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Archive for the ‘Food & Beverage’ Category

Eight Things to Avoid for People With Dementia

August 8th, 2009

Proper nutrition is the building block for which our bodies fight disease. Therefore, it only stands to reason that knowing what NOT to eat as well as how NOT to prepare your food is the first step in fighting the affects of Dementia. These eight steps can assist you in deciding what you should and shouldn’t put in your mouth.

1) Say No to Milk - Anyone with Dementia should avoid dairy milk. Instead, they should seek out their dairy needs from other sources such as soy, rice, goats and almonds.

2) No Red Meat - All forms of red meat and processed meats such as hot dogs or sausages should be eliminated from the diet. Instead, seek protein from alternate sources such as soy, alfalfa sprouts or fish. The best fish includes salmon, cod, tuna and sardines are an excellent source for high quality Omega 3 Fatty Acids which are highly beneficial to the body.

3) No Fast Food - While we all enjoy fried chicken, French fries and other deep fried delectables, these should all be eliminated from the diet. Not only are they high in fat, the saturated oil they are fried in contains free radical agents that affect the body in a negative way.

4) Beer or Wine - All alcohol consumption should be limited. In France, a recent study showed that those partaking in one or two glasses of red wine per day were able to fight stress more diligently. The reason for this beneficial reaction is the antioxidant activity in theoligomeric proanthocyanidin substances found in the wine.

5) Ban Sugar - It is highly beneficial to eliminate all foods containing refined sugars. These foods include cookies, cakes donuts and brownies. In addition, foods containing Equal/NutraSweet/Saccharin and Aspartame are potentially harmful and should be eliminated as well.

6) No Licorice - Although the sweet taste of licorice is a very amongst most everyone, it should be eliminated from the diet. Unfortunately, this tasty treat potentiates cortisol which then leads to compromised potassium intake which can than lead to hypokalemia.

7) Be Happy - Stress can be harmful to the body in many ways including cortisol, which mentioned above compromises potassium intake. In addition, it is very important not to inflict undue stress on the body with things such as red meat, caffeine, refined sugar, processed foods and nicotine.
8) No Aluminum! - Don’t cook with any materials made from aluminum. That means no pots, pans or ladles made with aluminum. There has been significant speculation that an intake of aluminum from foods, antacids, cookware or antiperspirants may play a role in contracting Alzheimers disease, a cortical type of dementia.

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Food & Beverage

Summer Tips For Your Bar-B-Que

May 8th, 2009

Are you one of those people who think barbequeing is only for the Summer? If so, you’re missing out on some of the best grilling times of the year. Maybe you don’t wear white after Labor Day, but you better break out the grill and smoker because you can server up mouth watering food during the dead of winter.

The cool weather of Fall and Winter offers us backyarders a time to get out and grill up some of our favorite meat. Since the weather is so nice, why not make it a family affair? To me, cooking in the Fall and Winter sure beats standing over a hot grill when it’s 100 degrees outside. In fact, as I write this, it’s 28 degrees outside and I have a Venison roast in the smoker. Talk about good eats!

Any food you grill during the Summer only gets better in the Fall and Winter. It’s also the perfect time to try your hand at grilling Wild Game. Many hunters have some meat in the freezer from Fall hunts plus there are a lot of grocers now carrying Wild Game. Keep in mind that most Wild Game has less fat than beef, chicken or pork so it will need special attention. Mainly, that you should cook it slower and be sure not to overcook it. It should have a warm pink center.

There are a few things you will need to keep in mind before heading out in the Winter to bbq. For starters, it will take longer for your grill or smoker to heat up. So plan accordingly.

Electric smokers and gas grills may require an insulative blanket. This is especially true for electric smokers. Cold winds can quickly sap all the heat from an electric smoker and cause the internal temperature to fall below safe levels. Most electric smoker dealers carry these special blankets. Make sure what ever you use to wrap your smoker or grill, that it’s fire proof. It can be easy to set anything else on fire so be careful.

Since your grill will cool down quicker, I like to use a little extra wood or charcoal. This helps the meat cook better and keeps your grill at the right temperature. Also, try and place your grill or smoker out of the wind. Even gas grills can have a problem staying hot if there’s a cold North wind blowing on it.

Finally, make sure the area around your grill and smoker does not contain any dead grass or other dry debris that can catch fire. In the Spring and Summer, the grass and vegetation are green and less flamable. But in the Fall and Winter all that vegetation is usually dead. It’s a tinder box waiting for a spark!

