Great Recipes For Your Cinco de Mayo Party--Cheddar Chipotle Dip, Mole Poblano, Golden Margarita

Great Recipes For Your Cinco de Mayo Party--Cheddar Chipotle Dip, Mole Poblano, Golden Margarita
In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) is primarily a regional
holiday celebrated in the state of Puebla. It has major
significance in that part of the country because it
commemorates an initial victory of Mexican forces led by
General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín over French forces
in the Battle of Puebla on May 6, 1862.

There is a common misconception that Cinco de Mayo is
Mexico's Independence Day when in fact September 16th is
the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico. In
the early hours of September 16, 1810, father Hidalgo,
accompanied by several conspirators (Iganacio Allende,
Doña Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez to name a
few), rang the bell at his church calling on everyone to
fight for liberty. This was the beginning of the Mexican
Independence War, which lasted 10 years.

In the United States, Cinco de Mayo has taken on meaning
beyond that in Puebla, Mexico. Regardless of their own
ethnic descent, Americans celebrate St. Patrick's Day and
Oktoberfest (among other holidays) to honor those of Irish
and German descent. Similiarly, Cinco de Mayo is
celebrated to honor the culture and experience of those of
Mexican descent.

Especially in cities with large populations of those of
Mexican ancestry, such as Los Angeles, San Fransico and San
Antonio, Cinco de Mayo is grandly celebrated. This is the
perfect occasion for planning a home theme party so I
thought I would help you get started by sharing a few of my
favorite Cinco de Mayo recipes.

Appetizer--Warm Chipotle Cheddar Dip

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1-8 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained (3/4 cup)
1-4 oz. can chopped green chili peppers, drained
2 teaspoons finely chopped canned chipotle chili peppers in
adobo sauce (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped (3/4 cup)
1/4 cup sliced green onion
2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro
Vegetables, crackers or chips

I found this dip when I was on a low carb diet and was
looking for a party appetizer that would work well with
vegetables. Something with a robust flavor that would perk
up the veggies.

Well this one definitely fit the bill. This appetizer has
become a favorite among my friends. It's served multiple
times throughout the year at various parties that I either
host or attend.

You can make it as smokey and spicy as you want by
adjusting the amount of chipotle peppers (smoked jalepenos)
but watch out. You can easily go from mildly spicy to
blow-your-face-off hot by adding too much!

Steps to Make Cheddar Chipotle Dip

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Stir together cheeses, mayonnaise, corn, green chili
peppers, chipotle chili peppers and garlic powder in a
large mixing bowl. Spread mixture into a 1 quart, covered
dish.

Bake for 30 minutes until bubbly. Top with tomato, green
onion and cilantro. I like to make a pattern out of the
toppings so I put the tomatoes all in the middle, make a
ring around them with the green onion then sprinkle the
cilantro over all.

Serve with vegetables, like red, green and yellow peppers.
Tostido and Frito Scoops work well too.

Main Course--Chicken with Chocolate Sauce (Mole Poblano)

4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 chicken breast halves, skinless and boneless
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
3 slices canned pimento, chopped
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder (or to taste)
2-1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
Grated rind of 1 orange
2 squares bitter chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup light rum (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a casserole, heat oil and cook garlic for a few minutes
to flavor the oil. Add chicken just to brown (it will
finish cooking in the oven) and then remove it from the pan.

In the remaining fat, cook onion, green pepper, pimento and
tomato over gentle heat for 10 minutes. Add chili powder,
blending well.

Add broth, almonds, raisins, seasonings and rind. Simmer,
covered, for 30 minutes then add the chocolate and stir
until melted.

Add chicken back in and spoon sauce on top.

Cover and bake for 1 hour or until chicken is tender. Warm
rum, ignite it and pour over contents of casserole. Allow
to stand for a few minutes until flame is extinguished and
then serve on a large platter.

Serves 6.

Cocktail--Golden Margarita, Vero Beach Style

1-1/2 oz. Gold Tequila
1/2 oz. lime juice
3 oz sour mix
1/2 oz. Grand Marnier (can use Cointreau or Triple Sec)
Dash of orange juice
Lime wedge for garnish
Salt for rimming glass (optional)

Several years ago, my husband and I were sitting at a cute
little beachfront bar in Vero Beach, Florida. The
bartender asked us for our order and I wanted to try
something new. He told us that he makes a "mean margarita."

I told him that my experience with margaritas up to that
point was not very good. Every time I tried one, they were
either so tart that my face would pucker up or the sour mix
was so acidy that it burned going down.

He claimed that his "Golden Margarita" would be different.
He was right and I have loved them ever since.

To make a Golden Margarita, Vero Beach style:

Dip the rim of a margarita glass in water then salt.

In a shaker, combine tequila, lime juice and sour mix with
ice cubes. Shake well. Pour contents, with ice, into the
glass.

Gently pour the Grand Marnier and then the orange juice on
top of the tequila mixture. Garnish with the lime wedge.

When you take a sip of this drink, first you get the sweet
taste of the orange liqueur and juice then you get the
tartness of the lime and sour mix. The combination makes a
perfectly smooth Margarita.

Now that you know the meaning of Cinco de Mayo and have a
bunch of great party recipes, start planning your party
now. May 5th will be here before you know it.

----------------------------------------------------
Sandee Lembke from Theme Party Queen.com
(http://www.theme-party-queen.com ) invites you to visit
her site for more great theme party ideas and recipes.

Wine Storage

Wine Storage
Have you ever wondered where the term "wino" came from? It
is an offensive term that dates back to the Victorian Era
to refer to a poor drunkard. Wine was cheap and considered
a poor mans drink; hence, wino referring to a drunk poor
homeless man. Whether this origin is true or not, wine has
somehow climbed up the prosperity ladder. In the last
decade, wine has become so trendy that wine connoisseurs
are standard at most fine restaurants. Furthermore, wine is
not just a drink to drown your sorrows, wine also is an
investment. To protect ones investment, wine storage has
become big business and it is used by wine many enthusiasts.

Wine storage is used by restaurateurs, wine connoisseurs,
investors, and anyone who enjoys a good bottle of wine.
Restaurants buy wine by the bulk and need wine storage for
their wine surplus. Since most restaurants don't have
storage space or proper wine storage facilities,
restaurateurs use wine storage at a self storage business
for wine preservation. Connoisseurs know how to appreciate
a good bottle of wine. As experts, they feel the need to
care for a good bottle of wine like a mechanic takes care
of his car. To preserve the wine's bouquet and the wine's
body, wine connoisseurs recommend wine storage. Everyone
knows that wine gets better with age, so does the value of
some wines. Wine investors know this. Also, they know how
to protect their investment by using wine storage. Like
baseball cards, if you don't preserve your wine collection
well, it will lose its value. Wine storage is like sleeves
for baseball cards. Lastly, you don't have to be a wine
guru to use wine storage . Wine storage is available to
anyone with a large or small wine collection. You might be
planning a party and need wine storage as a temporary place
to hold your wine bottles. In fact, a wine layperson can
order wine and have it delivered to the wine storage
business.

So what is the difference between wine storage and storing
wine at home? Wine storage is designed specifically for
wine. Each renters wine storage unit is individually locked
in private vaults. Wine storage is climate controlled at 55
degrees Fahrenheit with 60 percent humidity and low light
exposure. These are the perfect condition that any wine
guru will recommend. Unlike Vodka and whisky, wine is a
perishable good. There is insufficient alcohol in wine to
keep it well preserved.

It's common knowledge, like birds fly, that wine gets
better with age. But not all birds fly, and not all wine
gets better with age; especially, if wine storage is not
properly prepared. Also, like all living creatures, wine
reaches a point maturity point; then it starts to
deteriorate. But if you properly take care of your wine
like the human body, it will last much longer. If you
bought a bottle of Chteau La Mondotte Saint-Emilion 1996,
you probably spent around $608. If you own a bottle of Dom.
Romane Conti 1997 you spent over $1,540. That is a lot of
money to spend for a quick buzz. But that's not the reason
why you spent that much, is it? Protect your investment and
use a wine storage unit near your.

----------------------------------------------------
http://blog.royaltyuniverse.com/

I Love German Wine and Food - A Mosel Qualitaetswein

I Love German Wine and Food - A Mosel Qualitaetswein
If you are looking for fine German wine and food, consider
the Mosel region of central western Germany on the border
of Luxembourg. You may find a bargain, and I hope that
you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in
which we review a local white Qualitaetswein (read
inexpensive) Riesling.

The Mosel Valley is felt to be one of the most beautiful
river valleys in the world. This region, previously called
Mosel-Saar-Ruwer in honor of its three rivers, is famous
for its Riesling wine. Some of the greatest Rieslings in
Germany and in fact in the entire world come from the Mosel
Valley. Experts can often identify Mosel Rieslings because
of the slate in the local soil, which may impart a taste of
flint. The slopes are among the steepest in the
wine-producing world, and sometimes attain 70 degrees. The
soil is so precious that every spring local workers lug
pails of soil up these steep slopes, temporarily reversing
the effect of the rains that wash the soil down every
winter.

Mosel ranks number five among the thirteen German wine
regions when it comes to both vineyard acreage and total
wine production. Slightly over three quarters of the
regional wine is classified as QbA and somewhat less than
one quarter is higher quality QmP wine. Only one percent is
table wine. More than half of Mosel wine is Riesling. The
German hybrid white grape variety Mueller-Thurgau
represents about 20% of the wine production. In third place
is the historic Elbing that dates back to Roman times. Only
about 2% of Mosel wine is red.

The Mosel Valley pretty well stretches from Koblenz which
isn't far from Germany's former capital Bonn to the city of
Trier sitting very close to the border with Luxemburg.
These two cities are linked by the Mosel Weinstrasse (Mosel
Wine Road) approximately 140 miles (224 kilometers) long on
the eastern side of the river and somewhat less on the
western side. Of course, you could take the autobahn to
travel between Koblenz and Trier at breakneck speed. If you
do, you'll miss the interesting little towns and vineyards
along the way.

Cochem lies about one third of the way from Koblenz to
Trier. It's a fine little Mosel River Valley town. This
medieval town is long and narrow. You should take a boat
trip as well as a walking tour. Outside the town gate is
the Kaiser Wilhelm railway tunnel, which at 2.5 miles (4
kilometers) is the longest in all Germany. About fifteen
minutes of walking get you to the Reichsburg (Imperial
Fortress), a thousand year old castle that overlooks
Cochem. The castle hosts a medieval banquet which features
period costumes and music on Fridays and Saturdays but you
must reserve in advance. North of the city is a larger
castle, the Burg Eltz a few miles inland from the Mosel.

