Food and Drink

Beer Making Ingredients For Home Brewing

2012-01-20T23:34:00.001-08:00

Brewing is hard work. There are no easy sun-filled days of dancing in woven baskets. The brewer must work to loosen its grip on the essential beer making ingredients - sugar. Anyone who seeks to create an alcoholic beverage must have sugar to ferment. There are many details along the way that will determine how the beer will turn out. Every journey must begin with a single step; and when it comes to beer, that first step is preparing the essential beer making ingredients, which is malting the barley.

Malted barley, also known simply as malt, is barley seed that has been steeped in water until it starts to sprout, and then dried out in a kiln. For the brewer, barley has special gifts that other grains cannot offer. Its hard husk, low protein content and high starch contents all making a more suitable beer making ingredient.

From the beginning of the malting process, differences in moisture content, barley variety, and kilning temperatures and times are crucial and result in different varieties of malt. Every variety has a flavor, a color, an aroma, and a purpose. Malt is still the first beer making ingredient we are talking about.

The second essential beer making ingredient is hops. Most people seem to know that beer contains hops. In fact, most people seem to think that hops are the main beer making ingredients and that perhaps hops are grains. Actually, hop is a flower. It lends natural preservatives qualities to the finished beer and provides bitterness plus a range of flavors and aromas. Essentially, it acts as a spice. The bitterness of the hop is the backbone of the beer.

Yeast is another beer making ingredient. The right yeast will produce the right flavors. In many respects, the yeast can be rightly said to be the single most important beer making ingredient the brewer selects. Centuries ago, before brewers learned what yeast truly was, beer was allowed to ferment spontaneously.

The last and not to be forgotten beer making ingredient is water. Water is important. Most beers are at least 90 percent water, so it should come as no surprise that water is a critical element in the flavor of beer. The quality of the water will determine the quality of the beer produced.

Beer is made from simple ingredients but the whole process of beer brewing makes beer a more than simple beverage. To truly appreciate the beauty of beer, you can consider getting the beer making ingredients and start brewing your own beer.

What's the Thick on Roux? Thickening Soups and Sauces

2012-01-20T23:32:00.000-08:00

Soups and sauces can be thickened in a variety of ways. A sauce must the thick enough to cling to the food, but not so thick it stands up on its own. Starches are by far the most common thickening agent. Cornstarch, arrowroot, waxy maize and the ever popular, roux (roo). But what is a roux and how does it work?

Roux is a cooked mixture of equal parts by weight of fat and flour. If you mix a starch with water, such as cornstarch it is called a slurry

How does it work?

Starches thicken by absorbing water and swelling to many times their original size. This process is called gelatinization. In order for the starch to function at its maximum, each granule of starch must be separated before heating in order to avoid lumps. If granules are not separated the starch on the outside of a lump quickly gelatinizes into a coating that prevents the liquid from reach the rest of the starch inside. This is accomplished in two ways.

1. By mixing the starch with cold water - This is used with starches such as arrowroot and cornstarch. This method is not recommended for flour because it lacks flavor and has an undesirable texture.

2. By mixing the starch with fat - This is the principle of the roux. A roux must be cooked for a short period of time so the finished sauce or soup does not have the starchy taste of flour. If cooked for just a short period of time, it is called a blond roux. If cooked longer until it takes on a light brown color, it is called a brown roux.

The most preferred roux in cooking is made by mixing melted butter and flour. Many cooks clarify the butter first because the liquid in whole butter tends to gelatinize some of the starch and make the roux hard to work with. A roux made with butter gives a nice rich flavor to sauces and is easy to work with.

Margarine and oils can be used to make a roux as well, but because of there lack of flavor they are very seldom the top choice.

Fat drippings from animals such as chicken and beef can make superior sauces. Animal fats enhance the flavor of sauce, but again must be clarified to eliminate any liquid that might cause lumping.

Mixing it all together

A roux can be added to the liquid or the liquid may be added to the roux. The general rules are: The liquid can be hot or cool, but not cold. A very cold liquid will solidify the fat in the roux. The roux in the same way can be warm or cold, but not hot. A hot roux could cause spattering and possibly lumps. For medium sauces and soups I use 8 ounces butter and 8 ounces flour per gallon of liquid. For home it comes out to about 1 tablespoon each per cup of liquid. Use less or more depending on how thick you like your sauce. By follow these simple steps you'll have lump free soups and sauces for the rest of your life.

Food and Drink to Avoid During Pregnancy

2012-01-20T23:31:00.000-08:00

When you become pregnant you will soon realise that there are a long list of things you are not supposed to do.

It is better to adopt a "better safe than sorry" approach to the guidelines, but if you do find that you have done or eaten something listed below - for example eaten a soft cheese - there is probably no need to worry. It is unlikely that it has done the baby any harm as most of the risks are very small.

Foods to Avoid When Pregnant

The following food may contain high levels of listeria, which can cause a flu like illness called literalism and is linked to miscarriage and still birth. It is rare in the UK and America.

* Soft or blue veined cheeses (brie, camembert, stilton). Processed and hard cheeses pose no risk.

* Pate. This includes vegetable pate.

* Prepared salads such as coleslaw.

Food poisoning, in severe cases, can lead to miscarriage or premature labour. Therefore you should avoid:

* Raw or undercooked meat and poultry.

* Unpasteurised milk

* Raw eggs or products containing raw egg, (such as mayonnaise)

* Raw shellfish

Excessively high levels of vitamin A is linked to birth defects. Foods that are high in vitamin A, which it is recommended you should avoid, are:

* Liver and liver products such as pate.

Fish is very good to you and can still form part of a balanced diet when you are pregnant. But you should not eat more than two portions of oily fish a week. Oily fish include:

* Mackerel

* Sardines

* Trout

* Fresh tuna - tinned tuna does not count as an oily fish, but you should restrict your intake of tinned tuna to no more than 4 140g cans a week (equivalent of about 3 tuna salads).

Mercury can damage a developing baby's nervous system if consumed in high levels. Do not eat:

* marlin

* swordfish

* shark

Drinks to Avoid

* Alcohol - Heavy drinking in pregnancy can cause foetal alcohol syndrome. It is recommended by the Department of Health in the UK that pregnancy women consume no more than one or two units of alcohol in one sitting, and should not drink alcohol more than twice a week. Ideally, pregnant women should abstain altogether to ensure no adverse effects to their baby.

* Caffeine - High levels of caffeine in early pregnancy has been linked with miscarriage. High caffeine consumption can also deplete the mother's iron levels which can both inhibit the baby's development and make the mother very lethargic. Try not to have more than 200mg a day.

The best thing to do during pregnancy to keep you and your baby healthy is to use your common sense. Government guidelines and scientific studies are constantly altering or contradicting the current advice on what is safe during pregnancy. So trust your instincts and you are unlikely to go wrong.

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2011-09-22T02:42:00.001-07:00

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Chocolate Is Good for You - Too Good to Be True?

2011-09-13T20:20:00.000-07:00

According to the German chemist, Baron Justus von Liebig, (1803-1873): "Chocolate is a perfect food, as wholesome as it is delicious, a beneficent restorer of exhausted power...". These are sentiments with which most modern palates can identify! Chocolate, and by that I mean the quality stuff, has become a highly sophisticated, very adult and often daily indulgence.

Throughout its glamorous history, however, chocolate has always been a much-coveted commodity. Chocolate has its origins in a bitter, dark beverage that was first enjoyed by the Mayans and Aztecs of Central America, over 3,000 years ago. Later, during the sixteenth century, Columbus introduced cocoa beans to Spain. From then on, a passion for chocolate swept through the noble houses of Europe. Chocolate first reached England in the 1650s, but it remained an expensive luxury for at least another 200 years. Interestingly, however, it was not until the beginning of the nineteenth century that chocolate was produced in solid form for eating; and to this day, chocolate has remained synonymous with the good things in life.

But now for the real chocolate icing on the cake...

Several recent scientific studies have come up with encouraging news for chocoholics. A body of research, for example, suggests that eating a daily portion of chocolate may help maintain a healthy circulation, thanks to the naturally occurring compounds in chocolate called flavanols. Based on these findings, a number of chocolate manufacturers are introducing new production procedures designed to retain the optimum levels of flavanols in their chocolate. They are taking the matter very seriously indeed. Many restaurateurs are also jumping on the bandwagon of chocolate respectability by serving up chocolate concoctions that simply cannot be ignored. Morgan Meuniers's Islington restaurant, for instance, even offers a choice of cocoa content for its chocolate moelleux desserts, ranging from 45% milk chocolate to 70% dark. Other restaurants have introduced their own spin on the chocolate issue and any chef worth his or her cocoa beans uses only the very best quality chocolate in their signature chocolate-based creations.

So, if you thought that chocolate was wicked and no more than a pure indulgence, think again. Here are some fascinating findings that will have you reaching for chocolate in any shape or form:

• Research published in the highly respected "Journal of the American Medical Association" reveals that chocolate is good for cardiovascular health. In clinical trials subjects who consumed just 25 grams a day of semi-sweet dark chocolate, which is rich in flavanols showed significant reductions in the platelet activity that causes blood components to stick to the blood vessel walls and impede blood flow. A small daily portion of chocolate, however, may help promote normal blood flow and maintain a healthy cardiovascular system as well as reducing the risk of developing blood clots.

• Other studies have revealed that the flavanols found in chocolate may help decrease the oxidation of "bad" cholesterol (LDL, Low Density Lipoproteins). Oxidised LDLs increase the build up of plaque on the lining of blood vessel walls. When this happens blood flow is restricted, which may result in the development of conditions such as high blood pressure, atherosclerosis and other types of heart disease.

• Important European research has also shown that dark chocolate has greater anti-oxidant properties that can protect us from a whole range of life threatening diseases including heart attack and possibly even cancer. But, researchers at the University of Glasgow and at Italy's "Institute for Food and Nutrition Research" concluded that volunteers had to eat twice as much milk chocolate as dark chocolate to obtain the same levels of antioxidants. Further research is ongoing to establish whether dairy products consumed in combination with dark chocolate may actually reduce its antioxidant effects.

In all these various studies, dark chocolate, which is higher in flavanols, appeared to contain greater health-giving properties than milk chocolate.

Ultimately, as with all good things in life, moderation is called for when it comes to chocolate consumption, largely due to its high saturated fat content. But, hey, it can't be all bad! On the contrary; we now know that chocolate, with its reliable feel good factor can also make us fell fit and well.

Hershey Foods Corporation and the Love of Chocolate

2011-09-11T20:20:00.000-07:00

Among the largest manufacturers of chocolate and confectionery products in America is known as a company called The Hershey Foods Corporation. The company is a major exporter of chocolate-related products and has additional factories in Canada and Mexico. This company was founded in 1894 by Milton Hershey which is located in Hershey Pennsylvania.

By the age of fifteen, the young Hershey, following a candy apprenticeship attempted to run his own candy shop in Philadelphia which failed after six years. But undeterred by his failure he continued to operate on his business idea of making caramel with fresh milk until in 1886 he returned to Lancaster founded the Lancaster Caramel Company and made a success of the company until he sold it for $1 million in 1900.

Seven years after founding the Lancaster Caramel Company, Hershey made a decision to concentrate on making chocolate-covered caramels after buying a German chocolate-making machine and in 1894 he established the Hershey Chocolate Company that manufactured baking chocolate, chocolate coating, sweet chocolate and cocoa. A dedicated chocolate manufacturing plant was constructed by the company in 1905 and shortly the local community was dominated by the Hershey name together with the company's activity for chocolate for love.

The firm went from strength to strength although Hershey would not trust in advertising and marketing and he made a poor investment in Cuban sugar in the 1920s. The Great Depression saw a downturn in the market but to survive Hershey open his doors to public tours to promote his chocolate by referral and kept the regional population employed through various construction projects.

However, Hershey generously did not stop there, he and his wife, who were childless established a school for orphans in 1909, the Hershey Industrial School, which has eventually renamed the Milton Hershey School in 1995 and still owns 35.5 percent of the company's stock via a trust fund.

In 1945 following Hershey's death the firm continued in the 'giving' tradition of its founder and established the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center of Pennsylvania State University in the town of Hershey.

The company continued to prosper during the 1960s and began diversifying its product range outside of chocolate for love towards pasta and it brought two pasta companies established the company name to Hershey Foods Corporation. As the company expanding into Europe it started advertising and marketing and in 1980 it acquired rights of the British candy maker Cadbury Schweppes PLC. The expansion grew with acquisitions in Canada, Sweden and the Ronzoni Foods Corporation, that make Hershey the most significant supplier of dry pasta in the north American market.

How to Make Chocolate Recipes Better

2011-09-07T20:18:00.000-07:00

When you're wanting to learn how to make chocolate recipes better there are a few things you need to remember.

1. Follow the recipe before you make changes to it.
2. Use good quality, fresh ingredients only.
3. Make sure your measurements are right e.g. tsp is teaspoons, tbsp is tablespoons, gram to cup conversions vary depending upon the ingredient/s.

The main item I would like to focus on here to help us all make better chocolate recipes is the Star ingredient - Chocolate.

Chocolate would have to be one of the best ingredients ever! I thank God for the Theobroma Cacao tree from which chocolate is made. The scientific name Theobroma actually means "food of the gods".

If we stop long enough and just think about chocolate all by itself we would quickly realize what a magnificent food it really is. Here is a food type that will cheer up anyone who is feeling sad. It says "I love you" better than any other food type. When we think of Valentine's Day chocolate, flowers and jewelry usually come to mind.

It also makes an excellent gift for birthdays, Easter, Christmas, engagements, weddings, anniversaries, is a great way to say sorry, makes a good excuse to get together, is delicious with practically any beverage, it markets and sells well generally and for charity drives, has featured in so many movies e.g. Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, Like Water for Chocolate, Chocolat, In Search of the Heart of Chocolate and so many more.

Then we start to think of chocolate as an ingredient. Possibly the best place to begin is by thinking about chocolate bars. Brand names like Cadbury, Hershey's, Nestle have made very successful businesses by adding fruits, nuts and flavors to it. Change the shape and sell it again e.g chocolate chips, blocks of chocolate, little chocolate bars, milk or dairy, dark and white chocolate etc.

Put chocolate in biscuits, cakes, drinks - both non-alcoholic and alcoholic, mousse, brownies, pies, icing, desserts and the list goes on.

Chocolate really is superb!

If are wanting to know how to make a chocolate chip cookie recipe you would find a cookbook, website or blog that is dedicated to chocolate. You want to make sure that the author of the recipe/s really knows the ingredients they promote.

Also, remember the guidelines mentioned above - follow the recipe, fresh ingredients and correct measures.

Recently I decided to make chocolate brownies. A friend suggested I double the ingredients, which I did. I poured all of the brownie mix into a deep baking dish and baked it for the suggested time. Because of this the brownie recipe was a flop however, the chocolate lava cake was a huge success - thankfully. My mistake here was I should have stuck to the recipe and poured the mix into two shallow baking dishes just like it said.

