This article was written to answer many of the most frequently asked
questions on this topic. I hope you find information helpful. Unless we
really love cooking or plan and prepare ahead with our meals, we can
fall victim to the easy way out - fast food or junk food.
Here is
a story; could it be you? The weekend is here and you think you now
have a couple of days to relax. Saturday morning - you make the coffee
to start the day and then you're off shopping. You get back just before
lunch and discover that you have to get the kids to their hockey
practise. Too late for a healthy lunch, by the time they are organized
it will be time to go. So you pick up a hamburger on the way. Traffic is
a nightmare. By the time you put your feet up, you find it is time to
get the kids. It's almost supper time and you're really tired now and
you're in no mood to prepare a meal so you pick up pizzas from a
well-known fast food outlet. Sunday and time to prepare brunch and you
go downhill from there so you pick up some chicken with chips and some
salad...
So what is a good diet? One which contains the nutrients
your body needs in the correct amounts. That is the key to a healthy
lifestyle. The main things your body needs from food are proteins (for
growth and repair), carbohydrates (for energy), fats (gives a store of
energy and the fatty layer protects and insulates your body from impacts
and temperature loss), vitamins (for good health), minerals (for the
correct functioning of your body systems) fibre (aids digestion and
production of faeces) and water (70% or so of the body is water).
Does
the hamburger provide all the things your body needs? Does it supply
the nutrients you need? The answer is yes. The burger itself contains
some meat, so there is the protein, some minerals and fat, the burger
also contains fillers and those, plus the burger bun provides
carbohydrate. The salad that comes with the burger meal provides fibre,
water, vitamins and minerals. The fries provide more fat and
carbohydrate and the main bulk of the water comes from the drink. To our
surprise, the burger meals do provide all you need!
The problem
is with the quantities of these nutrients. There is usually way too much
fat and carbohydrate compared with the other nutrients. There is very
little fibre. The vitamin and mineral proportions are low, unless you
have a shake with the meal, which will increase the proportion of dairy
product based minerals such as calcium. Now you need to make sure your
next meal makes up for this out of balance meal. For your evening meal
you should eat a low fat, high fibre meal, plenty of vegetables cooked
lightly or eaten raw so as not to destroy the vitamins. If you must eat
between meals, snack on fruit or vegetables.
Showing posts with label Food and Beverage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food and Beverage. Show all posts
Organic Food and Locally Grown Food: Are They the Same?
In the U.K., consumers are gobbling up organic food by the bushel. In
fact, according to the Organic Centre Wales, "Direct sales of organic
food through box schemes, farmers' markets and farm shops grew by more
than a third to L144 million during 2004." And those numbers have
continued to rise as consumers become increasingly concerned about the
long-term effects of the chemical fertilizers and pesticides used on
crops grown by non-organic farms. While most people agree that organic
food is preferable over non-organic, a debate has begun about the source
of organic foods. For example, is imported organic food as desirable as
UK organic food?
Making the Case for Local Organic Food
Those on one side of the debate insist it doesn't matter where organic food is grown; rather, the crucial factor is that the food meets stringent standards to ensure that it is truly organic. Those on the other side of the debate are equally vehement that locally grown organic food is preferable to imported organic food, both because the fossil fuels used to transport imported organic food add to global warming and because UK organic food supports local farmers.
Advocates say that you can find UK organic food at an organic farm shop, or even arrange for organic food delivery right to your door. You can even find organic fish, such as organic trout from an organic fish farm. There, the organic trout may live in 400-year-old spring water and eat natural shrimp that comes from organic watercress beds.
Those who favor importing organic food point out that an organic farm shop will only have seasonal foods, which severely limit the choices consumers have when preparing meals. Imported organic food, they say, retains its superior nutritional quality while delivering a bountiful variety of fruits and vegetables.
Some people, of course, take the middle ground, and opt to select their foods from an organic farm shop when what they desire is in season and shop for imported organic food the remainder of the year.
The Bottom Line
People may differ in their opinions about whether or not to limit one's consumption of organic food to that grown locally, but virtually everyone agrees that organic fruits, organic vegetables, organic fish, and organic meats are preferable to those that are grown with chemical fertilizers, insecticides, and fungicides.
Currently, non-organic growers are authorized to use over 1,000 chemicals on crops. This translates into everything from soil erosion due to over-farming to dangerous toxic runoff into our drinking water. Growing food organically is a way to reverse this trend. With over 700,000 hectares dedicated to UK organic food, farmers are trying to meet consumer demand. Still, some markets import almost half of the organic food they sell. As for who will win the debate over locally grown organic food vs. imported organic food, only time will tell.
Making the Case for Local Organic Food
Those on one side of the debate insist it doesn't matter where organic food is grown; rather, the crucial factor is that the food meets stringent standards to ensure that it is truly organic. Those on the other side of the debate are equally vehement that locally grown organic food is preferable to imported organic food, both because the fossil fuels used to transport imported organic food add to global warming and because UK organic food supports local farmers.
Advocates say that you can find UK organic food at an organic farm shop, or even arrange for organic food delivery right to your door. You can even find organic fish, such as organic trout from an organic fish farm. There, the organic trout may live in 400-year-old spring water and eat natural shrimp that comes from organic watercress beds.
Those who favor importing organic food point out that an organic farm shop will only have seasonal foods, which severely limit the choices consumers have when preparing meals. Imported organic food, they say, retains its superior nutritional quality while delivering a bountiful variety of fruits and vegetables.
Some people, of course, take the middle ground, and opt to select their foods from an organic farm shop when what they desire is in season and shop for imported organic food the remainder of the year.
The Bottom Line
People may differ in their opinions about whether or not to limit one's consumption of organic food to that grown locally, but virtually everyone agrees that organic fruits, organic vegetables, organic fish, and organic meats are preferable to those that are grown with chemical fertilizers, insecticides, and fungicides.
Currently, non-organic growers are authorized to use over 1,000 chemicals on crops. This translates into everything from soil erosion due to over-farming to dangerous toxic runoff into our drinking water. Growing food organically is a way to reverse this trend. With over 700,000 hectares dedicated to UK organic food, farmers are trying to meet consumer demand. Still, some markets import almost half of the organic food they sell. As for who will win the debate over locally grown organic food vs. imported organic food, only time will tell.
