Ethnic Profiling Is The Key to Cooking With Spices

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Ethnic Profiling Is The Key to Cooking With Spices

Cooking with spices is an aspect of cooking that frustrates many people. The questions I receive all highlight a confusion over which spices to buy, how to use them, and how much of them to use. All of those questions can be answered with a simple change in thinking. Use ethnic profiling.

First, dont over-think it. Herbs and spices are best used to accent the natural flavor of a particular ingredient. They wont make or break your dish in the end. A quarter-teaspoon too little or too much wont be the line between wild success and horrible failure. Cooking with spices or adding herbs to a finished dish is like the artists signature on the bottom of his painting. Its not meant to be the focal point of the creation, just the pronouncement that its complete and ready to be enjoyed.

There is a big difference between seasoning and flavoring. Seasoning is the act of bringing out the natural flavors of the food with herbs and spices. Salt and pepper on a grilled chicken breast will accent the flavor of the chicken, but not change it. Flavoring is changing the flavor profile of the ingredient entirely. Chicken in a heavy cream or sherry sauce may not be immediately identifiable as chicken. The flavor, not the seasoning of the chicken is changed.

With that in mind, there are two ways to start creating your own combination of herbs and spices for a personal cooking repertoire. Either match the seasonings to the ingredient, or to a specific style of cooking or ethnicity. Use the palate-stereotypes that exist to mimic the flavors of a specific culture.

Ive arranged the dry spices in my cabinet by cultural or ethnic teams. These are the combinations Ill use when cooking with spices to achieve a specific international flavor. If I want to cook an Italian dish, Ill use Basil, Oregano and Garlic. Those are the flavors inherently associated with Italian Cooking.

While the cooking methods may stay exactly the same, the type of seasoning accent you place on the food can create a wide variety of everyday meals using the same ingredient. For example, sauted pieces of chicken accented with Curry Powder, Turmeric, Cloves, and Allspice will be reminiscent of Indian Cooking. The very same sauted chicken seasoned with Cumin, Coriander, Cilantro, and Chipotle Pepper is a Mexican dish even though the cooking methods are the same.

If youre not looking for worldwide flavors, and just want to make your everyday cooking better, there are some herbs and spices that compliment certain ingredients better than others. Combining Thyme, Tarragon, and Sage will remind you of the smell of a roasting turkey. These three seasonings are my Poultry Team. I always use them to compliment chicken, turkey, duck, or quail.

Think of a beef or pork roast in the oven. Draw air through your nose deeply. What do you smell? Its probably Thyme, Rosemary, Cloves, and Black Pepper. If you can smell it in your head, you can taste it on your finished dish, and these four items should make up your Meats Team. Now, create a Fish Team or a Vegetables Team using the herbs and spices you like best with those ingredients.

The first step to perfect seasoning is to group and associate your spices with a particular style of cooking, or to highlight the main ingredient being used. Through experimentation and tasting, youll know what to use with a basic chicken saut, or how to season your own Asian chicken dish that you created. Aim at the ingredient or the culture for the best use of spices.

Its okay to use ethnic profiling when cooking with spices. Your goal as the cook is to use these food stereotypes to communicate the ethnic flavor profile to those enjoying the meal.

See the complete Cooking With Spices video.

Eggtastic invention initiation of McDonalds Breakfast

Eggtastic invention initiation of McDonalds Breakfast

Chickens around the world work overtime so as to be able to produce enough eggs to appease the appetite of egg-lovers. Eggs have been a part of everyday diet of people since antiquity, owing to the health-benefits of consuming eggs. In several parts of the world, but especially Europe, America, Japan, and South America, eggs are used not only as a great source of protein but in several dishes which are specific to the cuisine favored in the region. Which is to say that whether it is in the east or the west, Eggs do come up on top as the best.

