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The Best Way to Whip Egg Whites

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Whippeing Egg WhitesEgg whites should be whipped immediately before needed, as their delicate structure necessitates their immediate use—particularly if beaten in a mixer. There are also two ways to futher help stabilize the egg whites: a copper bowl and cream of tartar.

To a lesser extent, sugar also helps to stabilize egg whites because it delays water evaporation by attracting moisture, giving the eggs protein structure more time to set up. The whites can then be beaten longer without harmful consequences.

Egg whites are finicky and demand optimal conditions for whipping. A mere speck of yolk, oil, butter, or other fat captured in the whites will markedly reduce the maximum volume the foam can attain, as fats obstruct the formation of the whipped eggs to the desired consistency and volume. It is essential to keep egg whites and all equipment that will come in contact with them—bowl, whip, spoons, and spatulas—fat-free. If fat is to blame when a batch of egg whites refuses to whip up, the damage done is irreversible. There’s nothing to do but clean everything up and start over.

Separating the eggs is the next important step. Eggs separate most easily and cleanly when refrigerator-cold because the yolk is firmer and so less likely to break. It is best to take the chill off the whites before whipping.

Your choice of mixing bowl will also affect your success with whipped whites. Bowls made from plastic, a petroleum product with a porous surface, retain an oily film even when washed carefully and should not be used for whipping egg whites. The foam will never reach its optimal volume, no matter how long it is beaten. Glass and ceramic should be avoided as well, as their slippery surfaces make it harder for whites to billow up. Aluminum, which tends to gray whites, should also be avoided. The two best choices are stainless steel and, for those who have it, copper.

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Secrets to a Perfect Pie Crust

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Secrets to a Perfect Pie Crust

Many bakers believe making their own pie crust as too challenging and difficult to make. Follow these secrets and you’ll have a perfect pie crust every time.

Secret #1: Use a glass pie dish. That way you can clearly see when the pie is browned properly on the bottom.

Secret #2: Pie crust get most of its flavor from the fat you use. Use a combination of butter and shortening.

Secret #3: All ingredients should be very cold. That goes for fats, dry ingredients, and liquids. The reason pie crust is flaky is that as you work the fat into the flour, the flour coats the fat, then the fat melts leaving a little air pocket, hopefully in layers upon layers.

Secret #4: The amount of liquid used will vary each time you make a crust. This is because weather varies, particularly humidity.

Secret #5: Use half vodka and half water for the liquid. Using vodka will reduce the amount of gluten produced, thereby making a flakier crust.

Secret #6: If at any time the dough becomes too sticky or soft, transfer it to the refrigerator for a few minutes to firm it up.

Secret #7: For a golden brown crust, whisk an egg with a little water or milk and brush it over the top crust before you put it in the oven. Then sprinkle the crust with sugar if its for a desert.

Great American Blue Cheeses

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Great American Blue Cheese

Classic blue cheeses like Gorgonzola from Italy and Roquefort from France are both excellent for melting on croutons for onion soup but these days there are many excellent blue cheeses produced in the United States too.

Point Reyes Blue Cheese

From California, this is a raw cow’s milk cheese aged at least six months. If you like a very sharp blue cheese this is the one to get. While it is very creamy, some find the sharp taste slightly bitter.

Hook’s Blue Paradise Cheese

This is a pasteurized cow’s mile double-cream blue chees3e from Wisconsin. It is smooth, creamy and mild with a pleasant sweetness. A similar cheese is Little Boy Blue made from sheep’s mild, which is equally creamy and mild with hints of hay and caramel. Some find it slightly salty.

Great Hill Blue Cheese

From Massachusetts, this is a raw cow’s milk cheese that some tasters describe as the quintessential blue cheese. It has earthy, mushroomy undertones and hits of Cheddar.

Oregon Blue Cheese

This cheese is from Roque Creamery in Oregon and is modeled after Roquefort. It is funky and sharp while Rogue’s Oregon-zola, as the name implies, is modeled after Gorgonzola, and is gentle and bright with a crumbly texture.

