How to boil the perfect egg
As we all know, boiling the perfect egg can be as difficult as putting toothpaste back in the tube - or is it?
Picture this; you set everything up perfectly for a nice runny yolk, you have everything laid out, the soldiers are nice and straight, you're armed with your favourite egg cup and you've found a spoon small enough to fit inside the egg. So far so good, eh? Wrong! You go give the egg a tap with the spoon and it breaks because the egg is harder than rock. Guess what? There is no need to despair, with my fantastic egg boiling tips; your hopes of the perfect boiled egg needn't evaporate with the boiling water.
The following tips are based on boiling an egg from scratch in a pan of cold water, which is subsequently brought to the boil.
The times listed are the amount of time which the eggs will simmer in the pan for once they have been brought to the boil. With your stop watches at the ready lets get cooking!!
Hard boiled:
Normal eggs - 11 min
Large eggs - 14 min
Extra large eggs - 17 min
Medium boiled:
Normal eggs - 4 min 30 sec
Large eggs - 5 min 30 sec
Extra large eggs - 6 min 30 sec
Runny yolk:
Normal eggs - 2 min 45 sec
Large eggs - 3 min 45 sec
Extra large eggs - 4 min 30 sec
So how did you do?..........What do you mean, you haven't tried it yet?............Go ahead and give it a go you won't be disappointed.
About the Author
For more good housekeeping tips visit http://www.oph-good-housekeeping.com/index.html
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Is Lobster A Healthy Or Unhealthy Food? by Greg Roy
In our modern day, it seems that nearly everything we eat carries the risk of being unhealthy. Eating fish has known health benefits, yet some species of fish may contain unsafe levels of mercury and PCB's. Eating fresh fruit is known to be healthy, yet many fruits are sprayed with chemical pesticides the residues of which are of questionable risk. The same can be said of vegetables.
Whether the above mentioned food items are healthy or unhealthy is beyond the scope of this article. It does point out, though, that the debate continues on which foods contribute to good health, and which foods pose a health risk. This article will present information for the reader to determine which camp lobster belongs in: healthy or unhealthy.
Let's start with the few arguments that put forth the case that lobster is unhealthy. There are not many. We've read that one doctor advises against eating lobster because it may contain parasites and viruses. Nothing like pointing out the obvious. Every living creature on Earth may contain parasites and viruses, which is why any animal-based food product should be cooked before being eaten. Cooking eliminates this risk. One risk that cooking will not eliminate is excess levels of mercury. No matter how much you cook any fish or seafood item, it will not remove mercury.
How much mercury does lobster have? Before we answer that question, we need to look a little at mercury and the reasons it is in seafood to begin with. The FDA states in their report "What you need to know about mercury in fish and shellfish" that "nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury" and that "Mercury occurs naturally in the environment and can also be released into the air through industrial pollution. Mercury falls from the air and can accumulate in streams and oceans."
What can be gleaned from this report are two facts. One, that all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury. Two, Mercury occurs naturally as well. If mercury occurs naturally, it is probably safe to assume that all fish and shellfish have always contained traces of mercury. Which begs the question: are mercury levels in fish and shellfish any higher now than they were 50 or 100 years ago? The answer is that scientists do no know for sure, as tests for mercury in fish were not done back then. Regardless, the FDA lists four fish varieties that have higher level of mercury than all others: shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. They also list five that are very low in mercury: shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock and catfish. Lobster is closer to the 5 on the low end than the 4 on the high end.
Even the 4 fish varieties that have higher levels of mercury are safe to eat in moderation for all people other than pregnant mothers, and mothers nursing infant children. It is only these 4 varieties that should be avoided in the two circumstances just mentioned. Lobster is not included in the list of fish to avoid when pregnant.
The final argument against lobster that we have heard is not based on science at all. The argument is that lobsters are bottom feeders and eat decaying and rotting fish that sink to the bottom. The logic of the argument is that since lobsters are eating these things that aren't healthy for people, people shouldn't be eating lobsters. The problem with this argument is that it is not based on facts. The fact is that lobsters eat mainly live food. Their primary diet consists of live fish, clams, crabs, mussels and sea urchins. Lobsters do eat dead bait in traps, but humans eat dead fish too! Ask any lobsterman, and they will tell you: the fresher the bait, the better it will "fish." This is trade language which, when translated, means that if you put fresh bait in your traps it will attract more lobsters. Old bait does not attract many lobsters at all.
When fish gets old and borderline saleable at a seafood market, it begins to emit an ammonia smell. At that point, which can be about 5 to 7 days after being caught, it is no longer appealing to humans. It is the same for lobsters. They prefer live, fresh food, but will eat dead bait in traps if it is fresh and not old.
This last argument against lobster as a healthy food is the weakest and not based upon fact at all, but rather on fallacy: lobsters eat primarily live food, not decaying, rotting dead fish.
Now we'll look at the factors in favor of lobster being a healthy food.
There are several health reasons that lobster should be eaten. The first comes from the American Heart Associations Page on Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids which recommends eating fish at least 2 times per week. A quote from the American Heart Association is worth sharing here, "Fish is a good source of protein and doesn't have the high saturated fat that fatty meat products do."
Lobster is indeed an excellent source of lean protein. 100 grams of lobster meat contains 98 calories, 21 grams of protein, and only 0.6 grams of fat. Contrast that to 100 grams of white, skinless chicken meat which has 168 calories, 31 grams of protein, and 3.6 grams of fat. Gram for gram, even skinless chicken contains in excess of 500% more fat than lobster. Lean beef contains more than 10 times as much fat as lobster. Obviously, lobster is an excellent source of lean protein.
Lobster is more than just a lean source of protein. Lobster also contains Omega-3 fatty acids, which are associated with good heart health. There are several valuable benefits from a diet which regularly contains Omega-3 fatty acids. Again quoting from the American Heart Association, "The ways that omega-3 fatty acids reduce CVD (cardio-vascular disease) risk are still being studied. However, research has shown that they decrease risk of arrhythmias, which can lead to sudden cardiac death, decrease triglyceride levels, decrease growth rate of atherosclerotic plaque, and lower blood pressure (slightly)." The report further states, "Large-scale epidemiologic studies suggest that people at risk for coronary heart disease benefit from consuming omega-3 fatty acids from plants and marine sources."
Lobster does not contain as much Omega-3 fatty acids as salmon, which has the highest content, but is a good source nonetheless.
In summary, lobster is high in protein, extremely low in fat, is a beneficial source of Omega-3 fatty acids which are healthy for the heart and reduce the growth rate of plaque. Lobsters feed primarily on live food: fish, crabs, clams and mussels. Lobster have a very healthy diet which would be beneficial to humans, not harmful to them.
There you have the arguments for and against lobster as a healthy food source. The evidence suggests lobster is a very healthy food choice. Not only is it very healthy, it tastes absolutely extravagant. Enjoy your lobster!
About the Author
G. Roy is a former recreational Maine lobster fisherman and owner of the site Lobster-s.com. If you enjoy this article, Please stop by for a vist. You'll find everything you ever wanted to know about the king of crustaceans, including many lobster recipes.
Whether the above mentioned food items are healthy or unhealthy is beyond the scope of this article. It does point out, though, that the debate continues on which foods contribute to good health, and which foods pose a health risk. This article will present information for the reader to determine which camp lobster belongs in: healthy or unhealthy.
Let's start with the few arguments that put forth the case that lobster is unhealthy. There are not many. We've read that one doctor advises against eating lobster because it may contain parasites and viruses. Nothing like pointing out the obvious. Every living creature on Earth may contain parasites and viruses, which is why any animal-based food product should be cooked before being eaten. Cooking eliminates this risk. One risk that cooking will not eliminate is excess levels of mercury. No matter how much you cook any fish or seafood item, it will not remove mercury.
How much mercury does lobster have? Before we answer that question, we need to look a little at mercury and the reasons it is in seafood to begin with. The FDA states in their report "What you need to know about mercury in fish and shellfish" that "nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury" and that "Mercury occurs naturally in the environment and can also be released into the air through industrial pollution. Mercury falls from the air and can accumulate in streams and oceans."