It will not be wrong to claim that you can take the cuisine out of the eggs (and still happily consume them), but you cannot take eggs out of the cuisine. For a lot of people, eggs are more than just a tasty source of protein, they stand apart in the food kingdom as unique. Although a wide variety of animals produce eggs, humans mostly consume eggs that are laid by chickens. In as much as that, eggs emerging from different parts of the world are different. It is known that china has come up with a type of eggs which remains preserved and is hence called century eggs. In Japan eggs are used in many rolled items such as sushi, rice cakes etc. American eggs are different from eggs that are produced in Europe; as American eggs are first cleaned when they are laid by the chicken but no such cleaning ritual happens in European countries. According to reports published online, Paraguay is the country where most eggs are consumed in the entire world, followed closely by Mexico, France, America and other European countries. This love affair with eggs cannot be merely described in words as eggs have passed effortlessly through the transparent lines which classify different dishes and cuisines all around the world, leading to its status as a globally produced and consumed winner; and that is when we have not even mentioned the numerous health-benefits associated with the intake of eggs. Looking at this landscape which is perfectly formed for a universal egg-based dish to rise, it is hard to comprehend how no one in the quick service restaurants industry thought of incorporating eggs into their menu, except for a man named Herb Peterson.

In 1972, Ray Kroc the world renowned genius behind the McDonalds franchise, was invited to a McDonalds restaurant in Santa Barbara to try the first McDonalds burger with eggs. When Kroc saw the breakfast sandwich hot egg, combined with cheese, Canadian bacon and English muffins, he was baffled as an egg-sandwich was unheard of in those times. However, after taking a bite, Kroc, who had had lunch already, didnt stop till he had two sandwiches.

He didnt want me to reject it out of hand, which I might have done, because it was a crazy ideaa breakfast sandwich. It consisted of an egg that had been formed in a Teflon circle, with the yolk broken, and was dressed with a slice of cheese and a slice of grilled Canadian bacon. This was served open-faced on a toasted and buttered English muffin. I boggled a bit at the presentation. But then I tasted it, and I was sold, Kroc said.

Eggstastic invention, some would call it (tongue in cheek).

That was the day McDonalds most popular breakfast item was invented and since then has spread to dominate the vast reach of McDonalds empire. In the year 1976, the first McDonalds breakfast menu began that is four years after the EggMcMuffins tasting session with Ray Kroc and Herb Peterson.

According to Peterson, while experimenting with egg sandwiches for a breakfast dish, he found out that poached eggs were too runny they would just run out of the enclosing bacon and muffins, occasionally dripping over whatever he happened to be wearing then. So, after a lot of brain-storming, Peterson came up with an idea to rid the problem: he steamed the eggs in a cluster of rings in which eggs could be given the shape of the muffins. When topped with Canadian bacon, the resulting sandwich turned out to be immensely tasty, and in time, popular.

As it has less sodium in it by virtue of its preparation (steamed), Egg McMuffin became a healthy breakfast sandwich options for a lot of people, owing to its immense popularity in all the continents where a McDonalds restaurant can be found. Today it is so popular, that in many countries, the sandwich is served all day long.

Education Play an Important Role in Molding Your Culinary Career

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Education Play an Important Role in Molding Your Culinary Career

If you are considering pursuing a career in the culinary arts you will have to choose a proper school and complete appropriate culinary classes. Choosing a reputable culinary school and enrolling in one to obtain a degree is a good way to start your career in the culinary field.

Your enrollment in such a school will allow you to obtain the right training and equip you with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in any of the culinary positions that you would like to focus on.

The selection of culinary schools is wide ranging so it is crucial to carefully consider your options and make an informed decision. Take these pointers so you can boost your chances of becoming successful in the culinary field:

Go for the best culinary school

To take advantage of everything that a culinary institution has offer, you must strive to attend the best school possible. These schools provide high-quality training because they have the best instructors, and offer the most modern and technologically advanced resources for both practical and academic lessons.

Selecting the right program

There are quite a number of culinary & cooking programs and your choice should be determined by your career goals. The right program will provide you with the things you need to deliver excellent performance once you begin working. But regardless of your preference, keep in mind that quality training will help broaden your knowledge base offering you all the information necessary to your chosen career.