Before reviewing the Mosel wine and imported cheeses that
we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and
a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of
what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this
beautiful region. Start with Aalsuppe (Eel Soup). For your
second course enjoy Rolladen (Beef rolls with Bacon and
Pickles). As a dessert indulge yourself with Moselweintorte
(Chocolate and Wine Cake).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review
are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Moselland Bernkasteler Kurfurstlay 2005 9.5%
alcohol about $8.50

Let's start by quoting the marketing materials. Tasting
Note: Pale straw yellow colour; citrus, mineral and dried
apricot aromas and flavours; balanced with crisp acidity in
the finish. Serving Suggestion: Serve chilled with pork,
turkey or appetizers. Spicy asian dishes.

My first pairing was with a homemade pizza with lots of
tomato sauce, vegetables, and cheese but no meat. This wine
displayed refreshing acidity that worked well with the
pizza sauce. It had good fruit and was surprisingly long.

The next meal included a barbecued chicken marinated in a
commercial Mediterranean-style light sauce, red-skinned
potatoes, and a somewhat spicy Turkish salad. The wine's
acidity cut the fat very well and yet complemented the
tomato's own acidity which largely defined the salad. This
little and lightly alcoholic wine (9.5% when 13% plus seems
to be the new norm) was quite assertive, especially with
the potatoes. And yet it was somewhat flat with dessert,
some orange fruit-juice candy.

The final meal was whole-wheat pasta in a sauce that
started our as your basic commercial pasta sauce and then
livened up by a fried medley of garlic, red onions, red and
green peppers, topped with anchovies and shredded (local)
Asiago cheese. The wine was light and fruity and the
combination was quite tasty. I was happy that this Riesling
was low-alcohol (and inexpensive) so that I could drink
quite a bit without any negative effects, including to my
pocketbook.

The initial cheese pairing was with a mild Italian Pecorino
Fruilano. The wine was sweet but didn't impress me very
much. Then I tried it with a nutty Dutch Edam cheese. Once
again the wine was sweet but it was round and the
combination went quite well.

Final verdict. Great bargain. The wine really goes well
with simple food. I didn't get a chance to try it with
gourmet specialties but wouldn't be surprised if it did as
well as many wines including Rieslings at twice the price.
If I didn't have so many wines to taste (talk about
problems) I'd buy half a case and drink one every two
months or so. Then I'd try one from the next vintage and
hope to repeat the process.

----------------------------------------------------
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on
computers and the Internet, but he prefers drinking fine
Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and
people. He knows about dieting but now eats and drinks what
he wants, in moderation. He teaches classes in computers at
an Ontario French-language community college. Visit his
Italian travel website http://www.travelitalytravel.com
which focuses on local wine and food.

Are Bread Machines Worth the Cost?

Are Bread Machines Worth the Cost?
If you and your family love the taste of homemade bread,
but you just don't have the time to do all that mixing and
stirring and kneading, then maybe you should consider
purchasing a handy little kitchen appliance called a bread
machine. This machine will make baking home made bread so
much easier, and so convenient you'll bake bread for your
family more often. Your bread machine will do most of the
work for you. A basic machine mixes, kneads and handles
the rising process, as well as bakes and shapes your bread.
The hardest part for you is pouring in the ingredients,
and pushing buttons. If you can work a microwave, you can
work a bread machine.

When you decide you would like to have a bread machine in
your kitchen, be sure you shop around for the one that's
right for you. Have an idea of how much you are looking to
spend, these machines can run anywhere from below $60 to
over $180, according to what brand, and what features you
are looking for. Some have timers and delay buttons, while
some don't, there is also the option of a crust setting
which enables you to have light, medium, or dark crust on
your bread loaf. You also need to know what type of breads
you will be baking in your machine. If your family prefers
wheat bread, be sure the machine you are purchasing has a
cycle for this. Some bread machines have an extra special
cycle for baking cakes and jams. So be sure to consider
the cycles you want to have on your bread machine, before
purchasing it. It' also a good idea to check for a cool
down cycle, to prevent your bread loaf from becoming soggy,
if you can't be there to remove it after the baking process
is over. Most machines have a keep warm cycle to prevent
sogginess, but some have a tendency to dry up the bread.

There are some downsides to bread machines, some have
special compartments for nuts and fruits, while although a
great idea, may sometimes cause clogging, so it would be
wise to watch for this and keep compartments clean. You
can purchase bread machines that will produce different
sizes and shapes of loaves, square, round and the
traditional rectangle. Another important feature to look
for is a removable bread pan or slide out tray for easy
cleanup. Like your toaster, crumbs can gather and build
up, so they need to be cleaned often. I would suggest
after every use, so as not to let the crumbs accumulate.

Like any appliance you plan to purchase for your kitchen,
you should consider the size. You want to get a bread
machine that is appropriate for your kitchen, not one that
takes up all your extra counter space and be sure to check
all the features and see if they fit your needs. Make sure
your machine comes with a manual giving you instructions
for operating your bread machine, because there are some
models on the market that don't. You can choose to go for
the cheaper model or the more expensive, the choice is up
to you, but just remember, you get what you pay for.

----------------------------------------------------
Reviews and guides on purchasing bread machines
http://bread-machines.info
Articles and Resources on Baking Bread
http://baking-bread.net

Artisan Bread Making

Artisan Bread Making
Artisan bread has been considered one of the best breads
ever invented, made without any chemicals and very few
basic ingredients, these breads are by far superior to
most. Flour, water, salt and yeast are the main
ingredients in making bread. Although other ingredients
may be added according to what type of artisan bread you
wish to make. Some have added onions, cheeses. Artisan
breads are found to be more flavorful, since bakers use
only the best ingredients, but they do have a short shelf
life and should be eaten within a couple of days or you can
put it in your freezer immediately after purchase, for use
at a later date.

There are many types of artisan breads; you have French
bread, fococcia, deli rye and more. One of the secrets of
artisan bread is the way it is prepared and baked. Artisan
bread is handmade; you may use a mixer for the kneading
process but the rest, like shaping or dividing the dough,
must be done by hand. Artisan breads are not made in
conventional ovens but are baked on a stone, which helps to
give it that delicious crispy crust everyone loves.
Artisan breads have been used to make pizzas, submarine
sandwiches, croissants and Italian loafs stuffed with
cheeses, olives, and Italian herbs. Another example of
delicious Artisan bread is the fabulous chocolate bread,
filled with chocolate chips and cocoa.

If you're not lucky enough to have a bakery close by that
bakes artisan breads, there is a way you can enjoy this
wonderfully tasteful bread at home. You can make it
yourself, right in your own kitchen. Start with your basic
bread recipe, and you may add ingredients of your choosing,
such as olive oil, honey, etc. But remember, if you add a
liquid ingredient this adds hydration to your dough, but
this could make your dough easier to handle when it comes
to the kneading process. If you want firmer dough to work
with let it set for 15 or 20 minutes. Knead and fold dough
several times until the proper consistency, then place it
in an oiled bowl and be sure dough is slightly oiled all
over, and then place in a warm area, cover with a clean
cloth and let it rise until it is twice its size. But if
you want to experience its full flavor, let the dough rise
slowly, by putting it in a cooler area. After it has
risen, remove from bowl and separate into the amount of
loaves you prefer, place in baking pans and cover to let it
rise once more to twice its size.

Now you're ready to bake your loaves of delicious homemade
artisan bread. Preheat your oven and bake as directed on
the recipe you chose. After bread is done baking, remove
from oven and set out to cool before slicing. The internet
has many varieties of bread recipes at your disposal, and
all you have to do is click on the web and you'll find some
of the most delicious bread recipes to make for your
family. Homemade breads have so much more flavor than the
packaged breads we purchase at our local grocers. There
may be a bit of work to preparing bread at home in our own
kitchens, but once you bite into that delicious loaf of
artisan bread, you'll see it was worth the extra effort.

----------------------------------------------------
For more information on bread making, please visit
http://bread-making.net
For tips on baking great bread, and other baking resources,
please visit
http://breadbaking.net

How to Buy and Use Chocolate Candy Molds

How to Buy and Use Chocolate Candy Molds
Chocolate candy molds can lend your homemade confections a
festive, distinctive, unique and professional air, so why
not try them? They're also inexpensive and easy to use, if
you follow a few tips.

You may not be aware of the great variety of molds
available. There are molds for:

Special events: birthday, graduation, wedding, anniversary,
babies, bazaars, etc.

Holidays: New Year's, Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's
Day, Father's Day, Fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving,
Christmas, Hanukkah, etc.

Themes: movies, animals, flowers and fruit, jobs (business
cards!), letters and numbers, organizations, patriotism,
nautical, seasonal, sports, religious, zodiac, greeting
cards, international, landmarks, music, military,
transportation, western, etc.

Tips for buying molds:

Look for strong plastic with deep intricate designs, you'll
be surprised at the difference in results from more
detailed molds. If you buy molds for hard candy, they'll be
strong enough for anything. Dishwasher-proof is not
necessary, you'll read why later.

Tips for using molds:

Fill each mold slowly with a squeeze bottle, spoon, or by
pouring chocolate from a measuring cup. Paintbrushes can be
used for candies with layers of different colors, just let
each layer chill and firm before applying the next.

Use a palate knife or spatula to scrape off any excess
chocolate into a clean bowl. This chocolate can be gently
warmed and reused.

To remove bubbles from the molded candy, you can hold both
sides of the chocolate candy mold firmly in two hands and
tap it gently on your table or counter.

To remove the candy from the mold, turn it upside down over
a cloth or sheet of waxed paper and either gently tap it on
the table or kitchen counter, or invert the entire mold and
twist it very gently to release the chocolates.

Chocolates can be quick chilled, in order to remove them
quickly from the mold and make way for more candy
production. To do this, place them in the freezer for 5 to
10 minutes, until there is condensation or frost evenly on
the bottom of your mold. Then you can take them out of the
freezer, remove them from the mold as above, and let them
finish cooling at room temperature.

