a porter if you want to have red wine in your lunch or dinner. The reason is that both these items have strong flavors. You should not mix and pair food and wine that consist of characteristics different from each other. Most people try to pair sweet wine with steak and end up getting undesirable results. Mixing wine and food of different characteristics will prove to be a very bad experience for you. Proper pairing will work towards providing a distinct and pleasant element to your overall wining and dining experience. Experts believe that wine with citrus taste will go well with chicken laced with butter and garlic sauce. You would simply love the outcome. You should follow certain rules before starting off to prepare new dishes for wines with high alcohol flavor. High alcohol flavored wines should be combined with barbecued dishes such as barbecued meats. If you happen to pair your favorite wine with light flavored dish, then chances are that wine will overpower the dish. You will end up feeling that you have been just having a glass of wine for so long. In case, you like wines that consist of a lot of tannin, then you should pair them with dishes rich in salt or protein content. You can also enjoy desert wine via mixing sweet wine with your favorite dessert that is sweet in moderate amount. Do not look for sweets that have too much sugar content. This will over seventeen your dish. You should also trust you own instincts prior to combining foods and wines together. Try to figure out what you want to drink and eat. Thereafter, slip some wine and take a bite of the food you have prepared in order to figure out what will suit your taste buds. You should not go for wine that you don’t like or a dish you have never tried before. Experimenting is good but don’t try to go for anything that may provide you bad taste. Best food and wine pairings result from a lot of research and experiment. You should learn a lot about wine, different types of cuisines and the results these provide when in combination. You would definitely be able to make great pairs if you make some efforts towards research work.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Red, White and Blueberry Tart
Red, White and Blueberry
We had a fantastic 4th of July!I whipped up these Red, White and Blueberry tarts in one hour. ONE HOUR! One hour to make everything - the crust, the filling, and the presentation.In the mean time, have you made yourself a batch of raw ice cream yet?That's beautiful! And festive. The closest thing we did to celebrating the fourth is staring into the fire pit for four hours. Which was actually quite lovely. We did have some home made blueberry icecream as well!
We had a fantastic 4th of July!I whipped up these Red, White and Blueberry tarts in one hour. ONE HOUR! One hour to make everything - the crust, the filling, and the presentation.In the mean time, have you made yourself a batch of raw ice cream yet?That's beautiful! And festive. The closest thing we did to celebrating the fourth is staring into the fire pit for four hours. Which was actually quite lovely. We did have some home made blueberry icecream as well!
Do Humans ‘Meat’ the Right Anatomy?
Do Humans ‘Meat’ the Right Anatomy?
Take a long look in the mirror and smile. Gorgeous, right? Now take a look at your teeth—they’re attractively glistening, pearly white, and, well, not sharp and covered in blood. Abruptness aside, there is a very biological and painfully accurate reason for this: we’re not carnivores.The human is a gentle being. Our teeth are predominately blunt and flat, making consumption ideal for plants and nuts. Now take into consideration a carnivore’s teeth. Think about a tiger, a lion, or even your own pet dog—their teeth are sharp and pointy, ideal for tearing the flesh of their prey. Granted, our own bodies are proof of the types of foods we were meant to eat.Meat is Grumbly in Your TummyMeat is easy to digest... for carnivores. After hunting their prey and killing them with their bare paws, animals get ready for a deliciously bloody meal. They eat their meats raw and fresh, absorbing all of the flesh’s available nutrients and allowing the food to pass quickly through the intestines. Can you imagine doing this? In contrast, food takes anywhere from 12 to 19 hours to move through our own systems. And when we eat our meats, the dead animal carcasses decompose and rot inside of our intestines for just that long. Does that five-pound hamburger still look so appetizing?We Aren't Vampires, or DogsIn spite of the strong advocacy of a plant-based diet, we mustn’t ignore the two anomalies in our mouths that appear to be fang-like. Yes, our mouths do boast an evolution that allows us to consume meat more efficiently. In the days of the hunter-gatherers, cavemen would pursue wild animals all day in search of a meal. In the days of the microwave dinner, however, we simply hop over to the nearest supermarket and purchase our meats by the pound. Moreover, we have access to meat every day. Cavemen only had access to meat whenever they caught something, which was not too frequently.Our lifestyles are inarguably sedentary compared to the incessant huffin’ and gruffin’ of our pre-historical ancestors. In weight-loss language, we don’t burn off anywhere near the amount of calories that our sometimes-meat-eating ancestors did while hunting. Meat consumption would ideally be limited to once a week (at most).Sausage is DangerousHowever, giving up meat altogether is a difficult task. People believe that meat is delicious. Meat is filling. Meat is meant for humans to enjoy. Sometimes, even fatal diseases related to eating meat prove insufficient to convince people to take better care of their health. According to an article in Health Insurance Carriers, certain meats can cause “cancer in the bowels, stomach, breast, colon, pancreas and prostate.” When choosing a plant-based diet is undergone with the right reasons, you will feel more motivation towards it.If you do choose to take the road towards vegetarianism or veganism, try it in small steps.Here are some great tips for making the transition:
Let go of meat for just one meal. If you absolutely love meat, try going without it for one meal. Just see what it is like to not eat meat for one meal. We assure you that you will survive.
After a success with one meal, try going without meat for one day. Then two days.Then longer.Eventually you will feel satisfied and more energetic without a taste-dependence on our animal friends.
Try meat substitutions. There are many options out there. The options that simulate meat sometimes taste better than the real thing!
Read labels. Just look at what you are eating and you may be surprised. That soup may actually have chicken stock in it. That salsa may have beef broth. You never know. And once you start looking at labels you will notice other ingredients like extra salt or high fructose corn syrupChristian Flores is a part-time freelance writer and has recently moved to the beautifully gloomy city of San Francisco. He is lactose intolerant and he keeps a picture of a baby calf on his desktop to serve as a constant reminder of the innocence of animals. He freely admits that he never went to college. Instead of stressing out on final exams, he was out enjoying the glorious foods of the Mediterranean and experiencing culture in its rawest form. He prides himself in being a part-time freelance writer and full-time superhero. He plans to make it big one day.