Once you are confident, then experiment to your heart's desires. Have a go at using additional ingredients. For example where the chocolate chip cookie recipe calls for rolled oats, try a natural muesli. The addition of fruit, nuts and bran to these cookies is outstanding.

Finally, when most people think of chocolate they think of fun times. Chocolate and cooking are both fun, so relax and enjoy working with different recipes. This alone can improve the quality of your hard work and time in the kitchen.

How to Make Chocolate Peanuts, Turtles and Other Chocolate Covered Products

2011-09-05T20:18:00.000-07:00

One of the most interesting ways chocolate candy is made is a modern method that involves a machine called an "enrober". Imagine a cupcake cup in which you place a pretzel. Fill the cup up with warm chocolate. Then make slits or slots on all four sides so that the extra chocolate will run out of the cup and into a catching tray.

Now when you flood the cup with chocolate it coats the pretzel, but as the chocolate flows back out of the cup the pretzel remains coated. If you move this cup on a belt through a cooling tunnel the chocolate will harden to its final form. Suppose there are 12 cups in a row on a conveyor line, all filled with pretzels. The cups pass beneath a nozzle that fills the cups with chocolate. The overflow runs out through the slits in the cup.

The above method would not be perfect if you need to have chocolate on the bottom of the piece. When you make chocolates in an enrober that needs a chocolate bottom first, before you place an item in the cup you add a small amount of chocolate in the cup bottom. The cup then passes through a chilling tunnel where the bottom sets. The cup is then filled with a nut or fruit center. Then the cup is top flooded with chocolate. The entire piece passes through a cooling tunnel to make the final hard set. Often this is the way production chocolate pieces are made for the large companies.

The excess chocolate recirculates and is used again to flood the next cups with chocolate. This is an enrobing line and you can always tell enrobing because there is a flat bottom on the chocolate item.

Smaller chocolate makers hand dip the chocolates - one at a time - and this is slower but more individualized. An enrober give constant quality, appearance, and large volume of products.

This method of chocolate coating is machinery intensive and requires expensive equipment. A normal plant might make 2,000 pounds of enrobed chocolate pieces on a typical production run!

Have you ever wondered how it is that we can dip nuts into chocolate so that the chocolate comes out distributed evenly all around the nut?

When the nut is coated commercially it goes through an enrobing process. If you had a cup and poured a little chocolate in it and set the chocolate, then placed a nut in the cup on the chocolate bottom, and then flowed chocolate over the nut with the excess flowing out of the cup, you would be enrobing. The finished coated nut goes through cooling tunnels to harden the chocolate and is then popped out of the cup.

You can not do that at home. About the best you can do is to pour chocolate in a mold and then push the nut into the center. As it sets the nut will form a core. Sometimes you can buy these molds at cake decorating specialty shops. They are usually made of flexible rubber or plastic.

You might also try an easier method, but more specialized. Take the nut in your hand and dip the nut into the chocolate and give your wrist a quick turn as you lift the chocolate-coated nut out of the bowl. The chocolate will run off, but some will stay on the nut forming a thin layer. Set on wax paper to dry. You can dip several times and this will build up a mass.

This method is an art-form and when you hear of "hand-dipped" chocolates, this is what they mean. It takes about a year of steady dipping and twisting to get talented so don't be discouraged if it does not go well.

Chestnut Chocolate Cake

2011-09-03T20:16:00.000-07:00

Chocolate cake with chestnut filling

I made this cake because one of my sons very often eats chestnut cream. So I came up with the idea of a chestnut filling, and I don't regret it, because this chestnut filling cake came out delicious. The chestnut cream in a jar is very thick, that is harder, and it must be mixed with whipped cream so that it is easier to spread on the cake layer. I could have made a separate chocolate cream or ness coffee cream to soften the chestnut cream, but I thought it's better to put whipped cream so as not to mix the fillings too much, and it came out very good. It takes some time to prepare this cake, but the result will be a truly special one.

Ingredients:

• 1 chocolate cake layer
• 2 chestnut cream jars
• 2 jars of cherries in cherry juice
• 1 box of liquid cream from the brand "Hulala" (500 ml)
• 2 packages of chocolate icing
• 300 gr. of nutmeats, cut into small pieces with a knife
• Raw sugar for the whipped cream, 3 or 4 spoons
• 50 ml amaretto liqueur for the syrup

Preparation:

First, we prepare the chestnut cream using the 2 jars, mixing it then with some "Hulala" whipped cream spoons. I've used 6 whipped cream spoons for 600 gr. of chestnut cream. We thoroughly mix the cream with a wooden spoon, so that the cream homogenizes well and then we put the cream into the refrigerator. We also prepare the "Hulala" whipped cream, to which we add 4 spoons of raw sugar. After that we put it into the refrigerator.

We prepare the syrup for moistening the cake layers. I've prepared it out of 250 ml of water, to which I have added 4 or 5 spoons of raw sugar, depending on your taste. We put the kettle on the fire, until the sugar dissolves entirely, and then we add 50 ml of amaretto liqueur. We pass on to moisturizing the cake layers, we add plenty of cream and on top of the cream we also add a generous layer of nutmeats, crushed or cut into small pieces with a knife. I've cut the nutmeats with a knife, because we like it to be a little bigger, not finely crushed. After we have moistened the cake and added the cream and nutmeats, on top we put the icing, the whipped cream and the cherries taken from the jar. The cake is served after keeping it into the refrigerator for a while, and then it is cut into squares. Enjoy!!!

3 Quick and Easy Recipes For Hard Boiled Eggs

2011-06-05T20:52:00.000-07:00

Hard boiled eggs have been a staple in households around the world for decades, if not longer and for good reason. Not only are eggs a healthy food choice they are generally cheap! If you have been searching for a few good recipes for eggs, you have come to the right site. Here are few easy to make recipes.

Egg Salad Sandwiches

This is a recipe for eggs that has been as many variations at the people making it. Some swear by adding onions, herbs and even avocado's, but these are definitely not mandatory. A simple egg salad sandwich recipe would look something like the following:

2 hard boiled eggs

1 Tbsp. mayonnaise (salad dressing works as well)

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Dash of pepper

Dash of salt

½ tsp. red wine vinegar (optional)

Finely chop the eggs, add mayonnaise, mustard, pepper, salt and red wine vinegar. Mix thoroughly and serve on your choice of bread.

Tuna Egg Salad

Other recipes for eggs often include various meat additives, including tuna.

Can tuna

4 hard boiled eggs

1 ½ tablespoon of mayonnaise

½ cup chopped celery (optional)

Pepper and salt to taste

Tuna in water is the healthier recipe for eggs but that is often a matter of personal preference. Drain oil or water, mix remaining ingredients and serve on favorite bread. (Wheat, white or multi-grain)

Deviled Eggs

One of the most popular recipe has to be the deviled egg.

12 hard boiled eggs

½ cup mayo or salad dressing

1 tsp. dry mustard (yellow mustard can also been use)

1 tsp. white vinegar

½ tsp. black pepper

Salt to taste

Peel the cooked eggs and rinse thoroughly. Slice it in half, longwise is most popular. Gently scoop out egg yolk and set aside in med mixing bowl. Mix mayonnaise, egg yolks and rest of ingredients together in bowl. You can use a hand mixer for extremely creamy filling, but hand mixing works fine as well. With a bakers bag or teaspoon refill egg white cavity with mix and garnish with paprika. Serve and enjoy the recipes and share it to your family and friends.

Conclusion

These are but a few of the most popular recipes for hard boiled eggs. With different variations of your choice, serving the traditional egg recipe is not a problem. As you may have noticed, each of the recipes for it may differ slightly from the way you or grandma did it! Egg salad, tuna salad and deviled eggs are classic recipes for hard-boiled eggs that have been tweaked to personal taste about a thousand different ways. Suffice it to say, there really is no wrong recipe!

Soup Recipes for the Football Season - Hearty Bowls for Your Bowls

2011-06-04T20:52:00.000-07:00

After the joyous holidays, here comes the most dynamic season of the year- Super Bowl Days. While I may not have enough room to present suggestions from breakfast to late evening snacks, the following hearty soup recipes will fill a lot of tummies for football afternoons or will make up a delicious meal for cold evenings or weekend afternoons.

These recipes probably sound everyday but they fit the definition of warm comfort food that is versatile enough for the active football days. These are easy soup recipes that work for the long AFC and NFC playoff season when fans may not all want to eat at the same time. Plus, it works great for those cold days when soup just seems like the right thing.

Zesty Hamburger Soup

Ingredients

* 1 pound ground beef
* 2 cups celery, sliced
* 1 cup onion, chopped
* 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
* 4 cups hot water
* 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
* 2 cups frozen corn
* 1-1/2 cups small shell pasta, uncooked
* 3-4 pickled jalapeno slices
* 4 cups V8 juice
* 2 cans (10 ounces each) diced tomatoes with green chilies
* 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar

Directions

Put beef, celery and onion in a Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Drain. Stir in the water, potatoes, frozen corn, uncooked pasta and jalapeno. Bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or just enough until pasta is tender. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to another boil. Once boiled, your hot soup is ready.

Healthy Sausage Lentil Soup

Ingredients

* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 1 celery rib, chopped
* 1/4 pound reduced-fat smoked sausage, thinly sliced
* 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
* 1/3 cup water
* 1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
* 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes, cut up
* 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
* 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped

Directions

Coat a large saucepan with cooking spray. Cook onion and celery over medium-high heat for around 2 minutes. Add the sausage, carrot and garlic; cook for 3 minutes longer or until onion is tender. Stir in the chicken broth, water, lentils, oregano, cumin and pepper. Once boiled, lower heat then cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the remaining 3 ingredients and cook until heated through or spinach is done.

I hope you will try and enjoy the soup recipes. These are among the best soup options that I find full of fiber, vitamins and iron. Just another healthy and tasty treat for those football fanatics.

Quick and Easy Recipes to Make For Your Family or For Entertaining

2011-06-03T20:51:00.000-07:00

If you have one of those homes where it seems everyone likes to congregate, you need lots of quick and easy recipes! Do your kids' friends always seem to be at your house? Everyone shows up at your house to watch the big games or your place seems the logical spot for game night, etc and everyone likes to eat! The recipes in this article will help you feed them quickly, easily, and inexpensively!

TRI-COLOR ROTINI SALAD
1 pkg (8-oz) tri-color rotini pasta, cooked according to pkg directions, drained
1 cup Grated Parmesan cheese
1 small bottle (8-oz) your favorite Italian salad dressing
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced red onion
2 cups broccoli flowerets
1/2 cup ripe olives

Mix all the ingredients together until well blended. Chill until serving time.

Yield: 8 cups

SPICY BAKED ARTICHOKE DIP
1 cup (4-oz container) grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1 can (14-oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 can (4-oz) green chilies, drained
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp green onion slices
2 tbsp chopped tomatoes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Very lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate or a quiche dish; set aside.

Mix the cheese, mayonnaise, artichoke hearts, chilies, and garlic together. Spoon the mixture into the prepared dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and sprinkle the green onion slices and chopped tomatoes over the top. Serve with assorted crackers.

Yield: 2 cups dip

EASY ITALIAN-FLAVORED BREADSTICKS
1 can (8 count) refrigerated breadstick dough
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
dash of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 egg white, beaten
1 tbsp water (cold works best)

Preheat oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Spray two cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

In a small bowl combine the oregano, basil, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and garlic powder; mix well and set aside.

Beat the egg white with the water; set aside.

Unroll the breadstick dough and separate at perforations. Cut each into two strips lengthwise. Brush the dough with the egg white/water mixture. Remove 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture and reserve. Sprinkle the remaining cheese mixture over the egg white wash; fold strips in half lengthwise and twist to form a twisty breadstick. Press ends together to seal.

Brush twists with the remaining egg white wash and sprinkle with the reserved cheese mixture. Arrange on the prepared cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Snacks and Other Sweets to Indulge Family, Yourself and Your Guests

2011-06-02T20:50:00.000-07:00

One thing we all seem to love is sweets. Whether it is a sweet snack such as popcorn balls or candies or a wonderful torte, it seems sweets are things we don't want to live without. This article is a compilation of recipes to allow you to indulge that sweet yen in you, your family, and or your friends. Enjoy one of these goodies the next time the sweet tooth in you needs settling down!

EASY MARSHMALLOWS POPCORN BALLS
1 cup packed light brown sugar
8 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup butter
3 quarts popped popcorn

In a saucepan combine the brown sugar, marshmallows, and butter. Cook (stirring constantly)
the mixture over low heat until the marshmallows are melted.

Place the popped corn in a large heat-proof bowl and pour the hot mixture over the corn. With buttered or greased hands, shape the popcorn into 20 balls. Place the popcorn balls on waxed paper and let stand until firm. Store in an airtight container or containers.

MY VERSION OF A BABY RUTH CANDY BAR
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 jar (7-oz) marshmallow creme
1 cup chopped salted peanuts

In the top of a double-boiler over hot water, melt the chocolate chips and the peanut butter together, stirring occasionally. When melted, remove from the heat; add the marshmallow creme and peanuts. Beat until mixed together well. Pour into a foil-lined 8-inch square baking dish. Allow to cool completely then cut into 36 squares.

HONEY APPLE TORTE
1/3 cup honey
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 Granny Smith, Rome, or Winesap apples, peeled, each cut into 8 wedges
3/4 cup sugar
6 tbsp butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
nonstick cooking spray
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large nonstick skillet combine the honey and lemon juice; bring mixture to a simmer over low heat. Add the apples and cook for 14 to 15 minutes until almost tender, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the 3/4 cup of sugar, butter, brown sugar, and vanilla at medium speed until well blended (about 4 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in the lemon rind.

Lightly spoon the flour into measuring cup and level with a knife or your finger. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt, using a whisk to blend well. Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture beating on low speed until blended.

Pour the batter into a 9-inch springform pan that has been sprayed lightly with the nonstick cooking spray. Using a slotted spoon remove the apples from the skillet and arrange in a spoke pattern atop the batter. Press apples gently into the batter. Combine the 1 tablespoon of sugar and the cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over the apples.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until the cake springs back when lightly touched in the center with your fingertips. Cook in the pan, on a wire rack, until completely cooled. Run a thin knife around the edge then remove the sides of the pan. Cut into 10 wedges.

Make a New Year's Resolution to Have More Healthy, Tasty, Inexpensive Meals at Home!

2011-06-01T20:49:00.000-07:00

Why not promise yourself that you will serve your family more healthy, inexpensive meals at home in the year 2012? It is not hard to do, is much easier on your pocketbook, and is usually much healthier too. This article is full of recipes for old fashioned inexpensive, healthy, tasty recipes to help you toward that goal! Notice I did not say these recipes are for a meal. You will probably not want to serve all three of these recipes together; they are just ideas for various meals. Have a great 2012 and eat well!