Maytag Blue Cheese

Maytag is a blue cheese produced on the Maytag Dairy Farms outside of Newton, Iowa, the former home of the Maytag Corporation. It uses a process for making blue cheese from homogenized cow’s milk instead of the traditional sheep’s milk. Maytag Blue has a dense, crumbly texture. As it melts in your mouth it imparts a spicy flavor with a final bite.

Berkshire Blue Cheese

A raw milk artisan cheese made from Jersey cow’s milk in small batches, Berkshire Blue is made in Massachusetts. This artisan cheese is made completely by hand, and by only one person. It is hand-stirred, hand-ladled and manually turned, resulting in an exceptionally creamy, smooth blue, mild yet very full-flavored. It isn’t too pungent or salty. It is known for having low levels of both acid and salt in the cheese.

Wine Pairings
While most red wines don’t pair well with strong, salty blues—and there are sweeter, semisoft blues to explore—Port and zinfandel are two to try, as well as, sparkling wine, Chardonnay, dessert wines, barleywine-style ale, Belgian ale, Trappist beer and stout. As a dessert, Sauternes are a classic pairing, the salty cheese balancing the sweet wine.

Facts and Fictions of Marinades

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Marinades

FICTION: Marinades Penetrate Meat Deeply

FACT: Most Penetration is Superficial

Contrary to popular belief, marinades do most of their work on the surface of meat or just below. Some ingredients in a marinade do penetrate the meat—but only by a few millimeters (and oil-soluble herbs and spices in the mix merely add flavor to the exterior). To get better penetration, poke holes in the meat using a fork.

FICTION: Acids Tenderize Meat

FACT: Acids Turn Meat Mushy

Tenderizing meat you have to break down muscle fiber and collagen, the connective tissue that makes meat tough, thus increasing the meat’s ability to retain moisture. While acidic ingredients like citrus juice, vinegar, yogurt, buttermilk, and wine do weaken collagen, their impact is confined to the meat’s surface. If left too long, acids turn the outermost layer of meat mushy, not tender. To minimize mushiness, use acidic components sparingly and only for short marinating times.

FICTION: The Longer the Soak, the Better

FACT: A Long Soak is Pointless—Even Detrimental

Because marinades don’t penetrate deeply, a lengthy soak is pointless. Furthermore, too long a soak in an acidic marinade can weaken the protein bonds near the surface so that they turn mushy—or worse, can no longer hold moisture and dry out.

FICTION: Marinades Add Flavor to Any Meat

FACT: Marinades Are Best for Thin Cuts

With their influence limited mostly to the surface of the meat, we reserve marinades for relatively thin cuts like chicken breasts, pork chops, steaks, cutlets and meat cut into chunks or slices for kebabs and stir fries. A large roast or turkey breast is never a good bet; a spice paste that will adhere to the meat is a better option.

FICTION: Enzymes Tenderize Meat

FACT: Enzymes Make Meat Mushy

The enzyme in many plants—such as papain in papaya and bromelain in pineapple, to name two—can break down collagen in meat. But as with acids, their impact is limited to the meat’s surface, where we find they likewise turn the meat mushy, not tender.

FICTION: Bottled Dressing Is a Great Time-Saver

FACT: Bottled Dressing Makes Mediocre Marinade

Due to high levels of acidity, salad dressings don’t add complex flavor and only make meat mushy. Plus, they are laden with sweeteners, stabilizers, and gums, which add a gelatinous consistency and unnatural flavor. Homemade is best.

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Determining Number of Appetizers for Your Party

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Appetizer Table
When planning a party, there can be so many things to think about, making your planning quite stressful. First and foremost being the venue of the party. Will it be a house party, or would it be preferable to hire a venue in West London or Birmingham? Once you figure the initial details out, then comes further party preparations. One of the most worrying things is knowing how many people are going to attend the party. Without knowing an exact number, it can be difficult to provide food for all of the guests. Aside from that, things like drinks, seating and decoration also need to be thought about. Also, to make your party feel more alive, it might even be worth looking at getting some of the top selling rock speakers ready for your party. You can’t have a party without some music, so be sure to find some time to create the perfect playlist for the party. Music can set the scene and create a lively atmosphere for the guests.

