How to Bake Bread at Home

For some people, one of the most enduring memories of their childhood is awakening to the wonderful smell of homemade bread baking in the oven. There certainly is no better way to begin the day than with the taste of hot, freshly baked bread with butter melting on top. These days however, the art of home bread baking appears to be on the decline with the majority of people choosing preservative loaded manufactured bread from the supermarket.

If you are into baking, or maybe want to begin baking more often, you might want to learn a little about home bread making, so that you can prepare this baked goodness for your family in a variety of ways. These days, there is no need to do the whole dough making and kneading process manually because there are a number of bread making machines available which, are not only easier to use, but also do most of the work for you. What used to be a time-consuming, messy process is now a snap. Just measure the ingredients, press a couple of buttons and a few hours later, you will experience the unforgettable smell and taste of homemade bread.

The Breadman bread maker is a popular machine that can be found in many cookware and electrical shops. With this versatile breadmaker, you can make your very own bread for breakfast loaded with a mix of dried fruit or nuts. Alternatively, you might choose to create your individual version of Italian garlic bread which is certain to go down well with any pasta dish. If you are into baking cakes, the machine can do all batter mixing for you. The Breadman comes with upwards of three hundred unique program combinations which means you will never be stuck for recipe ideas to select from. If you are limited to a low carb or gluten free diet, this machine has programs to accommodate you as well. The convection bread machine from Breadman is also a great choice if you want to create sweet bread as a health aware dessert option.

Another great option  is the Panasonic automatic bread maker which is an ideal machine if you are just starting out on your home bread baking journey. You have the choice of three different sizes of loaf when you are preparing the ingredients for the dough. The machine will then mix the ingredients, knead the dough and allow it to rise for a preset period of time. Lastly, it will bake the bread up to two and a half pounds at a time. The Panasonic includes an instruction booklet that is full of recipes, baking tips and suggestions, allowing you to try out all manner of fun bread baking ideas.

Zojirushi is another brand of bread baking machine which you might wish to try. The machines are more like a self-contained home bakery instead of simply a bread maker. Because of that, you can try your hand at all manner of imaginative and unusual recipes right in your own kitchen. You will also get tips on how to package and store your bread, so you can bake in bulk for the week.

Which ever bread maker you decide to buy, you should familiarize yourself with the functioning of the machine before buying the ingredients to bake your first loaf. Become familiar with the features of the machine, and try a couple of of the recommended recipes so that you can experience the machine at its best.

Who Does Not Love Chocolate Candy Bars?

These days’ people are more open to to spontaneous shopping. Taking advantage of this situation, the retailers have opened store every next corner.

This makes it so simple to shop. While shopping you just have a tendency to pick up your much loved chocolate candy bars without anticipating because the sight of these chocolate candy bars, decked out on compound racks stir up your appetite and longing for them. There is hardly any person in this world that does not like chocolate candy or can control his carving for them. Chocolate candy bars can serve up as a treat for so many occasions.

 

Watching movies

 

Have you ever noticed why do movie theatres flood with chocolate candy bars? This is because people have a strong liking for them and can not control themselves from buying them. There are so many people who do not care that these chocolate candy bars are being sold at an elevated price than they are in ordinary grocery supplies. The size of the chocolate candy bars is usually more than that available normally. This can be one reason why people do not mind buying them at higher prices. Most people feel that chocolate candy bars add to the fun of the movie and their taste makes them enjoy. It is always entertaining to keep your hands active with a chocolate candy bar or your desired drink and your eyes with the movie.

 

Vacation or Excursion

 

What is a holiday without your favorite food and drinks?

So there can be no better choice than to enjoy your holiday with your favorite chocolate candy bars.

 

Festivals

 

Christmas time is the time of celebration and chocolates. People gift their favorite chocolate candy bars to their friends. These chocolate candy bars are used for preparing chocolate cakes as well. Easter is another time when people associate themselves with chocolate candy bars. These chocolate candy bars are generally inexpensive during this time. Valentine’s is another occasion when chocolate candy bar gifts are used to express your love for your loved one. This can be the most romantic way of showing your love.

 

It is not necessary that there should be an occasion for a chocolate candy bar treat. You could just go to your near by candy store and buy yourself some chocolate candy bar. But remember excess of chocolate candy is bad, it can lead to obesity.To choose the best candy bar, try out a few, you will soon find your palate soothing chocolate candy bar.

Antioxidant Rich Dark Chocolate

new chocolate

Antioxidants should be an essential part of an individual’s diet.  Antioxidants provide an important function within the human body in that they fight free radicals.

Free radicals are harmful substances found within the body.  These harmful substances, if left unrestrained, have been linked to the cause of many diseases within the human body.Diseases may include heart disease, cancer, and early onset of aging within the body.

Antioxidants, as a requirement for healthy living, must be ingested from food sources and through the daily use of supplements.  Major sources of antioxidants are fruits, vegetables, beans and teas.

A big eye opener was the great benefits of dark chocolate.  It is not often that we are encouraged to eat chocolate for health reasons, but, amazingly, dark chocolate antioxidants are beneficial when eaten properly. They even come in the forms of a chocolate phone and chocolate cell.

The Benefits That Dark Chocolate Antioxidant Provide

Evidence suggests that consuming dark chocolate provides antioxidants in the bloodstream.  These dark chocolate antioxidants that are provided help to protect and strengthen the heart.  Found in the cocoa bean, these dark chocolate antioxidants have been specifically identified as epicatechin which is a type of flavonoid.  A flavonoid is a ketone that is also found in the leaves, stems, and seeds of many plants. 