CORN AU GRATIN

Growing up in the midwest corn country, corn was always a favorite no matter how you cooked it. Since corn and cheese are two of my favorite foods, I love this corn au gratin! You can make it even healthier by substituting whole-wheat flour for regular white flour, Splenda granulated for the sugar, egg substitute for the eggs, low-fat cheese for the regular Cheddar, and evaporated skim milk for the milk or cream. Simple substitutions your family won't even notice!

1 can (16-oz) cream-style corn
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup milk or cream

Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix together well. Place in a greased 8-inch square baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

SAUSAGE AND SWEET POTATO BAKE

1 lb bulk sausage
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
3 medium apples, peeled and sliced
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup water

Brown sausage and drain. Arrange the sausage, potatoes and apples in a 2-quart casserole. Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt and water. Pour over sausage. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for about 1 hour or until potatoes and apples are tender.

Make this an even healthier dish by substituting turkey sausage (but read the label well to be sure it doesn't contain ground up turkey fat). Sweet potatoes and apples are two very healthy ingredients. And believe it or not, the cinnamon is very good for you.

TAILGATE PARMESAN CHICKEN

3 lb frying chicken, cut up
1 1/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1/4 fresh ground black pepper
1/3 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Wash the chicken and pat dry.

Mix the Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper together.

Dip the chicken into the melted butter then into the Parmesan mixture.

Lightly spray a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange the coated chicken pieces, skin side down, in the baking pan. Pour the remaining butter over the chicken.

Bake, uncovered, at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. Turn chicken and bake another 20 minutes or until tender and juices run clear.

Yield: 4 servings

You can update this recipe to a more healthy status by removing the skin from the chicken. In my opinion, such as it is, substituting margarine for butter is not a healthy alternative. Butter is a natural product and more readily accepted by our bodies than is the artificial margarines.

Three Minute Raw Organic Vegan Pie Crust

2011-05-19T20:07:00.000-07:00

The opportunities to make healthy food choices are here now! Never before has it been so easy to create an alternative desert for lasting energy and whole food nutrition. You will be absolutely amazed at how delicious and filling a raw, organic, and vegan pie crust is. This recipe will surprise you because it is the healthiest pie ever, and is so quick it takes only three minutes to make! The benefits to choosing a raw organic vegan pie crust instead of the conventional baked pie crust are many. First, you are choosing all living foods which provide nutrients our bodies need to be healthy by providing vitamin and mineral content. Second, because it is fruit sweetened, your body will have sustained energy to power you throughout your day. Third, you won't have to worry about eating refined sugars and carbohydrates since every ingredient in this recipe is organic, raw, full of living enzymes, and life force energy from the sun! Finally there is an alternative desert that has so many positive aspects, you'll wonder why you had not heard of this sooner. Ready to have more energy and feel great while enjoying the sweeter side of life, then take action and follow this simple three minute recipe and share some delicious organic raw vegan pie with your friends!

The first thing is to gather all your ingredients. Here is a list of everything you will need.

1 cup of raw organic nuts or seeds of your choice.

½ cup of dried fruits, such as dates, bananas, raisins, figs or prunes.

1 teaspoon of vanilla

¼ teaspoon of sea salt

1 pinch of lemon zest

Now that you have your ingredients ready, it is time to have fun! Place all ingredients into a food processor and process until mixture is firm enough to mold into pie dish. Put mixture right into pie plate and form with your hands and fingers inside of the pie dish evenly. There you have it! A whole foods nutrition pie crust just waiting to be filled with whatever your heart desires! I really enjoy cutting up several types of fruits and placing inside. From strawberries and kiwis to bananas and blueberries. The sky is the limit when creating your very own raw organic vegan pie! Making healthy choices is so much fun when you discover how easy it is to prepare live foods at home. Your friends and family will be amazed when they taste how delicious your hand made pies are. This recipe is sure to please everyone who partakes on any occasion. Whether you have a birthday, or a holiday meal, this pie crust will create a unique dining experience for all! Start a new family tradition with a healthy alternative to pass down through the generations, and spread health and happiness to the people in your life who really matter to you by sharing a nutrient rich and satisfyingly sweet organic raw vegan pie crust.

Organic Raw Kale Salad

2011-05-17T20:07:00.000-07:00

Organic raw kale is a cruciferous vegetable, belonging to the mustard family. It is high in calcium and contains forty three percent of the daily recommended servings of protein at dry weight. Organic raw kale provides long lasting energy to sustain you throughout the day. We are living in a time where many food items are based off nothing short of convenience. The underlying problem existing with this is that all those readily available and highly processed foods are lifeless, and lack the vitamin and nutrient content found in whole foods.

In the United States today, the number one killer in human beings is heart disease. Diet is a contributing factor of heart disease. It's unhealthy for our hearts when we eat highly processed foods that have large amounts of refined sugar, carbohydrates, and no living enzymes, vitamins or minerals. The choices of foods you eat ultimately impacts the level of your current state of health. Organic raw fruits and vegetables are full of life force energy that ensures you are receiving all the important nutrients the mind and body need to be healthy and thrive. It is very important to focus your attention on your daily food choices. One thing I have noticed over the past ten years is, when I make a healthy food choice it will make it easier to repeat that action in the future.

So, in other words, one healthy choice will lead to another healthy choice! The opposite is also true as well; one unhealthy choice will often lead to, unfortunately, another unhealthy food choice. Ready to make a fresh start on your road to health and well being? Well now is the perfect moment to begin paving the road to your future state of health by learning the simple preparation of this fantastic kale salad recipe! I am going to show you how simple it is to prepare a delicious organic raw kale salad that you can enjoy with your friends and family. Here is a list of all the ingredients needed.

One bunch organic kale, chopped.

One organic red bell pepper, chopped.

Two tablespoons of fresh squeezed organic lemon juice.

Two tablespoons of organic extra virgin olive oil.

One half teaspoon of sea salt.

Let's have fun now making this healthy organic salad! Place all ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Now with clean hands begin to gently massage the mixture together for close to one minute. The reason for massaging the fresh squeezed lemon juice and olive oil into the kale leaves is because this process will actually begin to break down the cell walls of the kale, making it tender and easier to eat. After massaging the mixture you may like to add some chopped tomato and avocado to top it off. Now you have a complete meal!

I cannot even begin to explain how amazing you will feel after eating this organic raw kale salad for the first time, you'll just have to prepare it and find out for yourself! The first time I ate this salad I recognized the value of making healthy food choices, and was so happy to have discovered a food option that would give me so much energy and vitality. Whenever I need a burst of energy I remember how nutritious and energizing this recipe is, as well as how quick and easy it is to prepare! Take advantage of this recipe and the amazing benefits you will receive by making a healthy choice for your life! I wish you abundant health and longevity!

Why Become A Vegetarian?

2011-05-15T20:06:00.000-07:00

You've probably asked yourself that one at one point in your life. As someone who's been a vegetarian for several years, as well as learned from world-class chefs and dietitians, there are several of valid reasons to make a fresh start and begin a plant-based diet.

A lot of people concerned about their well-being are searching for ways to get rid of unhealthy eating habits. By taking meat out of your diet, you are getting rid of a major source of saturated fat, cholesterol, and various other harmful elements. This doesn't include the chemicals that you take in by having meat in your diet. The animal processing industry uses various growth hormones, antibiotics, and other unnatural chemicals that you will wind up eating and processing through your body.

You can also take into account the environmental aspects. Research has proven that the level of harmful gases given off from the daily excrement of millions of factory-raised livestock is more harmful to the world than every car put together. Additionally, the dizzying amounts of feed necessary to feed the millions of head of livestock requires additional millions of pounds of pesticide and other chemicals, which can run off into drinking water.

One more element of the discussion over going vegetarian has to do with the less-than-humane ways animals are processed for eating. We like to think that chickens, pigs, cows, etc. that are raised for consumption lead pleasant lives, similar to how we treat our dogs and cats.

But the hard fact is that the majority of livestock are looked at as commodities and are treated as nothing more than a product; not sentient creatures. Realize that most livestock live in small boxes, often not allowed room to stand. They suffer from awful diseases and are kept viable so that they can make it to the slaughterhouse, where they are shocked, hit with electric bolt guns, have their throats slit, and some are even dumped into scalding water while still conscious.

The good news is that you can lead a healthy, ethical life by eating a meatless diet. Vegetarians often have lower incidences of disease, and several report feeling a higher level of focus and concentration all through the day.

And for the folks who are worried that all they will be eating is lettuce and soybeans, think again. You might be surprised to find out just how great a plant-based diet can taste. With a slate of delicious, simple, and quick cooking techniques, not to mention modern meat analogs and replacements, you will be more satisfied than ever before. This includes the once-in-awhile treats that will make you believe you're eating steak, grilled chicken, pepperoni pizza, and more.

Organic Vegan Raw Spaghetti

2011-05-13T20:05:00.000-07:00

Did you know it is possible to make healthy comfort food? Spaghetti has always been one of my favorite meals to prepare for dinner or lunch, and I am so excited to share with you a recipe that will satisfy your hunger for a tasty and complete meal! Organic raw vegetables and fruits add numerous vitamins and minerals into the diet, which provide lasting energy to keep you going throughout your day.

I recently discovered a kitchen tool called a spiral slicer. This manual hand turn crank device is actually quite fun to use, and once you practice a couple of times it is super easy to make raw noodles from several different types of vegetables. I purchased my spiral slicer online for around twenty dollars and have found it to be very durable throughout the past few years I've used it. My family and I have really enjoyed using this creative kitchen device. Its durability has also proven to be cost efficient. My favorite vegetables to spiral slice into raw pasta noodles are zucchini and yellow squash because they have a slightly neutral flavor that easily absorb flavors from other added ingredients, herbs, and spices when combined together. If you do not have a spiral slicer, you may use a cheese grater to create a shredded noodle that is also enjoyable to prepare.

You will need the following ingredients and items on hand to complete the preparation of this recipe.

Spiral vegetable slicer or cheese grater.

Food processor.

Two large evenly round organic zucchini or yellow squash.

Ten sun-dried tomatoes soaked for twenty minutes until soft.

Half cup organic pine nuts.

Four medium organic tomatoes.

Four organic basil leaves.

One clove organic garlic.

One tablespoon fresh chopped organic oregano.

One teaspoon sea salt.

One teaspoon organic freshly cracked black pepper.

Half teaspoon organic chili powder.

Half cup organic extra virgin olive oil.

One cup purified water.

Once you have all your ingredients, you may begin the preparation of this delicious meal. First, use the spiral slicer to make spiral pasta noodles from the zucchini or yellow squash and set aside. Next, place the remaining ingredients, except pine nuts, into your food processor. Pulse until smooth, but slightly chunky. Be sure not to over process, unless you desire a completely liquified sauce. I prefer a slightly chunky texture in my spaghetti sauces, as I find it adds to the enjoyment of all the distinct flavors in this gourmet meal. Then, place desired amount of zucchini or yellow squash noodle pasta into separate serving bowls. Now, pour the processed sauce over the servings of noodles. Finally, sprinkle the raw organic pine nuts on top of each bowl. The pine nuts add delicious flavor and make a beautiful and edible garnish. Now you can satisfy even the biggest of appetites as you enjoy devouring this tasty and healthy recipe! Making healthy dietary choices has never been this easy before, and it starts with one healthy choice! I love preparing delectable organic raw vegan meals for people, and I know you will too! Now you can create a whole new experience in your kitchen, and even enroll children in the process as well. Kids have so much fun knowing they are helping make this delicious meal the entire family will love!

Vegan Food Choices That Can Win Over Relatives At Holiday Time

2011-05-11T20:04:00.000-07:00

I recently called a friend to ask how his Thanksgiving was. He is a pretty healthy guy who practices a vegan diet and recently has been leaning towards raw foods. He told me that his Thanksgiving was fine and proudly told me about the raw food dish he made. Of course I expected to hear details about the social part of his holiday as well, but it turns out he ate his Thanksgiving meal by himself while his family celebrated at his sibling's house.

This was sad and frustrating. My friend eating all by himself was only taking in secondary nutrition. Secondary nutrition is what you call the nutrition most people think of - food, beverages, and nutritional supplements. Primary nutrition is what gives our lives meaning. It's what feeds our soul. It is relationships and hugs from people we love. It is careers, spiritual practice, physical activity, and leisure time - fun, hobbies, entertainment, and rest. Getting together with people we love and nurturing relationships is a vital part of life and benefits us in many ways.

"They don't like my food, and they eat turkey and I don't like to be around that," is what he told me. I could relate to this because that was how things used to be in my house. I would get up on my high horse and preach to everyone that they should eat a certain way. I was frustrated that people didn't like the organic whole food vegan dishes I cooked because I knew they would make them healthy, and that what they were eating was killing them. Of course, there were family members who would comment kindly about the vegan dish brought to the table - but the reality is that they were thinking that it was nothing more than a poor protein vegetable side dish (a dish that does nothing to stimulate any consideration of giving up meat).

The solution to the problem is to lose the "rabbit food" and go with meat substitutes.

Meat substitutes, also known as meat analogs, are vegan food products that look, smell, feel and taste like meat in practically every way. This can be a shock to people. Someone who is used to eating a meat-centered diet, like most Americans, is ok trying meat substitutes, but is turned off by anything that strays from the norm (and appears healthy).

Meat substitutes don't threaten one's culture, identity and traditions, or alienate taste buds with something strange or foreign looking. What's more, they frequently have more protein than the meat they are trying to replicate. There are companies that produce meat substitutes - Garden, Yves, Light Life, Tofurky, and Field Roast to name a few. They make everything from Italian sausage to pepperoni and deli slices - all 100% vegan. They can be found in health food stores, Trader Joe's. And now, more and more traditional food stores are carrying these products. There is also Veggie Brothers which features chef made gourmet vegan dishes, delivered to your door anywhere in the USA and Canada that include meat substitutes like Vegan Chicken Pot Pie.

So how does this solution really work?

Meat substitutes are not extreme. They are not threatening. People try them, and that's a big hurdle. If you are a traditional household holding a festive holiday dinner, a macrobiotic dish or raw food dish is typically not in sync with everything else on the table. Meat substitutes on the other hand can rival the meat-based focal point of the meal. I've seen it many times, and many people have written to me telling me so:

Now, let the magic begin

When people try meat substitutes for the first time they are often amazed. It challenges their old way of thinking: vegans and vegetarians just eat salad.

I have found that when you couple meat substitutes with great information there is a very good chance that a person will make better dietary choices like consuming less meat, or eliminating it completely. Most people are aware that consuming less meat improves health, offers relief to animals, and helps the environment.

If you are on a super healthy diet and adding meat substitutes to your holiday dish is a step down from your nutritionally superior throne, just remember, it can be a step up for the people you love the most. No one says you cannot also bring your super healthy dish. In fact bringing both to the table provides people with a demonstration of where they can start, and where that may lead. I don't know about you, but if someone I love who's been getting F's on their report cards suddenly gets a D, I'm happy for that progress, and I am happy to support them reach an A+ level - at a pace they can handle. But if they never get beyond a D, it's better than an F.

