For Kitchen ™

How to Make an Irish Coffee

2008-11-17T06:07:00.000-08:00

There’s nothing like an Irish Coffee - tasty, invigorating and energising. It was invented by a barman named Joe Sheridan, who was working at Shannon International Airport during the 1940s and wished to provide a refreshing beverage for the tired American travellers disembarking from the eighteen hour transatlantic flight. He developed the Irish coffee, a soothing and sophisticated drink and it took off from there to become the world renowned brand that it is today. If you are passing through Shannon airport, pop in to the Joe Sheridan Café Bar, drink an Irish Coffee and read the plaque honouring his achievement. To make your own, follow these simple steps:

1. Heat up a stemmed whiskey goblet.

2. Pour in a shot of your favourite Irish whiskey.

3. Drop in three teaspoonfuls of brown sugar. (The sugar is essential for floating the cream on the top.)

4. Fill to within two inches of the rim of your favourite black coffee.

5. Stir the contents gently.

6. Add fresh cream, pouring over the back of a spoon to the top. (Whipped cream is sometimes used although it is not the original recipe but it will float even if the coffee is not made with sugar.)

7. Do not stir. The coffee is sipped through the cream.

It should, in the words of it’s creator, have ‘cream as rich as an Irish brogue; coffee as strong as a friendly hand; sugar as sweet as the tongue of a rogue and whiskey as smooth as the wit of the land.’

Russell Shortt is a travel consultant with Exploring Ireland, the leading specialists in customised, private escorted tours, escorted coach tours and independent self drive tours of Ireland. Article source: http://www.exploringireland.net

4 Signs Your Kitchen Needs Remodeling

2008-11-15T05:31:00.000-08:00

There comes a time in every homeowner's life when they need to make a decision on whether or not to remodel. One of the popular areas of the home to remodel is the kitchen. A major remodeling project will cost time and money. Even a small remodeling project carries with it some expense. You obviously wouldn't want to take on an expensive remodeling project without a good reason. Take a look at your kitchen, and you may just see signs that the room needs to be remodeled or renovated. If not completely remodeled, then at least redecorated. These signs should tell you if you should remodel your kitchen.

The kitchen is falling apart. Take a look around your kitchen. If you have an older kitchen, you may notice cabinet doors askew, or holes in the walls, bumps and pits in the kitchen floor, chips and scratches in the coutertop. These are all signs that the kitchen should be at least partially, if not completely remodeled. In some cases, the kitchen needs to be remodeled not only for appearance, but for safety. Cracks and gaps in the counter could trap food and dirt, providing an ideal breeding ground for dangerous bacteria. Sagging cabinet doors, and sharp edges can snag clothing. Bumps in the floor could cause tripping. These kind of issues need to be taken care of, to provide a safe working environment when preparing meals.

The kitchen is inefficient. Go into the kitchen and walk through a typical meal preparation process. Do you find yourself constantly running from one side of the kitchen to the other? Are the work surfaces far from the refrigerator, sink, and stove? Your kitchen may not be making the best use of the available space. Remodeling, and rearranging the kitchen can help to maximise use of the space, and make the workflow more efficient. If the kitchen is large enough, you may consider adding a table or kitchen island in the middle, giving you more workspace, and putting that workspace closer to where it's needed.

The kitchen is outdated. Your oven may have been state of the art... when it was installed in the 60's. If you have older appliances in your kitchen, you should consider replacing them. Modern appliances have more useful features than older appliances, and they are more efficient, getting more done, with less electricity. With energy costs rising, that could be a big factor. Modern appliances are often smaller and less bulky than older appliances, so you have the extra space for storage, or preparing meals.

You just want to. Even if the kitchen is in fairly good shape, and utilizes the space well, it just may not look as good as it could. The kitchen could be perfectly functional, but still look shabby and worn. You can change the look of the kitchen with a few simple projects. New flooring, new cabinets, a new sink, or even just a coat of paint can change the look of the kitchen. A few posters or paintings on the wall and some new canisters can help the look of the kitchen, without spending a lot of money.

Take a good look at your kitchen. Any or all of these reasons to remodel may apply. If you do need to remodel, you don't need to spend a lot of money on the project. You can start small, do a few small, inexpensive projects here and there, and save the bigger projects for later, when you have the time and money. Decide what needs to be done, and then get in there and do it.

Muscle Milk Review - Why Does it Taste So Good?

2008-11-15T05:21:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of protein supplements available nowadays for those trying to lose weight or build larger muscles
. These protein supplements can be fast release or slow release. Which protein powder you should seek depends on your needs and goals.

The foremost thing you had better do is taste a sampling from each protein powder prior to purchasing one. If you are interested in more common flavors such as chocolate and vanilla, then check out the supplies at your local gym and check if there are sample packs or single servings of the various flavored protein powders. Perhaps you are thinking it is foolish buying a protein powder based upon taste, but trust me, there is a huge difference between protein powders. Why would you buy a flavor that you choke on whilst you drink it? You many also get stuck with one that is so lumpy you swear you are going to choke on a lump of dry powder. You must refuse to blow away your hard earned cash on a protein powder that tastes so ordinary you end up buying something elee and discarding the rest of the tub. Been there, done that! Be sure to do the taste test.

Luckily there is a fast way to pick a protein powder that's guaranteed to taste good. Pick any flavor of Muscle Milk! Yes, I'm sure you have heard about the taste, its true. If you google "best tasting protein powder", you will find many a muscle milk review showing that Muscle Milk dominates the protein market in terms of taste and quality. Muscle Milk is simply yummy. You'll have no trouble consuming the protein powder as many times as you need to. You will find yourself having extra shakes because it tastes so good. Muscle Milk also mixes very easily too. In the past I have thrown away a close to full container of a different brand as it just resisted mixing. I even blended it for about 5 minutes and still found lumps. Muscle Milk comes in many flavors too besides chocolate, in fact there is close to 30 flavors, cake batter is the new favorite.

Those who are serious about building muscle will understand how crucial it is to find a perfect protein supplement, which is all about choosing the right protein blend for you. If you don't know much about protein, you need to understand that there are many types that all work differently. I think the best options is to choose a protein that combines various protein sources so that you have both fast and slow release proteins in your system. Combining casein and whey is the best pick according to most studies - so be sure to check the label for this.

So should you choose muscle milk as your protein supplement? I have had great results with this product and so have my training partners, however it can be different for each person. I would suggest you read some muscle milk reviews from people who tried this product and observed the results, then you will have a better understanding if it is right for you.

Chocolate Pecan Pie: The Ultimate Southern Pecan Pie

2008-11-15T05:17:00.000-08:00

For Christmas, you drive down to a friend's house in the south. Homemade meat loaf, fried chicken with cream gravy, classic macaroni and cheese, Southern style cornbread, crockpot barbecue country style ribs. You think to yourself, "Wow, these southern ladies really know how to cook." Just when you've stuffed yourself up to bursting, they serve the dessert: chocolate pecan pie.

You can't resist the lure of this chocolate pecan pie. You take just a little teeny-weeny bite. Oh the glorious taste. The sweet sumptuous chocolate taste combines incredibly well with the buttery and rich pecan tang. This is certainly a great twist to the traditional pecan pie you've been eating. Every bite of the chocolate pecan pie makes you want to taste even more. You feel happy, slightly intoxicated, and so at peace with the world that you want to hug everyone in sight.

Maybe you're letting yourself get carried away. But you feel like you've been taken back to the times when the Mayan people drank a warm unsweetened liquid chocolate for life and fertility. Chocolate was so precious then to the Mayans and the Aztecs who conquered them that it was used for currency. In the old Spanish courts where chocolate was brought after Cortes' journey to the Americas, it was mixed with sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and cinnamon to produce an enticing drink. You picture yourself in the French courts in the 1600s where chocolate was reputed to be an aphrodisiac. Even the famous Casanova was rumored to use chocolates laced with champagne to seduce ladies.

You indulge in the bittersweet buttery flavor from the pecans in the chocolate pecan pie. These pecans also have a great story to tell. Some Native American tribes considered the pecan tree a symbol of the Great Spirit, the creator of all things. You picture yourself in the pre-colonial North America worshipping the Great Spirit under the wide canopy of the pecan tree. The nuts were favored by the Native Americans for food during the lean months of winter. You imagine the creamy liquid powcohicora prepared from pecan nuts drunk for sustenance or being added to broths or meat stews. Pecan fruits or nuts were considered valuable, so much so that they were used by the Native Americans as currency to trade for hides and mats from the Spaniards.

Did anyone back then every think that they could make something as sinfully delicious as chocolate pecan pie from chocolates and pecans? You rouse yourself from your reveries to find your slice of chocolate pecan pie gone. You reach for another slice, just a small one and go back to your reveries.

The great pecan pie had its roots in New Orleans. When the French settled in this area, the Native Americans taught them about pecans. Several nutty experiments later, voila! The pecan pie. You can't believe the first recipe for the pecan pie was made in 1925. It must have taken years to perfect the recipe for the perfect combination found in chocolate pecan pie. At least, that explains how the chocolate pecan pie became one of the most loved ingredients of a traditional Southern cooked meal.

For the best that Southern cooking has to offer, go to Tanner's Pecans and Candies. They offer a homemade chocolate pecan pie and other pecan treats for desserts that complete every home cooked meal.

What Makes the Starbucks Coffee Experience Special?

2008-11-08T19:08:00.001-08:00

Starbucks. When you say the name, it automatically conjures up an image: an upscale coffee bar with light wood, glass and chrome. The invigorating and inviting aroma of brewed coffee and the café atmosphere has made Starbucks the best-known specialty coffee
roaster and server in the world. Starbucks has done an excellent job of branding their company - it is the only coffee brand that is on the list of 100 most recognized brands in the world. What makes the Starbucks brand and the Starbucks coffee experience so ubiquitous that it ranks up there alongside Google, McDonalds and Coca Cola in name and brand recognition?

Sheer size and Starbuck's number of locations has something to do with name recognition and popularity. With over 16,000 shops worldwide, Starbucks is certainly one of the most visible brands in the world. However, this is not a matter of the chicken or the egg - in order to become so visible, Starbucks had to start off with something special in the first place. It is that “something special” that defines the Starbucks coffee experience.

The Third Place

Since the opening of its first stores in Seattle, Starbucks has striven to be more than just a place where you buy coffee
. Howard Schultz, company President and CEO, defined the atmosphere that Starbucks attempts to create when he said "We're in the business of human connection and humanity, creating communities in a third place between home and work."