What can be gleaned from this report are two facts. One, that all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury. Two, Mercury occurs naturally as well. If mercury occurs naturally, it is probably safe to assume that all fish and shellfish have always contained traces of mercury. Which begs the question: are mercury levels in fish and shellfish any higher now than they were 50 or 100 years ago? The answer is that scientists do no know for sure, as tests for mercury in fish were not done back then. Regardless, the FDA lists four fish varieties that have higher level of mercury than all others: shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. They also list five that are very low in mercury: shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock and catfish. Lobster is closer to the 5 on the low end than the 4 on the high end.
Even the 4 fish varieties that have higher levels of mercury are safe to eat in moderation for all people other than pregnant mothers, and mothers nursing infant children. It is only these 4 varieties that should be avoided in the two circumstances just mentioned. Lobster is not included in the list of fish to avoid when pregnant.
The final argument against lobster that we have heard is not based on science at all. The argument is that lobsters are bottom feeders and eat decaying and rotting fish that sink to the bottom. The logic of the argument is that since lobsters are eating these things that aren't healthy for people, people shouldn't be eating lobsters. The problem with this argument is that it is not based on facts. The fact is that lobsters eat mainly live food. Their primary diet consists of live fish, clams, crabs, mussels and sea urchins. Lobsters do eat dead bait in traps, but humans eat dead fish too! Ask any lobsterman, and they will tell you: the fresher the bait, the better it will "fish." This is trade language which, when translated, means that if you put fresh bait in your traps it will attract more lobsters. Old bait does not attract many lobsters at all.
When fish gets old and borderline saleable at a seafood market, it begins to emit an ammonia smell. At that point, which can be about 5 to 7 days after being caught, it is no longer appealing to humans. It is the same for lobsters. They prefer live, fresh food, but will eat dead bait in traps if it is fresh and not old.
This last argument against lobster as a healthy food is the weakest and not based upon fact at all, but rather on fallacy: lobsters eat primarily live food, not decaying, rotting dead fish.
Now we'll look at the factors in favor of lobster being a healthy food.
There are several health reasons that lobster should be eaten. The first comes from the American Heart Associations Page on Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids which recommends eating fish at least 2 times per week. A quote from the American Heart Association is worth sharing here, "Fish is a good source of protein and doesn't have the high saturated fat that fatty meat products do."
Lobster is indeed an excellent source of lean protein. 100 grams of lobster meat contains 98 calories, 21 grams of protein, and only 0.6 grams of fat. Contrast that to 100 grams of white, skinless chicken meat which has 168 calories, 31 grams of protein, and 3.6 grams of fat. Gram for gram, even skinless chicken contains in excess of 500% more fat than lobster. Lean beef contains more than 10 times as much fat as lobster. Obviously, lobster is an excellent source of lean protein.
Lobster is more than just a lean source of protein. Lobster also contains Omega-3 fatty acids, which are associated with good heart health. There are several valuable benefits from a diet which regularly contains Omega-3 fatty acids. Again quoting from the American Heart Association, "The ways that omega-3 fatty acids reduce CVD (cardio-vascular disease) risk are still being studied. However, research has shown that they decrease risk of arrhythmias, which can lead to sudden cardiac death, decrease triglyceride levels, decrease growth rate of atherosclerotic plaque, and lower blood pressure (slightly)." The report further states, "Large-scale epidemiologic studies suggest that people at risk for coronary heart disease benefit from consuming omega-3 fatty acids from plants and marine sources."
Lobster does not contain as much Omega-3 fatty acids as salmon, which has the highest content, but is a good source nonetheless.
In summary, lobster is high in protein, extremely low in fat, is a beneficial source of Omega-3 fatty acids which are healthy for the heart and reduce the growth rate of plaque. Lobsters feed primarily on live food: fish, crabs, clams and mussels. Lobster have a very healthy diet which would be beneficial to humans, not harmful to them.
There you have the arguments for and against lobster as a healthy food source. The evidence suggests lobster is a very healthy food choice. Not only is it very healthy, it tastes absolutely extravagant. Enjoy your lobster!
About the Author
G. Roy is a former recreational Maine lobster fisherman and owner of the site Lobster-s.com. If you enjoy this article, Please stop by for a vist. You'll find everything you ever wanted to know about the king of crustaceans, including many lobster recipes.
Coffee - The origin of the species by Coffee City
Coffee, along with tea and soft drinks is the most widely consumed beverage in the world. The popularity and liking for coffee as a beverage can be gauged by the fact that its consumption is approximately one third of the volume of water consumed in the United States and Europe. The coffee that we drink is actually prepared from seeds, normally referred to as beans, of the coffee plant.
Coffee beans usually grow in pairs in the coffee cherry. In some rare cases, a single bean can also be found growing in the plant. Such single beans are known as pea-berry or carcoli beans. Pea-berry has a more prominent flavor than other Arabica beans are high on demand and are more expensive.
Species and Origins: The Genus, Coffea, to which the coffee plant belongs, contains about 25 species out of which the most prominent are: - The older species Coffea Arabica, was called the Kaffa, originated in Ethiopia. - The newer species, Coffea canephora (Robusta), probably originated in Uganda. - Coffea liberica, which is indigenous to Liberia - Coffea esliaca, that is believed to be indigenous to Sudan
Whereas Coffea Robusta is a shrub type plant, Coffea Arabica grows more like a tree. Some varieties of the coffee plant grow up to 30 feet but for easy picking of the coffee berry they are seldom allowed to grow beyond 15 feet. The coffee plant grows best under the shade of natural vegetation classified as Tropical Semi-deciduous Forest and in warm humid isothermal climate with annual precipitation of 1800-2000 mm and a mean annual temperature of 21-21.9°C
The best soils for coffee plants are deep sandy loam soils with coarse makeup perspective, having good aeration, moderate infiltration, and pH from 5.0 to 6.0. Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous are the most important elements though physical conditions can limit growth to a great extent.
Initially, Arabica coffees were named after the ports that they were exported from - for example, Java, from Indonesia and Mocha, from Yemen. Arabica is considered by many to be better in taste than Robusta, but the species is more susceptible to disease and therefore not as profitable to grow. The flavor of the Arabica beans depends upon the region they are grown in. Arabica beans are now grown in three main regions - Latin America, East Africa/Arabia and Asia/Pacific, and have distinctive characteristics of flavor, aroma, body, and acidity levels. Apart from the region, processing, genetic subspecies or varieties of beans also have a great impact on the coffee flavor and taste. For example, washed or wet processed beans tend to be more acidic in taste. Some regions even produce coffee beans that have a citrus-like or earthy flavor and aroma which can be best described as berry-like or flowery.
Robusta coffees are cultivated in environments where Arabica cannot blossom and have approximately 45% more caffeine than Arabica coffees. Robusta has little taste and tends to be bitter and has a typical "burnt rubber" and "wet cardboard" aroma and flavor. Robusta beans are cost effective but their peculiar taste is not liked by a many. To make Robusta beans more palatable and suitable for coffee blends the undesirable flavors are removed through a steaming process. Some espresso blends use good quality Robusta to decrease costs and get a better "crema" or foamy head.
Modern coffee, however, is more origin specific, and is known by country, region, varietals and even the estate it is grown and processed in.
Some coffees are made from particular varietals. Varietal, a botanical term that refers to a taxonomic category rank below species and are not related to origin are more specific than Arabica and Robusta. Coffees made of beans from single varietals are generally referred as such and in certain cases. The name of the region is added for distinctive branding. Rwanda Blue Bourbon is one such example of a coffee made from single varietals and made in Rwanda.
Brazil remains the world's largest producer and exporter of coffee. In recent years, however, there has been a flood of Robusta beans from Vietnam. The preference of the large industrial houses, multinational roasters and instant coffee producers, for the Robusta variety, due to its cheaper cost, was instrumental in the huge influx, precipitating a crisis of sorts in the prices of coffee the world over.
Coffee City http://www.coffeecity.org offers extensive articles and resources on coffee, espresso, coffee beans, coffee making, etc.
About the Author
Coffee City http://www.coffeecity.org offers extensive articles and resources on coffee, espresso, coffee beans, coffee making, etc.