Take a long look in the mirror and smile. Gorgeous, right? Now take a look at your teeth—they’re attractively glistening, pearly white, and, well, not sharp and covered in blood. Abruptness aside, there is a very biological and painfully accurate reason for this: we’re not carnivores.The human is a gentle being. Our teeth are predominately blunt and flat, making consumption ideal for plants and nuts. Now take into consideration a carnivore’s teeth. Think about a tiger, a lion, or even your own pet dog—their teeth are sharp and pointy, ideal for tearing the flesh of their prey. Granted, our own bodies are proof of the types of foods we were meant to eat.Meat is Grumbly in Your TummyMeat is easy to digest... for carnivores. After hunting their prey and killing them with their bare paws, animals get ready for a deliciously bloody meal. They eat their meats raw and fresh, absorbing all of the flesh’s available nutrients and allowing the food to pass quickly through the intestines. Can you imagine doing this? In contrast, food takes anywhere from 12 to 19 hours to move through our own systems. And when we eat our meats, the dead animal carcasses decompose and rot inside of our intestines for just that long. Does that five-pound hamburger still look so appetizing?We Aren't Vampires, or DogsIn spite of the strong advocacy of a plant-based diet, we mustn’t ignore the two anomalies in our mouths that appear to be fang-like. Yes, our mouths do boast an evolution that allows us to consume meat more efficiently. In the days of the hunter-gatherers, cavemen would pursue wild animals all day in search of a meal. In the days of the microwave dinner, however, we simply hop over to the nearest supermarket and purchase our meats by the pound. Moreover, we have access to meat every day. Cavemen only had access to meat whenever they caught something, which was not too frequently.Our lifestyles are inarguably sedentary compared to the incessant huffin’ and gruffin’ of our pre-historical ancestors. In weight-loss language, we don’t burn off anywhere near the amount of calories that our sometimes-meat-eating ancestors did while hunting. Meat consumption would ideally be limited to once a week (at most).Sausage is DangerousHowever, giving up meat altogether is a difficult task. People believe that meat is delicious. Meat is filling. Meat is meant for humans to enjoy. Sometimes, even fatal diseases related to eating meat prove insufficient to convince people to take better care of their health. According to an article in Health Insurance Carriers, certain meats can cause “cancer in the bowels, stomach, breast, colon, pancreas and prostate.” When choosing a plant-based diet is undergone with the right reasons, you will feel more motivation towards it.If you do choose to take the road towards vegetarianism or veganism, try it in small steps.Here are some great tips for making the transition:
Let go of meat for just one meal. If you absolutely love meat, try going without it for one meal. Just see what it is like to not eat meat for one meal. We assure you that you will survive.
After a success with one meal, try going without meat for one day. Then two days.Then longer.Eventually you will feel satisfied and more energetic without a taste-dependence on our animal friends.
Try meat substitutions. There are many options out there. The options that simulate meat sometimes taste better than the real thing!
Read labels. Just look at what you are eating and you may be surprised. That soup may actually have chicken stock in it. That salsa may have beef broth. You never know. And once you start looking at labels you will notice other ingredients like extra salt or high fructose corn syrupChristian Flores is a part-time freelance writer and has recently moved to the beautifully gloomy city of San Francisco. He is lactose intolerant and he keeps a picture of a baby calf on his desktop to serve as a constant reminder of the innocence of animals. He freely admits that he never went to college. Instead of stressing out on final exams, he was out enjoying the glorious foods of the Mediterranean and experiencing culture in its rawest form. He prides himself in being a part-time freelance writer and full-time superhero. He plans to make it big one day.
Recipe Type: Beverage Serving Size:
Recipe Type: Beverage Serving Size:
Two to Four peopleIngredients: Almonds, water, agave nectar (and a few other minor things)Approximate Time to Make: About 10 minutes (soaking took at least 4 hours).The first sip was a superb treat. Creamy. Just like milk, but much much better. I love this recipe. I have made it more than once. This is my favorite nut milk recipe right now! I love to put this recipe in smoothies, especially banana smoothies. This recipe makes me want to stay on raw food. I think every restaurant should be serving fresh nut milk!Justin's Thoughts: We have made many almond milk recipes in the last two years. This is one of the best. The only reason I did not give it 5 stars is because I can still taste the almond skins in this recipe. I am going to try an experiment to blanch the almonds first in hopes that that particular flavor will be avoided. The dash of cinammon that we added at the end (which was not a part of the recipe) made the perfect touch to this creamy beverage.Justin & Heidip.s. PLEASE PLEASE if you are going to make almond milk, go and get yourself a nut milk bag. Trying to make any kind of nut milk using cheesecloth is just a pain. There are multiple places to buy nut milk bags.
Produce: The Roots of Good Health
Produce: The Roots of Good Health
Even if we roll our eyes when we hear it, "Eat your veggies" is a maxim that we'd be well advised to heed. Our mothers and grandmothers instinctively knew that fresh fruit and vegetables were good for us, and science has reinforced the value of fresh produce in keeping our bodies in peak condition. Nevertheless, we often skimp on eating root vegetables, either because they seem boring or we don't know how to best prepare them. These nutrition-packed powerhouses are worth a second look, though. Here's an overview that will hopefully inspire you to reach for the roots when you're in the produce section of your grocery store. Captivating Carrots Oh, the ubiquitous carrot. Baby carrots are peeled, washed, and sealed in plastic bags for a no-fuss, no-muss snack. But carrots aren't given credit for their variety or versatility. For example, not all carrots are orange. The next time you want to experiment, be on the lookout for white, yellow, red, and even purple carrots. They can be used in recipes, or to add vibrant color to your plates. Speaking of recipes, carrots can be more than an afterthought for a salad or to enrich and add flavor to broths. Carrots give breads, muffins, and cakes a wonderful moistness, texture, and flavor, and cold carrot soup can be a refreshing taste treat on a hot summer day. Throw grated carrots, cream cheese, and grated onion into a food processor and spread on toast points for a delicious appetizer. Step into the future with a carrot mousse or flashback to the past with pickled carrots. Let your imagination fly and you'll rediscover these colorful treasures. Radical Rutabagas and Tasty Turnips Although the Finns and Swedes cook rutabagas with aplomb, the rutabaga and turnip aren't in most Americans repertoires when it comes to cooking vegetables. Sure, turnip greens are a staple of the delicious cuisine of the South, but what to do with the root? Rutabagas are actually a cross between turnips and cabbages, although they are most often used like a turnip in cooking. Either rutabagas or turnips can be cooked and added to mashed potatoes to enhance their flavor and nutrition. Try turnip custard, or combine apples and rutabagas for a delicious baked casserole. Use rutabagas in a spice cake or bread, or make a seasoned puree and serve it with a meat dish. Hearty Jicama Like the carrot, the jicama is often relegated to the salad bar. But this sweet, starchy, and refreshing root vegetable is a wonderful addition to stir-fry or potato salad. Much of jicama's appeal is its unique crunchy texture, so grate it, cube it, or julienne it to add zazz to cold dishes. Toss jalapeno with vinegar, cilantro, and jalapeno, and then place grilled shrimp over a bed of jicama. Delectable! Other Nutrition-Packed Roots When visiting the fresh produce section of your grocery store, don't overlook other roots that have taken a back seat to other fresh fruit and vegetables. Beets, parsnips, and radishes also offer culinary delights, so embrace their versatility and their ability to get you excited about eating your veggies!