The Third Place concept informs the design of Starbucks shops. While coffee takes center stage, the design is meant to make customers comfortable. To further customer comfort and social interaction, most Starbucks stores mix upholstered chairs and sofas with hard-backed chairs around tables. Most Starbucks stores offer free electricity to their customers so that they can plug in their laptops and all U.S. Starbucks offer Wi-Fi access through AT&T. In addition, many Starbucks feature a well-stocked reading and game shelf to encourage customers to settle in and hang out with friends for a while.

The Coffee Experience

More than anything else, of course, Starbucks is about the coffee. The company started out as a premium coffee roaster, and they stayed true to their roots by serving nothing but excellent coffee. As of early July 2008, Starbucks announced that they would be changing the way that coffee is made and served in their stores around the world in an effort to provide the best coffee
experience possible. The changes will be rolled in across the U.S. by the end of 2008, and include a commitment to grind and brew many coffee varieties to order, as well as to discard any coffee that has been brewed for more than thirty minutes.

In order to enhance the coffee atmosphere, Starbucks employees are requested to avoid wearing strong perfumes that might interfere with the coffee aroma, and nearly all Starbucks around the world are non-smoking indoors. The preservation of the coffee-centric atmosphere was the reason that Starbucks abandoned its short-lived foray into serving breakfast sandwiches. According to some sources, the smell of the breakfast sandwiches overpowered the coffee aroma, making the coffee cafes smell like diners - an image that the company does not want to present.

All About the Coffee

The Starbucks coffee experience extends to brewing your own Starbucks coffee at home. The coffee roasts that Starbucks have chosen for sale are those that best reflect the rich coffee flavor and aroma of your local Starbucks. Those roasts tend to lean heavily toward darker roasts, because it is easier to maintain consistency of flavor across batches when roasting darker. Darker roasts also tend to be more 'coffee' flavored than lighter roasts, which allow the variations of region and season to be more readily apparent.

Since 2000, the Starbucks coffee experience has also included feeling good about your coffee choices. That's the year that Starbucks started selling its line of Fair Trade Certified coffee. As of 2005, Starbucks was the largest single buyer of Fair Trade certified coffee in the world, buying over 11.5 million pounds of FTC coffee - about 10% of the entire U.S. volume of Fair Trade sales. The amount accounted for about 6% of the company's total coffee buying for that year. While some activist groups pressure Starbucks to increase the percentage of Fair Trade coffee that it offers for sale, company spokespeople point out that they pay above market price for coffee and that they also deal with many small growers who can't afford the cost of Fair Trade certification.

The Starbucks Coffee Experience

The Starbucks coffee experience can be summed up in just a few words: great coffee in comfortable surroundings served by an attentive staff and produced by a company that cares about our world. With great tasting drinks and a commitment to creating a fun atmosphere, it is no wonder why Starbucks has become a household name.

Popular Single Serve Coffee Pod Machine

2008-11-08T18:55:00.000-08:00

A coffee pod machine is used in brewing instant coffee
. Single serving coffee pod machines are now being developed to make brewing more convenient and simpler.

A coffee pod maker takes lesser time to brew and is easy to clean. There is small room for mistakes with this machine.

Coffe pod machines are basically made of sealable plastic rods with small paper filters inside. Pods are placed in the machine and locked in place. Switch it on the water heats.

Some of the companies that offer coffee pod machines are: Melitta, Briel, Bunn, Keurig, Juan Valdez and Senseo. Colors include: green, yellow, black, orange, chrome, red and stainless steel. The price of a pod machine starts at $50.

Four of the most popular single-serving pod-based machines on the market today are as follows:
1. Braun - TASSIMO Machine
The Braun TASSIMO is a revolutionary coffee machine that uses the T-Disc system. It can make ready-to-drink hot beverages in just 60 seconds. Braun Tassimo is very easy to use and handy. It can be manually adjusted, providing different strengths and cup sizes. Tassimo is an ideal coffee machine for dinner parties. It has a large water tank that can be filled up with one liter of water.

The T-disc system of Braun Tassimo can read a barcode on the disc and start working on it. The pod uses a small-brewing chamber which can feature a unique inverse flow. The drink is then poured from disc into the cup.
Leading brands of T-Discs are Twinings, Kenco and Suchard. All of these can be used to make a cup of coffee, tea, espresso, decaffeinated coffee, cappuccino, hot chocolate and caffe crema.

2. Philips SENSEO Coffee Machine
Philips Senseo coffee makers come with a layer of froth that helps retain the taste and warmth of coffee. It can produce one or two cups. The machine comes in three colors of white, black and blue. Senseo coffee maker will take only a minute to brew a coffee. The setting can be tweaked depending on how much coffee you want to make.

Philips Senseo, on the other hand, combines a patented brewing system. It automatically combines the right balance of water and coffee. The brewing system was developed in conjunction with Douwe Egberts which exclusively uses Senseo coffee pods. Pods come in mild, medium, dark roast and decaffeinated blends.

3. The Black & Decker Home Café System GT300
Black and Decker GT300 is a much improved quality of the Black and Decker Home Café System. This GT300 can brew different kinds of pod brands. It features:
Removable drip-tray
Fits a larger-size mugs
One touch cleaning
34 oz reservoir and a 14 oz can for brewing
Specialty 3 sets pod holder
Works with 7 to 11 gram pod in the single pod holder
Can use two 7 gram pods in the double pod holder

4. Keurig B60 Special Edition Gourmet Single-Cup Home-Brewing System
Keurig B60 is a 1500-watt single cup brewing system that uses patented K-cups. It has a programmable backlit LCD display with an on/off timer and a digital clock. It also features a removable drip tray and temperature controls.

In the past years, many coffee companies and manufacturers continue to make single serving coffee pod machines. Popular brands offer innovative features at your fingertips. Single-serve coffee pod machines provide a convenient way of enjoying coffee at its best.

Organic Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

2008-11-08T18:35:00.000-08:00

Tis the season for great holiday baking and cooking organic cookies. My organic christmas cookie recipe was such a hit; I had quite a few requests for more recipes. So, I've dug up another great recipe for your enjoyment.

Organic Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies:

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups organic whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup organic butter

3 tbsp unsweetened organic apple sauce

¼ cup organic skim milk

2 tbsp organic cocoa powder

2 large omega rich organic eggs

2 cups old-fashioned organic rolled oats

Prepartion:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

1. Mix the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon together in s small bowl. Set aside.

2. Cream the butter, Add skim milk. Add cocoa powder. Add the eggs. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

3. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat until combined. Add the rolled oats and continue beating. (If you are adding chips or nuts, add them now.)

4. Place rounded teaspoons of dough on a lightly greased baking sheet. The resulting mounds of dough should be no large than walnuts.

5. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes or until done. Let sit on the cookie sheet for two minutes and then remove them to a wire rack to completely cool.

You can add a tsp of ginger to the mix or more cocoa or cinnamon, if you desire, that is all up to you. Whatever you decide to do, the end result is a healthy snack that can help you get your day going or give you a bit of a lift during the morning or afternoon break at work.

How You Can Make Homemade Wine

2008-11-01T22:15:00.000-07:00

Wine has been an important part of any occasion. It is commonly made from fermented grape juice, flowers, and grains. Countries like Italy, Portugal, United States, and Argentina are among the largest exporters of different wines.

The most expensive kind of wine is called “vintage”. Vintage wines are made from the highest quality grapes that are harvested several years before they are sold to the public.
While some wines are very expensive, there are some of good quality and that are relatively inexpensive. Among these wines are homemade wines that are commonly served to show old English hospitality.

Home winemaking is an exciting hobbiy designed for people who love social drinking or who are fond of giving away wine as gifts. Here are some tips on how to make homemade wine:

1.Get fresh produce from fields and orchards that let buyers pick their own fruits. Another option is getting fruit concentrate being sold by local winemaking stores.

2.Buy equipment needed in home winemaking. These are fermentation locks, Demijohns, plastic funnels, trial jars, siphon tubes, and wine bottles with corks.

3.Gather necessary ingredients to put flavor and a distinct taste to the wine. These are yeast, pectic enzyme, wine tannin, acid blend, and campden tablets.

4.Get recipies of the favorite wines to have accurate information about the exact amount of ingredients to use. The tip in making the best wine is accurately mixing ingredients to achieve desired taste.

5.Use fermentation bags in collecting pulp and submerge it into the wine mixture. Set aside covered fermenter within 24 hours.

6.Put yeast on the grape juice surface and cover it. Let the mixture ferment within 7 days.

7.After 7 days, discard pulp and siphon the mixture to prepare for secondary fermenter.

8.Add water to the wine mixture and allow it to ferment for 4-6 weeks or until it appears completely clear. Use hydrometer to make sure fermentation has been completed. Hydrometer should show 0.989 and 0.990 on its gravity scale.

9.The wine should be cleared completely after following the first 8 steps. After that, siphon the wine and add five crushed campden tablets.

10.Bottle the homemade wine and let it age.

Today, the best wines on the market are home made. They are surprisingly delicious and inexpensive. Anyone can make wine by simply following these 10 basic steps and then you can start impressing friends and family members during get-togethers.

For More Info please visit: http://wines-liquors-beer.blogspot.com

The 10 Most Trendy Seafood Restaurants in the United States

2008-11-01T21:20:00.000-07:00

United States is one of the havens of the best seafood restaurants in the globe.

Hook Restaurant is a well-maintained seafood restaurant in Washington D.C. operated by Chef Barton Seaver, who co-owns this place. The grilled calamari and the bluefish are the two most favorite items on the Hook's menu. The calamari is cooked over a wooden grill and dished up with basil walnut pesto and warm potato salad. Most of the diners
like to have it sliced, fried, and served with marinara sauce but the calamari is usually left in one or two pieces while it's grilled. The bluefish is cooked on a level grill and dished up with grilled lemon together with the same pesto with the calamari and a potato parsnip cake. The bluefish has a great flavor but it rots very quickly and this is the reason why many chefs
and home cooks are cautious of using it but it has become one of the top dishes on the Hook's Restaurant menu and many of their regular diners have really taken a liking to this fish.

This restaurant is specifically a sustainable seafood restaurant. It creates a remarkable dining experience but it's a restaurant with a conscience because the owners believe that they are also responsible for ocean conservation.

