Monday, May 23 2011
Thai food in Thailand is almost the centre of attention at any social gathering because of the way Thai cuisine comes together and how it is eaten. When ordering Thai cuisine in the West from a restaurant or takeaway, you tend to order a starter, main course and dessert per person. However, in Thailand this system of ordering is nonexistent nor is there a system of ordering portions per person.
Thai food becomes like a social gathering as dishes are ordered according to number of guests present. This is because all dishes are ordered to be shared with each other. Another reason dishes are shared is because it is considered bad luck in Thailand if you eat alone.
When ordering Thai cuisine you typically order all the main four seasonings - salty, sweet, sour and spicy. If all four tasted are not combined then a Thai dish will not be satisfying. A great takeaway order would include a variety of dishes - meat and/or fish dishes, a selection of vegetable and noodles and maybe some soup. If dessert is ordered then this usually consists of fresh fruit usually pineapple.
Thais are also renowned for enjoying their snack food and street food is extremely popular in Thailand and very cheap. Tasting delicious it will leave your mouth watering for more. These popular snack items on a Thai takeaway menu would include crispy spring rolls, chicken or beef satay, soups, salads and raw vegetables with a delicious spicy dip. All perfect snack items for a social gathering.
Thai cuisine also places importance on how the food is presented to its diners. When ordering in restaurants more often than not platters will be delivered which are beautifully decorated. Fruits and vegetables are beautifully carved into intricate flowers and other designs. Some dishes found in restaurants and takeaway menus include these intricate designs in the dish itself.
Whether you are going out for a Thai meal with friends or ordering a Thai takeaway to share with friends at home, you can be sure of one thing - everyone will enjoy the meal with not a trace of leftovers on any plate. Each dish ordered from your local Thai takeaway will be authentic and prepared and cooked using only the finest and freshest ingredients so you truly get a taste of Thailand.
The next time you are having friends over for a social gathering and don't know what to order, then order Thai from your local takeaway and impress your guests with the delicious dishes that are on offer. Thai delivery is one of the most popular food delivery services for any social gathering.
Tuesday, May 17 2011
Anyone can give a tie as a Fathers Day gift. One of the easiest ways to give a unique Fathers Day gift would be to have his gift personalized. Personalized gifts can include anything from picture frames to beer steins, and a jersey from your Dads favorite sport team to something as easy as a t-shirt. If you are going to buy your Fathers Day gift over the Internet, be sure to order early and allow time for personalizing and shipping. Many of these online shops can help you with personalized messages, and give you some ideas for your engraving. Novelty gifts, like putting your Dad on the cover of a magazine, make great personalized gifts too.
Instead of giving dad a bottle of his favorite cologne this year, why not have a signature scent made up especially for him? Many finer cologne shops now offer a service of blending scents to create your own cologne for Dad. Creating a custom cologne is like blending a wine, you do not need a lot of different scents to make a good blend. In fact, two or three are probably all you will need. A gift like that will certainly show Dad how much effort you put into his Fathers Day gift.
If your Father loves gourmet dining, you might consider having a professional chef come to your fathers home and cook him his favorite meal for dinner on Fathers Day. If your father is a big steak eater you will need to go out and purchase the best grade steak that you can find. Prime steak is the best, but it is also the most expensive. However, a juicy prime steak to a steak lover is a gift they will love to experience, and not likely buy for themselves.
If you do hire a chef, it is best to be able to give the chef a complete menu. Include appetizers, soups or salad, entrees, side dishes, vegetables, and desserts. Some chefs prefer to do the shopping themselves, so they can buy the best and freshest ingredients. A less expensive option would be to send your Dad prepared meals from a chef prepared meal delivery service.
Is your Father a sports fan? Many sports, like golf, for example, have disposable equipment that always needs to be replaced. Personalized golf balls is a great example. If he plays tennis, a gross of tennis balls will always come in handy. Just be careful to buy the same exact equipment your dad uses and not load him up with a brand he does not care for. Sports clothes is another good idea for this type of Dad.
If Dad likes to drink wine, one of the most popular online trends these days are the wine clubs. You can start your Father out with a couple of bottles and let him experience a new wine every month. It is a great Fathers Day gift idea that reminds your Father how much you love him every month! Similar monthly clubs are available for gourmet coffee, tea, and beer too. It is a gift that gives all year.
Yes, it can be difficult to pick out the most perfect Fathers Day gifts. Chances are, you have known your father all your life, and you have a general idea as to what he likes, and what he does not like. If he truly has everything, go with a gift card and let him choose his own gifts. Whatever you decide to give, be certain to write a little card that tells Dad exactly how much you love and appreciate him. That is a gift that even the hard-to-shop-for Dad will cherish.