Coffee beans usually grow in pairs in the coffee cherry. In some rare cases, a single bean can also be found growing in the plant. Such single beans are known as pea-berry or carcoli beans. Pea-berry has a more prominent flavor than other Arabica beans are high on demand and are more expensive.
Species and Origins: The Genus, Coffea, to which the coffee plant belongs, contains about 25 species out of which the most prominent are: - The older species Coffea Arabica, was called the Kaffa, originated in Ethiopia. - The newer species, Coffea canephora (Robusta), probably originated in Uganda. - Coffea liberica, which is indigenous to Liberia - Coffea esliaca, that is believed to be indigenous to Sudan
Whereas Coffea Robusta is a shrub type plant, Coffea Arabica grows more like a tree. Some varieties of the coffee plant grow up to 30 feet but for easy picking of the coffee berry they are seldom allowed to grow beyond 15 feet. The coffee plant grows best under the shade of natural vegetation classified as Tropical Semi-deciduous Forest and in warm humid isothermal climate with annual precipitation of 1800-2000 mm and a mean annual temperature of 21-21.9°C
The best soils for coffee plants are deep sandy loam soils with coarse makeup perspective, having good aeration, moderate infiltration, and pH from 5.0 to 6.0. Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous are the most important elements though physical conditions can limit growth to a great extent.
Initially, Arabica coffees were named after the ports that they were exported from - for example, Java, from Indonesia and Mocha, from Yemen. Arabica is considered by many to be better in taste than Robusta, but the species is more susceptible to disease and therefore not as profitable to grow. The flavor of the Arabica beans depends upon the region they are grown in. Arabica beans are now grown in three main regions - Latin America, East Africa/Arabia and Asia/Pacific, and have distinctive characteristics of flavor, aroma, body, and acidity levels. Apart from the region, processing, genetic subspecies or varieties of beans also have a great impact on the coffee flavor and taste. For example, washed or wet processed beans tend to be more acidic in taste. Some regions even produce coffee beans that have a citrus-like or earthy flavor and aroma which can be best described as berry-like or flowery.
Robusta coffees are cultivated in environments where Arabica cannot blossom and have approximately 45% more caffeine than Arabica coffees. Robusta has little taste and tends to be bitter and has a typical "burnt rubber" and "wet cardboard" aroma and flavor. Robusta beans are cost effective but their peculiar taste is not liked by a many. To make Robusta beans more palatable and suitable for coffee blends the undesirable flavors are removed through a steaming process. Some espresso blends use good quality Robusta to decrease costs and get a better "crema" or foamy head.
Modern coffee, however, is more origin specific, and is known by country, region, varietals and even the estate it is grown and processed in.
Some coffees are made from particular varietals. Varietal, a botanical term that refers to a taxonomic category rank below species and are not related to origin are more specific than Arabica and Robusta. Coffees made of beans from single varietals are generally referred as such and in certain cases. The name of the region is added for distinctive branding. Rwanda Blue Bourbon is one such example of a coffee made from single varietals and made in Rwanda.
Brazil remains the world's largest producer and exporter of coffee. In recent years, however, there has been a flood of Robusta beans from Vietnam. The preference of the large industrial houses, multinational roasters and instant coffee producers, for the Robusta variety, due to its cheaper cost, was instrumental in the huge influx, precipitating a crisis of sorts in the prices of coffee the world over.
Coffee City http://www.coffeecity.org offers extensive articles and resources on coffee, espresso, coffee beans, coffee making, etc.
About the Author
Coffee City http://www.coffeecity.org offers extensive articles and resources on coffee, espresso, coffee beans, coffee making, etc.
The Right Espresso Machine For You by Barbara Jackson
Brewing an espresso coffee drink is different compared to most other types of coffee. In fact, the rise in the popularity of espresso coffee over the last 20 years or so has been very significant. Companies took notice and banked on the salability of espresso machines, competing for features and designs.
Due to this competition, espresso machines today come in varied forms, brands designs and sizes. That variation gives rise to another problem: Which espresso machine is right for your needs?
Espresso machines, no matter what the brand, will serve the same basic purpose. Espresso machines pump out steam through a finely packed puck of powdered coffee beans for about 20 seconds and produces a drink that is slightly thick and deep brown in color, with a foam layer on top.
Espresso machines may have a combination or may include all of the following components:
* Pump
* Heating Chamber
* Steam Wand
* Control Panel
* Reservoir
Espresso machines have four basic styles. Each type has its own positive features and each has its own disadvantages.
The pump style espresso machine
This type of espresso machines are of the larger variety and uses a power pump to provide the correct amount of water pressure. The pump style espresso machines are quite large and could be noisy. These machines are suitable for commercial establishments as they can produce more espresso coffee with settings. The machine is also the most expensive type, but produces the best tasting espressos. The disadvantage is that water deposits, which require regular and more vigorous maintenance, can clog the pump type espresso machine.
The lever style espresso machines
This machine is operated by manipulating the lever arm so that pressure is created that will force the steam through the coffee grinds. Compared to the pump style espresso machine, this espresso machine type is quiet, although it could be quite hard on the hands. Because this machine is manually operated, the quality of the espresso that is produced may vary. Compared to the pump style however, lever types have fewer parts and require less maintenance.
Steam powered espresso machines
The steam coming from the heated water creates the pressure for this espresso machine type. Because the pressure could be inconsistent and may not always be strong enough, the quality of espresso that may be produced may not always be good. The steam type espresso machine, however, is easy to use thanks to is smaller design.
The Moka Pot
The moka pot is the simplest and possibly the most ingenious way of producing espressos. The moka pot is placed on top of your stove and the burner is turned on. As the water boils in the bottom chamber of this espresso machine, a steam is forced through the upper chamber of the pot. Because the moka pot is not a mechanized espresso machine, the pressure produced from the process is weaker than its counterparts. The main feature of this espresso maker is its simplicity. As a disadvantage, it does not have attachments for foaming. The moka pot is the least expensive of all espresso machines on the market.
The sales of espresso coffee machines have been increasing. Espresso machines for home use, though, will naturally tend to be less bulky. The features mentioned above should be enough to determine the kind of an espresso machine that will suit your needs. Other features are merely bonuses.
About the Author
Barbara Jackson contributes articles to several web sites, on product reviews and shopping advice topics.
Due to this competition, espresso machines today come in varied forms, brands designs and sizes. That variation gives rise to another problem: Which espresso machine is right for your needs?
Espresso machines, no matter what the brand, will serve the same basic purpose. Espresso machines pump out steam through a finely packed puck of powdered coffee beans for about 20 seconds and produces a drink that is slightly thick and deep brown in color, with a foam layer on top.
Espresso machines may have a combination or may include all of the following components:
* Pump
* Heating Chamber
* Steam Wand
* Control Panel
* Reservoir
Espresso machines have four basic styles. Each type has its own positive features and each has its own disadvantages.
The pump style espresso machine
This type of espresso machines are of the larger variety and uses a power pump to provide the correct amount of water pressure. The pump style espresso machines are quite large and could be noisy. These machines are suitable for commercial establishments as they can produce more espresso coffee with settings. The machine is also the most expensive type, but produces the best tasting espressos. The disadvantage is that water deposits, which require regular and more vigorous maintenance, can clog the pump type espresso machine.
The lever style espresso machines
This machine is operated by manipulating the lever arm so that pressure is created that will force the steam through the coffee grinds. Compared to the pump style espresso machine, this espresso machine type is quiet, although it could be quite hard on the hands. Because this machine is manually operated, the quality of the espresso that is produced may vary. Compared to the pump style however, lever types have fewer parts and require less maintenance.
Steam powered espresso machines
The steam coming from the heated water creates the pressure for this espresso machine type. Because the pressure could be inconsistent and may not always be strong enough, the quality of espresso that may be produced may not always be good. The steam type espresso machine, however, is easy to use thanks to is smaller design.
The Moka Pot
The moka pot is the simplest and possibly the most ingenious way of producing espressos. The moka pot is placed on top of your stove and the burner is turned on. As the water boils in the bottom chamber of this espresso machine, a steam is forced through the upper chamber of the pot. Because the moka pot is not a mechanized espresso machine, the pressure produced from the process is weaker than its counterparts. The main feature of this espresso maker is its simplicity. As a disadvantage, it does not have attachments for foaming. The moka pot is the least expensive of all espresso machines on the market.