Loving Food And Digesting It
Loving Food And Digesting It
Firstly, Easterner like eating hot food. For example, on the morning, Chinese often eat hot porridge, clay oven rolls, fried bread stick, noodles, soybean milk and other Chinese food. All of these are hot. On the other hand, People in the west usually eat bread, milk, orange and coffee which are cold commonly. Secondly, An Easterner like drink hot water whenever it is winter or summer. If you go to a Chinese home, they will give you a cup of tea, and the tea always is hot unless you demand for cold water. But in the west, People like drinking cold water or beverage, they even can drink a bottle of cold water in winter, this is inconceivability in an easterner's eyes. Thirdly, It is different altogether between Easterner and Occidental in dinner. We often see a round table in a Chinese family, then, a whole family can sit together to eat dinner. They like share all dishes with other families, round table is convenient for a family. On the other hand, In a occidental family, a square table is familiar. A family eats in each different dish. Why dose a Chinese family use a round table? Because they think a whole families sharing all food represent reunion and "warm". All of this are traditional. In modern life, Chinese also like square table, because it is popular. We’ve always been known for our love of food, but for most people, that hearty appetite comes at a price. With our increasingly hectic lifestyles, there’s hardly any time to exercise or get fit. Add to that the fact that Filipino cuisine tends to be high in fat and calories. Yes, it’s great food, but you have to admit it’s not exactly healthy. But before ditching that adobo or taking out those South Beach cookbooks, here’s some good news: there is such a thing as low-fat Filipino food. In fact, you can make any dish diet-friendly with just a few simple tweaks—without giving up any of the flavor. If all that eating is taking a toll on your waist, start eating healthier with these tips and low-fat Filipino food recipes. One of the secrets to low-fat cooking is replacing common ingredients with low-fat alternatives. Start with your oil: most people use regular cooking oil, which is made from animal fat and very high in cholesterol. Use vegetable-based oils such as corn, canola, sunflower, or if you can afford it, olive oil. When making salads, replace mayonnaise with mustard or vinaigrette, and use fresh instead of canned ingredients. A common problem with substitution is that they don’t always work. You can’t expect them to taste the same as the original, but they don’t have to taste bad. It takes some practice and experience to know which ingredients will work together and which ones will not. Feel free to experiment—you’ll learn from your mistakes and get the hang of it in no time. Fish is a favorite replacement for meat dishes. Try this low-fat recipe in place of steak and meat chops.
A Guide To Refrigeration Equipment
A Guide To Refrigeration Equipment
No restaurant today can get away without purchasing or leasing some sort of refrigeration equipment. But what kinds of refrigeration do you really need? * In the simplest small restaurant setup, like snack stands, a standard home kitchen refrigerator dedicated to restaurant business is adequate providing you use thermometers to measure temperatures instead of counting on the equipment to work properly. All others need something a little more complex. * Refrigerators are the first and simplest. While stainless steel is the standard for an ordinary reach-in refrigerator, you can get away with anything that can be kept clean over the course of a normal business day. Be aware of what you need to store, and purchase a refrigerator with shelves that are strong enough to hold the weight of your products and that are easy to get to. Storing items in the door is a bad idea, as this part of the fridge stays warmer than the rest in a frequently-opened appliance, so don't count on that for a lot of your storage. * If you have a medium to large restaurant, you'll probably have to consider a walk-in refrigerator. These are all industrial, so you won't have to worry so much about temperature control. Pay close attention when the salesperson tells you how much storage space you need; even though you may think you can get away with less, you're better off counting on needing more than you expect. This also allows for expansion if you branch into other things, like catering. * If you go for a walk-in, consider whether this will be a permanent install or something you can take with you if you have to change locations. If you have a lease you may not be keeping long on your current space, it might be better to just be tough and purchase multiple movable refrigerators rather than go for a permanent install. Also, make sure your walk-in has an easy means for opening it from inside. This is generally only an issue with older units. * In some cases, you may be better off going with a refrigerated display case, like the ones you see in delis. Examine your menu offerings before deciding. *Freezers have approximately the same considerations as refrigerators, but ease of access is generally not quite as important. With freezers, it's even more important than with refrigerators that you are certain you want a walk-in before you get one; there are few standalone walk-ins on the market. * A different type of refrigerated unit is an icemaker. This is totally different; before purchasing one, you should be clear about whether you want cube, nugget, or flaked ice for your business. You should also be aware of the space needed; an air-cooled icemaker requires a lot of space to function efficiently, while a water-cooled icemaker needs much less space, but also wastes a lot of water. Also, if you use an icemaker to fill ice dispensers or transport ice in buckets to other locations, you have to be very aware that it must be kept sterile. Food poisoning is often caused by unsanitary ice bin conditions when employees assume that the cold will kill any bacteria. Before purchasing any refrigeration equipment, know your restaurant, your needs, your space, and your customers. Making the right choices will save you more money in the long run.