Sunday, May 15 2011
Want to baby your liver? Keep your GI tract fit? Flush out toxins? These 10 foods -- many of them chosen by RealAge experts Drs. Oz and Roizen -- can spring clean your body and keep refreshing your vital parts all year 'round. No need to fast. Just take these three steps:
- "Eat clean," avoiding processed foods and chemical additives.
- Stay well hydrated by drinking lots of filtered water.
- Include some of these 10 foods in several meals throughout the week.
The Detox Top 10
- Leafy green vegetables. Eat them raw in a salad, throw them into a broth, steam them and mix with rice or add to an omelet, or puree them into juices. The chlorophyll in greens helps swab out environmental toxins (heavy metals, pesticides). It's also an all-around liver protector, which your liver needs since it's your major domo detoxifier.
- Lemons. Fresh lemonade made with filtered water will keep you hydrated, and its vitamin C helps convert toxins into a water-soluble form that's easily flushed away. (Add some pureed greens -- see above -- to further bolster your C level.) Here's another cleanse that really works.
- Watercress. Put a handful into salads, soups, and sandwiches. The peppery little green leaves have a diuretic effect that helps the flushing process. Plus cress is a mineral mine, rich in iron, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium.
- Garlic. Add it to everything -- salads, sauces, spreads. In addition to the heart-friendly bulb's cardio benefits, it activates liver enzymes. Research also indicates that garlic diminishes a process that creates cancer-causing compounds in your body.
- Green tea. This antioxidant-rich brew is one of the healthiest ways to get more water into your system. Bonus: It contains catechins, which speed up liver activity. Learn more about how to love your liver.
- Broccoli sprouts. They pack 20 times more cancer-fighting, enzyme-stimulating activity into each bite than the grown-up vegetable. Research suggests that eating the sprouts (they have a radish-like taste) kills off H. Pylori bacteria that causes stomach irritation and ulcers.
- Sesame seeds. They're credited with protecting liver cells from the damaging effects of alcohol and other chemicals. For a concentrated form, try tahini, the yummy sesame seed paste that's a staple of Middle Eastern cooking.
- Cabbage. There are two main types of detoxifying enzymes in the liver, and this potent veggie helps activate both of them. It's the largest member of the Brassica veggie family, all of which delivers colon-cancer fighting isothicyanates and vitamin C. Coleslaw, anyone?
- Psyllium. This plant's bursting with soluble fiber, which mops up toxins (cholesterol, too) and helps clear them out. Stir powdered psyllium into juice to help cleanse your colon, or have psyllium-fortified Bran Buds for breakfast. (Start with a small amount and gradually increase your dose as your GI tract becomes used to it.)
- Fruits, fruits, fruits. They're full of almost all the good things listed above -- vitamin C, fiber, nutritious fluids, and assorted antioxidants. Besides, nothing tastes better than a ripe mango, perfect pear, or fresh berries.
Ultimate Detox Recipe: Easy Wilted Garlic-Sesame Salad
Toss dark green leafy vegetables in hot, garlicky oil for a cleansing -- and delicious -- dish.
4 servings, about 65 calories each
1 tsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb. spinach, stemmed,
or 1 lb. Swiss chard, stems sliced, leaves torn
or 1 lb. mixture of spinach and watercress
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tsp. sesame seeds for garnish
Warm oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and stir until lightly browned, about 45 seconds. Add greens (do in two batches if necessary) and toss until just wilted, 2 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Find more healthy recipes with the RealAge Recipe Finder.
Thursday, May 12 2011
One of the meats that are used in cooking delicious dishes is the leg of the lamb. When it comes to special holidays or occasions, this kind of meat is the best option to opt for. By just having simple lamb recipes, you can easily learn how to cook the leg of the lamb. Here are some of the best recipes that you can make use of to prepare a scrumptious and delicious dish to your loved ones.
If you want to ensure that the leg of the lamb will be flavorful and delicious, this are the lamb recipes,you have to soak it in brine for about 12 hours. To prepare the brine, you need to dissolve 3 tbps. of salt in 6 cups of cold water. Put one teaspoon of black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, a garlic clove, and 2 sliced onions in the mixture. Soak the meat thoroughly and put it inside your refrigerator.
