Quick and Easy Sour Cream Crescent Rolls

To find a good book to read or for more free recipes, visit http://ruralroute2.com/ If you would like to serve fresh homemade crescent rolls for a special dinner or family get-together, this recipe takes only 2 hours from start to finish. ~ 2 packages of dry yeast (or 4 teaspoons bulk yeast) ~ 1 cup warm water ~ 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice added) ~ 1/2 cup sour cream (use light sour cream, if you like) ~ 1 stick butter (or margarine) softened (if you want a lighter version of dinner rolls, use a half stick) ~ 1/3 cup sugar ~ 1 teaspoon salt ~ 6-7 cups flour Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add buttermilk, sour cream, butter (or margarine), sugar, salt and 2 cups of flour. Use an electric mixer or a wire wisk and blend for several minutes. Add the remaining flour. Knead for several minutes. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes. To make the crescent rolls: divide the dough in half. Roll each half into a 12-inch circle (mine usually ends up being more of rectangle than a circle, but it works, so who cares?). Spread soft butter onto the circle of dough. Cut the circle in half. Cut each half into quarters. Then cut each quarter into three pieces (as if you are cutting a pie). Roll up each piece of dough, beginning with the wide end. Place on a greased cookie sheet with the "point" underneath. Let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes before baking. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and remove from the cookie sheet. This recipe makes 2 dozen crescent rolls. Total time (including time to bake) is about 2 hours. © 2007 LeAnn R. Ralph

How Simple Coffee Machines Work

The most common coffee maker is the drip coffee machine. The drip coffee maker is such named because the hot water is made to drip down freely to the coffee beans. Be mindful that the taste of the brewed coffee will rely on the amount of water that you put inside the water bucket. Too much water will dilute the taste of the coffee while too less of it will result to a stronger brew. There are measurements in ounces and milliliter along the water bucket to serve as a guide. The water inside the water bucket is heated as it passes along a heat-resistant tube. The tube then goes into the drip area and release the heated water that is just below the boiling temperature. The water is heated by a heating element, the sort of resistive heating coil that gives out heat when electricity is passed through it. This is no different from the heating coil of the toaster oven. The heating element has two purposes: it has direct contact with the water inside the water bucket to boil it for a coffee brew and it keeps the coffee warm with the use of the heating pad where the coffee container is rested. The coffee container or coffee kettle is a heat-resistant glass supported by a durable polyester plastic handle. The glass is transparent so you can easily check if you are running out of coffee brew. The coffee kettle will be kept warm for more than one hour by the heating pad. By this time, it’s expected that the coffee kettle already needs replenishing. If not, the coffee may be already cold enough to be enjoyed and you have to make a new brew again. The coffee maker is the only coffee machine that has become part of the usual home appliances. Other coffee machines can only be found in coffee shops. Note that other than the coffee maker, however, another coffee machine, the espresso maker, is starting to make its way into household use. With this in mind, it seems that more and more people are getting addicted with coffee. Also, specialty and espresso coffee brews are also becoming popular among coffee lovers around the world. Today, most models of coffee machines are semi-automatic to automatic. Buttons and switches replaced the manual coffee straining and lever pushing, in case of espresso machines. Also, some are packed with features that will enable one to make any kinds of coffee in mind. Among these special features are built-in coffee bean grinder and frothe maker. With these high-end coffee makers, you can concoct your own coffee recipe.

An Espresso A Day...?

An Espresso A Day … ? While many of us enjoy—indeed, rely on—our morning coffee, we haven’t been able to shake the popular theory that the caffeine content makes coffee bad for the body. Espresso, a concentrated beverage, has been especially maligned. But there are numerous health benefits to drinking coffee, some of which may surprise you, and might help you enjoy that freshly brewed cup just a little bit more. Even the harshest skeptic is aware of the short-term benefits of coffee: the pick-me-up it provides when we’re feeling drowsy, the enhanced sense of mental alertness, and the increased motor activity. The long-term advantages, however, are more far-reaching. Studies have shown that brewed coffee contains numerous antioxidants, a critical element in disease prevention and control. Specifically, tests have linked moderate coffee consumption with reducing the risk of a diverse range of illnesses, including: * Alzheimer’s disease * Asthma * Cirrhosis of the liver * Colon cancer * Diabetes * Gallstones * Parkinson’s disease At the same time, recent research has disproved the prevailing wisdom that excessive coffee drinking can cause birth defects and cardiovascular disease. This is welcome news to the millions of us who need our morning coffee, whether it’s our preferred freshly ground brew, that scalding paper cup of Joe from the local diner, or an espresso-based nonfat macchiato from Starbucks. However, the negative effects of excessive caffeine intake cannot be ignored. The key is to know what constitutes a “moderate” amount of consumption. An average cup of coffee has between 100 and 150 milligrams of caffeine, with the average espresso containing 80-120 milligrams. Most experts agree that we can drink up to 300 milligrams of caffeine per day without experiencing any long-term negative effects. As such, two to three cups of coffee daily gives us the most benefit with the least risk. However, the 300 milligrams is a measure of total caffeine consumption. If you drink sodas, which can contain anywhere from 0-60 milligrams of caffeine, you must balance your caffeine intake accordingly. Those of us who love our coffee can enjoy it with the knowledge that, far from being detrimental to our health, a few cups a day can provide a needed burst of energy and help reduce the risk of common diseases. To find out more about coffee and the best products for your household, visit www.espressozone.com, www.cooking.com, and www.kitchen-universe.com. These comprehensive sites will help you select the best types of coffee, coffee-makers, and accessories to indulge your coffee needs—in moderation, naturally

When Did Soda Become Our Water?

Last night I met with my Wednesday night running group. During the run our conversation turned to the subject of drinking pop. A general consensus was many people drink soda as their only source of fluid. I found that really ironic, with all the commercials about bottled water. Everywhere I go I see bottled water. I thought that everyone drank water. But then again I am not everyone. I was told that people think that it is ok to just drink pop because; there is water in soda pop. Well yes there is water, I must agree. What about carbonated water and sugar that are also added to soda. I just don’t believe that soda is as good for you as drinking water. What did they do before the invention of soda pop? Those poor cavemen only had water to drink. Is it the sugar in pop that causes an addiction? I think that there is a comforting good feeling when people drink soda. Like having a treat with every time that a drink is taken. I wonder if it’s the super sizing of all the fast food restaurants that have helped people become so addicted to pop. Or all the free refills that eating establishment’s offer. Then I was told that people do not like the taste of water. This I can understand because I add lemon to the water that I drink a lot of the time. Does this make me just like a soda pop consumer? I guess the whole point of all this ranting is that I was totally shocked to watch someone drink about a gallon of pop when eating supper. This same person describing in great detail to me how they wanted to be a great runner. The only thing that needed to be changed was to eat better. I found that so amazing. I guess that does not make anyone’s dream any less important because they drink a lot of soda pop. I tried to explain why water is so important to this person. After a few sentences I realized that life only teaches words do not. I wonder if this needs to happen for all those in this world who want to do things their way.

Olive Oil, Your Health, Your Kitchen

Extra virgin olive oil has become such a symbol of healthy eating that it is hard to believe that it was once accused of increasing the harmful cholesterol. It was a fat, so it had to be bad for us. Fortunately, we left those times behind and now olive oil and most fats are much better understood. The main reason olive oil is healthy is because it is rich in healthy monounsaturated fatty acids. About 75% of that monounsaturated fat is oleic acid, which is very stable even at high temperatures. Moreover, our body processes oleic acid easier than other fatty acids. Secondly, organic extra virgin olive oil also contains high levels of antioxidants like phenols, and vitamins E and A, which fight free radicals and thus prevent premature aging. Those antioxidants help neutralize the oxidation process, which is common to alls fats, and preserve the properties of olive oil too. So, the fact that olive oil is capable of resisting oxidation at higher temperatures much better than seed oils makes it the safest vegetable oil for frying. Many in the non-Mediterranean industrialized countries feel uneasy when a Mediterranean recipe calls for frying in olive oil. Frying is an old cooking technique that is very popular in the Mediterranean cuisines. It is as much an integral part of the healthy traditional Mediterranean diet as consuming raw olive oil with bread and salads. Some olive oil tips for the kitchen When heated up, olive oil expands in volume and food absorbs it less than other cooking oils. Therefore, you need a smaller quantity of olive oil. If it didn't burn in your frying pan, you can reuse olive oil up to three times. Some say even five times, but I personally never use it more than twice. Olive oil transmits flavors between foods, so never fry meat in olive oil you used to fry fish and vice versa. My grandmother always kept a jar for fish and one for meat next to the olive oil bottle. It is the best way not to get flavors mixed up. Finally, olive oil looks thicker than other vegetable oils, but this is only appearance as, contrary to popular belief, it has no more calories than sunflower oil, for instance. Olive oil for your health In the 13th century Arnau de Vilanova, doctor of the Catalan royal family, already realized that a moderate intake of olive oil enhanced the vital functions of the body. In the 20th century, the late American doctor, Ancel Keys MD, documented that the olive oil based Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. We see that contemporary research has confirmed what the Mediterranean peoples knew and practiced intuitively all along. Heart disease is the Achilles' heel of modern societies living at a frantic pace. Since Dr. Keys and his followers realized that we in the Mediterranean have a better cardiovascular health, the first medical studies on olive oil focused mainly on that area. They proved that olive oil balances the cholesterol levels, can reduce the risk of a heart attack, can play a role in the prevention of arteriosclerosis, and fights high blood pressure. Later, research was extended to other areas like digestion, cancer, and diabetes. The results have been very positive and olive oil usually comes through with flying colors. One particular study concluded that with only two tablespoons of virgin olive oil every day you can begin to experience the health benefits that the Mediterranean peoples have enjoyed for so long. Incorporating it naturally into your eating practices is simple. Integrating olive oil The easiest way is to get into the habit of drizzling olive oil over slices of bread or toasts, consuming it as a dressing for sandwiches instead of butter, and adding it to salads with some salt. Wherever you go in the Mediterranean, Morocco, Provence, Tunisia, Italy, Greece, Catalonia, Andalusia, or Majorca, you'll find people eating their own combination of bread and raw olive oil. As a Catalan I eat pa amb tomaquet, literally bread with tomato, almost every day: as part of my breakfast, as a snack, or, I admit, when I am too lazy to cook dinner. It is the Catalan bruschetta, so to say, and you can prepare it in no time with slices of bread or toasts, both are fine. Here is the most basic recipe for pa amb tomaquet. Cut a very ripe tomato crosswise, rub the bread with one half on both sides, drizzle olive oil liberally over the bread and sprinkle some salt. You can eat it plain or add any topping and accompaniment you like: prosciutto-style or cooked ham, cheese, tuna fish, an omelet, anchovies, figs, olives. Even with a chocolate bar at tea or coffee time, it may sound weird, but it is delicious. Other recipes with raw olive oil are authentic allioli, salads with olive oil dressing, cold sauces like romesco, and sopa de farigola or thyme soup. As the Catalan saying goes: Sopa sense oli no val un dimoni, literally, Soup without oil isn't worth a devil, meaning that a soup with no oil is junk. Here is the recipe. In a soup pot, bring 2-quart ( 2 l) water to a boil together with 2 peeled garlic cloves and 2 sprigs thyme. Simmer for 10 minutes and drain. Place 1 or 2 slices of country- style bread on the bottom of each soup bowl, drizzle them liberally with extra virgin olive oil and ladle the soup over it. In the spring and summer this soup is also great with mint instead of thyme. Recent studies have shown that the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet are not derived from olive oil alone, but from the Mediterranean diet as a whole. So, eat well and enjoy!

