Dec 18

Barbecuing is not what it used to be. When growing up the only time that my family would start up the grill or smoker was in the summer and on the weekends. Today, people barbecue every night and all year round. Barbecue sauces have come along way since then as well. There used to be only a couple of choices at your local market. But now with the invention of ?super? markets the amount barbecue sauces you can buy locally has grown significantly. For those gourmet barbecue sauces the web is probably the only place you will find these unique sauces. If you don?t live in the Alabama area the only place you will find traditional White BBQ Sauce like Big Bob Gibson?s is on the web or of course you can try to make it yourself.

In Alabama Barbecue traditional Sauce uses Mayonnaise as its base rather than tomato sauce, vinegar, or any of the other more typical barbecue sauce bases. It is clearly a region favorite. Bob Gibson of Decatur, Alabama is credited with the invention the white sauce back in 1925. Friends and family were first treated to this secret-recipe sauce on chicken and pork at weekend barbecues where boards were nailed to trees for tables. Today, this famous mayonnaise-based condiment is traditionally employed to baste chicken, seafood and pork.

White BBQ Sauce is as synonymous with the state with Alabama as the legendary “BAMA” football program. White BBQ Sauce?s intriguing flavor complements salads and is a superb baste for chicken, pork and turkey. You can also use White Sauce as an ingredient to add an extra kick to your favorite slaw or potato salad. However, because the racks of your local grocer are dominated by many incarnations of tomato-based sauces and white bbq sauce is such a regional anomaly, most people outside Alabama have not tested this concoction of flavor.

Like many barbecue sauces you want to apply this only at the very end of your grilling or smoking. It will breakdown and separate if it is heated too long. Use this sauce on chicken and turkey. It is also good on pork. Alabama White Barbecue Sauce has a tangy flavor that is a great addition to grilled foods.

White BBQ Sauce makes a unique experience. Use this recipe when grilling chicken; brush lightly over the chicken during the last few minutes of grilling. This sauce is also great for dipping; keep some sauce aside for passing at the table.

White BBQ Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:
1 quart mayonnaise
3/4 quart apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/4 tablespoon cayenne pepper
Prepared horseradish
Lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a very large blender or food processor. Blend for 1 minute, or until thoroughly mixed and sauce is smooth. Pour sauce into a large container or bowl.

Distributed By:

food catering services
food catering services
food catering services to know more about food/ drinks and catering

Nov 30

Diabetes is a type of disease that basically affects the metabolism of the body in terms of processing sugar into energy. For sure, having diabetes can be difficult because of certain restrictions in the food that you eat. For this reason, it is best that you learn about easy diabetic cooking methods and techniques that will help you make your meals always flavorful.

Remember, healthy does not have to be bland. Fortunately, there are a lot of recipes and ingredients available for easy diabetic cooking. The foremost thing that you should consider in easy diabetic cooking is how much nutrition you will get from the food that you will eat. Always remember that the more nutrition that you can get from the food, the better. Another thing that is very essential for easy diabetic cooking is the availability of ingredients when it is needed.

Since you know that you have restrictions on the foods that you eat it is best that you keep a stock of ingredients and healthy foods in your kitchen.

Below are some tips on easy diabetic cooking:

? Always have a stock of fresh vegetables in the refrigerator. Vegetables that are high in fiber are very healthy for diabetic patients.

? Use low-fat salad dressing or mayonnaise for your vegetable salad.

? If you are a sweet-toothed person, it is very hard to avoid sweets. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you have a sufficient supply of sugar substitutes.

? For eating meats, it is best that you pick the pork loin or sir loin part.

? For chicken and other poultry, you should remove the skin because all of the fats are stored in the skin.

? You should also include fish in your easy diabetic cooking. Fish is rich in protein and also contains oils that can give good health benefits to diabetic patients.

? When cooking meats it is best to boil, steam, grill or roast instead of frying. You should use a non-stick pan when frying or use a non-stick cooking spray rather than oil, butter or margarine.