Scottish Cuisine: Haggis
Haggis is a traditional Scottish highland dish that resembles, in some senses, a rather rough sausage. It is the national dish of Scotland, and Robert Burns, the great Scots poet, who wrote the famous "Address to a Haggis" called the haggis the "chieftain o' the puddin-race." It is a staple of Scottish cuisine, and is served in the traditional manner, as well as in the "haggis supper" (deep fried haggis with a side of French fries) or even as a haggis burger. It is sold prepared in supermarkets year round. But what is actually in this mysterious and oft-misunderstood food?
Though the traditional response to the question "what is a haggis?" is often answered with a joke about a small highland animal with one pair of legs shorter than the other (to more easily circle the highland hills), the truth is that it is a food designed to let no part of the animal go to waste – hence its popularity amongst the poor in the days of Burns.
While it is sometimes made of deer, the haggis is more often based on sheep. It is a combination of oatmeal and several meats. Normally, the sheep's "pluck" or offal is removed, including heart, liver, and lungs (or "lights"). This is ground, heavily spiced, and combined with onion, suet, spices, and salt. The oatmeal and the other ingredients are mixed with stock and stuffed inside a sheep's stomach. This is the haggis, and it is then boiled and served. Of course, in modern times, a real stomach is just as often replaced with an artificial casing, and vegetarian-friendly ingredients may replace meat and offal.<
Haggis is often served with "neeps and tatties" A "neep" is swede, or rutabaga, and is shortened from "Swedish turnip." Tatties are mashed potatoes. Of course, haggis would not be complete without a "dram" of whisky to wash it down, a tradition referred to as "neeps and nips".
Traditionally, haggis is served at Burns Suppers, on January 25 of each year. That these events, someone recites the "Address to a Haggis." It is then doused with a shot of Scotch whisky and cut with a dirk, a large knife that is a traditional highland sidearm. Often, the haggis is paraded in with a bagpiper.
Unfortunately for haggis lovers, some of the ingredients are illegal and it is sometimes hard to make a "true" haggis. For example, in the United States, it is illegal to sell animal lungs for human consumption, and so at least one ingredient is missing. Imported haggis from Scotland, which contains bits of lung, has even been rated "unfit for human consumption" by the USDA.
Interestingly, haggis is not used only for eating. There is an official Haggis Throwing World Championship in which competitors must throw a cooked haggis as far as possible for atop a whisky barrel platform – the current record some 180 feet. This developed from an even older practice of throwing a haggis for accuracy, usually by a woman tossing it into the apron of a man's kilt. Some would say this is a far better use for a haggis than actually eating it!
Though the traditional response to the question "what is a haggis?" is often answered with a joke about a small highland animal with one pair of legs shorter than the other (to more easily circle the highland hills), the truth is that it is a food designed to let no part of the animal go to waste – hence its popularity amongst the poor in the days of Burns.
While it is sometimes made of deer, the haggis is more often based on sheep. It is a combination of oatmeal and several meats. Normally, the sheep's "pluck" or offal is removed, including heart, liver, and lungs (or "lights"). This is ground, heavily spiced, and combined with onion, suet, spices, and salt. The oatmeal and the other ingredients are mixed with stock and stuffed inside a sheep's stomach. This is the haggis, and it is then boiled and served. Of course, in modern times, a real stomach is just as often replaced with an artificial casing, and vegetarian-friendly ingredients may replace meat and offal.<
Haggis is often served with "neeps and tatties" A "neep" is swede, or rutabaga, and is shortened from "Swedish turnip." Tatties are mashed potatoes. Of course, haggis would not be complete without a "dram" of whisky to wash it down, a tradition referred to as "neeps and nips".
Traditionally, haggis is served at Burns Suppers, on January 25 of each year. That these events, someone recites the "Address to a Haggis." It is then doused with a shot of Scotch whisky and cut with a dirk, a large knife that is a traditional highland sidearm. Often, the haggis is paraded in with a bagpiper.
Unfortunately for haggis lovers, some of the ingredients are illegal and it is sometimes hard to make a "true" haggis. For example, in the United States, it is illegal to sell animal lungs for human consumption, and so at least one ingredient is missing. Imported haggis from Scotland, which contains bits of lung, has even been rated "unfit for human consumption" by the USDA.
Interestingly, haggis is not used only for eating. There is an official Haggis Throwing World Championship in which competitors must throw a cooked haggis as far as possible for atop a whisky barrel platform – the current record some 180 feet. This developed from an even older practice of throwing a haggis for accuracy, usually by a woman tossing it into the apron of a man's kilt. Some would say this is a far better use for a haggis than actually eating it!
The Many Uses Of Adjustable Swivel Bar Stools
When you think of bar stools, the first stools that might come to mind are wooden bar stools, kitchen bar stools, or adjustable swivel bar stools. Many of you out there thinking of buying bar stools usually only have a one tracked mind when you see a bar stool. A bar stools can be multifunctional and not for the way it was primarily designed. Here are some examples of using one type of bar stool for other purposes; this will often end up a better fit.
Artists using bar stools are built to seat painters, sculptors, and architects as they ply there trade. These types of bar stools are manufactured with adjustable height gauges to accommodate any size of artist. Unlike standard bar or counter stools, these stools are not designed to be fully sat in, but instead for a mixture of sitting and standing. They allow for a lot of changing between standing and leaning when into there work.
Now, imagine this a busy cook in their kitchen at home. Cooking often entails 1st mixing and preparing the ingredients, then baking or roasting. This takes a lot of standing up and sitting down, working at one place, then moving to get more ingredients or make sure something in the oven is cooking well. Wouldn't an adjustable swivel bar stool be a perfect match for this kind of action?
Now think of bar stools that are mainly manufactured for use at bar counters, breakfast bars, game halls, or high restaurant tables. This type of adjustable bar stool can also be used in your living room with more traditional pieces of furniture like designer chairs or a plush sofa and also don't take up to much room.
Finally, folding stools are extremely versatile. Made primarily to be lightweight aluminium for carrying to isolated places, they are used by painters looking to canvas pleasant pastoral scenes. They are also favourites among hikers, campers, and anglers, those people who would be constantly on the move in the open country side and like to rest, make camp or fish.
These stools have multiple uses, from parties in the garden, where transitory seating is needed, to being used in your hobby shop or garage. They can sit lower than other types of stools, so reaching things closer to the ground is more fitting.