If you’re one of the many who have been depriving friends, family and yourself of smoked and grilled foods in the Winter. Now is the time to stop. Go get that grill out and fire that baby up and start cooking some good food. Your Wife called and said it was okay!

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Recipes

Fun Finger Food Recipes Made with Specialty Italian Meat

May 4th, 2009

Stop serving the same old finger food recipes. You know, the chips and salsas, veggie trays, and cheesballs. It’s time to have some fun in the kitchen during your next party and really wow your guests! Volpi Foods, one of U.S’s oldest and most prestigious manufacturer Italian meat products, wants to help you with some great ideas for finger food recipes - Italian style, so that your next get-together will be a sure hit.

Italian is among one of America’s most popular cuisines. Normally when people think of Italian dishes, they think of heavy pastas, pizza, and lasagna. But there are many wonderful ways to fix Italian cuisine - that don’t involve the heavy entrees that can make your guests sleepy. We’d like to suggest some creative Italian selections which involve delicious specialty meat products - served as finger food recipes or appetizers - to make any mouth water.

Even being short on time, theres no reason to rely on store bought dips and platters. How about serving an antipasto dish as a unique before the meal treat? Decadently arranged, these Italian meat dishes are one of a kind. For this recipe to wow your guests, we recommend mozzarella and provolone cheese with Volpis Milano Salami, pre-sliced prosciutto and coppa. Simply roll up the meats and cut cheeses into square bites, and arrange nicely on your dish. For an even quicker appetizer, try Volpis Rotola, which is made of thinly sliced prosciutto rolled in mozzarella cheese. Just slice and serve! Talk about a mouth-watering treat that is unique!

Another wonderful finger food recipe is Volpis antipasticks. These skewers make for a real classic and delicious pairing your guests will want to indulge in as soon as they come in the door. For this dish, use Volpini sliced salami, mozzarella cheese, green and black olives, grape tomatoes, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. To prepare, place olives and tomatoes in a bowl and season with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Cut cheese in cubes. Place (in this order) slice of salami, cheese, salami, tomato, salami and olive on the toothpick. And how about we recommend a great wine pairing? Try a crisp Pinot Grigio or a robust Chianti Classico.

Volpi invites you to take a deeper look into the finger food recipes you make for your next party. Often times, a really great and decadent appetizer is all that is needed! Not only are these suggested finger food ideas Italian meat delicacies, they are very easy to make. With dishes such as these, we recommend leaving pretzel and chip dips for the kids’ next sleepover.

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Food & Beverage

Olive Oil Then and Now - How The Process Has Changed

April 30th, 2009

Using a traditional press to extract olive oil from olives has been used for hundreds of years. This process consists of extracting the oil and water from the olive paste. A complete process is needed in able to make olive oil, which once finished with the pressing process; it must also be put through a decanter in order to separate the vegetation water from the olive oil itself. Here is the full process that is needed:

First of all the olives should be harvested and the bad olives removed from the bunch. The olives are then put under a special stone called millstone or in some areas a ground stone. The olives should stay under the stone for just over a half an hour to turn them into a paste, also to guarantee that the paste collects the right aromas and smell that come from the fruit enzymes and forms into the olive oil drops.

Once this process is over and the olives are converted into a paste, the past is spread onto fiber disks. Once fully and evenly spread onto the disks the paste is placed into the press machine. The press will then apply the necessary pressure needed to compact the past and percolate the oil forms and the water in the paste. Water is placed in the sides of the press to simplify the process of percolation.

When the pressing is finished the oil and water must be separated to achieve a pure olive oil. With the traditional process both the oil and the water a put into a decanter but there is another process that is a lot quicker than the decanter. The faster process is one called vertical centrifuge and is used to complete the whole process of oil and water separation a lot faster.

Once the extraction process has been fully completed, the cleaning process begins. This process has to be done thoroughly because if not the remaining past will begin to ferment on the millstones and disks causing other oils to get contaminated and change the taste of the oil completely. Every time new oil is to be made, a complete check that the press and millstones are completely clean must be done.

There are both advantages and disadvantages when using this method of extraction to make olive oil. The advantages are that there is a better grinding of the olives and due to less water usage; the oil is pomaced a lot easier. The difficult cleaning process, a wider time between the harvest and the pressing of the olives and the amount of manual labor are some of the disadvantages.