As you can see, diabetic cooking is not that difficult. Once you follow these simple steps and put it into action, your preparation time will be reduced. Suffering from diabetes can be very difficult. That?s why it is important to learn how to cook hearty meals for these individuals. Your home cooking will help them feel as though they are normal again.

The tips on easy diabetic cooking above are just some that you can try. To know more about it, you can buy recipe books on easy diabetic cooking or look for recipes over the Internet. In addition, it is best to consult your doctor first before you start changes in your diet to ensure that your plans are safe and suitable for you.

If you enjoy good foods such as gourmet toast toast please check out our new website featuring kitchenaid toasters. There are several models and colors to choose from.

For important recommendations in the sphere of lose 10 pounds 1 week - make sure to read the web site. The times have come when proper info is really only one click away, use this opportunity.

Nov 14

What is exactly a pressure cooker and why do I need one is two of the most common questions when you start a conversation topic about Mirro Pressure Cookers. At first glance, a pressure cooker appears to be your basic sauce pan with a lid that snaps on when actually this locking lid is used to create an immense source of heat and pressure inside. This allows the foods to be cooked more efficiently and faster. With time not on our side, family time has suffered because commitments to other activities. This not only puts a strain on relationships but on budgets as well.

The following 10 reasons will help you learn more about pressure cookers and how they can be used to help you get your family back together again at the dinner table.

1. It takes less time, in most cases 1/3 less time using a Mirro pressure cooker compared to other methods. For example, you can pressure cook a whole chicken in less than 20 minutes plus have your potatoes prepared and cooked in less than 8 minutes.
2. You will notice that the food has more flavoring after being cooked using a pressure cooker. This is because the pressure cooker retains the nutrients and flavors of the meats and vegetable thus making them healthier to eat.

3. Pressure cookers are more efficient. Not only do you get great tasting meals out of them, you get a lower utility bill. Because your cook times are greatly reduced, you will use less gas or electricity and more time to work on other items.

4. Variety = Pressure Cookers. You can use your pressure cooker in a variety of manners. For instance, you can steam, broil, poach, braise or even bake with it.
5. Colorful Hearty Meals. Whether you want a popular meat dish or a warm hearty soup, you can use your pressure cooker to make vegetables, meats, and even soups. Plus your cooking times are drastically reduced.

6. Different Sizes. Depending on your needs, there is a right size pressure cooker for you. Remember, the higher the temperature you cook at and the smaller the size, the faster it cooks.

7. Less water consumption. As conservative as it may sound, the pressure cooker uses pressurized steam to cook. As a result, less water is used which means it works at a faster rate than boiling water on the stove.

8. Food Safety. Pressure cooking helps kill viruses and other bacteria that contaminate foods.

9. Use it to sterilize or clean. A Mirro pressure cooker can be used to sterilize baby bottles and canning jars, for example, so that you do not need separate sterilizing materials.

10. Safe to use. Modern pressure cookers are designed with safety features to reduce risk of harm. There are valves and gaskets in place that will often need inspected and replaced over time.

As you can see, there are many benefits to using a Mirro Pressure Cooker over other methods of cooking. Not only can a pressure cooker reduce your cooking time, they are safer, more efficient, and will make you better tasting healthier food. Now you can sit back and enjoy your meals together again as a family enjoying each other?s company over great tasting food.

Check out practical things to know in the sphere of lose weight fast - make sure to go through the web site. The times have come when concise info is truly only one click away, use this opportunity.

Nov 14
Dinner Recipes
icon1 healthyways | icon2 Cooking and Recipes | icon4 11 14th, 2009| icon3No Comments »

Cooking can be fun if creativity is involved in it. Everyone wants to try new recipes which are great in taste and less time consuming. Some people are very conscious about their health and try some low crab recipes befitting to their daily diet whereas some very busy people want quick dinner recipes or crock pot recipes which can be done within minutes without compromising for the taste. In today?s busy world where people have to give the best shot in the office hardly find time to spend on cooking. Both parents in the family have to work and meet the needs and demand of their children as well as to cope up with the price rise.