In fact, test studies revealed that those individuals who ate dark chocolate recipe had an increase of antioxidants in their bloodstream.Antioxidants in the bloodstream was shown to rise up to 20%.Hence, a moderate snacking of dark chocolate could very well be just as healthy as a diet of leafy vegetables.

Maximum Benefit Of Dark Chocolate Antioxidant

However, there is one precaution when wishing to receive the maximum healthful benefits of dark chocolate antioxidants.  That precaution is not drinking milk when eating dark chocolate or for that matter any other food item that is replete with antioxidants.

Additional studies on those individuals who had eaten dark chocolate antioxidants, revealed that the benefit of eating dark chocolate antioxidants was negated when milk was drank separately or was part of the dark chocolate mixture.  Specifically, when the level of antioxidants in the bloodstream was measured after eating milk chocolate or milk with their dark chocolate there was no increase in the epicatechim level.  The conjecture of this study is that the food molecules of milk adheres to the epicatechins and prevents the assimilation of the flavonoids.

Therefore, the study concluded that when eating  chocolate or other richly saturated antioxidant products, it is important not to drink milk.  This will allow for the full absorption and benefit of the antioxidants within those food products.

Chocolate Mint A Refreshing Taste

Origin Of The Mint

Mint, or Mentha as referred to, is a family of 25 species. Mint leaves are  strong-scented, and exist throughout the year. Leaf colors range from dark green and gray-green to purple, blue and also pale yellow. They can grow to almost 120 cm tall with a potentially wide spread. In the world of food and drink, mint leaves can be used in teas, beverages, jellies, syrups, chocolate candies, and my favorite use - ice creams. I also read it is good to war off mesquitos, pretty cool. It also important to note the wide use of the mint in the arena of fine foods. Mint leaves are used in gourmet entrees for decoration and eating by some of the greatests chefs in the world.

Mint In A Chocolate Bar

Before we talk about it further, here is a great chocolate mint bar recipe from about.com.

Mint is a powerful flavor. It has been used for decades as a soother to the stomach. Adding mint to chocolate, particularly dark chocolate can be even that much better. Chocolate mint bars possess a great flavor that is tolerable to the taste buds. Mint extract, morsels or flavorings are added to many recipes for cookies, candies and drinks. An example of a good mini mint chocolate candy bar is what we have after a meal at Olive Garden Restaurant. What do they give us after we scoff down our pasta meals and bread sticks and salad, chocolate mint Andies candies?

Chocolate mint bars are great for all occasions, holidays, birthdays, social gatherings, and more. Many will appreciate having this particular type of chocolate around because of the health benefits of the mint itself. Many will reach for chocolate mint candies just because it is mint and they are thinking about their bad breath or stomach.

What can you make with mint chocolate? Tons of stuff! You can make mint chocolate chip cookies, mint flavored hot chocolate, mint toppings, mint chocolate fondue, mint chocolate drops, and more. Many sites will also list the nutritional facts for these bars. I have seen some post their recipe at 210 calories or so. This all depends on the ingredients. So, if you are calorie cautious then read up before you buy. There are also many organic recipes that will offer great alternative ingredients that are lower in fat and provide better nutritional value.

Well, I am sure you have your favorite recipes for chocolate mint bars or any other form of it. We would love to have your recipe and post it to our blog. Or, perhaps you have a great place to find chocolate mint bars or other. Let us know. Log on and leave a comment at http://www.chocolatecandylovers.com/

The Best Dark Chocolate Bar

Where does a person buy the best dark chocolate bar? First let us determine what is the best one to buy. We can talk of the most familiar brands such as Hershey, Godiva, or Dove. Or, we can look into those areas beyond out borders where dark chocolate is more than a side grocery store stock item, but a craft. Examples of such places are in Belgium, South America, and some of the off shore Islands.

In the Belgian Chocolate Factory you can get dark chocolates made fresh everyday. In the Belgian chocolate factories that I have seen show three main chocolate types, Milk, Dark, and White chocolate. Dark chocolate is my favorite. Popular, but exquisite manufacturers are Ghirardelli Chocolate, Almedei, Amore, Prestat, Zchocolat.

Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Bar

You have most likely seen some of the Hershey’s chocolate products when you are shopping in stores, but if you go right to the source you will have the largest, most comprehensive selection available to you. Hershey’s is one of the top names when it comes to chocolate, and whether you are looking for a dark chocolate bar or any other sort, you are going to have some great options if you deal with them.

One of the best things about Hershey’s is that they are always willing to offer nutrition information for each of their products, because whether you are looking for a dark chocolate bar or other candy, they want to make sure that you are aware of both the bad and good in their product.

Ghirardelli Chocolate Bars

With its heart in San Francisco bay, Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory brings over 150 years of the finest quality of manufactured chocolate. It is a huge factory of which my wife and I were privileged to see. They have mastered the art of taking only the finest of the cacoa bean and bringing it to perfection within their various chocolate selections.

The Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Bar is made of of perfectly roasted cacoa beans blended with cocoa butter and natural vanilla. It is with their pure high quality process and historical integrity that makes them one of the top leaders in the chocolate making industry. Two of their incrediblely intense dark chocolate bars is Espresso Escape and mint Bliss. Another sample of their dark chocolate is the Dark Chocolate Lava Cakes.

How To Get Your Kids To Eat Healthy Recipes

If you're a parent, your kids are likely the most important things in your life. Which is completely normal. Feeding your kids healthy food that they'll actually want to eat is important. But by no means as easy as it should be.

It seems most every kid is a fussy eater. Kinds of all ages seem to prefer sweet foods to things like healthy vegetables.

So, what do you need to do to get your kids to enjoy eating food that's healthy for them? And of course making certain that there are sufficient hours in the day to be able to carry out your duties as a parent.