No restaurant today can get away without purchasing or leasing some sort of refrigeration equipment. But what kinds of refrigeration do you really need? * In the simplest small restaurant setup, like snack stands, a standard home kitchen refrigerator dedicated to restaurant business is adequate providing you use thermometers to measure temperatures instead of counting on the equipment to work properly. All others need something a little more complex. * Refrigerators are the first and simplest. While stainless steel is the standard for an ordinary reach-in refrigerator, you can get away with anything that can be kept clean over the course of a normal business day. Be aware of what you need to store, and purchase a refrigerator with shelves that are strong enough to hold the weight of your products and that are easy to get to. Storing items in the door is a bad idea, as this part of the fridge stays warmer than the rest in a frequently-opened appliance, so don't count on that for a lot of your storage. * If you have a medium to large restaurant, you'll probably have to consider a walk-in refrigerator. These are all industrial, so you won't have to worry so much about temperature control. Pay close attention when the salesperson tells you how much storage space you need; even though you may think you can get away with less, you're better off counting on needing more than you expect. This also allows for expansion if you branch into other things, like catering. * If you go for a walk-in, consider whether this will be a permanent install or something you can take with you if you have to change locations. If you have a lease you may not be keeping long on your current space, it might be better to just be tough and purchase multiple movable refrigerators rather than go for a permanent install. Also, make sure your walk-in has an easy means for opening it from inside. This is generally only an issue with older units. * In some cases, you may be better off going with a refrigerated display case, like the ones you see in delis. Examine your menu offerings before deciding. *Freezers have approximately the same considerations as refrigerators, but ease of access is generally not quite as important. With freezers, it's even more important than with refrigerators that you are certain you want a walk-in before you get one; there are few standalone walk-ins on the market. * A different type of refrigerated unit is an icemaker. This is totally different; before purchasing one, you should be clear about whether you want cube, nugget, or flaked ice for your business. You should also be aware of the space needed; an air-cooled icemaker requires a lot of space to function efficiently, while a water-cooled icemaker needs much less space, but also wastes a lot of water. Also, if you use an icemaker to fill ice dispensers or transport ice in buckets to other locations, you have to be very aware that it must be kept sterile. Food poisoning is often caused by unsanitary ice bin conditions when employees assume that the cold will kill any bacteria. Before purchasing any refrigeration equipment, know your restaurant, your needs, your space, and your customers. Making the right choices will save you more money in the long run.
Preschool Lunch Ideas-Mimi Pizzas For Kids
Preschool Lunch Ideas-Mimi Pizzas For Kids
A yummy quick lunch that is sure to please everyone's tummy is mini pizzas. What you will need: English Muffins (pre-sliced) Whole Wheat preferred if available. Store Bought Tomato Sauce for Pizza Pepperoni Mozzarella Cheese (already grated) Spoon Baking Sheet Popsicle Sticks Ready to Serve Cut up Veggies (carrots, celery, and cucumber-all three, or just one or two kinds.) Ranch Dressing This is a lunch that everyone can help prepare. It is fun to make, quick to cook, and everyone can enjoy it. Split the English muffins in half. Give each child two halves (one whole English muffin). Go around and put one spoonful of sauce on each English muffin half for each child. Allow the children to spread the sauce with the popsicle sticks provided. Give each child 5-6 pieces of pepperoni and allow them to arrange them however they like on top of the sauce. Next, give each child a handful of cheese that they can sprinkle on each English muffin halve. Put the English muffins on a baking sheet and place them in a preheated 350ºF oven until the cheese is melted and just starting to turn golden. While the pizzas are cooking you can sing some of the preschool children's favorite songs and read a book or two, being aware of how the pizzas are doing at all times though. When they are ready, with oven mitts, take out the pizzas and allow to cool for 3-5 minutes. Then place the pizzas on plates for the children with some ready to eat cut up veggies and ranch dressing for dipping. This great preschool lunch idea is great served with milk or juice. Enjoy!
A yummy quick lunch that is sure to please everyone's tummy is mini pizzas. What you will need: English Muffins (pre-sliced) Whole Wheat preferred if available. Store Bought Tomato Sauce for Pizza Pepperoni Mozzarella Cheese (already grated) Spoon Baking Sheet Popsicle Sticks Ready to Serve Cut up Veggies (carrots, celery, and cucumber-all three, or just one or two kinds.) Ranch Dressing This is a lunch that everyone can help prepare. It is fun to make, quick to cook, and everyone can enjoy it. Split the English muffins in half. Give each child two halves (one whole English muffin). Go around and put one spoonful of sauce on each English muffin half for each child. Allow the children to spread the sauce with the popsicle sticks provided. Give each child 5-6 pieces of pepperoni and allow them to arrange them however they like on top of the sauce. Next, give each child a handful of cheese that they can sprinkle on each English muffin halve. Put the English muffins on a baking sheet and place them in a preheated 350ºF oven until the cheese is melted and just starting to turn golden. While the pizzas are cooking you can sing some of the preschool children's favorite songs and read a book or two, being aware of how the pizzas are doing at all times though. When they are ready, with oven mitts, take out the pizzas and allow to cool for 3-5 minutes. Then place the pizzas on plates for the children with some ready to eat cut up veggies and ranch dressing for dipping. This great preschool lunch idea is great served with milk or juice. Enjoy!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Baking Versus Cooking
Baking Versus Cooking
We're all different. No two individuals are exactly alike; however, there are some general categories that seem to hold true. For instance, there are the Morning People and the Night People. I am definitely of the latter variety. About 9:00 p.m. something kicks into gear—a burst of energy, creativity, and feeling totally alive—and I could work until daylight, and have done so many times. Mornings are an entirely different story—for the first 30 minutes of the day I hardly know which planet I'm on. There are some Morning People in my family. They awake with the birds, happy, cheerful, and ready to meet the day with a smile—it's disgusting! Suffice it to say, we just don't understand each other. In the culinary category there are also two basic classes of people as I see it: the Bakers and the Cooks. Baking is a very precise science. Flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, soda, milk, buttermilk, flavorings, shortening, oil, butter or other ingredients are used in a variety of ways in baked goods recipes, but they interact with each other in very specific ways. Measurements have to be precise or it's disasterville in the kitchen. Commercial bakers even