The Lamb recipes drain the brine and put the meat in the roasting pan. Make a seasoning on the meat by putting 1/4 salt, paprika and black pepper. Arrange the sliced onion in an orderly fashion and put some margarine or butter on the meat. Pour a single cup of water on the roasting pan and put it inside the oven. Set the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit and wait one hour for it to finish.
Peach Glazed Leg of Lamb
You have to prepare 2 sets of ingredients in this kind of lamb shanks recipes. The first one is going to be used for the meat's preparation, and the second one is for the glaze.
Here are the ingredients for the dish
• one pound of lamb's leg
• 2 tbps of vegetable oil
• clove garlic
For the glaze
• 16 oz of peach halves in syrup
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 1/2 cup of cooking sherry
• 4 tbps of butter
• 2 tbps of cornstarch
• 1 tbps of grated lemon peel
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• Steps of lamb shanks recipes in preparing the meat:
Get rid of the excess fat present in the meat and put some slits on the side. Put some garlic and slivers in those slits. Put some vegetable oil on the meat. Get a roasting rack and place the prepared meat on it. Put this inside a 450 degrees Fahrenheit preheated oven. Wait for 15 minutes for it to become roasted. While on the roasting process, you should prepare for the glaze. In a small pan, pour some peach syrup. Put some butter, brown sugar, sherry, lemon, cornstarch and allspice. After that, stir the glaze until it become thick. In medium fire, heat a pan. Get the meat from the oven and put it on the meat evenly. Put it back in the oven and wait for it until the temperature reaches 135 degrees Fahrenheit. When it is done, allow it to standby for about 20 minutes prior to slicing and serving.
Tuesday, May 10 2011
All the way back in eighteenth century Italy, the pizza was born. The combination of bread and tomato that was to become the pizza we know nowadays began as the food of the poor. It was such a delicious combination that it eventually brought tourists to Naples, the city of its origin, just to try their special combination. Over a hundred years after its creation as a take-away food, the first pizzeria was opened in 1830.
In order to preserve its heritage a council has formed called the 'Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana'. They enforce the rules for what classifies the pie as the 'traditional Italian' variety. Regulations on the temperature at which it is cooked at, the diameter and the methods by which the dough is made are among the strict stipulations they police. The dough, for instance, can only be made by hand, even the use of a rolling pin is prohibited.
At the same time, throughout the rest of the world pizza was developed in a variety of ways. From Turkey came the lahmacun, which directly translated means meat with bread. These consist of a finely chopped pieces of beef or lamb atop a piece of flat bread.
With emigration to the United States went the pie, where it became a multimillion dollar industry. This then developed into regional variations such as the New York style; large flat slices, heavy on the cheese and toppings. Elsewhere, in Detroit, a square pie became the flavor of the state, again the emphasis on a range of toppings. Greek immigrants opening up restaurants also developed an individual style whereby the dish would be cooked in a pan; the origin of today's deep pan variety. Together these styles have become the global image of pizza, that most takeaways offer.
This hasn't been restricted to America, the whole world have diversified the original Neopolitan stalwart. Cuisine from each corner of the earth have found themselves topping the famous flatbread. Chicken tikka to tuna and sweet corn and everything in between; the base of bread and tomato is now a canvas for the culinary arts.
In Russia, for instance, the preferred topping is red herring; in Japan it's eel and squid. Australians prefer shrimps and pineapple, whereas those out East, in Pakistan, go for curry. The favorite topping in America is the synonymous pepperoni; where over 250 million pounds of the stuff are plied the the pie each year.
It hasn't just been the toppings that have been experimented with. The crust, disregarded by many, has been stuffed with everything imaginable, from garlic cheese, to wild mushroom fricassee and even more pepperoni. Some places now offer a double decker pizza, where two bases are separated by a layer of sauce and cheese for a real feast.
This is now such a big business and a worldwide delicacy, that every supermarket, street and street corner offers a slice for next to nothing. The U.S. leads the world in consumption with around 350 slices being eaten each second; over a hundred acres a day. This industry now returns upwards of $30 billion in profits each year.
Monday, May 09 2011
Italian cuisine is without a doubt divinely delicious. This is an irrefutable fact. Who can resist a delicious plate of pasta? Italian food is healthy, savory, tasty and filling. The best way to get the real experience is to get your food from the world's best Italian chefs.
Let's Get to Know Italian Chefs
Italian chefs are quite famous for creating exciting and innovative Italian dishes. To them cooking is not just stirring pots and pans. Cooking is an art. Every dish is a masterpiece. Only the purest olive oil, softest mozzarella cheese, freshest tomatoes are used by the world's best Italian chefs. Their menu will often leave your mouth watering. Italy must be so lucky to have a long list of world-renowned chefs. It is these chefs who have introduced the world to pastas, polentas and pizzas.