After organizing all of that, it’s important to come back to the food. How much are you going to make and what are you going to serve? It’s widely acknowledged that tiny bites of anything just taste a gajillion times better than their gigantic cousins and that’s why figuring out how many appetizers you need per person is a huge challenge. If you’ve ever gone to any sort of gathering where appetizers are on the feature, you know that’s where you’re going to find all sorts of happy people who are going to want to try everything on deck. So if you’re hosting a soiree, make sure your appetizer game is on point, this is going to make the difference between a smiles-and-giggles party and an everyone-leaves-early-and-hungry event. The key to having the perfect amount of appetizers per person is having enough unique individual tasters and equal amounts of loosey-goosey platters of dip and something. For example, you want to make sure you have at least two platters of either the vegetable and dip platter, fruit and dip platter, or cheese and crackers platter for a soiree of 10.

Your appetizer bombs

Then you can add your big guns and by big guns we mean those little loved bites of something special you’re going to create and they’re going to rave about and eat and rave again. With the smaller appetizers, you want to approximate 12 appetizers per person. The number may sound like a lot, but remember these appetizers are going to sustain people throughout your event so it is not out of the question that your guests could easily pop back four in one round of the appetizer service table.
Now that we’ve got numbers out of the way, let’s talk about what makes a delicious appetizer table.

Seasonal

You definitely want to be serving according to season so it makes sense and so you can get fresh, flavorful ingredients. Remember it’s not quantity, it is absolutely about quality.

Autumn Appetizer

Chorizo and Sweet Potato Bites
Serves: 10
Prep Time: 10 mins.

Ingredients
2 lbs chorizo sausage
2 sweet potatoes
extra virgin olive oil

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking tray with parchment,
2. Slice sausage into 1/2″ thick slices, set aside.
3. Peel and slice sweet potatoes into 1″ cubes.
4. Heat 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in skillet over medium heat.
5. Add sweet potato cubes and saute until browned, remove from skillet.
6. Into same pan add chorizo and saute until browned, remove from skillet.
7. Place chorizo and sweet potato on baking tray and place in oven for 15 mins, cool.
8. Thread two chorizo bites in between two sweet potato cubes on a toothpick and place on serving platter.

Winter Appetizer

Meatballs
Serves: 10
Prep Time: 20 mins.

Ingredients
2 lbs lean ground beef
2 green onions, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
extra virgin olive oil

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line two trays with parchment.
2. Combine ingredients in a large bowl and knead.
3. Roll meatballs into 2″ balls and place on lined trays.
4. Bake meatballs for 20 mins. on middle rack.
5. Place meatballs on serving platter and insert toothpick inside each one.

Spring Appetizer

Tomato and Prosciutto Bites
Serves: 10
Prep Time: 10 mins.

Ingredients
20 cherry tomatoes
1 lb Mozzarella
1 lb Prosciutto, thinly-sliced

Directions
1. Slice tomatoes in half.
2. Slice Mozzarella into 1/2″ cubes.
3. Thread 4 tomato halves and two Mozza cubes on a toothpick and wrap a prosciutto slice around, place on serving platter.

Summer Appetizer
Watermelon Mint Bites
Serves: 10
Prep Time: 10 mins.

Ingredients
1 large watermelon
1 bunch mint
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp salt

Directions
1. Slice watermelon into 1″ cubes, remove seeds.
2. Place mint, cayenne, salt and 1 cup watermelon cubes in food processor and mix until you have a sauce.
3. Toss watermelon with mint and thread three cubes per toothpick.
4. Appetizers for all

Perhaps we’re all kids at heart and want little things to play with or maybe we love the fun of tasting all sorts of things without committing to one, whatever it is appetizers are a hit.

Fad Diets

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If you promise to help people lose a ridiculously large amount of weight in a ridiculously short period of time you have just placed yourself in the arms of millions of people and under the category of fad diets. Many people have found that these diets aren’t really doing anything for them, which is why it comes as no surprise to find that the idea of visiting a clinic like Luxurgery for liposuction treatment is the way forward for some. It doesn’t take long before people realize the sorts of diets we are going to be mentioning below make little to no difference. These days, however, the line between fad dieting and healthy dieting has become a little blurry, in fact, the term dieting itself has become a world people only whisper. With this being said, it then comes as no surprise to find that some people may opt to buy something like a fitness watch to keep track of their own progress, instead of relying on diets. Plus, with there being sites similar to Mobile Mob that allow people to buy accessories for the watch, this could be positive for people looking to lead a healthier lifestyle.
These days no one is on a diet but everyone is making “lifestyle changes.”