Artists using bar stools are built to seat painters, sculptors, and architects as they ply there trade. These types of bar stools are manufactured with adjustable height gauges to accommodate any size of artist. Unlike standard bar or counter stools, these stools are not designed to be fully sat in, but instead for a mixture of sitting and standing. They allow for a lot of changing between standing and leaning when into there work.
Now, imagine this a busy cook in their kitchen at home. Cooking often entails 1st mixing and preparing the ingredients, then baking or roasting. This takes a lot of standing up and sitting down, working at one place, then moving to get more ingredients or make sure something in the oven is cooking well. Wouldn't an adjustable swivel bar stool be a perfect match for this kind of action?
Now think of bar stools that are mainly manufactured for use at bar counters, breakfast bars, game halls, or high restaurant tables. This type of adjustable bar stool can also be used in your living room with more traditional pieces of furniture like designer chairs or a plush sofa and also don't take up to much room.
Finally, folding stools are extremely versatile. Made primarily to be lightweight aluminium for carrying to isolated places, they are used by painters looking to canvas pleasant pastoral scenes. They are also favourites among hikers, campers, and anglers, those people who would be constantly on the move in the open country side and like to rest, make camp or fish.
These stools have multiple uses, from parties in the garden, where transitory seating is needed, to being used in your hobby shop or garage. They can sit lower than other types of stools, so reaching things closer to the ground is more fitting.
Seek out Thai Bamboo Bistro
A couple months passed between our visits to Thai Bamboo Bistro, and this time, on our third stop, we knew a little more.
Sometimes, a little more information is dangerous and just enough to convince you not to return to a restaurant.
Not this time.
Our first visit was on a summer Monday. We were a little ahead of the lunch rush, our 2-year-old was a little subdued, and so we took a chance on a place we'd noticed in the new Quail Hill Village shopping center in Irvine, not far from where the San Diego (I-405) and Santa Ana (I-5) Freeways converge in central Orange County, California.
The center sprang up in the shadow of the Shady Canyon estates seemingly overnight. It's out of the way -- you don't just happen by.
It's in one of those new-generation neighborhood centers that has an all-too-familiar feel about it: anchor supermarket on one end, Starbucks on the other, generic fast-food and fast-casual restaurants between. This one was a little different -- some of the franchise names were not quite so ubiquitous, and it appeared that the Irvine Co. took a chance and leased to some non-franchise operators, too.
We ventured into the bistro, and within 10 minutes, the intimate place was packed. So packed, we quickly changed our sit-down order to to-go, hustled our now not-so-subdued little guy out and headed home to the most sumptuous take-out we'd had in months.
Jungle curry with chicken ($12) was mellow and smooth (we ordered the milder green curry; yellow and red are available). Spicy lemon grass chicken ($12) was zesty and fresh. Traditional pad thai ($11) -- my wife's standard -- aromatic and generously portioned with shrimp, egg, tofu and noodles.
So, we went back, this time for dinner, without the boy.
Again, the restaurant was full, though minus the maddening lunch crush. Again, our dinner was delicious: more green curry and pad thai -- we're creatures of habit.
We were struck by the cool, contemporary room, with its handful of bamboo decorative touches. By the briskly efficient service (though the meals can arrive at a more languid pace, testimony to the fresh cooked-to-order kitchen). And by the incredibly fresh ingredients, rendered in light sauces.
The chef markets almost daily, co-manager Jade Tam told me. Sometimes the grocery, sometimes a specialty store, sometimes a farmers market.
Then, well, life kept us away for a few months, until I spoke with manager Amy Lam.
As we chatted about the restaurant's expansion plans and presentation themes, Amy asked, ``Do you know Julie and Pat?''
Well, yes, I said, we're going to their wedding in a day.
``We haven't seen them in a while,'' Amy said, laughing. Julie warned they'd be absent for a while, something about pre-wedding fasting.
I know Julie's taste in food and restaurants just well enough that this little nugget of information -- that she and Pat are regulars enough to be on a first-name basis -- told me to get back in there, pronto.
We were again wowed by fresh flavors. We started with the Thai bamboo sampler appetizer ($14), a mix of four from the menu (spring rolls, summer rolls, chicken and beef satay, and gold bags -- crispy wontons tied up like little Gold Rush-era treasures).
Our shrimp in spicy mango sauce ($16) was sweet, but subtle. We upgraded from the standard pad thai, ordering the ``new edition'' version (egg noodles instead of rice noodles. $11).
It won't be such a long wait for our next meal here.
Sometimes, a little more information is dangerous and just enough to convince you not to return to a restaurant.
Not this time.
Our first visit was on a summer Monday. We were a little ahead of the lunch rush, our 2-year-old was a little subdued, and so we took a chance on a place we'd noticed in the new Quail Hill Village shopping center in Irvine, not far from where the San Diego (I-405) and Santa Ana (I-5) Freeways converge in central Orange County, California.
The center sprang up in the shadow of the Shady Canyon estates seemingly overnight. It's out of the way -- you don't just happen by.
It's in one of those new-generation neighborhood centers that has an all-too-familiar feel about it: anchor supermarket on one end, Starbucks on the other, generic fast-food and fast-casual restaurants between. This one was a little different -- some of the franchise names were not quite so ubiquitous, and it appeared that the Irvine Co. took a chance and leased to some non-franchise operators, too.
We ventured into the bistro, and within 10 minutes, the intimate place was packed. So packed, we quickly changed our sit-down order to to-go, hustled our now not-so-subdued little guy out and headed home to the most sumptuous take-out we'd had in months.
Jungle curry with chicken ($12) was mellow and smooth (we ordered the milder green curry; yellow and red are available). Spicy lemon grass chicken ($12) was zesty and fresh. Traditional pad thai ($11) -- my wife's standard -- aromatic and generously portioned with shrimp, egg, tofu and noodles.
So, we went back, this time for dinner, without the boy.
Again, the restaurant was full, though minus the maddening lunch crush. Again, our dinner was delicious: more green curry and pad thai -- we're creatures of habit.
We were struck by the cool, contemporary room, with its handful of bamboo decorative touches. By the briskly efficient service (though the meals can arrive at a more languid pace, testimony to the fresh cooked-to-order kitchen). And by the incredibly fresh ingredients, rendered in light sauces.
The chef markets almost daily, co-manager Jade Tam told me. Sometimes the grocery, sometimes a specialty store, sometimes a farmers market.