Italian chefs are all over the world, and they are doing a great job promoting Italian cuisine. They act as culinary ambassadors of their country, continually sharing the traditional Italian food to the rest of the world. It is definitely hard to watch your weight if you are eating an Italian treat.
Now, when it comes to selecting the world's best Italian chefs are behind the world's best restaurants. When it comes to gauging and judging restaurants, the only authority is El Pellegrino. This year's El Pellegrino World's 100 Best Restaurants named six restaurants in Italy, and these restaurants are run by some of the world's best Italian chefs.
Naming Italy's Best Chefs
If you are going to visit Italy, you should definitely visit six of the country's best restaurants. Of course, these are also some of the world's best restaurants. Here you will find six of the world's best Italian chefs.
a. Massimo Botturo of Osteria Francescana. He is an innovative chef who has deep respect for traditional Italian cuisine. Like every good chef, he only uses the best ingredients. This is something he learned from his mentors Alain Ducasse and Ferran Adria.
b. Carlo Cracco of Ristorante Cracco. He has perfected his craft after several years of study and cooking. He has proven himself to be one of the most progressive and innovative Italian chefs.
c. Fulivio Pierangelini of Gambero Rosso. He is an eccentric chef with a seemingly brusque manner. He did not start out as a chef, but he eventually fell into the profession. He is now one of the best chefs in Tuscany - and of course, the world.
d. Davide Scabin of Combal Zero. He is a culinary magician, a creator of fantasies. Many food critics have called him a renegade chef because he refuses to conform. He is a culinary rebel, but he has managed to create a world-class restaurant.
e. Nadia Santini of Dal Pescatore. She is considered by the French to the world's best chef. She came to be in the culinary industry because of her husband Antonio whose family has always been in the restaurant industry. Like her in-laws she has a deep respect for traditional Italian cooking. She is the heart of Dal Pescatore kitchens.
f. Chef Massimiliano Alajmo of Le Calandre. He is the youngest chef to have received three stars. That's not an easy feat, but this Italian chef has managed to do it. He grew up in a family of chefs and restaurateurs, so it is not surprising that he has made his own mark in the culinary industry.
Chef Matthew, the owner of ProChef360 Blog.com, is an expert in culinary arts. He is after all an outstanding chef, having had worked in some of the finest resorts, hotels and restaurants in the world. His interest, however, in social media was awakened when he started his own websites.
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Sunday, May 01 2011
Are you tired of the same old routine on Mother's Day? Well here are some new ideas, and some rehashed old ideas to help you enjoy that special day with your mother. While it seems almost a tradition to take your mother out for brunch on Mothers Day, perhaps this year you could try something else. Especially since restaurants know they will get a crowd, and therefore they can raise their prices at will. So if your mother really craves a Mothers Day Brunch, invite her a week before or after the actual day. This way you don't have to fight the crowds, and the prices will be lower. And by doing this you actually get to spend two days with your mother instead of just one.
If you live in a climate where the weather is nice you can take your mother out for a picnic lunch. Enjoy the cool breeze under the shade of a tree with a nice lunch that you made. Be sure to pack some of her favorite foods, so she feels you went all out for her. After lunch take her for ice cream. Another idea would be to take your mother bowling. Sure she doesn't bowl everyday, but the bowling alleys are less crowded on Mothers Day so she won't feel overwhelmed. Even if she never bowled in her life, trying something new is always interesting and fun.
Maybe there is a movie in the theaters that your mother is dying to see. Treat her to a movie and make sure you buy her all the popcorn and candy she can eat. It is only one day a year, so make sure she enjoys. If you are a male chances are you won't like the movie she wants to see, but just think of all the things your mother did for you in your life that she didn't want to do. Perhaps you could to the mall and get your picture taken with your mother. For a relatively cheap price you can have yourself professionally photographed with your mother, and she can proudly display the finished product in her house.
Pamper your mother on mothers day by taking her to a spa, especially if you live in New York City. Maybe she has been working so hard and needs a nice message or aromatherapy to release her stress. Or if she doesn't want to go to a spa buy her special soaps and oils so she can relax at her leisure in her tub. There a hundreds of different types of soaps and oils that have delicious flavors. You could also buy her scented candles that she could light by her tub, and enjoy the serenity. Regardless of what you choose make sure you do something extraordinary for the woman that took care of you your whole life.
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