The sales of espresso coffee machines have been increasing. Espresso machines for home use, though, will naturally tend to be less bulky. The features mentioned above should be enough to determine the kind of an espresso machine that will suit your needs. Other features are merely bonuses.
About the Author
Barbara Jackson contributes articles to several web sites, on product reviews and shopping advice topics.
What Can Catering Do For You? by Ashley Daniels
As part of our modern culture, social events are just around the corner, whether corporate or personal. Using a catering service for your next event is an easy, convenient, and time- saving way to get the hard job done.
No matter how big or small your next event will be, catering helps you to cover all your dining and refreshment requirements, providing not only food and drink, but professional personnel including bartenders, waiters, waitresses, drivers, parking valets, etc.
From wedding receptions to team-building parties, catering provides you with a wide range of products and services especially designed for each occasion, although you can always ask for tailored packages to suit your needs.
A typical catering service can cater receptions, dinners, buffets, and luncheons, and provide you with coffee and tea services for smaller events such as teamwork meetings.
At some catering services you can also pick up the food and drink yourself directly, or order the delivery to the location of your event, with or without serving staff, party aftermath caretakers, and cleaning personnel.
Catering can also handle other details of your events, including flowers, rentals, venues, or outdoors settings. Doing online research allows you to see the different catering providers and the whole range of ways in which service is provided.
In fact, some caterers specialize in delivering gourmet meals and drinks to your events, while others work with you developing customized menus that a third party provider delivers the day of the event, guaranteeing freshness of meals.
Some corporate catering services specialize in delivering coffee, tea, and box lunches, but in general terms, most caterers provide the full array of services to their clientele.
Take advantage of the Internet and point your browser to any of the major search engines, whether to look for "catering services" or by typing in your query "catering directory" to find a list of catering providers.
This way, you can find not only the caterers close to your location, but also reviews from other consumers regarding the quality of their services, as well as an estimate of costs and, in most cases, request an online quote.
There are catering directories that provide information on local services, listing the caterers by city and state, allowing you to narrow you search by introducing your zip code.
Finally, you can find some online caterer's associations listing their members, including their background and experience, serving the catering needs of thousands of people nationwide.
About the Author
Author Ashley Daniels is an assistant editor at Local Catering, a directory of New York catering companies and many others. She also contributes to Website Promotion World.
No matter how big or small your next event will be, catering helps you to cover all your dining and refreshment requirements, providing not only food and drink, but professional personnel including bartenders, waiters, waitresses, drivers, parking valets, etc.
From wedding receptions to team-building parties, catering provides you with a wide range of products and services especially designed for each occasion, although you can always ask for tailored packages to suit your needs.
A typical catering service can cater receptions, dinners, buffets, and luncheons, and provide you with coffee and tea services for smaller events such as teamwork meetings.
At some catering services you can also pick up the food and drink yourself directly, or order the delivery to the location of your event, with or without serving staff, party aftermath caretakers, and cleaning personnel.
Catering can also handle other details of your events, including flowers, rentals, venues, or outdoors settings. Doing online research allows you to see the different catering providers and the whole range of ways in which service is provided.
In fact, some caterers specialize in delivering gourmet meals and drinks to your events, while others work with you developing customized menus that a third party provider delivers the day of the event, guaranteeing freshness of meals.
Some corporate catering services specialize in delivering coffee, tea, and box lunches, but in general terms, most caterers provide the full array of services to their clientele.
Take advantage of the Internet and point your browser to any of the major search engines, whether to look for "catering services" or by typing in your query "catering directory" to find a list of catering providers.
This way, you can find not only the caterers close to your location, but also reviews from other consumers regarding the quality of their services, as well as an estimate of costs and, in most cases, request an online quote.
There are catering directories that provide information on local services, listing the caterers by city and state, allowing you to narrow you search by introducing your zip code.
Finally, you can find some online caterer's associations listing their members, including their background and experience, serving the catering needs of thousands of people nationwide.
About the Author
Author Ashley Daniels is an assistant editor at Local Catering, a directory of New York catering companies and many others. She also contributes to Website Promotion World.
Guide To Coffee Maker by Masni Rizal Mansor
The type of coffee maker you use will probably be partly dependant on what type of coffee maker you are used to. Most coffee drinkers use an automatic drip coffee maker for their morning coffee, but there's a good variety of coffee makers available and they all produce slightly different results.
Types Of Coffee Makers
The most popular type of coffee maker in the United States is the automatic drip coffee maker. They are extremely simple to use and can make a pot of coffee fairly quickly. Hot water is run through the ground coffee which has been placed in a filter in the cup of the coffee maker. The hot water drips through the grounds and makes its way to the pot where it usually produces a fairly clear, decent tasting pot of coffee and doesn't allow any coffee grounds to foul up the brew. Drip coffee makers have a warming plate under the coffee pot, and you should limit the amount of time the pot sits on the warming plate since the longer the coffee pot sits there, the stronger the coffee will be.
Probably one of the oldest types of coffee makers is the percolator. This works by boiling the water, which then circulates through the coffee grounds repeatedly. Unless you are partial to this type of maker, most coffee experts don't recommend it since boiling the water through the grounds can make the coffee bitter and you can also end up with coffee grounds in your cup.
A French press is probably the simplest method and it makes a great cup of coffee. The French press usually consists of a glass cylinder and a plunger that has a fine mesh screen on it. Ground coffee is placed in the plunger and then water that is almost at the boiling point is poured over the grounds into the cylinder. The coffee steeps for several minutes and then the plunger is pushed down to the bottom of the cylinder, which forces the coffee grounds to the bottom and out of the coffee. Using a French press has a tendency to give the coffee a better all around flavor.
Each individual will have their own preference when deciding on what type of coffee maker is best for them. There are pros and cons to every type of maker and you may want to try out a few methods before you settle on one particular type.
About the Author
Masni Rizal Mansor provide tips and review on coffee maker.
Types Of Coffee Makers
The most popular type of coffee maker in the United States is the automatic drip coffee maker. They are extremely simple to use and can make a pot of coffee fairly quickly. Hot water is run through the ground coffee which has been placed in a filter in the cup of the coffee maker. The hot water drips through the grounds and makes its way to the pot where it usually produces a fairly clear, decent tasting pot of coffee and doesn't allow any coffee grounds to foul up the brew. Drip coffee makers have a warming plate under the coffee pot, and you should limit the amount of time the pot sits on the warming plate since the longer the coffee pot sits there, the stronger the coffee will be.
Probably one of the oldest types of coffee makers is the percolator. This works by boiling the water, which then circulates through the coffee grounds repeatedly. Unless you are partial to this type of maker, most coffee experts don't recommend it since boiling the water through the grounds can make the coffee bitter and you can also end up with coffee grounds in your cup.
A French press is probably the simplest method and it makes a great cup of coffee. The French press usually consists of a glass cylinder and a plunger that has a fine mesh screen on it. Ground coffee is placed in the plunger and then water that is almost at the boiling point is poured over the grounds into the cylinder. The coffee steeps for several minutes and then the plunger is pushed down to the bottom of the cylinder, which forces the coffee grounds to the bottom and out of the coffee. Using a French press has a tendency to give the coffee a better all around flavor.
Each individual will have their own preference when deciding on what type of coffee maker is best for them. There are pros and cons to every type of maker and you may want to try out a few methods before you settle on one particular type.
About the Author
Masni Rizal Mansor provide tips and review on coffee maker.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
The Art of Pizza Making - Review by Peter Boston
Best selling novels and tell-alls stay on the bestseller list for weeks if they are really good and topical. Most new books disappear from the public eye in days. The exception is cookbooks. A good cookbook can keep its buzz for years. Some cookbooks are treated like family heirlooms and get passed from generation to generation.
The Art of Pizza Making by Dominick A. Deangelis has been around since 1991 and it shows no signs of slowing down. People who bought it, or were lucky enough to get it as a gift, a month or so ago have tried the methods and the recipes and now cannot wait to write their review on Amazon. Maybe the Art of Pizza Making is working its way into heirloom status.