The programs offered in culinary institutions include certificate programs, associate degrees, bachelor degrees, and master degrees. Associate degrees are typically a 2-year course and this is enough if you are only seeking an entry level job option. On the other hand, if you want to explore more opportunities or attain higher job positions in the culinary field, the 4-year bachelors degree is the right path to take.

Now, different schools offer different kinds of culinary school programs. Make sure you will choose the right one - below are more precise descriptions of the programs offered in the culinary area.

Certificate Culinary Degrees

If your aim is to be a chef, the certificate degree is the first step that will lead you to your desired career. If you wish to learn about the basics of cooking, this is the fastest way to learn them as it focuses on nothing but cooking skills and knowledge. Since this program is completed in as little as 6 months, expect the lessons to be purely about cooking and include hands-on lessons.

Associates Degree

Typically, it will take 2 years to finish this type of a program. Obviously, this offers a more extensive culinary education to students. When you graduate, you will have enough skills to enter the competitive world of culinary. You learn skills such as prep and clean up, and information about basic things such as sanitation and nutrition.

Bachelors Degree

For students who are targeting the managerial or chef positions in the culinary, you must have a bachelors degree to qualify. If you want to open your own dining or food business, this degree is a must. It will take 4 years but you can acquire all the knowledge and expertise necessary to succeed.

Besides the culinary courses and degrees mentioned, there are other majors offered in culinary schools like:

1. Culinary arts major
2. Culinary arts management
3. Baking and Pastry arts major
4. Hotel and Restaurant management
5. Wine and Beverage management

After the completion of any of these programs, you can apply to various jobs in the food industry and culinary field. Education has a big role to play in helping a student to achieve his or her culinary dream. The more education, and the better the school providing it, the higher your chances of success will be.

In conclusion, culinary is a big field so discerning which course and school to focus on can be tough. It is crucial to identify your goals to begin with, so things will to be simpler and so that you can decide without difficulty. When you have clarified your goals, the program that you should explore will become clear. Many schools offer culinary training, but you must go for the one that can really help mold your culinary career and let you reach your culinary goals and dreams.

Eating Raw Food

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Eating Raw Food

When we are at home then following a raw food diet is quite easy.You have all the appliances that you need such as a blender and juicer as well as all the raw food ingredients such as fruit,vegetables,oils seeds and nuts.

But what happens when you step out of your front door?

Suddenly all the goodies in your kitchen are left behind and you are out there in the world of cooked meals.What to do?

The first thing is to be clear how much of the raw diet you want to keep.For me probably the most difficult situation is when I go out with friends for a meal.I have yet to go to a raw food restaurant.There are some in London and a few other places but that's it really.

You can of course go to any restaurant and order say a salad but be careful to ensure they don't put any dressing on it as there are lots of processed foods in there.But the truth is you will eat something cooked if you want to "join in " with everybody else.To what extent I will leave up to you.

You can of course sneak in your own additions such as nuts seeds and olives but if you are asking for a salad then ask them to add a few raw favorites such as an avocado.

If you are traveling to say a conference the organizers often ask in advance if you have any special dietary needs.It is true that most only offer a cooked vegetarian option but if you tell them you want something raw and vegan then you could get lucky.

It has happened to me a few time and think about it, if it's raw it's easier for the chef to make.

If you are on the road invest in some good plastic containers and cutlery.Also take a plastic bag to put all your waste in.

It is now possible to buy portable blenders which are hand powered or powered by batteries.One such blender is the Magic Bullet Blender.Small and compact and ideal to take on the road.

So what should you take when you are on the road?

Apples, raw chocolate, pitted dates, nuts ,water spirulina, avocados, flax crackers, nori sheets & tahini

If you are going for longer than a week then take some seeds for sprouting and a sprouting jar.

So you see you don't have to give up your raw diet as soon as you walk out the front door.With a little planning you can keep you mega healthy diet going wherever you are.

Easy to Make Dessert Creations

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Easy to Make Dessert Creations

You don't have to be a pastry chef to create delectable and beautifully presented deserts. All it takes is your skills combined with the right accessories.