Restaurant Nora in Washington D.C is also one of the prominent seafood restaurants in the United States and it is the first restaurant to receive the organic certification, which means that the 95% of the ingredients used in this restaurant must come from expert organic farmers, growers, and suppliers. Nora Pouillon is the owner of this 23-year-old restaurant and the founding member of the Seafood Choices Alliance, an international association for sustainable seafood. It makes the seafood market environmentally and economically sustainable both on the fishermen and fish farmers to the wholesalers, retailers and restaurants. Menu on Restaurant Nora varies daily and features fresh, in season seafood among its organic selection. Lobster and salmon is one of the favorite seafood that this restaurant prepared because of its versatility, you can prepare this food in many different ways.

The Lundy Brothers Restaurant was serving seafood at the biggest restaurant in the United States with a seating capacity of 2400 persons but now its seating capacity was reduced to 700 people. The New York Preservation Commission chose this restaurant as a landmark in 1992. It was located at the heart of Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn. They offered a wide variety of seafood that is simple and well prepared.

Fore Street is a contemporary restaurant in Portland, Maine. At Fore Street menu, they concentrate on the best raw materials from community Maine farmers, fishermen, foragers and cheese makers. Their menu changes everyday based on the availability of the materials they need in their restaurants but one of the few items on their menu list that has become the signature dish of their restaurant is the wood oven roasted mussels and this is the most requested recipe.

The Newport Bay Restaurant is one of the most well known seafood restaurants in the Pacific Northwest, New Port Bay. This is a relaxing place where you can enjoy the ocean's bounty. The clamed chowder, flame-broiled Alaskan salmon and classic Halibut fish and chips are always the crowd pleasers and always on the top of the list of their diner's menu. Truly, in the United States there are a lot of seafood restaurants that offers good food and an astounding ambience.

What are Different Types of Kitchen Knives?

2008-10-18T20:39:00.000-07:00

Contrary to what some of us may believe, kitchen knives are not divided into two basic types - sharp or dull. In reality, kitchen knives are to the kitchen what handsaws are to a woodworking shop. There are numerous types of kitchen knives, each with their own purpose and design. In the same way you wouldn't use a chainsaw to trim a picture frame, you wouldn't use a meat cleaver to peel potatoes, for instance. Each blade performs a specific task, so knowing the different types of kitchen knives can help a cook work more efficiently and safely.

One of the most common kitchen knives used today is called a chef's knife. A chef's knife is used for many of the most basic food preparations tasks in the kitchen. It can chop through most vegetables and fruits, slice through meats and cheeses, and create a fairly fine mince or dice.

Chef's knives are usually sold in different sizes, although the largest and smallest sizes still perform the same tasks well. The different sizes are used to match the size of the knife with the size of the user's hand. Larger chef's knives can be harder to control if you have smaller hands, so be sure to test the grip of any knife for comfort before you add it to your collection.

Another variety of kitchen knife is the carving knife. A carving knife is generally larger than a chef's knife, although their basic shapes can be similar. A carving knife can be very rigid or very flexible, depending on the type of meat it is designed to carve. Carving a large pot roast may require a very rigid blade, while carving pork or fish steaks may require more flexibility. A carving knife is often accompanied by a large two-pronged tool called a carving fork.

On the smaller end of the kitchen knives spectrum is the paring knife. A paring knife's blade is rarely more than four inches long (about 10 cm), making it ideal for peeling and coring fruits and vegetables. A paring knife is also used to create special garnishes and other decorative elements. A paring knife's blade should be kept very sharp to prevent accidents. A dull paring knife can cause the user to place too much pressure on the blade, leading to slips and cuts.

Some kitchen knives are designed to prevent food preparation disasters. Many people find slicing through a loaf of bread to be an exercise in futility. This is why many cooks keep a long serrated knife on hand.

A serrated knife works much like a crosscut saw in woodworking. Instead of slicing through the hard crust and soft interior of a bread loaf, a serrated knife's blade makes a series of short saw cuts instead. Without the serrations, a regular knife blade would slide smoothly across the top of the crust without penetrating it. Some fibrous vegetables and fruits also benefit from a serrated knife's crosscutting design.

For removing bones from meats, many cooks uses narrow-bladed kitchen knives called boning knives. A boning knife is usually larger than a paring knife, with a rigid blade that tapers off to a point. It is used to carve out any remaining bones in red meats or to completely debone a whole chicken. A boning knife's narrow blade allows the user to cut around bones without excessive waste. A cousin to the boning knife, called a filet knife, is much more flexible and allows the user to remove skin from fish.

One of the largest kitchen knives is the cleaver. A cleaver has a very heavy, thick blade for cutting through the thickest portions of meat or bones. Despite its imposing size, however, it can also be used for fine chopping and dicing. Cooks can also use the flat side of a cleaver to crush garlic cloves, whole spices or seeds. A cleaver's flat blade can also be used to transfer chopped ingredients to the cooking area.

Other kitchen knives are more specialized, but they all serve a purpose. An oyster knife can penetrate the hard shell of oysters and clams and slice through the tendons holding the sections together. A deveining knife has a small, thin blade designed to remove the gritty vein found in raw shrimp, while simultaneously slicing through the shell. Other specialty knives help process grapefruits, slice through hard cheeses, open clam shells, and even carve steam holes for chestnuts.

Basic Kitchen Tools

2008-10-18T20:36:00.000-07:00

Many people just moving into their own places for the first time, or newlyweds setting up a kitchen, may be overwhelmed by the array of kitchen tools available. It seems that there is a tool for almost any job, and picking the right ones seems impossible. Does the person rely on the kinds of spatulas Mom always used, or should he or she think about something new? Some kitchen tools are indispensable, and should be purchased first. Then, the person can go ahead and look for interesting gadgets.

Quality and multipurpose use are a couple of things to keep in mind when purchasing kitchen tools. A good example is measuring cups. Measures for dry and wet materials are different. A cook has two options: either buy a set of dry measuring cups, and a liquid measure, or buy a measuring cup that is marked for both dry and wet measures. However, a cook should always have a 2-cup liquid measure in a microwave-safe material. This will come in handy for numerous uses in the kitchen.

A cook should also have two or three different sizes of spatulas around, and a set of rubber or silicon scrapers. Wooden spoons are also a necessity in a well-stocked kitchen. They can be used with any cooking surface and are non-reactive, which means they can be used for stirring any food, no matter its composition. They are absolutely necessary for making a roux or candy.

A set of basic kitchen tools should also include a cutting board. The debate still rages over whether plastic or wood is the best material, but both are good if kept properly cleaned and stored. It all depends on the cook's preference.

The discussion of cutting boards inevitably leads to talking about kitchen knives. A bride, for instance, can register for that US$500 cutlery set she's been drooling over, but someone looking for basic kitchen tools may want to start a bit smaller. A cook should have a minimum of three knives: a 7-inch butcher/chef's knife; a 4-inch utility knife and a paring knife. These, along with a set of steak knives, should meet most cooking needs.

A beginning cook should also have a grater, a soup ladle, two or three serving spoons, one slotted, and a set of mixing bowls. Don't forget a can opener that will open bottles, as well, along with a balloon whisk. An electric hand mixer is also one of the basic kitchen tools. With a little thought and some common sense, anyone can stock up on basic kitchen tools without sacrificing quality or breaking the budget.

What is Melamine?

2008-10-18T19:40:00.000-07:00

Melamine is an organic compound that is often combined with formaldehyde to produce melamine resin, a synthetic polymer which is fire resistant and heat tolerant. Melamine resin is a very versatile material with a highly stable structure. Uses for melamine include whiteboards, floor tiles, kitchenware, fire retardant fabrics, and commercial filters. Melamine can be easily molded while warm, but will set into a fixed form. This property makes it ideally suited to certain industrial applications.

Melamine resin is manufactured by mixing urea with formaldehyde under heat and pressure. The substances begin to polymerize and are forced into a mold which will create the desired shape. Under pressure, melamine releases water, which could make the plastic unstable if it is not removed. The materials finish polymerizing and create a finished product, melamine resin.

Melamine resin is known as a thermoset plastic, because the plastic is fixed after molding. If exposed to enough heat, melamine will melt. For this reason, melamine dishware should not be exposed to high temperatures like those in the oven and microwave. However, the plastic is able to withstand higher temperatures than other plastics. Because it is a thermoset plastic, melamine resin is difficult to recycle.

Melamine can be made into a foam product. Melamine foam has a distinctive structure composed of stacked bubble shapes, which are extremely hard and therefore can easily clean a wide variety of substances. Melamine foam is marketed under a variety of commercial names including Magic Eraser, a cleaning tool well known for removing scuffs and dirt from a wide range of surfaces.

Melamine resin is used in Formica and similar construction products made from composite materials. Formica is made using melamine resin, which is used to coat the fibers in the upper layer of the construction product. The melamine resin makes the end result heat resistant, so that hot objects can be set on the counter without concern. The surface of the material is designed to be easily wiped and cleaned, creating a long lived household product.

Melamine also plays a role in a wide range of flame resistant materials. These include textiles used in upholstery and the uniforms worn by firemen. Thermal liners, heat resistant gloves, and aprons to protect from splashback of hot substances are made using melamine. Melamine will protect a wearer from heat hazards, and will help to resist the spread of fire in aircraft and buses by providing a fire blocker.

Melamine is also used in the manufacture of some filters. The material is porous and will admit substances to pass through, but can be used to filter out particles of a particular size. Melamine filters are capable of handling a high capacity and can be used in hot environments due to the heat resistance of melamine. Melamine filters are also extremely efficient.

Aside from common commercial uses, melamine became a topic of much discussion in early 2007, when veterinary scientists determined it to be the cause of hundreds of pet deaths, because of pet food contamination. Prior to these reports, melamine had been regarded as non-toxic or minimally toxic. However, because of the unexplained presence of melamine in wheat gluten added to mass-produced dog and cat foods, it is the most likely cause. Pet owners report symptoms that are commonly associated with renal failure, which could be explained by the ammonia that may result from the digestion of the melamine.

The Cheeseboard Collective - A Great Place for Cheeses

2008-10-08T20:22:00.000-07:00

If you are planning to put together a beautiful cheese plate, check out The Cheese Board Collective in Berkeley. Their selection of local and international cheeses cannot be beat, and their prices are by far the best I have found.