Almost everybody likes pizza. Anybody who has had an exceptionally good pizza loves it, and the sensation of taste of that one pizza slice has been permanently implanted into the nether regions of their brain. Pizza ingredients are salty, sweet and acidic, so maybe a good pizza is like a red wine that unlocks every taste receptor in your body and keeps you wanting more.
The Art of Pizza Making is the real deal. The author covers every step of the pizza making process and tells you exactly what you have to do to make exceptional tasting pizza with just the right crispness and texture. The news may be disappointing to the home chef because some of the ingredients are available only in large quantities from restaurant supply houses. For example, Deangelis wants you to use a particular kind of flour with a very specific proportion of gluten. Neither grocery store all-purpose flour nor bread making flour fit the parameters he is looking for.
You will need a stand mixer with a bread hook. The author recommends a Kitchenaid but says that any 250W stand mixer will probably do the trick. If you get serious about pizza making forget the Kitchenaid and look for a DeLhongi stand mixer. When you are not making pizza you can power a small boat with it.
This book not only tells you what type of flour, cheese, and tomato base to use, but how to kneed the dough, how long to let it rise, and what preparation temperature you need the dough at to make the perfect crust. If you follow the directions in the book and use the same ingredients, or as close as you can get to the right ingredients, you will make a pizza as good as or better than any franchise pizza store. If you love pizza you need this book.
Beyond the book but essential information for pizza making nonetheless is your oven. The very best pizza is made in brick ovens fired by open flames at temperatures far greater than most home ovens can achieve. One way around this limitation is a nifty gadget created by Villaware. You put their pizza maker on top of your gas or charcoal grill which can produce a very high temperature. The permeable clay stone on the Villaware pizza maker will allow the flames to cook the pizza evenly, making a crisp crust each and every time. The built in thermometer will help you hit the correct temperature.
The Art of Pizza Making by Dominick A. Deangelis has been around since 1991 and it shows no signs of slowing down. People who bought it, or were lucky enough to get it as a gift, a month or so ago have tried the methods and the recipes and now cannot wait to write their review on Amazon. Maybe the Art of Pizza Making is working its way into heirloom status.
Almost everybody likes pizza. Anybody who has had an exceptionally good pizza loves it, and the sensation of taste of that one pizza slice has been permanently implanted into the nether regions of their brain. Pizza ingredients are salty, sweet and acidic, so maybe a good pizza is like a red wine that unlocks every taste receptor in your body and keeps you wanting more.
The Art of Pizza Making is the real deal. The author covers every step of the pizza making process and tells you exactly what you have to do to make exceptional tasting pizza with just the right crispness and texture. The news may be disappointing to the home chef because some of the ingredients are available only in large quantities from restaurant supply houses. For example, Deangelis wants you to use a particular kind of flour with a very specific proportion of gluten. Neither grocery store all-purpose flour nor bread making flour fit the parameters he is looking for.
You will need a stand mixer with a bread hook. The author recommends a Kitchenaid but says that any 250W stand mixer will probably do the trick. If you get serious about pizza making forget the Kitchenaid and look for a DeLhongi stand mixer. When you are not making pizza you can power a small boat with it.
This book not only tells you what type of flour, cheese, and tomato base to use, but how to kneed the dough, how long to let it rise, and what preparation temperature you need the dough at to make the perfect crust. If you follow the directions in the book and use the same ingredients, or as close as you can get to the right ingredients, you will make a pizza as good as or better than any franchise pizza store. If you love pizza you need this book.
Beyond the book but essential information for pizza making nonetheless is your oven. The very best pizza is made in brick ovens fired by open flames at temperatures far greater than most home ovens can achieve. One way around this limitation is a nifty gadget created by Villaware. You put their pizza maker on top of your gas or charcoal grill which can produce a very high temperature. The permeable clay stone on the Villaware pizza maker will allow the flames to cook the pizza evenly, making a crisp crust each and every time. The built in thermometer will help you hit the correct temperature.
Goji Berry (lycium Barbarum) by Gabriel Adams
Goji berry refers to the Chinese name for the bright orange-red fruit of the woody and thorny plant (shrub) Lycium babarum. In English, it is commonly known by the name wolfberry. L. barbarum is one of the 90 species of the genus Boxthorn (Lycium in latin) in the Solanaceae family (other plants in this family being tomato, potato, eggplant, chili pepper, tobacco, etc.). It is believed to have originated somewhere in the regions of southeast Europe and southwest Asia, but is now grown all over the world - China being the largest producer.
Goji berry is also known by other names like Chinese wolfberry, matrimony vine and Duke of Argyll's tea tree; in herbal health care stores the dried form of the fruit is marketed as Tibetan or Himalayan Goji berry. The majority of the commercially produced Goji berry comes from the Ningxia and Xinjiang regions in China.
Celebrated in Asia as one of Nature's most nutrient-rich health foods since thousands of years, the legendary health benefits that Goji berry is claimed to confer are eyesight improvement, boosting immunity, liver protection, longevity, etc. The presence of a large number of micronutrients and phytochemicals in this fruit has been corrobarated by scientific studies.
It is perhaps the presence of large amounts of phytochemicals like polysaccharides, sterols and zeaxanthin and antioxidants like beta carotene, lutein, lycopene and vitamin C, in addtion to loads of minerals like calcium, potassium, iron, zinc and selenium, that lend the legendary health-giving properties to Goji berry.
As a food, Goji berry can be eaten either raw or brewed into a tea. It tastes similar to raisins, though less sweet and more dry. Commercially, it is available as dried fruit or in the form of juice or powder. Goji berry is often used in China as an ingredient in soups, too. Its leaves and young shoots are consumed as a leafy vegetable in China. In fact, even a Chinese wine is produced from Goji berry.
Maybe you can use your own culinary imagination to savor the taste and discover the health benefits of this exotic superfruit in numerous other ways.
Goji berry is also known by other names like Chinese wolfberry, matrimony vine and Duke of Argyll's tea tree; in herbal health care stores the dried form of the fruit is marketed as Tibetan or Himalayan Goji berry. The majority of the commercially produced Goji berry comes from the Ningxia and Xinjiang regions in China.
Celebrated in Asia as one of Nature's most nutrient-rich health foods since thousands of years, the legendary health benefits that Goji berry is claimed to confer are eyesight improvement, boosting immunity, liver protection, longevity, etc. The presence of a large number of micronutrients and phytochemicals in this fruit has been corrobarated by scientific studies.
It is perhaps the presence of large amounts of phytochemicals like polysaccharides, sterols and zeaxanthin and antioxidants like beta carotene, lutein, lycopene and vitamin C, in addtion to loads of minerals like calcium, potassium, iron, zinc and selenium, that lend the legendary health-giving properties to Goji berry.
As a food, Goji berry can be eaten either raw or brewed into a tea. It tastes similar to raisins, though less sweet and more dry. Commercially, it is available as dried fruit or in the form of juice or powder. Goji berry is often used in China as an ingredient in soups, too. Its leaves and young shoots are consumed as a leafy vegetable in China. In fact, even a Chinese wine is produced from Goji berry.
Maybe you can use your own culinary imagination to savor the taste and discover the health benefits of this exotic superfruit in numerous other ways.
An Immigrant's Guide to Assimilation by Terry Kaufman
The deep, dark recesses of the brain of any student of early 20th century American history should light up, tingling, when they compute the importance of The Settlement Cookbook and the Settlement House, established by Lizzie Black Kander. Both the concept and the woman made an indelible mark on America.
A native of Milwaukee, Lizzie Black Kander (b. 1858) was a moving force in establishing Milwaukee's first social settlement in 1900. This organization, under the auspices of the Federation Jewish Charities of Milwaukee, was known everywhere as "The Settlement" or "The Settlement House." It offered instruction to newly arrived immigrants in vocational and domestic skills, plus classes in English, American history, and music, in hopes of introducing immigrant women to American consumer culture.
From the classes at the Settlement House sprang the need for somehow replicating recipes, household hints, and advice on housekeeping that were written on the chalkboard. The students, most of them high school girls, needed to get home before dark but were spending way too much time copying the lessons.
Mrs. Kander thought the creation of a cookbook would help alleviate the situation and allow more time for actual instruction. Since the gentlemen on the Settlement Board of Directors weren't willing to risk the magnanimous amount of $18 on this venture and no other Jewish organizations were offering help in funding, Kander went to the printer husband of one of her female friends in hopes of assistance. He printed this landmark cookbook which was supported by selling advertisements from establishments such as the Boston Store, the Pfister Hotel, and the Plankinton House Hotel, to name but a few.
