Wine and Dine Train in California

Even without the vineyards, the And it is there that we find a great deal of California's wine production. Another famous Spanish place name in California is that of the Napa Valley. These are, of course, not the only places that bear the Spanish names that were bestowed by their founders.

The two most famous cities in the whole state are San Francisco (named for a man who Anglophones prefer to call Saint Francis) and Los Angeles - the city of Angels. To this day one only needs to listen to the names of Californian cities to hear how it has been influenced by its Spanish history. Way back in 1492 when Christopher Columbus discovered America, he can little have known that his landing would have such implications for the place. As with most things Californian, their wine continues to make the best of both a long and proud historical tradition and a readiness to assimilate modern developments.

 

California is an absolute haven for the wine connoisseur, with a history that continues to get richer as the wines its viticulturists produce get better and better. Something to think about, undoubtedly, if you are planning a wine tour of the region any time soon. This is a fact - indeed, another fact is that were California to secede from the USA then, as well as leaving a very angry military planning ways to get it back, it would be the fourth largest wine producing country in the whole of the world.  California is one of the world's premier wine producing regions.

Cooking with a Crock Pot

Electronic safeguards allow cooks to put their minds at rest and go on with their Temperature systems and timing mechanisms allow precise control. Throw a few good ingredients in the pot in the morning, and come home that evening to a tasty meal just like grandma used to make Crock pot cooking is easier than ever before. Crock pot cooking is the answer for old fashioned nutritious meals. Most working people these days do not have the time to stand around watching the stove.

Conventional cooking usually requires a good deal of time and energy, two things which are in short supply in this busy age. Surfaces are dishwasher-safe and Teflon coated, making clean-up a breeze. Cleaning up after crock pot cooking is made easier too! Some models are even designed to be microwavable, which is great for reheating leftovers.

Electronic safeguards allow cooks to put their minds at rest and go on with their day, knowing that the crock pot is doing what it is designed to do. Temperature systems and timing mechanisms allow precise control. Throw a few good ingredients in the pot in the morning, and come home that evening to a tasty meal just like grandma used to make Crock pot cooking is easier than ever before. Crock pot cooking is the answer for old fashioned nutritious meals.

Most working people these days do not have the time to stand around watching the stove. Conventional cooking usually requires a good deal of time and energy, two things which are in short supply in this busy age.

Cantonese Regional

It’s not unusual for a patron to be brought a live fish or crab at the table as proof of the freshness of the In many restaurants, guests can choose their meal from a seafood tank in the dining room. As an honor to guests, freshness is one of the ultimate ‘ingredients’ in Cantonese regional cooking. Chinese courtesy demands that a guest be treated with honor, and to present a guest with anything less than perfection is the height of rudeness. In true Oriental fashion, a meal is poetry, with every part of it contributing to the overall effect.

Chinese cooking is a presentation of texture, color, shape and aroma with even the name of the dish contributing to its overall presentation. All Chinese cuisine takes far more into account than the flavor of a dish. For many who are used to the more rich, spicy and complex flavors of Hunan and Szechwan cooking, Cantonese cooking may seem bland – but the subtle blends of flavor and aroma are created by the hand of a master chef. The spices used in Cantonese cooking tend to be light and simple: ginger, salt, soy sauce, white pepper, spring onion and rice wine.

The light, delicate sauce, quick cooking and subtle spicing allows the natural flavors to shine through rather than being overwhelmed and blending together. Its proximity to the sea offers a veritable marine cornucopia to be added to its dishes, making possible such delicate mating as Seven Happiness, a dish that includes shrimp, scallops, fish and lobster along with chicken, beef and pork. Of all the Chinese regions, Canton (Guangdong province) has the most available food resources. Simple spices and a wide variety of foods used in cooking characterize Cantonese cuisine.

Easily the most well-known of the Chinese regional cuisines, Cantonese cuisine comes from the region around Canton in Southern China.

Fast Food Restaurants

With the onset of fast foods and the quick cook and ready cooked meals available along with the ever increasing choice of world cuisine, As long as the health and hygiene departments vet these establishments and our choices are varied, of good quality and healthy their use can be a good alternative to cooking our own meals. Although some believe this to be a bad thing it has fuelled a new market in available meals that are only a phone call away. People are spending more of their time and money in the world of fast foods and restaurants.