Then, well, life kept us away for a few months, until I spoke with manager Amy Lam.
As we chatted about the restaurant's expansion plans and presentation themes, Amy asked, ``Do you know Julie and Pat?''
Well, yes, I said, we're going to their wedding in a day.
``We haven't seen them in a while,'' Amy said, laughing. Julie warned they'd be absent for a while, something about pre-wedding fasting.
I know Julie's taste in food and restaurants just well enough that this little nugget of information -- that she and Pat are regulars enough to be on a first-name basis -- told me to get back in there, pronto.
We were again wowed by fresh flavors. We started with the Thai bamboo sampler appetizer ($14), a mix of four from the menu (spring rolls, summer rolls, chicken and beef satay, and gold bags -- crispy wontons tied up like little Gold Rush-era treasures).
Our shrimp in spicy mango sauce ($16) was sweet, but subtle. We upgraded from the standard pad thai, ordering the ``new edition'' version (egg noodles instead of rice noodles. $11).
It won't be such a long wait for our next meal here.
Coffee - From Coffee Beans To Coffee Grinding
So, you are the happy owner of a coffee/espresso machine. But do you really know how to get the most out of it? Here are a few handy pointers that should help you to make the perfect espresso coffee time and time again.
Tip 1 - Let Your Coffee/espresso Machine fully Heat Up
The inner workings of your coffee machine that hold water items like the boiler are classically made of metal. Allowing this equipment to heat up by turning on your coffee machine at least 10 min preceding the 1st coffee will make a more steady heat for your coffees. Also use this time to heat your coffee cups before use, use the steam nozzle in hot water mode to fill the cups. Some coffee machines have built in cup heaters that take a few minutes to warm up.
Tip 2 - Use Fresh Water
With coffee, everything has to be fresh. Empty out your coffee machine water container every day when you are making your 1st coffee. You should use filtered water and you will definitely taste the difference. Using filtered water will also lengthen the life of your coffee machine; reducing calcification and lime scale build up.
Tip 3 - Use Fresh Coffee beans
If you do not have an automatic coffee machine that has a grinder built in then you will need to buy a separate one. Every time you use your coffee machine, only ever grind enough coffee beans for that measure of coffee. This will give you a glowing creme on top of your coffee or espresso. Store your beans in the freezer until it's to use them, this will help them to hold their flavour.
Tip 4 - Use The Correct Grind And Correct Tamping
Talk to your coffee supplier about your coffee machine and make sure that he is giving you the correct ground coffee. If possible use your own grinder to attain the most favourable fineness. Gently pack your freshly ground coffee into the filter handle, do not pack to much or press to hard or you won't reach a decent flow rate. A excellent rule of thumb is that it should take about 25 seconds for 30ml of coffee to be poured.
Tip 5 - Experiment
There are so many variables at work with a coffee machine that you will need to make a lot of coffees to truly realize the different coffees you can make. The temperature, the beans, the grind and the flow rate will all give diverse tasting coffees. You will know you are getting it right when your coffee machine produces a thick golden creme and a sweet, rich espresso coffee.
Tip 1 - Let Your Coffee/espresso Machine fully Heat Up
The inner workings of your coffee machine that hold water items like the boiler are classically made of metal. Allowing this equipment to heat up by turning on your coffee machine at least 10 min preceding the 1st coffee will make a more steady heat for your coffees. Also use this time to heat your coffee cups before use, use the steam nozzle in hot water mode to fill the cups. Some coffee machines have built in cup heaters that take a few minutes to warm up.
Tip 2 - Use Fresh Water
With coffee, everything has to be fresh. Empty out your coffee machine water container every day when you are making your 1st coffee. You should use filtered water and you will definitely taste the difference. Using filtered water will also lengthen the life of your coffee machine; reducing calcification and lime scale build up.
Tip 3 - Use Fresh Coffee beans
If you do not have an automatic coffee machine that has a grinder built in then you will need to buy a separate one. Every time you use your coffee machine, only ever grind enough coffee beans for that measure of coffee. This will give you a glowing creme on top of your coffee or espresso. Store your beans in the freezer until it's to use them, this will help them to hold their flavour.
Tip 4 - Use The Correct Grind And Correct Tamping
Talk to your coffee supplier about your coffee machine and make sure that he is giving you the correct ground coffee. If possible use your own grinder to attain the most favourable fineness. Gently pack your freshly ground coffee into the filter handle, do not pack to much or press to hard or you won't reach a decent flow rate. A excellent rule of thumb is that it should take about 25 seconds for 30ml of coffee to be poured.
Tip 5 - Experiment
There are so many variables at work with a coffee machine that you will need to make a lot of coffees to truly realize the different coffees you can make. The temperature, the beans, the grind and the flow rate will all give diverse tasting coffees. You will know you are getting it right when your coffee machine produces a thick golden creme and a sweet, rich espresso coffee.
Unique gift ideas for the cook.
With Mother's Day around the corner, are you at a complete loss for an idea for the perfect Mother's Day gift? Yes, Mother's Day is the second Sunday in May, and with a little planning you can find a gift for mom that can be a help for her in the kitchen. Along with the Mother's day flowers and Mother's Day card, why not order a unique gift idea that she would use and appreciate all year long?
Perhaps you are wondering what to buy your mother for her birthday?
Your search will definitely end at Cruets.com. We have numerous gourmet gift items and imported condiments that have won gourmet awards at fancy food shows and exhibitions.
One great gift idea is the specialty hand blown glass, oil and vinegar cruet. As dual cruets for olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar, our glass-within-glass cruets offer an innovative way to store both oil and vinegar in the same decanter. Each oil and vinegar cruet is a vessel within a vessel, and has two spouts, one to pour olive oil and the other to serve vinegar. The grape cluster cruet is by far our most popular design, one easy to add to any kitchen décor. These items are custom made in Europe by glass master artisans, from durable technical grade glass, perfect for cooking and food serving.
Another gift idea we offer will free your mother from toiling in the kitchen to make a simple mashed potatoes dish. Instead of mom working diligently with a wire potato masher to achieve the smooth consistency devoid of any lumps, you can give her our new Ergonomic potato masher that is easy on her hands and wrist. The ergonomic potato masher is truly a unique gourmet gift. Garlic mashed potatoes will take on a new meaning in mom's kitchen, with half the effort to make them.