Because of the funding, Kander was able to augment the contents of the original book with more recipes donated by her friends, Milwaukee society matrons, favorite European recipes from her students and their families, and even was able to include recipes from noted chefs here and abroad.
In April, 1901, the first run of the cookbook made its appearance in the guise of The Way to a Man's Heart...The Settlement Cookbook. Divided equally between simple recipes for girls just learning to cook and more involved and complex recipes for those cooks with previous training, The Settlement Cookbook also included household tips, and housekeeping advice. Spill grease on your floor? Immediately pour ice water on it to harden the grease. How to properly set a table? Always use clean linen, even if it is coarse and cheap. And so forth. Throughout the book, an underlying current implies that if you follow all the recipes and other directions implicitly, you will become a good American.
The Settlement Cookbook was Jewish by association only. After learning the book was written for and financed by a Jewish organization, many people automatically assumed it was a Jewish cookbook, not meant for any other group of Milwaukee residents but the Jews. From the very birth of the project, The Settlement Cookbook displayed a patent disregard for Jewish food regulations: it offered recipes for borscht, chopped herring, and paprika schnitzel in the same breath as recipes for oyster bisque and scalloped ham and potatoes for its non-Jewish readers. Just in the space of the two above-mentioned dishes, several rules of Kashrut (dietary laws, or the body of regulations in keeping Kosher) have been broken: oyster bisque contains oysters (shellfish that are prohibited) and cream; scalloped ham and potatoes is a double whammy with ham (from the pig which has a cloven hoof) and scalloped potatoes covered in cheese (milk and meat must not be consumed together). The Settlement Cookbook was a combination of Jewish, German, and other European recipes.
It is quite easy to be deluded with the ethnicity of the book. I have a tattered, hand-me-down copy of The Settlement Cookbook from my mother whose mother was Hungarian. I still remember my surprise the first time I let my fingers walk through the recipes, stopping here and there, to look at early 20th century standards in food and housekeeping. What were all these non-Jewish recipes doing in the book? They don't belong here! It must be a printing error; they must belong in another cookbook. I was in mild shock looking at pork recipes and others of their ilk. Where was the recipe for Eastern European sweet and sour cabbage soup with chunks of beef and dozens of plump raisins floating throughout? What do I need to make Gefilte fish from scratch? Do I boil or bake my bagels?
Conceivably the most successful fundraising cookbook in American history, The Settlement Cookbook was initially sold for 50 cents per copy. It has been revised into 40 editions, including one in Yiddish for the young immigrant women for whom the book was written. It has sold more than 2 million copies and still funds charitable projects to the present. It is still a source of funding for the all-purpose Jewish Community Center of Milwaukee and remains a vibrant reminder of American social history.
NEXT INSTALLMENT: A close-up look at television's bad boy, Master Chef Gordon Ramsey, from his family's itinerant beginnings to the phenomenal success he enjoys world over. Is he vitriolic all the time or is it part of his TV persona?
A native of Milwaukee, Lizzie Black Kander (b. 1858) was a moving force in establishing Milwaukee's first social settlement in 1900. This organization, under the auspices of the Federation Jewish Charities of Milwaukee, was known everywhere as "The Settlement" or "The Settlement House." It offered instruction to newly arrived immigrants in vocational and domestic skills, plus classes in English, American history, and music, in hopes of introducing immigrant women to American consumer culture.
From the classes at the Settlement House sprang the need for somehow replicating recipes, household hints, and advice on housekeeping that were written on the chalkboard. The students, most of them high school girls, needed to get home before dark but were spending way too much time copying the lessons.
Mrs. Kander thought the creation of a cookbook would help alleviate the situation and allow more time for actual instruction. Since the gentlemen on the Settlement Board of Directors weren't willing to risk the magnanimous amount of $18 on this venture and no other Jewish organizations were offering help in funding, Kander went to the printer husband of one of her female friends in hopes of assistance. He printed this landmark cookbook which was supported by selling advertisements from establishments such as the Boston Store, the Pfister Hotel, and the Plankinton House Hotel, to name but a few.
Because of the funding, Kander was able to augment the contents of the original book with more recipes donated by her friends, Milwaukee society matrons, favorite European recipes from her students and their families, and even was able to include recipes from noted chefs here and abroad.
In April, 1901, the first run of the cookbook made its appearance in the guise of The Way to a Man's Heart...The Settlement Cookbook. Divided equally between simple recipes for girls just learning to cook and more involved and complex recipes for those cooks with previous training, The Settlement Cookbook also included household tips, and housekeeping advice. Spill grease on your floor? Immediately pour ice water on it to harden the grease. How to properly set a table? Always use clean linen, even if it is coarse and cheap. And so forth. Throughout the book, an underlying current implies that if you follow all the recipes and other directions implicitly, you will become a good American.
The Settlement Cookbook was Jewish by association only. After learning the book was written for and financed by a Jewish organization, many people automatically assumed it was a Jewish cookbook, not meant for any other group of Milwaukee residents but the Jews. From the very birth of the project, The Settlement Cookbook displayed a patent disregard for Jewish food regulations: it offered recipes for borscht, chopped herring, and paprika schnitzel in the same breath as recipes for oyster bisque and scalloped ham and potatoes for its non-Jewish readers. Just in the space of the two above-mentioned dishes, several rules of Kashrut (dietary laws, or the body of regulations in keeping Kosher) have been broken: oyster bisque contains oysters (shellfish that are prohibited) and cream; scalloped ham and potatoes is a double whammy with ham (from the pig which has a cloven hoof) and scalloped potatoes covered in cheese (milk and meat must not be consumed together). The Settlement Cookbook was a combination of Jewish, German, and other European recipes.
It is quite easy to be deluded with the ethnicity of the book. I have a tattered, hand-me-down copy of The Settlement Cookbook from my mother whose mother was Hungarian. I still remember my surprise the first time I let my fingers walk through the recipes, stopping here and there, to look at early 20th century standards in food and housekeeping. What were all these non-Jewish recipes doing in the book? They don't belong here! It must be a printing error; they must belong in another cookbook. I was in mild shock looking at pork recipes and others of their ilk. Where was the recipe for Eastern European sweet and sour cabbage soup with chunks of beef and dozens of plump raisins floating throughout? What do I need to make Gefilte fish from scratch? Do I boil or bake my bagels?
Conceivably the most successful fundraising cookbook in American history, The Settlement Cookbook was initially sold for 50 cents per copy. It has been revised into 40 editions, including one in Yiddish for the young immigrant women for whom the book was written. It has sold more than 2 million copies and still funds charitable projects to the present. It is still a source of funding for the all-purpose Jewish Community Center of Milwaukee and remains a vibrant reminder of American social history.
NEXT INSTALLMENT: A close-up look at television's bad boy, Master Chef Gordon Ramsey, from his family's itinerant beginnings to the phenomenal success he enjoys world over. Is he vitriolic all the time or is it part of his TV persona?
Create a Family Heirloom Cookbook by John Pawlett
Almost every family has a treasured recipe, handed down through generations, that is not only beloved because it's delicious, but because it evokes memories of favorite family get-togethers.
A family heirloom recipe book is a wonderful way to combine favorite dishes and family folklore. According to Cheryl Wolf, a performance artist and graphic design instructor at The New England Institute of Art, 'Family recipes are a valuable resource for a family history. I have built an entire performance around my family's recipes and the stories they evoke! 'Breaking bread' together is life-affirming. What better way to reach back and bring personal history to the present?'
Wolf adds, 'A family recipe is also a family history, and can be a wonderful work of folk art.' For example, she says, take the opportunity to not only write down family recipes for generations to come, but include famous family stories (every family has them), photos and memorabilia as well.
But how to turn family culinary gems into actual recipes? Chef Peter Adams of the Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago has a few tips: 'Start with a family letter, asking everyone to send back one or more of their 'specialties' by a particular date. Ask those who can to reply by email so you can cut and paste recipes right into your final document.'
