The history of olives and olive oil can be traced back to at the least biblical times. When the waters of the great flood subsided and Noah sent forth a dove it was an olive leaf she returned carrying in her mouth. It is known that as long as 6000 years ago olive oil was used as fuel in lamps. Maybe it was this olive oil that created such a beautiful Genie for Major Anthony Nelson to rescue in the popular television sitcom I Dream of Genie.
Today in modern grocery stores there are dozens of gourmet olives widely available. Gone are the days of canned black olives and green olives with pimentos as the only choices. For those of us who remember the days of opening a can of black olives and placing one on each finger then systematically biting them off here is the new olive.
Nicoises:
Is a earthy rich olive commonly used in salad. The curing of this olive in red-wine vinegar gives it a distinctive taste.
Green olives with herbs de Provence:
This vibrant citrus flavored olive is a delightful blend of herbs de Provence spices and large green olives. It is an excellent choice to use in surf dishes and with sweet spices.
Mount Athos green with Sicilian herbs: This is a second olive that utilizes herbs to dominate the pallet. Rosemary, garlic, mustard seed, and red pepper flakes give this olive a spicy appeal.
Mount Athos green stuffed with garlic: For a modern twist on the martini this olive is an excellent choice. It is stuffed with rich flavorful garlic and lends itself well to pizza as well as martinis.
Mount Athos green olives with sun-dried tomatoes: Sun-dried tomatoes give this heavy olive an intense flavor that is sophisticated and ideal for snacking.
Sun-dried olives:
The drying of this olive gives it a rich flavor that blends wonderfully in sauces for serving over pasta. Kalamatas: A tangy black olive cured in red-wine vinegar that can be from Italy or California. The California variety is denoted with a 'c' spelling rather than a 'k'.
Alfonsos:
This robust winey tasting olive is soft and similar to the kalamata. It is a popular choice in antipasto salads. Halkididis: Very similar in flavor to the kalamatas this olive is excellent blended with cream cheese and garlic for a flavorful dip. Lucques: This meaty buttery olive contains pits but is still a wonderful choice with provolone cheese and bruchetta.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Pure Water and Fine Tea
Tea originated in China 5,000 years ago and the selection and brewing of tea has been refined to an art with health and spiritual aspects emerging as part of the process.
Experienced tea drinkers throughout the world generally follow established guidelines for infusion or brewing of tea and the infusion process is often as important as the initial selection of tea. For many tea enthusiasts, brewing tea is the most soothing and spiritual part of their day. Brewing a good tasting cup of tea releases tensions for many and has a definite comforting effect.
It is a fact that since 99% of tea is water, better water makes better tea and water is critical to the final outcome of tea preparation. Brewing tea can be complex or simple. For many tea enthusiasts the brewing process is an important part of the tea experience that culminates in the preparation of a satisfying beverage and a way of life. Fine teas are especially sensitive to the nature of water for infusion.
The best water for successful tea infusion is low in mineral content, free of contamination and additives and high in oxygen content.
Water Quality and Brewing Tea
Good tasting tea requires good tasting water. A simple test is that if the water tastes good by itself, the resulting brewed tea will also have a good flavor. Because a brewed cup of tea is mostly water, the quality of the water is often as important as the quality of the tea leaves. The water must be free of contaminants and minerals and contain enough oxygen to enhance the natural tea flavor. Moreover, there are a number of additional factors that will affect the taste of the infusion. These include water temperature, the mineral content of the water used and the continued presence of a sufficient quantity of oxygen in the water.
If one is using tap water, filtration is often required. Many tap water suppliers use chlorine to kill bacteria and chlorine in tap water combined with mineral and chemical deposits can significantly affect tea taste and the tea drinker’s overall health. The brewer will want to remove chlorine and other chemicals as well as sediment from the water. It is best to check the composition of tap water on EPA or AMWA websites. Frequently there are also local water quality analysis data available.
Chlorinated tap water for example destroys the flavor of tea. No matter how skillful the preparation or spectacular the tea, bad water will make a bad cup of tea.
Water Temperature
Most experts recommend that one never boil water for a prolonged period or re-boil a previously used supply. The more that the water boils, the more oxygen that is driven out of the water .When water is boiled, oxygen evaporates, and the crisp taste in the brew is lost..
Fresh cold water is important. In areas with poor tap water, use bottled or filtered water that is free of contaminants. Never use water from the hot water tap. If only tap water is available, run the water until it is cold and has a chance to aerate and infuse oxygen.
Poor quality tap water, containing mineral content and other contaminants, even if it is very cold, should be avoided since its chemical treatment imparts undesirable flavors and odors which interfere with the delicate aromatics of tea.
Mineral Content - Soft vs. Hard WaterWater
described as "hard" is high in dissolved minerals, specifically calcium and magnesium. These minerals accumulate in the water, adversely affect the taste and clarity of the tea and accumulate in teapots and infusers. Teas brewed with pure water containing no minerals produce a crisp flavor and a clear brew that is aesthetically agreeable.