You need to make sure your offer your kids variety in their food. Otherwise you run the risk that they'll either get bored. Or, worse still, that they'll only eat a handful of well-tried recipes.

After all, it's not your fault that you haven't got more hours in the day!

The internet has made the search for new healthy eating recipes easier. You may even be able to find recipes that have been tested on real kids with real reviews of how they reacted.

If you find that your kids simply refuse to eat their greens then have a look for recipes that disguise the ingredients. Often you can use your blender to cut vegetables up really small, so that even the fussiest eater won't be able to pick out the pieces. Another way is to use different textures and mixes of food. If your kids turn their noses up at cabbage and sprouts, think about using some kind of sauce to mask the flavor. This doesn't have to be laden with cream - there are plenty of different alternatives that you can use.

Another option is to call the food by some "revolting" name like "Hulk Juice". Kids like weird and wonderful things and may well eat something if it has a name that an adult would turn their nose up at. It's certainly worth a try!

Check out this inexpensive kid-friendly recipe book for more ideas.

It's Sometimes Hard to Swallow Healthy Eating Advice

The healthy eating advice we hear all the time is 'eat a balanced diet'. There really isn't anything more to it than that. Or is it?

I've been thinking about my diet a lot recently. I'm training for a marathon. You'll soon find there a huge number of people offering different versions of healthy eating advice, once you start looking for it. And most of it is aimed at people who consider themselves to be overweight. Here's the essence of what most nutritional experts say:

• Eat six pieces of fresh fruit every day - and eat most of it in the first half of the day
• Eat as much raw food as possible - salads, cereals, vegetables and fruit (not raw meat!)
• Avoid processed food
• Avoid eating sugar and foods with a high sugar content
• Don't eat too much fat, especially fat that is solid at room temperature like butter or fatty red meat
• Eat oily, cold-water fish two or three times a week
• Only eat until you are about 80% full
• Drink plenty of water

All this sounds like sensible healthy eating advice. But it is quite hard to follow to the letter. Try eating an apple when you've already eaten a kiwi fruit, an orange, a banana, some berries and a peach. Then ask your dentist what she thinks! Most fruit is quite acidic, and it contains a lot of natural sugars. Your teeth and stomach can take quite a battering.

It's hard to say no to eating processed food, too. Everywhere you turn, it's there. It's convenient. And it tastes good - it's been designed to. There's so little nutritional value in a lot of processed food that tasting good is its only virtue. And of course some of it tastes so good that we can't resist it - in huge quantities.

But let's get back to the marathon. The main issue with a marathon runner's diet is to make sure you have enough sugar in your blood so you don't 'hit the wall'. You can expect to hit the wall after 20 miles or so. Their muscles have burnt all their blood sugar. The body responds by breaking down stores of fat and glycogen in the liver. And that hurts.

But many experienced marathon runners say, 'It's all in the mind.The 'wall' is often nothing more than a mental obstacle. If you want to finish the marathon, you have to go through it - you have to take the pain. And that's how I have come to view the balanced diet and all the other articles of healthy eating advice. If you want to lose weight and be healthy, you have to have the right mindset. Turn a blind eye to all that processed food. Hitting the Wallmart is a mental barrier. Youcan overcome.

So here's the ultimate healthy eating advice: you have to want to be healthy. You have to want to be slim. And not just a bit. Badly. Because healthy eating is a state of mind. 

Coffee Makers – 6 Tips To Buying a Coffee Machine

Do you fel sleepy once you get up from your bed? In this case, a right coffee maker will be extremely helpful to kick stat your day. In this article, you will get tips to buying a coffee maker.

 

Here is a list of 6 useful features which you should consider when buying a coffee machine.

 

1.      Look for Pause 'n' Serve feature in your coffee machine

 

Sometimes it is very boring to wait for the coffee to brew in morning. Pause ‘n’ serve feature helps you to remove the coffee pot before the brewing cycle is over. Without this feature, if you remove the coffee pot, coffee dribble all over the heating plate.  You should look for this  no mess coffee pot features

 

2.      Look for programmable coffee maker

 

You should buy a coffee machine which has digital Controls like LCD display screens, clocks, and a timer. These digital features will help you to program the coffee maker to automatically brew a fresh pot of coffee without hitting the on Switch. You should particularly check the availability of auto-off feature which is very useful if you forget to turn off the coffee maker after use.

 

3.      Reusable filters is must

 

Always select a coffee maker which allows you to use a re-usable filter. This is helpful to reduce the cost and improve the taste of coffee.

 

4.      Built in coffee grinder

 

Some coffee makers has built-in bean grinder which might be helpful for you.

 

5.      Benefits of using Single Serve Coffee Pots

 

If you just need a single cup of coffee in the morning, you should buy single serving pod coffee makers. With a single serve coffeemaker like keurig, you can brew either a variety of prepackaged or you can brew your favorite grounded beans by using a re-usable pod basket.

 

6. Travel coffee maker

 

Do you have hectic travel schedule? You should buy a travel coffee maker and carry it wherever you go. You can use it at home and can also pack it with you while you are traveling. You should select a proper travel coffee maker which is easy to clean and supports dual voltage system. You should also ensure that the coffee mug that comes with the coffee machine fit a standard car cup holder.

 

Making coffee with a coffee maker is a pretty simple process.  If you buy a coffee maker you should consider following 3 main features

• How many cups normally you brew at a time?
• Do you always use coffee which is pre grounded?
• You should look for a programmable feature so that you will have your coffee ready while wake up.

You should think logically about which features will benefit you and the way you use your coffee machine before buying.

How Basic is your Home Cooking?