With the large amount of ready meals available, the option of spending time in the kitchen becomes less and less appealing. Cooking at home has become less of a choice and more of a chore. Most people that have cooked their own versions and varieties of local, Chinese, Indian or other international cuisine believes it does not have the same taste or texture and will often opt for a more authentic meal from their local restaurant or take away. From the sandwich shop to the award winning restaurants, we can always find a place that prepares and sells the food we want at a reasonable price, although cooking or preparing food for ourselves may be a cheaper or healthier option it never seems to taste the same as our local restaurant.

The ever-increasing divergence of foods that is now available to us at our local stores and eating-places only help to confuse and tantalise us into new culinary experiments and delights. As a staple of life our need to eat has developed from a basic form of simply feeding our bodies with the fuel it requires, to a complicated art of presentation and taste combined with our intrinsic need to experiment with everything we see, touch, smell and of course taste.

Chocolate Halloween Cupcakes

By: Janet Walker, SITE

Treat your small witches, monsters and ghosts this Halloween, with this uncomplicated yet tasty chocolate Halloween cupcakes recipe - read on:

Halloween is approaching and all the youngsters are waiting to dress up like monsters, ghostly ghouls and witches. These chocolate Halloween cupcakes will be exactly the thing when it concerns satisfying those small monsters, ghostly ghouls and witches hungry stomachs. You may bake them a day earlier and store them in a cookie tin, or bake them on the same day. If your little monsters prefer to help they could be your extra hands in the kitchen. Let's get producing these tasty chocolate cupcakes.

Ingredients

- For the cupcakes
12 paper cases
280g/10oz butter, softened
280g/10oz golden caster sugar
200g/7oz self-raising flour
1 rounded tbsp cocoa powder
6 medium eggs

- For the topping
200g/7oz butter, softened
280g/10z icing sugar, sifted
12 sugar halloween decorations

Technique

For the cupcakes
1 - Preheat oven to 190 C/Gas 5/fan oven 170 C.
2 - Line a 12-cup muffin tin with brown muffin cases.
3 - Crack the eggs into a large bowl and beat lightly with a fork
4 - Place all the other ingredients into the bowl
5 - Beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, until light and creamy
6 - Spoon into the cases, almost filling them to the top.
7 - Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until risen and spongy.
8 - Cool on a rack.

For the topping
1 - Beat the butter and icing sugar until smooth
2 - Spread a layer of icing over each cake
3 - Then add your sugar Halloween decorations on top

Takes 45minutes, plus cooling down (unless the little ones are helping :) - Makes 12

Tips:

• These chocolate cupcakes are themed by applying sugar Halloween decorations. This implies that you are able to apply this simple chocolate cupcake recipe for whatever occasion you desire. Merely by adding the relevant sugar decoration will make the cupcakes appeal to any occasion.

• Try adding a few drops of flavouring to the cupcake mix, like vanilla, orange or even mint.

Super Refreshing Healthy Salads

By: Yvonne Stephens

Need a little refreshing recipe for a salad? As a chef and cookbook author I have a passionate goal, and that is to help people enjoy life to the fullest and eat healthy! Deep down I am a lazy cook, because I don't like to spend too much time in the kitchen. But I only use shortcuts if they are still healthy choices.

Salads are easy to prepare, and good for us, if we do not drown the lettuce in too much salad dressing.
They are a daily staple in the American cuisine, especially when you go out for dinner; much more so than in other countries in the world. In southern Europe salads are being served as part of dinner, but in countries with a colder climate, salads are being eaten once or twice a week as main vegetable, and mainly in the summer.

The reason for that is that traditionally lettuce was only available from late spring to mid summer. Now counter-seasonal supplying countries like Argentina, Chili, South Africa, Italy, Spain, Mexico, India and China, make sure we can buy any type of fruit and vegetable at any time of the year. Asians eat a lot of vegetables, but less salads the way we know them. During my travels all over the world to 27 countries, I have learned a lot and enjoyed myself tremendously. I hope you will enjoy these recipes too.

Asian Salad
16 oz Napa cabbage, sliced thin
1 cup toasted slivered almonds
2 teaspoons toasted black sesame seeds
1 bunh green onions, sliced on the bias
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 cup Ramen noodles, cooked for 2 minutes, drained

Prepare all ingredients and fold everything together in a colorful bowl.

Dressing:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon white sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Toss salad to coat or serve dressing on the side.

Spanish Salad
16 oz lettuce of choice
1 cup olives, pitted, sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons capers
4 oz anchovy filets
2 hard boiled egg, diced
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

Dressing:
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
ground black pepper
Serve dressing on the side.

