Food and Drink Center

Storage Tips for Food
By Susan Carey

Here are some storage tips for food that will pay you big dividends in money and good flavor in the long run. A principle: promptly unpack groceries and store perishables as directed.

Fresh vegetables: Wash, drain, and dry greens wrap or put in plastic bag chill. Scrub carrots, celery, radishes, and green onions under cold weather. Dispose of excess leaves and tops. Wrap or bag vegetables separately in moisture vapor proof materials. Store dry onions, potatoes, and winter squash unwashed in dark cool place. Clean when ready to use.

Fresh fruits: Sort berries spread on shallow pan or tray. Don t wash. Chill. Wash and stem before using. Ripe avocados, melons, and pears at room temperature then refrigerate. Do not refrigerate bananas. Store fresh uncut pineapple in dark cool place. After cutting, wrap pineapple and chill in refrigerator.

Canned food leftovers: Cover and store in opened can for short period of time of transfer to covered refrigerator container.

Meat: Plan to use ground meat within 2 days, roasts 5-6 days, chops and steak - 3 days. Store cured and smoked meats in refrigerator in original wrap. Canned meats keep on the kitchen shelf, except for canned hams which are marked “perishable keep refrigerated.”

For fresh chicken, turkey, or other poultry, store same as fresh meat below.

Fish: Wrap tightly refrigerate.

Cheese: Wrap tightly and refrigerate. Chill cheese spreads in refrigerator once they re opened. Store strong-flavored cheeses in tightly covered jars refrigerate.

Eggs: Store, covered, small end down in refrigerator. Don t wash till ready to use.

Dried fruits and nuts: Keep in covered jars or packages in cool, dry place. Nuts keep longer if stored in refrigerator.

Cookies: Soft and crisp kinds don t mix store separately. Soft cookies stay moist when tightly covered. Crisp types of cookies keep well in jar with a loose-fitting lid.

For more cooking recipes and food articles:
http://www.101cookingrecipes.com
http://www.desserts-recipes.com
http://www.101vegetarianrecipes.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Carey
http://EzineArticles.com/?Storage-Tips-for-Food&id=172290

written by admin

Start Buying Italian Wine Online-You Will Not Be Disappointed!
By Susan Dean

Did you know that whatever country you live in you still can find that buying Italian wine online is easy? In fact not only beverages from Italy but even buying wine in Canada or anywhere else can be done easily online. There are so many merchants and wineries that sell their produce over the Internet, making it a great way to shop. All offer credit card facilities and many do auctions and exchange programs as well.

Obviously to buy this way, you should know a little about your reds and whites beforehand. You can always use a wine-buying guide to help you with your decision too. Some people of course just like to try different types whether they know much about them or not and this is fine if you are happy to do it this way. The more opportunities to try great tastes then the more you will learn and enjoy.

One good place to start when looking for beverages from Italy for example is at The Wine Buyer. You will find much to choose from. Another is Bella Umbria Italy. In fact there are plenty of great sites that will offer you fabulous Italian reds and whites to choose from. It really makes no difference what region you are looking for, as you will be delighted to know that all will be covered.

Some of these regions include Apulia, Tuscany, Campania, Veneto and Piedmont. Not forgetting the islands Sardinia and Sicily. This wonderful country has so much to offer with their fantastic wineries and beautiful countryside. It is a great place to visit for a holiday but if you cannot, then the next best thing is to feel like you are there by drinking the beautiful wines that you can purchase on the Internet or at any good liquor store.

We are so fortunate in this day and age as we do not have to leave our homes to feel the depth of another country and what it has to offer by using the Internet. So if you feel like a little bit of Tuscany for example, then you can, by indulging in some beautiful reds or whites from that region. And it is so easy to achieve this by buying Italian wine online.