At first it might sound like a crazy question, but what is cooking? Or, to be more precise, when does warming up food become basic home cooking?

A trip to the supermarket. Rush home with your frozen, pre-prepared meal. Open the packet and toss the frozen meal into the microwave oven. Set to high and turn the dial to 3 minutes. Wait for the ping then open the microwave oven door. Let the bubbling, steaming meal stand for two minutes. Now you're ready to sit down in front of your favourite TV show with your meal which is now too cool to burn off the outermost layers of your tongue.

Is that cooking? You had to use a cooking appliance. Control the time. Set the temperature. You knew your food needed two minutes to stand untouched when you took it out of your microwave oven. But you didn't prepare any ingredients. You didn't mix anything together. You didn't do anything to the food beyond changing its temperature. In short, you didn't cook anything, so we can't consider it to be even the most basic home cooking. Sorry.

Cooking requires knowlege of a host of techniques and skills. What's the best way to peel a carrot? How do you blanche a vegetable? How do you know when a chicken is done? How do you braise a steak? Even making mashed potatoes needs a certain amount of cooking equipment and some knowledge of basic home cooking.

The point is, if your cooking skills extend only as far as using a microwave to warm-up pre-prepared food, then you don't cook. And if you don't cook, you're missing out on one of the world's most rewarding experiences - even if you can only manage the basics. And the most basic reward of basic home cooking? A varied, healthy diet.

Know Some Facts about the Caviar Delicacy

The word caviar refers to the processed, salted roe of certain species of fish. Most commonly it is the eggs or roe taken from the female sturgeon that make up caviar. The sturgeon is a primitive, ‘fossil’ fish species that are found in coastal waters, rivers and lakes of the Northern Hemisphere. The sturgeons of the Caspian Sea provide most of the caviar of the world. The beluga sturgeon species produce beluga caviar while Russian sturgeon species produce oestra caviar and stellate sturgeon species produce sevruga caviar.

 

History of caviar

 

The delicacy caviar finds its roots in the Persian culinary arts. The Persians living in the area now known as Azerbaijan were arguably the first persons to have tasted caviar during the glorious days of the Persian Empire. It was considered to be a delicacy ever since its inception. The name given to it at that time, ‘Chav Jar’ that translates to ‘cake of power’ explains the persons who were able to secure this. Caviar got exported very soon to other regions and with power changing hands over the ages, different people who could afford caviar in the changed circumstances, got the opportunity to taste it.

 

Material of utensils meant for serving caviar

 

Caviar is usually served alone with utensils made of horn, wood or gold while silver or steel are avoided because they are considered to alter the taste and color of the caviar. They may also be served suitably on mother-of-pearl and plastic utensils.

 

Partaking in the caviar delicacy

 

Caviar is highly acclaimed as a delicacy and is commercially marketed the world over as such. It is usually consumed as a garnish or a spread- with hors d’oeuvres etc. It is also traditionally served alongside beverages like champagne and vodka. From being spread on appetizers meant for kings, emperors, noblemen and czars of the yesteryears to being offered on hors d’oeuvres of party goers of the day the caviar has indeed come a long way.

 

Imitation caviar

 

It may be noted that caviar is not considered to be part of vegetarian diet though it can be classified as part of lacto-ovo vegetarian diet. This is because the securing of roe requires killing of the fish or surgical removal of the roe thus making the fish suffer. So, there is now being prepared soy-based imitation caviar. These have been made available in the vegetarian foodstuffs market. These cater to vegetarians with some kind of a caviar alternative.

Learn to Love (at) your Cooking Classes

You're a single guy. You have time on your hands. And you're a rotten cook. Why not kill three birds with one stone and take some cooking classes?

Attending cooking classes might not sound like the most masculine way to spend one or two evenings a week. But think about it. Who are the other students most likely to be? Right. Ladies. In fact, statistics suggest that you can expect a ratio of around twenty women to one man. And there's a good chance that a good deal of them are going to be single. Mothers don't have time to go to cooking classes.

You don't have to be Don Juan to work out that those are pretty good odds.

And the advantages of cooking classes don't stop there. As (probably) the only man in a room full of women, you'll be on their territory: the perfect place to act helpless, milk the situatioin for comedy and get plenty of sympathetic attention.

Cooking classes last for weeks. That's plenty of time to forge meaningful friendships. This is not like trying to meet single women at parties or bars. This is not like going out on blind dates arranged by friends. And it's not Internet dating. This is a much more civilised way of meeting people and enjoying their company.

The final advantage is the cooking classes themselves. You're more than likely to discover some latent talent for cooking. And you will probably learn to enjoy it too. That's going to raise your self-esteem. And the ability to cook is always going to make you stand out from the crowd in the eyes of most women.

So instead of music, let cooking be the food of love. And perhaps on your first real date, you'll be able to try out one of the recipes you picked up in one of your cooking classes.

Restaurant Supplies Ensuring an Awesome Dining Experience

The whole experience of dining and/or drinking at a restaurant/bar can be given a facelift with proper and adequate restaurant/bar supplies being made available. The restaurant is a place having close association with leisure and concerns the fine taste of individuals. The intimate association of the restaurant with the lifestyle of persons dining out there makes it a place that is worthy of keeping spruced up at all times. This goes a long way to make the experience of dining at the restaurant turns out to be cherished one.  

 

The premises of the restaurant and/or bar and especially its interiors are to be made plush and cozy for diners to get a special experience. The restaurant supplies provided adequately helps in ascertaining that the activities of the restaurant are carried out well and customers are satisfactorily catered to.  