Home made Ice Cream

Perhaps one of the most enjoyed deserts in the world is ice-cream. Making your own ice cream at home or frozen yogurt desserts in a great way to treat your family or guests and earn you accolades. There are literally hundreds of ice cream recipes available in assorted flavors including fruits or chocolate.

Owning your own ice cream maker can be lots of fun and even the kids can take part in the process. The Double Treat Ice Cream Maker can make two different flavors at the same time. In the space of 2 hours you can have 2 quarts of delicious ice cream without any need for pre-freezing. It is as simple as adding your ingredients, pushing a button and you have ice cream ready to place into the freezer. This electric wonder offers thermal sensors which automatically activate the churning process and siding doors which enable you to add other ingredients when it comes time to do so.

Yet it is easy to clean and can even be put into the dishwasher. No longer will you need to measure ingredients, stir custard and hand churn. You can even take the process one step further and make your own ice cream sandwiches. The Ice Cream Sandwich Maker allows you to make delicious homemade delights in next to no time.

Every sandwich put out is perfectly formed. Simply place your favorite cookie in the press and then a layer of homemade ice cream. Top it with another cookie and press down. What you get is dessert treats you can either eat right away of wrap up or place in the freezer for another day.

You could also treat yourself to a standard Ice Cream Maker that produces fantastic soft-serve ice cream, gelato or yogurt dessert in less than 25 minutes. It needs no hand-cranking and the one-quart canister produces enough ice cream to serve 8-10 people. Adding fresh cherries for an usual twist is easy too with a Cherry Pitter. In once step you can stone a cherry without splattering. This kitchen tools is designed with a spatter shield that provides a barrier between you and the cherry. Pits are removed with ease by means of a comfortable handle grip.

Perfect Baking

The iconic Brownie is has never been easier to make than it is with a specialized Brownie Pan. Due to its special design that features partitions this pan produces more chewy edges and corners than any other. The heat is distributed evenly and the rounded corners and non-stick finish means you get a perfect result each and every time.

If you are a fan of the cupcake why not size it up? The Cupcake Pan & Sprinkles allows you to bake two halves in one and then join them together with a thin layer of icing afterwards. What you get is a super sized cupcake that is true to form in every other way. The next time you have to bake a special occasion cake why not surprise with cupcakes that can be shared?

Birthday cakes are another iconic baking treat enjoyed throughout the world. It is easy to create feature cakes with specially designed moulds that can customized to suit such as the Alphabet/Number Cake Pan or the Pull-Apart Baking Molds. The first allows you to form an almost endless letter or number combinations with 2" blocks that fit into grooves in a pan. The other offers a unique silicone molds that are able to create a variety of party cakes ranging from a butterfly to a train design.

If pies are popular in your home you can create a range of pies each with their own stylized crusts. The reversible Pie Top Cutters allow you to create unusual or fancy pies in next to no time. These double sided crust cutters which feature hearts on one side or Lattice work on the other mean you can use them to create beautifully finished pies. Simply roll out your dough and press. Measuring 12 "in diameter and made from polystyrene these pie crust can be easily placed in the dishwasher after use.

Yet what are most pies without whipped cream? The Cream Whipper & Charges can whip up cream without mess or the need of electric hand beaters in a matter of seconds. It can also remain in the fridge for up to 10 days which means you will never be without fresh whipped cream to compliment your pie.

Whatever your particular interest or skill, many dessert recipes are made substantially less difficult with the right accessory. Whether you bake and decorate cakes and cookies or entertain lavishly, you are sure to find right tool for the job.

Cheryl Lewisson is a freelance writer who writes about cooking and other home products, often discussing particular types of items such as kitchen supplies .

Easy Peasy Food Gifts To Bring to the Sick and Weary

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Easy Peasy Food Gifts To Bring to the Sick and Weary

Everyone knows to bring food when someone is sick or recovering. A snack or a meal sends along a kind wish that lingers with every bite.

Yummy food is the perfect gift for helping a distraught family when the loved one has landed in the hospital with a sudden illness, an accident, scheduled surgery, or a planned treatment. It can be a godsend for those who are recovering at home, dealing with a chronic illness, or struggling with the worsening complications of aging. A nourishing meal can ease the load for new parents following the birth of their newborn and it can be a lifesaver for those who are grieving following a death.