Summer Salad
16 oz arugala
1/4 cup capers
2 cups watermelon, cut into cubes
1/4 cup pecan or walnuts
1 cup feta cheese

Dressing:
1 cup wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
ground black pepper
pinch sea salt
Serve dressing on the side.

Super Refreshing Potato Salad
3 pounds potatoes, peeled, cubed, boiled until 'al dente'
1 cup Vidalia onion, chopped
1 cucumber, shredded
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/2 cup chives, chopped
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper

Vegetable Salad For Dinner

Vegetable Salad For Dinner

You could make your own vinaigrette dressing or just buy ready-made It may also be topped with mushrooms, carrots, peppers, onions, celery, avocado, and radishes. Green or garden salads are mostly made out of green leafy vegetables like lettuce, cucumbers and cabbages. It may also be an appetizer for your main meal. It could be topped with a dressing or just seasoned to taste.

Most are made from vegetables and fruits. Salads are generally easy to make, plus it is very healthy. Be sure to write down what you have used so you could prepare it again next time. Just experiment and see what will taste good for you.

You could always deviate and make use of what you have in your refrigerator. Recipes are not necessarily strictly followed. You save time and money. You could also use leftovers instead of buying in the grocery. These are easier to prepare.

Think of recipes that only have a few ingredients. You could easily cook after coming home if you have all these prepared already. Also prepare the utensils and other items you will need. Ready the ingredients beforehand if you are thinking of a recipe already.

You could toss them up together in a matter of few minutes with hardly any cooking needed. It requires little cooking. It could be frozen mixed veggies, pasta sauces and many more. The first tip is to use all the possible convenient products available to you. You could also adapt a few tips on how to make preparations much easier and quicker.

These are easy to make and promises to be very healthy. Good thing though that there are now many quick recipes that will only take around 10 minutes to do. It is often easier to resort to buying food outside rather than go to the ordeal of preparing our own food in the kitchen. Then again, many of us are busy with our works and personal lives. They would not know what ingredients are used in commercial foods.

They prefer to prepare their own food to make sure they are eating just healthy foods. A lot of people are becoming health conscious already.

One of My Favorite Low Fat, Low Carb Recipes - Light Summertime Chicken Salad

By J P Martin

This light chicken salad is perfect for anyone looking for low fat, low carb recipes. Balsamic vinegar gives it a unique, nutty sweet flavor. It is worth spending a bit extra on a decent quality balsamic vinegar, you kind of get what you pay for with this - some of the cheaper balsamic vinegars are inferior in quality.

Ingredients:

* 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
* 4 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
* half bunch of chives
* 1 cucumber
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* half bunch of dill
* salt and pepper

Method:

1. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add 1 teaspoon of the vinegar and 1 tablespoon of the oil to a pan or wok and place over a high heat. Stir-fry the chicken for 5 minutes until cooked and golden in colour.
2. Trim and peel the cucumber and slice into 1in/2.5cm matchsticks. Wash the chives and pat dry with kitchen paper. Snip finely with kitchen scissors and mix together with the cucumber in a large serving bowl.
3. To make the salad dressing, mix together the remaining balsamic vinegar and the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, then whisk in the remaining olive oil.
4. Add the cooked chicken to the cucumber and chives in the serving bowl, drizzle over the salad dressing.. Toss the salad in the dressing. Wash the dill and pat dry with kitchen paper. Chop finely and sprinkle over the tossed salad to garnish.

When using chives, always add them at the last minute to hot dishes as over-cooking will destroy their delicate onion flavor. Their flowers are edible too and can be used for extra garnish.

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Traditional Jamaican Food Recipes

By: Sunil Tanna, SITE

Jamaica is an island nation in the Caribbean. Located in the Greater Antilles chain, it is in fact the most populous English-speaking island in the region. The island is particularly known for its contributions to the fields of literature, music (including ska and reggae), as being the birthplace of the Rastafarian movement, and for its interesting and exciting cuisine.

Many Jamaican dishes make use of spices, and can even be quite fiery. Jamaican dishes are not only eaten in Jamaica itself, but also have been taken overseas, particularly to the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom by Jamaica emigrants - and as a result become known in those countries too.

The most famous of Jamaican dishes are probably jerk dishes. These are meat (or nowadays also fish or even tofu) that has been prepared by marinading in a mixture of hot spices (principally pimento and Scotch bell peppers) before cooking. Jerk dishes are often cooked over a charcoal barbecue grill, but when this is not possible they can be cooked in a normal kitchen oven. In Jamaica itself, the traditional meats for jerk are goat meat or pork, but overseas you may perhaps more commonly encounter jerk chicken.