Understanding the Food Pyramid for Kids

In 2005, the US Department of Agriculture released the new food pyramid plan. Kids and adults alike no longer need to follow the same horizontally sectioned food pyramid. Adults now have their own pyramid while there is also a new food pyramid for kids. What does this say now about food, nutrition and diet? The new food pyramid for kids basically implies that kids have different nutritional and diet needs as adults. Kids need to follow the specifications in the new food pyramid for kid so that they can grow up healthy and strong. The food pyramid for kid is telling kids and parents that kids should eat a variety of food items from all the food groups. A healthy meal according to the food pyramid for kid should therefore contain lean meat, beans, nuts, fish, milk, dairy products, fruits, grains, vegetables and some fats. The food pyramid for kid however is not telling kids to eat everything in the same amounts. The same age old advice still holds about eating more grains, fruits and vegetables than other food types. Oils and sugar should be eaten in smaller portions. Parents should also note that some foods in each category should not be eaten in great amounts. Fruit pies and tetra pack juices for example do not necessarily contain the same nutrients as real fruits and should only be taken occasionally. The best way to encourage kids to follow the food pyramid for kid requirements is to set a good example. Parents and other family members should vow to eat only healthy food. It would also help to keep the whole house free of junk food and other food items that are less in nutritional value. The new food pyramid for kid is also trying to tell us that kids should be given a lot of time to exercise. Good physical play for example is advisable for kids to stay healthy. Parents can also encourage kids to follow the physical exercise advice of the new food pyramid for kid by being a good example and engaging in physical activities as well. Parents can keep kids active by participating in family camping activities or family sports games. The whole business of eating and living healthy may be a difficult concept to teach children. The food pyramid for kid also suggests however, that healthy living and eating should be taught slowly but surely.

I Love German Wine And Food - A Baden Pinot Noir

If you are in the market for fine German wine and food, you should consider the Baden region of southeastern Germany. You may find a bargain, and I know that you will enjoy yourself fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local Pinot Noir. The Baden region is the southernmost wine-growing region in Germany. Most of its many vineyards are found in a long, narrow strip between the Black Forest and the Rhine River. Across this river lies the French wine region of Alsace. Although approximately sixty percent of local wine is white, the red Pinot Noir is definitely the most important grape variety in Baden. White varieties include the German-bred Mueller Thurgau, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Riesling. Baden ranks third in Germany for both vineyard acreage and total wine production. Slightly over one third of its wine production is QbA wine, the remainder is the higher quality QmP wine. Baden produces no table wine. If you're going to be in Baden, why not visit Baden-Baden? This town, simply called Baden until 1931, is the center of a famous spa taking advantage of the local hot springs already known to the Ancient Romans. The city offers a casino, the oldest casino in Germany. This was where the famous Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky wrote The Gambler. It wasn't only a labor of love; there were gambling debts to pay. Be sure to visit Abtei Lichtenthal, a medieval Cistercian abbey. The Festspielhaus Baden-Baden (Baden-Baden Festival Theatre) is Germany's largest opera house and concert hall with 2,500 seats. Before reviewing the Baden wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Schwarzwaelder Schinken (Black Forest Ham). Continue with Forelle (Trout) done in dozens of ways. For dessert indulge yourself with Schwarzwaelder Torte (Black Forest Cake, Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream and Cherries). OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price. Wine Reviewed Konigschaffhausen Pinot Noir 2003 13.0% alcohol about $15 Let's start by quoting the marketing materials. The hot growing season of 2003 facilitated a level of ripeness in the vineyards of many regions, including Baden, that was almost unprecedented. Expect ripe strawberry, cherry, and plum aromas and flavors. This Pinot would complement grilled salmon or veal chops. My first meal consisted of breaded, fried chicken breast with potato salad, eggplant, and tomato salad. Perhaps because I knew that the wine was a Pinot Noir, I tasted the earth and a bit of tobacco. This wine and food pairing was quite successful. For my next tasting, I started with a tomato-based eggplant salad and humus topped by very piquant Moroccan spices. The heart of the meal was beef stew and potatoes. Once again I knew this Pinot Noir was a Pinot Noir and I enjoyed it all the way. The final meal wasn't really a meal. It was a late night snack of cold barbequed chicken. The wine was excellent and tasted of light cherries. My initial reaction was that the wine came up short, but after a few sips I thought otherwise. As often, I tried this wine with two cheeses. The first was an overripe French Camembert, a soft cow's milk cheese. The wine became flatter, and while it was still fruity what a shame to combine the two. It was as if somebody shaved the top off the wine. I guess you know by now that German Limberger cheese can be quite pungent; this one was certainly starting to smell but interestingly enough the odor didn't really affect its taste. My Pinot Noir retained a bit more of its fruit than when paired with the Camembert, but frankly, why waste this wine with this cheese? Final verdict. I'm going to buy this wine again. The 2003 vintage is no longer available so I'll grab the 2004 and see what a difference a year makes.

Meal Planning and Dinnertime Preparation

I once read somewhere that home cooks have on average 21 meals that make up our repertoire of common family meals. I thought this was very interesting and set about to writing down what my 21 meals are. I actually came up with 23 meals that my family enjoys on a regular basis. By creating this list, I now know what I need to keep stocked in the pantry. You won't have to stress over what's for dinner tonight if all you need to do is to just take a look at your list! Feel free to add more than 21 meals to your list. The more you list, the easier it will be to come up with dinner tonight. This list is for your staple meals. It is not the place to add the meals you want to try out someday. Go ahead and do that if you want, but put your experimental recipes on a different list. Don't worry if all you seem to come up with is just many different versions of Mac & Cheese! Now that you have your 21 meals, this challenge will be a snap (or maybe just less painful)! One of the best strategies I know when it comes to meal planning is simply to plan ahead. I use a list that I call my Menu Planner to plan a pay period's worth of meals (for me, that is every 1st and 15th of the month). My Menu Planner page is a list that shows the numbers 1 through 31 for every day of the month in the left-hand column. Next there is a Breakfast column, a column for Lunch, and the largest column for Dinner. Dinner is our family's major meal so I am more specific for that column. Breakfast and lunch are more casual so I just list a few suggestions for me to refer to throughout the month. Feel free to refer often to your 21 meals list in order to help you fill in you Menu Planner. My next step is to print out a grocery list and then I write every ingredient that I need from my Menu Planner into my Grocery List. Now when I go to the store, I get only what I need instead of what I MIGHT need at some point. That saves me money and it saves my refrigerator/freezer/pantry from having all kinds of odd and unnecessary items. Mealtime with your family will be much more enjoyable when you take just a few steps to prepare. Challenge your family to help you create your Menu Planner list by asking them which meals they would like to enjoy in the next planning period (one week, two weeks, maybe even 1 month). When you get them involved, you are more likely to have greater success throughout the dinner experience.

Cognac: The King of Brandy

Before I got into wine, I didn't know much about it: I thought Bordeaux was used to make bread, I assumed wine in a box was as good as any, and I figured that Cognac was the name of the guy who wrote On the Road. It turns out, I was wrong on all points. Even as I learn about wine, write about wine, and drink all kinds of wine, I still must admit that I don't know everything. Truth be told, wine is such an extensive subject that it's nearly impossible to possess every single seed of knowledge. Take for instance, Cognac. While maybe not an accomplished author, it is still a drink rich with complexity and sophistication. Essentially the king of brandy, Cognac is produced in the Charente and Charente-Maritime regions of France; it gets its name from a local town. The anal-retentive drink of the alcohol industry, Cognac must be made under extremely precise regulations. Deviating from these regulations even slightly turns Cognac into regular ol' brandy. Seven areas in France are designated for Cognac production. Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, and Borderies produce the majority, but Fins Bois, Bons Bois, Bois Ordinaires, and Bois Communs tend to squeeze out a drop or two. Each area creates a unique drink, but all are of high quality: they each have a knack for Cognac. The grapes used for Cognac are very exclusive: no matter how many beg to be picked, only certain ones are. First of all, Cognac must be at least 90 percent Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche, or Colombard grapes. Ugni Blanc carry the most weight (some Cognac is made solely of this grape), with Folle Blanche and Colombard grapes minimally represented. The remaining ten percent may, by law, include other varieties of grape. These varieties are typically specific and, like a grape involved in drama club, highly eccentric. Dissimilar to other brandies, Cognac must be distilled twice in copper pot stills. After the second distillation, the heart of the Cognac, or the eau-de-vie, is placed into barrels made from the oak trees of the Troncais or Limousin forests. Here, the eau-de-vie must be aged for a minimum of two years, though most is aged for much longer. Still, Cognac isn't allowed to get too old: it's usually not kept barreled up for more than five or six decades; it does, after all, have things to do. The age Cognac can be somewhat confusing (cutting open the brandy and count its rings doesn't work). A system does, nonetheless, exist to help you understand the youngest eau-de-vie in the blend. A VS (very superior) or three star label is for the youngest, meaning that all the eau-de-vies in the blend are at least two and a half years old. A VSOP (very superior old pale), a VO (very old), and Reserve label is for the middle child, meaning that all the eau-de-vies in the blend are at least four and a half years old. A XO (extra old), Napoleon, Extra, Vieux, and Vielle Reserve is for the eldest, meaning all of the eau-de-vies in the blend are at least six and a half years old. It's important to keep in mind, however, that this system of labeling is used only to determine the youngest eau-de-vie in the blend and not the average age of the Cognac. For instance, a Cognac could be blended with a two year old eau-de-vie and a sixty year old one, possessing an average age of twenty nine years. Whether young, old, or somewhere in between, Cognac produces a smooth, rich, and well balanced taste with flavors of smoke, soil, fruit, vanilla, and honey. It's a drink people tend to nurse: chugging it, shooting it, or sipping it through a straw just doesn't seem to do it justice. One of the more expensive drinks, Cognac isn't something you will ever find on the clearance racks of your local liquor store. For this reason, it's not something you're likely to find yourself drinking frequently: it may just be reserved for special occasions……like pay day.

