Food and Drink Online
Eating will never go out of fashion. We will always need a place in the home where we can easily and safely prepare our food. We call that place the kitchen. Here are a few tips to help make your kitchen a better, safer and more efficient place to work in.
1. Lighting is probably the most important thing to get right. Strip or spotlights located under wall units work best to provide good, unobtrusive lighting.
2. Hard wearing flooring that's easy to clean is another essential. Carpeting on floors surrounding kitchen worktops is a big mistake.
3. Electric sockets in abundance will make life so much easier. But remember to keep them at least a metre from any source of water.
4. Have all your regularly used utensils stored close to the areas where they will be used. This increases efficiency and reduces accidents.
5. Choose the type of kitchen sink that's best suited for you. They come in all shapes, double or single, and in a variety of materials. Think before you buy.
6. The type of taps on your sink is important too. Get taps with plenty of height. The swivelling type adds flexibility, but you may prefer the look of double taps. Again, think about what you want.
7. Keep children out of your kitchen. Toddlers have greater ingenuity than you give them credit for. Fit any cupboard or drawer they can reach with childproof catches. Store all sharp objects, knives, etc, high up in a locked drawer.
About the author:
Muriel Linton is a correspondent for Kitchens Today. She lives in New York with her family of a husband, three growing children, and two dogs. She also has her own kitchen designs website: http://www.actionkitchens.com/
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Using proper food storage is very important to your health and your family’s health. It is up to you to provide proper storage solutions for every type of food that comes into your home. This is no easy task. If you plan to store large amounts of food, you need to have the room. It is also important to realize that foods go bad quite easily and quickly. Taking the time to find the right solution to your food storage needs can even help you save money.
Purchasing And Storing
It is quite important for you to purchase foods that are in good condition especially if you will have them in your home for a long period of time. This is especially true for foods that will not last for long, such as fruits and vegetables that are purchased fresh.
But, you can also package them to keep them lasting longer. For example, fresh produce such as vegetables and fruits can be canned or purchased and placed into a vacuum sealing to keep them fresh much longer.
For meats, it is important to use them within their date or to freeze them. You should freeze them properly without defrosting them more than once to use. You can also use a vacuum sealer to do this work as well.
Having Enough Room
One of the biggest problems that many have when it comes to food storage is that it is hard to find enough room in our kitchen cabinets for the products that we purchase. In order to have enough room, you can think outside the box. Using your fridge and freezer effectively is one thing. You can store canned goods in boxes in a cool location as well. You can add bins or containers to your kitchen as well.
Using proper food storage means keeping everyone happy and healthy!
About the author:
For more information please see http://www.food-storage-shack.co.uk
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Chop, chop, chop! No kitchen is complete without a set of cutlery. When it comes to cutlery for your kitchen, you have lots of choices. But the most important thing to have is a Chef’s knife. A high quality chef’s knife will cost you at least $50, but plan on spending $75.
All that chopping is bound to cause some damage. Next you will want a cutting board. Like cutlery, there are many choices but if you want the board to last, you’ll want to keep a few things in mind. Cutting boards come in an over the sink style and a style that you sit on your counter. You’ll also want to consider the size. Think about the size of your kitchen and the storage issue. Also consider the size of your sink because you are going to empty your scraps in there. There is quite a debate about whether a wood or plastic cutting board is best. Keep in mind wooden cutting boards will have knife marks in them eventually. On the other hand, plastic cutting boards will dull your knife quickly.
And whether you choose a wooden or plastic knife you will eventually need a knife sharpener.
When you become a gourmet pro, there are other tools you might consider purchasing.
-Paring Knifes
-Cleavers
-Bagel Cutter
-Carving Knife
-Fillet Knife
-Utility Knifes
-Thermometer
-Tongs
-Whisks
-Ladles
Now that you’ve done all that chopping, you need somewhere to put the ingredients.