There are many other Jamaican dishes that you may also want to try. These include saltfish and ackee (salted cod together with ackee which is a kind of fruit - but note, ackee must be properly prepared, as if not properly prepared it is poisonous), fried plantains, and curried goat. If you are looking for a taste of the exotic or enjoy spicy food, why not try Jamaican cuisine?

Top 5 Ways to Keep Your Lettuce Fresh

By Anitra Jordan

Many times we go to our local supermarket or farmer's market to stock up on fresh vegetables. In a matter of a few days, lettuce can become wilted or worse...slimy. Here are five ways to keep your lettuce fresh for that delicious salad recipe you want to make for lunch or dinner.

1. The Tupperware Fridgesmart

Tupperware Fridgesmart is a container that you can store your vegetables in and makes them last even longer. These containers have two special holes that you leave open or closed depending on the specific vegetable. Store your lettuce in the Tupperware Fridgesmart and you will be amazed how long your lettuce lasts!

2. Zip Lock Plastic Bags

After washing your lettuce, shake the excess water off and lay the lettuce flat on a few paper towels. Place the wrapped lettuce in a Zip Lock plastic bag and the lettuce should last for the next 7-10 days. Just grab the lettuce when you need it!

3. Never use metal

Using a metal pan to store your lettuce just speeds up "the spoiled lettuce" process. Be sure to use a plastic bag or container for storage.

4. Only buy the head!

Bagged lettuce is sometimes already spoiled once it reaches the shelf. It has already be washed, cut and sealed. The lettuce is no longer preserved in its natural form. By buying a head of lettuce, it has been hydrated at the supermarket and is still preserved. All you would have to do is wash and store it yourself.

5. Use the crisper in your refrigerator.

The crisper in your refrigerator is not for beer...it is for vegetables! Store your lettuce in the crisper and it will stay fresher. No more wilted or slimy lettuce.

The Top Four Favorite Soups

By Steve Hill, Site

I was listening, with interest, to a well known radio program last night as they were debating the nations favorite soups - yes I am rather pathetic and yes I do need to get a life! The presenter of the show invited members of the public to telephone, text and e-mail into the program as they conducted a mini survey of people's preferred soup! I was tempted to phone in myself but for whatever reason decided against it.

It was actually a really interesting program to listen to and I was quite surprised at the amount of people that did phone into the show. In reality all of the people could well have been the friends and family of the presenter himself but I would hope not.

You may not be surprised when you hear that chicken soup was voted as the overall winner or nations favorite. Chicken soup happens to be my favorite as well; I eat a bowl at least twice a week!

In second place came tomato soup. Apparently there was not a lot between these first two, only about five percent of the votes. I am not sure what it is about tomato soup but I just don't rate it. I can eat a few spoonfuls but then the taste just seems to bore me.

Oxtail soup came in a surprisingly impressive third place and in fourth place came vegetable soup.

So what was the point of this article and the radio show of last night? Well at the end of the day it is just a bit of fun and something to potentially spark a debate between friends and colleagues.

Thai Foods

As the Thai population grows in the USA so does the number of Thai restaurants. In most larger cities you will find it easy to have a selection of Thai restaurants to choose from.Thai food offers you a wide variety flavors and taste. Most Thai dishes are made with a blend of herbs and spices. Some people feel Thai food may be considered a little spicy but always tasty.

Brazilian Food - Orange Salad

Orange Salad

Ingredients

• 5 oranges
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Salt and pepper

Procedure

1. Peel the oranges and remove the inner core.
2. Cut the oranges into thin slices. Arrange the slices on a plate.
3. Sprinkle them with sugar, salt, and pepper.
4. Serve, or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to eat.

Brazilian Food - Feijoada (Meat Stew)

Feijoada (Meat Stew)

Ingredients

• 3 strips of raw bacon
• 2 onions
• 3 cloves garlic (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
• 1 pound smoked sausage
• 1 pound boneless beef (any cut of meat)
• 1 can (14-ounce) stewed tomatoes
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
• 4 cups canned black beans
• Salt and pepper

Procedure

1. Cut the bacon strips into big pieces. Fry them in a large pot over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes, stirring often.
2. Turn the heat down to medium.
3. Cut the onion in half. Peel off the skin and outer layer. Chop both halves into small pieces.
4. Peel the cloves of garlic. Chop them into small pieces.
5. Add the onions and garlic to the bacon in the pot. Stir until the onions are soft, about 3 minutes.
6. Cut the sausage and beef into 1-inch pieces. Add them to the onions and garlic.
7. Cook until the meat is brown on all sides.
8. Add the stewed tomatoes (with juice), hot water, yellow mustard, and some salt and pepper. Turn the heat down to simmer. Cover the pot.
9. Cook for about 45 minutes, stirring often. If it looks too thick, add more water, ¼ cup at a time. Add the black beans (with liquid).
10. Cover the pot, and cook for 10 more minutes.