Ergonomically designed, this potato masher is easily the best Mother's day or birthday gift idea you will find that is both practical and useful. Buy it for her as a thank you for all her efforts. This potato masher requires only half the energy as compared to conventional mashers. It has a rotating mechanism that will mash potatoes easily and without much effort. This new technique ensures a consistent paste of mashed potatoes and hence a flawlessly delicious dish. Mom's work will go effortlessly with this latest kitchen product.
This simple and inexpensive culinary tool is made from food grade plastic and is safe for the dishwasher.
Wish your mother or wife a very happy birthday, or Happy Mother's Day, with unique gift ideas from www.cruets.com You can purchase online, and send by mail, these unique gifts are sure to acquire a place of pride in any gourmet kitchen.
Perhaps you are wondering what to buy your mother for her birthday?
Your search will definitely end at Cruets.com. We have numerous gourmet gift items and imported condiments that have won gourmet awards at fancy food shows and exhibitions.
One great gift idea is the specialty hand blown glass, oil and vinegar cruet. As dual cruets for olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar, our glass-within-glass cruets offer an innovative way to store both oil and vinegar in the same decanter. Each oil and vinegar cruet is a vessel within a vessel, and has two spouts, one to pour olive oil and the other to serve vinegar. The grape cluster cruet is by far our most popular design, one easy to add to any kitchen décor. These items are custom made in Europe by glass master artisans, from durable technical grade glass, perfect for cooking and food serving.
Another gift idea we offer will free your mother from toiling in the kitchen to make a simple mashed potatoes dish. Instead of mom working diligently with a wire potato masher to achieve the smooth consistency devoid of any lumps, you can give her our new Ergonomic potato masher that is easy on her hands and wrist. The ergonomic potato masher is truly a unique gourmet gift. Garlic mashed potatoes will take on a new meaning in mom's kitchen, with half the effort to make them.
Ergonomically designed, this potato masher is easily the best Mother's day or birthday gift idea you will find that is both practical and useful. Buy it for her as a thank you for all her efforts. This potato masher requires only half the energy as compared to conventional mashers. It has a rotating mechanism that will mash potatoes easily and without much effort. This new technique ensures a consistent paste of mashed potatoes and hence a flawlessly delicious dish. Mom's work will go effortlessly with this latest kitchen product.
This simple and inexpensive culinary tool is made from food grade plastic and is safe for the dishwasher.
Wish your mother or wife a very happy birthday, or Happy Mother's Day, with unique gift ideas from www.cruets.com You can purchase online, and send by mail, these unique gifts are sure to acquire a place of pride in any gourmet kitchen.
Bushmills Irish Whiskey
Driving along the spectacular Antrim coast you can just tell that this is good whiskey-making country. Soft pasture land, small rivers, natural harbours and a people who know that good things take time. It's a land where legend and fact become easily blurred, where folk tales take on the mantle of truth. Who knows when whiskey was first made here?
Some historians claim it started in 1276, though if the story of monks taking distilling with them when they went to convert the heathen Picts is true, it could be as far back at the 6th century. Authorization was given for whiskey to be legally made in the county in 1608, allowing Bushmills to claim that it has been making the stuff since then - and laying the foundations for some mighty craic in 2008!
Bushmills is significantly different to the other two Irish distilleries and takes you back to a time when all of Ireland's whiskey only came from pot stills. There again, this being Ireland, it's also atypical of the traditional Irish pot-still style insofar as it doesn't use a mix of malted and unmalted barley. But it's not quite like a typical Scottish malt distillery as it uses triple distillation and unpeated malt - though so do Auchentoshan and Springbank's Hazelburn.
It's a complex process, as master distiller David Quinn explains. 'After distilling the low wines in the second [or feints] still we take the strong feints forward to a third distillation which gives us a distillate at around 84%ABV. The weak feints get recycled in the second distillation with the head and tails from the third. What we're doing is leaving behind the heavier aspects of the spirit and shifting the flavour balance to more fragrant, lighter, sweeter fruity character'.
The distillery is only a few miles from the Giant's Causeway, a weird outcrop of hexagonal basalt pillars that look like a monstrous pipe organ which, legend would have it, was the southern end of a bridge linking Ireland with Fingal's Cave on the Hebridean island of Staffa. In many ways Bushmills is a modern day bridge between two whisk(e)y-making cultures. 'There's a lot of the tradition of Irish pot still whiskey making here,' says David. 'But by being a single malt we're moving into the Scottish tradition. Maybe we can claim that we take the best of both traditions! On a good day we can see Islay, it's only 16 miles, so that link has always been there - maybe starting with monks like St. Columba'. In more recent times, ex-manager Frank McHardy nipped across the sea to Campbeltown's Springbank distillery - no surprise he's behind the triple distilled, unpeated Hazelburn!
Where Bushmills differs from any Scottish distillery is by being home to blends as well as single malts - most importantly the magnificent Black Bush, a blend of 5Oper cent Bushmills single malt and grain from Midleton. Bushmills follows the Irish Distillers' policy of using a high percentage of first-fill sherry and Bourbon wood, both of them wood types packed with powerful flavours. The fact that David's light distillate isn't drowned out by these big flavours is testimony to some high-class blending skills.
'Getting the correct balance is vital. You could argue that with a delicate spirit it's even more vital that you get that flavour in correct balance with the wood. It also means we have to have top-quality wood. You can spend all the time in the world making a good distillate and then lose it by using substandard cooperage.' This shows best in the Triple Wood, a single malt initially aged in ex-Bourbon and sherry wood for 16 years before the two elements are married together and then recasked into port pipes for up to a year. Innovative, modern, yet in touch with the past - just like David and his team.
TASTING NOTES
Black Bush
Sweet, toffee-like nose with plenty of sherry notes in evidence. The palate is silky and soft, balancing ripe malt, raisined sherry wood and rich fruitiness
Bushmills 10-year-old
Clean and crisp, with apple blossom, clover and bran. Lightly creamy on the palate, with some almond paste and gentle grassiness on the finish. Pleasant and soft.
Bushmills Triple Wood
Ripe and full on the nose. A taste of molasses, then some raisin mixed with powerful, plummy fruits. Well balanced
Kosher Food Popular With Health Conscious Of All Faiths
The health conscious and dieters are finding Kosher food is better for you and offers a very wide range of items and dishes, and this trend is spreading rapidly.