There are many different kinds of cookware. Chef’s pans are a great thing to buy in a set. Though it can get expensive, you’ll actually save more money by buying a set of chef’s pans as opposed to buying it piece by piece. But perhaps you don’t want a set of pans. The one must-have is a sauté pan. What is a sauté pan? It is a pan with a wide flat bottom, straight sides, long handle and a lid. Sauté pans come in a variety of sizes. If you want versatility, choose a medium-sized pan.
Did you know that a soup pot is not just for soup? You can make pasta, meats and stocks as well. A soup pot, also known as a stock or cook pot is one of the most versatile things you can add to your kitchen. Like sauté pans, soup pots come in a variety of sizes.
If you are really ready to get fancy then consider adding the following list of tools to your gourmet kitchen:
-Deep Fryer
-Waffle Iron
-Hand Blender
-Slow Cooker
-Steamer
-Food Processor
-Espresso Machine
When you are ready to take your gourmet kitchen to the outdoors, you have a few choices. You can purchase a natural gas grill, a charcoal grill or a propane grill.
You can expect to invest quite a bit of cash into tools for your gourmet kitchen. But realize that you don’t have to buy everything at once. Also, all the tools aren’t necessary. Only purchase the gourmet tools that you are actually going to use
About the author:
Jerry Powell is the Owner of a Popular site Know as
Gourmet911.com As you can see from our name,
we are here in the business to help you learn more
about different kinds of Gourmet Food and Wines,
from all around the world. http://www.gourmet911.com
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Scientific studies continue to show that green tea is good for you. Tea began as a Chinese medicinal drink, and modern science proves just how green tea is good for you. In traditional Chinese medicine, tea helps to clear the eyes and head, resolve excess phlegm, promote urination, relieve toxins, aid the digestion, and quench thirst. As with so many foods and medicines, the traditional Chinese medicinal thoughts are being proven scientifically in modern times. Today, there is ample evidence that tea is good for you as a daily tonic in the interest of preventing or treating a wide range of maladies, including: cancer, hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, premature aging, food poisoning, dental decay and bad breath, and even arthritis.
How Is Green Tea Good For You?
• Tea is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.
• Green tea may be good for your waistline. In November 1999, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the results of a study at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Researchers found that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea extract burned more calories than those given only caffeine or a placebo.
Green Tea Is Good For Your Immune System
• A Japanese report found that men who drank ten cups of green tea per day stayed cancer-free for three years longer than men who drank less than three cups a day (there are approximately 240 - 320 mg of polyphenols in three cups of green tea). Meanwhile, a study by Cleveland's Western Reserve University concluded that drinking four or more cups of green tea per day could help prevent rheumatoid arthritis, or reduce symptoms in individuals already suffering from the disease.
• Scientists at the Saitama Cancer Research Institute discovered that there were fewer recurrences of breast cancer, and the disease spread less quickly, in women with a history of drinking five cups or more of green tea daily.
Green Tea Is Good For Your Prevention & Treatment Of Cancer
• Scientists also discovered that EGCG from green tea can help to prevent metastasis, or the movement and spreading of cancer cells from one organ or tissue to the other by bloodstream or lymph. Cancer cells secrete special enzymes in order to enter and colonize tissues. Research shows that EGCG stops the secretion of these special enzymes.
• A case study that was done in China, reports that those women who drank green tea regularly had a 50% lower risk of developing esophageal cancer. Men showed less risk as well, but not as significant as women.
• Researchers from Sweden reported that green tea blocked the development of new blood vessels in the lungs. By blocking the development of new blood vessels in the lungs, tumors are less likely to grow and metastasize. Scientists believe that EGCG plays a significant rule in blocking the development of tumors. Similar results were achieved in breast cancer, colon cancer and melanoma studies. It is believed that drinking green tea for an extended period of time will help to prevent and might cure cancer naturally.