BBQ Season Kick-Off

Summer has began so clean off that magnificent cooking and entertaining machine that most people refer to as a grill and let's get ready for some barbecuing. Gas or charcoal, fish, steak, chicken or burgers, summer is here so time to get things started. So before you start the first flame of the season, you'll want to think about these things before grilling. Grill Size If you do a lot of entertaining you want to make sure that you have enough grilling surface to cook many things at the same time. This will make your guests feel a little more comfortable if everyone eats at roughly the same time rather than in shifts. Utensils Do not fork your food while grilling. Piecing the food with a fork make those succulent juices escape from your steaks and will dry out your fish. Always use thongs or a spatula while grilling. Lighter Fluid and Coals It is okay to use a limited amount of lighter fluid to get the fire started. Some people say that lighter fluid will ruin the flavor but this is not true if you just use a limited amount to get the fire started. Briquettes made from charred wood is the best heat source. Because of their uniformed size and shape they will burn more evenly and slower. Heat Direct heat grilling you want your grill nice and hot. This will make cooking burgers and steaks a breeze. For indirect heat grilling low and slow is the way to go. This will take much longer to cook but the results are outstanding. Steaks Just about any steak tastes great off of the grill. You can try inexpensive cuts such as a juicy rib-eye or skirt steak. These have a great deal of flavor by themselves but if you smother them with BBQ sauce it will make for an outstanding BBQ experience. BBQ Sauce is critical to your next BBQ impress your neighbors with some of these BBQ Sauce recipes. Jack Daniel’s BBQ Sauce 1/2 cup Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup ketchup 1 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon garlic powder Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Carolina-Style Barbecue Sauce 1 cup distilled white vinegar 1 cup cider vinegar 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 tablespoon hot red pepper flakes Salt and ground pepper to taste Mix all ingredients, including salt and pepper, to taste, in medium bowl Spicy BBQ Sauce 3 cans tomato sauce 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar 1/3 cup cider vinegar 1 cup brown sugar juice of 3 lemons 3 large cloves garlic 1-2 tsp black pepper (or more to taste) 1 tbs salt (or less to taste) 1 tbs cayenne pepper 1 tbs hot red chile 1 tbs paprika 2-3 tsp Tabasco (or more to taste) 1/2 tsp ground cumin Combine everything in a double boiler, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is the thickness you want. Be sure not to let the mixture come to a boil, though, it ruins the flavor. To get it to a state where it sticks to the ribs without help usually takes me about 45-70 min over a gentle boil.

Grilling Steak Tips – Win Hearts with Succulent Steaks

Count the number of times you stared at the mere sight of grilled steaks and barbecues served on the table! Actually, it is all ‘the doing’ of the great Grilling art that gives BBQs and steaks their irresistible flavors and looks. You too can dish up lip smacking, shapely steaks if you follow some infallible steak grilling tips. By the way, grilling is not just a process, it is more about preparations and involvement, as you will understand from the following steak grilling tips: Going ahead with the practical details of the grilling process, the first thing you will have to ensure is the quality of the raw material. Regardless of whether you are grilling fish or beef shoulders, tenderloin or sirloin steaks, the bottom line is fresh raw materials make the best steaks. Steaks or fillets in the range 1.25 inches to 2.25 inches grill well. A little fat enhances the taste of a bar-b-q but too much of it causes the meat to shrink. Fat, likewise, adds to the palatability of the grilled steak, but then it also increases health risks. Therefore, a healthy tip would be to remove excess fat. The next sets of steak grilling tips are regarding seasoning processes. You can season the steak with salt and pepper however, some prefer vegetable oil brushings along with salt and pepper seasoning or bbq rubs . Leaving the seasoning-coated steak for 30 minutes at room temperature will treat the meat, making it tender and augmenting its natural flavor. Two tablespoons of melted unsalted butter added to the seasoning will give the meat extra delicate flavor. Now, getting down to the real grilling business, the first tip for you would be regarding the grill itself. You need to preheat the grill before placing the fish or meat steak. Follow this with oiling the grates if you are grilling some meat steak. For a fish steak, you can place a thin hole-poked foil on the grates, thus preventing the fish from sticking. The most important section of steak grilling tips deal with ‘the doneness’ of the steak. A rare-done steak has tender, soft core enveloped in a seared outer layer. A medium-done steak is more evenly cooked with a brown exterior and semi-firm inner layers. Well-done steaks, on the other hand, are firm to the core. The best way to ensure that a steak is cooked to your desired degree of doneness is to use a thermometer. Do not use forks or spatulas. They would puncture the steak causing the juice to flow out. A rare-done meat should be ready by the time the thermometer reads 140° on the Fahrenheit scale. Similarly, the ideal temperatures for medium-cooked and well-cooked steaks are 160° and 170° respectively. Remember, the cooking process continues even after you take the steak off the grill. Equipped with these steak grilling tips you will be able to floor your guests. It would be worthwhile to keep some extra servings ready, for your guests might ask additional helpings of succulent grilled bbq sauce and steaks.

Three Cheap and Easy Chicken Dinners

Poor secretaries know that eating out every night takes a big chunk out of your budget. Cooking dinner for yourself is a great way to cut food costs and experiment with the foods you like. I’m always on the look-out for meals that are easy to prepare and cheap to make and these three cheap and easy chicken dinners fit the bill. Two of the following recipes involve the use of a slow cooker. If you don’t already own one, I highly recommend it. Slow cookers are the ultimate tool for easy preparation. All you have to do is mix up the ingredients, start the cooker and return to a hot and ready meal later on. Easy Chicken and Rice Casserole * 1 cup of uncooked rice * 3 cups of water * 1 packet of dry onion soup mix * 1 can of cream of chicken * 2 uncooked chicken breasts Prepare by mixing all ingredients in a slow cooker and cooking on high for 3-4 hours. Cheap Chicken Alfredo with Penne * 1 box of penne pasta * 1 small bag of frozen broccoli * 1 jar of ready-made alfredo sauce * 2 cups of chopped, cooked chicken * 1 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 tablespoon fresh) * Salt and pepper to taste Begin by cooking the pasta and steaming the veggies in two separate pots. Cook pasta for 8-10 minutes to desired texture and drain. Return the noodles to the pot and add the vegetables, sauce, chicken and basil to the pasta in the pot. Stir and cook over low heat until everything is warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole * 1 cup of uncooked long grain rice * 3 cups of water * 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules * 1 can of cream of chicken soup * 1 bag of frozen broccoli * 2 cups of chopped cooked chicken * 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder * 1 teaspoon of onion salt * 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese Mix all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours. Look for preparation tasks you can do ahead of time. Cooking and chopping up the chicken for two of these recipes immediately after returning from the grocery store will save you time when you’re throwing dinner together after a long day of work. Experiment with these recipes to suit them to your individual tastes. If you don’t like alfredo sauce, use marinara or pesto instead. Use different vegetables if you don’t like broccoli or try different styles of pasta. Spice up the recipes with chili powder or crushed red pepper if you like a little zing in your meals. If you have leftovers, stick them in individual serving Tupperware containers to take for lunch the next day. Get creative – play around with these recipes and enjoy creating dishes that taste great and save you money!

BBQ Season Kick-Off

Summer has began so clean off that magnificent cooking and entertaining machine that most people refer to as a grill and let's get ready for some barbecuing. Gas or charcoal, fish, steak, chicken or burgers, summer is here so time to get things started. So before you start the first flame of the season, you'll want to think about these things before grilling. Grill Size If you do a lot of entertaining you want to make sure that you have enough grilling surface to cook many things at the same time. This will make your guests feel a little more comfortable if everyone eats at roughly the same time rather than in shifts. Utensils Do not fork your food while grilling. Piecing the food with a fork make those succulent juices escape from your steaks and will dry out your fish. Always use thongs or a spatula while grilling. Lighter Fluid and Coals It is okay to use a limited amount of lighter fluid to get the fire started. Some people say that lighter fluid will ruin the flavor but this is not true if you just use a limited amount to get the fire started. Briquettes made from charred wood is the best heat source. Because of their uniformed size and shape they will burn more evenly and slower. Heat Direct heat grilling you want your grill nice and hot. This will make cooking burgers and steaks a breeze. For indirect heat grilling low and slow is the way to go. This will take much longer to cook but the results are outstanding. Steaks Just about any steak tastes great off of the grill. You can try inexpensive cuts such as a juicy rib-eye or skirt steak. These have a great deal of flavor by themselves but if you smother them with BBQ sauce it will make for an outstanding BBQ experience. BBQ Sauce is critical to your next BBQ impress your neighbors with some of these BBQ Sauce recipes. Jack Daniel’s BBQ Sauce 1/2 cup Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup ketchup 1 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon garlic powder Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Carolina-Style Barbecue Sauce 1 cup distilled white vinegar 1 cup cider vinegar 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 tablespoon hot red pepper flakes Salt and ground pepper to taste Mix all ingredients, including salt and pepper, to taste, in medium bowl Spicy BBQ Sauce 3 cans tomato sauce 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar 1/3 cup cider vinegar 1 cup brown sugar juice of 3 lemons 3 large cloves garlic 1-2 tsp black pepper (or more to taste) 1 tbs salt (or less to taste) 1 tbs cayenne pepper 1 tbs hot red chile 1 tbs paprika 2-3 tsp Tabasco (or more to taste) 1/2 tsp ground cumin Combine everything in a double boiler, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is the thickness you want. Be sure not to let the mixture come to a boil, though, it ruins the flavor. To get it to a state where it sticks to the ribs without help usually takes me about 45-70 min over a gentle boil.