So shall we talk about these here lifestyle changes a little?

By golly, yes we should.

Atkins

The granddaddy of all diets, the Atkins diet took the world by storm several decades ago and has been going strong since. In fact the diet was so successful that there are numerous offshoots, they all have different names and theories but what is common amongst them all is the basic principles of the Atkins diet.

Essentially on the Atkins diet you do not eat grains, dairy and other simple sugars. Be prepared to lose a ton of weight if you stick to the guidelines of the program. The Atkins approach weans your body off of using carbohydrates for fuel buy completely eliminating carbs from the diet. Once the body goes into ketosis, it starts to use your stored up fat and new fat for energy. Voila, this is how you lose weight on this diet.

Paleo

If you’ve ever wondered what it was like to like thousands of years ago, you’re in luck because there’s a diet that is designed to help you do just that.

The Paleolithic diet, or Paleo for short, was created with the purpose of helping humans return to a more natural state of eating, the kind that existed prior to modern-day machinery.

This means when you’re eating Paleo, you’re essentially sticking to things like fruits, veggies and animal products. Paleo’s dietary restrictions make it similar to the low-carb diet since much of the food items that are banned from a low-carb plan are also items that would not have been produced in the Paleolithic era.

The Paleo diet has been going strong for several years now, and is one of those diets that isn’t just a temporary fix, but seems to be one that has resulted in lifestyle changes for people. There are numerous website as well as cookbooks dedicated to living a Paleo lifestyle. So if you’re ready to say bye-bye to cakes, cookies, bread, ice cream, milk and more than this is the fad you want to get on since you’ll stay relatively healthy and stay slim in the process (or get slimmer).

Vegan

Not so much a fad as much as a personal health and social choice, veganism is becoming increasingly popular.

Vegans do not consume animals and their products. For some people the decision can come as a result of becoming more socially aware of the conditions animals for consumption live in. Other people convert to veganism because it is a health choice or if they want to lose weight.

The trick to losing weight with veganism is staying away from all of the simple sugars that you’re allowed to have. You can still see overweight vegans because they begin to go heavy on pastries and other sugary treats to make up for the meat products they are not eating.

Pineapple Diet

Now here’s one that has earned its “fad diet” stripes. The pineapple diet promises followers they will lose a significant amount of weight in a short amount of time by eating pineapple. Pineapples are said to be a negative calorie food since the energy it takes your body to burn pineapple up is more than the calories you consume. A typical pineapple diet includes eating just pineapple and drinking water as well as eating tuna for its protein intermittently.

Followers say the pineapple diet works and it should since you’re subsisting on very few calories.

Fad Stuff

Some people jump from fad diet to fad diet, losing weight and gaining back twice as much. The truth of the matter is that no diet can actually work unless you make a commitment to actually feeling healthier, looking healthier and losing weight. That’s why if you are currently struggling on what to do in your diet then it might be a good idea to check out something like this website here Discussdiets.com, to give you some helpful hints and tips on what to do to help you lose weight and eat healthier. At the end of the day, a diet with the right amounts of sugar and fat with regular exercise is going to improve your health. If you aren’t doing exercise along side a diet then you aren’t going to gain anything. It doesn’t have to be a gruelling gym session either, it can be just be something like a tennis lesson. If you’re not sure how to start an activity then you can just search it online (E.g. Chicago Tennis Lessons). This means you do in fact need to revamp your whole lifestyle rather than change your eating habits for a few days. So dump the fad and pick up a lifestyle that’s going to take you higher and further than any quick-fix plan ever could.

Dining Etiquette

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Dining EtiquetteIf you’ve been invited to an evening of dining at a private dinner party with promises of good conversation, good food and a whole lot of formalities then yes, yes you should have come to this page to learn more and get better. Even if you’re simply dining out at family friendly restaurants, there is certain dining etiquette that you should follow.