The Cheese Board has been in business for almost 39 years. They are a collective with about 30 members. Everyone who works there is a member and has equal decision-making power. They are so friendly and knowledgeable and….they have an amazing selection of international and domestic cheeses, as well as a bakery that produces interesting and delicious breads. I find that their prices are substantially less on their cheeses and breads than I find at high-end grocery stores or specialty shops. I love the casual atmosphere, too - the place is really charming.

While you are there, check out Cheese Board Pizza, which is a couple of doors down the block. Cheese Board Pizza opened about 20 years ago and is located just a few doors down the street from the original Cheese Board. They make only one kind of pizza made each day, and it is vegetarian. We are not vegetarians, but we absolutely love their pizzas. We buy them half-baked and finish the baking at home. We have found that they freeze well – just wrap them tightly in foil and freeze for up to a couple of months. Then take them out of the freezer and pop them (still frozen) into a very hot oven (about 450oF). Let them bake for about 10 minutes until bubbly. (If you can re-heat them on a hot pizza stone, that is even better.)

The Cheese Board
1504 Shattuck Ave.
Berkeley
(510) 549-3183

www.cheeseboardcollective.coop

Cheese Board Pizza
1512 Shattuck Ave.
Berkeley
(510) 549-3055

Making Perfect Coffee - The Bunn Coffee Machines Way

2008-10-08T19:14:00.000-07:00

Bunn has been synonymous with great coffee for decades. Ever since their introduction in 1963, Bunn coffee machines have set the standard for commercial pour-voer coffee systems. Bunn has been an innovator in the coffee industry since 1957 when they started making a revolutionary paper filter. They were already well-known in the coffee and restaurant industry when they introduced the Bunn Model X, the very first Bunn coffee machine. In 1973, Bunn made coffee history again with the first drip coffee maker for home use. Their home drip coffee maker started a revolution in the industry and for the past forty years, drip coffee makers have held the largest market share of all types of coffee makers in home use.

Bunn didn’t stop innovating with the drip and pour-over coffee makers, though. In 1990, they patented the first brewer to grinder interface so that Bunn coffee machines could grind and brew consistently great coffee every time. In 1997, Bunn took a stand against burned coffee with their Soft Heat system to keep coffee warm on the burner without overheating it. In 2001, Bunn introduced yet another innovation - the BrewWise system that saves individual customer profiles so that everyone in the house can have their coffee to their taste - or you can brew coffee just the way you like it for breakfast all the way to dessert coffee. With all that history of innovation and coffee goodness, you’d guess that the makers of Bunn coffee machines have some good advice for brewing coffee - and you’d be right. Here are some great tips for making excellent coffee from the makers of Bunn coffee machines.

Tips for Brewing Great Coffee from the Makers of Bunn Coffee Machines

Start with great tasting water. Believe it or not, hard water makes the best tasting coffee. Soft water doesn’t extract coffee flavor from the beans as well as harder water - but hard water can be rough on your coffee machine. You can use a water filter to remove most of the impurities from water, or use spring water. Skip the distilled water, though. It makes coffee that tastes flat.

Measure the coffee. Most of us here in the U.S. are accustomed to drinking weak brew made with too little coffee. Bunn recommends that you measure a full tablespoon for every five ounces of water. You’ll probably be shocked at how much coffee that actually is the first time you measure that out into your coffee basket, but the taste will convince you that this is what coffee is meant to taste like.

Keep it clean to make it great. Coffee oils build up on glass and metal and can get rancid quickly. Clean equipment makes the best coffee because there are no old coffee oils hanging around to spoil the flavor. Clean the glass decanter after every pot. Toss out the filter and grounds the moment the brewing is finished to keep it from dripping into the pot.

Clean the machine routinely following manufacturers instructions to remove coffee oils, lime scale and mineral deposits.

Use the right size disposable coffee filters. If your coffee filters are too small, grounds may escape into the coffee. If they’re too large, water will wick up above the filter basket rather than dripping over the coffee as it should. Bunn makes paper filters that are perfectly sized to fit all of their Bunn coffee machines.

Serve fresh-brewed coffee immediately. If you wait longer than twenty minutes to drink brewed coffee, it will begin to lose its flavor. If you won’t be drinking it that soon, you can hold it in a thermal carafe for up to sixty minutes before it starts to lose its flavor.

source: www.talkaboutcoffee.com

Diet Plans For Healthy Life

2008-10-04T22:20:00.000-07:00

Diet plans are essential for leading a fit and healthy life. There are various diet plans that you can select, based on your requirements.

Some diet plans created are restrictive of carbohydrates and proteins. Others provide alternative food like cookie or the soup recipes. Still, others are integrated with stages or phases. But there's one which makes them united, most of them include fruits and vegetables.

3-Hour Diet
Description: Eat everything with perfect timing which was conceptualized by Jorge Cruise. It requires eating breakfast within 60 minutes upon getting up in the morning. Second is eating in 3 hour intervals or between meals. No more food is allowed 3 hours before going to bed at night.

What To Eat: 3 meals, 2 snacks, and a treat (carbohydrates, protein and fats) and small portion of sweets

Advantage: Flexibility of meal types and fits any food budget

Downside: It is not possible for very busy people

Atkins diet
Description: It is a meat based diet with no fruit or starchy vegetables conceptualized by Dr. Robert Atkins. No carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables and this results in using the reserve fats as source of energy

What To Eat: meat but no carbohydrates

Advantage: Effective for fast or crash diet

Downside: It is unhealthy since it doesn't practice good nutrition. In addition to that is the tendency for people to gain so much weight when diet stops. It increases risk of cancer.

The Cabbage Soup Diet
Description: It is a 7 day diet plan which includes cabbage soup recipe and other meals. Proper distribution of food groups within the 7 day period. It includes the special menu of cabbage soup. It also recommends taking in multivitamins to fight stress. It focuses on the lose water diet scheme.

What to Eat: cabbage soup menu, skim milk, brown rice, unsweetened drinks, fruits

Advantage: It is effective for fast dieting. There is no possibility of serious heart problems. It includes a very simple recipe.

Downside: Weight gain when one stops the cabbage soup diet.

Cookie diet
Description: It requires eating cookies the entire day to replace the breakfast and lunch meals. Dinner should be healthy and sensible. Using cookies in a low calorie diet tends to make someone feel full. Cookie is made of amino acids and fiber.

What to eat: four to six cookies throughout the day and a healthy dinner

Advantage: It is effective for those who skip meals and have no time. It does not need preparation.

Downside: It is not easy to make it as a lifestyle diet scheme so it's short term. There are limited flavors for the cookies available.

Eat to Live Diet
Description: It requires eating low calorie nutritious meals conceptualized by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. Primarily, focus on vegetables and fruits with less salt and sugar.

What to eat: nuts, vegetables, fruits and no snacking

Advantage: It aims to lose weight yet remain healthy. It is not a tasteless diet. It is lifestyle changing and good to lower cholesterol.

Downside: It is lifestyle changing so it would require avoiding the usual snacking and eating out practices.

The Raw Food Diet
Description: It requires eating a low calorie nutritious diet which includes raw food. It is also known as the living diet. Raw food is one of the best diet foods. It encompasses the living food philosophy.

What to Eat: salad, cake, soup, vegetables, fruits with recipes

Advantage: It is a low calorie diet but healthy and nutritious. Some recipes do not require 100% raw food.

Downside: Reality is that some vegetables can't be eaten raw. It entails planning and preparation.

The Sonoma Diet
Description: It includes ten power foods flavored in 3 waves conceptualized by Connie Guttersen. Food preparation of the ten power flavored foods based on Mediterranean diet with portion control

What to Eat: whole grains, almonds, bell peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, grapes, spinach, blueberries, strawberries, and olive oil.

Advantage: There is wide variety of food prepared with flavor and easy to maintain. Recipes are prepared to be shared with all family members.

Downside: It requires spending time for cooking.

The South Beach Diet
Description: The diet plans is restricted to low carbohydrates plus fruits and vegetables. It has 3 phases: restrictive, targeted and maintenance. It was created by Arthur Agatston.

What to Eat: lean meats, low fat vegetables and cheeses, low carbohydrates, fruits

Advantage: One eats three meals a day with snacks. It's easy to prepare food which includes frozen entrees.

Downside: Probably it is not as healthy as the Sonoma diet.

The Vegetarian Diet
Description: The diet plan involves a low calorie high in nutrients recipes. It must have a plan based on one's size from the Zone Food Blocks. It is a calorie restrictive diet.

What to Eat: sweet potato, brown rice, fruits and vegetables

Advantage: It is a healthy and balanced diet of proteins, carbohydrates and fat.

Downside: It needs menu planning to check on alternatives for meat.

The Zone Diet
Description: It is a diet plan of eating 40% carbohydrates, 30% fat, and 30% protein. It allows one to enjoy 3 meals and two snacks each day. It is one of the most famous diets in Hollywood. It was created by Barry Sears.

What to Eat: lean meats, vegetables, whole grain

Advantage: It includes all types of foods.

Downside: It can be expensive for those who will avail of food delivery. It can be complicated to follow on the ratio pattern of food intake

Is Cooking School for You

2008-10-03T05:58:00.000-07:00

If you find yourself cooking for friends, being asked to cook a special dish for a family gathering, cooking in your spare time just for the fun of it, or heading for the cookbook aisle of the local library or book store, then cooking school may be your cup of tea. Take the initiative and get started on the road to becoming a chef.

Even if you do love to cook, this doesn't mean it will be easy studying to be a chef. Like any career, it takes stamina, perseverance, and dedication to the culinary arts. The first thing to do is research the different cooking schools available to you. Cooking schools teach all the different aspects of cooking from main courses to pastries and desserts. Certifications or Bachelor Degrees are given on completion of the cooking program.

Culinary Institute of America offers certification to those who demonstrate expertise and proficiency in their cooking skills. Bachelor Degree Programs are offered from Johnson and Wales University, Stratford University, and Baltimore International College. These are just a few of the many noted cooking schools. Be proactive in your search for the cooking school that fits your needs.

Once you have decided upon the cooking school that is right for you, prepare yourself mentally. Even though you enjoy cooking for yourself and others, cooking school takes a lot of intense study and long days. The responsibilities of being a chef can be daunting. Every time a chef prepares a meal, pastry, or entrée, he or she is being judged by the people dining, so the cooking school instructors will be even harsher with you. A chef needs to be thick skinned, accepting the negative comments from diners, as well as the praise. It is difficult at times, to remain calm, trying to prepare the perfect dinner. The cooking school will try to prepare you for these types of confrontations; especially, if cooking for a well known restaurant in the future. Diners expect perfection.