Southern Cooking - Spice Up Your Southern Dishes

Southern Cooking - Add Some Spice With This New Recipe Being born and raised in the deep South, I do not know where my recently developed taste for spicy food came from. I do not remember much spicy food being served at the dinner table when I was growing up. Although life has taken me far from the South, my love for the Southern cuisine has never diminished. And, this new love for adding “spicy” to my Southern dishes has me a little pleasantly surprised. I was unaware that my taste for spicy food or additives had blended into my daily diet of Southern dishes. But, recently I recognized that I was on to something. Maybe, the rest of the world has been eating like this forever, but it was new to me. And, as I searched the internet to see if anyone was suggesting adding spicy flavor to Southern recipes, I could not find any. You may argue that cajun food has always been spicy. Some may consider that Southern food, since it originated in Louisiana. And, yes, I agree cajun food is spicy. However, to me Cajun food is a breed of it's own. It's not what I would call traditional Southern food. I'm talking about green beans, fried okra, black eyed peas, cornbread and turnip greens. And, Southern fried chicken, hushpuppies and home made biscuits and gravy. So, when I realized I was enjoying spicy additives with my favorite traditional Southern dishes , I had to step back and ask myself, “where did this come from?” I have found that adding a small slice of jalapeno pepper to turnip greens and a touch of crushed red pepper to fried okra really enhances the flavor. And, a splash of hot sauce on “everything” Southern is delightful. Try dipping your chicken in a mild hot sauce before coating with flour for a great Southern fried chicken. Of course, some may call this simply “hot wings...but not the way I cook it. Hot wings are not cooked Southern style like I cook my fried chicken (free recipe on my website). I have tried many of the store brand hot sauces, and they are pretty good, but most are too hot or too mild and lacking in flavor. And, I was satisfied until I recently ran across a home made hot sauce recipe that blows all the others out of the water. It is fantastic! It's called “Butt-Kicking” Spicy Lime Sauce (my name for it). And, I want to share the recipe with you. Here's how to make your own. Ingredients: 6 large jalapeno peppers (fresh is better, but you can use bottled) 6 garlic cloves 1 small onion 2 cups apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup chopped cilantro 2 teaspoons salt juice of 2 limes 1 teaspoon black pepper Remove the seeds and ribs from the peppers and cut into medium chunks. Roughly chop the onion and garlic and put all the chopped ingredients into a small saucepan. Pour in the vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Roughly chop the cilantro and put into a blender with the salt, pepper and lime juice. When the jalapeno mixture is cooked, allow to cool 10 minutes, then add to the blender. Turn the blender on low for 10 seconds, then increase to highest setting and puree for 3 minutes. If you want a pure liquid sauce, strain through a medium hole strainer, however, I prefer not to strain. I like the fine pulp in the sauce. Pour into sterilized jars and refrigerate. The sauce will keep about a month under refrigeration. Makes about a pint. Note: Sterilize jars by placing jars and lids in boiling water for 15 minutes. This sauce is very unique tasting due to the cilantro and lime juice. I doubt you will find anything like it in your market. And, this is better because it's fresh. And, you made it yourself. I put a bottle of this sauce on the table for every meal, including breakfast (it's great on an omelette). Actually, it's good on everything. I haven't tried ice cream yet, but ...hummmm.

Southern Cooking - Spice Up Your Southern Dishes

Southern Cooking - Add Some Spice With This New Recipe Being born and raised in the deep South, I do not know where my recently developed taste for spicy food came from. I do not remember much spicy food being served at the dinner table when I was growing up. Although life has taken me far from the South, my love for the Southern cuisine has never diminished. And, this new love for adding “spicy” to my Southern dishes has me a little pleasantly surprised. I was unaware that my taste for spicy food or additives had blended into my daily diet of Southern dishes. But, recently I recognized that I was on to something. Maybe, the rest of the world has been eating like this forever, but it was new to me. And, as I searched the internet to see if anyone was suggesting adding spicy flavor to Southern recipes, I could not find any. You may argue that cajun food has always been spicy. Some may consider that Southern food, since it originated in Louisiana. And, yes, I agree cajun food is spicy. However, to me Cajun food is a breed of it's own. It's not what I would call traditional Southern food. I'm talking about green beans, fried okra, black eyed peas, cornbread and turnip greens. And, Southern fried chicken, hushpuppies and home made biscuits and gravy. So, when I realized I was enjoying spicy additives with my favorite traditional Southern dishes , I had to step back and ask myself, “where did this come from?” I have found that adding a small slice of jalapeno pepper to turnip greens and a touch of crushed red pepper to fried okra really enhances the flavor. And, a splash of hot sauce on “everything” Southern is delightful. Try dipping your chicken in a mild hot sauce before coating with flour for a great Southern fried chicken. Of course, some may call this simply “hot wings...but not the way I cook it. Hot wings are not cooked Southern style like I cook my fried chicken (free recipe on my website). I have tried many of the store brand hot sauces, and they are pretty good, but most are too hot or too mild and lacking in flavor. And, I was satisfied until I recently ran across a home made hot sauce recipe that blows all the others out of the water. It is fantastic! It's called “Butt-Kicking” Spicy Lime Sauce (my name for it). And, I want to share the recipe with you. Here's how to make your own. Ingredients: 6 large jalapeno peppers (fresh is better, but you can use bottled) 6 garlic cloves 1 small onion 2 cups apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup chopped cilantro 2 teaspoons salt juice of 2 limes 1 teaspoon black pepper Remove the seeds and ribs from the peppers and cut into medium chunks. Roughly chop the onion and garlic and put all the chopped ingredients into a small saucepan. Pour in the vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Roughly chop the cilantro and put into a blender with the salt, pepper and lime juice. When the jalapeno mixture is cooked, allow to cool 10 minutes, then add to the blender. Turn the blender on low for 10 seconds, then increase to highest setting and puree for 3 minutes. If you want a pure liquid sauce, strain through a medium hole strainer, however, I prefer not to strain. I like the fine pulp in the sauce. Pour into sterilized jars and refrigerate. The sauce will keep about a month under refrigeration. Makes about a pint. Note: Sterilize jars by placing jars and lids in boiling water for 15 minutes. This sauce is very unique tasting due to the cilantro and lime juice. I doubt you will find anything like it in your market. And, this is better because it's fresh. And, you made it yourself. I put a bottle of this sauce on the table for every meal, including breakfast (it's great on an omelette). Actually, it's good on everything. I haven't tried ice cream yet, but ...hummmm.

The Opposing Worlds of Coffee and Tea

They say that image is everything in life. The two common household items of coffee and tea are truly unique in perception not only regarding taste but also of social significance. They are both champions in respect of our choices in beverage but are unquestionably distinct in personality and acceptability. How so? Let’s start with coffee. It’s got that reputation as the working man’s everyday go-to tonic for a boost in vim and vigor needed to start the day. The odor is strong and satisfying and welcomes anyone taking a whiff to meet life head-on in no uncertain terms. The first sip clears the mental fog and the remaining ones set the tone for the rest of the day. Coffee is for the blue collar folks that need the physical stimulus to get the proverbial gears in motion. Many just could not imagine beginning the day without a sure foundation of a rich and satisfying source of caffeine. The office folks share that need throughout the day to meet the administrative and executive challenges that confront them during these days of corporate tension. Tea, however, is a whole different species. Its reputation leaves it in a category as the choice of the more refined members of society. It’s more sweet and gentle in its delivery. It would have no part with those lacking in delicacy or refinement. It has an elitist quality about it that avoids the brutish side of humanity. It invites those at a social gathering to speak in a more sophisticated way to others that share their sentiments. Tea is seemingly meant for those that are a tad bit more polished in speech and mannerisms. When coffee and tea look each other in the eye what do they see? Many a coffee aficionado would roll their eyes and wonder if the other lived in the real world and could handle the slightest bit of pressure. There are sure to be many cup o’ joe fans that would easily dismiss the tea sippers as pansies born with silver spoons in their mouths. What about the other side? There are sure to be enthusiasts of tea that are sympathetic to the plight of the common man of coffee who wouldn’t know what to do with a good, cultured life even if it fell on his or her lap with ribbons attached. Why, those poor ruffians wouldn’t have to work so hard if they would think and act more like those of our sort. Tsk tsk, indeed! Was the scenario presented a bit exaggerated? Perhaps so, but there is unquestionably a social division between the two sides that will never be resolved. There will always be words unspoken between members of these separate worlds that ask “So where did you go wrong?”

Buying Wine, Step 1: Pick A Wine Store

I'm not a wine connoisseur. I don't even own a decanter. (Some of my married friends own several.) But I like wine, especially trying different kinds. There are tons of resources out there to help you learn about wine. But I don't have time to read them. So I learn by doing, or . . . by drinking. My only problem is knowing which bottle to pick. If you put me in a wine store with over a thousand bottles, I either need a sommelier or a psychiatrist. I usually start by studying the notes that hang by the bottles. The ones with names attached to them like Wine Spectator or Robert Parker or Bill, the stocker. I contemplate the pictures and colors of the label. I analyze the pricing structure and weigh costs and benefits. Then after an hour or so, when I'm completely frustrated, I make a completely arbitrary decision. So I've come to this conclusion. I need help. And, since my shrink has his limits, I need to find a wine store with people who can help me through the process of buying a good bottle. All wine stores are not created equal. Here are some of the factors to think about when choosing a wine store: 1) Selection Don't be fooled. Having thousands of bottles is not the same as having a good selection. Many large liquor stores stockpile wine with labels that are heavily advertised and sold with the largest discount. You may walk into a store and think you've got thousands of choices, but all you really have is same bottles repeated over and over. What makes a good selection? Look for a store: (1) with a knowledgeable wine buyer and (2) with a variety of tastes, regions, and prices. A good selection will offer both wines that are familiar and unique. Why is selection important? Think of it as playing the odds. You're much better off choosing from a few hundred wines tasted by a knowledgeable buyer than from several thousand that were trucked en masse. 2) Storage If you walk into a store and start to sweat, turn around. Wine should not be stored at temperatures over 80 degrees, or it will lose its flavor. That's why wine is usually made and stored underground. Avoid large warehouses where the temperature may be hard to control. Seek out a wine store where the workers are happy wearing sweaters in the summer. It's likely that the wine will be well-cooled and happy too. 3) Information A good wine store is a good source of information. Don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions and seek out staff recommendations. Many stores in Kansas City offer wine tastings, which are a great opportunity to try before you buy. 4) Price Of course, wine prices vary widely, and I've never found one store that's consistently cheaper. Even the big discount shops are not always money savers. After you've found a store that you like based on the other three factors, you can save money by subscribing to that store's newsletters or joining its tasting club. Often, stores send out special deals and offerings to these customers first. A special fifth category is convenience. This matters especially when you’re buying in bulk, or if you are looking for a quick pick-up on the way home from work. It's good to know where several good stores are in town, so that you'll know which one to hit whenever the feeling strikes. Here are my picks (in no particular order) for great wine stores in Kansas City: 1. Cellar and Loft. Located in Brookside, this little shop is much more than meets the eye. The upstairs is the "Loft," a showplace of new and antique home furnishings and décor. Downstairs, you can wind your way around "Cellar," a labyrinth of sorts with a good variety of wines, beers, gourmet foods, kitchen items, and more. 112 W 63rd St, Kansas City, MO, (816) 444-2444. 2. Cellar Rat. This unique boutique in the Crossroads is the anti-superstore of wine. Cellar Rat prides itself on offering a hand-picked selection with personalized service. Cellar Rat's restored building is impressive itself. The 5,000-square-foot shop at also carries artisan beers, gourmet meats, cheeses, spirits, cigars and chocolates. 1701 Baltimore Ave., Kansas City, MO (816) 221 9463. 3. Vino 100. If you are in South KC, you should check out Vino 100. Vino 100's concept is to offer over 100 bottles of wine for $25 or less. The store is well-organized and the also offers a unique selection of cigars, single-malt scotch, cognacs, port, smoking accessories and wine gifts. 13135 State Line Road, Kansas City, MO, 64145 (816) 941-VINO (8466). 4. Lukas Liquor / The Wine Bar. If size matters to you, Lukas Liquor bills itself as the midwest's largest merchant of fine wines, spirits, and malt beverages. It has recently expanded by adding the Wine Bar, which offers cooking classes, event space for corporate teambuilding or meetings, and regular wine and liquor tastings. 13657 Washington Street, Kansas City, MO 64145, (816) 942-8707. 5. Rimann Liquors. No matter where you are in Kansas City, there is likely a Rimann Liquor nearby. Stores are located in Lenexa, Prairie Village, and most recently, in Briarcliff. For three years in a row, Food & Wine Magazine named Rimann in its list of “Top Wine Shops in America” based on selection, service and advice. Briarcliff: 4155 North Mulberry, Kansas City, MO 64116, (816) 587-3399; Prairie Village: 3917 Prairie Lane, Prairie Village, KS 66208 (913) 236-5311; Lenexa: 15117 W. 87th St. Parkway Lenexa, KS 66219 (913) 492-1604. 6. Ensimnger Liquors. Ensimnger offers a variety of wine personally selected by its proprietress, Judy Ensminger. It's Judy's belief that "there are no bad wines, just different wines for different events." 11052 Quivira Road, Overland Park, KS 66210 (913) 469-9006. TastingSpace.com is Kansas City's exciting new online restaurant guide. Eat. Drink. Taste KC!