It is my prayer that we recognize the good karma and the good dose of primary nutrition that comes from encouraging people in our lives to move towards a healthier diet. We just need to offer vegan alternatives to the foods they already know, love and enjoy. My friend who had Thanksgiving by himself missed a huge opportunity to help open closed minds and possibly heal a relationship that needed healing. Using meat substitutes, I recently enjoyed my 4th completely Vegetarian Thanksgiving with my slowly converting Italian American Family.

If you are a vegan or an extremely healthy vegetarian, consider bringing foods that are not so extreme to the people who really need to improve their diet the most. And please don't ignore the power that meat substitutes can offer. Let us make an effort the next holiday - whether it is Christmas or the Fourth of July - to use meat substitutes as fun, enjoyable, ways for family members to enjoy the same food, even if its not all the time.

Nostalgic Candy - A Traditional Old Fashioned American Candy Maintains Its Popularity

2011-05-07T20:48:00.000-07:00

In Atlantic City, New Jersey, it's often packaged in collectible beach themed or Atlantic City memorabilia containers. Salt Water Taffy remains a popular treat and is often purchased as a gift or souvenir from that location. Otherwise, sources for this candy range from exclusive high-end boutiques to buy-it-by-the-pound grocery store bulk product departments. Its popularity can be based primarily on one measurement never overlooked by consumers of edible products - it tastes good!

The fable surrounding the name "Salt Water Taffy" is that it originated in 1883 after a northeaster wind caused a flood in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The entire stock of David Bradley's taffy candy was soaked, seemingly ruining it. Joseph Fralinger, who was manning the shop, was prompted to call the candy "Salt Water Taffy" after several customers ordered it using that (and similar) names. He then packaged the candy and sold it as a souvenir of the flood. This fable, a classic "make lemonade out of lemons" story caught on fast and probably made taffy even more popular.

Frahlingers remains the oldest of Atlantic City's original businesses on the Boardwalk, still selling a large variety of saltwater taffy. Due to the popularity of the candy (and especially its name) the Trademark for "Salt Water Taffy" was brought under legal dispute several times throughout history. This sweet treat remains highly popular to this day, and the name represents the sweet result of American resourcefulness, creativity, and capitalism.

"Taffy Pulls" were the social event participated in by family, friends, and neighbors; and documented in much literature and history of the late 1800's. After making the simple recipe, the taffy was hung on a hook then stretched to a length of 5-6 feet long. It was then looped back to the hook again and the strands were folded together. This "aerated" the mixture, which made the candy softer. Of course, this pulling process was eventually mechanized. A man named Enoch James is credited with being the first to innovate the equipment and process that would make taffy pulling faster, more efficient, and suitable for commercial use. However, it's reported that old fashioned taffy pulls do continue to be held at parties in the Country of Wales.

The recipe for taffy is quite simple. It includes the common ingredients corn syrup, butter, sugar, corn starch, water, and salt. After the desired food coloring and flavoring is added the mixture is boiled to the "soft crack" stage at a temperature of 270 degrees Fahrenheit. Today, of course, Salt Water Taffy is primarily produced in a large scale environment using modern manufacturing processes. Salt Water Taffy, which actually contains no sea water whatsoever, is available in colors and flavors to coordinate with most any occasion, holiday, or theme. Many varieties contain a soft filling in the middle of each candy with a special flavor and color. Though the candy is sold everywhere, Atlantic City is still considered its traditional "home" of origin in the United States. In Great Britain, the name 'Taffy' is often used interchangeably with 'Toffee'.

A Quick Guide To Pizza Cheeses

2011-05-06T20:47:00.000-07:00

A lot of times, what gives a certain restaurant's pizza its particular taste is the type of cheese they use. Really, it should be the types of "cheeses" since many places have their own unique blend. Some places even have a secret recipe that they won't give out, even under pressure of torture. Here are some of the most commonly used and why they are the best.

Mozzarella

Without a doubt, mozzarella is the king of pizza cheeses. It originated in Naples and was originally made from the milk of water buffalos. These days, it is made from cow's milk and it is easier to work with. This cheese is packed with moisture and has a short shelf life. You have to use it pretty soon after buying it. There are lots of different mozzarellas available at the store and they all have different fat and moisture content.

Provolone

The second most popular cheese is provolone, which comes from the Neapolitan word 'prova,' meaning 'ball.' Provolone is firm and smooth with a golden color on the outside and a creamy interior. The key to this cheese's flavor is its smokiness. It is cured for several months and this gives it a pungent flavor. Like mozzarella, there are several different varieties that are commonly used.

Cheddar

Cheddar is a good cheese for mixing. It is rarely used by itself because it does not stretch well. Instead, it is usually mixed with other types of cheese. It varies from mild to sharp flavor and the whole range is good for making pizzas. The sharper types of cheddar aren't usually used because they don't blend as well.

Mixes

Most places use a mix of mozzarella and cheeses that are harder. They do this to add variety to the flavor and also cut down on the cost of the mozzarella. Every place has its own recipe (and some won't divulge!), but mixing cheeses include Parmesan, provolone, Romano, and dry jack.

Cheese-less?

It may surprise you to know that some folks prefer their pie with no cheese on top. This might seem like a wild new idea, but it has been the norm in Europe for years. Deep-dish pizza loaded with cheese is actually an American concoction. In Europe (including Italy), they often skip on the cheese so that the flavor of the other toppings can come through better.

If you're making your own pizza at home, you should experiment with cheeses. Even if you're buying a frozen one from the grocery store, hit the deli and pick up some different type of cheese. The flavor difference just might turn that cheap store-bought pie into something as tasty as what you get at your favorite Italian restaurant.

Is Facedrink Energy Safe? Does It Work?

2011-05-05T20:46:00.000-07:00

Energy drinks are the rage today as we overdo it all day, stay up all night, and then try to drag ourselves out of bed the next morning to go through that routine yet again. Just take your Facedrink and you can get through the morning grogginess ready to take on the day. But the big question is, is Facedrink healthy? How does it differ from other energy drinks?

Facedrink, the little bottle that has sprouted like dandelions across grocery stores counters, promises an immediate energy boost that lasts for hours but without the "crash" associated with other energy drinks. Indeed, Facedrink claims "we don't put any sugar in our energy drink". Its main ingredients are B Vitamins and an "energy blend" consisting of citicoline, tyrosine, phenylalanine, taurine, malic acid, glucuronolactone and caffeine (140mg of caffeine per 2.5 ounce bottle).

Caffeine is in bold letters because while all that other stuff has that really cool "medical yet natural" sound to it, the only thing in Facedrink (or Monster or Red Bull or RockStar or any other "energy" product) that has been proven to improve mental alertness is caffeine.

The B Vitamins in a bottle of Facedrink (and their percentage of Recommended Daily Allowance) include: Vitamin B3 (150%), Vitamin B6 (2000%) and Vitamin B12 (8333%). All of these vitamins are important for your metabolism and while not having enough can hurt you, it has never been proven that having extra will help you - or increase your energy.

In terms of the "crash" that Facedrink supposedly avoids, we can only assume that they are referring to the fact that it has no sugar. Some people - especially those with insulin resistance like diabetics - do feel a "crash" sensation when their blood sugar level goes up and then down after consuming a large amount of sugar, so this is a theoretical benefit compared to energy drinks with sugar in them.

Like almost all "energy" products, Facedrink is ultimately just a caffeine delivery system. And like all drugs, caffeine has side effects: jitteriness, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure and insomnia. If you decide to try Facedrink, the best i can say is never drink more than two bottles and don't mix it with any other caffeine containing products. If you need some quick energy for a late night of studying or driving, it probably won't hurt you any more than a cup of coffee will.

The Wonderful World Of Coffee Makers!

2011-05-04T20:45:00.000-07:00

Coffee makers have come a long way! Today there is virtually one made that is suitable for anyone's budget or needs. Prices of coffee makers range from very cheap, as low as $9 all the way to around $200! They come in all shapes, sizes and even platinum. It all depends on how much coffee you want to drink, and of course how much you want to spend!

I used to almost dread making coffee in the mornings. In my household I am the only coffee drinker, and used to waste the delicious beverage on a daily basis. As I typically only drink one cup of coffee, or two maximum, I would brew an entire pot and end up dumping most of it. Not only was it a waste of money, it was also a pain. I would first have to grind the beans, then fill the pot with water, find a filter, and it truly was a long process. Some mornings I would forego making the coffee as it was also time-consuming. I would end up running to the local bakery or gourmet shop and spending a lot of money on coffee.

These days I use my trusty Keurig, and life is great! I never miss a morning with coffee as it is so simple to use the one-cup coffee maker. It saves so much money, and I love being able to change the flavors on a daily basis. It has saved so much money, and a one-cup coffee maker is perfect for a household like mine - one with only one coffee drinker! These are also perfect for small offices, with only a few people.

Traditional coffee makers are great for those looking for the freshest cup of coffee possible. There is nothing like grinding your own coffee beans to drink at the utmost peak of freshness. These are perfect for larger households as well, where there are many coffee drinkers, or for large offices.

For those looking for a gourmet coffee drinking experience at home, today many coffee makers come with built-in espresso makers. I have one of these for special treat time, or for when guests are staying over night. These machines can make: lattes, espresso, cappuccino and more. Some of them even have built-in milk-frothers that are perfect for making that delicious foam to top those cappuccino.

Regardless of the coffee maker you choose, what is important is picking that perfect coffee to go with it! Luckily there are virtually hundreds of roasts, flavors and blends of gourmet coffee available for purchase.

What Is the Pecan Scab Disease?

2011-05-03T20:45:00.000-07:00

There are some wonderful foods that come from the sea which some people do not know about; for example laver bread which is a seaweed, and delicious when bought already cleans so that all you have to do is fry it in bacon fat with some cockles for breakfast with eggs and bacon and a sausage or two along with mushrooms. It's full of iron and iodine and is good for your health as well as being very tasty. This is a traditional Welsh recipe, enjoyed all along the Gower coast.

Another of my favourite recipes is one from the Alentejo region of Portugal; I had this in a wonderful restaurant in the mountains but the only problem was that we ordered far more than we could possibly eat. The dish was pork and clams; the pork had been marinated in white wine, garlic, thyme, onions and possibly oregano and the clams had been cooked in the dish with the tenderloin of pork. It was delicious, but I don't think I had realized before that meal that pork could combine so well with seafood.

Octopus cooked in red wine, with tomatoes and macaroni is another of my favourite seafood dishes, but Greek this time. You need to throw the whole octopus in a large pan with just a little water, cover the pan and cook on a low to moderate heat for 15 minutes. When you remove the lid, the octopus will be cooked, you can tell because the tentacles will have curled up and you will have a pinky liquid at the bottom of the pan. You fry onions and garlic in olive oil and cut the octopus into bite size pieces, removing and discarding the beak and any other bits of the head you don't want to use. When the onions are translucent, throw in the octopus, tomatoes (about a kilo of chopped) red wine and macaroni and cook until the macaroni is tender with some black pepper and oregano and thyme.

Another of my all time favourite seafood dishes is again from Portugal, although they eat it in Spain too, and that is cuttlefish cooked in its own ink. Squid cooked like this is great too. It isn't the prettiest dish you could have on your plate, but it is worth trying just once.

Finally there is the sea urchin, which is very underused and under-rated. I first came across it while living on Mykonos, Greece, when I was given half a prickly shell, half a lemon and some bread which I had to dip in olive oil and move around the interior of the hell to scoop up the orange star in the centre. It was delicious, and I then tasted the sea urchin soup, but that was way too gelatinous for my taste. Later on the island of Aegina I was invited to try sea urchins in a novel way - in a shot glass with a touch of Tabasco some freshly squeezed lemon juice and a slug of tsipouro (something like ouzo). This was good too; if not a traditional Greek dish it certainly had the flavours of the country.

There are so many varieties of seafood that we can use, it seems a shame to just stick to the ones we are familiar with. Why not experiment with some of the seafood I've mentioned here and give your taste buds a treat?

What Is the Pecan Scab Disease?

2011-05-02T20:44:00.000-07:00

One of the most well-known diseases that can harm a pecan tree is a fungus known as 'pecan scab'. It is also the most damaging. The reason for this is because pecan scab can infect the shuck, or pod of the pecan, stems, and leaves. What also makes this disease particularly prevalent is the fact that it can attack anytime during the season and will lay dormant in the leaves during winter waiting to kill your crop.

The cause of pecan scab is water. Too much water will allow the fungus spores to develop and thrive. This can be particularly difficult to control in the southern states where pecan trees are common. Mid to late afternoon rains are typical and those are the worst for spore development because the leaves can stay wet overnight. The longer they're wet, the more likely it is that the spores will develop and turn into tree-killing pecan scab.

The primary indicators that your trees may be infected are splotches that appear on the leaves in various sizes. These lesions are indicative that the pecan scab has killed that part of the leaf and can lead to early drop of the stem. Also, because the splotches are dark brown to black, photosynthesis cannot occur causing the leaf to wither and eventually fall off of the tree.

To prevent pecan scab, there are a variety of fungicides to use to kill the spores. The key is to spray the tree prior to getting it. If you're expecting a heavy rainfall, that's a good time to be preventative since that's when pecan scab tends to develop. However, if you're unwilling to use a fungicide or if it's not economical for your few trees you can still prevent pecan scab by removing dead leaves, pruning infected leaves and clearing the tree and area around the tree after the harvest season.

Pecan scab can be very serious, infecting entire orchards and ruining an entire harvest season. And the fungus is particularly stingy. There are some types of pecan trees that are more resistant than others like the Oconee and Houma varieties. But these may not be the type of tree that will grow in your area so you have to be careful. The truth is that nearly all farmers who grow pecan trees will most likely have to contend with some sort of fungicide and possibly pesticide at some point. It pays to be preventative otherwise fungi and pests have the potential to ruin your entire pecan season.

The Pecan Tree: Where Does It Grow?

2011-05-01T20:43:00.000-07:00

Many people always assume that pecans are a southern nut. This is most likely because first of all, Georgia grows a large amount of Pecans, and secondly because pecan pie is such a distinctly southern dessert. Not many holidays go by without at least a pecan dish of some kind gracing the table. Most learn that pecan trees are a tough tree that can grow in over half of the United States and as far north as southern Canada.

The pecan tree actually originated in Texas and Oklahoma and spread outward from there. Native Americans found the pecan nutritious, easy to store, and easy to trade with. It wasn't until recently, though, that pecan trees were discovered deep in the wilds of places like Wisconsin and Illinois. This is heartening because it means that if the rugged pecan tree can withstand the weather shifts of those states then it's likely it can be adapted to grow in even colder climates.