If you have a relative who never writes down recipes (it seems like all the best recipes are never written down), but rather cooks by 'a dash of this, a little bit of that,' consider having someone in your family be the 'helper,' and prepare the dish along with them. Adams suggests the 'helper' measure, guesstimate, and generally keep track of how the dish is prepared, including cooking times and temperatures. The 'helper' should also be sure to ask about consistency, color, texture and doneness. According to Adams, 'This last bit of information is always the most important part of passing along a recipe.' Once you have a written recipe, prepare it again according to the directions, and adjust the recipe as necessary to get as close as possible to the original.
When you're asking for recipes, provide everyone with a similar format. For example, ask family members to list the ingredients to be used in order, together with the quantities. Lay out the steps that are needed in order to make the item, and always add little comments about what to look for as the dish is prepared, and when it is done. It can be a lot of work, especially with recipes that were never written down. But, says Adams, ultimately it's worth it because you'll be saving an important -- and delicious bit of your familys history.
Once you have the recipes, youll want to create a look for your cookbook that reflects your family. A simple way to do this, says Meryl Epstein of The Art Institute of Phoenix, is to include family mementos or old photos, along with the recipes. A simple way to share one-of-a-kind memorabilia is to take them to a local copy center and make color copies.
'You can use the color copies you make as background, and print a recipe over the photo, or have the recipe on one page, and a photo on the facing page. You can also create a collage using items such as blue ribbons (won for a cooking), tickets stubs or airplane tickets from a favorite trip that produced a great recipe,' says Epstein.
For text, use simple fonts like Times Roman or Arial so that they are easy to read for all ages. Save decorative fonts for recipe titles or chapter headings. Consider creating a box -- with shading and borders -- for the recipe itself so that there is enough contrast between the recipe and any background artwork you use.
Epstein suggests writing an introduction about the cookbook, its organization and how family responded to the project. Be sure to date the book and have a table of contents so family and friends can easily find a favorite recipe. Here are a few of her suggestions for organizing recipes:
* by category, for example, appetizers, soups, salads, entrees and desserts
* by family, for example, grandmother, aunt and uncle, or cousin recipes
* by holiday, for example, favorite dishes for the 4th of July, Thanksgiving or Labor Day
To keep recipes easy to read and clean, consider putting them in plastic sleeves (available in craft and office supply stores) and then in 3-ring binders. Says Epstein, 'This way, you can add a new recipe every year.'
A family heirloom recipe book is a wonderful way to combine favorite dishes and family folklore. According to Cheryl Wolf, a performance artist and graphic design instructor at The New England Institute of Art, 'Family recipes are a valuable resource for a family history. I have built an entire performance around my family's recipes and the stories they evoke! 'Breaking bread' together is life-affirming. What better way to reach back and bring personal history to the present?'
Wolf adds, 'A family recipe is also a family history, and can be a wonderful work of folk art.' For example, she says, take the opportunity to not only write down family recipes for generations to come, but include famous family stories (every family has them), photos and memorabilia as well.
But how to turn family culinary gems into actual recipes? Chef Peter Adams of the Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago has a few tips: 'Start with a family letter, asking everyone to send back one or more of their 'specialties' by a particular date. Ask those who can to reply by email so you can cut and paste recipes right into your final document.'
If you have a relative who never writes down recipes (it seems like all the best recipes are never written down), but rather cooks by 'a dash of this, a little bit of that,' consider having someone in your family be the 'helper,' and prepare the dish along with them. Adams suggests the 'helper' measure, guesstimate, and generally keep track of how the dish is prepared, including cooking times and temperatures. The 'helper' should also be sure to ask about consistency, color, texture and doneness. According to Adams, 'This last bit of information is always the most important part of passing along a recipe.' Once you have a written recipe, prepare it again according to the directions, and adjust the recipe as necessary to get as close as possible to the original.
When you're asking for recipes, provide everyone with a similar format. For example, ask family members to list the ingredients to be used in order, together with the quantities. Lay out the steps that are needed in order to make the item, and always add little comments about what to look for as the dish is prepared, and when it is done. It can be a lot of work, especially with recipes that were never written down. But, says Adams, ultimately it's worth it because you'll be saving an important -- and delicious bit of your familys history.
Once you have the recipes, youll want to create a look for your cookbook that reflects your family. A simple way to do this, says Meryl Epstein of The Art Institute of Phoenix, is to include family mementos or old photos, along with the recipes. A simple way to share one-of-a-kind memorabilia is to take them to a local copy center and make color copies.
'You can use the color copies you make as background, and print a recipe over the photo, or have the recipe on one page, and a photo on the facing page. You can also create a collage using items such as blue ribbons (won for a cooking), tickets stubs or airplane tickets from a favorite trip that produced a great recipe,' says Epstein.
For text, use simple fonts like Times Roman or Arial so that they are easy to read for all ages. Save decorative fonts for recipe titles or chapter headings. Consider creating a box -- with shading and borders -- for the recipe itself so that there is enough contrast between the recipe and any background artwork you use.
Epstein suggests writing an introduction about the cookbook, its organization and how family responded to the project. Be sure to date the book and have a table of contents so family and friends can easily find a favorite recipe. Here are a few of her suggestions for organizing recipes:
* by category, for example, appetizers, soups, salads, entrees and desserts
* by family, for example, grandmother, aunt and uncle, or cousin recipes
* by holiday, for example, favorite dishes for the 4th of July, Thanksgiving or Labor Day
To keep recipes easy to read and clean, consider putting them in plastic sleeves (available in craft and office supply stores) and then in 3-ring binders. Says Epstein, 'This way, you can add a new recipe every year.'
Your Guide To Buying Coffee Equipment Online by Jin Ee
As well as a basic straightforward espresso machine, there are lots of pieces of ancillary equipment that you can buy to help you produce the very best coffee possible. Buying these useful items online has huge advantages: it can save you lots of time, you can easily find the very best deals and you can have the equipment delivered directly to your door. So what sort of extra equipment will you need to consider?
Espresso machines: These come in all shapes, sizes and finishes, so make sure you compare web sites to find the most suitable machine for your business. Try and get an espresso machine that offers a good warranty as this will cover you for the first year or so if anything goes wrong.
Grinders: When you buy your coffee beans, they will probably come already roasted - the next stage is to grind them. Getting a decent coffee grinder is vital for producing good-quality coffee; if the beans are too finely ground or too coarsely ground the flavour of the coffee can be greatly impaired. If possible, look for a burr grinder rather than a blade grinder, as this produces much more evenly ground coffee. It is also recommended that you replace your grinder regularly, so it is a good idea to shop around and find the best price.
Cups: There are lots of different types and sizes of coffee cups, including small espresso cups, latte mugs and latte glasses. Many online companies will personalise your cups for you- so you could brand them with your company's name, for example.
Extras: As well as the larger items above, you will probably need consumables such as napkins, paper cups, and so on. Some websites sell packages containing many of these items, so you may be able to find a better deal if you buy these items together.
Espresso machines: These come in all shapes, sizes and finishes, so make sure you compare web sites to find the most suitable machine for your business. Try and get an espresso machine that offers a good warranty as this will cover you for the first year or so if anything goes wrong.
Grinders: When you buy your coffee beans, they will probably come already roasted - the next stage is to grind them. Getting a decent coffee grinder is vital for producing good-quality coffee; if the beans are too finely ground or too coarsely ground the flavour of the coffee can be greatly impaired. If possible, look for a burr grinder rather than a blade grinder, as this produces much more evenly ground coffee. It is also recommended that you replace your grinder regularly, so it is a good idea to shop around and find the best price.
Cups: There are lots of different types and sizes of coffee cups, including small espresso cups, latte mugs and latte glasses. Many online companies will personalise your cups for you- so you could brand them with your company's name, for example.
Extras: As well as the larger items above, you will probably need consumables such as napkins, paper cups, and so on. Some websites sell packages containing many of these items, so you may be able to find a better deal if you buy these items together.
Italian Fish Dishes Part 3. by Rocco Nikolay Viktor
No. 11. Baccala in Istufato (Haddock)
Ingredients: Haddock or lemon sole, carrots, anchovies, lemon, pepper, butter, onions, flour, white wine, stock.