Hard water can also affect the appearance of tea by making it dark and murky. Hard water often results in an undesirable chalky taste and can also reduce the aesthetic portion of the tea brewing process by bleaching the color of the leaves.
High mineral content bottled water has the same negative impact on tea as hard water particularly when bottled water does not include significant oxygen.
Oxygen and Water
Oxygen plays an important role in brewing because it helps to release the best flavors of tea. As a result, one must use water that is aerated (full of oxygen).It is an established fact that the presence of oxygen in water is required to maximize tea flavor. Aeration is particularly important when brewing fine teas.
Avoid re-heating water because previously boiled water will have lost much of its dissolved oxygen which is important to bring out the tea flavor Always use freshly drawn water that has not previously been boiled to maximize the oxygen content of the brew.
Water Quality, Purity and Taste for Tea Drinkers in the United States
Historically, in China, great attention was give to supplying high quality water from a reliable source. The emperors of China appointed royal springs reserved for use in tea brewing and developed special messengers that would guarantee the freshness and availability of supply. This procedure was repeated throughout history and in other tea drinking areas of the world. Supply of water was an integral part of the tea experience.
In the United States utilizing a pure water supply is also critical to proper brewing but the water supply generally comes form one of three sources: Municipal water, spring and well water and bottled water.
Municipal water is the predominant form of water supply and is controlled by standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency. It is important to note that EPA Regulations do not eliminate the presence of harmful minerals from water but merely set upper limits on the presence of contaminants. In addition, chlorine is often added to municipal water to kill bacteria but this chlorine has a distinctly undesirable taste.
Spring and well water are a major source of water in rural areas but it is unregulated and subject to serious contamination from organic, chemical and human sources. Individual wells and springs must be tested to determine the source and level of contamination.
Bottled water is the best for brewing flavorful tea but care should be taken to determine the source of the bottled water. Bottled water from springs is subject to contamination while mineral water often contains the minerals that are most detrimental to good tasting tea. Of the various sources for bottled water only purified water is best for the brewing of good tasting tea.
Purified water means that all minerals and contaminants are filtered and removed from the water using a purification process but that is only the first step. For tea brewing purposes purified water must also be infused with oxygen to guarantee the best flavor. Only those companies that use a multi-step process of filtration, purification and oxygenation should be considered as a reliable source for the brewing of good tasting fine tea.
Experienced tea drinkers throughout the world generally follow established guidelines for infusion or brewing of tea and the infusion process is often as important as the initial selection of tea. For many tea enthusiasts, brewing tea is the most soothing and spiritual part of their day. Brewing a good tasting cup of tea releases tensions for many and has a definite comforting effect.
It is a fact that since 99% of tea is water, better water makes better tea and water is critical to the final outcome of tea preparation. Brewing tea can be complex or simple. For many tea enthusiasts the brewing process is an important part of the tea experience that culminates in the preparation of a satisfying beverage and a way of life. Fine teas are especially sensitive to the nature of water for infusion.
The best water for successful tea infusion is low in mineral content, free of contamination and additives and high in oxygen content.
Water Quality and Brewing Tea
Good tasting tea requires good tasting water. A simple test is that if the water tastes good by itself, the resulting brewed tea will also have a good flavor. Because a brewed cup of tea is mostly water, the quality of the water is often as important as the quality of the tea leaves. The water must be free of contaminants and minerals and contain enough oxygen to enhance the natural tea flavor. Moreover, there are a number of additional factors that will affect the taste of the infusion. These include water temperature, the mineral content of the water used and the continued presence of a sufficient quantity of oxygen in the water.
If one is using tap water, filtration is often required. Many tap water suppliers use chlorine to kill bacteria and chlorine in tap water combined with mineral and chemical deposits can significantly affect tea taste and the tea drinker’s overall health. The brewer will want to remove chlorine and other chemicals as well as sediment from the water. It is best to check the composition of tap water on EPA or AMWA websites. Frequently there are also local water quality analysis data available.
Chlorinated tap water for example destroys the flavor of tea. No matter how skillful the preparation or spectacular the tea, bad water will make a bad cup of tea.
Water Temperature
Most experts recommend that one never boil water for a prolonged period or re-boil a previously used supply. The more that the water boils, the more oxygen that is driven out of the water .When water is boiled, oxygen evaporates, and the crisp taste in the brew is lost..
Fresh cold water is important. In areas with poor tap water, use bottled or filtered water that is free of contaminants. Never use water from the hot water tap. If only tap water is available, run the water until it is cold and has a chance to aerate and infuse oxygen.
Poor quality tap water, containing mineral content and other contaminants, even if it is very cold, should be avoided since its chemical treatment imparts undesirable flavors and odors which interfere with the delicate aromatics of tea.
Mineral Content - Soft vs. Hard WaterWater
described as "hard" is high in dissolved minerals, specifically calcium and magnesium. These minerals accumulate in the water, adversely affect the taste and clarity of the tea and accumulate in teapots and infusers. Teas brewed with pure water containing no minerals produce a crisp flavor and a clear brew that is aesthetically agreeable.