For such people quick dinner recipes are of great help. You can take the help of internet and search online the recipes which require less time. There are many website full of new recipes for you to try and enjoy. These websites will help with new ideas and techniques which can be used effectively for making dinner quickly. It is the advantage of some site that the recipes they are offering are able to provide without any charge. They tell you the time saving tips and the things you can do ahead to make dinner time quick and simple. In this way taking the help of such website will definitely prove beneficial for many who want to make their life easy and saving time by trying some of the recipes given in the website.

Evening is the time when all the family members are together and that is why dinner is considered as the main meal of the day where it is expected to have plenty of options, variety and flavor and so preparing dinner can be a herculean task, spending hours together in the kitchen. Even this task can be made easy if certain things are taken into account: -

The best idea to make sure the meal prepared is tasty and fresh is to going for meal planning. Planning for the upcoming meal will keep you away from the hassles. Proper planning and buying all the ingredients required in advance for the coming week will make the task easy and you get along well even after a long hard and tiring day.
You will be sure of what to make in the dinner and will avoid one more visit to a local fast food joint.

Every family member has their choice and demand and wants to have the same for the dinner. To handle such situation try to find out through an informal poll and include at least one favorite in the entire meal. It will not have unsatisfied eaters at the dinner table. In addition to the meal planning you can surf through those hundreds of websites that offer satisfying dinner recipes. The recipes you might think are time consuming these sites would give some amazing shortcut to cut short the required time for any recipe. Isn?t it wonderful to have new twist on pork, beef and fish dishes along with countless number of chicken dishes.

Whether you are trying to make quick dinner or those which will reduce the fats but don?t forget to give them the balanced diet essential for their growth and development.

more food and drinks information here: buffet catering buffet catering

Shortcut to practical recommendations about cuisine catering - please make sure to go through the web page. The times have come when proper info is really at your fingertips, use this chance.

Nov 13

— Southwestern Style BBQ Sauce —

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons Unsalted butter
1/2 medium Red onion; finely diced
1 cup Garlic; finely diced
6 Plum tomatoes; coarsely diced
1/4 cup Ketchup
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Honey
1 tablespoon Cayenne
1 tablespoon Pasilla chile powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, heat the butter and sweat the onion and garlic until translucent. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes. Puree the mixture in a food processor, pour into a bowl, and allow to cool at room temperature. This sauce will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator or several months frozen.

— Ranchers Barbecue Sauce —

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 pint Ketchup
1 1/2 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoon Molasses
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Liquid smoke flavoring
1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
1 teaspoon Black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Onion powder
1 teaspoon Garlic powder
1 Splash whiskey

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients except whiskey and simmer 1 hour, stirring often. Add splash of whiskey (or brandy) and cook 30 minutes or more.

— Simple Cowpoke Barbecue Sauce —

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup Brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup Salad oil
2 teaspoons Salt
1 teaspoon Garlic powder
1 cup Vinegar
3/4 cup Lemon juice
2 cup Water
1 Worcestershire sauce - 5 oz
Tabasco sauce - to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients in saucepan. Bring quickly to boiling point. Reduce heat and simmer ten minutes. Cool and pour into one-quart container. (will keep refrigerated several weeks.)

— Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce —

INGREDIENTS:

1 teaspoon Salt
3 cup Canned beef broth
1/4 cup White vinegar
1/2 cup Worchestershire sauce
1 cup Tomato paste
1/2 cup Brown sugar
1/2 cup Honey
1 tablespoon Chili powder
3 tablespoons Paprika
1 tablespoon Sage
1 1/2 teaspoons Cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon Tumeric
3 clove Garlic, crushed

DIRECTIONS:

Blend all together in a large saucepan and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

— Kickin’ Beer BBQ Sauce —

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup Butter; 1 stick
1 Onion; finely chopped
1 Garlic Clove; finely chopped
3 tablespoons Vinegar
1 cup Chili Sauce; Heinz
1 cup Water
2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tablespoon Mustard
1/2 Lemon; juice
1 can Beer; cooks choice
Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons Tabasco Sauce
1 Chopped Habanero Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in butter. When the onions are transparent add the remainder of ingredients. Bring to a boil. Simmer until your grill is ready, about 10 to 15 minutes or until you can’t stand the wonderful smell of the sauce any longer.

Now let me tell you, this is what I call barbecue sauce. (The habanero may be left out if you’re a wimp.)

— Country Style Barbecue Sauce —

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 can Condensed tomato soup
1 small Onion chopped
2 tablespoons Brown sugar
3 tablespoons Vinegar
1 tablespoon Horseradish sauce

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients and simmer for ten minutes.

Store in refrigerator, will keep for several weeks.

— Johnny Appleseed BBQ Sauce —

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Thinly sliced onion
3 tablespoons Butter or margarine
2 tablespoons Lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup Catsup
2 cup Applesauce
1 teaspoon Salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place onions and butter in a deep, 1 1/2-quart, heat- resistant, non-metallic casserole.

2. Heat, uncovered, in Microwave Oven 2 minutes or until onion is tender.

3. Add lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, catsup, applesauce and salt.

4. Heat, uncovered, in Microwave Oven 7 minutes or until sauce is bubbly.

Makes 3 cups

If you like these recipes you can find additional country style recipes like this at the Hitching Post, a dating and social networking site for Country Singles and country folks in general.

Gain helpful knowledge in the sphere of lose 10 pounds 1 week - study this site. The times have come when concise info is really only one click away, use this possibility.

Nov 12

Baking cakes will be tough however decorating them can be more challenging. Whereas decorating a cake one has to require into consideration number of things like flavor, texture and design of the cake. Its very vital that you recognize from where you’ve got to begin the cake decoration. This article will help you with some helpful tips that may help you on your manner to decorating appealing masterpieces.

It?s terribly vital that you allow the cake to cool down when it’s baked. Offer yourself a minimum of one half hour before beginning to apply frosting on the cake.

You can use a whipped cream frosting to smoothen the decorating process.

It’d be advisable to begin from the corners of the cake - they’re the most diffecult to frost

Frost the sides of the cake with lots of icing and steady hands. Start icing with skinny layers before going on to to the thicker ones.

Apply dollops of icing within the corners and in the center of the cake.

Make certain the knife only touches the frosting half and not the cake.

You’ll be able to apply icing to the cake as necessary. Take care not to smear the icing that you just already applied.

Use strokes to unfold the icing on the cake. If the icing is tough to spread try dropping your blade in hot water which makes the icing spread faster.

Vogue the frosting once it is applied by employing a fork across the high of the cake to form a lattice effect. You’ll be able to additionally use a knife to create swirls along the top edges of the cake.

For the red frosting I used one container white topping mixed with one package Kool-Aide Cherry Flavor for an powerful cherry topping. Also the crushed food color makes for a fantastic cake decorating idea as the cake looks lovely while retaining the color.

A cake decorating airbrush is used to apply color schemes on cake or to cover up background of cake with colors.

Cake decorating can also be made easier with good cake decorating tips from accomplished decorators. On the other hand, bad cake decorating tips from not so able decorators can leave the novice regretting the acquisition of a complete cabinet full of cake decorating materials.

Impressive cake decorating ideas do not have to be overly difficult or hard to be great and it is not an impossible art to learn, but it does take training and endurance.

Grab vital recommendations about lose 10 pounds in a month - make sure to study this web site. The time has come when proper info is really at your fingertips, use this possibility.