Tips for cleaning molds:

The molds should never be washed because it is easy to
leave soap residue that affects the flavor of the
chocolates. Once the remnants of chocolate in the mold have
completely cooled, the chocolate will flake off by wiping
with a soft, dry cotton cloth (polyester will leave tiny
fibers on the plastic). A light film of cocoa butter will
remain which is polished with the cotton cloth, making your
next batch of chocolates even shinier than the previous
batch.

----------------------------------------------------
What online shopping site has been named "Retailer of the
Year" (Housewares/ Gourmet Foods/ Bed, Bath & Linen) by the
Canadian Gift and Tableware Association and one of the
"Best Cookware Stores" by the Toronto Star? Find the answer
and more about chocolate candy making at
http://candychocolicio.us/data/html/equipment/30.cgi

Why Eat Chocolate for Dessert?

Why Eat Chocolate for Dessert?
So many people are health-conscious, so many people are
obese, so many people eat terrible food - greasy, fatty,
over-processed, and so many people don't get enough
exercise. Why even think about eating chocolate for
dessert? Because there's nothing like the "mouth-feel" of
chocolate; because it's the additives, not the chocolate
itself, that are fattening or that can cause allergic
reactions; and because, after a long hard day of "being
good", eating something that "feels" decadent can be very
very satisfying.

How wonderful then if what feels decadent is actually good
for you! We're talking dark chocolate here, at least 70%
cocoa. This delectable treat contains theobromine - a known
mood elevator; and antioxidant flavonoids - boost good HDL
cholesterol levels, reduce blood pressure and reduce bad
cholesterol. Mmm chocolate - maybe a chocolate fountain is
the real Fountain of Youth?

Scientists have found that eating dark chocolate appears to
improve circulation and make blood vessels more flexible,
helping to prevent hardening of the arteries. The Kuna
Indians of the San Blas islands off the coast of Panama
drink multiple cups of cocoa every day and have little
incidence of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

Cocoa is also rich in a number of essential minerals,
including magnesium, copper, potassium and manganese.
Indeed, chocolate is thought to be one of the largest
single contributors of copper to the diet in the United
States.

For all-round health, eat like the French do. I don't mean
eat French foods necessarily, although that can be nice,
but eat AS the French do; make a meal an event in itself.
Turn off the tv and computer, don't even read while you
eat. Savor and chew each bite.

Eating consciously like this will make you more in tune
with your appetite. You won't overeat, and you'll enjoy
your food so much more. Take your time - make fast food a
thing of the past.

End your meal with the perfect dessert - a bit of dark
chocolate. Break off a small piece and place it in your
mouth. Let it melt slowly, enjoying the texture and
savoring the taste. Then another bite.

Fine dark chocolates have subtle flavors reminiscent of
fruits, nuts, coffee, herbs, and much more. Just as wine
connoisseurs clean their palate before tasting wines, you
can drink a little warm water to clear your tastebuds
before eating chocolate. Bitter flavors will make the
chocolate taste sweeter, and sweet tastes will make you
insensitive to the sweetness of the chocolate, so start
with a "neutral palate".

Chewing and swallowing chocolate will not allow you to
taste all the flavors so just allow chocolate to melt in
your mouth.

You can substitute a chocolate candy made with the purest
of ingredients. Additional cream, sugar, etc. is what adds
the calories, if that concerns you, eat less. Eat the best
chocolate available - this isn't necessarily the most
expensive chocolate. Try many varieties and choose the one
most delicious to YOU!

Always, eat what you enjoy, and enjoy what you eat. And for
me, this is chocolate!

----------------------------------------------------
Chocolate candy recipes and even an ecourse to learn how to
make gourmet chocolate desserts fast, easy and
inexpensively, can be found at
http://candychocolicio.us/data/html/chocolate-desserts/29.cg
i

Happy Baking Recipes

Happy Baking Recipes
Finding happiness in baking can come from many things. The
first whiff of chocolate from a freshly opened bag of
chocolate chips. The joy on a child's face when they are
able to crack the egg into the bowl by themselves. The
absolutely delightful smell that fills every corner, nook
and cranny of your home as your baking creation comes to
life in the oven. The smile on the faces of friends and
family when you bring that special dessert to the table.
But sometimes the most simple joy can come simply from the
fun and creative names of the treats that we bake. These
two recipes brought a smile to my face simply because of
their names. I hope that they do the same for you.

Happy Day Cake
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg

In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, salt,
baking powder and sugar. Add in the shortening, milk and
vanilla. With an electric mixer, beat the mixture for 2
minutes. Add in the egg and beat the mixture for an
additional one minute. Grease and flour an 8-inch cake pan.
Pour the mixture into the cake pan. Bake in a 375 degree
oven for 25 minutes. Frost with your favorite frosting
(chocolate in our house) or top with berries and whipped
cream.

Cloud Nine Butterscotch Squares
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 package (3 3/4 ounce) butterscotch instant pudding mix
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, beat the butter until it is creamy. Add in
the pudding mix and mix well. Add in the eggs and vanilla
extract. Alternately add in the milk and the flour. Mix
well. Stir in the oatmeal and chocolate chips. Put the
mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree
oven for 20 minutes. Allow to cool and then frost with the
following.

Chocolate Frosting
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter,
milk and sugar. Bring the mixture to a heavy boil. Allow
the mixture to boil rapidly for 30 seconds. Take the
mixture off the stove and add in the chocolate chips. Allow
to cool a bit and then frost the bars.

Wishing you a happy, cloud nine kind of day!

----------------------------------------------------
Jill Seader finds happiness in baking and shares that
happiness on her website: http://www.YourBakingStory.com .
Find baking recipes, share your stories and find recipe
scrapbooking supplies to tell your stories on her website.
Happy Baking!

Tea, Tea or Tea?

Tea, Tea or Tea?
TEA IS ONE OF THE MOST WIDELY CONSUMED BEVERAGES IN THE
WORLD! Staying hydrated and drinking plenty of liquids is
important to our overall health. Tea is a great beverage
choice as it basically has no carbs, protein or fat. It is
tasty, is a natural source of amino acid and antioxidant
catechins. It is available in several forms and is tasty
both as a hot drink or iced. Note that we are talking
about true tea here. Herbal teas usually contain no actual
tea leaves but infusions of fruit and/or herbs. Therefore,
this article is not about herbal teas.

True tea comes from the Camellia Sinensis evergreen plant
commonally known as the tea bush. The tea bush grows
mainly in tropical and sub-tropical climates. This plant
or tree prefers acidic soil and requires an annual rainfall
of at least fifty inches. Camellia Sinensis plants can
grow into trees but are usually kept cropped to about waist
height to make cultivation easier. Only the leaves from
the top 1-2 inches are picked. Many of the top-quality
teas, such as darjeeling, are picked from plants grown at
elevations of about 5,000 feet. This causes the plants to
grow slower thus acquiring a better flavor.

There are four basic types of true tea common to us today.
They are black, green, white and oolong. Each is unique
but they all come from the same source. The difference
occurs in the processing. Briefly, here is a description
of each type and what makes it unique. Green tea leaves
are unwilted and unoxidized. White tea leaves are wilted
and unoxidized. Oolong tea leaves are wilted, bruised and
partially oxidized. Black tea leaves are crushed and fully
oxidized. Because of the oxidation process, white and
green teas have a higher concentration of the antioxidant
catechins.

Proper preparation also differs for each of the tea types.
For black tea, boiling water should be used. Many of the
active substances in black tea won't develop at lower
temperatures. This is the most common mistake made when
brewing black tea! For optimum results, black tea should
be brewed about 4 minutes and never longer than 5 minutes.
Longer brewing will cause the tea to taste bitter.

Green tea should be brewed at a lower temperature,
approximately 180-185 degrees which is below the boiling
point. Hotter water will burn the green tea leaves causing
a bitter taste. When brewing green tea, it is best to
pre-warm the mug or teapot you will brew in. This will
keep the tea from cooling immediately before it is fully
steeped.

Oolong tea should be brewed at about the boiling point in a
pre-warmed mug or pot. For oolong tea, it is best to use
spring water. The minerals in the water tend to bring out
more of the flavor in the tea. High-quality oolong tea
leaves can be brewed several times. It actually improves
with reuse. Many believe the third brewing actually
produces the best tea.

To keep your teas fresh and flavorful, store them in a dry,
dark, cool place inside an airtight container.

The health properties of tea are constantly in debate.
Many believe drinking tea will help to prevent heart
disease, cancer, diabetes, etc. One thing we know for sure
is that tea contains both antioxidant and amino acid
properties. It also doesn't add to our daily carb, protein
or fat and calorie count when drank in it's natural state
without adding sugar, milk, etc. And it tastes good. If
you aren't currently a tea drinker, become one. It sure
won't hurt you and it just might be healthy for you.

----------------------------------------------------
For more of Linda's writings and recipes, go to
http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com

The New Tuna in Town: Troll-Caught Albacore

The New Tuna in Town: Troll-Caught Albacore
Wondering about the healthful qualities of tuna? One canned
tuna has it all: high omega-3 content and succulent flavor.
It's time to check out Pacific troll-caught albacore tuna.
Here are the facts:

What Makes Troll-Caught Albacore Different?

Unique Population.

Troll-caught albacore are younger, smaller, richer fish
than their cousins harvested from the warm waters of the
tropical Pacific. Troll-caught albacore come exclusively
from cold Pacific waters. These differences in environment
and age result in differences in composition. The Monterey
Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch calls the troll-caught albacore
fishery healthy and sustainable.

Rich in Omega-3s

These are the essential fatty acids, unique to seafood,
that boost heart health, reduce the chance of sudden
cardiac mortality, improve blood fat levels, are essential
for infant brain and neural development, and are linked to
improvements in several inflammatory and immune conditions
such as rheumatoid arthritis. Because troll-caught albacore
are rich in fat, they contain more omega-3s than any other
canned tuna. Fresh troll-caught albacore offer 2-3 times
more heart-healthy omega-3s than most other fatty fish. The
American Heart Association recommends eating two servings
of fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids a week.

Common Albacore vs. Troll-Caught Albacore

Common canned albacore or "white meat" tuna, the kind found
on supermarket shelves, comes from tropical Pacific waters.
During processing, nearly all the fat is lost. Common
canned albacore is almost fat-free, but has very little
omega-3 fatty acids. In contrast, Pacific troll-caught
albacore are younger fish from colder, northern waters.
Troll-caught albacore are handled to retain their fat with
all its healthful omega-3s. That's why troll-caught
albacore tastes juicy and rich and has all the health
benefits of these special omega-3 fatty acids.