Hard water can also affect the appearance of tea by making it dark and murky. Hard water often results in an undesirable chalky taste and can also reduce the aesthetic portion of the tea brewing process by bleaching the color of the leaves.
High mineral content bottled water has the same negative impact on tea as hard water particularly when bottled water does not include significant oxygen.
Oxygen and Water
Oxygen plays an important role in brewing because it helps to release the best flavors of tea. As a result, one must use water that is aerated (full of oxygen).It is an established fact that the presence of oxygen in water is required to maximize tea flavor. Aeration is particularly important when brewing fine teas.
Avoid re-heating water because previously boiled water will have lost much of its dissolved oxygen which is important to bring out the tea flavor Always use freshly drawn water that has not previously been boiled to maximize the oxygen content of the brew.
Water Quality, Purity and Taste for Tea Drinkers in the United States
Historically, in China, great attention was give to supplying high quality water from a reliable source. The emperors of China appointed royal springs reserved for use in tea brewing and developed special messengers that would guarantee the freshness and availability of supply. This procedure was repeated throughout history and in other tea drinking areas of the world. Supply of water was an integral part of the tea experience.
In the United States utilizing a pure water supply is also critical to proper brewing but the water supply generally comes form one of three sources: Municipal water, spring and well water and bottled water.
Municipal water is the predominant form of water supply and is controlled by standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency. It is important to note that EPA Regulations do not eliminate the presence of harmful minerals from water but merely set upper limits on the presence of contaminants. In addition, chlorine is often added to municipal water to kill bacteria but this chlorine has a distinctly undesirable taste.
Spring and well water are a major source of water in rural areas but it is unregulated and subject to serious contamination from organic, chemical and human sources. Individual wells and springs must be tested to determine the source and level of contamination.
Bottled water is the best for brewing flavorful tea but care should be taken to determine the source of the bottled water. Bottled water from springs is subject to contamination while mineral water often contains the minerals that are most detrimental to good tasting tea. Of the various sources for bottled water only purified water is best for the brewing of good tasting tea.
Purified water means that all minerals and contaminants are filtered and removed from the water using a purification process but that is only the first step. For tea brewing purposes purified water must also be infused with oxygen to guarantee the best flavor. Only those companies that use a multi-step process of filtration, purification and oxygenation should be considered as a reliable source for the brewing of good tasting fine tea.
Savory Salmon Recipes for your next Fishing Expedition
Here are a few salmon recipes for your next fishing trip. They are simple to fix but very tasty. Of course you can use these at home on fish from the market too. But it won¡¯t taste as good as when you cook your fish fresh out of the water right next to the river.
This recipe is perfect for Sockeye (Red) Salmon.
Ingredients:
Sockeye Salmon fillets (as many as you want)
Marinade (you may use one of the recipes below or use a pre-mademarinade sauce such as Yoshida¡¯s Gourmet Sauce; you need enoughmarinade to coat fillets.)
Also Needed:
1 large (2-gallon) zip lock bag (or more, depending on how manyfillets you¡¯re cooking)Cooler with plenty of iceGood quality charcoal briquettes (do NOT use lighter fluid)Small wire grillHeavy duty aluminum foil
Lemon-Dill Marinade:
Ingredients:
(makes enough for 4 fillets)? cup of vegetable oil
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon of dill? teaspoon of chives
1 teaspoon of parsley
? teaspoon of lemon pepper
Make the marinade just before you leave to go fishing. If going for longer than a day, mix just prior to marinating fish. Place all ingredients in a zip lock bag, seal, and mix until evenly distributed. Store in cooler.
Honey and Basil Marinade
Ingredients (makes enough for 4 fillets)
? cup of fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
2 tablespoons of honey
? teaspoon of pepper and salt
Use the same directions used for Lemon-Dill Marinade.
3 Sauce Marinade
Ingredients (makes enough for 4 fillets)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons steak sauce (such as A-1)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
3 cloves fresh garlic (minced)
1 tablespoon dry tarragonMix as with other marinades.
Prep and Cooking
* Place fillets in marinade in plastic bag, seal, and store in cooler for 30 minutes to 1 hour. (Do not marinate too long or fillets may start to deteriorate. Always marinate in a cold container.)
* Make a small fire with charcoal.
* Once coals are hot-- ashen white-- place fillets skin side down on grill, brush or drizzle with marinade, and cover with a tent of aluminum foil. (The foil acts like a lid, allowing fish to cook on both sides at once)
* With the grill about 3 inches over the coals, cook the fillets for about 15-20 minutes. When the meat flakes, the fish is done. Overcooking will dry out the fish and compromise its flavor.
* Serve at once.
* Store any cooked, uneaten fillets in the cooler for the next day
.Each of these marinades is simple to make and will keep in an iced cooler for a few days. Never reuse marinade; once you¡¯ve put raw fish in it, only use in cooking and NOT as a dipping sauce. Leaving fish too long in a marinade can turn it mushy. To be safe, marinate fillets for 30 to 60 minutes.