10 Best Restaurants in the World

1. Bras'
restaurant which is still by dense forests and grassy areas several miles from the famous Bras Aubrac.Restoran, since 1992 lived in a thrillingly futuristic design by architect Eric Raffy.

2.The laundry is a French
restaurant located in Yountville, California, in Napa Valley. The owner of France and his cook named Thomas Keller, who is also involved in the restaurant's Bouchon, in Napa Valley, and per se, in New York City. the french laundry alumni include Jonathan Benno (of per se), Grant Achatz (of the paragraph), Ron Siegel (The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton), and many others.

3.the fat duck restaurant,
is a restaurant that in 2005 got the title as best restaurant restaurant world by the magazine, and became runner up in 2004, 2006 and 2007.tidak such as restaurants on the other classes that can be found in the cities exclusive , the duck fat can only be found in a simple home-style a village in England.

4.Tetsuya's Restaurant
is considered as one of the best restaurants in the world - is a chef Tetsuya Wakuda this internationally-recognized restaurants in Sydney, Australia, living in the former Seagram's building. tetsuya's has garnered many accolades globally, including to receive 2004, 2005 and 2006 included in the Top 50 best restaurant by Restaurant magazine. He was also awarded the highest ranking in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2007, Restaurant of the Year and Best Fine Dining in the Restaurant & Catering Association Awards 2005. In 2007 Tetsuya's Restaurant occupies fifth place in the list of top 50 world restaurants.

5.Pierre Gagnaire is a famous chef in France,
and the Head Chef and owner of the eponymous Pierre Gagnaire restaurant at 6 rue Balzac in Paris.Awal his career at St Etienne, where he won 3 Michelin Stars, Gagnaire tore at the conventions of classic French cooking by introducing jarring juxtapositions of taste, taste, and sarananya.penaruhya text in cooking has been known throughout the world. regarded as one of the best restaurants in France, which move in the field of culinary 'modern French'. Gagnaire is also Head Chef Sketch in London. In 2005, the restaurant is the second entry 20 of the world by industry magazine Restaurant, Pierre Gagnaire restaurant is ranked third in 2006 and 2007.

6.Per Se,Amerika serikat
In 2004, Keller returned to New York to open Per Se. Renowned designer Adam Tihany to create most of the settings where you'll find a version of the famous, elegant fireplace and the interior field, urban environment, with a garden which is very beautiful.

7.Mugarits spain
Chef Andoni Luis Aduriz doesn’t offer the headline-grabbing fireworks of most fashion-forward and playful modern Spanish cuisine, but is nevertheless setting the agenda for the next generation of chefs. A subtle, intellectual and harmonious cuisine – one that divides opinion – is delivered in a pastoral environment (a former cider bar) in the hills outside San Sebastian in the Basque country.

8.Le Louis XV,Monaco,
In the hall, decorated in the style of 17th Century Versailles, sparkles with mirrors and gold, mixed with the light through the window, there is a magnificent aquarium, a dining in the heart of a small kitchen where there is a six-screen video streaming.

9.El Bulli
is a three-star restaurant run by chef Ferran Adria at the Costa Brava in Catalonia, Spain. A small restaurant in the bay Cala Monjoi, described as "the most imaginative generator of Haute cuisine in the world", with a lot of hard work done by the chef. Magazine has menganugrahi restaurant El Bulli restaurant as the best in the world three times - in 2002, 2006, and the latest, in 2007

10.Arzak Restaurant, Spain

Arzak is a story that has roots in tradition, ambition, and it jurumasak dinner enhance reputation Avant-garde, the experimental kitchen.
the Arzak really different, addition to the wealth of France and Spain are interesting collection of wines from the Golan Heights and from Porto. Perhaps Champagne and sparkling wine, and a room with smoke cigars from Cuba, Mexico and the Canary Islands.

Famous Restaurants in the U.S.