The thing about private and formal dinner parties is either you love them or hate them, there is no in between. If you want to make private dinner parties happen in your life then you’re going to want to follow the rules that go with them and we’re here to help you make sure your first fete won’t be your last.

Now, there can be any number of variations when it comes to small formal affairs but we’ve selected a best attack plan that will guide you through most intimate dinners – unless you’re in the Amazon Jungle getting ready for dinner with the tribe chief – then you’re on your own. Sorry.

Pre-Dinner

You must buy your host a gift. If you know your host well then it’s always worth it to go the extra mile and make it personal. However, if you aren’t very familiar with your host do not fret; you can’t go wrong with a beautiful bottle of wine (emphasis on beautiful and de-emphasis on screw tops). You could even make custom wine bottle labels at GrogTag to really impress the host. They’ll be so impressed!

Greeting

You ring or knock the giant brass knuckle and are greeted by someone unfamiliar, don’t panic, this unfamiliar person will likely take your coat for safekeeping. Just look past the shoulder of the unfamiliar person and your host should be waiting to greet you.

Greet according to your country’s custom or your host’s custom which could be a handshake, double-cheek kiss or a simple “hello, how do you do.”

You will move into the formal gathering area for cocktails and chit-chat with your fellow diners. Shortly after, guests will be invited to the dining room.

Dining

If there are place cards set out on the table then sit accordingly, otherwise you can wait for the host/hostess to signal where you should be sitting. The guest(s) of honor will be seated to the right of the hosts. The female guest of honor should be served first and then the service will go around the table until it returns to the hosts.

Men should pull out the chair for the lady designated to sit on their right-hand side, but should not seat themselves until the lady of the house is seated. The man sitting on the left of the lady of the house should be the one to seat her (although this isn’t strictly necessary in today’s day and age).

Place Settings

Each setting should have a charger plate on it at all times. The first course will be served in a separate dish and placed on the charger plate. The soup course requires the soup dish to be placed on the charger and then both are removed at the same time and replaced by the main course plate.

Your plates should be served to you from your left side and will be picked up you’re your right so be aware of your movements. If crumbs need to be eliminated from the table, it will be done quietly and discreetly.

When beginning your dining experience remember you’re going to be eating from the outside in when it comes to your cutlery. So when partaking in the first course you’re going to want to start with the outside fork and then work your way inward for subsequent courses.

These tips are mainly when dining out, but everything can be more relaxed when you’re at home. If you want to start hosting dinner parties at home to invite friends and family, you could look into purchasing something like a dinner table from a site like furniture in fashion, to find modern and high quality dining table sets. You’ll become a natural at this in no time.

Dining Things

The fanciest of fancy dinners will have a six-course meal. The courses will include the following: Shellfish or Soup, Fish, Main Course, Salad, Dessert.

Each course will have its own set of cutlery, and only the best antique silver cutlery will be used. If you drop a piece of cutlery, it will be picked up for you and replaced, so there’s no need to carry on using it.

Your water glass will be filled shortly after it begins to run low, you should never have to ask for it. Speaking of glasses, hold your wine glass by the stem.

Your dessert will come in a bowl sitting on a plate or a plate with the knife and fork on it. If fresh fruit is part of the meal, it will be served shortly after the dessert.

Some party hosts will provide finger bowls. The finger bowls will be brought on a plate and set down after the last course. Once you are finished you should dip your fingers in the finger bowl and wipe them.

Pleasantries

Part of a lovely dining experience is the conversation that comes with. Sure you can have delicious food, but if the conversation is sour, this will upset the mood of things. If you’re the guy with the sour conversation, say goodbye to private dinners because no one will want to partake in sour conversation again.

Stick to general conversation topics and stay away from topics like religion and politics. Essentially if you show up dressed well, feeling pleasant and have a lovely smile on your face you’re going to be just fine.

Take these handy tips into consideration and you’ll knock the whole thing out of the park (or right past the butler anyways).

Coffees from Around the World

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Coffee from Around the World

A great cup of Java is what all good mornings should be made of. ALL. There are even websites that you can Visit here that help you to find the best coffee maker, so you can start your day off right. So, It shouldn`t surprise you to know that delicious coffee from around the world is enjoyed in a similar manner all over the globe.