While attending cooking school, try to find a job in a bakery or small restaurant. This will give you experience being around a dining atmosphere, and you will become familiar with the responsibilities involved in being a chef. Even working as a waiter or waitress keeps you up with meal preparation, serving, and the current trends in food preparation. Experience with the people dining is as important as learning to cook. Check the reactions of patrons to the way meals are served, cooked, and presented on the plate. There is a wealth of knowledge to gain from working first hand at some type of food service while attending cooking school.

As you attend cooking school, you will develop confidence in your cooking skills. The sense of accomplishment as you meet the challenges of meal preparation will make all the hard work worthwhile. Being a chef is a never ending quest for knowledge, new cooking techniques, people skills, and bold, creative ways of preparing foods. If you decide cooking school is for you, take your passion for cooking to the next level.

Delicious Yogurt with a Yogurt Maker

2008-10-03T05:46:00.000-07:00

Before yogurt makers camealong, making homemade yogurt was practically impossible. The conditions have to be just about perfect for the yogurt to be successful. New yogurt makers have changed all this. You can make delicious, healthy yogurt in all types of flavors. The yogurt maker keeps the yogurt at a perfect temperature for all the live yogurt cultures to thrive in.

The homemade yogurt is made from whichever type of milk you use: whole milk, 2%, or fat-free. The final yogurt ends up costing half of what you would pay in a grocery store, and it will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.
Yogurt makers all come with their own instructions and recipes, but the basically yogurt making is all about boiling the milk, how to increase the temperature to reach the boiling point, or raising the temperature to incubate the yogurt.

Boiling the milk destroys any bacteria, but does not affect the cultures in the yogurt. Pasteurized milk has actually already gone through this process, so it is only an added precaution.

Follow the instructions with your yogurt maker for the amounts of milk, and the time to process it. Don't leave the yogurt in the machine after it is done, or it will curd and separate. It is best to refrigerate it as soon as possible to keep it fresh longer.

Here are a few hints for great tasting yogurt:

Using skim milk or powdered milk will give the yogurt a soft consistency. If you would like the yogurt a little thicker, add about ½ cup of powdered milk to it before heating.

Check the expiration dates on the plain yogurt you buy at the store for live cultures. The longer the yogurt stays on the store shelf, the weaker the cultures will be. Also, make sure you use plain yogurt for the cultures. You can add fruit and flavoring later.

The longer you cook the yogurt, the sourer it will be. If the milk is cooked for too long at a high temperature, the yogurt will not be as good, but you want to make sure all bacteria is killed. There is a fine line here that takes some practice. Once you get the hang of the correct time and temperature for the yogurt, all your yogurt will be delicious. Practice makes perfect.

Use only clean kitchen tools to prevent bacteria growth. Cool the milk to the temperature recommended by your yogurt maker, and then add the yogurt starter. If it is too hot, the cultures will die. It is similar to adding yeast to bread. The temperature is very important for growth.

Keep the yogurt maker away from drafts or cool areas that could lower the temperature of the maker. This is also similar to rising bread. Don't be tempted to open the yogurt maker during the process.

After following the yogurt maker's instructions for processing time, remove the yogurt and refrigerate. Make sure the yogurt is cooled before adding flavoring and fruits. Be creative with your flavorings, using all your favorites. That is the great thing about making your own yogurt. You can add whatever your favorites are to the yogurt for a really yummy, healthy treat.

Discover how you can make delicious homemade yogurt with a yogurt maker. http://www.www.healthytraders.com.com

How to Start a Catering Business

2008-10-03T05:38:00.000-07:00

If you thrive in the crowd and love everything about food, your ideal entrepreneurial niche could be a catering business. The challenges in a catering business include back-breaking hours at the stove and lots of physically laborious activities, but the ultimate rewards are definitely worth all the hard work.

It's not compulsory to have a culinary degree to start your own catering business. However, familiarity with food safety measures, preparation techniques, presentation and of course, governmental procedures for setting up and maintaining the business will come in handy. Also, as common sense tells you, prepared food must be eye-appealing and delicious at the same time.

Most importantly, you need to believe in yourself and get started with enough information to succeed. So, start by researching on the internet or by visiting libraries. Make sure you do a thorough research on licenses, certifications and registration requirements before you invest your time, energy and money to your catering business.

Once you are through with your primary research, you will have to assimilate relevant data and organize it well for your use. Now you have to formulate a business plan and a marketing strategy from all the information that you have learned. The internet provides excellent resources for this. You can check out websites like www.sba.org, where you can find various published papers and other useful data.

The next step is finance. Having your hands on a good business plan and marketing strategy will give you a fairly accurate idea of the kind of credit you will require, as well as increase your chances of quick loan approval. You can get this done through banks and finance companies. Obviously, you will have to invest a small fraction of the total budget upfront. Even as you do this, take care that you do not end up investing more than you can afford losing.

While it might be exhilarating to start your own catering business, it's important to realize that in the beginning you will be wearing many hats. In addition to preparing food and catering events, you'll need to have a good understanding of marketing in order to obtain new business. And, let's not forget the day-to-day duties such as answering the phone, quoting prices, following up with clients, performing accounting duties, ordering supplies, etc.

Although owning your own catering business is a highly rewarding experience, you should be prepared to work long hours and be available to work weekends and evenings, at least until you are well-established.

A catering business is not just about preparing food for an event. The actual A to Z process involves preparation, delivery, table arrangements, food serving and cleaning up after the event. You'll need lots of stamina for this business and it's best to be prepared for the uphill climb.

There's more for you to tackle when you are running a catering business. Most often, caterers work 15 hours per day, 7 days a week. Outdoor events are more common than indoor events, so you'll need lots of energy and gumption to be able to handle the summer-day catering events. Also, maintaining a friendly attitude with lots of vitality throughout all this is essential for a good catering business relationship.

In any case, notwithstanding all the hard work, in the end, if you genuinely love what you do, it is going to be worth it, and a lot of fun. Catering jobs are hectic and taxing and hence you require a good plan for all your activities.

Gary Pearson is an accomplished niche website developer and author.

Corelle: A Quality Made Dinnerware

2008-09-30T09:10:00.000-07:00

Corelle is one of the famous brands of dinnerware that is both of the highest standard and affordable. The various product lines and pattern styles of Corelle can showcase the different ambiance you can set for your home.

Dinnerware is a set of dishes that includes serving pieces and drinking vessels. One of the recognized brands of dinnerware worldwide is Corelle. It is popularly known for its strength and durability. Their quality glass dinnerware is noted to be break and chip resistant. It is made through a hub lamination process, having three-layers of glass bonds. This kind of process produces a durable, lightweight and multi-layered dinnerware.

Corelle dinnerware features an affordable and yet attractive product. It is a wonderful achievement of the Corning Glass Works R and D scientists. Moreover, it is easy to clean, just as it is fade resistant, microwave and oven safe at about 350 degrees. The unique enamel is made up of lasting decorations. This is since it has become a part of the glass during the whole process.

Corelle dinnerware usually consists of 2 glass compositions, namely the core and the glaze. It is thermally bonded. It forms its shapes and tempers with the glass, making the patterns stand for a long time. Lamination on the product makes it much stronger than the usual individual components.

All products are sealed with a protective wax coating which can easily be removed. Thus, Pressware Manufacturing in Corning produces up to 100 million pieces each year.

Corelle Vitrelle and Vitrelle 2 is also an advanced technological glass material known for its strength and versatility. These products are sold under Corelle Livingware, Corelle Ultra and Corelle Lifestyles. Vitrelle offers a three year warranty against chipping and breaking. This is while stoneware offers a mere one year warranty.

There are six product lines that have different quality variations. This would include Correlle Livingware, Impressions, Square, Lifestyles, Ultra and the Heartstone.

o Livingware - They offer smart and savvy dishes that will impress your dinner guests. They provide a 3 year limited warranty.

o Impressions - This type combines both new trends and timeless traditions, adding elegant experiences to your dining room. Its classic look and pattern assortment will flatter decors and table settings.

o Square - This is the newest innovation designed by Studio Levien of London. It features a square sleek design, along with rounded corners, where in, rims are flared. This timeless featured product also has a 3 year limited break and chip warranty.

o Lifestyles - With cutting edge fashion patterns, this product line will not make you worry about cracks, scratches and stains.

o Ultra - This type is known as virtually unbreakable by Consumer Digest. It has the legendary properties of versatility, along with the heavier weight most people prefer.

o Hearthstone® Stoneware - This type features different designs for a dependable stoneware collection, especially for people who have a casual lifestyle.

Corelle's casual pattern style includes the following:

Anna - This has a groovy pattern that looks fun and fresh. It perfectly complements the retro trend. It is fabulously designed and follows a color scheme.
Autumn Mist - This features the falling leaves design, along with soft muted colors of a pure white plate.
Bahia - This is a casual classic of ocean blue colored scrolls in plain white dinnerware.
Bamako - This has a traditional round feature at the center, having a sleek square shape plate and rounded corners. It is inspired by ethnic trends, especially for its rich color and texture.
Bamboo Leaf - This is designed with a nature outing trend of green colors.
Basketweave - This has a pattern that was influenced by woven handmade baskets, creating a timeless design.
Bella Vista - This features a festive and hand-painted look for its leaves, along with the golden sunlight and whimsical vines, making it more dynamic.
Berries and Cherries - This is for the traditional and casual dining of red and blue fruit designs.

Corelle also produced a contemporary set of patterns. It has accents of black, red and grays as its finishing touch. This includes the following:

4 dots
Asian Bloom
Bay Leaf Green Square
Blue Diamonds
Circles
City Block
Cumin Orange
And Chili Red Round

Another traditional pattern, more on having a style with a romantic ambience, includes the following products:

Abundance
Antique Linen
Apple Harvest
Apricot Groove
Blue Swirls
Botanique
And Boheme

Corelle continuous to become popular because of the high customer satisfaction rating it receives. They aim to further improve as a producer of dinnerware that has lasting durability and quality.

The Best Professional Cookware

2008-09-27T22:39:00.000-07:00

There are numerous kinds of cookware that offers the most features which is real value for money. These kitchen tools are made up of durable materials for better performance and durability. Some classic cookware offers hand-made craftsmanship with the use of raw materials, which is a good material for cooking, and avoids toxins due to some chemicals used in cooking surfaces.