Luchuw Famous Restaurant

Distinctly American Food

Food becomes American when it is made on American soil. When a person comes here to begin a new life and creates his first dish to remind him of home, he is in fact claiming this as his home. He is saying he will not cease to be who he is, but instead, he will add this as well. This is America, we thrive on dualities. Food becomes American when it is added to our cultural landscape by even one single person, because every person counts.

Korean Food

Meats and veggies used in Tobak are organic, much to the relief of health freaks. On a few dishes, Tobak chefs use sesame oil and ginseng. They use soybean oil to reduce cholesterol level in its foods. Other health benefits of savoring in Korean foods include reduction of cholesterol level and blood tension, if you develop a taste for octopus. Ginseng is extremely popular in Korea; the country is dubbed as Ginseng country. It is commonly consumed as a health tonic, and is regarded widely as great for increasing immune system, reducing stress, anti-aging, and as an antioxidant.

Bean Soup aka Pasta e Fagioli

By: Peggy Bloodworth

Don't you just love bean soup in the winter? This is an Italian version that we think is very good. Use any dried white bean you have. I particularly like the white kidney beans, but any of them will do. I also like the little tubular pasta that isn't much bigger than the beans. It holds some of the thick liquid and the size seems just right. Also, have lots of extra parmesan cheese at the table for stirring in at the last minute. Add some crusty bread and a salad and you've got a perfect winter supper.

Ingredients

• 5 cups water
• 1½ cups dried white beans: navy, baby lima, or northern
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups canned Italian-style tomatoes, with juice
• 1 cup each of celery and carrots, finely chopped and sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped, or 1 teaspoon garlic granules
• ½ pound cooked smoked ham, chopped
• 3 bay leaves
• ½ cup macaroni (shells, bows, or elbows), uncooked
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated, for garnish

Procedure

1. Place water and beans in saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil over high heat for 3 minutes and remove from heat.
3. Cover and set aside for 1 hour.
4. Add the onion, tomatoes, celery, carrots, garlic, smoked ham, and bay leaves.
5. Mix well and bring to a boil over high heat.
6. Reduce to simmer, cover, and cook until beans are tender (about 1½ hours). Stir frequently.
7. Add macaroni and mix well. Cover and continue simmering until macaroni is tender (about 12 minutes).
8. Remove and throw out bay leaves before serving.
9. Serve hot soup in individual bowls with a side dish of Parmesan cheese for the guests to sprinkle into their soup. Serve with crusty bread to dip in the soup.

Tips on Choosing a Good Dessert Wine

By: Derek Rogers,SITE
For people who love sweets, a meal is not completely satisfying unless it finishes off with a sumptuous dessert. Some of the most popularly sought after desserts include cakes, pastries, fruits, pies, nuts, sorbet, breads, pudding and chocolates. While they are great on their own, their flavours can be enhanced and complemented by the perfect wine. But how does one know what wine to match which dessert?

A good dessert wine serves to bring about the best in every dessert. The popular notion of wine is different when it comes to dessert wines though; this is because dessert wines are especially sweet. As such, a dessert that doesn't compete with the sugariness of the wine is a good option. For instance, dark chocolates that contain more than half of cocoa ingredients in it go well with a dessert wine. The basic guide then in choosing matching desserts and wines is to get to know how different dessert wine selections taste like.

Sauternes wines from France are made from Sémillon grape, Sauvignon Blanc, or Muscadelle grapes. These wines almost have a yellowish or golden colour and they have a citrus taste. The Gewürztraminer and Tokay Pinot Gris wines in particular are great with chocolates and other intensely flavourful afters.

Meanwhile, in Portugal, the port red wines are known for their enticing flavours and alcohol content. They come in tawny, ruby, and vintage varieties. Tawny ports have a suave nut-like tang to it that go well with toffee and milk chocolates. In the meantime, vintage ports are so zesty that they are best with banana cream pies, dark chocolates, and walnuts. All the port varieties are generally enhanced with pumpkin pies, cheesecakes, chocolate mousse and cobblers. Similarly, Vin Santo from Italy has a nutty essence that is likened to a hazelnut. The sweetness is not that much that it can be taken with almond cakes, almond shortbreads, and biscotti.

Interestingly, there are wines that are manufactured from grapes that are covered with ice on the vine. In Germany, they are appropriately called ice wines and they have a balanced, sugar-enriched and invigorating acid flavour. Consequently, ice wines can be paired off with desserts like apples, peaches, pears and hazelnuts. Thinking about ice wines might make you imagine ice cream with dessert wine together, but unfortunately, the cold can mute the taste buds that sorbets are not to be served with sweet wines.