weigh their ingredients to assure they're using just the right amount. Cookbooks have recipes that are tested and re-tested until the directions shown, if followed, will result in a tasty dish. There is very little room for personal variations unless the baker has a great deal of experience. When we see a famous chef on TV appearing to simply mix in this and that in a somewhat carefree manner, it's just because he or she has put in a great deal of time learning basic measurements and techniques that yield that mouth-watering masterpiece. Although I can turn out a good cake or pie when I have to, it's not what I enjoy most. A few of my baking experiments have yielded some "interesting" results, like the time I thought I'd vary a mini-chocolate cupcake recipe. I added some extra chocolate, filled the cupcakes with raspberry jam to which I had added raspberry liqueur, and just knew I had created little masterpieces. What I took out of the oven was a pan full of mini-disasters that resembled lumps of coal! So much for baking innovation. Apart from my creative baking experiments, there's the whole other category of baking blunders. Recently, I prepared a batch of cranberry-orange muffins to thank a friend for his help with a computer problem. When he took the first bite, I knew something was definitely amiss by the scrunched up look on this face. He ran for the kitchen garbage can, spit out the offending mouthful and said, "Sorry, but that tasted terrible!" As I looked at the recipe again it dawned on me that in my haste to get the muffins in the oven before he arrived I had forgotten one very vital ingredient—sugar! This was another reminder to me that baking is a precise science that requires careful attention. If one ingredient isn't measured correctly or, in this case ignored, the result can be completely inedible. On the other hand, there's COOKING, which I love! I'm fascinated with creating new recipes, varying others to make them look and taste just a bit different, or using ingredients in new ways. For instance, take that good old American standby, potato salad. Most of us have our favorite recipe, but have you ever thought of some ways to vary your version? Take potatoes, the main ingredient. Do you go with Russet, Yukon Gold, White Rose, Baby Reds, or some of the more than 40 other less known varieties that are grown? And what about the onion family? We have lots of choices there too: white, sweet, and red onions, scallions, chives, or shallots, to name a few. Dressings are another story. Some people prefer mayonnaise; others, salad dressing, a creamy sour cream mixture, French dressing or a light vinaigrette. Then there are the add-ins, which can vary greatly. Some people don't consider it a real potato salad without the addition of chopped, hard-cooked eggs. Others prefer crumbled bacon bits, chopped pickles, sweet relish, or a variety of crisp vegetables. You get the idea—with cooking, there's room for innovation, and that sparks the creative side of me. I am definitely a Cook as opposed to the esteemed title of Baker. My motto is, "a pinch of this, a smidge of that, a little bit of that spice to kick up the flavor, and don't forget the lemon zest." Which kind of culinary aficionado are you—a Baker or a Cook?
We're all different. No two individuals are exactly alike; however, there are some general categories that seem to hold true. For instance, there are the Morning People and the Night People. I am definitely of the latter variety. About 9:00 p.m. something kicks into gear—a burst of energy, creativity, and feeling totally alive—and I could work until daylight, and have done so many times. Mornings are an entirely different story—for the first 30 minutes of the day I hardly know which planet I'm on. There are some Morning People in my family. They awake with the birds, happy, cheerful, and ready to meet the day with a smile—it's disgusting! Suffice it to say, we just don't understand each other. In the culinary category there are also two basic classes of people as I see it: the Bakers and the Cooks. Baking is a very precise science. Flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, soda, milk, buttermilk, flavorings, shortening, oil, butter or other ingredients are used in a variety of ways in baked goods recipes, but they interact with each other in very specific ways. Measurements have to be precise or it's disasterville in the kitchen. Commercial bakers even weigh their ingredients to assure they're using just the right amount. Cookbooks have recipes that are tested and re-tested until the directions shown, if followed, will result in a tasty dish. There is very little room for personal variations unless the baker has a great deal of experience. When we see a famous chef on TV appearing to simply mix in this and that in a somewhat carefree manner, it's just because he or she has put in a great deal of time learning basic measurements and techniques that yield that mouth-watering masterpiece. Although I can turn out a good cake or pie when I have to, it's not what I enjoy most. A few of my baking experiments have yielded some "interesting" results, like the time I thought I'd vary a mini-chocolate cupcake recipe. I added some extra chocolate, filled the cupcakes with raspberry jam to which I had added raspberry liqueur, and just knew I had created little masterpieces. What I took out of the oven was a pan full of mini-disasters that resembled lumps of coal! So much for baking innovation. Apart from my creative baking experiments, there's the whole other category of baking blunders. Recently, I prepared a batch of cranberry-orange muffins to thank a friend for his help with a computer problem. When he took the first bite, I knew something was definitely amiss by the scrunched up look on this face. He ran for the kitchen garbage can, spit out the offending mouthful and said, "Sorry, but that tasted terrible!" As I looked at the recipe again it dawned on me that in my haste to get the muffins in the oven before he arrived I had forgotten one very vital ingredient—sugar! This was another reminder to me that baking is a precise science that requires careful attention. If one ingredient isn't measured correctly or, in this case ignored, the result can be completely inedible. On the other hand, there's COOKING, which I love! I'm fascinated with creating new recipes, varying others to make them look and taste just a bit different, or using ingredients in new ways. For instance, take that good old American standby, potato salad. Most of us have our favorite recipe, but have you ever thought of some ways to vary your version? Take potatoes, the main ingredient. Do you go with Russet, Yukon Gold, White Rose, Baby Reds, or some of the more than 40 other less known varieties that are grown? And what about the onion family? We have lots of choices there too: white, sweet, and red onions, scallions, chives, or shallots, to name a few. Dressings are another story. Some people prefer mayonnaise; others, salad dressing, a creamy sour cream mixture, French dressing or a light vinaigrette. Then there are the add-ins, which can vary greatly. Some people don't consider it a real potato salad without the addition of chopped, hard-cooked eggs. Others prefer crumbled bacon bits, chopped pickles, sweet relish, or a variety of crisp vegetables. You get the idea—with cooking, there's room for innovation, and that sparks the creative side of me. I am definitely a Cook as opposed to the esteemed title of Baker. My motto is, "a pinch of this, a smidge of that, a little bit of that spice to kick up the flavor, and don't forget the lemon zest." Which kind of culinary aficionado are you—a Baker or a Cook?