I Love German Wine and Food - A Pfalz Gewurztraminer

If you are in the market for fine German wine and food, you should consider the Pfalz region of southwestern Germany. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll enjoy yourself on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local Gewuerztraminer. The climate in the Pfalz region is so mild that some of its farmers actually raise lemons and figs. It has been called the Tuscany of Germany. While Pfalz is far from Tuscany, it is just over the border from the famous French wine-producing region of Alsace, also known for producing fine Gewurztraminer wines. Sooner or later we will review one (or maybe more) Alsacian Gewurztraminers for our series I Love French Wine and Food. Did you notice the difference in spelling between the German and the French grape? The Pfalz is quite narrow and about 80 kilometers long, right along the Rhine River. The best vineyards belonged to the Church until Napoleon redistributed them. The region contains some 25,000 vineyards with an average size under a hectare (about 2.5 acres). With such small vineyards, most owners are forced to take on additional work to make ends meet. While Pfalz was once the number one German wine producing region, it now ranks number two in both total wine production and vineyard acreage behind its northern neighbor, Rheinhessen. Approximately four out of five local wine bottles are white. The two top grape varieties grown here are Mueller Thurgau, a German developed hybrid, and the often noble Riesling. Local red grape varieties include Portugieser and to a lesser extent Pinot Noir, better known by its German name, Spaetburgunder. About 10% of Pfalz wine is classified as basic table wine, over 70% as middle quality QbA wine, and the remainder higher quality QmP wine. The German Wine Road crosses the Pfalz region. Virtually anywhere you go on this road you can find something worth seeing, worth tasting, and I daresay worth eating. Be sure to visit the city of Speyer. While today's population is only about fifty thousand, Speyer was a major center in the Holy Roman Empire hosting many Imperial Diets, huge parliamentary assemblies. From 1030 to 1061 a series of emperors built the Kaiserdom (The Imperial Cathedral), which was expertly restored more than fifty years ago. Just across from the cathedral you will find the Palatinate Historical Museum. Other museums to visit include the Technology Museum, Sea Life in the old harbor, and the Wine Museum that features a 1600 year-old glass wine amphora, perhaps the oldest wine "bottle" in the world. Before reviewing the Pfalz wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Keschlebreih (Chestnut Soup). For your second course enjoy Kalbsnieren (Veal Kidneys). As a dessert indulge yourself with Kerscheblotzer (Cherry Cake). OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price. Wine Reviewed Darting Gewuerztraminer Kabinett 2005 10.8% alcohol about $14 Let's start by quoting the marketing materials. With such a German name, it's surprising that Gewuerztraminer is still a minority in the vineyards of the country. Kurt Darting has created some of the Pfalz's finest examples. The wine has classic lychee, grapefruit and spice tones. A perfect partner for intense, flavourful dishes such as chicken vindaloo. My first pairing was with turkey meatballs, potatoes, and sautéed vegetables in a moderately spicy tomato based sauce. The wine was round, light, a bit sweet, and not very acidic. While the vegetables' sweetness intensified the wine's sweetness, happily the wine never became cloying. I tasted apples in the background. I tried the Gewuerztraminer with chocolate covered candied orange peels. While the wine was round it was somewhat disappointing. As always, I don't blame the wine for failing a stab in the dark type pairing. My next trial was canned tuna doused in Harissa, a Moroccan spice, cold roasted potatoes, and a cold vegetable medley. The wine was sweet and tasted of honey without being at all cloying. I did taste the lychee that I was supposed to taste. The wine had pleasant acidity. You might consider canned tuna and honey-tasting wine to be a marriage made in Purgatory but I rather liked the combination. I think it would have been even better if the Harissa lived up to its promise as a fiery spice. For dessert I had homemade biscotti slathered with high-quality apricot preserves. The Gewuerztraminer became pleasantly acidic to match the dessert's sweetness. The final meal included whole-wheat pasta with a commercial spaghetti sauce to which I added sautéed brown mushrooms and red onions. I sprinkled lots of ground Parmesan cheese on the mixture. The wine was really sweet, considerably than before. Its sweetness was a good match for the tomato sauce's sweetness. Steamed asparagus with a generous sprinkling of onion powder and a fair measure of cayenne pepper formed the delicious side dish. This combination rendered the wine more complex than previously. It balanced the spices well. The wine was weak with a fruit juice based candy. And now come the cheeses. The first pairing involved a goat's milk cheese called Palet de Chevre from the Poitou Charentes region of central-western France. It was a goat's milk cheese unlike any that I have ever tasted. Frankly it looked and tasted like a somewhat runny Camembert. The wine was definitely honeyed with this cheese. I did not find the combination particularly enticing. Not being able to find a German cheese other than another Limberger, no thank you, I bought a Gruyere, a Swiss cheese without the holes. The pairing was virtually the same. Honey. Once again, no thank you. Final verdict. Nothing special. This wine was sufficiently disappointing that I won't be buying it again. While I am partial to other German white wines beside Rieslings, I was not impressed by this particular offering.

How are Flavored Teas Graded?

If you’re new to flavored teas, there’s a real treat in store for you. There’s a tea for every taste and with so many blends to choose, from you’ll likely have difficulty deciding on just one or two. The best flavored teas are created from blending fine loose tea with natural flavors from fruits, spices, herbs and florals. Artificial flavors should never be used, or they will leave the tea with a fake taste that’s easy to recognize. In order to get the best flavored tea, you must also choose blends made with the best tea. To do this you need to understand how the tea is graded. This is a bit difficult, as there are no international grading standards for tea. Each country grades tea differently, and each variety of tea is graded differently, as well. So, to choose the best flavored tea, it’s important to know how each variety of tea that is used to make flavored tea is graded. Here are the basics on tea grading. Black Tea Black tea is graded primarily based on how it’s processed. So, while this will tell you the approximate percentage of whole leaves in your tea, and may tell you if it comes from an early or late plucking, it’s not the total picture when it comes to judging the quality of the tea. Knowing where the tea was grown and how tea is harvested in this part of the world is important, too. In the US, the best black teas are considered whole leaf teas and are designated by the term Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe. You should avoid teas marked “dust” as these are typically the lowest grades of black tea. Dust grades are usually only used in tea bags. Green Tea Green tea is typically graded by the shape of the leaf in China. In other parts of the world, green tea is also usually graded by leaf shape, but different names are used to describe the leaf shapes. Within the leaf shapes, in both China and other countries, you’ll find grades that further break down the quality of the tea. For example, Chinese green teas labeled for export are labeled by the following leaf styles: Gunpowder, Imperial, Young Hyson, Hyson, Twankay, Hyson Skin or Dust style. Within these categories there are several actual grades. For instance, Gunpowder tea is graded from Pinhead to Pea Leaf and further subdivided into special, first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and Common Gunpowder. While the leaf shapes don’t mean much to us in the US, we do know that the best gunpowder green tea would be graded special and the worst would be graded common. In addition, tea plucked earliest in the season will have better flavor than tea plucked later in the season. This same fact is true of black and oolong teas. So, if you find a tea labeled “first plucked” or “first flush” that is also of a high grade, you know you have a very good tea. However, this designation will not be reflected in the actual grade of the tea. When it comes to choosing green tea, it’s recommended that you buy from a tea merchant that you know and choose the green tea that he recommends as quality. Oolong Tea Oolong tea from China is graded in a much simpler manner than Chinese green teas. They don’t designate the tea by the leaf shape. All oolong tea is made from larger leaves, because oolong teas are made from leaves that are grown further down the tea plant. Oolong teas are graded based on how much whole leaf the tea batch contains. The method is easy to follow and understand. The best oolong tea is referred to as “Fanciest” or “Extra Fancy”, while the lowest grade of oolong tea is referred to as “Common”. Since most oolong tea is produced in China, it’s fairly simple to sort out a good oolong flavored teas produced there. Oolong tea produced in Taiwan, also known as Formosa oolong, is graded differently, but the grades are still quite easy to understand. Formosa oolong teas are graded according to a standard developed by the Taiwanese government. The best Formosa oolong teas are graded Finest to Choice and Finest. The lowest grades of Formosa oolong are graded Standard. Since most oolong teas are produced in China or Taiwan, knowing the grades from these two countries will cover most of the oolong teas you’ll run across. White Tea White tea’s grading is simpler, because the time when the tea leaves were plucked is not part of determining the quality. All white tea is from a first plucking, because there is only one plucking of white tea during each growing season. Therefore, choosing a quality white flavored from China simply means choosing one of the two highest grades of white tea, Silver Needles or White Peony. However, these grading standards apply just to Chinese teas; if you choose a Ceylon white flavored tea or a Darjeeling white tea the grades may not be the same. White flavored teas are fairly rare; most of them come from China. As more white flavored teas become available, how they are graded in different countries should become more apparent. So, to choose a good flavored tea, start by choosing a flavor that appeals to you and then see which varieties of tea are made with this flavor. Then, you can look at the grade of the tea you’re selecting and whether or not it’s flavored with natural flavorings. Now, you have all the information you need to determine if the tea is high quality. Of course, when it comes right down to it, most of us simply buy from a tea shop that we can trust to carry just the very best teas.