Nov 10

Hearty beef pot pie is a great meal to serve on a cold day or any time you want something that really sticks to your ribs. You can add extra zing to this recipe by adding 1 large chopped onion and mix in 1/3 cup of red wine with the gravy.

1 pound sirloin steak, cubed
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (14 oz.) can beef broth
3 large carrots, cubed
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup water
2 (9-inch) refrigerator pie crusts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a saucepan over medium high heat, brown the pieces of meat on all sides. Pour in enough water to almost cover the meat. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer meat until it falls apart easily (about 2 to 3 hours). Place meat in a large bowl. Slightly shred the meat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the beef broth, carrots and potatoes. Cook over medium high heat until almost tender (about 15 to 20 minutes).

When the carrots and potatoes are done, transfer to a large mixing bowl and combine with the beef. Reserve the liquid in the saucepan. Mix the peas in with the vegetables and beef.

Dissolve the cornstarch in 1/3 cup of water and pour this into the reserved beef broth. Bring to a simmer while stirring constantly; reduce heat. Cook for 5 minutes.

Line a 9-inch pie plate with one of the pie shells following package directions. Spoon the beef mixture into the pie crust. Pour the gravy on top. Cover with remaining pie crust.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

=> Hamburger Pie Recipe: All American Hamburger Pie

This recipe is an American favorite. We love hamburgers, so making a pie out of our favorite meat sandwich is a winning idea. To give this recipe a richer flavor, you can substitute 1 can of mushroom soup for 1 can of tomato soup.

4 potatoes
1 pound lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 (10.75 oz.) cans condensed tomato soup
1 (15 oz.) can green beans, drained
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Peel and quarter the potatoes and put into boiling water; cook for 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain and mash. Set aside.

In a large skillet, cook ground beef and onion over medium high heat until the beef is brown; drain. Stir in the tomato soup and green beans.

Pour mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Mound the mashed potatoes around the meat mixture (do not cover meat). Sprinkle cheese on top of the potatoes.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until potatoes are golden.

=> Cheeseburger Pie Recipe: Easy Cheeseburger Pie

Cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger! Need I say more?

1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup buttermilk baking mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 10-inch deep dish pie plate.

In a large skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until beef is brown; drain. Spread beef mixture into the pie plate.

Sprinkle beef with salt, pepper and oregano. Arrange tomato slices on top of meat. Sprinkle cheese on top.

In a small bowl, combine together the baking mix, milk and eggs. Pour over cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

=> Hamburger Pie Recipe: Corn Bread Hamburger Pie

This is a nice variation on the basic hamburger pie recipe. The cornbread mix adds a nice sweetness and blends very well with the other ingredients. For an extra treat, add 1 can of creamed corn to the cornbread mix.

1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 (10.75 oz.) can condensed tomato soup, undiluted
1/4 cup salsa
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon steak sauce
1 (8.5 oz.) package corn bread/muffin mix
Minced fresh parsley (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large oven proof skillet, cook the beef, onion and green pepper over medium high heat until meat is brown; drain. Stir in the soup, salsa, ketchup and steak sauce.

Prepare the cornbread batter according to package directions; let stand for 2 minutes. Spoon batter over beef mixture. Bake for 15 minutes or until corn bread is lightly browned. Garnish with parsley.

more food and drinks information here: catering services food catering

Grab helpful advice in the sphere of lose 10 pounds in a month - please read this web site. The times have come when proper info is really only one click away, use this possibility.

Nov 10

What is great about either tuna or chicken salads is that there is hardly any wastage (unless of course, the cook has already messed up the salad big time). Should the preparation for these salads exceed the expected consumption, they can be recycled the next day as a sandwich.

Just throw in maybe feta or mozzarella cheese, place it on any bread of your choice, pop it in the oven and you are ready to go with a totally different dish. For your convenience, I have compiled t…

What is great about either tuna or chicken salads is that there is hardly any wastage (unless of course, the cook has already messed up the salad big time). Should the preparation for these salads exceed the expected consumption, they can be recycled the next day as a sandwich.