Cookware is an essential tool for cooking. They are commonly used for food preparation that comes in different types such as saucepans, cooking vessels, frying pans, kitchen knives, and many more.

These kitchen essentials are made of different materials like aluminum, copper, stainless steel, carbon steel, ceramics, glass and a lot more. There are various types of professional cookware available in the market today, which offers a lot of functionality for the cooking professionals.

Here is some of the best cookware available in the market:

Emerilware Stainless Cookware by All Clad

The Emerilware Stainless line by All Clad was designed in combination with Emeril Lagasse, perhaps the most popular chef and television character of our time. The Emeril Stainless Cookware line boasts its solid performance with reasonable prices. The base is made up of stainless steel, which is combined with aluminum and copper for perfect heat conductivity and satisfactory performance. In addition, the base disk is enclosed by an external elegant stainless steel for ease of cleaning and adds perfect resistance to rust. The cooking surface of the pan is made up of a non-reactive stainless steel and also comes with an ergonomic heat resistant handle that is securely mounted to the pan. The lids are made of tempered glass, with a stainless band for easy visibility.

Kuhn Rikon Circolo Cookware

The exclusive Kuhn Rikon Circolo cookware is one of the popular kitchen cookware in the US. This cookware is a perfect companion for the chef because of its perfect performance. The cookware is made of an aluminum core for better heat distribution and high performance. The exterior is made of polished stainless steel and a brushed stainless cooking surface. The handle does not have any interior rivets for easy cleaning. This piece of cookware is safe to put in dishwashers.

Cuisinart Cookware

The Cuisinart Multiclad Pro cookware is one of the famous names in the cookware industry. Cuisinart Multiclad Pro comes with an aluminum core with brushed stainless exterior finish. The cooking surface is made up of the best material that does not discolor. Other Cuisinart Multiclad Pro cookware features include:

Dishwasher safe
Cool Grip handle
Oven safe to 550F
Tight-fitting lids seal in moisture and nutrients.

Piral Italian Terracotta Cookware

This cookware is an 1870 cookware collection by Piral. This is an excellent classic cookware that is hand crafted using the most honored Italian method of pottery making. The cookware is made of simple combination of Italian clay and water.

By using these raw materials, these kitchen tools offer a healthy cooking experience. Dishes can cooked on even heat and these kitchen essentials offer an alternative way of cooking by avoiding the hazards of by-products or toxins, which are being sucked into the food from the cooking surface. In addition, the glass-like finish makes the item easy to clean and can be used for cooking, food service and food storage as well.

Le Creuset Cookware

The Le Creuset Cookware is another product boasting the French craftsmanship of a hand-finished cookware. The classically-designed cookware can uniquely perform the needs of the most demanding chefs. These products are considered one of the favorites of chefs around the world.

Le Creuset Cookware features:

Porcelain coated cast iron spreads heat more evenly.
Can retain heat longer.
Does not react to acidic foods.
Tight-fitting lids that gently cooks food while sealing in the flavors.
Porcelain coated cast iron can be used with nearly all heat sources: electric, induction, gas, and ceramic cover ranges.
Phenolic handles and knobs are safe in the oven up to 450°Fahrenheit/232°Centigrade.
Le Creuset can be cleaned in the dishwasher.
The Le Creuset porcelain coated cast iron cookware is guaranteed by a lifetime warranty.

In cooking, it is essential to have the best cookware in order to maintain a perfect cooking experience that will surely result in exciting and delicious food.

Automatic Espresso Machine Review Helps You Buy the Right Machine

2008-09-27T22:34:00.000-07:00

Why do you think many prefer automatic espresso machine for preparing their tasty brew? Simple...it does everything automatically, that is, all by itself without any user intervention. Great...how much time is saved? What these automatic espresso machines do? Grinding of coffee beans, putting them in the hopper, filling and heating the necessary amount of water and finally giving you the best coffee each and every time is what these automatic espresso machines do. You need not worry about preparing coffee anymore. You just have to clean the dishes. How easy! Few automatic espresso machines even fill the hopper with coffee powder for you to use the next time.

It is always a good method to read the automatic espresso machine reviews before you buy them. However, don't read the reviews that are available on the manufacturer's website. In general, manufacturers try to pose that their product is only "the best" in the market. What you have to do is read automatic espresso machine reviews that are written by people who really own such a machine.

These manufacturers will have their own Internet websites where the customers will be allowed to post automatic espresso machine reviews. Here, a customer or a buyer can post both the advantage and disadvantage of owing an automatic espresso machine. This helps the manufacturer to know what really people want and at the same time gives the potential customers an edge about how the espresso machine really works. Merely reading an automatic espresso machine review is not going to help you. Understand the concept and make a thorough analysis based on the automatic espresso machine review that you read. This is what is going to help you in taking the decision.

Key element in any espresso is its grinder as this is what is going to determine the consistency of the coffee. This is the reason why some owners have a grinder separately for this purpose. However, if you have read automatic espresso machine review that is not biased, you would have understood that it is not the grinder that determines the taste of the brew.

Key features in an espresso machine:

Do not stop your research with the manufacturer's website alone. There are other websites that deals with automatic espresso machine reviews. It is worth looking at automatic espresso machine reviews that are posted in different websites when you are going to invest your hard earned money on espresso machines. Make your decision depending on whether the machine has a facility to be connected directly to the water line or you will have to pour water manually or it is possible to do both. You can be well prepared if you know the pros and cons of the automatic espresso machine.

When reading through an automatic espresso machine review read it thoroughly and see if this is what you are looking for in your machine. No machine will have all positive reviews, which is for sure. Don't go for a machine that has only negative reviews. If you are not familiar with various brands that are available in the market, reading through the automatic espresso machine review will give you an idea about various brands along with its pros and cons. This will help you in getting the machine that suits your need as well as fit your pocket.

Good Fast Food

2008-09-04T00:10:00.000-07:00

A crop of new quick-service restaurants make it easy to enjoy healthy eating outside your home.

By Kirsten Henri

Whole grain breads? Check. Cage-free eggs? Check. Organic veggies, free-range meats and pesticide-free fruits? Check, check and check.

You’ve stocked your fridge and kitchen cabinets with the essentials to encourage your kids to eat healthy. You’ve made sure that they have plenty of options that are good for them and taste good, too.

But then you take them out to eat and what do you get?

Often, it’s kids menus that are overrun with processed chicken nuggets, greasy fries, and macaroni and cheese made with questionable “cheese product.” There’s rarely a vegetable in sight and you can forget about finding anything organic.

Fortunately, smart restaurateurs are catching on to the idea that families want to continue eating healthy when they eat out. Although not all establishments are on top of this trend, we’ve found some forward-thinking restaurants that are.

Burgerville
www.burgerville.com

A restaurant chain that sources its food locally, is environmentally responsible and has a social conscience? We’ll take it! There are 39 Burgerville quick-service restaurants, scattered throughout the Pacific Northwest. We all know that a burger is not the healthiest choice for everyday eating. Nonetheless, these burgers are made with free-range beef that is devoid of antibiotics and hormones; the franchise also serves garden burgers and free-range turkey burgers. All ingredients—from the halibut for the fish and chips to the Tillamook cheese on the cheeseburgers—are locally sourced in the Pacific Northwest.

Burgerville’s kids’ meals are served with either apple slices or fries. Soft drinks cost the same as a glass of milk, which allows parents to make an ordering decision based on ingredients rather than price. Burgerville also makes healthy choices for its employees and for the environment. The company offers no-deductible medical, dental and vision insurance to its hourly employees at the low cost of $30 per family per month. Under this plan, 155 previously uninsured children now have health insurance. As for planet protecting, all used cooking oils are turned into biodiesel and in 2005, all of the chain’s restaurants became 100% wind-powered.

O’Naturals
www.onaturals.com

An impressive food pedigree (co-founder Gary Hirshberg is president and CEO of organic yogurt-maker Stonyfield Farm) and a family-friendly focus make O’Naturals one of our favorites. Ingredients are organic whenever possible and each location sources seasonal produce from local suppliers and farmers. Kids menu offerings include sandwiches like hormone-free turkey or grilled cheese on flatbread, served with your choice of organic milk or juice and carrot sticks with ranch dip. Locations are both child-friendly—dedicated kids sections are stocked with dollhouses and trains—and environmentally conscious, incorporating natural sunflower seed-husk panels and locally salvaged wood into the decor.

Although there are currently only five O’Naturals locations (in Maine, Massachusetts and Kansas), construction has started on a franchise in Orlando, Florida, with four to six more restaurants planned for 2007.

Organic To Go
www.organictogo.com

While it doesn’t specifically cater to kids, Organic To Go has plenty of soups, salads and sandwiches that will satisfy children and parents alike. The first “fast casual” café to be officially certified as an organic retailer by QAI (Quality Assurance International, the leading independent certifier of organics) aims to use 100% organic ingredients in all of its breakfast and lunch items. O To Go serves meats with no hormones, antibiotics or nitrates added, locally grown produce when possible, and always has vegetarian options, like a Thai-style veggie wrap. Items like O To Go’s yogurt parfait and vegetable soups make good, nutrition-packed choices for kids.
With 11 retail locations already on the West Coast, O To Go has big plans for expansion in 2007. Expect to see branches opening in Colorado, Chicago, Texas and soon, farther east, too.

Panera Bread
www.panera.com

Panera’s presence in 37 states makes it a very accessible option. The restaurant’s “white whole grain” bread was developed with kids in mind, particularly those who might be more finicky about the appearance and flavor of regular whole grain breads. The kids menu includes an organic American grilled cheese, antibiotic-free smoked turkey and all-natural peanut butter and jelly, each served with a squeezable tube of organic yogurt and a choice of organic milk, chocolate milk or apple juice.

Other Choices

Whole Foods and Wild Oats
Healthy grocery chains with a national presence offer prepared foods and seating areas. Wild Oats is ramping up its offerings over the next year to include prepared box lunches and more child-friendly items.

Kidfresh
Is Kidfresh the wave of your kids’ dining future? This NYC-based, child-centric café uses organic ingredients and serves portions based on the nutritional needs and caloric content recommended for the ten-and-under set.

Chipotle
A streamlined menu of oversized burritos and taco salads might not be healthiest choice for everyday eating, but Chipotle gets a nod for its careful sourcing of ingredients and made-to-order philosophy. Keep in mind portions are large for little guys and some items are higher in calories and fat.