The Secret Of A Great Drink!

What do you do when you’re down with flu on a cold rainy night? Or you just need a break from your clutter of work? What do you reach for every morning on the breakfast table? Drinking a cup of beverage, be it coffee, hot chocolate or simply a cup of hot milk, is just one of those things that you do as part of your daily routine. However, we usually do not realize what it is that helps make this moment a good one. It is of course, none other than that favorite mug that each of us definitely own. As we are creatures of habits, we tend to use the same mug every single time we have our drinks, till the mug sees its first crack sign or till it’s broken. But sometimes, we do get bored of using the same mug repeatedly, forcing us to make our way into that store to find another one to help us to begin our day. Most of us would like to find a funky one to replace our old mug, but the choices available seems to be those dainty floral patterns or colored mugs, or those “World’s greatest dad!” or “My friends visited New York and all I got was this lousy mug!” types of mugs. Living in such a cliché world, how on earth are we going to find a mug that is creative or unique enough to go with our coffee every morning? What if I told you that you are now able to create a mug personalized according to your liking? May it be a simple phrase from the bible, some cute cartoons, a picture of your sports fan, loved ones, or even you! The search is over! Technology these days are so frighteningly advanced that you can create these mugs in a blink of an eye. The quality of the imprinted photos does not fade with every rinse and wash. Trust me, these photo mugs still retain their vibrant image exactly like the day you got it although it has been coated with enormous amount of saliva and soap over the years. What is so amazing about these personalized photo mugs is that they are more functional and better utilized than the average-normal-over-the-counter picture frames. These cute and innovative mugs do not only serve as decorations but also they do not accumulate dust and needs regular cleaning. Unlike photo imprinted T-shirts, they do not fade or get wrinkled. It also does not make you feel bad whenever you throw a T-shirt with your best friend on it into a washing machine and watched it being spun and squished dry. These mugs are the perfect gift for any occasion, be it birthdays, weddings or just a token to celebrate the greatest of friendships. The most important aspect of a gift is not measured by the price value (as much as it is wrongly assumed in this materialistic world) but rather how personal it is to a person. I believe that by transforming a normal looking mug into a personalized one complete with pictures that captures a moment in time which means a lot to them, forever embedded in a mug. That is pretty much as personal as you can get. My dad and I used to love to share a great cup of coffee brewed to perfection before we start the day. That short but meaningful moment is the true essence of our relationship. Now that I’m out of town, I miss him as much as he misses me. So, I decided to take a picture which is of him and me when I was around four years old, fishing together, and make it into an 11oz photo coffee mug. This way, whenever he drinks his favorite cup of beverage, he’ll be seeing me and thinking of me and vice versa. Isn’t it always better to share that special experience with someone? When we are alone, the smiling picture of your son will put you into a much better mood and draws out the cold lonely feeling of drinking a cup of hot chocolate on an empty piece of table. So why wait any longer, get your own photo mug today at your nearest store. It is guaranteed to make that cup of coffee, hot chocolate or fresh milk taste much better than any you have tasted before.

Mediterranean Diet Pyramid

This Pyramid, which represents the optimal, traditional Mediterranean diet, is based on the dietary traditions of Crete and southern Italy in the 1960s. It is structured in the light of nutrition research carried out in 1993 and presented by Professor Walter Willet during the 1993 International Conference on the Diets of the Mediterranean, held in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Mediterranean Diet Pyramid underlines the importance of the foods making up the principal food groups. Each of these individual food groups offers some, but not all, of the nutrients one needs. Food from one group cannot replace that of another group. All the groups are necessary for a healthy diet. The basic products of the Mediterranean diet, in descending order of quantity and frequency advised, are: Grains: These form the base of the majority of meals in Mediterranean countries - bread (wholemeal or otherwise), pasta, couscous and rice. Fruit and vegetables: Meals are more flavoursome when in-season products are selected and they are cooked very simply. In most Mediterranean countries the dessert is generally fruit. Legumes and nuts: A wide variety of legumes and nuts, such as chickpeas, lentils, haricot beans, pine kernels, almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, etc. are used in cooking. Olive oil and olives: "Olive oil" and "Virgin olive oil" are used throughout the Mediterranean. The former is normally used for cooking. The latter, which is appropriate for all uses, is excellent when consumed raw to best appreciate its aroma and flavour and to benefit fully from all its natural components. The proportion of fats in the traditional diet of Crete observed by Professor Ancel Keys, was >40 were saturated fats, 3 monounsaturated (olive oil). Dairy products: Cheese, yoghurt and other dairy products, with no special mention of milk. Fish: offered as a first class protein, before eggs and poultry. The highest point of the Pyramid, meaning that its consumption is least advised, is occupied by red meat and just slightly below, but also of little importance, are sweets and pastries. Regular physical activity is vital to maintaining good health and optimal weight. Wine can be consumed in moderation, primarily with meals (1-2 glasses/day). It is optional and should be avoided whenever it puts the individuals or others at risk.

Selenium - bad mood food

Food has always played a role in influencing our mood, whether it’s feeling romantic after slurping down oysters, or blissful after munching on chocolate. And as scientists discussed at the recent London Mood and Food conference – organized by the British Nutrition Foundation – the relationship between the two has been further underlined since the discovery of a link between selenium deficiency and depression.
According to scientists from the Department of Psychology at the University of Wales in Swansea, a deficiency in selenium – an essential trace element found in cereal grains, meat and fish – may be associated with increased anxiety, depression and fatigue. It also acts as an antioxidant and can help the body to fight cancer and heart disease. The current average adult intake of selenium for women and men is thought to be around 43 micrograms (mcg) per day. This compares unfavourably with the government’s recommended daily intake of 75mcg for men and 60mcg per day for women. Selenium is found in varying concentrations in soils throughout the world. While levels are high in North American soil, they are comparatively low in Britain and Europe. Due to a decrease in imports of selenium-rich, high-protein wheat flour from North America and Canada, and an increase in the acquisition of locally produced wheat, daily selenium intake among the British population fell dramatically from 60mcg in 1978 to around 43mcg by the 1990s. The Food Standards Agency, which looks at trends in food consumption, noted in its annual National Food Survey that there has been a decrease in bread consumption over the past 10 years. This is also believed to be a cause in the reduced intake of selenium. Finally, the low bio-availability (i.e. the amount that the body is able to use) of this mineral in soils due to acid rain and excessive use of artificial fertilizers, has also affected selenium intake.
The study published in Biological Psychiatry in 1991 by doctors David Benton and Richard Cook at the University of Wales, was designed with the aim of examining the impact of selenium on moods. While previous studies have looked at selenium deficiency in relation to the concentration of the mineral in red blood cells, kidney, liver and testes, its presence in the brain has always been ignored. The Benton and Cook study was ground-breaking because it was the first time researchers considered the possibility that low selenium levels may have psychological consequences.

preparing your barbecue for the summer season

One of the greatest pleasures of the long summer days is standing over a scalding barbecue grill in your backyard blackening a row of your favorite sausages. When daylight saving starts, barbecues across the country will be wakened from their winter hibernation and prepared for the summer season. That is the time to do a few routine checks and preparations which will keep your barbecue operating safely for the season. Cleaning the inside of your barbecue The first step to annual barbecue maintenance is cleaning. It has to be done! The secret to cleaning your barbecue is to do it every time you use it, but don't go over the top - a coat of natural food oils on the cast iron parts protects them from rust. Eventually those oils, fats and burnt-on food will build up excessively and need to be removed. Warm barbecues are easier to clean than cold ones, so start it up for a short time first then turn it off and disconnect the gas before dismantling the entire barbecue to wash all the parts one by one. The grills can be spread out on some newspaper and scraped clean with a grill scraper which is normally specially shaped to fit around the grill bars. Alternately, grab a grill stone. These man-made stone blocks are soft enough to grind to the shape of the grill as you use them, removing grease and burnt-on food as you go. This is a great tool as it customises to your grill shape. Spray on some cooking oil before scrubbing the grill clean with warm water and soap mixed with white vinegar to remove any residue. Once dry, spray on a little more oil and spread it with a paper towel or cloth. Make sure that the soap mixture is well cleaned off. If you have ceramic flame-tamers or cooking grids these should be cleaned with soapy water and a brass wire barbecue brush. Soak in the soapy water for an hour first. The outer casing If your barbecue has a stainless-steel outer casing and trolley, then all it will need is cleaning. Harsh cleaners and abrasives shouldn't be used on stainless-steel as they will scratch it - the soapy water and vinegar mix is all that is needed. After cleaning the outer casing, it can be buffed with cleaning oil, or even a little baby oil. The oil will remove watermarks and fingerprints and will also make it easier to clean next time. If you have a casing and hood that is vitreous enamel you may have to use an oven cleaner type product (preferably non-toxic) to remove the baked on grease. Depending upon the state of the grease you may have to do this several times and then the grease can be removed with scourers and cloths. You should also wash the complete casing thoroughly. De-rusting and re-oiling If your grills and burners are cast iron, they may have corroded over winter. Scrape off any flaked rust and then give the surface a good scour with a wire brush, wash all the parts and then spray with cooking oil before they rust up again. If the outer casing is developing rust spots, these should be rubbed back with steel wool and treated with rust converter before retouching with heat-resistant paint. Timber barbecue trolleys can be kept in good order by re-oiling them once a year. Give the trolley a light sanding then use outdoor furniture oil or a specially formulated barbecue trolley oil. This will not only soak through oil stains on the top of your trolley but help protect against new ones. Renew volcanic heating rocks each year as they become clogged with grease and oil. Empty the old sand from the drip tray, clean the tray and give it a spray of vegetable oil before lining it with aluminium foil. Place new washed sand on top of the foil. Keep it working (and safe) Gas taps can become stiff over winter, causing plastic controls to break. Remove the plastic knobs and spray the mechanisms with a lubricant like WD-40 to free them up. Apply a drop of sewing machine oil to each tap and then cover them with Vaseline to keep the oil in. If one or more of your burners doesn't seem to generate a flame then it may be because a gas jet has become clogged. If you lift the burner out of the barbecue you will see the small brass jets - these are like a small covered nut with a tiny hole through them. They can be simply removed with a small spanner. If you can't clear the blockage, buy new ones from a barbecue shop. Reconnect the gas and check all the connections by coating them with a mix of 50/50 dishwashing liquid and water. If gas is leaking you will detect bubbles forming in the mixture. Try tightening the connections or replacing the seals. Follow these simple hints and tips and your barbecue will last for years.