• The antioxidants found in green tea--called catechins--may selectively inhibit the growth of cancer. In laboratory studies using animals, catechins scavenged oxidants before cell damage occurred, reduced the number and size of tumors, and inhibited the growth of cancer cells. National Cancer Institute researchers are investigating the therapeutic and preventive use of tea catechins against a variety of cancers.
• One Chinese study involving over 18,000 men found green tea drinkers were about half as likely to develop stomach or esophageal cancer as men who drank little tea, even after adjusting for smoking and other health and diet factors.
• In the laboratory, studies have shown green tea catechins act as powerful inhibitors of cancer growth in several ways: They scavenge oxidants before cell injuries occur, reduce the incidence and size of chemically induced tumors, and inhibit the growth of tumor cells. In studies of liver, skin and stomach cancer, chemically induced tumors were shown to decrease in size in mice that were fed green and black tea.
Green Tea Is Good For Your Teeth
• Green tea is good for your teeth, the catechins prevent decay by killing the bacteria (Streptococcus mutans) that cause dental plaque. Green tea also contains fluoride. One cup of brewed green tea contains around 0.3-0.5 mg of fluoride. This is an optimal level of fluoride according to dentists. As we all know, fluoride builds in our teeth's enamel, making it more resistant against acidic environment, of our mouth. Green tea also eliminates other bacteria that responsible for bad breath. According to researchers, green tea polyphenols can inhibit, by 30%, the growth of bacteria that causes unpleasant breath.
• A study at the Beijing Dental Hospital found consuming 3 grams of green tea a day, or about 2 cups, along with the application of a tea extract reduced the size and proliferation of leukoplakia, a precancerous oral plaque.
• Recent research suggests that green tea is good for your HDL cholesterol ( the “good one”) and lowers triglyceride levels. Several tests have been done. And green tea extract has been shown to be good for your cholesterol.
Green Tea Is Good For Your Blood Pressure
• At the the end of a 5 week experiment, one group with the regular diet showed blood pressure increases. For the catechin fed group, the blood pressure stayed normal. After this initial testing the scientists switched the diets for the two groups. This switch led to a reversal of the blood pressure trends. The study concluded that drinking moderate amounts of green tea each day can help to prevent high blood pressure.
The catechins in green tea have additionally been shown to help prevent excess cholesterol in the blood, killing the bacteria that causes food poisoning, lower blood sugar, additionally green tea is good for your high blood pressure by suppressing the production of angiotensn II. Catechin is also a strong anti-oxidant, which aids in aging related concerns.
Green and white tea leaves are less processed than oolong or black teas, which prevents oxidation and retains the highest levels of beneficial compounds. But all tea is good for you, so find the ones you like and drink them daily!
About the author:
Jake Mayer is the owner of Lapis Teahouse, a manufacturer of private label tea and custom blend herbal products that works with both large and small companies. He can be reached at jake@lapisteahouse.com.
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Sbiten, the traditional beverage for wintertime in Russia, is a drink with a long, colorful history. Research shows that sbiten has been around since the fourteenth century. Traditionally, Sbiten was served from oft-heated copper samovars by the sbitenshchik, who served it up until the beginning of the twentieth century on Russian street corners.
I have always loved all things Russian. For the past twenty years, I have collected stamps from Russia and outlying territories, and have an extensive collection in 2 large Scott's Standard books. One of my favorite composers and pianist is Kostia, whose haunting music of his Russian homeland is a beautiful listening experience. If I am particularly stressed out, it is Kostia I turn to. His albums include Suite St. Petersburg and 10 Pebbles, among others.
Sbiten is made in different ways, both non-alcoholic and alcoholic. It is the perfect antidote for long cold winters, something Russia is famous for. Here in Michigan, it is a real treat for us old folks that hate winter.
The word Sbiten comes the from the verb sbit--to beat or to pound. The herbs and spices are ground in a mortar, and then mixed with honey or molasses. It is allowed to ferment for a short period, and then mixed with water to make a slightly alcoholic drink. Replacing the water with a good Cabernet Sauvignon makes for a more lively drink, one to be appreciated by all. It is also fortified with brandy or vodka for a more potent libation.