There are actually over 500 species of pecans in existence so it's not terribly surprising that some species of the tree would be able to withstand cruel northern winters. In fact, the tree itself can produce nuts for well over 100 years. The only difference between the varieties of pecans is the shape and a slight flavor difference. This is to be expected given different soil compositions, sunlight and heat availability, and access to a water source. The pecan you eat has everything to do with where it was grown.

However, if you're going to attempt to grow your own pecan tree, it's important to buy the right one. Because there are over 500 species, picking the tree that's best for your particular climate can be a challenge and is definitely a game of patience. For instance, the "Desirable" pecan tree species is native to Mississippi so it will thrive and produce best in warm, humid climates like that of Georgia or Florida. But the "Wichita" variety grows best in western and central Texas because it thrives best in arid environments. But be prepared to wait. Even the most precocious of pecan trees, the ones that bear nuts of the fastest, still take about five years.

The fact that the pecan tree originated in Texas makes it easy to believe that this is a sturdy tree given the climate variety of the Lone Star State. Recent discoveries of the tree in harsh, cold environments lead one to believe that what is known about the pecan tree is only getting started. All of this is great news because it means that no matter where you spend your time eating at the table (especially during the holidays, which is the time of year when pecans sell the best), you'll be able to have some delicious, locally grown, pecan pie.

How to Make the Best Hamburger in the World

2011-04-07T20:42:00.000-07:00

Many people would choose the hamburger as the food item they would choose if they could eat only one thing for the rest of their lives.

It is really hard to mess up a hamburger, but at the same time it is very easy to cook a great hamburger. There are thousands of thoughts on what constitutes a great hamburger. Some of the most popular beliefs concerning a great hamburger are:

1. Use very lean meat, for example, a blend of 80/20. That ratio is a blend of 80% lean blended with 20% fat.
2. Never mash or flatten a hamburger patty and make a loosely formed patty.
3. A hamburger must be cooked medium to be good, otherwise, it will be too dry and have less taste.

After ten years operating a family owned restaurant, in my opinion, all three of those assumptions are bunk. Let us look at each belief separately:

1. When experts describe a great steak, often the most important factor is a good marbling to lean ratio. Marbling is a polite word for fat. The school of thought is that the more marbling a steak has, the more flavor the steak will have. In my opinion, the same holds true for hamburger meat; a higher ratio of fat to lean will yield a better tasting hamburger. Following that reasoning, we use a 73/27 or 75/25 ratio hamburger meat.

2. Hamburger meat is ground and therefore, unlike a steak, the connective tissues have been cut. There are two facts in play with ground hamburger meat which are not in play with a steak.

A. Ground lean mean, without any fat, will be very difficult to form and maintain in patty form because there is nothing to bind the meat. Fat is used for this purpose as it acts as a binding agent. Steaks maintain their shape because the connective tissues have not been cut.

B. Hamburger meat, once formed into a patty, when placed on heat has a tendency to contract or draw-up. To counter this tendency and to also expel excess liquid fat, after two minutes of cooking, we flip the patty and mash it with a spatula. This mashing of the patty counters the contraction tendency and also eliminates some of the fat from the patty. Expelling liquid fat does not expel the fat cell walls which impart tons of flavor to the meat. Our patties are tightly formed to allow for mashing without being squashed. We continue flipping the patty every two minutes until the desired doneness is reached.

C. Using our suggested lean to fat ratio, you can cook moist and tender hamburgers regardless your desired degree of doneness. A done hamburger will be just as moist as a medium hamburger.

We cook our hamburgers on a flat-top grill set to 350degrees F. If you cook on an outdoors grill with a grate, we suggest you start with hamburgers patties no more than 3/8 inches thick as mashing the patty will be more difficult than on a flat-top. To ensure a correct degree of doneness, the use of a thermometer is suggested. The following cooking temperatures will give you the perfect hamburger, just remember, meat will continue to cook for 3 to 5 degrees more once removed from the heat source.

Rare - remove from heat source at 135 degrees
Medium rare - remove from heat source at 140 degrees
Medium - remove from heat source at 145 degrees
Medium well - remove from heat source at 150 degrees
Done - remove from heat source at 170 degrees

If you don't have a thermometer, take the following steps to cook your hamburger to rare, medium, or done.

1. Rare - with the hand in an open, relaxed state, press the fleshy part of the hand between the thumb and the index finger. That is the feel of a rare hamburger.

2. Medium - stretch out your hand. Press the same part of the hand. That is the feel of a medium hamburger.

3. Done - clench a tight fist. Press the same part of the hand. That is the feel of a done hamburger.

We break the rules, but sometimes breaking the right rules ends with the right results. The old saying, "What's good for the goose is good for the gander", applies to "What's good for a steak is good for a burger." Enjoy!

Reasons Why Indian Cuisine Has Become So Popular All Over the World

2011-04-06T20:41:00.000-07:00

INTRODUCTION AND HISTORY:

Indian food and spices have been popular all over the world since ancient times. The Romans imported spices from India as early as 77 C.E. The Arab traders imported spices from India before the beginning of the Common Era. By the middle ages, Indian cuisine and spices became extremely popular all over the world. All major kingdoms in Asia and Europe had active spice trade with India in the middle age. Many battles were also fought at that time especially between the European powers England, France, Portugal, Dutch and Spain to gain access to the spice route to India. Indian spices and condiments were one of the major reasons why the British visited India before colonizing it. Even Christopher Columbus was searching for a sea route to India (to resume the European spice trade with India after the fall of Constantinople) when he accidentally discovered America in 1492.

REASONS FOR POPULARITY OF INDIAN CUISINE:

Indian recipes have been traditionally known for the simple style of cooking where the nutritional value of the food is maintained while enhancing the taste with the use of spices and masalas. The concept of pickles and salads originated from India too. They were served with the main dish and acted as an appetizer for stimulating the taste buds.

The different parts of India had their own local traditions and cultures. The food and recipes of the various regions were quite diverse too. In North India, wheat has been the staple food whereas in Southern and Eastern parts of India, rice is the staple food. The food habits also vary as per the weather conditions, geographical location and major crops of that region. For example, in coastal regions of India, seafood and fish recipes are more popular whereas in central India, vegetarian cuisines are more popular. However, there is hardly a situation when a popular food of any part of India is completely new to another region of India. This is because of the food culture in India where people exchange food with their neighbors and friends especially during festive seasons. This is common in every part of India and has helped in spreading the popularity of various regional dishes in other parts of India.

Festivals and food prepared during festivals have their own significance too. For example in Maharashtra, Makar Sankranti is observed in the month of January. Bajra rotis (pearl millet breads) and sweets made of jaggery and Til (mole) are served during this festival as eating these items during winter is quite beneficial to maintain body temperature. These festivals help in making a situation where no one feels compulsion of eating healthy food as per weather conditions but instead enjoy doing so with the festive activities. The popularity of Indian festivals around the world have also helped in the popularity of Indian food.

Indian medical science known as Ayurveda is known for its easy and natural way of treatment. The base of Ayurveda is healthy Indian food and herbs. The physical and mental fitness exercises Yoga also originated in ancient India. Indian food and cooking has been traditionally drawn from yogic philosophy of cooking and eating. So, with the popularity of Ayurveda, Yoga etc., people all over the world have realized the health benefits of Indian food.

In modern times, Indian expats all over the world have helped in popularizing Indian cuisine. Though Indian cuisine was popular in UK and many other parts of Europe and Middle East since the middle ages but it was mainly due to the Indians settled abroad that they became very popular in North America and the rest of the world. No wonder countries like US, UK, Canada and Australia have several restaurants and hotels serving only Indian food.

With the massive growth of cable television in the last few decades, food shows are coming up on TV channels all over the world. Indian recipes are part of the diverse recipes taught in those shows. Thus, cable television had an important role too in increasing the popularity of Indian cuisine.

How to Serve Tilapia

2011-04-05T20:40:00.000-07:00

If you are in the mood for seafood, but not necessarily shrimp, how about tilapia? A good tilapia recipe will go a long way toward a great meal.

A grilled tilapia recipe is one of the finest ways of enjoying this great tasting fish. No longer do you and your guest have to suffer from boring fish dishes that are created with the mainstays of lemon and butter to make the fish palatable. Tilapia is a far cry from the fishy taste that often accompanies grilled and broiled seafood, and that lends well to making your own recipe taste sumptuous no matter what you do with it.

Heart Healthy Fish

Tilapia is like many other fish that can be found in the sea, it is full of essential nutrients such as oil that is good for your health, and for that reason alone it should find its way onto the menu several times each week. Heart healthy food is often overlooked in our fast-paced world, but that should not be when this fish is so easy and quick to turn out and it tastes wonderful so you know that your family is going to be able to enjoy it for sure.

Kick Up the Flavor

Some people enjoy a tilapia recipe that kicks it up a notch with chili rubbed right on the surface of the fish. Along with lemon and garlic, you will think you have died and gone to heaven when you pop this one in your mouth. Serve it along with asparagus or your other favorite grilled vegetable and there is nothing but pure pleasure to be expressed.

Baked Tilapia

Of course, you might want to indulge in a baked tilapia recipe if you do not have a grill available when you are hungry for something good. With just a little salt, pepper, and lime, or even a little butter and lemon, you can turn your fresh tilapia into a treat that will have your mouth-watering before you even get it to your plate. Serve it with some steamed vegetables and some crusty bread and you will be the hit of your own party.

Chowder with Tilapia

Now if you are into soups, here is something that you should try when looking for a good recipe. Serve a hearty bowl full of corn chowder that is teeming with potatoes and tilapia. All you need for this is the know-how of how to make fine corn chowder and the rest is all in the fish. It will cook up well when you place bits of tilapia into the chowder as you cook all the ingredients together, but if you want to add something really special, add some baked or grilled tilapia and something special is sure to happen.

Ginger and Oranges

Ginger and oranges also go well when grilling tilapia and give it some extra zest. If that is what you are looking for when serving family and friends on the patio, you are sure to have them coming back for more.

Don't forget to have fun and be creative with your next tilapia recipe, you won't regret it.

How to Eat Street Food Safely While Traveling

2011-04-04T20:39:00.000-07:00

Tasting the local cuisine of a city is absolutely essential to understanding that city's identity, past and present. In most cities you will find restaurants that offer some typical foods, though if they're aimed at tourists you can expect to find higher-than-normal prices and watered-down flavors. Short of accepting an invitation to dine at a local's house, your best bet for local cuisine will often be on the street.

The street is where a city's history collides with the modern day, where old traditions exist alongside such newfangled developments as designer stores and fast-food palaces. It's where the poor mingle with the well-off over a light lunch, where tourists can interact with locals of all stripes--and often score the best food at dirt-cheap prices.

Meaningful, delicious, authentic street eats are not only found in big foreign cities with famous food cultures, like Bangkok and Mexico City: Even in a city like New York, the simple act of buying a hot dog on the street links you with a century's worth of New Yorkers who have done the same. But it's in those other cities where street food poses the bigger perceived risk, and where tourists are more likely to shy away from the street altogether for fear of getting sick. By heeding the following advice, you can drastically decrease your chances of falling ill from eating well on the street (or anywhere else, for that matter).

1. Check that your vaccinations are up-to-date before traveling, especially to developing countries. Hepatitis A, for example, can be transmitted through contaminated food or water; the full vaccine (two shots) protects you for at least 10 years.

2. Never drink the tap water, including ice. In some countries, even your average tourist restaurant may not be filtering water to make ice, so always ask, or play it safe and avoid ice altogether. If you can, bring your own water bottle from home, as many hotels offer filtered water for fill-ups--that way you'll save money and decrease plastic waste.

3. Choose established venues, or eat where lots of locals are eating--and try to visit during peak times of the day. Use websites, guidebooks, and blogs to research what street vendors have been around for a long time, are consistently visited by non-locals without issue, and are generally popular. When in doubt, follow the local crowds, as they're only going to eat where the food is good and fresh--where there are lots of customers, there will be lots of turnover behind the scenes. For the same reason, avoid street stands at odd hours when it's more likely the food has been sitting out for too long.

4. Avoid raw, unpeeled fruits and vegetables. If it has a thick skin, however--like bananas, mangoes, cucumbers-or if you can wash it off with your own filtered water (say, an apple), it's fine to eat. You can do without cold salads on your trip, but don't forgo all healthy fruits and veggies--you may end up upsetting your stomach if you limit yourself to meats and carbs! And remember: Cooked vegetables are generally just fine. Strive for a somewhat balanced diet.

5. Always wash your hands before eating. The importance of this cannot be understated. On the street you likely won't find a sink and soap, so always carry antibacterial hand gel with you.

6. Be prepared. Take care to travel with a good first-aid kit that includes, among other items, oral rehydration salts, antacids, and antidiarrheals. But don't reach for the latter at the first sign of a problem--often a bad stomach bout only requires time, rest, bland foods, and lots of fluids. It also pays to research what local food to ask for if you do fall ill, as the local remedy is often both tastier and more effective than plain toast and chicken broth! Depending on where you're going, you may want to ask your doctor about traveling with a dose of antibiotics (and instructions on when to take them) just in case.

The most memorable and delicious travel experiences often come at the hand of a street-food vendor. Don't let fear prevent you from digging in--the responsible way.

Community Supported Agriculture: A Win/Win Situation

2011-04-03T20:38:00.000-07:00

This fall our family signed up with a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm. I am thrilled as this is something I have longed to do for some time.

In the last 20 years CSA's have become very popular. CSA's provide an excellent way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. Participating in CSA farming is simple: a farmer offers a certain number of "shares" to the general public. Generally, a "share" consists of a medium size box of vegetables but other products may be included as well such as fruits, eggs, milk, cheese, honey and/or maple syrup. Consumers who want to partake simply purchase a share (sometimes referred to as a "membership" or a "subscription") and in return receive a box, bag or basket of seasonal produce. While this practice itself is simple, the impact has been monument us. Thousands of families have CSAs throughout the country. In many areas, there is a more of a demand than there are CSAs to fill it. Some CSAs are finding themselves resorting to waiting lists. It has been estimated that currently the United States alone is home to over 4,000 CSA farms.

Advantages for Consumers
The advantages for consumers are numerous!

* Uber-fresh fruit and veggies packed full of rich vitamins and nutrients
* Exposure to new vegetables, new products and new recipes
* Farm visits
* Children and adults alike suddenly preferring "their" farms products, even veggies previously undiscovered
* Developing a relationship with your local farmer
* Educational aspects regarding food, growing and a working farm just to name a few points.
* No need to have the space for a garden in order to enjoy fresh produce
* No experience necessary
* Knowing exactly where your food comes from
* Teaching he kids were your food comes from and how to help produce it
* Lower prices
* A wide variety of produce
* The ability to request something extra or not to receive something else
* Extra produce to freeze and can, thereby redoing the grocery bill even after the season.
* Advantages for Farmers
* The advantages for farmers who choose to offer CSA shares are abundant.
* Allowed to focus on marketing the food early in the year long before the long days in the field begin
* Receive payment early in the season which allows for better planning and cash flow
* Supporting local economies
* Shared risk regarding each crop's yield
* An opportunity to get to know the people who they feed
* The joy of participating in sustainable farming/harvesting while still making a living
* The ability to teach others about where their food comes from.