the 411 on chafing dishes

Planning your next big get-together? Whether it's a birthday bash, church fundraiser or holiday gathering--serving buffet-style is the way to go. When setting up a buffet table, chafing dishes are the best way to keep food hot. They allow a large number of guests to serve themselves while the host can mix and mingle without having to worry about food on the stove or in the oven. Even if you don't entertain frequently, purchasing or renting chafing dishes can't be beat. Chafing dishes, sometimes called steam pans, are simply large serving dishes in which food is kept warm (or cold). The different types of chafing dishes consist of a frame or wire rack, a water pan, a food pan and a cover. Water in the pan is used to conduct the heat which maintains the food at a proper serving temperature. The heat source is sterno or an electrical heating element placed underneath the water pan. TYPES Oval or round, ornately decorated chafing dishes, would be perfect for an elegant or formal gathering. They are generally made of silver and sit on a platform with tapered legs. They can be used with sterno or a heating element and are available to rent from party rental stores, or for purchase at department stores or restaurant and catering supply outlets. The most widely used chafing dishes are long and rectangular in shape and made of stainless steel. The water pan is placed on a wire or chrome rack and will hold up to two half-sized food pans. Rent these from a party rental store or purchase at a party supply store, department store or restaurant and catering supply outlet. Disposable chafing dishes are the least expensive and are designed like the stainless steel set-up. They consist of a large aluminum water pan and one or two smaller aluminum food pans. The wire racks are somewhat thinner. These are sometimes called caterers' racks and are usually found at party supply stores, discount stores or restaurant and catering supply outlets. For the home buffet table, stainless steel and aluminum rectangular food pan sizes range from 20 x 12 x 4 (full size) to 10 x 12 x 2 (half size). Water pans are sized to fit and the wire racks are usually full-sized. Other chafing dishes vary in size. HOW TO USE The first thing to remember is that chafing dishes cannot be used to bring foods up to serving temperature. Food must first be at the proper temperature before adding to the pan. Stainless steel and aluminum food pans can be used for cooking and/or heating the food in the oven. The water pan is placed in the wire rack and filled with HOT water to a level that is close to but not touching the food pan. The sterno is then lit and placed under the water pan. The resulting steam will maintain the temperature of food that is already at serving temperature. The water pan should be checked periodically to make sure the water level is maintained and the food should be stirred occasionally to evenly distribute the heat and prevent scorching. Using a lid or cover will keep food moist. Chafing dishes will also keep cold foods cold. Fill the water pan with cold water and ice and of course, don't light the fuel! A WORD ABOUT STERNO Sterno fuel is a formulation of denatured alcohol, water and gel and is perfectly safe when used as directed. It comes in small cans and is generally available from hardware stores and party supply stores. The sterno wick is lit and placed underneath the water pan. A full-sized water pan may require two sterno cans placed at opposite ends, particularly if the food is dense (such as pasta and cheese). The flame is blue in color and an 8-oz. can burns for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. The fuel can be extinguished and relit. QUICK SAFETY TIPS -DO NOT LEAVE AN OPEN FLAME UNATTENDED -Open the pan cover carefully, to avoid burns from the escaping steam. -Do not use anything but sterno-type fuel in the burner. -Properly working chafing dishes keep hot food at a safe temperature of 140 degrees or above to avoid bacterial growth. Ideally, temperature should not exceed 160 degrees to avoid overcooking Chafing dishes make your buffet table look professional, appetizing and attractive. They also allow you to cook food ahead of time and place in the dishes just before your guests arrive--leaving you free to mingle with your guests. Yes, chafing dishes are a party hosts' dream come true. Happy Cooking Debra Haydel

organic wine : reprieve for the allergic

When I was a kid, I developed an allergy to peanut butter, something I loved to eat by the spoonful. While others ate it, mixing clumps with strawberry jam and putting it between two slices of bread, I stood by drooling; then, with a sense of defeat, I went to stick my head in my Easy Bake Oven. To me, there was nothing worse than being five years old and having a peanut allergy; it‘s the equivalent to having a wine allergy when you’re over 21. Lucky for me, I’m not allergic to wine. I’ve self-tested with hundreds of bottles and I can confidently declare that I would definitely know by now. Definitely.. But, many others aren’t that lucky; some people have wine allergies, an allergy that hinders their ability to savor one of life‘s greatest pleasures.. This allergy leaves people with an empty wine glass, an empty wine cellar, and a unyielding impulse to look up to the sky and scream, “Make me allergic to diary, make me allergic to cats, make me allergic to my siblings, but please don’t take away my Cabernet.” While no one wants a wine allergy, those who have one are forced to take it seriously. This is particularly true if they are allergic to sulfites, compounds often used as a means to preserve wine by helping it to avoid oxidation and spoilage. Unfortunately for those with allergies, sulfites are added to a vast majority of wines. Because of this, checking the label doesn’t just become a matter of hoping to find the best tasting wine, it also become a matter between being well and being ill. When someone who is allergic to sulfites drinks wine containing this compound, they run the risk of experiencing an allergic reaction - an allergic reaction to wine makes a wine hang over look like a walk in the park. Some people may experience sneezing, or hives, while others may have difficulty breathing and need emergency medical attention. Sulfites can also cause anaphylaxis, the most severe of allergic reactions.. During this kind of reaction, a person’s blood pressure dangerously drops and their bronchial tubes narrow, making it increasingly harder for them to breathe.. If left untreated, this can lead to death in a matter of minutes. For these reasons, many people with sulfite allergies avoid wine altogether: not even the greatest wine in the world is worth compromising health. However, luckily for those affected by sulfites, organic wine has come to the rescue, wearing a red cape and giving those allergic to regular wine a second chance. Organic wine doesn’t necessarily mean “sulfite free,” a tidbit of information extremely important to those sensitive to even the most minute levels of sulfites. In fact, wines are rarely sulfite-free; sulfites occur naturally in wine. However, conventional wines go above and beyond the naturally occurring sulfites, adding many more sulfites to their finished product. Organic wine, on the other hand, tend to believe that the naturally occurring sulfites are enough - they don’t want to compound the situation. The true definition of organic wine depends on where the wine is produced. For wines produced in America, the National Organic Program, the federal agency overseeing the production of organic food, has mandated that any wine claiming to be “organic” must not contain any added sulfites. Wines merely claiming to be made with “organic grapes,” however, aren’t subject to these regulation.. Along these lines, wines that are produced outside the US are governed under their own regulations: these wines generally have added sulfites, but the amount is roughly a third of the amount found in conventional wine. Thus, for those with sulfite allergies, it’s important to read the label very carefully. Drinking organic wine isn’t just limited to those with sulfite allergies - it’s not a secret club people are allowed into by submitting their medical records.. Many people simply find organic wines better tasting, healthier, and good for the environment. Organic wine is composed of grapes that are grown in an organic vineyard with organic farming techniques. Essentially, this means that the grapes were grown in a manner void of artificial fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides and full of natural fertilizers.. These vineyards also contain cover crops between their vines and work to attract beneficial insects, insects that will feed on harmful pests. Though no scientific provides credence, there is strong speculation that drinking organic wine instead of conventional wine decreases the chance of a hang over. This has led many people down an organic path, a path paved with the healthiest of soil. Though not widely available, organic wine has recently begun to gain in popularity. Sommeliers are finally beginning to get the hint as bottles of organic Pinot Noir approach, tapping their fingers and impatiently saying, “Ahem.” Still, organic wine remains harder to find than conventional wine - many restaurants do not serve it and some liquor stores have either no collection or one that is minimal.. But, rest assured, there are places to find it, and soon they’ll be more.. Online is a great place to start, booming with shops that will ship organic wine to your house. Organic food stores - such as Whole Foods - have also jumped on the organic band wagon, obviously needing a ride from drinking too much. Along these lines, there are certain liquor stores that do carry a large selection of Organic wines.. To find one in your area, try calling around, doing an Internet search, or going to http://www.wine-searcher.com/. It might take a little research, but you’ll be rewarded once you are cradling that bottle of organic wine in your hands with a straw in your mouth. Then, it will all be worth it…naturally.

learn which juice extractor is right for you

What are Juice Extractors? Juice extractors are electric machines from a variety of manufacturers such as Breville, Kenwood, Green Star, Omega, Champion, Jack Lalane, Samson and L'Equip that are used for the extraction of juice from fruit and vegetables. Juice extractors are perfect for healthy, refreshing and freshly blended treats like fruit and vegetable juices. Juice extractors are the best way to get great tasting nutritious drinks. Juice extractors are not the same as citrus juicers, which are designed to remove the juice from citrus fruit and nothing more. Juice extractors are perfectly suitable for making juice of soft and hard fruits and vegetables as well. Orange, apple and grape juice are all excellent juices that should be included in a healthy diet. Carrots, wheatgrass and barley grass have many outstanding health properties. Types of Juice Extractors Typically, automatic juice extractors are categorized into Centrifugal Juicers or Masticating Juicers. Centrifugal Juicers use cutters that shred the food into small pieces that are spun in a basket (where the centrifuge comes in) to extract the juice from the pulp. These centrifugal juice extractors can create oxidation that degrades nutrients over time which means that the juice should be drunk right away. Masticating Juicers "chew" the food up and are lower speed units that produce a higher quality juice because they produce less oxidation and release more nutrients. The juices produced have a longer shelf life. There is also a third type of juice extractors and these are the Hydraulic Press Juicers such as the Norwalk Juicer which cuts and grates the produce using a vortex triturator, with the resulting mass extracted into a linen bag which is then placed under a hydraulic press. The hydraulic press then exerts a huge downforce that sees the extraction from the Norwalk Juicer of 50%-100% more juice than other juicers. These juice extractors produce very little oxidation and are touted to make the highest nutrient juice, but are also much more expensive than the centrifugal or masticating juice extractors. Which is the Best Juice Extractor? The answer to this really lies with the user. The fastest juice extractors are the centrifugal juicers, but they are unable to handle leafy greens and wheatgrass as well as the other types. The hydraulic press extractors produce the best juice but are very expensive. And the masticating juicer requires more physical effort. So, to pick one machine from one manufacturer is not possible with each manufacturer having a range of home, commercial, pro or professional juice extractors. When buying a juice extractor, the best way is to decide which features you require in a machine, the type of juice you want to extract, whether from fruit such as apples, vegetables such as carrots or leafy greens such as wheatgrass, and the power needed

i love italian wine and foof - vino novello (new wine)