Stuff a haddock (or filleted lemon sole) with some slices of carrot which have been masked with a paste made of pounded anchovies, very little chopped lemon peel, salt and pepper. Then fry an onion with two cuts across it in butter. Take out the onion as soon as it has become a golden colour, flour the fish and put it in the butter, and when it has been well fried on both sides pour a glass of Marsala over it, and when it is all absorbed add a cup of fowl or veal stock and let it simmer for half an hour, then skim and reduce the sauce, pour it over the fish and serve.
No. 12. Naselli con Piselli (Whiting)
Ingredients: Whiting, onions, parsley, peas, tomatoes, butter, Parmesan, Bechamel sauce.
Cut a big whiting into two or three pieces and fry them slightly in butter, add a small bit of onion, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and fry for a few minutes more. Then add some peas which have been cooked in salted water, three tablespoonsful of Bechamel sauce (No. 3), and three of tomato puree, and cook all together on a moderate fire.
No. 13. Ostriche alla Livornese (Oysters)
Ingredients: Oysters, parsley, shallot, anchovies, fennel pepper, bread crumbs, cream, lemon.
Detach the oysters from their shells and put then into china shells with their own liquor. Have ready a dessert-spoonful of parsley, shallot, anchovy and very little fennel, add a tablespoonful of bread crumbs and a little pepper, and mix the whole with a little cream. Put some of this mixture on each oyster, and then bake them in a moderate fire for a quarter of an hour. At the last minute add a squeeze of lemon juice to each oyster and serve on a folded napkin.
No. 14. Ostriche alla Napolitana (Oysters)
Ingredients: Oysters, parsley, celery, thyme, pepper, garlic, oil, lemon.
Prepare the oysters as above, but rub each shell with a little garlic. Put on each oyster a mixture made of chopped parsley, a little thyme, pepper, and bread crumbs. Then pour a few drops of oil on each shell, put them on the gridiron on an open fire, grill for a few minutes, and add a little lemon juice before serving.
No. 15. Ostriche alla Veneziana (Oysters)
Ingredients: Oysters, butter, shallots, truffles, lemon juice, forcemeat of fish.
Take several oysters out of their shells and cook them in butter, a little chopped shallot, and their own liquor, add a little lemon juice and then put in each of the deeper shells a layer of forcemeat made of fish and chopped truffles, then an oyster or two, and over this again another layer of the forcemeat, cover up with the top shell and put them in a fish kettle and steam them. Then remove the top shell and arrange the shells with the oysters on a napkin and serve.
Ingredients: Haddock or lemon sole, carrots, anchovies, lemon, pepper, butter, onions, flour, white wine, stock.
Stuff a haddock (or filleted lemon sole) with some slices of carrot which have been masked with a paste made of pounded anchovies, very little chopped lemon peel, salt and pepper. Then fry an onion with two cuts across it in butter. Take out the onion as soon as it has become a golden colour, flour the fish and put it in the butter, and when it has been well fried on both sides pour a glass of Marsala over it, and when it is all absorbed add a cup of fowl or veal stock and let it simmer for half an hour, then skim and reduce the sauce, pour it over the fish and serve.
No. 12. Naselli con Piselli (Whiting)
Ingredients: Whiting, onions, parsley, peas, tomatoes, butter, Parmesan, Bechamel sauce.
Cut a big whiting into two or three pieces and fry them slightly in butter, add a small bit of onion, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and fry for a few minutes more. Then add some peas which have been cooked in salted water, three tablespoonsful of Bechamel sauce (No. 3), and three of tomato puree, and cook all together on a moderate fire.
No. 13. Ostriche alla Livornese (Oysters)
Ingredients: Oysters, parsley, shallot, anchovies, fennel pepper, bread crumbs, cream, lemon.
Detach the oysters from their shells and put then into china shells with their own liquor. Have ready a dessert-spoonful of parsley, shallot, anchovy and very little fennel, add a tablespoonful of bread crumbs and a little pepper, and mix the whole with a little cream. Put some of this mixture on each oyster, and then bake them in a moderate fire for a quarter of an hour. At the last minute add a squeeze of lemon juice to each oyster and serve on a folded napkin.
No. 14. Ostriche alla Napolitana (Oysters)
Ingredients: Oysters, parsley, celery, thyme, pepper, garlic, oil, lemon.
Prepare the oysters as above, but rub each shell with a little garlic. Put on each oyster a mixture made of chopped parsley, a little thyme, pepper, and bread crumbs. Then pour a few drops of oil on each shell, put them on the gridiron on an open fire, grill for a few minutes, and add a little lemon juice before serving.
No. 15. Ostriche alla Veneziana (Oysters)
Ingredients: Oysters, butter, shallots, truffles, lemon juice, forcemeat of fish.
Take several oysters out of their shells and cook them in butter, a little chopped shallot, and their own liquor, add a little lemon juice and then put in each of the deeper shells a layer of forcemeat made of fish and chopped truffles, then an oyster or two, and over this again another layer of the forcemeat, cover up with the top shell and put them in a fish kettle and steam them. Then remove the top shell and arrange the shells with the oysters on a napkin and serve.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Palm sugar
Palm sugar, also known as jaggery orgur in India1, nam som paep or nam tann peep in
Thai, gula melaka in Malaysia gula bail in Bali, or gula
jawa in Indonesia, is made from the sap from the palmyra, or sugar palm. The
trunk of the tree is tapped and drained of its sap for several months before the
sap is boiled down to a syrup. The syrup is poured into molds, directly into
containers, or further processed into hard crystiline chunks. Because it is not
highly processed like brown sugar, the color, consistency, flavor and level of
sweetness can vary from batch to batch, even within the same brand. The sugar
ranges from almost white to pale honey-gold to deep, dark brown in colour with
variable consistency.
There is no identical Western counterpart, but there are substitutes which
give a reasonable flavour likeness. If the recipe calls for a quantity of palm
sugar, use a mixture of equal parts maple syrup and either soft brown sugar or
black sugar (depending whether you desire a lighter or darker-coloured result)
Sugar palm trees ar
e very tall and beautiful. They grow in most
parts of Thailand. If the palm sap is not used by the end of the day, it will
start to ferment and turn into palm sugar wine. In Thailand evening, some
farmers may sit under the palm trees and drink their homemade palm sugar wine
and get drunk. Later they ride their buffaloes home so they don't have to worry
about a 'drink and drive'.
In Thai, the word nam tann for sugar literally means palm juice. The
word 'peep' is the pail that palm sugar
Sunday, January 7, 2007
Nam Mamuang (Fresh Mango Juice)
Nam Mamuang (Fresh Mango Juice)
น้ำมะม่วง
Recipe from: Pla-kin-khao.com 2 ripe mangos ½ cup sugar ½ cup water ½ to 1
teaspoon salt 1 ½ cup boiling water Preparing the syrup by dissolving ½ cup of
water with ½ cup of sugar. Boil until dissolved well. Peel the mangoes and cut
into small pieces -- It should be about ½ cup of mangoes. Put it in the blender.
Add boiling water, syrup and salt. Blend thoroughly. It should give a strong
sweet taste since ice will be added when serving
Aa Jaad (Cucumber Pickle) อาจาด
Aa Jaad (Cucumber Pickle) อาจาด
Servings: 4
3 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 medium cucumber, peeled½ cup red onion, thinnly sliced2 tablespoon cilantro leaves, chopped1 small fresh red or green chili (prik ki nu)1 tablespoon sugar ½ teaspoon salt 1 dash black pepper
In a medium bowl, stir vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper until sugar & salt are dissolved. Quarter cucumber lengthwise. Remove seeds. Cut quarters crossswise into 1/8 inch thick slices. Add cucumber, onion, cilantro and chili to vinegar dressing; toss until combined. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
Servings: 4
3 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 medium cucumber, peeled½ cup red onion, thinnly sliced2 tablespoon cilantro leaves, chopped1 small fresh red or green chili (prik ki nu)1 tablespoon sugar ½ teaspoon salt 1 dash black pepper
In a medium bowl, stir vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper until sugar & salt are dissolved. Quarter cucumber lengthwise. Remove seeds. Cut quarters crossswise into 1/8 inch thick slices. Add cucumber, onion, cilantro and chili to vinegar dressing; toss until combined. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
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