Enjoy your fishing and good eating!
This recipe is perfect for Sockeye (Red) Salmon.
Ingredients:
Sockeye Salmon fillets (as many as you want)
Marinade (you may use one of the recipes below or use a pre-mademarinade sauce such as Yoshida¡¯s Gourmet Sauce; you need enoughmarinade to coat fillets.)
Also Needed:
1 large (2-gallon) zip lock bag (or more, depending on how manyfillets you¡¯re cooking)Cooler with plenty of iceGood quality charcoal briquettes (do NOT use lighter fluid)Small wire grillHeavy duty aluminum foil
Lemon-Dill Marinade:
Ingredients:
(makes enough for 4 fillets)? cup of vegetable oil
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon of dill? teaspoon of chives
1 teaspoon of parsley
? teaspoon of lemon pepper
Make the marinade just before you leave to go fishing. If going for longer than a day, mix just prior to marinating fish. Place all ingredients in a zip lock bag, seal, and mix until evenly distributed. Store in cooler.
Honey and Basil Marinade
Ingredients (makes enough for 4 fillets)
? cup of fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
2 tablespoons of honey
? teaspoon of pepper and salt
Use the same directions used for Lemon-Dill Marinade.
3 Sauce Marinade
Ingredients (makes enough for 4 fillets)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons steak sauce (such as A-1)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
3 cloves fresh garlic (minced)
1 tablespoon dry tarragonMix as with other marinades.
Prep and Cooking
* Place fillets in marinade in plastic bag, seal, and store in cooler for 30 minutes to 1 hour. (Do not marinate too long or fillets may start to deteriorate. Always marinate in a cold container.)
* Make a small fire with charcoal.
* Once coals are hot-- ashen white-- place fillets skin side down on grill, brush or drizzle with marinade, and cover with a tent of aluminum foil. (The foil acts like a lid, allowing fish to cook on both sides at once)
* With the grill about 3 inches over the coals, cook the fillets for about 15-20 minutes. When the meat flakes, the fish is done. Overcooking will dry out the fish and compromise its flavor.
* Serve at once.
* Store any cooked, uneaten fillets in the cooler for the next day
.Each of these marinades is simple to make and will keep in an iced cooler for a few days. Never reuse marinade; once you¡¯ve put raw fish in it, only use in cooking and NOT as a dipping sauce. Leaving fish too long in a marinade can turn it mushy. To be safe, marinate fillets for 30 to 60 minutes.
Enjoy your fishing and good eating!
4 Easy Tips on How to Make Healthy Recipes
For many people, making healthy recipes seems too difficult and time consuming...But with some advance planning and some basic knowledge of nutrition, it is easy to create a week's worth of healthy meals that you and your family will love. The key to creating delicious and healthy meals for the family is planning ...and lot's of it!
Planning ahead of time an entire week of healthy recipe meals is the best way to create dishes you can be proud of, while keeping cost and time commitment to a minimum. So below are amazing tips you can use to make healthy meals all the time.
Healthy Recipe Tip #1:
Using convenient appliances such as slow cookers and microwaves can be a huge time saver when planning and preparing meals. There are many delicious and healthy recipes that can be started in the morning and left to cook all day in a crock pot or slow cooker. These are great choices for working families.
In addition, making the meals ahead of time on the weekend and heating them in the microwave is a great way to stretch both your food and your time. There are many microwavable healthy meals you can make at home, and single serving microwave safe containers allow every member of the family to eat on their own schedule.
When planning the meals for the week, it is a good idea to create a chart listing each day's menu and each days' schedule. Here's a smart tip...plan the quickest and easiest to prepare meals for the busiest days of the week.
Healthy Recipe Tip #2:
Get your family involved in creating the week's meal plan by asking for their input and noting everyone's favorite foods. It is still very important to eat healthy meals, so that (of course) does not mean eating pizza every night or having ice cream for dinner. But involving your spouse and children in healthy recipe planning, you'll help to increase their interest in healthy eating right away.
It is also a good idea to get your entire family involved in the preparation of the meals. Even children too young to cook can help out by setting out the dishes, chopping vegetables, clearing the table and washing the dishes.
Healthy Recipe Tip #3:
Cooking large quantities of healthy food recipes - and freezing the leftovers - is a easy way to save time. Cooking large amounts of stews, soups, pasta, chili and casseroles can be a huge time saver. Making double and even triple batches of these staple foods, and freezing the leftovers for later use, is a great way to save both time and money.
When freezing leftovers, however, it is important to label the containers carefully, using freezer tape and a permanent marker. Try to keep the oldest foods near the top to avoid having to throw away expired items.
Stocking up on meats when they are on sale is another great way to use that valuable freezer space. Stocking up on such easily frozen foods as chicken, turkey, ground beef, steaks, roasts and chops is a great way to make your food dollar stretch as far as possible while still allowing you and your family to enjoy delicious healthy meals every day.