We interrupt our series on the wines of Italy’s twenty regions to present a very timely subject, Vino Novello, Italy’s version of New Wine. Once a year, starting in early November, Italy releases Vino Novello, to the delight of many, and to the eternal disappointment of many others. We describe New Wine, in particular the Italian version, and then taste locally available samples. Will you be delighted or disappointed with the 2006 offering? After reading this article, rush to your favorite wine store and sample the wines. Whether you are delighted or not, you probably will have fun. What is exactly is new wine (vino novello in Italy; vin nouveau, often Beaujolais nouveau in France)? New wine is the first of the crop, released in early November. The exact date depends on the country. In 2006, Italy permitted the sale of Vino Novello on November 6th, beating France, the major player in the new wine market, by a full 10 days. New wines are produced by a special method, carbonic maceration, in which whole grapes ferment in stainless steel tanks, often reaching a temperature of 25 to 30 degrees Centigrade (77 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit). This process lasts for about 5 to 20 days, and may be followed by crushing the grapes, which then undergo traditional fermentation for a few days. The exact procedure varies from one winemaker to another, but the ensuing wine is virtually tannin free. The lack of tannins implies a short shelf life. While you don’t have to drink the wine immediately, most people finish the season by Easter. New wines are usually colored bright red or violet. They tend to be fruity, tasting of cherry, strawberry, raspberry, banana, and freshly squeezed grapes, depending on the grape variety used, the production method, and the area in which the grapes are grown. Detractors talk about bubble gum, lollipops, nail polish, and jello. Many feel that new wine tastes of grape juice with alcohol. One thing is certain, if you don’t like a given new wine, don’t store it away to try it again in two years. It won’t improve with time. Italy is a major producer of new wine, bringing to market about 18 million bottles a year. About one third of its output is exported to Germany. The most important Italian new wine regions are Veneto and Tuscany, followed by Piedmont and Trentino-Alto Adige. Let’s take a closer look at two new wines. Wines Reviewed Nosio Spa Novio Mezzacorona 2006 Vigneti Delle Dolomiti IGT 12% about $8.50 and Cantina di Negrar Novello del Veneto IGT 12% about $8 I went to a small wine store and bought these two bottles on the day that the 2006 Beaujolais Nouveau was released (November 16, 2006). The following day I went to a major wine store, expecting additional offerings from Italy, but there were none. I did buy one bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau, which I will review in another article. The Novio Mezzacorona is produced from Teroldego and Lagrein grapes native to the Trentino-Alto Adige region in northeastern Italy. Interestingly enough, the Teroldego grape is quite tannic. Furthermore, the Lagrein grape is known for meaty wines. Neither of these characteristics showed up in the final products. The Novello del Veneto wine, with a designer label, is made from Corvina and Rondinella grapes native to the Veneto region in northeastern Italy. Interestingly enough, the Corvina grape is quite tannic, but you would never guess from tasting the final product. You may be familiar with these two grape varieties; they are the major components of Valpolicella and other well-known Veneto wines. I’ll spare you the gushing marketing materials that purported to describe these two wines. I first tasted these wines with braised, slow-cooked beef ribs and potatoes. The Novio Mezzacorona was fruity, a nice complement to the food’s grease. It lingered in my mouth. In contrast, the Veneto tasted of bubble gum, both with the meal and on its own. The next tasting involved bagels and smoked salmon, accompanied by a dainty grilled artichoke dip and caponata, a savory Italian-style salad composed of eggplants (including their skin), tomatoes, and onions. The Novio Mezzacorona was weak when paired with the smoked salmon but handled itself better with the caponata. The wine showed its strength with the artichoke dip, without overpowering it. The Veneto was a bit fruitier with the smoked salmon, the bubble gum flavor no longer dominated. Then I moved on to the cheeses. Asiago is a semi-sharp cheese produced in both the Trentino Alto-Adige and Veneto regions. The Novio Mezzacorona was almost pleasant with this cheese. The Veneto did better, it came close to being a winner. Montasio Veneto is a sharper cheese, produced in the Veneto region. This cheese overpowered the Novio Mezzacorona and rendered the Veneto wine flat. The final tasting involved an omelette containing non-imported Provolone cheese, and once again a side of caponata. The Novio Mezzacorona was round and tasted of dark fruits but was quite short. It was more complex when imbibed with the caponata. The Veneto wine still tasted of bubble gum. It also tasted of dark fruits and was short. Final verdict. For many years I have not been a fan of new wines. I taste them every year, and am always willing to change my mind. These two bottles gave me no reason to budge an inch. Having said this, there still is the Beaujolais Nouveau to taste and review. I cheated a bit; I bought the most expensive bottle available. Let’s hope that it works out better than these two wines

Brine - It's Not Just for Pickles Anymore

Holidays bring out family traditions. That ornament you made in second grade hangs on the Christmas tree at your parents’ house, and the stories of Aunt Mary’s turkey fiasco make the rounds at the dinner table. Talking turkey eventually comes around to a problem that has plagued turkey cookers since the beginning of time: how do you keep the meat in a roasted turkey from drying out? Our modern age of innovation - which has given us the tofu-built ‘tofurkey’ and the turkey-duck-chicken construction known as ‘turducken’ – has also provided an answer to this eternal question. It’s called brining. Fans of brining say it brings many benefits. Brining can keep turkey meat moist even if it overcooks by as much as ten degrees. Water conducts heat, so because the meat absorbs water during the process, brining can make the bird cook faster. By adding salt, sugar, and herbs/spices to the water means the turkey does not require additional seasoning later. Thus, brining provides a measure of ‘do-ahead’ convenience for harried holiday cooks! Following are some important tips to help you brine your first, but certainly not last, turkey: 1. Select a turkey It’s important to get the right kind of turkey if you are going to brine it. Any fresh or thawed frozen turkey can be brined successfully as long as it has not been ‘pre-basted.’ It is pointless to brine a ‘pre-basted’ or ‘self-basted’ bird. These turkeys have already been injected with broth and/or vegetable oil to facilitate cooking. Kosher birds are recommended for brining. 2. The soaking container Containers should be made of a material that will not interact with the salty brine solution. The container must also be large enough to hold the turkey and sufficient brine to cover it. Extra-large stockpots, clean buckets lined with clean kitchen trash bags, or specially designed brining bags can be used. Five-gallon plastic buckets also work well if they are lined with two, clean, plastic trash bags. If there is no room in your refrigerator for a large container, it’s possible to put the turkey in cold water in a clean container with a weighted lid and keep it in a cool basement or garage as long as it stays at 40 degrees or colder for the whole brining period. 3. The brining solution A basic brining solution is a combination of water, salt, and sugar. The salt opens up the cells in the meat to allow it to take in moisture, while the sugar helps to keep the water inside the cells. Expert briners recommend using kosher salt, which is less ‘salty’ than regular table salt. Sea salt can also be used but it is more expensive. If you use regular table salt, use the kind without iodine and use only half as much. The basic recipe for brine: 1 gallon of water, 1 cup of kosher or sea salt (or 1/2 cup of table salt), and 1/2 cup of sugar. This can be multiplied by as much as you need to cover your particular bird. For a 20-pound turkey, figure about four gallons of brine. Some cooks add their favorite herbs and spices to the brine, and some substitute apple cider for half of the water in a brine recipe and molasses or honey for the sugar. Optional herbs and spices may include whole peppercorns, sage, thyme, rosemary, oregano, anise, orange or lemon peel, cardamom pods. 3. Timing Experts recommend keeping your brining turkey in a refrigerator during the entire process. A turkey should be put into the brine at least a day ahead of cooking. Place the bird into the brine, cover and refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours, turning the turkey halfway through the brining time. About 24 hours is a good rule, but an hour or two either way won’t make much difference. To speed up the process, you can double the amount of salt and sugar. This will cut the brining period in half. The bird must be rinsed off very well before cooking, preferably under running water for several minutes, to remove any saltiness. Then pat the bird dry and continue with your favorite cooking method. 4. Roasting You don’t need to salt a brined bird before it goes into the oven. Some basic roasting times for a turkey in a preheated 350-degree oven are listed below: 8 -12 Lb. 2 ½ - 3 ½ Hours 12-16 Lb. 3 ½ - 4 Hours 16-20 Lb. 4 – 4 ½ Hours 20-28 Lb. 4 ½ - 5 ½ Hours Remember, only by using a meat thermometer will you know when the turkey is ‘done.’ Put the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone. When the turkey is done, the temperature will be between 175-180 degrees F. Juices should run clear. If you check the temperature in the breast, it should be 165-170 degrees F. when done. If you stuff the bird, check the temperature of the stuffing too – 160-165 degrees F. indicates doneness. 5. Things to know about a brined turkey Interestingly, a brined turkey will not taste overly salty. Be aware, though, that some people are sensitive to salt or may be on low-sodium diets. A brined turkey is not best for them. You can reduce the saltiness by adding sugar, decreasing the amount of salt used, reduce your brining time, or soaking the turkey in fresh water for 1 hour before you cook it. There may not be many drippings available in the pan for making gravy because all the juices are sealed in. You might have to figure out another way to get your gravy fix if you cook a brined turkey. The cooked meat of a brined turkey is slightly pink in color. This could be upsetting, since we are told practically from birth that poultry must be well-cooked. Check for doneness with a meat thermometer and then reassure any worried dinner companions that the color is normal. A brined turkey does not have crisp skin when done. This problem can be avoided by removing the turkey from the brine the night before you roast it. Discard the brine; rinse the turkey inside and out under cold, running water. Pat it dry inside and out, then place it, breast side up, on a wire rack over a pan, and refrigerate it for 8 to 24 hours, uncovered. Letting the bird sit uncovered in the refrigerator overnight before cooking results in a crackling and crisp brown skin once it is roasted. The moisture remaining in the skin from brining evaporates overnight, allowing the skin to crisp in the oven instead of steaming from excess moisture. Last but not least - don’t overcook the turkey! Brining makes it cook faster, so check the temperature often with your meat thermometer and prepare to sit down to the juiciest, most delicious turkey you’ve ever eaten! © 2006, Davis Virtual Assistance. Reprints welcomed so long as the article and by-line are reprinted intact and all links made live