What About Light Meat Canned Tuna?

Light meat tuna comes from different species of tuna,
usually skipjack or yellowfin tuna. But no distinction
among species appears on the labels of canned light meat
tuna. The flesh color is usually slightly darker than
albacore. These fish, like tropical albacore, come from
warm waters and are rich in protein, but have less fat and
omega-3 fatty acids than troll-caught albacore.

Where to Find Troll-Caught Albacore

These delicious fish are available fresh in the Pacific
Northwest during the harvest season, July through
September. Some frozen troll-caught albacore can be found
in food markets. Canned gourmet-style troll-caught albacore
is available from specialty markets and at some farmers'
markets. What's more, troll-caught albacore can be
purchased online from specialty packers. It can be
identified by the nutrition label with "3 grams
fat/serving" in contrast to the usual "1 gram" of fat.

----------------------------------------------------
Chef Steven Stallard was professionally trained at the CIA,
Greenbrier Hotel & Tailevent Restaurant of Paris. He spent
nearly 20 years advancing his vision of truly American
Cuisine based on naturally sourced ingredients. Chef Steve
in President and owner of BLiS, Llc, - Handcrafted Gourmet
and Natural Food products. BLiS products including Troll -
Caught Albacore Tuna are now available through the
company's web site http://www.BLiSgourmet.com

Trying To Decide On A Wedding Cake?

Trying To Decide On A Wedding Cake?
So you are getting married? There is a laundry list of
items to get started on. Who will be your photographer,
what dress do you want, where will you honeymoon, the list
goes on. These are all exciting new things think about
before you and your fiancé walk down the sacred aisle
and make promises to one another.

When choosing certain items for one's wedding, many people
like to stick to the traditional methods. This is
completely fine. The wedding turns out beautiful, people
know what to expect and the wedding ceremony commences
forward. But for those of you out there who would really
like to add some special, unique individual touches to your
wedding new ideas abound.

One such idea would be thinking about a different type of
wedding cake. Instead of the traditional multi-tiered cake,
why not opt for a non-traditional version: the cupcake.
More and more people are asking for cupcakes these days!
Oh, you say, but this will make them commonplace again. If
everyone is starting to do this, what will help keep it
staying a unique new wedding experience enhancer?

This is a great question and the answer is that, there are
many ways! Cupcakes can have a broader scope of design or
utility to offer. For example, one can have them decorated
all the same with a special design of one's choosing. One
can decide to decorate each cupcake individually as well.
If one decides to put the cupcakes on each guest table, one
can make a cupcake for each guest, with each guest's name
specially written on top! Or why not put the bride and
groom's name on the cupcakes! If one decides to have the
cupcakes on the guest's table, one can even have them made
in individually decorated take home boxes. This can make
the wedding cake process easier and more manageable,
especially for those who know their wedding list is large.
Many people dread the cake segment of a wedding because
they often have to wait in a long line to finally get a
piece of the dessert, taking a large amount of time out of
the celebratory festivities. With cupcakes that are placed
on the table and put in individual boxes the guest has
their dessert right on the table and they have the option
to enjoy it now or save it for later! And who doesn't like
or appreciate choices?! In addition, it is a great crowd
pleaser for children, who for some reason hold a special
affinity for such treats. Maybe it's because they are just
the right size and seem specially made for their tiny hands.

The wedding cake can be more than just a nice "piece" of
the wedding that people expect. It can be a special,
creative way to celebrate the event. Of course there are
many options with regard to the traditional cake as well,
as far as decorating and appearance; the cupcake simply
adds another added option of diversity to the experience as
a whole.

----------------------------------------------------
For some spectacular cupcake recipes check out:
http://www.cupcake-recipes.com

Discover the Secrets of Traditional Venetian Cookies with Organic Food Baking Recipes

Discover the Secrets of Traditional Venetian Cookies with Organic Food Baking Recipes
From the enchanting Venetian lagoon on the Adriatic sea in
Italy, when Venice was the center of commerce with Asia
from the 13th to the 19th centuries, organic baking
traditions were born that are still practiced today by
housewives and pastry chefs. Explorers and sailors carried
foodstuffs on board the merchant and war galleons that
would survive the long voyages in the perilous seas. Among
these were sweet treats, simple to make, that in name and
taste, reflected their Venetian origins. Not to mention
that in those days, the only existing agriculture created
organic food; no pesticides or additives were used in
foods, except those from mother nature herself.

The Queen of these, and the most famous, is the organic
cookie named "Biscotti Baicoli". Created in the 1700's,
the word "baicoli" is Venetian dialect for sea bass. In
fact, their long, oval, thin shape is very similar to the
small sea bass which inhabit the lagoon. At that time,
bakers supplied them to coffee shops, or they were served
to house guests along with zabaglione cream, hot chocolate
or tea. Still others served them with a sweet Doge's
desert wine, the Venetian Moscato dei Doge.

Today they are considered a delicate, light, yet flavorful
organic cookie to be enjoyed by everyone. In fact, almost
every child in Venice today knows the poem in Venetian
dialect which brags of the goodness of the Baicoli and its
Venetian origins.

In the lagoon sits Burano, the fisherman's island, famous
for it's rows of brightly colored houses. From this very
small island comes the organic cookie "Bussola Buranello",
which translated, means the compass of Burano. Here too,
the marine traditions date back centuries. Baked in a
shape outlining a circle, or a backwards "s", this cookie
was a typical Easter treat, kneaded at home by the women of
Burano, and then brought to the baker's for baking. On
feast days, it was dipped in holy wine "vin santo", or in
local whites. Packaged, they were placed in the middle of
clothes drawers in order to scent them with the delicious
aroma characteristic of this cookie.

Still today, considered a genuine and nutritional organic
cookie, it is enjoyed in the same manner, or served to
children.

Both organic cookies are easy to prepare, with simple
organic food ingredients. The recipes follow:

Biscotti Baicoli -

Organic Food Ingredients: 1 ¾ cups flour, ¼ cup
melted butter (unsalted), ¼ cup sugar, 1 small glass
of milk, one half ounce of yeast

Dissolve the yeast in a small amount of tepid milk in a
glass, and then mix it together with ¼ cup of flour.
Form a ball and leave it to rest, covered by a cloth, in a
warm place until it doubles in volume (approx 30 min).

Mix together the remaining ingredients, starting with the
flour and sugar, then the melted butter, and finally the
tepid milk. (You may also add a bit of freshy squeezed
orange juice for more flavor) Add the leavened dough and
knead all together.

Leave the dough in the mixing bowl and place the bowl in a
larger bowl of boiling hot water in the oven (turned off),
for at least one hour.

Divide the dough in roughly 6 long, oval shapes, each
roughly 3 inches in width. Cook in the oven for approx 10
minutes at 300°, and then increase the temperature to
430° until completely cooked (approx 1 hour). Remove
from the oven and let cool completely. Then thinly slice
the 6 oval shapes into organic cookies, and put them back
in the oven to "toast" for approx 20 min at 120° -
175°.

Dip in hot tea, coffee, or hot chocolate. Or serve with
zabaglione cream or a sweet desert wine.

Bussola Buranello -

Organic Food Ingredients: 6 egg yolks, 1 cup butter
softened at room temperature, 1 cup sugar, 2 cups flour, a
dash of extract (choosed between, vanilla, lemon or anise,
the island tradition), a dash of salt.

On a kitchen workspace, form a volcano shape with the
flour, and in the middle create a crater where you add the
softened butter (not melted).

In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs with the sugar. Then add
this to the flour /butter mixture, and quickly knead /mix
with your hands.

Take the dough and create the desired cookie shapes
(outline of a circle or backwards "s") and cook in the oven
at 350° until done.

Modern versions add dark chocolate chips, raisins, or
substitute a bit of the white flour with coconut flour.

Serve these organic treats at home along with your usual
array of organic foods or try them on your friends at your
next gathering. Bring to your table a culinary, organic,
pastry delight which is centuries old, yet enjoyed every
day by Venetians and tourists alike.

----------------------------------------------------
By Heather Bettendorf - President, PRIMA Organic Cookies (
http://www.primaorganic.com ) - Offering gourmet organic
cookies from Italy. Our unique cookie formulations and
combinations include Italian Almond, Natural Lemon,
Venetian Classic, and Sunny Vanilla.

A Great Cake Decorating Frosting Recipe

A Great Cake Decorating Frosting Recipe
Cake decorating frosting recipes can sure come in handy. In
cake decorating, frosting or icing is the most important
part. If your frosting is good then you can decorate the
cake with different designs. If the frosting is not good
then your beautiful design will not look as attractive.

Here is a simple cake decorating frosting recipe for
Butter-cream frosting.

You will need
* 1/2 cup of butter
* 1/2-cup solid shortening
* 1-teaspoon vanilla essence
* 4 cups sifted confectioners sugar (icing sugar)
* 2 tablespoons milk

Put the butter and solid shortening in a bowl and beat it
with and electric mixer at a medium speed. Add the vanilla
essence. Gradually add the confectioner's sugar one cup at
a time. Keep beating the mixture well. When all of the
sugar has been added to the bowl the mixture will look dry.
Add the 2 tablespoons milk and beat the mixture until it
appears light and fluffy.

Your basic Butter-cream frosting is ready.

When you are decorating your cake at times you will need
different consistencies in frosting. You can make frosting
with various consistencies at home.

For that you will need,
* 4 cups of confectioner's sugar
* 1 cup solid vegetable shortening
* 1-tablespoon egg white powder or meringue
* 2 tablespoons water, warm
* 1 teaspoon clear vanilla essence
* 1/2-teaspoon salt
* 1-teaspoon light syrup

In a large mixing bowl mix sift the confectioner's sugar
and the egg white powder. Dissolve the salt in the warm
water. Beat the shortening until it is creamy and smooth
and add the cream and the salted water together. Start
adding the confectioners sugar to the mixture one cup at a
time. Scrape the sides of the bowl. At a medium speed mix
it for 5 minutes with a hand held mixer. If you are using a
stand up mixer use it on low for 2 minutes.

The above mixture will give you frosting with a stiff
consistency. If you want to make flowers remove one cup of
the frosting from the bowl and keep aside to make flowers.