Variations

It is important to note that each farm is slightly different. Some farms utilize a "mix and match" or "market-style" CSA. Here, consumers would not simply be picking up a standard box each week; they instead load their own boxes with a certain amount of personal discretion. The farmer lays out baskets of each week's ripened vegetables. On some farms, the consumers are asked to take a prescribed amount and leave behaving what their families do not care for. Many times this extra produce is sold at farmers markets, roadside stands, or donated to local food banks. At other farms the members have a wider choice to opt for what pleases their family, often within specific limitations (I.e. "one basket of raspberries per share, please"). Furthermore, while some farmers sell shares for a whole year at a time, other's offers 10 week, or 25 week intervals. Some farmers require members to complete a certain number of "work" hours while others do not require this at all. Nearly all farmers offer farm pick up (which in my opinion is the fun part of the CSA experience), some also offer drop off/pick up locations and/or home delivery.

Remember that CSAs are not solely about vegetables. Many have options for shareholders to buy eggs, homemade bread, meat, cheese, fruit, flowers, honey, maple syrup and other farm products as well as their vegetables. In some areas farmers are coming together to offer their products together. For example one CSA vegetable and honey farm may allow another chicken farmer to use their CSA as a drop off point thereby allowing CSA members to purchase chickens when they come to pick up their share. Other farms are streamlining their farm into one specific area only. Still other non-farming third parties are setting up CSA-like businesses, where they sell boxes of local food to their members only and are essentially middle men.

Shared Risk
One of the most important concepts of the CSA arraignment is the premise of shared risk. When CSAs first began this notion of "we're all in it together" was critical. If the season allowed for apples to be rampant, then the families began not only using the apples as fresh produce but also putting some up for winter; freezing for pies and crisps, juicing, and making homemade apple sauce. If a hail storm depleted all the tomatoes, well, those families could expect very little spaghetti that year. This concept remains. While farmers often have other avenues of marketing their produce through farmers markets, wholesale, and industrial accounts, many still require CSA members to sign a policy indicating that they agree to accept without complaint whatever the farm is able to produce.

This feeling of shared risk interestingly creates a sense of community among members and between members and the farmer. Together, all the members and the hardworking farmers cheer on the green peppers and watch the onions anxiously. They are excited together, concerned together and triumphant together. Most CSA farmers report feeling a significant responsibility to their members. When specific crops are scant, they ensure that the CSA members have first dibs.

At times however, things do wrong. Hideously, horribly wrong. Sometimes it is understandable; a wretched divorce, sudden death or family tragedy. Othertimes, it may be a renegade, irresponsible farmer or a newbie over his head. With that said there are hundreds of farmers who take pride in their land and farm, you find joy in feeding the member families and who have a grand reputation. There are a few noteworthy tips to avoid any issues. When searching for your new CSA remember:

* Ask around for recommendations.
* Find an established, reputable CSA
* Ensure that all produce being offered is actually from that farm. (Occasionally, new farmers get odd, desperate ideas and bring in produce and "resell").
* Check contract for hidden fees and to ensure you are comfortable with all fees.
* Visit the farm and see for yourself how the produce is grown, how the animals are kept and the land is treated. Nothing else can be as rewarding or affirming.

Other critical tips for potential CSA members:

* Do not expect all your produce to come from your CSA. While your share will be plenty of produce, it will not be enough. Most CSAs do not provide fruit, and those that do, do so in specific quantities. Furthermore, stables will still need to be bought. Inquire with your farmer before running out the market. Again.
* If you are unfamiliar with eating seasonally, do some research! It will be shocking that the grocery store has tomatoes but yet they don't ripen until August! Who knew?
* Always inquire about types of produce expected as well as quantities.
* If you are planning on freezing and/or canning for winter, inquire with your farmer. Many times he/she will have a list of individuals seeking extra produce on top of their CSA order.
* Always, always, always remember, refer to and obey all policies.
* Always ask the farmer for references. If they have plenty of good reports, you are in safe hands.

Joining a CSA can be a rewarding, healthy choice for your family but also for the Earth as well. If you are concerned with Environmental issues, are a proponent for "going local", are interested in becoming a "localvoire" or just don't have a green thumb yourself, check into joining a CSA- fresh, local, healthy produce without all the work!

Create a Positive Impact on Your Local Economy by Eating Out at Local Dining Establishments

2011-04-02T20:38:00.000-07:00

Supporting locally owned businesses has a greater impact on the local economy than some may think. With an increasing number of chain restaurants cropping up, it has become harder for independently owned mom-and-pop shops to stay in business. If you're planning on eating out with friends or family, consider having a local dining experience, where the money you spend has a positive impact on your community.

Frequenting Local Dining Establishments Generate More Revenue For Your Community

Some people may assume that it doesn't matter which restaurant they choose to go to, because the money they spend will circulate and end up in the same place eventually. Unfortunately, this is far from the truth. For every dollar that is spent at a national chain restaurant, roughly 13% will stay in your area. The remaining amount generally goes to pay for supplies, services and corporate profits - all of which are most likely not being purchased in, or benefiting, your community.

On the other hand, if you choose to visit a local dining establishment, the amount of revenue that is kept within your community is significantly higher. With nearly 80% of every dollar spent staying in the area, this is proof that you can make a more positive impact on your community by spending your money where it counts the most - with an additional 67% of your money going back into your community, instead of being spread over a vast amount of area where the tiny percentages of every dollar don't have much of an impact at all.

Following the Money Trail - Small Businesses Dollars Become Large Investments

Small business owners often contribute to the communities that are home to their business in many ways. Small businesses hire employees from the area, bringing unemployment rates down. These employees, in turn, will spend their paychecks within the area, giving more small businesses the opportunity to expand and hire even more employees. Besides employee wages being paid to residents of the area, small businesses also pay local taxes, purchase supplies and commission services from other businesses within the area, thus creating more revenue for the community.

Local dining establishments are also known to give back to their communities through contributions. By sponsoring sports teams, they help to create an environment where children can thrive with discipline and friendly competition while building healthy self-esteem. Many independent restaurants also contribute to the community with food drives and donations, which benefit residents who may need a helping hand.

Small businesses are the backbone of the local economy, and now is the time to give back. Next time you plan on eating out, make your money count by supporting small businesses. When you support one small business, you are in fact supporting many small businesses, where the money flows through the community to create a more financially stable society that isn't merely surviving, but thriving.

What Exactly Is American Food?

2011-04-01T20:36:00.000-07:00

When a potential diners peruses the brief description of any restaurant they likely get a sense of what type of cuisine can be found on the menu. Chinese, Thai, Italian, Japanese. These all conjure up visions of favorite entrées filled with spices, meats, vegetables, etc. authentic to the lands from which they came. But, what about American? What exactly is American food? Most Americans would rattle off a list of well-known dishes, most served at baseball games, such as hot dogs, hamburgers, French fries (something in the name begs to differ), and apple pie!

With closer inspection and investigation the truth becomes clear. Apple pie, hot dogs also known as frankfurters, and hamburgers originated in Germany. Frankfurt, Germany, Hamburg, Germany, etc. Even grandma's old-fashioned apple pie hales from Germany, and French Fries were actually first served in Belgium.

To find truly authentic American food the first Thanksgiving would be a good place to start. The pilgrims celebrated the harvest with foods the Native Americans provided and taught them to grow and cultivate. Maize (also known as corn), beans, squash, venison, fresh fish and seafood from the coast of New England, cornbread, cranberries, blueberries, and, yes, turkey. These are a few of the truly authentic American foods. Today truly Native American foods are created with native plants, grains, and spices including wild ginger, miner's lettuce, and juniper as well as a native version of quinoa, a variety of amaranth, little barley, maygrass, and sunflower. Native Americans of the northwest prepared dishes using salmon, and seafood, mushrooms, venison, duck, rabbit, and ground acorns for flour.

This is not to say that over the centuries particular foods have not been "Americanized". Many delicious dishes have grown out of the combination of Native American ingredients and ingredients introduced by the vast number of immigrant cultures. At the 1942 Texas State Fair Neill Fletcher combined Native American maize and a frankfurter, deep fried it, and stuck it on a stick to create the first All-American corn dog. Since then, many "American" foods have been created through the process of deep frying including potatoes, chicken, Twinkies, butter, and even Oreos. Other dishes that were served first in America include S'mores, the Reuben Sandwich, The Cobb Salad, and Baked Alaska. Finally to identify truly American food it is a good idea to seek out those dishes that bear the name of the region in which they were created including Buffalo Wings, Philly Cheesesteak, and Tex-Mex.

Is a Food Shortage in America Inevitable?

2011-03-07T20:35:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately the way things are run today a food shortage in the land of plenty is coming. The food shortage will not be because the weather conditions threatened crops and caused less production. The animals will be perfectly healthy and they will multiply when they are allowed to. The problem that is going to set this country up for failure is going to come from our own government rules and regulations. We simply are going to be forced into a shortage of food products by the rules we have established.

Most of the products that we do manage to produce are exported to other countries. Do not blame the farmer for participating in the exportation of goods. The farmer has to have money to pay for their land, and their equipment, and the labor it takes to raise all that they produce. They also have to pay all of those taxes like everyone else. These are Land taxes, unemployment taxes, sales and use taxes, quarterly employee taxes, inventory taxes, and income taxes. When these people can sell their product for a higher rate they are going to. You really cannot fault them for doing so.

The government also controls what foods are produced and the amount of the food that is produced. They do not want too much of one food raised because that would cause the prices of the food to drop and the farmer would then have more problems. They would be raising more but earning less. The government has a solution to this problem in the form of subsidies. They actually pay the farmer to not grow a certain crop. The farmer can make the money and never break a sweat doing so. Who in their right mind would say no to that scenario? Money for not doing something would be most people's idea of a dream come true.

A lot of the people who have been watching the rising food prices and the problems that are happening around the world suggest that in April of 2012 the American population will see the price of food rise so high that they cannot afford to eat.

Experts in this area are suggesting that people take stock of their food pantries and try to prepare for these rising prices. If you can prepare yourself to the point that you can feed your family for a few months with very few purchases from a store you will make it through the food shortage period just fine.

Simple Paleo Ice Cream Recipe

2011-03-06T20:34:00.000-08:00

It's the festive season and watching relatives and friends gorge themselves on ice cream and tasty sweets can be painful when you're trying to stay healthy and stick to a rigid nutrition plan. I know as a follower of the paleo diet the hardest thing for me to adjust to was the lack of desserts and sweets for the paleo follower. However there is hope, by replacing regular milk with coconut milk and swapping the ultra heavy chocolate and sugar filling for natural fruits and nuts we can create gorgeous and equally delicious recipes for the paleo diet follower.

I got creative earlier and here's a simple tried and tested ice cream recipe to sate the sweet tooth of the Paleolithic patron. The trick with this is preparation and smoothness, as it's tricky at first to stop the eggs from scrambling, which completely ruins the dish. Make sure the temperature is warm enough to melt the ingredients but not too hot to make them curdle and boil, once you've got this right though you will never look back.

Ingredients:
* 400ml coconut milk
* 2 large eggs
* 3 tbsp honey
* 1/4 cup blueberries
* 1/2 cup processed strawberries
* 2 tsp cinnamon

How to make:
1. Place a heat proof bowl over a simmering pot of water. Make sure the bowl is wider than the pot so it sits on top comfortably and there is enough space under the bowl to ensure no part of it comes in direct contact with the water.

2. Place the strawberry, blueberry and honey into the bowl and heat until it's warmed through but ensure heat is low enough to prevent boiling.

3. Separately whisk the eggs. When they are thoroughly whisked slowly mix in a quarter of the wet mixture with a mixing spoon, slowly and delicately. Ensure the eggs don't scramble by maintaining a warm but not boiling temperature and constantly stirring with your spoon. Continue until all of the wet mix is mixed in and a thick creamy sauce is created.

4. Let the mixture cool off before placing into the fridge.

5. Place the mixture in a container and place in the freezer. Remove every 25 minutes for 2 and a half hours until you have a creamy ice cream.

This is a recipe that I love but it is easily customisable. Try varying the fruits in the mix and garnishing with nuts, cinnamon or any other flavours you fancy. Even sweeteners to help bring out the sharpness and taste.

Spices For Chicken

2011-03-05T20:33:00.000-08:00

Because chicken is relatively inexpensive and fairly easy to prepare there are a vast number of recipes available throughout the world. Chicken spices and herbs are abundant and are readily available in almost any market anywhere. Spices and herbs have become abundant thanks to the explorers of the 15th and 16th century.

Open your cupboards and you'll find a spice or herb, or both that can be the beginning of a very tasty recipe. Every chef has several ways of preparing and cooking their chicken and most have a secret ingredient for their wonderful signature dish. Of course, some of these recipes vary regionally and from country to country, depending on availability and prices at the market.

Aromatic herbs are also used along with spices, thereby adding that extra punch. Sage, thyme, rosemary and basil are a good example of the aromatics that I use. When using spices, remember that sometimes a little goes a long way. I have found that marinating the chicken is very helpful in distributing the flavors evenly. Gauge your addition of salt, especially if your recipe calls for butter; make sure that you use unsalted butter so that you don't overwhelm it with too much salt.

Recipes of all kinds are available on the internet and in cookbooks, so not cooking chicken is a limitation that should not occur in your kitchen. For health reasons I prefer to bake and not fry chicken, although I enjoy fried chicken very much. There is one recipe for fried chicken that is very plain and simple. Use all white, all dark, or a combination of both. Wash the chicken and pat dry; add salt, pepper, and allspice. Deep fry in canola oil and pat dry with paper towels before serving.

A very exotic and tasty way to prepare your chicken is by using a fresh, wonderful homemade curry that you will use again and again.

Indian Curried Chicken Recipe:

Basic Curry Powder
6 dried red chiles
1 oz. coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
10 fresh curry leaves
½ tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp ground turmeric

Remove seeds from chiles. Dry roast the whole spices over a medium heat until they darken, stirring or shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning. Leave to cool, then grind to a powder. Dry roast the curry leaves in the pan for a few minutes, then grind and add them to the mixture with the ginger and turmeric, blending well.

Rub your Curry Powder into the chicken, as needed, about half hour to an hour before roasting in the oven at 350 degrees. A full sized chicken should take twenty minutes per pound, so use your discretion. All things said, it is not what spice you use, but, how you use it. Spices should blend in and not overwhelm. They should never be so intrusive that the essential character of the dish is lost.