Muscat wines are for individuals who enjoy munching on raisins as they are crushed from grapes that are typically made into raisins. It likewise has this rich aroma and a taste that is very similar with mild fruits such as peaches and apricots. To achieve the palatable temptation of Muscat wines, the dessert should be composed of smooth Tiramisu, milk chocolate or white chocolate.

All these wines are highly recommended, however, tasting them on your own can prove to be delightful for you and your guests. This experience then can be used until wine and dessert matching becomes an addition to your expertise.

Indian Food

By: Malika Harricharan, SITE

Indian Food and Indian Restaurants are common in many parts of the world , but in my pocket of the world they seem to be few and far between. I realized that many Americans may not be accustomed to Indian Food; what to order at an Indian Restaurant or the proper way to eat Indian Food. Since I grew up eating Indian Food, it is natural for me to tear my naan up and soak up the yummy curry. That is why I wanted to put together a short article outlining some common Indian dishes and what you may want to order at an Indian Restaurant. I hope this will encourage you to give Indian Food a try.

More than likely, you will start out with complimentary poppadoms. These are like very thin crackers, but much larger. There are usually 3 sauces or chutneys that go along with poppadoms, a lime green sauce made with cilantro that is somewhat spicy, a dark brown sauce which is very sweet (save some for later, I will tell you why in a moment), and a mango chutney which is very good but pretty hot.

Appetizers:

More than likely you will see Samosas on a an appetizer menu at Indian restaurants. These are a safe option as they are full of flavor but not spicy. They are triangular pastries that are filled with potatoes, peas and other vegetables. The sweet, brown chutney I told you to hang on to goes great on these.

Main Entrees:

Tandoori: Tandoori is always a safe option. This is not a hot and spicy dish at all. It has no heavy sauce to it either. It is simply cooked in a clay oven known as a Tandoori, hence the name. Do not be freaked out by the color. It will come out with a red color especially if you order the chicken. It looks a little weird but it tastes great.

Biryani: (Pronounced beer-e-ani)Think of Biryani as the Indian version of Chinese Fried Rice. It is rice with vegetables (usually including raisins) with your choice of meat. Lamb Biryani is really good. Really it is good with any meat. I probably would not recommend getting Biryani with shrimp. Again, this is another safe choice as it will not be a spicy dish.

Curry: This is really a thick gravy full of cumin, garlic, tamarind and a bunch of other tasty spices made to the hotness of your request. Curry is by far the most well known Indian dish. I like it with beef, lamb, chicken or shrimp.

Masala: This is a creamy tomato sauce which is extremely tasty. Usually it is not overly spicy but you should ask just to be sure. One of my favorites at Indian Restaurant is Chicken Tikka Masala. As a matter of fact, I read somewhere that Chicken Tikka Masala is the number one most ordered dish in England. Having a large Indian population, Indian restaurants seem to pop up everywhere in England. In fact, Indian Food is all I ever want to eat when I go to England.

Vindaloo: (Pronounced Vind-aloo) HOT HOT HOT!! This is one of the hottest dishes you can order. Again, it is made with various spices like curry, but it is really hot. It is so hot in fact, I am not able to eat it and enjoy it. To my palette, the pepper overpowers any other flavor and I cannot enjoy the dish. WARNING: This dish is not for an Indian Food virgin.

It is typical for these dishes to come with basmati (Indian white rice). But you are missing out if you do not order some delicious nann (bread pancakes) to eat with your curry. Part of the experience of eating Indian Food is using your hands to soak up the gravy with the naan.

Although there are various types of naan I recommend starting with something simple like plain nann, or garlic. You usually get 2 pieces which is a gracious plenty for 1 person. You might want to consider 2 orders for 2 people and if there are leftovers they are great for breakfast in the morning.

Indian restaurants do not typically offer any vegetable side dish with the entrees. This is probably because so many Indians are vegetarians, the vegetable entrees are a main course by themselves. Indian curries tend to have very rich sauces and those along with rice and naan will fill you up quickly. But if you feel it necessary to order a vegetable I recommend something with aloo (potato) or baigon (eggplant).

Traditional Chinese Food - For the Dragon Boat Festival

By: Ian Ford, SITE

The Dragon Boat Festival falls on the 5th day of the 5th month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar. This usually falls in the first half of June.