To get a frosting with a medium consistency add 2 teaspoons
of water to the remaining mixture. You can use it for
flowers with petals that lie flat. You can remove 1 cup of
the medium consistent frosting and add light syrup. This
will give more elasticity to the frosting.

If you want a colored frosting you can use gel colors. It
is easier to mix gel colors together if you want to make
different colors. Use a flat toothpick to streak the color
into your icing. Each time use a different toothpick to add
the color so that the basic gel color jar will not be
contaminated with other colors.

Use these great frosting recipes to bring your cake
decorating to life.

----------------------------------------------------
Cake Decorating can be simple and easy to do with the right
help. Visit our Cake Decorating Inspiration site at
http://cakedecorating-tips.blogspot.com to get ideas and
tips to help you create cake decorating works of art.

An Old- Fashion Costa Rica Coffee Maker

An Old- Fashion Costa Rica Coffee Maker
About twenty years ago almost every home, restaurant and
office kitchen in Costa Rica was equipped with a gourmet
coffee making device called Chorreador de café or
simply café makero. It consisted of an unvarnished
wooden frame about 33 cms. tall, with a round hole at the
top where a wire rimmed cloth filter or strainer was
placed. Fine ground gourmet coffee was placed in the filter
and boiling water was poured in filtering down to the
gourmet coffeepot below.

This humble device is losing ground fast to modern
percolators, gourmet coffee makers and Mr. Gourmet coffee
machines. The reason usually given is that the new devices
are said to be faster and more convenient. In our home the
Chorreador de café lives on. Why? The gourmet coffee
simply tastes better.

You don't need gourmet gourmet coffee to brew a great
gourmet coffee. Gourmet coffee making is an art where every
step should be followed closely. Some advice given below
may seem superfluous but should be rigorously adhered to.

This information applies to those who live in or will be
visiting Costa Rica. The gourmet coffee we will be using is
not export or imported gourmet coffee. We will be using two
off-the-shelf pure gourmet coffees that you can buy in
supermarkets anywhere in Costa Rica. I will call them brand
A and B. I will not publish brand names here because I am
not endorsing or publicizing brand names. The gourmet
coffee should be fine ground, brand A and B mixed 50 - 50%,
then stored in an airtight glass container. The two brands
seem to complement one another creating a special blend.
Now you know how they make a breakfast blend gourmet coffee.

Bring the water to a boil. The water should be fresh tap
water and not reheated from water left in the gourmet
coffeepot. Filtered water is even better; collected
rainwater works well to make a great gourmet coffee.

Place two tablespoons of fine ground gourmet coffee into
the filter, then mount the filter on the wooden stand. Two
tablespoons of gourmet coffee produce four cups of gourmet
coffee. Use a non toxic paper gourmet coffee filter, a non
bleach type. Use a papersack or pantyhouse if no filter is
available.

Place a glass or stainless steel receptor under the filter
and begin to slowly pour the boiling water into the filter.
You may have to stop occasionally so that the level of
water drops. Continue pouring as needed until you have the
four cups. Do not introduce metal spoons into the filter to
agitate the mixture.

In the future you can experiment by adding a touch of
cinnamon or vanilla or chocolate or cloves to the coffee
mixture. Top the gourmet coffeepot and serve.

You must always use a perfectly dry filter. If you prepare
gourmet coffee two or more times a day, you will probably
need two filters. The reason for this is that if you use
only one, it is likely that it will not be totally dry the
next time you brew gourmet coffee. By using alternating
filters you will always have a dry one on hand. Filters are
best dried in the sunlight.

For daily use you should carefully rinse the filters in
running tap water to remove all residue. It is natural that
it will stain. You should now worry about this as it is
normal.You should wash the filter weekly. Never wash the
filter in soap or detergent, wash it only with salt to
remove the accumulated grease. This can be done by
generously salting the damp bag and virgorously rubbing it.
Afterwords you should thoroughly rinse the filter to remove
all traces of salt.

If you are in a hurry, go ahead use instant gourmet coffee
or your Mr. Gourmet coffee maker, but if you want a REAL
cup of gourmet coffee, you are going to have to put some
effort into preparation. I hope that this article inspires
those Costa Ricans who have forgotten this charming way of
brewing gourmet coffee. For those woodshop owners and
handyman experts here is a detailed explanation. Anyway you
look at it - if your are using Costa Rica gourmet gourmet
coffee you will for sure have a great cup of gourmet coffee.

Here's what you'll need: A 5" X 18" X 1/2" Maple or your
choice of wood. A 6" X 8" X 3/4" Maple or your choice of
wood. Finish nails Glue

Cut the base out of 3/4" maple, 7 1/2" X 6". Chamfer a 45
degree cut 1" in from each corner. Cut the two short
sections, one on each end, 15 degrees. Cut two supports
from 1/2" pieces 9" long at 5 degrees on each end. Make
sure the angles go the same direction on each end. Cut the
top out of 1/2" maple, 6" X 4 1/2". Chamfer a 45 degree cut
1" from each corner. Cut a notch on each end of the top and
base to fit the 1 1/2" supports using a dado blade. Set up
the miter with a small piece of wood at the base to give
the notch a 5 degree angle. Use a piece of backing on your
parts to keep them from breaking out.

Mark the center of the top and draw a 4" circle. Cut out
the circle with a scroll saw or saber saw.

Glue and nail the pieces together and you are almost ready
to start making gourmet coffee. The Basket Make the basket
from a stiff wire like a clothes hanger and a piece of
cotton. Bend the wire to make a handle and a 4 1/4" circle.

So then use your coffee maker; add a filter and add the
finest Costa Rica coffee beans and add hot water. Want to
be a cowboy use some old pantyhose as your coffee filter.
Want to be a homeless person - use an brown sack as your
coffee filter. Want to be really rugged - use some leaves.
As long as its Costa Rica coffee bean the flavor will still
shine through. Its the anticipation that counts.

----------------------------------------------------
George Moore founded Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee,
http://www.missiongrounds.com , its is a non profit
organization, a 501 C Corporation, dedicated to helping
children. Our main focus is to help orphans and children in
need the most: impoverished children in third world
countries and homeless children in inner city neighborhoods
in the United States

I Love French Wine and Food - A Rhone Valley Crozes-Hermitage

I Love French Wine and Food - A Rhone Valley Crozes-Hermitage
If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider
the Rhone Valley region of southeastern France. You may
find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this
fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a
Crozes-Hermitage red wine from the northern Rhone Valley.

Among France's eleven wine-growing regions the Rhone Valley
ranks second in acreage. The region extends 125 miles (200
kilometers) along the Rhone River. This region is actually
composed of two parts, the north and the south whose wines
tend to be quite different. The northern Rhone Valley is
quite narrow. Its major red grape variety is Syrah, while
its major white variety is Viognier. The northern Rhone
Valley produces some of the best red wines in all France,
and according to its fan club, some of the best red wines
on earth. The southern Rhone Valley produces about 95% of
the Rhone Valley wines. This is the kingdom of grape
blending. For example the famous Chateauneuf-Du-Pape AOC
wine may be made from up to thirteen different grape
varieties.

Vienne, population about thirty thousand, was a major town
in Roman Gaul and still retains a lot of its history and
its charm. Near the river you'll find the Romanesque church
of St-Pierre already rebuilt in the Ninth Century. The
Gothic Cathedral of St-Maurice was built during the
Eleventh to Sixteenth Centuries and largely destroyed in a
religious war during the mid-Sixteenth Century. Rue des
Orfèvres (Goldsmiths' Street) is filled with
Renaissance buildings and the Romanesque church
St-Andre-le-Bas (St. Andrew the Lesser).

Vienne's Theatre Romain (Roman Theater) is one of the
largest in France; it spans almost 450 feet (140 meters)
and once held thirteen thousand spectators. Excavation
started only in 1922. This theater hosts a great jazz
festival in July. Other Roman ruins include the Temple
d'Auguste et de Livie (Temple of Augustus and Livia)
erected by the Emperor Claudius and the Plan de l'Aiguille
(Needle Tower), a truncated pyramid that was once part of a
Roman circus. Some say that this structure encloses the
tomb of Pontius Pilate.

Before reviewing the Cotes du Rhone wine and imported
cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local
wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few
suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when
touring this beautiful region. Start with Foie Gras avec
Gelee de Viognier (Goose Liver Pate with Viognier Jelly).
For your second course savor Chevreau a l'Ail et Herbes
Sauvages (Baby Goat with Garlic and Wild Herbs). And as
dessert indulge yourself with Granite aux Pommes et
Calvados (Apple and Calvados Ice).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review
are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Domaine du Colombier Crozes-Hermitage 2005
13% about $25

Let's start by quoting the marketing materials. Until 1992,
Florent Viale and his father sold all of their grapes to
negociants. As Crozes-Hermitage came into its own, the
Viales decided to make their own wines. The results have
been nothing short of spectacular. Layers of blackberry,
tar and black pepper dominate their finely made Syrah-based
wines. A very good match for roast leg of lamb.

My first meal was a barbecue including a rib steak
marinated in a homemade ketchup-based sauce with chunks of
garlic, corn on the cob, and red-skinned potatoes. The wine
was powerful and mouth-filling. It was quite long and had
no trouble maintaining its flavors. I didn't used to be a
fan of tannins but these Crozes-Hermitage tannins melted in
my mouth along with the meal.

My next meal involved a combination of marinated barbecued
beef and veal ribs, red-skinned potatoes, and a
garlic-based Moroccan salad. First I tried the more subtle
veal ribs. The Crozes-Hermitage was very powerful with a
lot of tobacco. As powerful as the wine was, it
complemented the veal very well. The taste of dark fruit
predominated with the beef ribs. There was quite a change
in the wine, but with both types of ribs it was simply
great. Dessert consisted of blueberry fruit juice candy. I
was somewhat surprised but the wine was a good
accompaniment. I tasted blackberries in the wine.

I know how much this wine likes beef and veal, so I decided
to try it with barbecued chicken marinated in a commercial
Mediterranean-style light sauce. The wine was careful not
to overwhelm the meat. Once again the meal included
barbecued red-skinned potatoes and this time, perhaps
because the meat was subtler, the potatoes had more effect
bringing out the earthiness of the wine. Interestingly
enough the intensive Turkish Salad was the least successful
accompaniment to the wine. One might have expected the
contrary, namely, that the greatest pairing success would
be with the strongest tasting component. The Turkish Salad
and Crozes-Hermitage combination was good, it just wasn't
as good as the other pairings in this meal.