Healthy Recipe Tip #4:
Keeping a well stocked pantry is as important as keeping a well stocked freezer. Stocking the pantry with a good supply of staple items like canned vegetables, canned fruits, soup stocks and the like will make healthy recipe preparation much faster and easier.
Stocking the pantry can save you money as well as time. Grocery stores are always running sales, and these sales are a great time to stock up. Buying several cases of canned vegetables when they are on sale, for instance can save lots of money and provide the basic ingredients for many nutritious, easy to prepare meals.
Examples of great staples to stock up on include whole grain cereals, pastas, tomato sauce, baked beans, canned salmon, tuna and whole grain breads. It is easy to combine these staples into many great meals on a moment's notice.healthy recipeI hope you found these healthy recipe tips easy as pie!
Planning ahead of time an entire week of healthy recipe meals is the best way to create dishes you can be proud of, while keeping cost and time commitment to a minimum. So below are amazing tips you can use to make healthy meals all the time.
Healthy Recipe Tip #1:
Using convenient appliances such as slow cookers and microwaves can be a huge time saver when planning and preparing meals. There are many delicious and healthy recipes that can be started in the morning and left to cook all day in a crock pot or slow cooker. These are great choices for working families.
In addition, making the meals ahead of time on the weekend and heating them in the microwave is a great way to stretch both your food and your time. There are many microwavable healthy meals you can make at home, and single serving microwave safe containers allow every member of the family to eat on their own schedule.
When planning the meals for the week, it is a good idea to create a chart listing each day's menu and each days' schedule. Here's a smart tip...plan the quickest and easiest to prepare meals for the busiest days of the week.
Healthy Recipe Tip #2:
Get your family involved in creating the week's meal plan by asking for their input and noting everyone's favorite foods. It is still very important to eat healthy meals, so that (of course) does not mean eating pizza every night or having ice cream for dinner. But involving your spouse and children in healthy recipe planning, you'll help to increase their interest in healthy eating right away.
It is also a good idea to get your entire family involved in the preparation of the meals. Even children too young to cook can help out by setting out the dishes, chopping vegetables, clearing the table and washing the dishes.
Healthy Recipe Tip #3:
Cooking large quantities of healthy food recipes - and freezing the leftovers - is a easy way to save time. Cooking large amounts of stews, soups, pasta, chili and casseroles can be a huge time saver. Making double and even triple batches of these staple foods, and freezing the leftovers for later use, is a great way to save both time and money.
When freezing leftovers, however, it is important to label the containers carefully, using freezer tape and a permanent marker. Try to keep the oldest foods near the top to avoid having to throw away expired items.
Stocking up on meats when they are on sale is another great way to use that valuable freezer space. Stocking up on such easily frozen foods as chicken, turkey, ground beef, steaks, roasts and chops is a great way to make your food dollar stretch as far as possible while still allowing you and your family to enjoy delicious healthy meals every day.
Healthy Recipe Tip #4:
Keeping a well stocked pantry is as important as keeping a well stocked freezer. Stocking the pantry with a good supply of staple items like canned vegetables, canned fruits, soup stocks and the like will make healthy recipe preparation much faster and easier.
Stocking the pantry can save you money as well as time. Grocery stores are always running sales, and these sales are a great time to stock up. Buying several cases of canned vegetables when they are on sale, for instance can save lots of money and provide the basic ingredients for many nutritious, easy to prepare meals.
Examples of great staples to stock up on include whole grain cereals, pastas, tomato sauce, baked beans, canned salmon, tuna and whole grain breads. It is easy to combine these staples into many great meals on a moment's notice.healthy recipeI hope you found these healthy recipe tips easy as pie!
Eating Like The Spanish
EATING LIKE THE SPANISH
Bored of cooking every day the same meals, the samerecipes, and want to try something different and exotic?
You can choose any culture, any country you want and you
will find traditional food for each and every
one of them. But there is something different about the
way the Spanish cook, they just make food enjoying it and this is what matters and offers such tasty results.
First of all you have to know Spanish people like to eat a lot of eggs. But they never, or almost never, eat boiledeggs like we do (cigar makers use to eat Fried eggs on rice for lunch). The traditional egg preparation method is to scramble them and fry them, obtaining a delicious omlette with potatoes and lots of onions added in the frying pan. The Spanish tortilla, as it is called is an exceptional and nutritional way to feed your family for lunch.
Another wonderful dish is the paella. The paella means that you will pretty much throw in the frying pan everything you have in your fridge. Everything that goes with each other, of course. The base for the paella is usually obtained out of boiled chicken wings of legs and to it we will add vegetables,rice, fish, and several other seafoods.
It is important that we fry everything together in olive oil for a better taste. We can even add fruits in the pan and after everything is done, just a minute before turning off the fire, we pour in the pan an assorted natural juice or liqueur or wine, whatever we want as long as we think we will like it. And the result will be an absolutely extraordinary dish made to fit our every taste and desire. Paella is my favorite main meal dish.