The festival honours Qu Yuan, who was a poet and high official in the state of Chu. There are several variations on the story but all end with Qu Yuan drowning himself in the Miluo River on the 5th of the 5th, 278 B.C.E.

One versions says that Qu Yuan believed passionately in social reforms but this upset more conservative members of the court. They talked the king into banishing Qu Yuan, a punishment he was unable or unwilling to accept.

Another version says that he warned against the threat from a neighbouring state only to be ignored. When that state attacked and took the capital he wrote one last poem before committing suicide.

The festival arose as his fellow countrymen honoured the memory of Qu Yuan by racing Dragon Boats to the presumed spot of his drowning. They threw special pyramid-shaped sticky rice cakes wrapped in leaves into the water to feed his soul. These Zongzi now form an essential part of any Dragon Boat Festival.

Some say the rice cakes were made like this to feed the fish, preventing them from eating his corpse. Others say that Qu Yuan appeared to fishermen in a dream complaining that their original offerings were being taken by a local dragon, hence the need for a lily leaf wrapping.

Whichever story is true, it is interesting to have a symbolism to any foodstuff, and nice to see a patriot being honoured, even if a little too late.

Zongzi are made from sticky or glutinous rice and shaped as a pyramid. Over time, the style of the wrapping and the contents have evolved to suit local conditions all over China.

Zongzi now often contain bean or nut paste in the centre (peanuts and walnuts being favourites), or even egg or meat.

The wrapping is usually of any common local leaf. Bamboo leaves are used in the south, maize and other similar leaves further north.

The Zongzi are steamed or boiled for hours allowing the flavour of the contents and the leaves to seep into the rice, producing a whole range of snacks rather than one distinct dish.

Japanese Food - Five Dishes for Newcomers

By: Michael Russel, SITE

Japanese food, once little more than a niche occupant in the greater scope of American cuisine, has become increasingly popular in recent years. The harmony of flavors and lightness emphasized in the typical Japanese dish appeals to the palettes of many in the United States, where heavy and often deep fried foods have long dominated the market. Many people remain reluctant about exploring this aspect of ethnic cuisine, however, for fear that they'll find something on their plate which appears as though it came from the Iron Chef. This is far from the truth! The intent of this article is to introduce readers to a variety of different Japanese dishes, that they might go out and try something new without fear of what they'll be eating.

Domburi: This dish is quite simply a bowl of rice adorned with some sort of topping. A variety of toppings are popular in Japan, many of which have successfully migrated across the Pacific and into American restaurants. One example of this dish is oyakodon, which uses both chicken and egg for its topping. Another sort of domburi, gyudon, is beefy in flavor and more popular in Japan as fast food. Those of you who are especially outgoing tasters might like to sample unadon, a type of domburi wherein strips of grilled eel coated in a thick soya sauce are used to top the rice bowl.

Ramen: This soup dish has been a staple of the American college student's diet for years. Wildly popular around the world, ramen is to the Japanese what a burger and fries are to your average United States native. Ramen comes in a variety of bases and is best recognized for its long, slender noodles. Complimenting these noodles are such ingredients as dumplings, pork, miso (fermented soybeans) and soya sauce. It's interesting to note that ramen originated in China, rather than Japan, but the dish is almost always associated with the latter source nowadays.

Sashimi: This dish is often mistaken for sushi by those still new to the realm of Japanese cuisine. Although it is often presented artistically, the fact remains that sashimi is raw fish, a truth which turns the stomach of many a squeamish American. Several types of sashimi are served, the most popular of which is probably tuna. Diners should be lend particular attention to the scent when partaking of this dish. The fish used to prepare sashimi must be exceptionally fresh and as such, it should be devoid of any fishy scent.

Sushi: Perhaps the most well-recognized of all Japanese dishes, sushi has become particularly popular in trendy regions of the United States. It is served in too many variations to list completely in the space of this article. To be considered sushi, however, the dish must contain rice that has been prepared with sushi vinegar. The most recognized form of sushi is probably norimaki, or sushi rolls. These rolls contain sushi rice and various sorts of seafood rolled in sheets of dried seaweed. Norimaki often includes vegetables, as well.

Tempura: This dish has also become quite popular within Japan and across the globe. Tempura is something of a finger food, consisting of differing types of seafood and/or vegetables fried in a special batter. The end result is a delightful treat which is crisp without being heavy, as is often the case with deep fried cuisine in America. The ingredients featured in tempura are too numerous to possibly list and often vary wildly from one restaurant to the next.