The first cheese was a mild-tasting Italian Pecorino
Fruilano. This wine is so fine that even though the cheese
flattened it somewhat, it remained excellent. But believe
me, I won't subject the wine to such an indignity again.
The second cheese was a nutty tasting Dutch Edam. This more
powerful cheese had less of a flattening effect on the
wine. Go figure.

Final verdict. This wine is a definite winner. I went back
to my previous article describing a Rhone Valley wine: I
Love French Wine And Food - A Red Cotes du Rhone to refresh
my memory. I was very happy with that much more modest
wine, priced at about half of this one. Is the
Crozes-Hermitage better? Yes. Is it twice as good? That's a
hard question. It really depends on how you view wines. The
Crozes-Hermitage is definitely a fine wine for its price
range, as was the other. I am definitely tempted to taste a
Rhone Valley red wine in the $50 range. But I can't promise
you when. Perhaps what I should do is buy a case of this
Crozes-Hermitage and drink one a year and see if the
critics are right when they say it can be cellared for
many, many years.

----------------------------------------------------
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on
computers and the Internet, but he prefers drinking fine
Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and
people. He knows about dieting but now eats and drinks what
he wants, in moderation. He teaches classes in computers at
an Ontario French-language community college. Visit his
Italian travel website http://www.travelitalytravel.com
which focuses on local wine and food.

Getting Your Barbecue Grill Ready For The Season

Getting Your Barbecue Grill Ready For The Season
Spring is upon us and the smell of barbecue is in the air!
Which makes it time for getting your barbecue grill ready
for the season. There are a lot of people that take one
look at their grill and decide to just go and buy a new
one. Mainly because it got put away without any cleaning.
Most people do not realize that it really does not take a
whole lot to clean up that old grill once you get started.
Just devote a little time to cleaning your grill and you
will be ready for backyard barbecue parties in no time.

To start getting that grill ready you need to remove
anything that is not tied down in your grill. From there
you can start by cleaning the inside of the grill, by
removing the loose gunk. Then with some soap and water
along with a wire brush scrub all the burnt on stuff right
out of the grill. A water hose can help to quickly rinse
the inside of the grill when you are done scrubbing. A
light coat of cooking oil sprayed onto the inside of the
grill will help prevent any rusting, so that your grill
will be usable all season long. Now work on cleaning the
parts that you had removed earlier. A sink full of hot
soapy water will work best when cleaning these parts.
Depending on the condition of the parts that came out of
your grill, you may have to let them soak for a while. When
they are ready use your wire brush and scrub off all grease
and burnt on gunk. Once these are cleaned and rinsed, spray
with a light coat of cooking oil and place them back into
the grill .

For gas grills, you will want to check all connections and
hoses to ensure that there are no leaks. Once you have
inspected the grill, you should perform a quick operations
test to guarantee that the grill does indeed work. If one
or more of your burners doesn't generate much of a flame
then it may be because a gas jet or the venturi tube has
become clogged. When you have not grilled for awhile
spiders find it a perfect place to hang out and spin their
web inside. If these are clogged, turn off the grill and
let it cool. Once cool enough to touch you should be able
to use a small bit of wire or q-tips to clear the blockage.
If your efforts do not clear them, you can buy new ones
online. If your gas barbecue grill uses briquettes and you
have already got a few seasons out of them. It would be a
good time to replace them too.

Once you have cleared any blockage you can check all the
gas connections by coating them with a 50/50 mix of dish
washing liquid and water. If there is a gas leak you will
see bubbles forming in the mixture. If tightening the
connections or replacing the seals does not cure the
problem, then take your grill in for service before using
if you feel it is worth whatever minimum charge they may
have, or buy that new grill you have been secretly coveting.

While this does not cover all situations, if you follow
these simple hints and tips, your barbecue will provide
another season of great barbecue. Despite the fact that
your grill is freshly cleaned inside where the food goes,
if the outside looks dirty this can dampen the appetite...
So make sure that you devote time to cleaning up the
outside of your grill as well... Once done purchase new
tools if needed and buy a grill cover so it stays clean. A
spare propane tank or a propane level indicator is a good
idea too, so that you do not run out of fuel while cooking
ribs.. All that is left to do is invite your friends over
for a first day of spring backyard barbecue party.

----------------------------------------------------
Looking for simple backyard barbecue recipes? Visit
http://www.BarbecueWithMe.com for busy weekday recipes and
backyard gear.

Who Invented the Chocolate Chip Cookie?

Who Invented the Chocolate Chip Cookie?
Have you ever wondered who invented the chocolate chip
cookie? Because chocolate chip cookies are so common, it is
easy to forget that these treats have not been around
forever. In fact, did you know that chocolate chip cookies
are not even one hundred years old? It's true!

The answer to "who invented the chocolate chip cookie" is:
Ruth Graves Wakefield.

Ruth Graves Wakefield was born on June 17, 1903 and she is
person who invented the Toll House Cookie, which was the
world's first chocolate chip cookie.

Ruth Wakefield was educated at the Framingham State Normal
School Development of Household Arts and she graduated in
1924. After graduating from school, she worked both as a
doctor and gave lectures about food.

In 1930 Wakefield and her husband purchased a lodge for
tourists in Whitman, Massachusetts (part of Plymouth
County). The lodge was first built in 1709 and has a long
and rich history of its own. Many weary travelers have
spent the night at the lodge as it is conveniently located
around halfway between New Bedford and Boston. This is
usually where passers through paid a toll, changed their
horses and stopped for some much appreciated home cooked
food. When the Wakefields bought it, they named the lodge
the Toll House Inn and made sure to keep up with the
lodge's traditions. All of the home cooked meals were
prepared and served by Ruth and it was not long before her
desserts earned her some local fame. There were many
visitors to the lodge, one of the most famous being John F.
Kennedy (when he was still a Senator).

In 1940, Ruth wrote a cookbook called Toll House Tried and
True Recipes. Ruth passed away in 1977 and the Toll House
Inn burned down at the end of 1983. While there are plenty
of companies that make and sell chocolate chips now, the
recipe printed on the back of the Nestle Toll House bags is
the original Ruth Graves Wakefield recipe. As of today,
Nestle is the only company with the rights to print the
recipe on its bags. All of the recipes that are printed on
other company's' bags are different from the original
recipe.

The chocolate chip cookie was invented in the late 1930s
(making it almost seventy seven years old) though there are
different stories about how, exactly, the original
chocolate chip cookie recipe was invented. Some stories say
it was an accident, others say it was an experiment and
still others say that it was a purposeful recipe. The story
of how the chocolate chip cookie was invented varies
according to the person telling the story. One thing is for
certain, though, and that is that the answer to "who
invented the chocolate chip cookie" is Ruth Graves
Wakefield. Who knew that what might have started out as an
experiment or an accident would someday be one of the most
common treats in the Western World? Who doesn't remember
eating chocolate chip cookies after school?

----------------------------------------------------
Just think, you can start enjoying the recipes right away
-- no waiting at all! Can you taste the key limes already?
You gotta try the Chocolate Chip Key Lime
Cookies...mmmmmm!http://www.chocolatechipcookie.info/index.h
tml

Maple Syrup: Natures Nectar

Maple Syrup: Natures Nectar
Maple syrup is a sweetener made from the sap of maple trees
and is divided into two major grades, Grade A and Grade B.
Maple sap, as it comes from the tree, is a clear liquid
with a slightly sweet taste. This delicious syrup and sugar
were used during the American Civil War and by
abolitionists in the years prior to the war because most
cane sugar and molasses was produced by Southern slaves.

Sap to produce maple syrup can be collected from any native
species of maple, but in Ohio, sugar and black maples are
the first choice when they are available. Sap can also be
gathered from red maple (Acer rubrum), silver maple (Acer
saccharinum), and Box Elder (Acer negundo). Healthy sugar
and black maple trees growing in overstocked uneven-aged or
even-aged stands can be expected to achieve tapable size in
40 to 60 years, depending on overall site quality.

Production is centered around the months of in February,
March, and April, depending on local weather conditions,
and generally in the Northeastern United States and
Southeastern Canada. The sap can be collected for syrup
production until just before tree buds begin to expand and
should be process as soon as possible to produce the
highest quality syrup. Grade A This is the quality used in
flavor infused gourmet maple syrups. Grade B maple syrup,
since it has the most pronounced taste, is usually reserved
for cooking and use in processed foods.

Grade A Light Amber, is very light and has a mild, more
delicate maple flavor. It is usually made earlier in the
season when the weather is colder. This is the best grade
for making maple candy and maple cream.

Grade A Medium Amber, is a bit darker, and has a bit more
maple flavor. It is the most popular grade of table syrup,
and is usually made after the sugaring season begins to
warm, about mid-season.

Grade A Dark Amber, is darker yet, with a stronger maple
flavor. It is usually made later in the season as the days
get longer and warmer.

Grade B, sometimes called Cooking Syrup, is made late in
the season, and is very dark, with a very strong maple
flavor, as well as some caramel flavor. Although many
people use this for table syrup; because of its strong
flavor, it's often used for cooking, baking, and flavoring
in special foods.

Vermont syrup meets or exceeds the standards of quality,
purity and density of all maple producing states and
provinces. Vermont's maple syrup is 100% natural with
nothing added and the climate and soil conditions are
perfect for producing the best maple syrup.

Maple syrup is a good sweetener to use if you are trying to
protect the health of your heart. And may help to support
reproductive health and provides special benefits for men.
Maple syrup is not a commonly allergenic food and is not
known to contain measurable amounts of goitrogens,
oxalates, or purines and is an excellent source of the
trace mineral manganese.

Maple syrup and sugar are among the oldest agricultural
commodities produced in the United States. Maple sap and
syrup . Maple syrup flavor must be guarded from sap to
store shelf since they pick up off-flavors easily. This can
work in the favor of a manufacturer who uses this as away
to enhance and infuse certain flavors into their syrup. One
such producer, BLiS, Llc., ages 100% Pure maple syrup in
old Jack Daniel barrels adding a distinct dimension and
bourbon flavor to their product. Vanilla beans are a great
source for flavoring also.