The basic recipe for Sbiten:
3 1/2 cups water
2 cups honey
3 cinnamon sticks
2-3 cardamom pods, seeds removed, toasted and crushed
1/3 Tsp ground ginger 1 TBS whole cloves
2 dried chili peppers (optional)
2 TBS raspberry or apricot jam
Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a slow boil over medium heat. Whisk continuously to insure honey is well mixed. Remove from heat and allow to come to room temperature. Strain liquid through cheesecloth into an airtight container for storage and refrigerate until ready to bottle.
I buy 750 ml Cobalt Blue EZ Cap bottle from the local brewmeister to bottle anything like Sbiten to present as a gift during the holiday season. Add some fancy ribbon, a foil cap to the bottle, and a gift card. For about $8 USD you have a wonderful gift to present to friends or co-workers. A case of the Cobalt Blue bottles runs about $15.00.
Find the recipe for Sbiten and many other fine foods at http://www.allthebestrecipes.com. Many informative articles and recipes are posted there daily.
About the author:
Alden Smith is an award winning author who is the webmaster of All The Best Recipes. Visit his website for a free 660 page cookbook of Secret Famous Recipes.
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1. "Chocolate causes certain endocrine glands to secrete hormones that affect your feelings and behavior by making you happy. Therefore, it counteracts depression, in turn reducing the stress of depression. Your stress-free life helps you maintain a youthful disposition, both physically and mentally. So, eat lots of chocolate!" - Elaine Sherman, Book of Divine Indulgences
2. "Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar in four pieces with your bare hands--and then just eating one piece" - Judith Viorst
3. "Self-discipline implies some unpleasant things to me, including staying away from chocolate and keeping my hands out of women's pants." - Oleg Kiselev
4. "It's not that chocolates are a substitute for love. Love is a substitute for chocolate. Chocolate is, let's face it, far more reliable than a man." - Miranda Ingram
5. "Life is like a box of chocolates...You never know what you're gonna get." - Forrest Gump in Forrest Gump
6. "The superiority of chocolate, both for health and nourishment, will soon give it the same preference over tea and coffee in America which it has in Spain." - Thomas Jefferson
7. "Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate." - Sandra Boynton
8. "If one swallows a cup of chocolate only three hours after a copious lunch, everything will be perfectly digested and there will still be room for dinner." - Brillat-Savarin
9. "It has been shown as proof positive that carefully prepared chocolate is as healthful a food as it is pleasant; that it is nourishing and easily digested... that it is above all helpful to people who must do a great deal of mental work." - Anthelme Brillat-Savarin
10. "If you are not feeling well, if you have not slept, chocolate will revive you. But you have no chocolate! I think of that again and again! My dear, how will you ever manage?" - Marquise de Sévigné
11. "Chocolate is a perfect food, as wholesome as it is delicious, a beneficent restorer of exhausted power. It is the best friend of those engaged in literary pursuits." - Baron Justus von Liebig
12. "Nine out of ten people like chocolate. The tenth person always lies." - John Q. Tullius
13. "There are two kinds of people in the world: those who love chocolate, and communists." - Leslie Moak Murray
14. "Forget love... I'd rather fall in chocolate!" - Author Unknown
15. "There are four basic food groups: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate and chocolate truffles." - Author Unknown
16. "My favorite thing in the world is a box of fine European chocolates which is, for sure, better than sex." - Alicia Silverstone
17. "After about 20 years of marriage, I'm finally starting to scratch the surface of that one. And I think the answer lies somewhere between conversation and chocolate." - Mel Gibson in What Women Want.
About the author:
Copyright 2005. Bridget Mwape writes for Chocolate Gift Basket website at: http://www.chocolate-gift-basket.org.uk/which features gift ideas, chocolates and more. He also writes for http://www.sweets-and-chocolate.org.uk/which offers a wide selecti
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