Just throw in maybe feta or mozzarella cheese, place it on any bread of your choice, pop it in the oven and you are ready to go with a totally different dish. For your convenience, I have compiled the following must-try chicken salad sandwich recipes for all those salad left-overs.

CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH

Ingredients
1/2 - cups cooked chicken breast, diced
1/2 - cup celery, diced
1/2 - onion, diced
1/2 - cup salad dressing (or mayonnaise)
1/2 - teaspoon oregano
1/4 - teaspoon salt
1/8 - teaspoon pepper
1 - hard-cooked egg, peeled
1 - tomato, 8 slices
4 - lettuce leaves
8 - slices of bread (your choice of bread)

Directions

You want to add the cooked chicken breast, celery, onion, salad dressing (or mayonnaise), oregano, salt, pepper, hard-cooked egg in a food processor.

Pulsate food processor about 4 times.

You want ingredients well mixed; however, only coarsely chopped.

With a tablespoon, spread chicken salad mixture on a slice of bread; add 2 tomato slices, a leaf of lettuce and top with second bread slice.

WALDORF CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH

INGREDIENTS:

4 Kaiser rolls, cut in half
1 cup deli chicken salad
12 very thin apple slices
4 slices Cheddar cheese

PREPARATION:

Layer bottom half of each roll with salad, 3 apple slices and 1 cheese slice. Top with tops of rolls. (You can spread the kaiser rolls with a thin layered of softened butter before making the sandwiches, if you’d like.) 4 servings

CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH RECIPE

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked diced chicken Miracle Whip Salad Dressing
1 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons pickle relish
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon dill
8 slices thin white bread

Directions:

Mix together ingredients. Chill for several hours. Spread chicken mixture on bread and remove crusts. Cut into squares or triangles.

PESTO CHICKEN SALAD ON BAGELS

Ingredients:

1 cup diced cooked chicken
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup purchased pesto
4 whole wheat — or white bagels, split

Directions:

In large bowl, combine all ingredients except bagels; mix well. Spread chicken mixture on each bagel half.

more food and drinks information here: catering services food catering

Gain pragmatic things to know about lose 10 pounds 1 week - please read this site. The times have come when concise information is really only one click of your mouse, use this opportunity.

Nov 7

Enjoying fine food is definitely one of the pleasures of life. There is so much fast food and bland tasting dishes today because of the lack of time to really prepare food right, that when you do get to enjoy gourmet fine food, it?s a special treat. So what makes any food or drink qualify to be called Gourmet? Well, in general it means that a particular food or drink is considered above average in quality, and will appeal even to those who have the most discriminating tastes.

It also usually means that a lot of time and effort has gone into it?s preparation too . What comes to mind when you think of gourmet foods? Here is a list of many fine foods and beverages that can be found in the gourmet food category:

1. Coffees ? Gourmet coffees include many exotic coffee blends from around the world and flavored coffees. Frequently you can get a nice mixture of various gourmet coffees that permit you sample them before buying more of each kind.

2. Teas ? There are various specialty teas from all over the world that qualify to be called gourmet tea. They can be either green, black, oolong or herbal teas. Again, you can often get sampler packs of these exotic teas to try them out first.

3. Chocolates ? Whether milk, dark or white chocolate, gourmet chocolate assortments often come with fruit, nuts, and cream centers that are just incredibly delicious.

4. Caviar ? If you really want to taste the good life, enjoy any of the various kinds of caviar, from the American Golden to the Russian Dark variety. Of course this is one type of gourmet food that can get really pricey fast, but there is a caviar for pretty much any budget if you look carefully enough.

5. Seafood ? There are lots of seafood that have been specially prepared as gourmet foods including smoked herring, oysters, shrimp and lobster rolls and bisques. There?s lots more in this category and again you can often get samplers for taste testing in advance.
6. Fish ? Some of the favorite gourmet fish foods are salmon, tuna, and halibut.