Keeping kosher means following dietary laws handed down through the centuries among the Jewish faithful. Kosher has its roots in the Old Testament. Kosher laws are generally more strict than U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) standards.
Religious inspectors also rule out sick or injured animals that would be normally be accepted in non-Kosher markets.
In our modern world where most animals are often treated roughly, keeping Kosher means eating a much healthier grade of meat.
Kosher tradition features a major group of foods known as Parve. Parve includes a huge variety of fruits, vegetables, and grains in their natural, unprocessed state. This is exactly what many people who are trying to eat a healthier, low-fat, high-fiber diet are looking for.
These days Kosher food is widely available and often can be ordered pre-packaged via the Internet or mail. This makes a perfect option for anyone who wants to try Kosher, eat Kosher occasionally, or needs a stash of good Kosher meals when traveling.
Options include a wide variety of vegetables and salads along with meat, chicken, and fish dinners. Also available are salt-free meals and veggie dinners for people with special dietary needs. You can chose from menu items with traditional Jewish names to items that might seem to come from your average neighborhood restaurant. The difference is that everything is prepared with very high Kosher standards for ingredients and preparation.
People everywhere are starting to view Kosher certification as a mark of a food's superior quality, cleanliness, and healthfulness.
Healthy Beverages
My favorite beverage to have in substitute of a soda is orange juice. It tastes good, it is natural, and is readily available. Orange juice provides a good dose of Vitamin C. An 8 ounce glass contains as much potassium as a banana. It has a remarkable variety of phytonutrients. Beyond the great vitamin and nutrient content, a study has shown that orange juice can lower your blood pressure.
Another great beverage is apple juice. Fresh apple juice carries a significant amount of Vitamin A and C. The old time saying that an apple a day can keep the doctor away is true. Recent studies have shown that drinking apple juice can help slow down the process that leads to heart disease.
Cranberry juice is another powerful drink that should be added to your diet. Medicinal properties of the cranberry have been recognized for centuries. It provides powerful antioxidant qualities. A common treatment for urinary tract infections is to drink cranberry juice. It is thought that the strong acidic content of the juice provides an inhospitable environment for bacteria.
Beyond the standard juices, you can get a bit more exotic. Mango, pineapple, carrot, wheatgrass, and tomato are all great juices that provides wonderful health benefits. Many companies are now offering smoothies and other freshly made juices. As people become more health conscience, these will become the future of the beverage industry.
I hope you will see that there are many options to sodas. You will feel a great impact to your health once you have given them up and integrated the more healthy juices into your diet. At first it will take will power, but as time goes on, you will find that you will completely loose your taste for those sugary sodas.
The Incomparable Premium Gourmet Coffee
Coffee has top choices when it comes to quality in taste and flavor. Of course, coffee enthusiasts know the difference of what is considered "rich gourmet" as compared to "instant" blends.
The latter one can easily mix anytime, since its powder content is already manufactured to suit the need of the fast-paced consumers who won't take the time to use their coffee makers. The flavor may be good, but there is usually a lack of distinction in its taste and finish.
Then, there's the prime choice of premium gourmet coffee that one can only get from grinding the finest coffee beans available in the market. There is much more substance when the hot concoction hits one's taste buds, effectively separating itself from the ordinary and blasé category.
What makes a premium gourmet coffee blend? Its source comes from a mix of various superior-quality Arabica coffee beans that give a unique odor and taste. There are many of them to choose from in the market, with varying results from their different roasting styles and origin. One can easily distinguish the difference when they take a sip from a cup of gourmet coffee blend, its richness and texture combined with the intoxicating fragrance, at the same time doing wonders to the coffee-drinker senses.
Premium Coffee Delight
Now how can one achieve just the perfect cup of premium gourmet coffee?
First, one should carefully choose the right kind of blend that suits the palate. Some like their coffee beans dark and oily; others are more into light-roasted ones that are not so strong yet still able to give that certain kick. Finding them should not be that hard as there are a variety of kinds to choose from.
The next crucial step is to grind them just enough for the oils to blend in together with the beans, not necessarily for them to dissolve into a cloud of small particles as this would lose the rich taste of the bean essences. One must be careful not to overdo the grinding process in using a blade coffee grinder. One must be particular of when the beans reach a certain consistency.
A liberal amount is then recommended to be put into the coffeemaker, and by liberal, it may mean the more the better, or according to one's definition of what better is. The usual coffee aficionado already has an idea of how rich he wants his cup of coffee to be.
Whatever delightful concoction the drinker may produce, one thing is sure: a premium gourmet coffee will never disappoint the senses.
Healthy Foods That Your Kids Will Love
Is getting your kids to eat healthy foods is a battle in your home? If so, you'll love these tips that will make your kids happy and give you the satisfaction of knowing you are feeding them foods that are good for them.
Start the Day Right
You can give your kids a delicious, healthy breakfast by getting rid of the ready to eat cereals and pastries and replacing them with bran pancakes and low-sugar syrup and/or fruit. Whole-wheat tortillas filled with fruit, scrambled eggs, or cheese and turkey bacon are delicious and your kids will have fun eating them, paying no attention to the fact that it is actually good for them.
Naturally Sweet
Most kids will ask for sweets such as candy and snack cakes. Instead of giving in to the pressure, give your kids applesauce and homemade oatmeal cookies prepared with a sugar substitute or honey rather than white sugar. Fruit snacks and dried fruit roll ups made from 100 percent fruit are great ideas for kids.
Replace fruit drinks and sodas with flavored tonic water and fresh fruit juice. Drink boxes containing pure fruit juice are relatively inexpensive and kids love the individual boxes, complete with straws.
Make it Fun
The secret is in the presentation. Arrange an assortment of healthy foods in a fun way on your child's plate. You can include smiley faces made from raisins or nuts and choose foods that are colorful. Kids will eat most things if they are presented in a unique design that makes eating fun.
Healthy Dinner
Dinnertime can include homemade pizza topped with cheese and vegetables, or soft tacos made with shredded chicken and cheese. Chicken strips prepared in the oven are always a hit and you could include an assortment of fresh vegetables and whole-grain breads. Fish sticks are relatively healthy if you prepare them in the oven rather than fried. Cheese and legumes are healthy choices.
It's not difficult to get kids to eat healthy foods. It just takes a little extra thought and planning. Start by using our tips and you may be surprised to see what your child will eat.