 

The availability and proper management of restaurant supplies features alongside marketing, service standards, décor and such other factors to spell success for the restaurant/bar. Supplies ranging from ice machines to knives and bar supplies assume crucial roles in sound conducting of a restaurant’s business. The selection and stocking of such supplies go a long way to enhance business prospects of the restaurant.

 

There is categorization done for placing the supply items suitable under different heads to ensure their appropriate use in delivering finally a perfect dining experience. Sections devoted for preparation, preservation, storage and serving are usually set up and the supplies like processors, dishes and trays are placed under them appropriately. The restaurant supplies of food products are classified into perishable and non-perishable sections respectively and the food supplies placed accordingly.

 

Select items of kitchen supplies, catering supplies, restaurant furniture, bar furniture comprise the restaurant supplies which are usually procured in wholesale. There may be excess supplies purchased in which case adequate storage arrangements may need to be made to prevent spoilage. The kitchen and catering supplies perhaps have the most crucial role to play in delivering an amazing dining experience while supplies pertaining to other restaurant concerns help provide a better ambience for dining.

 

So, with the right restaurant supplies in place you, a prospective diner-customer, can be assured of an awesome dining experience. Herein will be the real success of the restaurateur- in ensuring that you enjoy every moment of being in the restaurant by enjoying not only the food served but also everything else that restaurant supplies make possible.

Caviar Varieties and Variations

Since its discovery and rise to the top of the food ranks as one of the premier delicacies in the world, Caviar has been one of the most sought after rarities from the ocean. Going back to the days of Persia and its “Cake of Power” reputation, there has been a certain awe and majesty reserved for the Sturgeon from which the luxury is harvested.

There are, however more than a few different variations on that classic golden extravagance that flood the market these days. The sturgeon itself is nearly extinct for that very reason. American producers who make up over 75% of the market, are forced to look elsewhere for their Roe.

What do you look for when buying your caviar though? In America all caviar is labeled with which fish it’s derived from. Salmon is a commonly used substitute for the classic beluga sturgeon, but many find it unsatisfactory because it’s not pure caviar. For that, you might turn to French sources, a country in which you are disallowed from naming anything caviar unless it is harvested from the sturgeon specifically.

What are you looking for when you buy it? The lighter and large the caviar, the better it is generally graded and thus the more expensive it is. When buying, look for the grading on the packaging, where 000 is the lightest possible color and 0 is the darkest. The lighter it is, the higher it’s been graded. This applies mainly to the sturgeon derived caviar though, as Salmon or Lumpfish derived caviar is graded slightly differently, mostly due to its naturally different colors and size.

When buying caviar, it is possible to purchase either pasteurized or fresh variants. The pasteurized is naturally considered safer and doesn’t have quite the risk of bacteria or fungi that fresh caviar would, but is also not considered to be “true” caviar by enthusiasts. Generally after purchasing the caviar you can hold it for up to 4 weeks in refrigeration before opening, and two or three days after. Of course, with pasteurized caviar, you can stretch that time to a few months as it has been safely cleaned before shipping.

Your options for caviar are of course as wide and open as the market makes it, meaning for those that aren’t quite on the budget for a $120 jar of “true” caviar, there are American variations derived from less endangered species of fish, under different grading systems and pasteurized for you safety.

Have Fun Giving your Kids Cooking Lessons

Children love doing what adults do. Cook a lot at home? Then your kids will want to cook too. Or at least do their version of cooking. It's the ideal situation for setting up some cooking lessons at home. And your kids won't even know they're learning. For them, it will be more like a game.

Young children love getting their hands into sticky mixtures. Making muffins? Let your children pour in the ingredients. Let them do the stirring - with their hands, if you can stand it. You'll be giving them valuable cooking lessons in how different textures feel, how different smells relate to the food we eat. You'll be stimulating their senses and arousing their curiosity. And you'll even be helping them develop their fine motor skills. That amounts to quite a lot more than a cooking lesson!

When your children are a bit older, let them measure out the different ingredients. Their cooking lessons could include counting out the number of teaspoonsful of sugar you add to the cake mixture. They can learn about units of weight and volume by actually weighing flour and pouring milk into a measuring jug. They'll see how the number relate to the quantities they can see. And they'll be able to taste the effect of different quantities of the ingredients they add. This might prove to be a valuable cooking lesson when they're older.

Finally, when your children are learning to read and write, they can read through simple recipes themselves. Again, this is more than just a cooking lesson. They'll be able to see how the nouns relate to objects, and actions to the processes of cooking food.

Along the way, they'll be learning how to manage their workspace and their time. Cooking can be quite managment intensive. Many cooking lessons focus on managing a kitchen - how to manage your time by doing everything in the most logical order; your space by cleaning up as you go along. And they'll also be learning the basics of food storage and kitchen hygiene.

Children learn all these cooking lessons at home while they're having fun. Not a lecture to be heard. All hands on. all with tangible results that everyone can enjoy. And who knows, maybe they'll soon be making delicious food for you and the rest of the family. Now that has to be worth a few cooking lessons.

Halloween Candy

by Joyce Chng

Let’s Get Creative!

When it becomes chilly at night and gorgeous yellow-orange pumpkins start appearing in markets for the ritual carving  of scary faces - it is time for Halloween.  And Halloween paraphernalia appear in a wide variety from witches’ hats to glow-in-the-dark skeletons. Creative costumes are worn for trick-or-treat and of course, for the kids, you will definitely love Halloween candy. For adults, this is the time to be creative with your treats.