How Juice Fasting Changed My Life

2008-09-01T09:18:00.000-07:00

At sixteen years of age, I began the dangerous journey of exploring psychedelic drugs. A bad L.S.D. trip resulted in daily, excruciating headaches. To deal with the pain, I started to use painkillers, tranquilizers, cannabis and alcohol. Five hazy years of my life were devoted to escaping pain through drugs.

I become more reckless in my drug use. With callous disregard for my life, I injected a syringe full of P.C.P. It was a dangerous dose. This injection severely damaged my kidneys, increasing my pain level. Anger and self-hatred turned to hardened resentment. I hated the world, but I had no one to blame but me.
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Seven years later after my first experience with drugs, I was forced to live with the consequences of the abuse to my body. My short-term memory was nonexistent. My skin was a sickly yellow. I was constantly tired. My kidneys burned with pain, my leg muscles would spasm and ache while standing. As my job required working on ladders for long hours, I lost my job! It was a dark, dismal, depressed and hopeless existence.

Finally, with no other way out, I got down on my knees in prayer and surrendered my life to God. I repented, gave Him my life and asked Christ to enter my heart. At that moment, nothing happened but five hours later the sound of angels rejoicing penetrated deeply into my cold heart. I would never be the same. Everything changed. I had a burning fire inside. I had purpose, meaning and connection for the first time. I started a new exploration of the spiritual world. Joining a Christian youth group, I made new friends who did not use drugs and supported me through my recovery. I used my experience to help others not go down the same path. I spoke before thousands of students in high schools about the dangers of drug abuse and many made commitments to stop using drugs.

Life now had meaning and purpose, but my body and soul were still damaged. I was still sick. Years of drug abuse had devastated my health. When I heard about fasting, I was at the point where I was willing to try anything. I discovered a book called Rational Fasting describing how a dying man had returned to health. Not only had he overcome a fatal illness through a strict vegetarian diet and fasting, his newfound health surpassed the vitality of his youth. For me, the message shouted out hope.

The benefits of juice fasting helped me to feel better physically and mentally

I continued to study and found books on juice fasting. As a teen I had tried water fasting and ended up vomiting over the toilet on the third day. Juice fasting made sense. I bought a cheap juicer and started experimenting. My favorite was cantaloupe juice. Second was honeydew and third was my veggie combination of carrots, apples, lemons, celery and beet. After several short juice fasts of three-to-seven days, over a one-year period, I felt better physically and mentally. The benefits of these short fast encouraged me. I started working out in the gym and eating healthier. My body healed enough to return to work but I was still tired—standing on ladders caused intense pain in my legs.

I went on a thirty-day juice fast

A thirty-day juice fast was the turning point in my life. The first few days were difficult, but as I continued I felt much better. At the twentieth day of the fast, I started working fourteen hours per day at hard, physical labor in the hottest summer weather. I climbed the ladders with ease. My energy level drastically increased.

There were other improvements as the fast went on. I needed less sleep, my mind cleared, and my memory was now functioning. Leg muscles returned to health, and back pain lessened due to the healing of my kidneys, leaving me a virile young man.

The juice fasts changed my life radically

My life radically changed! For the first time in years I was pain free. Instead of suffering, it became a joyous experience. The healing came like water to a parched, drought-stricken heart. The thirty days of fasting on juice was a miracle that changed my life. Not only was my health renewed, but I also experienced vitality, energy and clarity of mind, and the aging process was drastically reduced. Next to becoming a Christian, this fast had the second greatest impact on my life.

To go from sickness to health in 30 days was more than I believed possible. Changes so dramatic demanded answers and that hunger for understanding birthed the writing you now hold in your hand. I wanted to understand why fasting healed so powerfully and how to support that healing through diet. I wanted to help others who had health problems. Although I could not spell or type, and had almost no writing skills, a burning passion kept me going.

My battle with food addiction

After the fast, I faced new challenges. Fasting was easy compared to trying to stay on a healthy diet. My compulsive addictive nature changed forms. My war was now with food. Little did I know this was the start of a five-year war with food addiction? After the fast it became even more important to eat healthy, as the fasting had drastically increased my sensitivity to harmful foods. The wonderful clean feeling of the fast faded as I entered the world of eating. I started studying nutrition book what to eat and how to eat in order to support the benefits I had received from the fast. Even with this knowledge I still wrestled with compulsive eating. I decided the problem demanded serious study and effort. I studied books on weight-loss, self-esteem, addiction, coping with failure, goal setting, and every resource I could get my hand on to understand my inability to control my behavior. I started the book, Eating in Freedom, and by the end I was free. Yet even with that knowledge the road through life brought many challenges and failures came and went. I now know that life’s journey has many imperfections and know that humility is the only response to grace for we all fail.

In looking back to my discovery of fasting, I see that it was not an accident. The people who have had such profound effect on my life have not been there by coincidence.

The above juice fasting article was written by Guest Writer, Tom McGregor, author of Eating in Freedom, which you can download into your computer today.

Tom had an overeating disorder and once ate an entire gallon of ice cream in one sitting and almost froze his stomach. He shares his story in this article: My war with food addiction.

Healthy Cooking Tips for Persons With Diabetes

2008-09-01T06:58:00.000-07:00

Healthy cooking and diabetes management:

A healthy diet is not only critical to proper diabetes management, but will also help in maintaining desirable weight, controlling normal blood sugar levels, and preventing heart diseases.

Always consult your physician, registered dietitian (RD), or nutritionist to assist in planning and preparing healthy meals.

Some healthy cooking tips include the following:

Use vegetable oil spray instead of oil, shortening, or butter.
Steam vegetables using a low-fat broth or water.
Season foods with herbs and spices, vinegar, lemon juice, or salsa.
Use low- or no-sugar jams instead of butter or margarine.
Eat or cook cereal with skim milk or 1 percent milk.
Use low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese, or nonfat yogurt.
Drink fruit juice that has no added sugar.
Eat chicken or turkey without the skin.
Broil, roast, stir-fry, or grill meats. Always buy lean cuts of meat.
Use lemon or lime on fish and vegetables instead of butter or sauces.
Use canola or olive oil in food preparation instead of vegetable oils.
Buy whole grain breads and cereals.

Physicians and other experts can provide helpful resources that further cover meal planning, offer healthy recipes and cooking tips, suggest exercise programs, manage weight, and more. Excellent diabetic reference books and pamphlets are also available through your library or on the Online Resources page of this Web.

2008-08-31T14:55:00.000-07:00

Sweet Potato Pie from Kendall Bruns on Vimeo.

I decided to make a Sweet Potato Pie for my family to eat on Thanksgiving.

This video inspired some parodies - check 'em out... vimeo.com/sweetpotatopie

Ten Tips for Quicker Kitchen Clean Up

2008-08-31T14:41:00.000-07:00

Love to Cook! Hate Clean Up!

I like to cook, but I hate the clean up. After my slaving over the stove or oven, my family was happy to consume the fruits of my labors, but not so happy about helping with the clean up. I wasn’t all that happy about it either. Over a lifetime, I have found a number of ways to make kitchen clean up quicker and easier for everyone. Read this article for my top ten tips for quicker kitchen clean up.

1. To minimize sticking, when baking or roasting, spray the baking pan or dish with an aerosol cooking spray. If you don’t like aerosol sprays, warm your baking pan or dish, then apply olive or cooking oil to the pan using a paper towel to spread.

2. To minimize sticking, when frying, warm your frying pan before adding the oil or cooking fat.

3. Use roasting bags to minimize clean up and keep food moist.

4. Once your remove food from a frying pan, turn off the pan, let cool slightly, then add enough water to cover the bottom. The water will deglaze the pan and make removing any “fried on” bit easier, when you clean it. This also works for roasting pans. DO NOT do this if you have oil still in the pan. Oil and water do not mix, so adding water will not help and could cause spattering.

5. Save old pickle or other food jars and pour used (cooled) cooking oil into them for neat disposal.

6. Use a piece of tin foil on table or counter for rolling out cookie dough.

7. Use tin foil on baking sheets for a quick clean up.

8. Peel potatoes or other vegetables onto paper towels for a quick toss of the peels.

9. Use a large bowl for all your disposable cooking scraps and everything to be tossed will be in one place—instead of all over the counter.

10. Wash as you go. As you are cooking, immediately wash any used bowls, pots, pans, or utensils, before food has time to dry and stick. This is particularly true for any pot where you have cooked a starchy food such as potatoes or pasta.

If you use these ten tips for quicker kitchen clean up, you will be out of the kitchen faster and on to doing other things.

P.S. For those of you who can find them, Reynolds has just come out with crock-pot cooking bags. Yippee! Easy crock-pot clean up too.

Using and Caring for Stoneware

2008-08-31T14:21:00.000-07:00

Delicious Foods - Fast and Easy!

My favorite cookware is stoneware. I have several pieces: a round pizza stone, two large bar pans from Pampered Chef, a loaf pan, and a muffin pan. I use them all the time! Since I bought my stoneware, I haven't used metal or glass bakeware at all!

Stoneware is unique - it's a bit different to cook in, and stoneware is definitely different to take care of!

There are many different kinds of stoneware on the market today. There are several distinct differences between types. Some are glazed, and most of the instructions I give here will not apply. Most people are familiar with glazed stoneware in the form of a crockpot. Glazed stoneware can be washed in soap and water, and does not need to be seasoned. It may be glazed in any color of the rainbow and have patterns or decorations, producing beautiful stones. However, glazed stones lack the non-stick capabilities of unglazed stoneware.

Unglazed stoneware comes in several colors. The most common are red and "white" (which is really a variety of off-white colors). My pizza stone is a yellowish gray with tiny flecks of darker material in it, and my Pampered Chef stoneware is a medium beige. I have never used red stoneware and so cannot comment on it other than I've read that it must be soaked prior to use. The off-white clays are fired at a much higher temperature and may be used "as-is", which makes them far more convenient. Be sure to buy your stoneware from a reputable dealer, as some foreign clays may contain lead.

I have found several things to be true when cooking in stoneware.

First, new stoneware needs to be seasoned. The easiest way to do this is to cook something greasy but not overly flavored in it - crescent rolls are a good choice for seasoning stoneware. Clean it according to the instructions below. Do this several times, and you'll have perfectly seasoned stoneware!