Spanish deserts are often a dream, but they can be rather difficult to prepare and they usually contain lots of calories. A few of the simple onesare Natilla (Spanish Custard), Flan,Queen of Puddings,Key Lime Pie (the Real one).Spanish cooking in generally is for people that really have time to spend in the kitchen and enjoy doing it. Most Spanish dishes take a log time to complete and a regular Spanish meal can require up to 3 or even 4 dishes to serve. Often they will serve Sangria with the main meal.
If you are willing to try but don’t really have that much time on your hands then you can just go to a Spanish restaurant near you and see for a change how Spanish people eat. But if you experience weight problems you must be careful on how much you eat, Spanish food can be addictive and it contains many calories to give you lots of benefic energy.
If your choice is Paella call the Spanish restaurant in advance as this is not a one person dish. You will find that Paella is a heart and soul warming dish. Great time to take friends and family out. The Chef normally only prepares it when it is ordered. No left overs.
Bored of cooking every day the same meals, the samerecipes, and want to try something different and exotic?
You can choose any culture, any country you want and you
will find traditional food for each and every
one of them. But there is something different about the
way the Spanish cook, they just make food enjoying it and this is what matters and offers such tasty results.
First of all you have to know Spanish people like to eat a lot of eggs. But they never, or almost never, eat boiledeggs like we do (cigar makers use to eat Fried eggs on rice for lunch). The traditional egg preparation method is to scramble them and fry them, obtaining a delicious omlette with potatoes and lots of onions added in the frying pan. The Spanish tortilla, as it is called is an exceptional and nutritional way to feed your family for lunch.
Another wonderful dish is the paella. The paella means that you will pretty much throw in the frying pan everything you have in your fridge. Everything that goes with each other, of course. The base for the paella is usually obtained out of boiled chicken wings of legs and to it we will add vegetables,rice, fish, and several other seafoods.
It is important that we fry everything together in olive oil for a better taste. We can even add fruits in the pan and after everything is done, just a minute before turning off the fire, we pour in the pan an assorted natural juice or liqueur or wine, whatever we want as long as we think we will like it. And the result will be an absolutely extraordinary dish made to fit our every taste and desire. Paella is my favorite main meal dish.
Spanish deserts are often a dream, but they can be rather difficult to prepare and they usually contain lots of calories. A few of the simple onesare Natilla (Spanish Custard), Flan,Queen of Puddings,Key Lime Pie (the Real one).Spanish cooking in generally is for people that really have time to spend in the kitchen and enjoy doing it. Most Spanish dishes take a log time to complete and a regular Spanish meal can require up to 3 or even 4 dishes to serve. Often they will serve Sangria with the main meal.
If you are willing to try but don’t really have that much time on your hands then you can just go to a Spanish restaurant near you and see for a change how Spanish people eat. But if you experience weight problems you must be careful on how much you eat, Spanish food can be addictive and it contains many calories to give you lots of benefic energy.
If your choice is Paella call the Spanish restaurant in advance as this is not a one person dish. You will find that Paella is a heart and soul warming dish. Great time to take friends and family out. The Chef normally only prepares it when it is ordered. No left overs.
3 Ways To Cook The Perfect Rice
Rice may be cooked by 3 methods, each of which requires a different proportion of water. These methods are boiling, which requires 12 times as much water as rice; the Japanese method, which requires 5 times as much; and steaming, which requires 2-1/2 times as much. Whichever of these methods is used, however, it should be remembered that the rice grains, when properly cooked, must be whole and distinct. To give them this form and prevent the rice from having a pasty appearance, this cereal should not be stirred too much in cooking nor should it be cooked too long.
BOILED RICE - Boiling is about the simplest way. Properly boiled rice not only forms a valuable dish itself, but is an excellent foundation for other dishes that may be served at any meal. The water in which rice is boiled should not be wasted, as it contains much nutritive material. This water may be utilized in the preparation of soups or sauces, or it may even be used to supply the liquid required in the making of yeast bread.
BOILED RICE (Sufficient to Serve Eight)1 c. rice ; 3 tsp. Salt; 3 qt. boiling waterWash the rice carefully and add it to the boiling salted water. Boil rapidly until the water begins to appear milky because of the starch coming out of the rice into the water or until a grain can be easily crushed between the fingers. Drain the cooked rice through a colander, and then pour cold water over the rice in the colander, so as to wash out the loose starch and leave each grain distinct. Reheat the rice by shaking it over the fire, and serve hot with butter, gravy, or cream or milk and sugar.
JAPANESE METHOD - Rice prepared by the Japanese method may be used in the same ways as boiled rice. However, unless some use is to be made of the liquid from boiled rice, the Japanese method has the advantage of being a more economical way of cooking this cereal.
JAPANESE METHOD (Sufficient to Serve Eight)1 c. rice ; 1-1/2 tsp. Salt; 5 c. boiling waterWash the rice, add it to the boiling salted water, and boil slowly for 15 minutes. Then cover the utensil in which the rice is cooking and place it in the oven for 15 minutes more, in order to evaporate the water more completely and make the grains soft without being mushy. Serve in the same way as boiled rice.