Now, Halloween candy comes in all shapes and sizes. They are tasty and designed to attract the eyes of any kid. You can get sugar skulls (reminiscent of the ones found in South America), chocolate skulls, and all sorts of yummy ghostly sweets. If you are the crafty sort or very adventurous, you can try making your own candy from cookies to delicious toffee apples, guaranteed to please any sweet tooth (kid or adult)! Besides, making your own sweets is a very unique and special celebration of Halloween, way better than any store-bought lollies or chocolates.

If you have a kitchen and have a working oven, you can start your Halloween candy making experience. Kids, if you are reading, make sure that you have an adult to help you.

Sticky Yummy Toffee Apples

Toffee apples are great for Halloween, because they are easy to carry and are ready to be consumed on the go. What you need are dessert apples, demerara sugar, butter, golden syrup, and wooden skewers. First, you need to melt the sugar in water with moderate heat, making sure that it is completely dissolved. Next, add in the butter and golden syrup. Bring the mixture to a boil.

Kids, you can help your mom or dad by piercing the apples with the wooden skewers. Make sure not to hurt yourself!  Once the apples are all pierced and ready, get the mixture for some serious dipping. Make sure the whole apple is coated evenly. Place the apple on a lightly oiled tray until the coat has hardened.

Do so for the number of apples you plan to use on Halloween night. If you want the apples to be kept for a day or more, wrap them in red or blue cellophane. If you want to be really spooky, you can draw eyeballs on the wrapped apples.

Big Scary (Marshmallow) Skulls  

This is more a party food than trick-or-treating. But no Halloween candy is complete without big scary skulls. Get some store-bought marshmallow, chocolate sauce and biscuits. On the marshmallow, draw a face and place it on the biscuit (Remember to coat the biscuit with the chocolate sauce too). Place the marshmallow inside a microwave oven, press 60 seconds on high and watch the marshmallow puff up like a skull.

Take it out with care and you can start ripping into it. Be careful. The skull can be hot!

The skulls are perfect for a quiet winding-down, when all the trick-or-treating is done and everyone is relaxing in the living room with all their candies in buckets or bags. This recipe is good for kids who like a bit of adventure and for adults who like a bit of fun.

Moderation, moderation and moderation.

Halloween candy is nice. But too much of it can give you an awful stomachache. So, remember not to consume all your candies in one sitting. Have fun, everyone! Remember to be creative!

Corporate Events Caterers and How To Choose

When hiring corporate events caterers for the first time it can feel a little overwhelming to try and find the best one out there for the most reasonable price. Following are a few hints and tips that can help you as you navigate the field. The ideal place to begin is to ask for personal recommendations from family and friends. Does anybody you know have any experience in hiring corporate events caterers?

Ask them to share with you their experiences, bad and good. Not only will they be likely to give you names of companies, but also they will warn you about some pitfalls to beware of. The next step is to take a look on the internet and see what information is out there for your particular location. For example, if you were looking for a caterer in the Washington D.C. area, you would start by doing a search for something like party rentals Washington DC. Then, take a look at some sites that rate these companies. It's always a good idea to read about what other consumers like you have experienced.

Once you have just a handful of companies under consideration, you should make phone calls to each of them so that you can secure a quote from each of them. You should have a good idea of the number of people that you expect to need to feed and which kinds of food they will want. You can negotiate with catering companies in several ways. For example, you can tell them your budget and then ask them what they will supply for that amount of money, while making sure that they know there are other companies being considered. You can also tell them how many people you expect and ask for suggestions. If you want to save money, one suggestion is to ask if there is a discount available if you order your item in bulk. Ask if they will give you a discount on a large order or if they have any current sales or special offers available. After all, you want to get the best deal for your money.

The bottom line is that when you're planning for an event like this you should really be looking specifically into corporate events caterers who specialize in the type of order your placing. Try to find someone with a lot of positive reviews on different consumer sites and be sure to get everything in writing before hand. Trying to find the best corporate events caterers at an affordable price can be a daunting challenge. Begin by asking for personal recommendations from family and friends. The next step is to take a look on the internet and see what information is out there for your location.

Fine Caviar from the World Over to Serve You

Parties are fun times and no party is complete without arrangements for special food to be served. It is the gourmet food fare offered at parties that takes our hearts away. Caviar can be a suitable delicacy to be served at parties. This is principally consumed as a garnish or as a spread. Serving of caviar on lightly toasted bread or crackers along with butter is acclaimed as a fine hors d’oeuvre. It is also common to find caviar being served with beverages like champagne or vodka. The caviar may be obtained from various fish species- the most commonly used fish species being the sturgeon.

 

Delicacy caviar obtained from various fish species

 

It is the eggs or roe obtained from the female sturgeon, a primitive fish species of the Northern Hemisphere that usually constitute caviar. These fishes are found in coastal waters, rivers and lakes. It is from the inland Caspian Sea- lying between Russia and Iran that most of the world’s caviar supplies is procured.

 

Among the sturgeon species it is the beluga sturgeon that produces the beluga caviar and the Russian sturgeon that produces the osetra caviar. Again, the stellate sturgeon produces the sevruga caviar. All these are varieties of fine caviar. The American paddlefish caviar- roe of a special fresh water sturgeon comes in many shades and ranges from pale grey to dark steel and has a smooth and silky texture and rich, complex flavor.

 

The Royal Osetra caviar is low-salt caviar obtained from the sturgeon fished in the Caspian Sea- Russian waters. The characteristic dark and rich color and incredible flavor and subtle sweetness make it so very special. Featuring among the rarest and the most magnificent of all caviar is the Tzar Imperial Beluga. This is near-translucent pale grey caviar. The large perfect pearls and delicate buttery flavor makes this stand apart.