Secrets to Great Homemade Pizza
Secrets to Great Homemade Pizza
A pizza is the sum of its parts; namely, the pizza crust, the pizza toppings and the pizza sauce. Make each one as wonderful as you can make it and you'll be assured of turning out the best homemade pizza possible. Try out the following secrets when you make your homemade pizza. Pizza Crust Secrets Bake your pizza crust separately: It would be best if you can bake your pizza crust first before you add on the toppings and sauce. There's one good reason for doing this. If you bake the lot at one and the same time, you may end up with a pizza that has overcooked toppings, burnt cheese and an undercooked, flat crust. Of course, you should not bake your crust fully the first time so that you won't end up with a pizza that has a burnt crust after your final baking stage. Mixing pizza dough ingredients: Begin by putting in a bowl at least one-tenth of the warm water specified in your homemade pizza recipe. Add yeast gradually to the water, stir and let it stand for a few minutes. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, put the remaining warm water, stir in the sugar and salt (if your recipe calls for these ingredients) and the other dry ingredients except the flour, add the water and yeast mixture, stir the lot then immediately add the rest of the ingredients. Kneading the pizza mixture: Kneading will let air mix with your pizza dough mixture. You should knead the pizza dough only until it reaches the proper consistency: the dough doesn't stick to the container and individual portions can be stretched without breaking. Over-kneading will result in brittle pizza dough. While kneading the dough, use flour to prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands and the bowl, but use as little flour as possible. Let your pizza dough rise before using it: After kneading your pizza dough, you must give it enough time to rise to your desired thickness. Generally, the longer the fermentation time you allow your pizza, the better the taste of the pizza crust. However, be careful not to use too much yeast if you are going to let the dough rise for hours (say you prepared the dough in the morning and let it relax for the rest of the day in preparation for baking by day end). If speed is of the essence: If you need the pizza dough as quickly as possible, you can let it rise faster by adding more yeast to the mixture or by increasing the temperature of the dough. To do the latter, you can heat your oven for a few minutes, turn it off, cool the oven off a bit by leaving the oven door open for a few seconds, put the dough in a covered bowl, put the bowl in the oven and close the door. Let the mixture stay in the warm oven for at least 30 minutes, take it out, softly press the dough down then repeat the "rising" exercise for another 30 minutes. Another technique that you can apply for a faster fermentation period is to use warm water. The higher the water temperature, the faster yeast action will be. Just a note of caution, however, the pizza dough which has been allowed to ferment longer using minimum amount of yeast generally results into a better-tasting pizza crust so it's best that you mix and knead your dough hours before you actually need it. Frozen homemade pizza dough preparation: If you have prepared pizza dough the night before and left it in the refrigerator for next day's baking, take it out in the morning and let it rise for at least several hours before you use it. Again, the less the yeast used, the longer the rising period required. To make a thin pizza crust: If you are aiming for a thin crust pizza, you will want to use less dough per pan. You can also just stretch your pizza dough more on the pan. Doing this will naturally reduce the crust thickness. To get a thick pizza crust: For a thicker crust, you need to use a pizza pan with a smaller circumference, use more pizza dough per pan or stretch out the dough less. The result would be increased crust thickness. To get a crispy pizza crust: For a crispy pizza crust, it would be best if you reduce the amount of water. Drier pizza dough usually means a crispier pizza crust. Stiffer pizza dough also means crispier crust so it would be best to use flour with high gluten content if you want a crispy crust. For a soft and gooey crust: To get a soft and chewy crust, you need to add more water to your dough mixture or use less flour. More moist pizza dough means softer pizza crust. To achieve better results, use flour with low gluten content. You may make gluten-free pizza dough by using gluten-free flour If you live in a high-altitude location: Be mindful of the effect of high altitude on pizza dough. A higher altitude means less air pressure so the dough will rise faster, and it means a faster rate of evaporation so the dough will dry out faster. Thus, if you are in a high-altitude location, it is generally advisable to use more water and less yeast in your pizza dough mixture than you would normally use if you were in a low-altitude location. Pizza Toppings Simply speaking, the pizza toppings you should use depend on the type of pizza that you want. Fresh mozzarella cheese is necessary if you want to make a New York pizza. New York style pizza is typically minimalist; that is to say, they use as few toppings as possible. On the other hand, a Chicago deep dish pizza is usually loaded with meaty toppings: pepperoni, beef sausage, pork sausage, ground beef, bacon, ham, etc. You will also see bell peppers, mushrooms, and different kinds of cheese on a typical Chicago pizza. Tomatoes, cheese, anchovies, garlic, and herbs like basil and oregano, on the other hand, are typical of Italian pizza. California pizza, on the other hand, is characterized by seasonal vegetable toppings, fruit toppings, chicken pizza toppings, smoked salmon toppings, and other unusual toppings. For great economy: Use pizza toppings that you already have on hand. Bacon, ham and sausages left over from breakfast, for instance, will make great toppings. Innovate depending on what ingredients you have. Naturally, cooked toppings will require less time in the oven so be sure to take this into account when baking your pizza. Fresh toppings: It is recommended that you use fresh ingredients for your pizza toppings. Use fresh mozzarella cheese, if possible. Finger crush herbs: To release the flavor of dried herbs, it is best to finger crush them before you add them to your pizza. Drain and dry toppings: To avoid getting a soggy pizza, especially if you are using lots of canned and moist ingredients, you should drain your toppings of excess moisture before you arrange them on your pizza base. Pizza Sauce Your pizza sauce will give your pizza its distinctive flavor. In the web, you can find a lot of easy pizza sauce recipes to follow. You can even try making your own trademark pizza sauce. Easy pizza sauce recipe: There should be canned, pre-mixed pizza sauces available in your local supermarket. On the other hand, you can use spaghetti sauce as your pizza sauce. Another easy alternative would be to sauté some onions and garlic in extra virgin olive oil, add tomato sauce (chunky tomato sauce is fine or tomato paste/puree diluted with some water), add salt (and crushed pepper if preferred), let the sauce simmer then add basil and oregano. You can even add some balsamic vinegar if you wish. You can also add some cooked ground meat to your sauce if you prefer. Thicker sauce is better: Use thick pizza sauce on your pizza. Too watery pizza sauce means a soggy pizza. If you are using canned pizza sauce, evaluate the thickness. If too thin, let the sauce simmer before using it on your pizza. Pizza sauce on top: When cooking your pizza, it is advisable to put the sauce on top. This will prevent your cheese and other ingredients from burning.