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Cooking

Can Mushroom Recipes Replace Meat?

March 26th, 2009

Almost all housewives know how to cook. Not all of them, though, use cooking recipes, but they rather base their cooking on gut feelings. Maybe this is why restaurants are full every night.

Learning creative ways of mushroom recipes is not that complicated. Beware though at forest mushrooms, because if you don’t recognize them very well, you may pick poisonous ones and get sick.

If you are afraid of picking the wrong ones, just go to the store and buy mushrooms from there. Champignons, the white ones, are delicious, and you are safe. They are cultivated in special farms, not in the woods.

Mushrooms are known to be a good completion of the main meals of the day. They are rich in vitamin D. Actually they are the only vegetable which provides this vitamin, essential for the human body.

There are so many books of mushroom recipes, that one can provide great variety of meals, all based on mushrooms. An important tip in cooking, is to cut all similar veggies in equal parts. This will ensure that all pieces will be ready in the same time.

All mushrooms have to be thoroughly washed before cooking. This means that you need to take them one by one, and put them under a jet of water, until all dirt between the blades has been removed. Then you can let them stay in water for a few more minutes.

If there are any tiny insects hidden between the blades, they will get out and you’ll obtain clean mushrooms which are ready to be cooked. If mushrooms are big, cut them in pieces. Smaller ones can be cooked as they are.

Cook the mushrooms very well. Eating them raw can make you sick. There are some restaurants which offer salads containing raw mushrooms, but I’m not sure that is a good idea. Besides, cooking kills part of the toxins, so do it well.

The simplest way to cook mushrooms is to fill them with small pieces of cheese and ham and put them in the oven at average temperature for 15 minutes. You’ll know when they are ready, because they will start spreading the smell all over the kitchen.

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Cooking

Fresh Shrimp Makes Any Recipe Come Alive

March 26th, 2009

It is also a perfect meal solution for all your outdoor summer parties and events. Fresh shrimp can be used in just about any dish. Add it to a pasta salad, slaw or appetizer plate. Fresh shrimp is both healthy and delicious. Topped with lemon juice and cocktail sauce, this refreshing food makes a great pre-dinner snack.

Maine, renowned for best seafood, is the home of smoked Maine shrimp. The shrimp can be prepared with sauces. You can barbeque or just cook and serve cold. You can find lots of shrimp recipe by surfing the Net or from cookbooks. And it is pretty easy to make a recipe yourself

The opportunities when cooking with fresh shrimp are truly endless. Shrimp is used in seafood dishes along with other fish and shellfish. For instance, fresh shrimp makes a wonderful addition to stews, soups and Cioppino. Rubbed with Cajun spices, shrimp makes excellent Creole meals such as Jambalaya.

Shrimp is used in Mexican dishes, as well. It puts a healthy spin on fajitas, tacos and burritos. It adds a fresh, light flavor not found in traditional, heavier meats. Italian restaurants use shrimp in dishes such as scampi, linguine and tortas. Thai dishes add coconut juice, peanut oil and lime to shrimp to create exotic-tasting meals.

Whether you are eating light or splurging on a rich, decadent meal, shrimp is one ingredient you can count on to satisfy you. As you can see, fresh shrimp and smoked Maine shrimp can take you from brunch to lunch to dinner! With very few calories and packed with protein, shrimp is an excellent food that fits into any diet.

Versatility is at the top of the list when talking about fresh shrimp. Having a shrimp cocktail is often not really thought of or is totally overlooked. This is suck a delicious and tasty way to enjoy fresh shrimp. The best part about it is even if you do not feel up to preparing a full blown meal, making a shrimp cocktail is not only easy, but very filling and delicious.

Shrimp recipes can be found online or in cookbooks specializing in seafood cooking. There are so many ways to eat shrimp and create delightful, color-rich foods without having to learn an entire new way of cooking. But you don’t need a recipe to make a great shrimp dish. Even if you have never cooked with shrimp before, you can easily learn to add it to your diet.That’s the best thing about shrimp - even just sprinkling it atop a green salad makes an otherwise bland dish an exciting one!

If you don’t feel like a lot of extra work, make sure the shrimp that you purchase has already been de-shelled and de-veined. It is okay if this hasn’t been done, however a large amount of time will be spent in removing the shells and cleaning up the shrimp.