For more detailed information on buying wine try visiting http://www.buying-wine.fine-wine-resource.com, a popular website that provides heaps of wine buying tips and advice.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Dean
http://EzineArticles.com/?Start-Buying-Italian-Wine-Online-You-Will-Not-Be-Disappointed!&id=435929

written by admin

Wine Knowledge for Getting Started when Pairing Wine and Food…
By Michael Kranitz

As I have said before, and I am sure will say many times more, WINE IS FUN. Pairing Wine and Food is even more fun. Well at least it should be. Sometimes I listen to the wine aficionados talk, and all I can hear is them intellectualizing over the wine. They discuss the aromas, the varietals, the tannins. This can be very disconcerting to anyone who doesn’t understand what they are saying. It can make a person afraid to ask in public what wine do you suggest, or maybe the person will not order any wine at all. That would be a shame since that person will be missing out on the fun, history and culture of wine.

Come on people, what about, gee this is really good. Believe me, knowledge is important, it gives you the background to understanding the nuances of the wine. I have a question for you, what comes first, the cart or the horse or what comes first your taste and smell senses or the educational background of wine. When you were growing up, did you care how french fries and hot dogs were produced, or did you care about how the food smelled and tasted.

You instinctively knew that if something smelled bad, well then it probably didn’t taste too good. You also knew that if something was brought out to you to eat and the color didn’t look right, well, maybe you shouldn’t eat it. THE SAME THING GOES FOR WINE. IF IT DOESN’T SMELL RIGHT, OR DOESN’T LOOK RIGHT, IT PROBABLY HAS SOMETHING GOING ON THAT YOU WON’T LIKE. But as your mother and father probably told you, try it anyway. And that’s what you should do with wine. Swirl it, smell it, taste it, then decide if you like it.As I say, make it fun.If the wine is no good, just close it up and open another bottle and the next day take the bad bottle back to your wine merchant for an exchange

I know this all sounds like common sense, but you would be surprised at all the stories I have heard from clients and friends when we are talking about our first experiences with wine.

Well listen, go out there, pick up some fresh vegetables, fish or whatever you like find someone to talk to (a good wine merchant or email me) and pick out a nice wine to pair with the food.

Here’s to your pairing wine and food tonight success,

Michael

Michael Kranitz is a businessman who, for many years, has enjoyed pairing wine and food for his family, friends and clients. Michael has a philosophy that pairing wine and food should be fun, not work. Michael’s goal is to help people gain knowledge and have fun at http://www.wineanddinetonight.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Kranitz
http://EzineArticles.com/?Wine-Knowledge-for-Getting-Started-when-Pairing-Wine-and-Food…&id=187138

written by admin

Yoga Can Get Your Diet on the Right Track
By Sally Janssen

The ancient Indian sages were involved in intensive study and research into the nutritional value of food and one of the upshots of this was that they divided food into three categories which became known as Sattvic, Rajasic and Tamasic.

Tamasic food can be said to be in the lowest category as far as its food value is concerned and it is classed as being without quality prana (life energy).

Rajasic food is stimulating, possesses considerable prana and forms a significant percentage of the average person’s diet.

Sattvic food however, is the only category that fulfills the ideal food of the Vedic teachings. It comprises foods that are fresh and natural, and contain a high pranic or life content. Some examples are fresh fruits, nuts and vegetables.

The teachings encourage an adherence, in the main, to the Sattvic foods, balanced by a percentage of the Rajasic class, but an abstinence from foods that are classed as Tamasic in that have little or no prana.

These ancient principles are still adhered to today and it has been amply demonstrated by contemporary food scientists at the Yogic Umachal Hospital in India that the ancient teachings are, in fact, quite valid.

Although modified to some extent, a simple parallel can be seen in the conclusions of Western nutritionists who recommend that people:

• avoid lowest grade foods those that are commercially produced using artificial flavorings, colorings and that contain chemical preservatives and additives
• eat limited quantities of rich, highly spiced, highly processed and cooked food, as well as butter, cheese, eggs, chocolate, confectionery and other foods containing high levels of processed cane and beet sugar, and
• ensure that a high percentage of the diet should consist of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts and grains

The important difference is that modern diets still include great quantities of meats of all kinds. These are totally excluded in the Yoga diet for several reasons.

1. The traditional Yogic rule of nutrition excludes them as being devoid of life energy or pranathey are in fact classed as ‘dead foods’
2. Meats in quantity cause acidity and leave deposits of toxins in the blood that can cause arthritis and other diseases, depending upon the health of the animal whose flesh was consumed, and
3. Yoga adherents believe firmly that no one who loves animals would wish to kill them and eat them or even to foster their exploitation for human consumption

It is the over-riding altruistic reverence for all life that influences a tradition that precludes killing animals for food. The Yogi’s diet is therefore vegetarian.