STEAMED RICE - To steam rice requires more time than either of the preceding cooking methods, but it causes no loss of food material. Then, too, unless the rice is stirred too much while it is steaming, it will have a better appearance than rice cooked by the other methods. As in the case of boiled rice, steamed rice may be used as the foundation for a variety of dishes and may be served in any meal.
STEAMED RICE (Sufficient to Serve Six)1 c. rice; 1-1/2 tsp. Salt 2-1/2 c. waterWash the rice carefully and add it to the boiling salted water. Cook it for 5 minutes and then place it in a double boiler and allow it to cook until it is soft. Keep the cooking utensil covered and do not stir the rice. About 1 hour will be required to cook rice in this way. Serve in the same way as boiled rice.Good luck.Nora MaskuriFor more tips and recipes.
BOILED RICE - Boiling is about the simplest way. Properly boiled rice not only forms a valuable dish itself, but is an excellent foundation for other dishes that may be served at any meal. The water in which rice is boiled should not be wasted, as it contains much nutritive material. This water may be utilized in the preparation of soups or sauces, or it may even be used to supply the liquid required in the making of yeast bread.
BOILED RICE (Sufficient to Serve Eight)1 c. rice ; 3 tsp. Salt; 3 qt. boiling waterWash the rice carefully and add it to the boiling salted water. Boil rapidly until the water begins to appear milky because of the starch coming out of the rice into the water or until a grain can be easily crushed between the fingers. Drain the cooked rice through a colander, and then pour cold water over the rice in the colander, so as to wash out the loose starch and leave each grain distinct. Reheat the rice by shaking it over the fire, and serve hot with butter, gravy, or cream or milk and sugar.
JAPANESE METHOD - Rice prepared by the Japanese method may be used in the same ways as boiled rice. However, unless some use is to be made of the liquid from boiled rice, the Japanese method has the advantage of being a more economical way of cooking this cereal.
JAPANESE METHOD (Sufficient to Serve Eight)1 c. rice ; 1-1/2 tsp. Salt; 5 c. boiling waterWash the rice, add it to the boiling salted water, and boil slowly for 15 minutes. Then cover the utensil in which the rice is cooking and place it in the oven for 15 minutes more, in order to evaporate the water more completely and make the grains soft without being mushy. Serve in the same way as boiled rice.
STEAMED RICE - To steam rice requires more time than either of the preceding cooking methods, but it causes no loss of food material. Then, too, unless the rice is stirred too much while it is steaming, it will have a better appearance than rice cooked by the other methods. As in the case of boiled rice, steamed rice may be used as the foundation for a variety of dishes and may be served in any meal.
STEAMED RICE (Sufficient to Serve Six)1 c. rice; 1-1/2 tsp. Salt 2-1/2 c. waterWash the rice carefully and add it to the boiling salted water. Cook it for 5 minutes and then place it in a double boiler and allow it to cook until it is soft. Keep the cooking utensil covered and do not stir the rice. About 1 hour will be required to cook rice in this way. Serve in the same way as boiled rice.Good luck.Nora MaskuriFor more tips and recipes.
The 10 most popular french recipes
Despite new trends, hype and marketing, tradition has never been stronger. In France, good food still means authentic cooking by using natural products from diverse regions. This is how we celebrate human being by offering the best food to all our senses. Cooking home-made food and eating at the table make your appetite grow stronger. The challenge is to combine ingredients together to get the best taste out of them. However anyone from anywhere can explore the world of french cooking. To start with, let's find out what french people enjoy to eat.
Here are the top 10 most popular recipes in France:
Roast Chicken
Indeed roast chicken is not a notorious french recipe but cooked everywhere around the world from Asia and Africa to America. However it is the most popular french dish. Roast chicken is not stuffed inside. The secret is to baste the poultry several times during roasting with butter and cooking oil and to add an onion in the roasting pan. Roast chicken is traditionally served with potatoes and green beans.
Boeuf bourguignon
The most famous beef stew in France. Boeuf bourguignon is a traditional recipe from Burgundy. A recipe that french people use to cook at least once every winter. The beef meat is cooked in a red wine sauce, obviously a red wine from Burgundy. Bacon, onions, mushrooms and carrots add flavor to the recipe. But thyme, garlic and beef stock are essential to cook a good boeuf bourguignon.
Mussels mariniere
A typical summer recipe very popular along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coast. Mussels are fresh and cooked in a white wine sauce with parsley, thyme, bay leaf and onion. It takes only 5 minutes to cook a tasteful mussels mariniere. The secret is to season carefully the meal and to discard any mussels that don't look good enough.
Sole meuniere
Although sole is an expensive fish, the taste is so elegant that it is considered as the noblest fish. Sole meuniere is a recipe from Normandy. The fish is cooked in a butter sauce with a little bit of flour and lemon juice. Sole is traditionally served with rice or green vegetables.