Most people are trying to make their lifestyles healthier. If eating healthy is important to you then adding shrimp to the mix is a great idea. Not only are shrimp low in fat, they literally have none on them! This is a very lean and clean meal indeed. Add shrimp to your diet to help fortify a healthy lifestyle.

Remember that if fresh shrimp isn’t readily available in your area, you can always visit a reputable online vendor on the internet and have some sent to you overnight. Typically shrimp that you find either in a grocery store or from an online seafood vendor has already been cooked. Once they have been cooked they will then flash freeze the shrimp and package them for shipping.

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Cooking

The Perkss Of Eating Rice

March 23rd, 2009

One of the popular questions that many people have in mind when it comes to rice is whether it is healthy for one’s health. Since rice is one of the starchy foods, people tend to think that it is fattening but nothing can be further from the truth. However, if you add margarine, oil or even cheese into the rice, the overall calories will increase. Since rice is a one of the grain products that is high in vitamins, carbohydrates and minerals, you can be rest assured that they are good for you.

Rice is the principal food in Asia and most rice is eaten in the country where it is grown and it is the main reason why Asian diets are so low in saturated fat. The finished product of paddy rice is a long black grain that you can find on most grocery store shelves. Asians view rice as the focus of the meal while Americans tend to view rice as a side dish to a meat-centered diet.

Cooking rice is simple; all you have to do is to simmer it until the rice is cooked soft. If you don’t have a rice cooker, you can always use an oven or a pot. Mill-husked rice is more expensive than wholly unpolished rice. You can clearly notice the difference between paddy rice and wild rice during the cooking process.

When you remove the inedible outer husk from a rice grain, you will get the brown rice. Brown nice is not only nutritious but also chewy. Brown rice is high in fiber and fiber can help control the blood sugar level as it is perfect for anyone who is suffering from diabetes.

The fiber in brown rice can also help to protect you against colon cancer since fiber binds to cancer-causing chemicals, keeping them away from the cells lining the colon, plus it can help normalize bowel function, reducing constipation. While traditional brown rice requires about 45 minutes of cooking time, quick-fix brown rice is now available that takes only 10 minutes to prepare.

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Recipes

Grand Hall Has Made It’s Mark With Members Mark

March 1st, 2009

A supplier and gas product innovator for over thirty years, Grand Hall has lead the way with vertically integrated grills manufactured around the world. Grand Hall is the designer and manufacturer of the Sam’s Club premier grill offering, Members Mark Grills.

The lower Member’s mark grill comes with three main burners, batting out at 18,000 BTU, plus a 10,000 BTU infrared back burner. There is also a side burner at 12,000 BTUs to boot! Easy to assemble, this grill is a welcome addition to any home. With cast iron burners, the grill needs a little care so that it doesn’t rust. To do this, simply clean it with a wire brush on occasion, while protecting it from wet weather. You will find the stainless steel models from Grand Hall to be rust resistant.

The Member’s Mark 32″ Gas Grill with Sear Burner is 95% pre assembled equipped with four main burners, infrared sear burner, rotisserie burner, and side burner. There’s even a UV resistant cover and the 10-watt halogen light that is built into the firebox makes this model great for daytime and nighttime grilling. The fuel for the 32″ grill is liquid propane gas and has a main cooking area of 640 square inches. There’s a secondary area that covers 208 square inches. Reviews on this product dictate five out of five stars for quality and value. Consumers claim that the grill is well-built and loaded with features, making it a dream to work with.

Moving away from Members Mark for a minute, Grand Hall has a cool new offering called the T-Grill. If you’re looking for something a bit more contemporary, this is it with it’s sleek design. They promise that you’ll change the way you think about cooking outdoors. This unit has laterally mounted infrared burners which puts the heat of charcoal and control of gas into a nice efficient package. What you’ll get is infrared burners on all four sides all angled toward the cooking area.

For some reason, food cooked with infrared just come out more evenly cooked and the juices are trapped inside. Because the heat source is not below the food, the fat and juices can’t drip on them, causing flare-ups. The famous Australian chef, Neil Perry, uses the T-Grill and promotes it around the world.

With 410 sq inches of cooking surface, you have plenty of room to cook. It also comes with a porcelain coated cast iron cooking grate, Smooth Start ignition, heavy duty 303 grade stainless steel trim and it’s 95% pre-assembled.