This as well as other Yoga teachings and disciplines are incorporated into personal Sadhana according to the individual’s choice and understanding of health and spiritual matters.

Sally Janssen is one of the best known Yoga teachers in Australia, and is a former President of the International Yoga Teachers Association. She runs an informational website that deals with the very spirit of traditional Yoga. To benefit from her extensive knowledge be sure to visit her site at http://www.classical-yoga.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sally_Janssen
http://EzineArticles.com/?Yoga-Can-Get-Your-Diet-on-the-Right-Track&id=458772

written by admin

The Big Debate: Gas vs Charcoal Grilling
By Aaron Ralston

We have all either heard or have been a part of a debate about which grilling method
is better, using gas, or using charcoal. There are mixed opions on this issue, and
this article explores some of the benefits of both types of grills.

Everyone I have met either strongly believes in using gas grills, or solely using
charcoal grills. There are a few who use both. Which one is right for you?

Gas Grills

Gas grills come in many flavors, big, small, stainless, ones with side burners for
pots, and many more. They are very easy to light, usually by the push of a button,
and controlling heat on them is not a problem at all. With the simple turn of a dial,
and you can cook food anywhere from 200 to 500 degrees. They use propane to
fuel them, and a typical, full propane tank will supply enough fuel to cook many
meals. The prices of gas grills typically range from $150.00 to $500.00, and even
well up into the $1,000.00 dollar range.

When purchasing a gas grill, make sure that it has at least two burners so you can
cook with indirect heat on one side of the grill if you choose to do so. Many seafood
items, such as fish, require a low and slow method of cooking for certain recipes,
and being able to light one side of the grill and cook on the other side will make it
much easier on you to achieve the desired cooking temperature you are looking for.

Tips for Purchasing a Gas Grill

1. Make sure it has 2 burners

2. Sturdy Construction- When you lift the lid, the pit seems sturdy and not shakey

3. Know your price range, and know what you want to accomplish with the grill. Will
you be cooking for lots of people, or will you be cooking for a few?

4. Top brands do produce very good pits, but shop around. Many cheaper brands
produce very good quality grills too.

5. What kind of warranty does the pit have? Does the company pay for shipping if
something breaks on the pit and you have to send it off to get it repaired, or even
recieve a new part?

Charcoal Grills

Charcoal grills are fueled by lump charcoal or charcoal briquettes. They grills are
usually in the shape of a round kettle, but many other shapes of pits, such as
squares and rectangles exist. Many people will only use charcoal grills because they
believe a better taste is produced by using charcoal instead of gas. I will talk more
about this later.

Charcoal grills can be priced anywhere from the small, $20 dollar Hibachi, to a
typical $50.00 Weber, to an expensive, $450.00 kettle, which is usually pretty large.
Normally, the $50.00 Weber grill is the best way to go because it has the surface
area to cook lots of food, and Webers usually last a very long time. I have used one
for 4 years now, cooking 4-5 times a month on it, and it has not let me down yet.

When using a charcoal grill, the best and easiest way to light the grill is to use a
charcoal starter. This will cut your pit heating time down by 15 minutes or so
becuase the coals will be already be lit when you put them into the pit.

Adjusting the heat on a charcoal grill can be a bit of a challenge until you get used
to your pit. After a while, you will understand the exact combination of closing
dampers and adjusting the lid to produce the heat you want from your grill.

Tips for Purchasing a Charcoal Grill

1. What are your intentions for the grill? Are you cooking for many people, or a few?

2. Is the pit easy to move around?

3. How easy is it to clean?

4. What is your price range? Do some research on the internet to find out what grills
are priced at now.

Aaron Ralston, also known as The Smoker King, is the owner of Outdoor Cooking:
Barbeque, Sauces, Mops, Rubs http://www.thesmokerking.com. Check
out thesmokerking.com to find great information about outdoor cooking.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Aaron_Ralston
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Big-Debate:-Gas-vs-Charcoal-Grilling&id=108680

written by admin