 

Serving caviar secured from around the world

 

Caviar as secured from the world over is a highly esteemed delicacy. How best to serve it is the issue which concerns hosts offering the delicacy the most. The fine caviar obtained from various parts of the world and from various species of fishes are to be desirably served on lightly toasted bread or crackers together with butter. The bread or crackers are not to be made too hard by toasting in order to avoid losing of the taste. Utensils made of horn, wood or gold are traditionally considered as the best utensils to serve the caviar on. Mother-of-pearl and plastic utensils may also be suitable. However, utensils made of silver and steel- both carbon and stainless types need to be avoided as they have been known to alter taste and color of caviar.

 

Find resources on caviar and gourmet food and A1 Gourmet.

 

Crafting the Perfect Barbeque Pit

            Cavemen weren’t always barbaric in their daily lives, between gathering food and knocking one and other over with big sticks they utilized the outdoor oven known as at barbeque pit. Our cave brothers knew what they were doing when they smoked turkey and chickens over the hot coals of the pit, they were unknowingly crafting a cooking method still utilized today. The barbeque pit is a great way to cook food, gather with friends, and create some spice to that boring yard of yours.

 

            Barbeque pits are traditionally used by restaurants, cooking enthusiasts, and outdoorsmen, but they are becoming more popular in our backyards. The location of the barbeque pit is the first essential ingredient to making this outdoor oven work for you and your family. I wouldn’t recommend putting the barbeque pit in your front yard if you live on a busy street, the next door neighbors might think you’re trying to send smoke signals to the sky for rescue. Then again if you live on a farm, or ranch, a front yard barbeque pit might be just what the doctor ordered. The most logical way to pick a location for the barbeque pit is away from leaves, trees, and anything that can catch on fire. That being said it can also be a trendy looking landmark if you put it in the center of your backyard, as long as the pit won’t cause anything near it to catch fire.

 

            Once you have selected the perfect location for your barbeque pit, it’s time to start digging. Typically you would want to dig about 5 feet into the ground, and create a circle big enough to house whatever size metal grill you will be topping your pit off with. Once the hole is dug you want to line it with wood, or charcoals of your choice. Be sure to choose the correct wood or coals because this is what will generate that smoked flavor. Many wood fanatics go for hickory or oak woods to burn in their pits, while charcoal is usually basic grocery bought coals.

 

            You don’t need a toga and a wooden club to be able to cook on your new barbeque pit. Many get the idea that Neanderthal ovens are meant for Neanderthal foods, this is not the case. Feel free to toss on some vegan burgers, or exotic tilapia fish. Whatever is your delight will be cooked to perfection on your in ground barbeque pit.

 

            The final step is making the pit a family friendly by adding wooden stools in a circular fashion a few feet back from the pit. This will take roasting marshmallows to the next level.

The Art of Serving Caviar

Caviar’s role as the premier delicacy of kings, emperors, and other heads of state stretches all the way back to the Persian Empire and the “Cake of Power” days of the delectable Sturgeon Roe. It’s hard to come by, even harder to pay for, and what many people might not realize, hard to prepare and serve.

The most important thing to remember is that when you buy caviar, you have a limited window to use it. Fresh caviar is good for at most four weeks. Though, if you decide to purchase pasteurized product, you’ll be safe for a while longer. After opening though, you’ll want to use your caviar as quickly as possible, within a couple days at most.
In terms of taste, caviar is a very fickle food. It’s incredibly tasteful, evoking every response in the various arenas of your tongue. However, you’ll want to make sure that when you serve it to guests, you don’t disrupt that taste by drowning it out.

The best way to serve your caviar is to leave it in the tin, surrounding it with ice. If you try to take it out and pretty it up, you risk breaking the grain and losing the flavors before it even reaches your mouth. Secondly, you want to make sure whatever you serve it with doesn’t offset its flavors.

As an hors d’oeuvre it is best served on lightly toasted bread or crackers, usually with butter. You don’t want the bread or cracker to be too hard or you will risk losing flavor once more. There is a common misconception that serving caviar with eggs or other strong tastes like sour cream or yogurt is a good choice, but more often than not you only succeed in completely drowning out the taste of your caviar in doing so.

In terms of beverage, there are a few different opinions on the matter. Firstly, there is the classical choice of Champagne with your caviar. Many find it to be too sweet though, once again taking away from the taste of the caviar, but the tradition is old and so too is the draw of that tradition. Vodka is another traditional pairing, cleaning your palate each time to taste in full the various flavors.

Caviar is a delicacy of the highest order, and accordingly it’s foreseeable to be confused or even nervous about how best to serve it. There are many aspects to take into consideration; its freshness, its palatability, the after taste, and how strong other flavors come across. Keep all of these in mind when serving to get the most and the best out of your caviar.

The History of Caviar

Caviar has long been around as one of the premier delicacies offered as hors d’oeuvres or spread on an appetizer for the delight of Emperors, Czars and now party goers the world over. From its roots in the Persian culinary arts, the Roe of most often a Sturgeon has a long and noble history.

The first people known to have eaten Caviar were the Persians living in what is now Azerbaijian in the glory days of the Persian Empire. The name of the delicacy as they called it, “Chav Jar” translates to “Cake of Power”, no doubt a pun of sorts on the manner in which it comes and those that are able to eat it. The delicacy was soon exported and as powers rose and fell in the world, so too did those that were able to afford and consume the fine dish.

The economic value and power of a jar of caviar continued well through the Roman Empire’s reign. It’s said that when caviar was served to the Emperor, it was brought in among garlands of flowers and heralds trumpeted its arrival. Czars of Russia were among the only given the luxury of its consumption during the glory days of their power, especially after Russia took control of the area in which the Persians first discovered the treat.