Pot au feu
A typical family meal coming once again from Normandy. Pot au feu is a boiled beef with pork, chicken and vegetables. It takes about 4 hours an a half to cook as the beef has to simmer slowly to extract all its flavor. Pot au feu is also called Potee Normande in France.
Sauerkraut
Quite similar to the german sauerkraut, the french sauerkraut called choucroute comes from Alsace. However the french recipe can be traced back to 6 centuries ago ! Sauerkraut is a fermented cabbage. Commonly sauerkraut includes sausages, pork knuckle and bacon. Two essential ingredients are alsatian white wine and juniper berries.
Veal stew
Called blanquette de veau in France, this is another stew recipe from Normandy. The veal meat simmers in white sauce – as blanquette from blanc stands for white in french - with mushrooms and onions. The white sauce is made of egg yolks, whipping cream and lemon juice. Veal stew is usually served with rice.
Lamb navarin
Another stew but this one is made of lamb meat. It is also called spring lamb as it comes with green vegetables available in spring. Navarin comes from navet which stands for turnips in french. Other ingredients are tomatoes, lamb stock and carrots. This stew takes less time to simmer than any other.
Cassoulet
A strange recipe that english people often confuse with their traditional breakfast! A traditional meal from south west of France. Each village has its own recipe but it always includes beans and meats. Cassoulet is a rich combination of white beans and depending on the village lamb, pork, mutton or sausage meat. Cassoulet is the cornerstone of the french paradox study describing why people from south west of France suffer less than others from infarcts.
Bouillabaisse
Bouillabaisse is closely linked with the city of Marseille on the Mediterranean coast. The recipe is a fish soup from local fish and seafood products including crabs, scorpion fish, monk fish and others. Provencal herbs and olive oil are essential. For a long time, the recipe was a secret jealously kept by the people from Marseille.
Here are the top 10 most popular recipes in France:
Roast Chicken
Indeed roast chicken is not a notorious french recipe but cooked everywhere around the world from Asia and Africa to America. However it is the most popular french dish. Roast chicken is not stuffed inside. The secret is to baste the poultry several times during roasting with butter and cooking oil and to add an onion in the roasting pan. Roast chicken is traditionally served with potatoes and green beans.
Boeuf bourguignon
The most famous beef stew in France. Boeuf bourguignon is a traditional recipe from Burgundy. A recipe that french people use to cook at least once every winter. The beef meat is cooked in a red wine sauce, obviously a red wine from Burgundy. Bacon, onions, mushrooms and carrots add flavor to the recipe. But thyme, garlic and beef stock are essential to cook a good boeuf bourguignon.
Mussels mariniere
A typical summer recipe very popular along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coast. Mussels are fresh and cooked in a white wine sauce with parsley, thyme, bay leaf and onion. It takes only 5 minutes to cook a tasteful mussels mariniere. The secret is to season carefully the meal and to discard any mussels that don't look good enough.
Sole meuniere
Although sole is an expensive fish, the taste is so elegant that it is considered as the noblest fish. Sole meuniere is a recipe from Normandy. The fish is cooked in a butter sauce with a little bit of flour and lemon juice. Sole is traditionally served with rice or green vegetables.
Pot au feu
A typical family meal coming once again from Normandy. Pot au feu is a boiled beef with pork, chicken and vegetables. It takes about 4 hours an a half to cook as the beef has to simmer slowly to extract all its flavor. Pot au feu is also called Potee Normande in France.
Sauerkraut
Quite similar to the german sauerkraut, the french sauerkraut called choucroute comes from Alsace. However the french recipe can be traced back to 6 centuries ago ! Sauerkraut is a fermented cabbage. Commonly sauerkraut includes sausages, pork knuckle and bacon. Two essential ingredients are alsatian white wine and juniper berries.
Veal stew
Called blanquette de veau in France, this is another stew recipe from Normandy. The veal meat simmers in white sauce – as blanquette from blanc stands for white in french - with mushrooms and onions. The white sauce is made of egg yolks, whipping cream and lemon juice. Veal stew is usually served with rice.
Lamb navarin
Another stew but this one is made of lamb meat. It is also called spring lamb as it comes with green vegetables available in spring. Navarin comes from navet which stands for turnips in french. Other ingredients are tomatoes, lamb stock and carrots. This stew takes less time to simmer than any other.
Cassoulet
A strange recipe that english people often confuse with their traditional breakfast! A traditional meal from south west of France. Each village has its own recipe but it always includes beans and meats. Cassoulet is a rich combination of white beans and depending on the village lamb, pork, mutton or sausage meat. Cassoulet is the cornerstone of the french paradox study describing why people from south west of France suffer less than others from infarcts.
Bouillabaisse
Bouillabaisse is closely linked with the city of Marseille on the Mediterranean coast. The recipe is a fish soup from local fish and seafood products including crabs, scorpion fish, monk fish and others. Provencal herbs and olive oil are essential. For a long time, the recipe was a secret jealously kept by the people from Marseille.
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