A pizza is the sum of its parts; namely, the pizza crust, the pizza toppings and the pizza sauce. Make each one as wonderful as you can make it and you'll be assured of turning out the best homemade pizza possible. Try out the following secrets when you make your homemade pizza. Pizza Crust Secrets Bake your pizza crust separately: It would be best if you can bake your pizza crust first before you add on the toppings and sauce. There's one good reason for doing this. If you bake the lot at one and the same time, you may end up with a pizza that has overcooked toppings, burnt cheese and an undercooked, flat crust. Of course, you should not bake your crust fully the first time so that you won't end up with a pizza that has a burnt crust after your final baking stage. Mixing pizza dough ingredients: Begin by putting in a bowl at least one-tenth of the warm water specified in your homemade pizza recipe. Add yeast gradually to the water, stir and let it stand for a few minutes. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, put the remaining warm water, stir in the sugar and salt (if your recipe calls for these ingredients) and the other dry ingredients except the flour, add the water and yeast mixture, stir the lot then immediately add the rest of the ingredients. Kneading the pizza mixture: Kneading will let air mix with your pizza dough mixture. You should knead the pizza dough only until it reaches the proper consistency: the dough doesn't stick to the container and individual portions can be stretched without breaking. Over-kneading will result in brittle pizza dough. While kneading the dough, use flour to prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands and the bowl, but use as little flour as possible. Let your pizza dough rise before using it: After kneading your pizza dough, you must give it enough time to rise to your desired thickness. Generally, the longer the fermentation time you allow your pizza, the better the taste of the pizza crust. However, be careful not to use too much yeast if you are going to let the dough rise for hours (say you prepared the dough in the morning and let it relax for the rest of the day in preparation for baking by day end). If speed is of the essence: If you need the pizza dough as quickly as possible, you can let it rise faster by adding more yeast to the mixture or by increasing the temperature of the dough. To do the latter, you can heat your oven for a few minutes, turn it off, cool the oven off a bit by leaving the oven door open for a few seconds, put the dough in a covered bowl, put the bowl in the oven and close the door. Let the mixture stay in the warm oven for at least 30 minutes, take it out, softly press the dough down then repeat the "rising" exercise for another 30 minutes. Another technique that you can apply for a faster fermentation period is to use warm water. The higher the water temperature, the faster yeast action will be. Just a note of caution, however, the pizza dough which has been allowed to ferment longer using minimum amount of yeast generally results into a better-tasting pizza crust so it's best that you mix and knead your dough hours before you actually need it. Frozen homemade pizza dough preparation: If you have prepared pizza dough the night before and left it in the refrigerator for next day's baking, take it out in the morning and let it rise for at least several hours before you use it. Again, the less the yeast used, the longer the rising period required. To make a thin pizza crust: If you are aiming for a thin crust pizza, you will want to use less dough per pan. You can also just stretch your pizza dough more on the pan. Doing this will naturally reduce the crust thickness. To get a thick pizza crust: For a thicker crust, you need to use a pizza pan with a smaller circumference, use more pizza dough per pan or stretch out the dough less. The result would be increased crust thickness. To get a crispy pizza crust: For a crispy pizza crust, it would be best if you reduce the amount of water. Drier pizza dough usually means a crispier pizza crust. Stiffer pizza dough also means crispier crust so it would be best to use flour with high gluten content if you want a crispy crust. For a soft and gooey crust: To get a soft and chewy crust, you need to add more water to your dough mixture or use less flour. More moist pizza dough means softer pizza crust. To achieve better results, use flour with low gluten content. You may make gluten-free pizza dough by using gluten-free flour If you live in a high-altitude location: Be mindful of the effect of high altitude on pizza dough. A higher altitude means less air pressure so the dough will rise faster, and it means a faster rate of evaporation so the dough will dry out faster. Thus, if you are in a high-altitude location, it is generally advisable to use more water and less yeast in your pizza dough mixture than you would normally use if you were in a low-altitude location. Pizza Toppings Simply speaking, the pizza toppings you should use depend on the type of pizza that you want. Fresh mozzarella cheese is necessary if you want to make a New York pizza. New York style pizza is typically minimalist; that is to say, they use as few toppings as possible. On the other hand, a Chicago deep dish pizza is usually loaded with meaty toppings: pepperoni, beef sausage, pork sausage, ground beef, bacon, ham, etc. You will also see bell peppers, mushrooms, and different kinds of cheese on a typical Chicago pizza. Tomatoes, cheese, anchovies, garlic, and herbs like basil and oregano, on the other hand, are typical of Italian pizza. California pizza, on the other hand, is characterized by seasonal vegetable toppings, fruit toppings, chicken pizza toppings, smoked salmon toppings, and other unusual toppings. For great economy: Use pizza toppings that you already have on hand. Bacon, ham and sausages left over from breakfast, for instance, will make great toppings. Innovate depending on what ingredients you have. Naturally, cooked toppings will require less time in the oven so be sure to take this into account when baking your pizza. Fresh toppings: It is recommended that you use fresh ingredients for your pizza toppings. Use fresh mozzarella cheese, if possible. Finger crush herbs: To release the flavor of dried herbs, it is best to finger crush them before you add them to your pizza. Drain and dry toppings: To avoid getting a soggy pizza, especially if you are using lots of canned and moist ingredients, you should drain your toppings of excess moisture before you arrange them on your pizza base. Pizza Sauce Your pizza sauce will give your pizza its distinctive flavor. In the web, you can find a lot of easy pizza sauce recipes to follow. You can even try making your own trademark pizza sauce. Easy pizza sauce recipe: There should be canned, pre-mixed pizza sauces available in your local supermarket. On the other hand, you can use spaghetti sauce as your pizza sauce. Another easy alternative would be to sauté some onions and garlic in extra virgin olive oil, add tomato sauce (chunky tomato sauce is fine or tomato paste/puree diluted with some water), add salt (and crushed pepper if preferred), let the sauce simmer then add basil and oregano. You can even add some balsamic vinegar if you wish. You can also add some cooked ground meat to your sauce if you prefer. Thicker sauce is better: Use thick pizza sauce on your pizza. Too watery pizza sauce means a soggy pizza. If you are using canned pizza sauce, evaluate the thickness. If too thin, let the sauce simmer before using it on your pizza. Pizza sauce on top: When cooking your pizza, it is advisable to put the sauce on top. This will prevent your cheese and other ingredients from burning.