Maple syrup is considered by many to be the ultimate
natural product. Stored properly, maple syrup will usually
maintain quality for three to six months. It is a
delicious sweetener for many cooking recipes, especially
when infused with the rich flavors of bourbon and vanilla
and uses by top chefs around the world. It is an
excellent source of manganese and a good source of zinc,
can also be sweet for your health. The next time you look
pick up a bottle of 100% pure maple syrup remember the
history, the incredible flavor and uses and the health
benefits. Enjoy!

----------------------------------------------------
Chef Steven Stallard was professionally trained at the CIA,
Greenbrier Hotel & Tailevent Restaurant of Paris. He spent
nearly 20 years advancing his vision of truly American
Cuisine based on naturally sourced ingredients. Chef Steve
in President and owner of BLiS, Llc, - Handcrafted Gourmet
and Natural Food products. BLiS products including Flavor
Infused Maple Syrup, are now available through the
company's web site at http://www.BLiSgourmet.com

Baking Versus Cooking

Baking Versus Cooking
We're all different. No two individuals are exactly alike;
however, there are some general categories that seem to
hold true. For instance, there are the Morning People and
the Night People. I am definitely of the latter variety.
About 9:00 p.m. something kicks into gear—a burst of
energy, creativity, and feeling totally alive—and I
could work until daylight, and have done so many times.
Mornings are an entirely different story—for the
first 30 minutes of the day I hardly know which planet I'm
on. There are some Morning People in my family. They awake
with the birds, happy, cheerful, and ready to meet the day
with a smile—it's disgusting! Suffice it to say, we
just don't understand each other.

In the culinary category there are also two basic classes
of people as I see it: the Bakers and the Cooks. Baking is
a very precise science. Flour, sugar, salt, baking powder,
soda, milk, buttermilk, flavorings, shortening, oil, butter
or other ingredients are used in a variety of ways in baked
goods recipes, but they interact with each other in very
specific ways. Measurements have to be precise or it's
disasterville in the kitchen. Commercial bakers even weigh
their ingredients to assure they're using just the right
amount. Cookbooks have recipes that are tested and
re-tested until the directions shown, if followed, will
result in a tasty dish. There is very little room for
personal variations unless the baker has a great deal of
experience. When we see a famous chef on TV appearing to
simply mix in this and that in a somewhat carefree manner,
it's just because he or she has put in a great deal of time
learning basic measurements and techniques that yield that
mouth-watering masterpiece.

Although I can turn out a good cake or pie when I have to,
it's not what I enjoy most. A few of my baking experiments
have yielded some "interesting" results, like the time I
thought I'd vary a mini-chocolate cupcake recipe. I added
some extra chocolate, filled the cupcakes with raspberry
jam to which I had added raspberry liqueur, and just knew I
had created little masterpieces. What I took out of the
oven was a pan full of mini-disasters that resembled lumps
of coal! So much for baking innovation.

Apart from my creative baking experiments, there's the
whole other category of baking blunders. Recently, I
prepared a batch of cranberry-orange muffins to thank a
friend for his help with a computer problem. When he took
the first bite, I knew something was definitely amiss by
the scrunched up look on this face. He ran for the kitchen
garbage can, spit out the offending mouthful and said,
"Sorry, but that tasted terrible!" As I looked at the
recipe again it dawned on me that in my haste to get the
muffins in the oven before he arrived I had forgotten one
very vital ingredient—sugar! This was another
reminder to me that baking is a precise science that
requires careful attention. If one ingredient isn't
measured correctly or, in this case ignored, the result can
be completely inedible.

On the other hand, there's COOKING, which I love! I'm
fascinated with creating new recipes, varying others to
make them look and taste just a bit different, or using
ingredients in new ways.

For instance, take that good old American standby, potato
salad. Most of us have our favorite recipe, but have you
ever thought of some ways to vary your version? Take
potatoes, the main ingredient. Do you go with Russet,
Yukon Gold, White Rose, Baby Reds, or some of the more than
40 other less known varieties that are grown? And what
about the onion family? We have lots of choices there too:
white, sweet, and red onions, scallions, chives, or
shallots, to name a few. Dressings are another story. Some
people prefer mayonnaise; others, salad dressing, a creamy
sour cream mixture, French dressing or a light vinaigrette.
Then there are the add-ins, which can vary greatly. Some
people don't consider it a real potato salad without the
addition of chopped, hard-cooked eggs. Others prefer
crumbled bacon bits, chopped pickles, sweet relish, or a
variety of crisp vegetables. You get the idea—with
cooking, there's room for innovation, and that sparks the
creative side of me.

I am definitely a Cook as opposed to the esteemed title of
Baker. My motto is, "a pinch of this, a smidge of that, a
little bit of that spice to kick up the flavor, and don't
forget the lemon zest."

Which kind of culinary aficionado are you—a Baker or
a Cook?

----------------------------------------------------
Jeff Gustafson and MyHATT, An international dinner club
concept where people get to know people one bite at a
time...thank you to Arlene Hawkinson for her contribution
and my entire MyHATT staff for the educational content for
world culture, the history, world traditions, the
international menus for this wondeful family activity
website...
http://www.myhatt.com

I Love French Wine and Food - A Touraine (Loire Valley) White

I Love French Wine and Food - A Touraine (Loire Valley) White
If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider
the Loire Valley region of central France. You may find a
bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this
fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a white
Sauvignon Blanc-Chardonnay from Touraine in the eastern
part of the region.

Among France's eleven wine-growing regions the Loire Valley
ranks third in total acreage devoted to vineyards. Given
that France's longest river the Loire runs for 620 miles
(one thousand kilometers) across the country, in many ways
it could be thought of as a series of regions. Here they
are running from west to east: Nantais whose primary grape
is the white Muscadet, Anjou-Saumur whose primary grapes
are the white Chenin Blanc and the red Cabernet Franc,
Touraine whose primary white grapes are Chenin Blanc and
Sauvignon Blanc and whose primary red grape is Cabernet
Franc, and Central Vineyards whose primary white grape is
Sauvignon Blanc and whose primary red grape is Pinot Noir.
We will try to review at least one wine from each of these
four areas.

Chambord is home to the largest of the Loire castles, built
as a hunting lodge for Francois I early in the Sixteenth
Century. Some think that Leonardo da Vinci was responsible
for the original design. The statistics of this French
Renaissance hunting lodge are stupendous. There are 440
rooms but only 365 chimneys. How would you feel to be
assigned to a room without a chimney? The wall surrounding
the property is 20 miles (32 kilometers) long enclosing a
thirteen thousand acre (fifty two square kilometer) forest.
The story has it that the Emperor wanted to divert the
Loire River to create a moat but wiser heads prevailed and
he had to be satisfied with diverting the Cosson River.
When he came to visit it took twelve thousand horses to
bring his stuff; they had to bring in all the furniture and
all the food except for game. Someone counted up how much
time he actually spent there over the years and the grand
total is about seven weeks. When the French Revolution came
the castle floors were sold for timber and the castle doors
were burnt to keep people warm during the sales. The castle
now belongs to the government.

Before reviewing the Loire wine and imported cheeses that
we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and
a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of
what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this
beautiful region. Start with Rillettes (Coarse Pork Pate).
For your second course savor Lapin au Vouvray (Rabbit with
Onions, Shallots, and Vouvray Wine). And as dessert indulge
yourself with Tarte aux Pommes a la Confiture de Chinon
(Apple Pie with Chinon Wine Jam).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review
are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Cheverny Blanc V. V. (Terra Vitis) 2005 12.5%
alcohol about $15

I don't know why but the usual marketing materials were
unavailable. So I accessed the producer's web site that
offered following blurb - translated from the French by
Google. Cheverny Blanc Old women Vines resulting from the
marriage of Sauvignon and Chardonnay is manually collected
with maximum maturity in order to release from the very
constant flavours and a powerful gustatory length; to be
useful between 7 and 8 degrees accompanied by fish out of
sauce, scallop, snails as. Whaaat?

Didn't anybody tell Google that V. V. (Vieilles Vignes)
stands for old vines and not Old women Vines? Here is my
rapid translation: Cheverny Blanc Old Vines (wine) comes
from Sauvignon (Blanc) and Chardonnay (grapes) that were
manually harvested at their full maturity to bring out
their powerful aromas and long, powerful flavors. Serve
between 7 and 8 degrees C (44 to 46 degrees F) with fish in
sauce, scallops, or snails. Frankly, I would rather review
wines than translate documents. And that's what I am doing
next.

My first meal was whole-wheat spaghetti with a homemade
tuna, red onion, garlic, and Greek Olive sauce that had a
commercial tomato spaghetti sauce as its base. I doused on
a lot of grated Parmesan cheese. The wine was light,
refreshingly acidic, and somewhat sweet. It was lemony with
a taste of honey. When I finished the glass after finishing
the meal I had the feeling that the wine's quality went up.

The next meal consisted of a commercially prepared
barbecued chicken breast, rice, and an eggplant side. The
Cheverny started off between weak and light but later
picked up some strength. Interestingly enough it was quite
present when paired with the tomato-based grilled eggplant.

The final pairing involved an omelet with local Provolone
cheese and Greek Olives. The wine was somewhat assertive
but short. As I had a little left I paired it with a
high-quality chocolate-coated ice cream bar. The wine was
nice and sweet and a good match, at least at first.

The first cheese pairing was with a mild Italian Pecorino
Friulano cheese. They made a good couple; the wine showed a
lot fruit and pleasant acidity and was rather long. The
second cheese pairing was with a more forceful Dutch Edam
cheese. The results were fairly similar but the wine was
definitely flatter.

Final verdict. This wine is best with rather bland food and
as such is overpriced. At a much lower price point it would
be worth buying again. I really expect more at this price.

----------------------------------------------------
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on
computers and the Internet, but he prefers drinking fine
Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and
people. He knows about dieting but now eats and drinks what
he wants, in moderation. He teaches classes in computers at
an Ontario French-language community college. His new wine,
diet, health, and nutrition website
http://www.wineinyourdiet.com links to his other sites.

Gourmet Coffee- The newest way to socially help

Gourmet Coffee- The newest way to socially help
The average American Family spends $160 per year on gourmet
coffee and if you take out the non coffee drinking families
the average is almost $300. With so many coffee companies
helping this cause or that cause it would be truly amazing
if Americans would start spending those dollars on the
gourmet coffee companies that are helping a cause. So once
you decide to support a cause with your social spend which
coffee company do you choose. And how do you decide which
is best cause to support with your gourmet coffee dollars?
And which gourmet coffee is legitimate?