Second, some recipes need to be slightly adjusted. Because stoneware heats evenly but slowly, and retains heat, the cooking time may need to be adjusted. Also, if you leave food in the pan after removing from the oven, it may still cook for a short time. It's best to cook food completely and remove to another pan or cooling rack, to guarantee results. Some foods just get better if you leave them, though (crispy potatoes, for example). Also, some bread and muffin recipes seem to need a tiny bit less liquid. If you cook in stoneware with a tight-fitting lid, you may need significantly less liquid.

There are some important safety factors to consider when cooking on stoneware. Stoneware pans get VERY hot and take a long time to cool off. Be sure to use hot mitts, and always touch the stoneware with a quick fingertip if you're not sure that it will be cold.and I've gone out to wash the dishes after a leisurely supper and discovered the pan to be too hot to touch. One time I found this out the hard way, resulting in bad burns on both hands. An additional danger of washing hot stoneware is that it may break. Rapid temperature change is "deadly" to stoneware! For the same reason, although you can refrigerate and freeze foods directly in your stoneware, be sure to bring food to room temperature before putting the food in the oven. Never add liquid to hot stoneware. Don't put stoneware on a direct heat source (such as a stove burner) or under a broiler.

Most unglazed stoneware has a slightly "rough" feel to the bottom. Do not slide it along your countertop on its way to the oven! Be very careful not to bump or drop your stoneware - it can crack or even shatter. Take care in how you store your stones, so they do not get bumped by each other or by your other pans.

You can cook almost anything in stoneware! Use it in the oven or microwave (note that foods may not brown or crisp if you microwave them). Breads, muffins, cookies, and biscuits all turn out very well when baked in a stone. Pizza is frequently baked on stoneware. Any meat will turn out tender and juicy. Potatoes are excellent when cooked on stoneware. Anything you can bake - you can bake in stoneware!

You simply cannot clean unglazed stoneware in the same way that you do "regular" pots and pans. Commit right from the beginning to NEVER use soap. That's right! Never, ever, ever use soap on your stoneware. Only clean room-temperature stoneware. If it's hot or cold, allow it to come to room temp before cleaning! Clean your stoneware with a plastic scraper widget. If one did not come with your stone, ask at a kitchen store, order one from Pampered Chef, or try a semi-flexible credit card. Scrape off food and rinse steadily under the hottest water that will come from your tap. Be sure to get off anything that's stuck on, especially in the edges. Dry before storing.

Unglazed stoneware will start to turn color from the first use. My stones are numerous shades of dark brown. Some people think this is ugly, but I think it's beautiful - all of that discoloration is a sign of the stone's non-stick capabilities.

From time to time, you will want to deep-clean your stone. You will need to do this after the first couple of uses, because foods may stick until the stone is seasoned. You may also want to do this if you cooked something especially greasy, sticky, or flavorful in your stoneware. First, scrape off anything you can that's stuck on. Then run the stone under very hot water. Sprinkle the wet pan with baking soda and gently scrub (I use one of those soapless green scrubby pads). Leave the pan to sit for half an hour. If you're deep-cleaning because soap or rancid food came in contact with the stoneware, leave it to sit overnight. Use the plastic widget to scrape off the baking soda, then rinse in the hottest tap water available. Do not do this too often, as repeated deep cleaning can remove some of the non-stick capability of your stoneware.

A warning - collecting stoneware can be addicting! I've accumulated all of my pieces over the past year. I'm planning several more purchases in the near future. Cooking in stoneware is fast, easy, delicious, and fun!

Ways to Improve Your Kitchen Interior

2008-08-31T14:06:00.000-07:00

Ways that You Can Spruce Up Your Tired Kitchen

There are ways that you can improve the interior of your kitchen. Your kitchen should be a welcoming place for your family and friends. A room that you can entertain your guest. Your kitchen should be a place that you can use for different purposes such as preparing and cooking meals, entertaining family and friends, and dining. Your kitchen should have large appliances as well as small kitchen appliances. Your large kitchen appliances can give your kitchen a newer updated look. And can also improve the look of your kitchen interior. When choosing a color for appliances pick out a color that you will be happy with, because appliances tend to last a long time before wearing out. Matching appliances will look good in any kitchen. You should have several small appliances in your kitchen such as a coffee maker, toaster, blender, mixer and microwave oven just to mention a few. These small appliances can make preparing meals simple and less time consuming.

There are other ways that you can improve the look of your kitchen interior. Adding a new counter top will improve the overall appearance of your kitchen. There are beautiful counter tops on the market now days that can give your kitchen a whole new look. Granite counter tops are especially popular for the rich look they can give to your kitchen. Painting you kitchen walls is important to brighten up your kitchen area. Just adding a coat of paint to your kitchen walls can improve the interior of your kitchen. Adding new flooring to your kitchen is another way to improve your kitchens appearance. There are many types of kitchen flooring. Some popular types that people like are hard wood flooring and ceramic flooring. These types of floorings are very durable and long lasting.

Cabinets can improve your kitchens interior. Your kitchen cabinets are one of the first things people will notice about your kitchen. People like natural wood grain cabinets with complimenting hardware. These types of cabinets are used in many kitchens and are beautiful and easy to care for. Other items that will compliment your kitchen interior are the accessories that you add to your walls such as pictures, shelves, clocks and other decorative accessories for your kitchen. Some kitchen that don't have enough cabinet space can add a kitchen cupboard to make more room for dishes pots and pans. These are just a few of the ways that you can improve your kitchen interior. And make your kitchen look its best.

How to Organize Our Kitchen

2008-08-31T08:29:00.000-07:00

Whether you are just moving in or your current arrangement does not flow quite as smoothly as it could, organizing your kitchen can streamline your activities and keep your kitchen looking neat and tidy.

Steps

Toss anything you don't use. Pass it along to a friend or relative, add it to a neighborhood garage sale, or donate it to charity. Be honest! When did you last use that melon baller, meatball scoop, or cookie press? Do you even know what the gizmos do? Do you really need two? Could a more general tool do the job? If you get rid of it, you will not have to hunt past it for things you do use or find a space to store it.
Replace things that don't work. If the handle on a pot rattles, the spout always gets clogged up, or the pan always scorches the food, fix or replace it! If you can't afford a replacement now, put it on a list and save your pennies, or request one for a birthday or holiday.
Store frequently-used objects in easy-to-reach locations. Notice what you use most often. Figure out where you will use them most. Infrequently used items, like the roasting pan that you only haul out during the holidays, can go on high shelves or in the back of cabinets. They can even be stored outside the kitchen in the garage, attic, basement, guest room closet, or a box under a bed.

Make sure every item in your kitchen has earned its right to take up your valuable space! Remember: if you use it infrequently enough, it should go out altogether. Just because it is large or expensive, does not mean you must keep it. If you made pasta twice ten years ago, please pitch the pasta machine.

Create centers of activity and store related utensils near where they will be used. Here are some common centers of activity, in the order that food will travel through the kitchen:

* Preparation. Cutting board, knives, measuring cups and spoons, and mixing bowls all go here.
* Cooking. The stove and oven plus the utensils that go with them. This area should include pots and pans, pot holders, spoons and spatulas (a utensil jar works well for these).
* Baking. If you love to bake, you might find it handy to store your flour, sugar, baking powder, a set of measuring cups and spoons, your favorite mixing bowl, etc. together in one convenient spot.
* Serving. The table, plus tableware, serving dishes, napkins, trivets, and anything else you need to sit down and eat. Soy sauce? Salt and pepper shakers? Sugar bowl? Ask yourself whether it would be more convenient to store your dishes and silverware near the table or the dishwasher.
* Cleaning. The sink, dishwasher and surroundings. Soap, gloves, dish pan, drying rack, cleansers, towels, etc.
* Waste disposal. Keep a trash can handy, plus recycling and compost bins, too. Locate them as centrally as possible without being in the way. They should go near the cleaning and food preparation areas.

Clear the counter. Pay particular attention to reducing the number of objects stored permanently on the counter. The counter needs frequent cleaning and it is your primary workspace. Find another place for knickknacks and anything else that doesn't absolutely need to live there.

Make a list. Tattered dishcloths? Out of soap? As you go, write down supplies you find lacking or worn out. Also write down side projects that you find as you go (such as fixing a wobbly table leg). Writing them down allows you to tackle distractions later without missing things.

Tackle the paper. Do mail, homework, newspapers, phone calls, or bill paying generate paper in the kitchen? Decide between these strategies:
* Give paper another home. Create a paper-sorting center, ideally between the mailbox and the kitchen, with bins for sorting paper, a recycling bin and trash can, space to write, and other necessary supplies.
* Make a proper space for paper in the kitchen. Admit that it's going to land there and have a tidy place to put it and a system for clearing it out regularly.

Clean as you go. When you clear one drawer or shelf, wipe out the crumbs before replacing the contents. Cleaning a little at a time makes it less of a chore.

Tips

Organize according to how traffic and activities do flow, not necessarily according to how they should flow.
No organizational system is set in stone. Experiment with different arrangements. Notice what works and what doesn't. If you use something differently than you anticipated, or if your habits change, move it.
If you choose to put spices near the stove, make sure they will stay cool and dry. Heat and moisture will spoil the flavor, and you will have to replace them much more often.
Find drawer trays that fit your drawers to keep things tidy and in order within drawers.
Do you have a "junk drawer" or other catch-all area in your kitchen? If so, why? Take a good, critical look at its contents. Consider giving it a specific purpose and definitely throw out any junk that's not needed!
Entire stores exist that specialize in junk storage devices. Do not start organizing your kitchen by heading to such a store with wallet in hand. If you have thoroughly decluttered an area and established an organization system, and still think that a shelf, rack, tray, or bin will help you make better use of space, then go get just the item you need. Otherwise those "handy" items are just more clutter.
Try sorting small hand utensils according to size/length. Keeping the small and the large separated will speed your search for the correct utensil.
Knives need a special place all their own. Typically knives don't get dull from being used. Instead they get dull from being banged around in a drawer with other knives, utensils or dishes.
You can sometimes store knives conveniently (and safely) by inserting the blade in the space between the stove and the counter top. But watch out -- make sure the blade doesn't get hot when the stove is on!
Liquid hand soap is a must in any kitchen. It's more hygienic than bar soap and there's no slimy soap dish.

Thanks for your visiting

2008-08-10T06:23:00.000-07:00

Sorry, this page under constructions