But, what if youre not a cook? Have no fear, options are here!

Individually-wrapped snacks: The grocery stores are full of healthy, fun, and easy-to-eat and easy-to-store goodies (cheese, crackers, dried fruit, cookies, granola bars, nuts). Just put them in a fun bag or basket. They will be a special treat for the patient or loved ones in the middle of those lonely, sleepless nights.

Gift cards/certificates: Most restaurants and food chains will gladly sell you a gift card. Most grocery stores conveniently have them for many popular restaurant chains. A gift card can be so handy when the family desperately needs a break.

Takeout meals: Call ahead of time to find out what type of takeout the individual or family would like. Just drop it off and remember to keep your visit SHORT.

Restaurant-catered meals: If you know that a restaurant is a persons favorite, ask the restaurant if they will deliver the meal and set it up.

Chef-prepared meals: Many businesses are popping up that deliver deliciously prepared fresh or frozen meals straight to the door. With a gift certificate, your friends or loved ones can order online and choose their favorites.

Freshly prepared meals: Most grocery stores, superstores, and membership warehouses offer a variety of ready-to-eat meals. Be sure to check out the preparation instructions so that you know if its microwaveable or needs to be warmed up in an oven.

When making your choice, be sure to ask about food preferences or restrictions. And then, be sure to include plasticware, plates, cups, napkins, and anything needed for clean up (storage plastic bags for leftovers, wet wipes, trash bags).

So, try one of these easy peasy ways to deliver some nutrition, warmth, and cheer. You can stay out of the kitchen and still be there to help your friends and family when they need you the most.

Copyright 2014 Allidah Hicks and Bonnie Knuti. All rights reserved.

Does He Fancy Me 3 Signs That He Wants To Be More Than Friends

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Does He Fancy Me 3 Signs That He Wants To Be More Than Friends

How can I tell if he fancies me and wants a relationship?

If you've ever asked yourself that question, then you know just how frustrating and confusing it can be trying to figure out if a man fancies you or not. Men aren't likely to just come out and tell you how they feel about you, especially if they're not sure how you feel about them.

Talking about emotions makes men feel uncomfortable so if you want an answer to the question, "Does he fancy me?", then you'll need to pay close attention to the other signals he's giving you.

He's Telling You He Wants To Be More Than Just Friends - 3 Revealing Signals You Should Take Notice Of

You Catch Him Constantly Looking At You

The best way to know whether or not a man fancies you is to study his body language. People don't always tell the truth, but body language never lies. If you want to know how to make a guy want you, then you'll also want to study your own body language to make sure you're sending him all the right signals so he knows it's ok to approach you.

When a man is interested in and attracted to you, he will have a hard time keeping his eyes off you. You might catch him looking at you from across the room. If you make eye contact, he may glance away, but that doesn't mean he's not interested. In fact, it usually means the opposite and he's probably feeling a little embarrassed that you caught him looking at you.

Also, a man who fancies you will make direct eye contact with you when he's talking to you. He will smile...A LOT. He may even reach over and touch your hand, your shoulder, or your hair.

You've probably heard these many times if you've ever read dating tips for women, but there's a reason for that. They work!

He's Complimentary And Takes An Interest In You

Does the man you're wondering about ever ask you out or compliment you? For example, maybe he says, "You look super cute today" or "Wow, you smell good." It may even be more subtle like, "Did you cut your hair?" If a man is taking notice of small changes you make in the way you look, then he's most definitely paying close attention to you.

Likewise, does he take an interest in the things you love? Does he ask you about your favorite hobbies or activities? When you tell him things, does he smile and seem to enjoy the conversation or does he seem bored and uninterested? A man who fancies you will want to know everything about you.

He's A Flirt

A man who wants to be more than just friends will flirt with you. Flirting is a fun way to show someone you're interested. People who are only interested in each other as friends may laugh, joke, and have fun together, but they rarely flirt with each other in any kind of romantic or sexual way. If his conversations with you include sexual innuendos, then he most definitely fancies you.