Let's start with Fair Trade. Fair Trade is a viable
solution to this crisis, assuring consumers that the coffee
we drink was purchased under fair conditions. To become
Fair Trade certified, an importer must meet stringent
international criteria; paying a minimum price per pound of
$1.26, providing much needed credit to farmers, and
providing technical assistance such as help transitioning
to organic farming. Fair Trade for coffee farmers means
community development, health, education, and environmental
stewardship. So Fair Trade helps farmers in third world
countries - so instead of getting $.50 per pound they get
$1.50 per pound. A noble concept and should be at the basic
of every purchase as a minimum. If given the choice choose
Fair Trade over non Fair Trade.

But this is settling -when you can do so much more. There
are now coffee companies that use their profits to help so
many worthy causes.

There are a few great gourmet coffee companies that give
all their profits to help so many worthy causes. For
example Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee and Coffee for
Children give all their profits to helping children. And
best of all they are Fair Trade so they are helping support
the small farmers on the back end. But more importantly
instead of helping a Starbucks fill their coffers with more
profits you are helping impoverished children with the
retail profits.

We believe in a total transformation of the coffee
industry, so that all coffee sold in this country should be
as a minimum a Fair Trade Certified, or if produced on a
plantation, that workers' rights should be guaranteed and
independently monitored. Our view includes social justice
and environmental sustainability: all coffee should be
certified organic and shade grown where applicable. And all
these coffees should also be Shade Grown and Bird certified
coffee.

But more importantly the coffee should be used to help
children or the elderly. Can you imagine the help that
would come from the $5 billion coffee industry helping
homeless children? Sip on that next time you sit inside
your Starbucks and try to figure out how you can make the
world a better place.

----------------------------------------------------
George Moore founded Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee,
http://www.missiongrounds.com , its is a non profit
organization, a 501 C Corporation, dedicated to helping
children. Our main focus is to help orphans and children in
need the most: impoverished children in third world
countries and homeless children in inner city neighborhoods
in the United States

Mexican Food Started Here

Mexican Food Started Here
Most do not know the important role New Mexico has played
in culinary history. Researchers and archeologists agree
that New Mexico was one of the earliest settlements of the
Mongolians and Tibetans when they came over the Bering
strait to settle the Americas. The area has attracted
visitors from before recorded history, who in turn created
the pure, often spicy flavors known in New Mexico's foods.

Primarily chiles are both king and queen. Chiles
themselves have been more developed in New Mexico than
anywhere—especially since World War II, when Dr. Jim
Nakiyami, a Professor at New Mexico State University gave
his leadership to developing many, many new varieties of
chiles.

And, most do not know that the first American wines were
made in New Mexico. The priests, Jesuits and Monks
brought the first cuttings of grapes here in the 1620's
from Spain, thus predating the California wine industry by
140 years.

With Prohibition in the 1920's the wine making died out,
not to get started again until 50 years later in the late
1970's. Now there are over 50 wine makers throughout the
state making world class, award winning wines. The wines
go very well with the chile laden traditional dishes as
well as any kind of food or enjoyed alone. New Mexico is
often credited with being the fountainhead of the Mexican
taste. For it is there that the earliest settlers from
Asia; who were the root population of the Western areas of
the Americas, first settled and lent their primitive
cooking methods and simple, straight forward ingredients to
create a simple, frontier cuisine that continues to win the
hearts and souls of all who try it.

From New Mexico, the earliest settlers went south to
populate Central and South America, taking their culinary
customs with them. So there are similarities in the native
cuisines of all the Americas.

No matter whether the chiles are the unripe green ones or
the ripe red ones, they both provide the great benefits of
capsaicin which is so amazing as an
antioxidant.—often cited as the world's greatest
anti-oxidant. And anti-oxidants basically are good for us
as an inhibitor of cancer cell development among other
claims.

Chiles enhance your entire body's functions—making
your heart healthier, also your entire vascular system,
enhancing your digestion, your skin and your waistline.
They excite your endorphins more than any other food and on
a scale of "runner's high".

So you gotta try them. Don't let the spiciness or hotness
scare you—the hotter the healthier, however to begin
with start mild and work up to hotter. You will be glad
you did—but get ready, they are habit
forming—nearly an addiction, so you will more than
likely get hooked on the wonderfully exciting flavors.

However, if you do get uncomfortably hot and spicy chiles,
just remember that you can tame them down quickly by eating
or drinking anything sweet, dairy or acid such as lime
juice or wine.

In this simplistic cuisine, created out of less than 10
major ingredients, corn is the real staple with the chiles
being the personality. Beans are very important as are
various members of the gourd and lily families to the
cuisine.

Actually the combination of chiles, corn and beans is
considered one of the three most healthy cuisines in the
world. The other two are Eastern and Western Mediterranean.

Perhaps the New Mexican native's favorite traditional dish
is Red Chile Enchiladas while most visitor's to our state
prefer the Green Chile ones. In New Mexico, when an
enchilada (which by the way means "in chile") is served as
a main course, it is served flat, not rolled.

What most people think of as Mexican food elsewhere in the
world, really is New Mexican food. And now, it is the most
popular taste in America, outselling all other cuisines
nationally. Tortillas outsell bread and margaritas are the
most popular cocktail. Amazing, from such simple roots.

The flavors are purer, simpler and more robust by far in
New Mexico than in Old Mexico, where the European influence
was stronger in the development of their cuisine.

Some popular traditional New Mexican dishes are Carne
Adovado, which was developed originally by the Spanish as a
way to preserve pork after butchering. Red chile being the
world's best anti-oxidant retards spoilage—a hint the
Spanish learned from the Indians. The dish is a simple
preparation of slow roasted pork that has marinated in a
red chile and herb marinade. Amazingly good, if well
prepared.

A truly native dish is posole, the bowl of many
blessings--a dish made from lime (as in agricultural ground
lime) soaked corn kernels. It is stewed with well browned
pork bits, chiles and herbs. It is quite flavorful.
Posole is a reverant dish due to the fact that posole is
the Mother process for preserving corn and corn in the
Native religions is the Giver of Life—their Eve so to
speak.

New Mexico style chile rellenos are another native treat.
They are traditionally stuffed with cheese and crusted with
a meringue or corn crust and fried. They are quite good as
a main dish or side dish.

A truly native ingredient is the blue corn, which was
developed by the Ancients. It is smoked with pinon wood as
they did not have access to agricultural lime for
preserving the corn.

Sopaipillas were first made in 1620 in the courtyard in
front of the San Francisco de Neri church in Old Town
Albuquerque. They were first made as a treat for the
Indians who attended church.

----------------------------------------------------
Jane Butel, the first to write about Southwestern cooking,
has published 18 cookbooks, several being best sellers.
She operates a full-participation weekend and week long
vacation cooking school, an on-line school, a cooking club,
a monthly ezine, a mail-order spice, cookbook, Southwestern
product business and conducts culinary tours and
team-building classes.
http://www.janebutel.com , 1-800-473-8226

Choosing the Right Bean to Cup Coffee Machine

Choosing the Right Bean to Cup Coffee Machine
Bean to cup coffee machines enable the caterer to serve
superb tasting fresh espresso coffee drinks and speciality
coffee variations at the touch of the button with the
minimum of fuss.

Customers demand quality and choice. Gone are the days of
offering a choice of a black or white coffee. Nowadays it
is important to offer the very best coffee and coffee
variations in different cup sizes together with a
decaffeinated option.

The most convenient way of supplying this insatiable demand
is with a bean to cup machine.

Bean to cup machine capacity (usage) is usually divided
into three criteria.

Light volume - serving between to 30-80 cups a day
Medium volume - serving 100-200 cups a day
High volume - serving 250+ cups a day

If your expected number of cups per day is close to the
overlap of volume then we recommend that you go for the
next model up.

Perhaps the most important thing to consider when choosing
a machine is whether to go for a model with a 'built in'
milk frother'.

Cheaper models will not have a built in milk frother, but
may have the option of an 'add on' unit that froths the
milk. The more expensive models have a fully automatic milk
frother built into the machine which is also refrigerated
to keep the milk cool.

Since a high percentage of drinks served will likely
contain frothed milk it only really makes sense to go for
the fully automatic built in versions unless your budget is
very restrictive. Add-on milk frothers can be clumsy and
not function to a consistent basis. There is nothing more
frustrating to a busy caterer than a shop full of customers
and milk that won't froth!

If your budget is tight it is best to compromise on some
other features rather than the fully automatic frother
option. If you are happy for you or your staff to froth
milk by hand then you might as well go for the more
traditional espresso machine instead and froth the milk
whilst waiting for the coffee to come through the group
head.

Recently there have appeared on the market bean to cup
machines which incorporate a canister of powdered milk for
those who do not want the inconvenience of fresh milk,
although this is a trade off with sacrificing overall drink
quality.

Bean to cup machines are big business. There are now a
large number of manufacturers of bean to cup machines and
the number is growing all the time.

It is best to choose a model from a manufacture that they
have been producing for a number of years so that any
initial problems have long since been ironed out. Now is
not the time to be a guinea pig with a brand new model
however fantastic it may seem.

Most manufacturers produce a series of models with
different functions and features suitable for low, medium
and high volume coffee production.

This is where you pays your money and takes your choice!

Machines are available with one, two, three or even four
bean hoppers. This gives extra capacity for busy periods
and / or the option of a decaffeinated coffee.

Auditing facilities are also available on the top models
where information about the drinks served over any given
period can be obtained and maybe downloaded onto a computer
for later analysis.

Digital displays, visual looks should also be considered
before making your final choice. Note that many of the top
models are available in a choice of colours to match the
decor of the establishment.

However as already mentioned the two most important things
to establish are that the machine can cope with expected
demand and that it has a built in milk frother. All other
features can be considered secondary.

Before contacting a potential supplier make sure you have
decided which size and what features you would like from
your machine with reference to this report. That way you
will not be persuaded to upgrade or pay for things you do
not really require.

Don't forget to pay particular attention to the servicing
costs and water treatment systems.

Remember that without a built-in milk frother you will have
to froth the milk by hand and that may cause problems.

However a reliable and well maintained bean to cup machine
should give many years of profitable service and provide
excellent quality delicious drinks to your customers.

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For more information about bean to cup coffee machines ,
espresso machines and cappuccino systems visit
http://www.cafebar.co.uk