If one of these sparks your interest, be prepared to join Sam’s Club or you’ll have a hard time finding one.

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Cooking

Unique Holidays Gifts and Deals

February 3rd, 2009

Some celebrations in life must be accorded with eminence. Christmas is one of them. Christmas only comes but once in a year and it is an occasion and it is normally a generous of occasion of giving, partying and usually accompanied by fellowship.

Christmas seasons are normally accompanied by much gladness, singing, joy, and celebration. For many, it is a time for get-togethers with family and friends long missed. It fully presents an occasion for bringing back to life almost forgotten memories while passing on traditions to the younger generation.

Feasting usually is the order of the day, and gifts for family, friends, relatives, co-workers, and neighbors much abound during Christmas seasons. Delicate holiday recipes are prepared far in advance just to make sure that the occasion will give the best in pomp, taste, and color.

Many people are opting for inexpensive way of celebrating Christmas due to high living standards and this has really encouraged people to plan for the Christmas holiday. It has become common for people to buy simple and inexpensive but unique gifts for family, friends, co-workers and other people.

The cost of grand Christmas holiday celebrations is normally not expensive and these holidays are better even with simple meal recipes. The holiday gifts and deals are abundant during these festive season and they are always accompanied by special offers. There are corporate bodies or super stores that offer Christmas gift deals and promotions. This normally runs for about a week and it is meant for the public to purchase their products at discount rates.

One great way to celebrate Christmas is being holed up in a hotel to experience the feeling that come with a new environment. You will find a number of suitable Christmas packages for you and your family and get the opportunity to take part in a number of outdoor activities such as playing golf, beach volleyball or even horse riding.

The holiday season is more fun when you surprise your friends around the world with gifts. This is made easier since holiday gifts and deals are available online. You can purchase these gifts online and have them sent to your friends by courier companies. You will find a number of tips on how to make Christmas more fun online.

Christmas gifts come in various forms, sizes and ages. Each is unique from the other. The tangible Christmas gifts ranges from electronics to office equipment and Christmas cards while there are companies that offer travel to tourist with fully paid accommodation packages.

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Recipes

Chocolate Gifts Come in an Assortment of Styles

February 3rd, 2009

Chocolate has always been a great gift to give someone. The chocolate manufacturing is a multi-billion dollar business. There are so many unusual types of chocolate and so many reasons to offer someone a chocolate gift that it is a business that just keeps getting larger every year.

There are several different types of chocolate. There is dark chocolates, milk chocolate, white chocolate, and semi-sweet chocolate are just a a small amount of. Many people have a favorite chocolate. Each manufacturer of chocolate gifts has their own unique formula for the way they make chocolates and this makes each kind of chocolate taste a little different.

Chocolate Truffles are a great present to give for just about any occasion or no occasion at all. individuals love to acquire chocolate gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, holidays or just because. Special occasions or events are also grand times to give the present of chocolates. Baby showers, a raise at work, or just to tell a friend that you are thinking about them are big reasons to give chocolate gifts.

You can purchase chocolate gifts just about anyplace including grocery stores, gas stations, malls or convenient stores. Stores that sell only chocolates have the largest variety to choose from and you might even find a specific store that carries the particular type of chocolate truffle that you like or you recognize your friend likes. This makes choosing chocolates present a little easier because there is such a huge variety and you might end up finding something new that you like.

Chocolate Truffles make great gifts for anyone at anytime. There are a variety of packages that chocolate gifts come in so you should be able to find one just right for the event or friend you are trying to purchase something for. The gift of chocolates is a gift that people love to receive. Have fun searching for the just right chocolate for your friend and don’t forget to get a few for yourself!

For individuals of you who are fond of chocolate truffles, there are quite a few different kinds to choose from. You can purchase chocolate truffles in milk chocolate, dark chocolate or if you aren’t positive which kind of truffle your cherished one or friend might like, you can always get a box of assorted chocolate truffles.

Buying a chocolate gift for someone is pleasurable and you can get really inventive with the things that you select. You can get someone a box of milk chocolate truffles. You can get someone a heart filled with various filled chocolates and you can even get someone a good old basic chocolate bar.

People love to get chocolate gifts for just about any occasion or still if there isn’t an occasion. Chocolates are a great treat to show someone that you are thinking about them. Go pick out your chocolate gifts now and show someone how special you fell they are.

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Cooking