All About Pizza
All About Pizza
The term pizza covers a lot of territory. If you want to learn all about pizzas, then you should have a bit of a background on pizzas: specifically the history of pizza, pizza origin, pizza facts, and even pizza trivia such as who invented pizza. The subject also delves into the different types and styles of pizzas. The varieties currently existing defy any attempts at enumeration. Thus, most people who attempt such a task stop at a broad categorization of pizza types according to certain attributes such as crust thickness, crust elasticity, crust baking and cooking procedures, toppings, etc. Aside from general, historical or trivial information, other things are of interest to the pizza lovers. For instance, homemade pizza enthusiasts would like to know certain tips and tricks for making pizza. This includes pizza making techniques, the best pizza crust recipes, pizza toppings, homemade pizza sauce, etc. Some other interesting topics will be frozen pizza dough and where best to attain them, what are the criteria for choosing the, what are the methods for preparing them, etc. It must be obvious that this article is a mite ambitious for wishing to tackle something entitled "all about pizza." However, an attempt is definitely warranted, so here goes. Some pizza facts and trivia Accounts of pizza history always begin with the origin of pizza. This one might as well follow the same tack. We have to thank any civilization or race that baked flat bread on hot stones or stone ovens for pizza, for almost certainly, bread like the focaccia was the "mother of the pizza crust." However, the invention of the pizza is more properly attributed to the Neapolitans - the people of Naples, Italy who were baking and making pizza crust topped with tomatoes, oil, and Italian herbs, and spices. This rudimentary and traditional Italian pizza was common peasant fare in Naples. If you want an individual originator and inventor of pizzas, however, then you won't be wrong if you cite Rafaelle Esposito - a native of Naples; he modified the basic Neapolitan pizza recipe and came up with three variants that added mozzarella cheese to the rudimentary Italian pizza toppings. Now, if you are looking for some topics for small conversation, then you must remember the following trivia. One note of caution, though; you shouldn't blurt these out just to anybody or you'll sound decidedly corny and geeky. Make sure you're talking to someone interested in pizzas before you use the following trivia as conversational gambits. " Most people in the United States love pepperoni; the least liked toppings are anchovies. " Pizza was called (and is still called) tomato pie and pizza pie in certain parts of the States. " The first pizzeria in the United States was opened in New York. " The pizza industry is worth more than 30 billion dollars in the United States alone and Americans consume around three billion units of pizza every year. " New York pizza is traditionally plain. Supposedly, New York pizza is unique because of the acidity and hardness of the water in New York. New Yorkers therefore claim that only in New York can you make real New York Pizza. (New Yorkers must admit, however, that if water is the unique characteristic of New York pizzas, one who uses water adjusted for hardness and acidity to reflect New York water conditions, adds all the usual New York pizza ingredients and toppings, follows all the procedures strictly but makes the pizza in New Jersey can conceivably make an authentic, New York style pizza. But such an assertion, some would say, is just plain cheek.) Pizza types and pizza styles The first step to a great homemade pizza is determining what type of pizza you wish to make. After all, different types of pizza have different attributes and thus call for different types of pizza base, pizza toppings and cooking techniques. Would you like to make an authentic Italian pizza, a New York style pizza, a California style pizza, or a Chicago style pizza? Italian pizza is generally lean, although when you add cheese, its fat level generally rises in proportion. There are various kinds of Italian pizza, too. There are Neapolitan pizzas, of which there are two general types: the marinara and the Margherita. There are various combinations of these as well. Authentic Italian pizza, moreover, is supposedly baked on wood-fired or even coal-fired, stone ovens. New York pizza, as abovementioned, is generally plain. The mainstay of New York pizza is mozzarella cheese - fresh mozzarella cheese to be precise. One can add garlic, different types of cheeses, anchovies, shrimp, etc but these are usually optional. The pizza dough recipe for traditional New York pizza, on the other hand, calls for high-gluten flour. The result is firm, usually thin, chewy pizza. The California style pizza is generally known for gourmet flavors. You can say the California pizza has countless variations. The pizza crust, in this case, is light, crisp and generally well risen. The toppings can be out of this world - generally California pizza makers experiment a lot with all kinds of meat, sea food, breakfast dishes, and vegetable for the toppings. The Chicago style pizza, on the other hand, is generally crusty and very filling. They are characterized by their raised edges; imagine a pre-baked apple pie crust where you can place the fillings on top. Chicago pizza is usually meaty (some variants come stuffed with cheeses and meat layers) and it is eaten with a knife and fork. You can also start by deciding on the flavor you want. Do you want to make a cheese pizza, a vegetarian pizza or a fruit pizza? Perhaps you want to make a low fat pizza, a low carb pizza, a healthy pizza? Sourdough pizza is also another variant. Take your pick among your many options. Once you have decided, choosing the recipe would be much easier. If you have decided on an Italian pizza, for instance, then find your Italian pizza crust recipe, your Italian pizza sauce recipe and the overall Italian pizza recipe that will give you a list of toppings and pizza preparation procedures for making an authentic Italian pizza. For an easier time of it, you can opt to use Italian-style frozen pizza dough then just follow the Italian pizza recipe that you've found. Some pizza making tips and techniques Hand tossing will help you minimize the lumps in your pizza dough. However, this should be done only after sufficient pizza dough kneading. This process lets your pizza dough develop into the right kind of consistency - that which is suitable for stretching and hand tossing. Hand tossing, however, is not advisable for thick pizza crust varieties. If you want a crisp and firm pizza that retains its structure even when the moist toppings are added, you can bake the pizza crust before you add the toppings and the pizza sauce. However, for thin pizza crusts, baking the crust after the toppings and sauce have been added is sufficient. For uniform baking and crisping of the crust, use a pizza stone or a pizza screen. Finally, remember that the protein content of your flour will influence the end product. High-gluten flour will lead to a crisp but chewy crust. Gluten-free flour, however, may lead to very soft dough; additives may have to be used to give the pizza dough strength. Quick pizza crust recipes and easy homemade pizza recipes of all kinds and style are easily available online. There are tips for baking and preparing frozen pizza dough, making your own pizza dough, preparing the ingredients for the best pizza crust recipe, etc. All you need to start making your very own pizza recipe is an internet connection, a good source of basic pizza recipe, great pizza equipment, your imagination, and lots of time and resources for experimentation.
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