Spanish Cuisine

2011-03-04T20:32:00.000-08:00

No one can deny that national cuisine in most of the countries is one of the things that might alert tourists' attention, and Spain is not an exception. As any Mediterranean country it combines features of its neighbors; in particular, it is related to France and Italy, being one of the best in the world for quality and variety of products. In contrast, it is impossible to talk seriously about the existence of ethnic cuisine, but it is more appropriate to consider a number of regional cuisines, each of which was influenced by climatic conditions and lifestyle. In general, Spanish cuisine is likely to use such techniques as quenching in wine (red in the south and west of the country and white in the east), baking with feta cheese and roasting on a lattice (grill). Specific for all regional cuisines is the widespread use of green sage and crushed walnuts. Before starting the checkup of main peculiarities of regional cooking traditions it will be helpful to clarify its common issues and dishes:

1.Paella is a Valencia rice dish, which in its modern form emerged in the mid-19th century. The majority of non-Spaniards consider paella as Spanish national dish in contrast to Spaniards' conviction that this dish is exclusively Valencia and is believed to be a symbol of the region.

2.Jamon (Hamon) appears to be the Spanish name of ham, delicatessen, jerked pork ham.

3.Tapas are a wide variety of appetizers, or snacks, in Spanish cuisine. They may be cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or warm (such as chopitos, which are battered, fried squid).

4.Spain is a cheese country, where wide distribution is achieved by firm cheeses (Idiazabel, Majon, Manchego), fresh cheeses (Afuega'l pitu, Mato), blue cheeses (Cabrales, Picón Bejes-Tresviso) and cream cheeses.

5.Without any doubt wine is the basic element of all and each of the regional cuisines of Spain. Spain, along with France and Italy, appear to be three of the largest wine producers in the world.

Catalan cuisine has absorbed all that is best in Mediterranean cuisine. Basically, it is amazingly simple, based on maintaining an authentic taste of seasonal products, and traditional in its core. The Catalans are people who think in contrasts. They like to combine the incompatible ingredients and mix a myriad of using all that fresh that appears on the market. The most typical of this area is the cuisine called "Mar i Muntanya", which means "sea and mountain". This is a delicious and unusual way of mixing seafood with meat products. Such combinations include pork and scallops, tuna soup with snails, rabbit and chicken with crayfish. It is also important to note that it is here hot pepper sauce romesco is served, traditional flavored goulash with saffron, seafood, tomatoes and potatoes, which are often sprinkled on top with alioli ("ali" means "garlic" and "oli" - olive oil).

Galicia (in the north-west, the Atlantic coast) is a center of fishery industry, which delivers the best seafood, especially scallops, which are known as "a symbol of Santiago." In the city of Santiago de Compostela there is a tomb of the apostle of Santiago, and a traditional Spanish almond cake originated here, which is always decorated with a sword in the memory of the saint. The king of all dishes, of course, the octopus in Galician or pulpo a la feria, cooked in traditional copper pot, and is served on a wooden stand with potatoes, finely chopped, sprinkled with large sea salt and paprika. One more thing to taste is wines, which include also specific ones; particularly, besides simple fishermen wines, Albarino (Albariño) draws a big attention, being the white one with flavors of apricot, peach, almonds, apples and fresh herbs.

One more rich seafood region is the Basque Country, where the basic principle of cooking is a minimum of hot spices, but fresh products only. In almost every bar you will find tapas and every good restaurant participates in a competition for the best tapas of the year. However,tapas can be replaced by gambas pil pil (prawns fried in olive oil) and champerniogne pil pil (mushrooms, roasted with garlic), which are served in low round ceramic plates. Travelers also may try piperada - soft scrambled eggs with red pepper, tomatoes and garlic. San Sebastian in the Bay of Biscay is a popular fishing port from which the traditional salted cod (balacao) is provided. A special popularity is gained by cod in garlic sauce, fins of the sea pike, huge burgers made from beef on the grill and fry of the eel. There are many truffles and fresh mushrooms in the cuisine, which are fried, baked in casseroles or put in a pie. A big choice of cheeses might be a considerable question for both locals and tourists. It is worth tasting a traditional for this area cheese sort Idiazabalmade from raw sheep's milk solely and is fermented for at least two months to acquire a delicate creamy taste.

The old and new Castile is a home of many traditional Spanish dishes, where chickpeas (nutes), beans, chorizo and pisto (paste of garlic, herbs and olive oil) are in favor. The distinctive feature of this cuisine is held in Arabic influence; particularly, nutes are imported initially by Carthaginians. Traditional potato tortilla (tortilla) also hails from this area as well as it is worth tasting local roasted suckling pig and lamb steak. The pig must be weighing from three to four pounds, and only 15-20 days old. To cook it an old oven is used, in which meat becomes more tender. Visiters should not forget about the magnificent fish dishes of this area. The most popular ones arebacalao al ajo arriero (cod with garlic sauce),dos y pingada (ham and eggs), arroz a la zamorana (ricein Samoranian) and sopa de ajo (garlic soup). Wine lovers can test local winery achievements of such areas as Ribera-del-Duero (sophisticated and expensive red and rose wines), Rueda (light, fresh and fruity white wines) and Toro (highly concentrated sorts).

Moroccan culture has made a huge impact on the Andalusia cuisine as far as the Moors helped locals to get acquainted with citrus,almond and rice for paella. Cold soup gaspachois bornin Andalusia. Today it is cooked with tomatoes, olive oil, apple cider vinegar and garlic in contrast to those times, when there were no tomatoes in Europe and gaspacho was prepared from white grapes and almonds, frayed along with Moorish mortar and pestle. Andalusia can also both with classic salad of oranges and remojon (salted cod), escabeche (pickled fish) and many tapas snacks.

Coffee Distributors For Quality Every Time

2011-03-03T20:31:00.000-08:00

For many people, there is nothing quite like an exceptional cup of coffee, and leading coffee distributors know just what it takes to deliver a great product. Quality does not usually happen by accident, and there are several steps that are typically followed in order to provide a consistently good product to all customers. Coffee production and distribution involves more than just selecting the right beans, and coffee distributors that understand how to preserve the quality, from the sourcing, to the roasting, to the packaging can provide you with coffee that is fresh, affordably priced, and just right each time.

Careful roasting is the hallmark of a great coffee distributing company, as different roasting procedures may produce various levels of flavor and aroma in the final product. Good coffee distributors know how to bring out the best qualities of their roasted beans, and typically use a method that involves roasting the beans in single batches. Using specific temperatures and roasting times along with variances that are necessary for different coffee types only serve to enhance the final result. This method, along with using only the best green beans, virtually guarantees that a distributor can deliver good quality products each day.

A well roasted coffee involves much more than simply flipping a switch. Specific coffee characteristics will not be brought forth unless the temperature is set, monitored, and changed as needed during roasting cycles. Varying start time temperatures or keeping a more even one makes a difference as to how different beans open and eventually develop. By using specific and proven techniques, a good distributor should be able to provide an impressive variety. Single origin, custom blends and dessert coffees will likely embody the quality processes used to create these products.

Perfect roasting would likely be wasted without making use of the right sort of packaging, and successful coffee distributors are fully aware of this fact. Whether you need coffee for a small coffee house, office, or a bustling restaurant, your coffee can be consistently fresh, flavorful, and full of aroma if packaged properly. Additional products such as espressos, teas, and other coffee supplies are often part of the comprehensive service offered by standout distributors as well as equipment placement and service. A good distributor knows where to get good beans as well as how to treat them from start to finish, and customers who experience such finely roasted coffee routinely appreciate this consistent and superior level of product and service.

The Best Foods to Eat at Mardi Gras

2011-03-02T20:30:00.000-08:00

There is a lot to do at Mardi Gras in New Orleans, especially eat. Since the city was born, food has traditionally played a strong role in the culture of city, and still does today. Whether you're from out of town, or a life-long native, this wonderful discussion of food will either guide you in the right direction for planning your menu for guests during Mardi Gras, or give you an idea of where to eat while you're in town.

Fried Chicken

Fried chicken is a well-loved all around the United States, especially in the South. For some reason or another, any New Orleans native can tell you that they grew up eating fried chicken on the parade route. Fried chicken is the perfect parade food because it's cheap, portable and extremely satisfying. Since you don't need utensils (or anything but napkins for that matter) to eat chicken it's very convenient for the parade route. Whether it's McCardy's or even Popeyes, the people of NOLA love to eat chicken at parades.

King Cake

You can't discuss Mardi Gras food without mentioning king cake. King cake came from Europe, and has evolved into something unique to New Orleans. The cake is composed of a simple dough, twisted and coated with sugar and cinnamon, and usually topped with frosting and sprinkles. There are many bakeries that make this delicious treat in New Orleans, and everyone has a favorite. Haydel's bakery is definitely one of the most well-known options in the city, but even if it's a generic king cake from the grocery store, it's still a great addition to the parade route.

Red Beans and Rice

While Red Beans and Rice might be difficult to serve on the parade route, many people do it. Mardi Gras is as much a celebration of the city of New Orleans as it is a celebration of life itself, and there are few dishes more quintessentially New Orleans than red beans and rice. If you cook it right, it's one of the best things you could ever have. Nothing goes better with New Orleans than a little bit of red beans.

The Roast Beef Poor Boy

This may not have been everyone's first choice for a Mardi Gras must-have, but bear with me. If you're having people over to your house, it's actually a no-brainer. To cook the roast beef, just get any recipe for roast that you can find (leave out the carrots and celery), and cook it over night for 12 hours. When you wake up, get some french bread, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomatoes and pickles, and let people go to town. If you're not from New Orleans, the roast beef is still a great option. A properly executed roast beef will be served to you warm, slathered with gravy and mayonnaise; an extremely hearty dish. You can get it from many poor boy shops around the parade route, including Tracy's in the Irish Channel neighborhood.

Store Bought Chicken - Is It Safe?

2011-03-01T20:30:00.000-08:00

The United States Government is supposed to keep its citizens safe from hazards such as terrorism, war, and unsafe drugs and foods. But the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) doesn't always do their job. One food often consumed by people, chicken, has recently been proven to contain dangerous chemicals.

In mid 2011, the FDA admitted that chicken meat sold in stores contains the toxic, cancer-causing chemical, arsenic! How does this dangerous chemical get in the meat? It's in the feed fed to the chickens!

The FDA states that arsenic is only lethal in large quantities, but who even wants small doses of a potentially lethal chemical?

Until this recent study, the FDA and chicken farmers denied that the arsenic fed to chickens ended up in the meat. Now they've discovered that it does indeed affect the meat!

Why do feed makers add arsenic anyway? It helps reduce parasites in chickens, keeping them healthier. But the real reason is it stimulates growth making the chickens bigger, quicker. Can anyone say "More Profit"?

Chickens under stress are more prone to harbor parasites. What causes stress in a chicken? Being crammed together with 20,000 other chickens on a huge, crowded farm. Which, incidentally, is how most chicken farms operate these days. Again, profit is the priority.

You can't blame chicken farmers for wanting to make profit. That's the whole point of owning a business. It just when greed takes over and overrules safety. That's when it goes too far.

In the past, the FDA and chicken industry experts stated that arsenic in chicken meat was the organic type, which I guess is safer than inorganic arsenic. However, later studies showed that arsenic is unstable, and can sometimes surface in chicken meat in the inorganic form. Much more prone to cause cancer.

According to Food and Water Watch, "Chronic exposure to arsenic is associated with increased risk for several kinds of cancer, including bladder, kidney, lung, liver and prostate." Nice. And we wonder why cancer is such a huge problem in our country!

So what's being done about the problem? Well, in 1999 the European Union banned its use, and the US poultry giant, Tyson, stopped using it fearing liability issues. But the rest of the industry kept right on using the arsenic-laced feed and the FDA or USDA hasn't taken steps to rein them in.

In 2004 a USDA researcher made an alarming discovery. She found that US chicken meat had 3 to 4 times as much inorganic arsenic as other types of poultry or meat produced in the US!

You would expect such an important finding would spur the authorities into action! Nope.

It's a shame the FDA and USDA have dropped the ball on making chicken meat safe. Chicken is such a healthy, low-fat meat. It provides protein without excess fat. How can we, as US citizens, continue to consume chicken, but safely?

Many people are raising their own chickens for meat and eggs. Cities across the US are allowing their citizens to raise a small flock, even in the city limits. Raising hens is not difficult or time-consuming. Once you have the proper equipment, they pretty much take care of themselves!

Sofrito - Use of Spices in the Caribbean

2011-02-07T20:28:00.000-08:00

Spices are made from roots, fruits, stems, seeds, and bark. Caribbean spices are an interplay of Aboriginal, European, African, and Oriental influences that are repeated and are found on all islands, therefore a traveler will find many of the same spices in a Caribbean meal no matter where he eats. French or Spanish, English or Dutch, are reflected and used daily.

There are variables in recipes throughout the Caribbean but they are small. It all depends on supply and demand, depending on what is available on that particular island. Evolution in the kitchen is rapidly taking place as the flow of tourism changes.

Sofrito sauce is made from annatto seeds, coriander leaves, tiny green peppers, onion, garlic and tomatoes in olive oil at low heat, this will give you an idea of how spices are used in Hispanic households and how it reflects the way spices are used today in most parts of the Caribbean. Because of the traders and settlers from the Orient, China, and India, each of the Islands adapted its own use of spices depending on their likes and dislikes.

Today no stew on the English-speaking islands in the Caribbean starts without the cooks first buying a bunch of "sive", which is scallion tied together in bunches with parsley, coriander leaves and thyme. On the Spanish speaking islands dozens of recipes are part of the same herb base.

Meat and fish are likely to be marinated and seasoned with herbs and spices. Ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and all-spice are heavily used. Cinnamon is used in the islands as one of the preferred spices. Hot peppers are a must, known in the United States as chili peppers. Peppers are for the most part indistinguishable from one another except for the degree it burns in the mouth. Islanders, Jamaicans for instance, will argue over the Scotch Bonnet and the Country pepper. Good cooks know not to overuse peppers and to protect against annihilation of other flavors. Use with caution.

Indentured servants from the Orient, China, and mostly from India in the 18th century brought in a new approach and integration of spices, such as curry. On some islands, particularly the Dutch Islands, it is called "kerry". The French Islanders call it "colombo". It is used not only for its exotic flavor, but also because it causes perspiration and therefore cools the body.

There are also many medicinal uses for spices; however I will cover this in one of my future articles.

Great Steaks Start With Great Beef - USDA Prime

2011-02-06T20:28:00.000-08:00

Have you ever gone to a steakhouse and wondered how they made the steak so tasty and juicy? Have you cooked a steak at home and tried to match the quality only to be disappointed? In all likelihood you did not achieve the same level of taste and tenderness because the steakhouse was using a much better grade of beef than you-they were probably using USDA Prime beef. The ingredients you begin with and the quality of the steak are just as important as your cooking methods and skills of the chef. If you begin with USDA Prime beef, you know that you are cooking with a superior piece of meat. Beginning with a high quality piece of beef is the first step to make a great steak.