Start the Day Right
You can give your kids a delicious, healthy breakfast by getting rid of the ready to eat cereals and pastries and replacing them with bran pancakes and low-sugar syrup and/or fruit. Whole-wheat tortillas filled with fruit, scrambled eggs, or cheese and turkey bacon are delicious and your kids will have fun eating them, paying no attention to the fact that it is actually good for them.
Naturally Sweet
Most kids will ask for sweets such as candy and snack cakes. Instead of giving in to the pressure, give your kids applesauce and homemade oatmeal cookies prepared with a sugar substitute or honey rather than white sugar. Fruit snacks and dried fruit roll ups made from 100 percent fruit are great ideas for kids.
Replace fruit drinks and sodas with flavored tonic water and fresh fruit juice. Drink boxes containing pure fruit juice are relatively inexpensive and kids love the individual boxes, complete with straws.
Make it Fun
The secret is in the presentation. Arrange an assortment of healthy foods in a fun way on your child's plate. You can include smiley faces made from raisins or nuts and choose foods that are colorful. Kids will eat most things if they are presented in a unique design that makes eating fun.
Healthy Dinner
Dinnertime can include homemade pizza topped with cheese and vegetables, or soft tacos made with shredded chicken and cheese. Chicken strips prepared in the oven are always a hit and you could include an assortment of fresh vegetables and whole-grain breads. Fish sticks are relatively healthy if you prepare them in the oven rather than fried. Cheese and legumes are healthy choices.
It's not difficult to get kids to eat healthy foods. It just takes a little extra thought and planning. Start by using our tips and you may be surprised to see what your child will eat.
Setting A Festive Table - Tips For A Striking Presentation
You'll be slaving over a hot stove for hours, preparing a feast fit for kings this Christmas. From the turkey to the desserts, you put love into every recipe, and your family digs in with gusto. Why not add some festive touches to the table as well, and make the presentation as breathtaking as the dishes you'll be serving? It doesn't take much time or money to transform your table from humbug to very merry.
Choosing a Theme
The easiest way to coordinate your decor is to choose a theme. Your theme can be as specific as a single Christmas carol, or as broad as a certain style or colors. For example, you could choose "Jingle Bells" as your theme, making the centerpiece a miniature one-horse open sleigh, and attaching bells to everything that doesn't voluntarily move. Or, choose a "Country Christmas" theme and add lots of country touches to your table, like felt cut-outs and cross-stitched napkins.
If you're planning on selecting colors for your table, stick with one main color and a maximum of two accent colors. Holiday colors of green, red, and white look very festive, or accent with silver or gold for a more elegant touch. Blue and white work nicely together for a winter theme.
Table Coverings
You may have your great-great-grandmother's handmade lace tablecloth stowed away, ready to use for your Christmas dinner. There's nothing wrong with this, of course, but if spillage and possible staining are a major worry for you, save the lace for accenting your decorative holiday displays instead and pick up some inexpensive cotton or other fabric to cover your table with, or use clean sheets in various colors. You can even use two contrasting colors of fabric, and use the second, smaller piece to hang at an angle over the larger one. Christmas prints are cute and charming, but try to steer clear of anything too busy or bright, as the fabric will overshadow any other accents you add.
For a children's table, cover the surface with butcher paper or inverted wrapping paper and provide crayons at each setting. Christmas crackers are also great fun for kids, and look cute sitting on each dinner plate.
Centerpieces
Centerpieces can be as simple as a small grouping of different sized candles. You needn't go overboard and spend hundreds of dollars on fresh flowers and a beautiful decorator's vase to hold them in. Potted Poinsettias make a pretty centerpiece, as do small baskets filled with pine sprigs and pinecones, or clear glass bowls full of bright Christmas tree balls.
Keeping your chosen theme in mind, choose a centerpiece that will stand out among your dishes of food, and become a conversation piece for guests. If you plan to use lit candles, never leave them unattended, and choose unscented candles wherever possible.
Napkins
You don't have to limit yourself to simple linen napkins, although these work perfectly well. Use facecloths, small hand towels, or handkerchiefs instead if you prefer. Roll your napkins and fold the roll in half, securing with a pretty bow, or fold them origami style into an interesting shape.
Napkin rings can be made from pipe cleaners, mini wreaths, licorice strings, ribbons, artificial flower stems, or anything else you can think of that will look festive and do the job. Tie bells, small ornaments, pinecones, silk flowers, or even small toys onto each napkin ring for added decoration.
Serving Dishes and Platters
Your serving dishes don't need to match each other to look pretty. A mixture of different styles and colors add whimsy and a country feel to your presentation. If you don't have enough trivets for all of your dishes, cover pre-cut pieces of thick cardboard with aluminum foil and use these as shiny mats that will protect your table and still look nice.
Place Cards
If you want to use place cards to prearrange the seating at your table, use your theme to come up with imaginative ways to create or display them. Gift tags are an easy idea, and they can be attached to each napkin or wine glass with ribbon or pipe cleaners. Miniature artificial poinsettia pots are available at many dollar stores, and they make gorgeous place card holders. Simply fashion your cards and attach them to straws or toothpicks, then secure them into the pots.
Pinecones can hold name cards as well, if you maneuver the cards so that the 'teeth' of the cones hold them in place. Create shapes out of clay or dough, thread the cards through candy cane sticks, or simply place your cards on the top of each dinner plate. The possibilities here are endless.
Extras and Finishing Touches
Adding candles of varying heights and colors will add warmth to your table setting. Scatter tea lights, votives, pillars, and tapers around the center of the table, making sure that they are secure and not interfering with anything that could be flammable.
You can also decorate the stems on wine glasses with purchased wine charms or pipe cleaners, or tie small bells to each one with ribbon. Tie cutlery together in a similar fashion if you wish, or tuck utensils securely inside rolled napkins.
For an added touch, decorate each chair with bows, bits of garland, or pretty fabric. Anything goes as long as it doesn't scratch or otherwise interfere with your guests' enjoyment of your wonderful meal.
With a bit of extra effort, you can take a plain and boring table and create a stunning masterpiece that will impress your guests even before the first course is served.