As far back as the 2nd century, during the highest power of Rome, a jar of Sturgeon Roe cost the same amount as 100 sheep. If you fast forward a couple thousand years to the turn of the 19th century, it was possible to find caviar in every bar, pub, and restaurant in New York served along side peanuts at half the cost. Of course, like any natural resource, the results of such ample supply are usual seen in the rapid loss of population in the animal from which it is produced.

Overfishing of the sturgeon has led to the sharp uptake once more of the premium on caviar with the cost not quite approaching that of 100 sheep, but still costing a tidy sum in most countries. America produces nearly 75% of the world’s caviar right now, though it is to be noted that the labeling restrictions in the United States aren’t nearly as strict as in places such as France, where only the Roe of Sturgeon can be labeled as Caviar. Of course, the kind of fish from which the roe is harvested is always marked on the label on US produced caviar.

The fish itself, the sturgeon is nearly extinct because of the overfishing and rampant demand for its roe. As such, the premium for true caviar from the sturgeon is significantly higher than that of Salmon or Lumpfish. Since the dawn of its discovery, the Sturgeon has been a very special fish, hailed for the delicacy hidden inside in its Roe. World leaders for nearly 3000 years have partaken of the incredibly rare treat and shall continue to do so for many more.

How Quinoa Helps You On a Diet

Some foods are always included in diets because they are so low in fat but they do not always satisfy your stomach that is aching for food. These include salad vegetables and other fresh veg as well fruit and low fat processed foods. You will always have these types of foods in diets and they do a job in bulking out the amount you think you are eating. This is in spite of the fact grain that it is only low fat rather than fat free. There are number of good reasons why diets such as lighter Life, The south beach diet and the GI diet are now so positive about this grain.

Quinoa is a complete protein

What this means to you and me is that it is full of good nutrients and vitamins. This means that while you are eating quinoa you are ensuring that your body is getting good quantities of the right minerals to keep you healthy while you are on a reduced diet.

Quinoa is made up of good carbohydrates

Because the carbohydrates in Quinoa are slow releasing you do not get a rush of energy like with other foods. Quinoa is classed as a vegetable protein which is very easy to digest. So you will find that you do not feel hunger as often and will not crave other bad foods. It gets you through to your next meal. It basically reduces the hunger pangs that you always get on a very low calorie diet.

Quinoa makes you feel full

Quinoa is much more substantial than other standard diet foods and it always feels as though you have had a proper meal when you eat quinoa. The grains can be eaten raw, cooked or sprouted.

Quinoa is a good food mixer

What I mean by this is that you only eat quinoa with healthy foods. You always prepare quinoa recipes with good healthy other foods - for example fresh fruit and vegetables. You would never mix it with bread, cheese, and processed foods which are not good for you on a diet

 

 

The 3 steps to cook quinoa in a microwave oven

How to cook quinoa in a microwave

The standard way to cook quinoa is to cook in in boiling water.There is nothing difficult about preparing quinoa in a microwavbe as long as you follow these instructions. This set of instructions will work fine for a medium powered micro oven. You will need to adjust yor cooking times to suit your equipment.

Step one

Measure out one cup of quinoa and 2 cups of water. The size of cup doesn’t matter as long as the proprtions are 2 to 1.

Step two

Rinse the quinoa under cold water for half a minute to remove any impurities.

Step three

Put the water and the quinoa into a microwaveable dish and cover. The next step is to place it in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes approximately. You will need to let the quinoa stand for about a minute after this first cook. Gently mix the mixture up a bit and then return it to the micro oven for a second cooking period of 3 minutes. The quinoa needs to stand on the kitchen counter for 2 or 3 minutes to finish cooking.

The conditions in a microwave oven are different to cooking on the hob and ther may be some water not absorbed. Simply drain this off.

The quinoa is now cooked and ready to eat. The only difference I have observed in cooking quinoa in a microwave as opposed to cooking it the standard way is that is expands very slightly more and is a bit softer to the touch. The results of cooking quinoa this way are just as good as using the standard method.

You will find that quinoa is a great substitute for potatoes and rice and can be served up as a side dish to almost any main meal. Just serve it on the plate instead. The quinoa really works best however in salads and many stir fry dishes. This is where it really comes into its own and prooves to be a versatile addition to your kithcen larder,

 

 

The Simplest way to cook Quinoa

quinoa recipes

Many quinoa recipes use quinoa that has already been been cooked and prepared before including in a recipe. There is a saying that you have to cook quinoa twice and this is true in most quinoa recipes. Quinoa when it is prepared like this will be superb as a replacement for many oriental menus and recipes. You can also cool the quinoa for half an hour and put it in salads. You just take some of your favourite salad veg and chop it in with the cooked quinoa.

Step 1

Rinse the quinoa in a fine seive with cold water. Doing this process two times will make sure that all the coating is gone. When quinoa is unprocessed you need to rinse it completely in this way to be sure of getting the best results.

Step 2

Measure out one cup of quinoa to two cups of water into a saucepan.

Step 3

Bring the mixture to the boil, stirring gently to ensure it does not stick to the pan. Once it boils, turn the temperature down and let it simmer for ten to fifteen minutes. If yuou want it crunchy then ten minutes will be enough – if you want it soft and fluffy then leave it to cook for longer. By the end of the cooking the water will have been absorbed by the quinoa. It will expand to two to three times its original size. Remove the pan from the heat.

Step 4

Your quinoa is now ready to serve as a substitute for rice with curry and other dishes. This special grain is very versatile and be incorporated into many recipes and meals. You will find that quinoa takes on the flavour of the foods it is cooked with. The crunchiness and frimness of this grain makes a meal satisfying and filling.

It is also ready to include in the recipes that are in the quinoa recipes book.