What does USDA Prime mean?
The USDA created a beef grading scale to categorize beef by the quality of flavor, juiciness, and tenderness. There are 8 different grades that can be assigned to a piece of meat. The most common grades that consumers may see are USDA Prime, the highest grade, USDA Choice, the second highest grade, and USDA Select, the third highest grade. Other grades of meat are usually used for ground beef and other processed meats. They are seldom sold as steaks or roasts. Prime beef is characterized by abundant marbling which leads to a very tender, juicy and flavorful piece of beef. Beef grading inspections are done solely for the purpose of determining the overall quality of the meat. Another inspection is done completely independently of the grading inspection to determine if the meat is food worthy.

Why use USDA Prime Beef?
USDA Prime beef is the most expensive grade of meat but it is also the most flavorful. If you can obtain it, the home chef should use Prime beef when cooking because the steak will be of superior quality which will most likely result in a great steak. Keep in mind that a poor cooking job can ruin a great piece of meat, but a wonderful cooking job cannot make a mediocre piece of meat into a great steak. As a result, the home chef, who has an excellent cooking method, should spend the extra money to get the best steak possible. Doing so is the best way to get a steakhouse quality steak at home. In the long run, it will save money because you will no longer have to go to an expensive steakhouse to get a great steak.

The Best Beverage to Combat a Soft Drink Addiction

2011-02-05T20:26:00.000-08:00

When I was six years old, I made a bet with my Mom that I could stop consuming all forms of soft drinks.

No sugary sodas of any kind. And, other than the very occasional cup of coke at a sporting event or wedding, I've by and large remained entirely free of the scourge of the soft drink.

I have no idea why I decided I didn't want to drink soft drinks when I was so young. I'd like to think I was self-possessed enough to recognize how bad I felt after drinking a can of bubbly sugar water. And, really, what other explanation is there? I somehow knew soft drinks were bad for me.

Unfortunately, a massive number of people all over the world drink large quantities of soft drinks every single day. I know them, you know them, and you may even be one of them.

And there's nothing inherently wrong with drinking a soda every now and again. The problem is when soda becomes your go-to beverage of choice. When the taste of water repulses you. When you get a headache because you haven't had your soda and it's 11 in the morning.

Now, I'm under no illusions that humanity as a whole is ever going to change and stop drinking soft drinks. They seem to be here to stay even though 150 years ago nobody had ever even heard of them. Soft drinks, like the automobile, the microwave and the computer, are a product of the modern age.

However, if you are concerned about the effect these sugary drinks are having on your health (as you well should be), then I would like to propose a fantastic solution for how you can get your caffeine fix in a much healthier way: iced Matcha green tea.

What is Matcha? Matcha is green tea powder, which has been traditionally used in the famous Japanese tea ceremony.

Iced Matcha is basically fresh brewed Matcha into which you pour ice cubes until the water has cooled and you're left with a cup full of green tea and ice.

I'd been drinking green tea for years before I ever realized I could combine make iced tea with Matcha. And while you may have had iced green tea from Starbucks or something, I promise you when you make it yourself, those other versions simply don't compare.

First off, the secret is in the Matcha. Matcha contains more bang per ounce than loose leaf tea because you use the entire tea leaf. The powder is pulverized green tea leaves, and it contains more of all the fantastic nutrients that give green tea its good name.

Matcha is the highest quality green tea you can buy. Its flavor is exquisitely smooth and very fresh. When you make it fresh, the flavor is very clean and energizing.

Additionally, though, Matcha is completely easy to make. I find it even easier to make than using tea out of a tea bag. You just heat up your water, fill a small bowl or cup with a little amount of the powder and then add in the water when it's hot. Stir gently but firmly until the tea is completely dissolved. If you want to get very traditional, you can use a bamboo whisk and stir the tea until it's frothy.

There are many kinds of Matcha, so each kind will taste and act a bit different.

However, the overall idea is that you can brew up a cup of hot tea and then add ice until it's ready to go.

Now, if you start out trying to substitute iced Matcha tea for the soft drinks you're used to, you may find that you need some sweetness in the tea. Otherwise, it's possible the tea will taste bland or even a little bitter to your tastes.

That's okay--simply add your favorite sweetener before you add the ice cubes. Make sure you stir up the sweetener until it's completely dissolved into the hot tea.

The best part of this approach is the fact that you can use any sweetener you desire. Healthier sweeteners like honey or agave syrup work great. And, of course, you can use sugar or sugar substitutes as well.

Over time, though, I bet you'll find that you like your iced green tea without much sweetener. Because it has its own delicious flavor that you'll come to appreciate.

Another amazing bonus to incorporating more iced green tea into your diet as you jettison your old soda habit is the fact that a little Matcha powder goes a long way. This is a very affordable drink. Where a soda can cost you over a dollar, your iced green tea will cost pennies on the dollar. If you look around, you'll find incredible deals on the web for Matcha. I bought a bag of Matcha for $20 that lasted me for over a year, and I was drinking plenty of Matcha during that time.

So let's recap: soft drinks are bad for your health, bad for your teeth and bad for your wallet. Green tea is fantastic for your health, has been shown in many scientific studies to be very healthy and is also unbelievably affordable if you're smart about how you source your Matcha.

This is a no-brainer. If you've been looking for a substitute for your daily soft drink habit, then you've met your Matcha.

Dive Into the Exciting World of Flavored Tofu!

2011-02-04T20:25:00.000-08:00

If you ask someone on the street what they think tofu tastes like you can expect a wild variety of answers. This is because by itself, tofu is fairly tasteless. The magic of tofu however is that it has the uncanny ability to absorb flavors from the foods around it acting like a sponge and making great meals even more enjoyable.

The very nature of this highly absorptive food makes the term "Flavored Tofu" confusing. Most people would say that tofu is automatically flavored based on what its mixed with and assume that's all that Flavored Tofu is... but alas, there's much more to it than this.

While its true that tofu does a very good job at absorbing flavors, true flavored tofu is made differently. Tofu is made with soy milk and during the curdling phase flavors can be mixed into the milk resulting in a true flavor infusion. Gone are the days of needing to mix tofu with your favorite flavors, now you can build those flavors right in!

There have been some wild attempts at flavored varieties over the year but most commonly fruits or fruit juices are combined with the soy milk to create flavored tofu. Infusions can be found for just about every fruit on there, however the most common fruit infusions are mango, orange and coconut. Don't be surprised to even see holiday flavors popping up over the next several years! Peppermint tofu for Christmas anyone?

Flavored tofu is generally served cold and created with a soft texture similar to that of silken tofu. This results in some delicious fruit flavored spreads that can be used in a number of recipes or simply spread onto your favorite crackers or vegetables. While tofu recipes rarely, if ever, call for flavored tofu you are generally free to substitute your favorite flavor freely anytime a silken tofu is called for in your favorite tofu recipe.

In addition to fruit infused tofu, egg is another common additive. The addition of egg results in a very unique flavor with added health benefits such as increased protein. While fruit infused tofu is most common and most people love the sweetness it brings, egg tofu remains very popular in some parts of the world.

Flavored tofu is increasing in popularity and its starting to pop up in average supermarkets across the country. Next time your shopping, see if you can find a flavor you'd like and rediscover tofu for the first time!

The Beauty of the Beastly Crawfish

2011-02-03T20:25:00.000-08:00

Some find them creepy and shriek back in fear, while others find them tasty and can't wait to get their hands (or should I say taste buds) around them. They are found all around the world in fresh water streams, lakes, and rivers, hiding under rocks or burrowed down in mud. In the U.S. they are known by many names: crayfish in the north, crawdads in most central and eastern parts of the U.S., and crawfish ormudbugs in the south. Australians call them yabbies, while Spaniards know them as cangrejo de río or river crab.

Whatever you call them, crawfish are eaten all over the world and have become an important part of the culinary culture of the southern United States, most especially Louisiana. Louisiana is in fact the largest crawfish producing state in the U.S., responsible for an estimated 98% of U.S. crawfish production. Louisiana is also the largest crawfish eating state in the union, and consumes approximately 70% of what it produces.

Crawfish are closely related to lobsters, but compared to their much larger relatives, adult crawfish are quite small, usually no longer than 7 inches. Only a small part of the crawfish is actually edible. In most entrees or soups, only the tail is served. A few crawfish, however, have large enough claws to make meat extraction worth the effort. The most famous way to eat them though is the crawfish boil--piles of seasoned whole bodied crawfish mixed in with boiled potatoes and corn-on-the-cob. When crawfish are boiled in this fashion, a great deal of the flavorful seasoning settles into the fat of the head cavity. For some folks, Louisianans in particular, this is the best part! They even have a saying for it, "suck the heads; pinch the tail."

So what about the health benefits of crawfish? So long as they aren't drenched in butter (as crab meat often is), shellfish like crawfish are very low in fat (only 1g per 3oz serving), are an excellent source of protein (15g per 3 oz serving), and are low in calories. Shellfish are also low in saturated fat, are high in HDL cholesterol (that's the good cholesterol), and are a good source of zinc, manganese, phosphorus, vitamin B12, and other vitamins and minerals. One study by the University of Southern California found that weekly consumption of shellfish reduced heart attack by as much as 59%!

The next time you're looking for a healthy snack or a new recipe, don't let the beastly mudbug scare you. His health benefits are far too beautiful to ignore.

Reheating Food Is the Formula to Restoring Your Free Time

2011-02-02T20:24:00.000-08:00

When attempting to juggle careers, children, and household life, down time becomes one of those things of legend. A lot of our time is used looking after young children, pets, or spouses each and every evening and little remains for ourselves just before its off to bed, only to awaken and do all of it once more the next day. Between wearing the hats of a taxi driver, maid, paramedic, and chef there is certainly seldom any "me time" remaining in the day. What we need is often a solution to restore a lot of the time we spend each and every evening and employ it for those items we really enjoy. Reheating food, prepared beforehand becomes the secret to receiving what we want. We are not talking about leftovers, but about preplanned and prepared meals that are distributed throughout the week.

Fast and frozen food come to be the main obstacles when trying to form a wholesome meal program for our household that opens our itineraries every evening. This sort of food is expensive versus preparing your own recipes even though it may possibly not appear so. It is also a lot less wholesome. Fastfood corporations have capitalized on the dependence on simple meal plans for busy working dads and moms. Frozen foods aren't a much better option even if they are found on the grocery shop isles. These types of food are nearly as dangerous for us as fast food. This is exactly where reheating food will become our spare time liberating secret weapon. Preparing wholesome possibilities and generating dishes upfront solves this problem. You will discover services that will create this option for you, but they may be expensive. There is an affordable alternative to wholesome food delivery services and personal chefs.

Remedy

Listed here are some techniques that even the largest household can use to ditch the fast and frozen foods and start a wholesome meal strategy throughout the week.

The week end just before, all foods for the week really should be mapped out. Take suggestions from every single member of the family. Solicit the aid of older children in writing down the choices.

Second, prepare a grocery store list from the materials in the dishes chosen. Again, don't do it all yourself if you have older kids that will share in the shopping. Allow them to have a buggie, an inventory, and send him or her to start at the opposite end in the shop.

Finally comes the establishing the time and location to ensure that all of the meals for the week could be prepared. This merging of time will take much less set up and clean up time over-all. Reheating food is going to take significantly less time every evening and trigger far less pick-up. This all functions together, to regain your evenings soon after work after you are worn-out and would rather unwind and enjoy getting home.

What Is Farro? An Ancient Italian Grain - Sorting Out the Confusion

2011-02-01T20:22:00.000-08:00

Farro - a delicious slightly nutty tasting grain is enjoyed widely throughout Italy. Less known in the U.S.A. it is also a source of some confusion.

When I was first introduced to Farro in Tuscany I was told by the organic farmer offering it to me that is was called "spelt" in English. But it seemed different than the spelt I'd had in the states. I also observed that it was prepared quickly with no pre-soaking involved. It was plump, appetizing and chewy. My curiosity was piqued.

Because of my passion for this region of Italy with its glorious, pristine, Tuscan fields and long, sunny summer days, I imagined this "spelt" was different because of optimal growing conditions. Alternately, I was suspicious that perhaps this farro had been processed or pumped up with "steroid" like chemicals. Eventually, after much research, including a visit to one of the first organic farms in Italy, the confusion dissolved. But describing "what is farro?" is still not easy.

Many sources will explain that Farro is an ancient or "heirloom" grain known to have sustained the Roman Legions as they marched across Europe. First cultivated as early as 10,000 BC in Ethiopia it eventually migrated through the Mediterranean Region and into Europe. Farro is early on the evolutionary chain of wheat - beginning with Einkorn and ending with contemporary Durum Wheat. The most common claim is that the biological name for Farro is "Triticum Dicoccum" and that it's similar to what we call "Emmer" in English. Furthermore, "Triticum Dicoccum" or Farro is the precursor to "Triticum Spelta" or "spelt" which evolved centuries later.

But not so fast! Further research uncovers some dispute about the actual evolution of these ancient grains. The accurate origin and taxonomy of spelt is controversial. Different varieties of T. Dicoccum or Emmer are grown throughout Italy including some wild, non-domesticated versions. Further, it turns out that Italians actually refer to any hulled wheat (with a husk) as "Farro". And the literal translation of the word "farro" into English is "spelt". So emmer or spelt or einkorn are all interchangeably called "farro" in Italy. Thus the confusion!

However - rest assured! As Farro becomes better known in the U.S. we can be confident that most product sold here is actually "Triticum Diccocum". Sold both as "whole grain farro" which retains its outer husk and "Farro Perlato" - which is the plump, chewy grain I first enjoyed in Tuscany. The word "perlato" refers to the removal of some of the tough, outside husk as in "semi-pearled". Despite the removal process Farro Perlato retains its highly nutritious properties. And grain sold as "Spelt" is a harder, smaller grain that needs to be pre-soaked before cooking and is preferably used for breads, flour and pastas.

The distinguishing feature of these hulled grains is the tough husk that needs to be partially removed or pre-soaked to be edible. The Tuscan farmers I know say "even the cinghiale (wild boar) won't eat farro because of the tough husks". As a result, farro lost favor over the centuries due to the development of modern wheat - without the husks - which required less processing and produced higher yields. Unfortunately the cultivation of modern wheats also culled out many of the nutritious properties of the ancient grains and increased the amount of gluten now present in today's durum wheat.

Now it's our good fortune that organic Farro Perlato is available in America semi-pearled making it very quick and easy to cook. It has high protein, high fiber, is non-GMO, highly nutritious and has a low glycemic index of 40 when compared to other grains. Because it retains many of its ancient properties its gluten content is low and is often tolerated by people with wheat allergies. Versatile and delicious it can be served as an entrée, side dish, salad or even as a hot breakfast cereal. It's now easy to cook delectable farro dishes like those served in homes all over Italy and to enjoy the taste of Farro in fine restaurants throughout the United States.