7. Meats ? This is one of the largest gourmet categories and recently has become very popular. Entries in this field include ribs, roasts, steaks, and even some dried and cured meats.

8. Poultry ? There are any number of Gourmet Dishes prepared with chicken, but duck and turkey are also top favorites for special dishes. Poultry is a very versatile food that allows the budding gourmet to create a wide variety of dishes and use his or her creativity to its fullest.

Find out pragmatic information about the topic of weight loss - make sure to study the web site. The times have come when proper information is truly within your reach, use this opportunity.

Nov 3

The braaivleis, or braai, is a tradition in South Africa. The word is Afrikaans for ‘roasted meat’, and most South Africans attend at least one braai every year. In fact, one day in September is set aside as National Braai Day, when the country’s rich cultural heritage is celebrated by South Africans of all races and religious denominations.

But why is the braai such a popular tradition?

Well, the taste and smell of meat grilled on a braai is different from any other kinds of food. Even the fussiest meat eater will submit to the seductive allure of the braai. The combination of sensations - cooking and eating outdoors, stimulating conversation, the smell of the smoke, socializing with friends - all of these add up to a supremely enjoyable experience.

When you are invited to a braai, your host will usually let you know if you are expected to bring your own meat - a ‘bring and braai’ - or if a salad or some other side dish would be appreciated. Traditionally, lamb chops and beef sausages - ‘boerewors’ - are the staples of the grill. Chicken, pork, fish and crayfish are also often cooked. Most butcheries and supermarkets stock pre-packed meats for braaiing. You’ll also find spices and marinades on the supermarket shelves.

Side dishes include baked beans, potato salad and stywe pap (a stiff porridge made of maize). Green salads, pasta salads and garlic bread are often added. These side dishes work well with the selection of meats available and are simple to prepare and store until it is time to eat. Potatoes or onions, wrapped in aluminium foil and left to cook slowly in the coals, are a particular favorite. Don’t forget that, even in South Africa, there may be guests who do not eat meat - a good variety of salads will usually keep them happy. There are some excellent vegetarian traditional sausages on the market as well.

While wood formerly was the most common braai fuel, nowadays the use of charcoal has increased due to its convenience. An important distinction between a braai and a barbecue is that it’s fairly unusual for a braai to use gas rather than an open flame, although this is changing as the benefits of gas become recognised.

South Africans generally prefer to cook over open coals, and all that’s really required is a bed for the coals and some way to adjust the height of the grill above the coals. This could be as simple as a few stacks of bricks or stones, or as complex as a fancy mechanical system. Poolside entertaining is made easier by a charcoal grill, often built-in to a wall.

Gas has the advantage of cooking more rapidly while retaining the flame-grilled flavour. Gas braais also allow you to choose between various cooking surfaces such as a flat or ribbed grill. Some grills offer non-stick surfaces, which allow you to cook a variety of foods that you would not otherwise be able to cook on a grill.

The American-style kettle barbecue, using indirect heat and smoke from hard wood, has also become popular in recent years. Smoking is a slow-cooking process, which results in tender meat for easier eating.

Another reason a braai is so popular is the fact that it gives you a reason to hold a party or celebration. Outdoor parties not only allow your guests to be present during the cooking of the meal, but also give them the opportunity to meet your friends.

Finally, braaiing is popular because it can be pursued as a hobby as well. Braaiing, like many things in life, requires time and practice. It can be fun to tinker with different recipes and techniques. Once you have developed a liking for braaiing, then you can concentrate on developing your own variations on old-fashioned recipes and ideas.

Braaiing is usually thought of as a summer event, but some diehard fans of the braai will not think twice about breaking out their braai grills in the middle of South Africa’s relatively mild winters.

Obtain important info in the sphere of steps to loose weight - please make sure to study this publication. The time has come when concise info is truly within your reach, use this possibility.

« Previous Entries