Choosing a Theme
The easiest way to coordinate your decor is to choose a theme. Your theme can be as specific as a single Christmas carol, or as broad as a certain style or colors. For example, you could choose "Jingle Bells" as your theme, making the centerpiece a miniature one-horse open sleigh, and attaching bells to everything that doesn't voluntarily move. Or, choose a "Country Christmas" theme and add lots of country touches to your table, like felt cut-outs and cross-stitched napkins.
If you're planning on selecting colors for your table, stick with one main color and a maximum of two accent colors. Holiday colors of green, red, and white look very festive, or accent with silver or gold for a more elegant touch. Blue and white work nicely together for a winter theme.
Table Coverings
You may have your great-great-grandmother's handmade lace tablecloth stowed away, ready to use for your Christmas dinner. There's nothing wrong with this, of course, but if spillage and possible staining are a major worry for you, save the lace for accenting your decorative holiday displays instead and pick up some inexpensive cotton or other fabric to cover your table with, or use clean sheets in various colors. You can even use two contrasting colors of fabric, and use the second, smaller piece to hang at an angle over the larger one. Christmas prints are cute and charming, but try to steer clear of anything too busy or bright, as the fabric will overshadow any other accents you add.
For a children's table, cover the surface with butcher paper or inverted wrapping paper and provide crayons at each setting. Christmas crackers are also great fun for kids, and look cute sitting on each dinner plate.
Centerpieces
Centerpieces can be as simple as a small grouping of different sized candles. You needn't go overboard and spend hundreds of dollars on fresh flowers and a beautiful decorator's vase to hold them in. Potted Poinsettias make a pretty centerpiece, as do small baskets filled with pine sprigs and pinecones, or clear glass bowls full of bright Christmas tree balls.
Keeping your chosen theme in mind, choose a centerpiece that will stand out among your dishes of food, and become a conversation piece for guests. If you plan to use lit candles, never leave them unattended, and choose unscented candles wherever possible.
Napkins
You don't have to limit yourself to simple linen napkins, although these work perfectly well. Use facecloths, small hand towels, or handkerchiefs instead if you prefer. Roll your napkins and fold the roll in half, securing with a pretty bow, or fold them origami style into an interesting shape.
Napkin rings can be made from pipe cleaners, mini wreaths, licorice strings, ribbons, artificial flower stems, or anything else you can think of that will look festive and do the job. Tie bells, small ornaments, pinecones, silk flowers, or even small toys onto each napkin ring for added decoration.
Serving Dishes and Platters
Your serving dishes don't need to match each other to look pretty. A mixture of different styles and colors add whimsy and a country feel to your presentation. If you don't have enough trivets for all of your dishes, cover pre-cut pieces of thick cardboard with aluminum foil and use these as shiny mats that will protect your table and still look nice.
Place Cards
If you want to use place cards to prearrange the seating at your table, use your theme to come up with imaginative ways to create or display them. Gift tags are an easy idea, and they can be attached to each napkin or wine glass with ribbon or pipe cleaners. Miniature artificial poinsettia pots are available at many dollar stores, and they make gorgeous place card holders. Simply fashion your cards and attach them to straws or toothpicks, then secure them into the pots.
Pinecones can hold name cards as well, if you maneuver the cards so that the 'teeth' of the cones hold them in place. Create shapes out of clay or dough, thread the cards through candy cane sticks, or simply place your cards on the top of each dinner plate. The possibilities here are endless.
Extras and Finishing Touches
Adding candles of varying heights and colors will add warmth to your table setting. Scatter tea lights, votives, pillars, and tapers around the center of the table, making sure that they are secure and not interfering with anything that could be flammable.
You can also decorate the stems on wine glasses with purchased wine charms or pipe cleaners, or tie small bells to each one with ribbon. Tie cutlery together in a similar fashion if you wish, or tuck utensils securely inside rolled napkins.
For an added touch, decorate each chair with bows, bits of garland, or pretty fabric. Anything goes as long as it doesn't scratch or otherwise interfere with your guests' enjoyment of your wonderful meal.
With a bit of extra effort, you can take a plain and boring table and create a stunning masterpiece that will impress your guests even before the first course is served.
How to Eat Healthy When Eating Out at Your Favorite Restaurant.
When you are eating out, you probably watch your calories very closely. So to assist you with your calorie counting when dining out, these tips will help you make the most of it. I hope you find this information about how to eat healthy at a restaurant helpful ...
Restaurant Eating Out Tips:
- Anytime you order pasta dishes, be on the lookout for tomato based sauces instead of the cream based sauces. Tomato based sauces are much lower in fat and calories, and tomato sauce can even be counted as a vegetable!
- Always order salad dressings or sauces on the side, as this way you have control over how much you add to your meal.
- When you order grilled fish or vegetables, you should ask that the food be grilled without butter or oil, or prepared with very little or either or.
- You should always try to drink water, diet soda, or tea instead of soda or beverages that contain alcohol.
- When you choose a soup, remember that cream based soups are higher in fat and calories than other soups. A soup can be a great appetizer, as most are low in calories and you fill you up pretty fast.
- Choosing foods made with whole grains, such as whole wheat bread and dishes made with brown rice is a great way to eat healthy while eating out at a restaurant.
- When ordering a baked potato, ask for salsa instead of sour cream, butter, cheese, or even bacon. Salsa is very low in calories and provides a healthy alternative with plenty of flavor and spice.
- If you order dessert, share with a friend. Half of the dessert will equal half of the calories.
- A simple eating healthy tip is when you are full, stop eating. Listen to your body and what it tells you.
- If you get full, take half of your meal home. The second portion of your meal can serve as a second meal later. This way, you get two meals for the price of one.
- If you're looking to eat less, order two appetizers or an appetizer and a salad as your meal.
- If you get a choice of side dishes, get a baked potato or steamed vegetables instead of french fries.
- Always look for food on the menu that's baked, grilled, broiled, poached, or steamed. These types of cooking use less fat in the cooking process and are usually much lower in calories.
- Another way to eat healthy at a restaurant is to eat plain bread or rolls which are low in both fat and calories. When you add the butter and oil, you increase the fat and calorie intake.
- As key ingredients to your meal, choose dishes with fruits and vegetables. Both fruits and vegetables are great sources of dietary fiber as well as many vitamins and minerals.
- If you crave dessert, look for something with low fat, such as berries or fruit.
I hope you found these tips on how to eat healthy at a restaurant helpful and you were able to get something out of it.
And always remember, do not deprive yourself of the foods you truly love. All types of foods can fit into a well balanced diet.
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