For some of us, coffee is a serious business. There is no messing with our brand and the time we like to spend alone with our Jo is important. If you want to read some coffee machine reviews visit The Full Moon Cafe who will help you out, or Little Coffee Place who have a great guide on single serve coffee makers (which are my personal favorite).

Do you know that this little habit that you have is practiced in all four corners of the globe (technically the globe doesn’t have corners, but you know what I mean) in variations all day long. Some people prefer the comfort of having a coffee machine at home, with the Hamilton Beach 49980A being a popular choice. Coffee is a love undefined by borders, it seeps dark and pours deep into the hearts of people for its rich, earthy flavor, its caffeine buzz and that little sumthin-sumthin it’s got that has no name but puts a smile on your face.

Coffee comes from the coffee bean plant which is located in several regions around the world. Some of the largest coffee-producing countries include Ethiopia, Brazil and Vietnam. There are two major varieties produced. The Robusta bean is the standard bean while the Arabica bean is the premium version.

Let’s take a hop, skip and jump and tour across the globe to find out about world coffee consumptions that not only titillate the taste buds but also the mind buds.

Ethiopia

It is believed that the first beans for coffee were discovered in Ethiopia. From Ethiopia the beans made their way into the Middle East. To make coffee like it’s done in Ethiopia you are going to want to get yourself premium Arabica beans, which Ethiopia produces.

These bean need to be roasted in a pan, you’ll know their ready when they darken. In a separate pot bring water to boil. Once the water is boiling, add a spoon of sugar and a spoon of coffee into the pot. The stronger you want your coffee, the longer you want to leave it covered in the pot.

Turkey

Coffee made its way into the Ottoman courts after the movement of the bean up from Africa into the Middle East. Turkey has a special coffee culture that revolves not only on the dark liquid but also the ritual itself.

To make Turkish coffee you need ground Turkish coffee or espresso will if you can’t find Turkish brands. The traditional way to make Turkish coffee is to cook the coffee in water over a gas flame. The coffee along with the grinds is poured into little cups that are the size of espresso cups. Sugar is added as per the drinker’s liking.

Coffee drinker’s carefully drink the last drop so as to not swallow the grinds nor to spill the grinds. The coffee story isn’t finished after that last sip of coffee. The coffee cups will have the residue of the coffee grinds at the bottom of the cups. The cups are covered with a saucer and the cups are then turned upside down. The coffee cup is turned over on the saucer for 10 mins. Then one of your fellow coffee drinkers will read your fortune.

The coffeehouse tradition is believed to have started in Istanbul sometime between the 15th and 16th centuries.

Italian

From the Middle East, over to Turkey and into Italy was the journey of the coffee bean. The Italian love for coffee is well known around the world, in particular the express form of coffee also known as espresso. Italy has a culture that surrounds the sipping of the daily brew with many people popping into their local coffee houses several times for an espresso, an Americano, a café au lait or perhaps an aperitif closer to the evening.

Although large contraptions for preparing the various coffees are popular in coffee houses, many homes still use a traditional percolator to get the perfect cup of coffee.

Brazil

Brazil is the largest producer of coffee in the world, given that stat it comes as no particular shock that coffee is big in Brazil. One of the most popular ways to drink coffee is with hot milk and sprinklings of sugar with a double-strength coffee base.

Cuba

A cup of Cuban coffee in hand and a smile on your face as you chat with friends is the way Cubans like to start the day (certainly not a bad way to start the day). Cubans enjoy lots of sugar in their coffee, alternatively you can also start your day with a milky version.

American

None of those tiny Turkish or Italian cups can cut it for an American cup of Jo. Coffee in the U.S. comes in a large cup and is meant to be sipped, not tossed back like an Italian espresso. A cup of coffee to the lips is a popular way to start the day. Milk or cream and sugar are popular additions to coffee. Additionally, mixed coffee drinks that contain less coffee and more whipped cream have also become particularly popular.

Beloved coffee is loved for numerous reasons and ultimately gives us a chance to break up the day and take a nice hot sip. There`s a lot of difference around the world but one thing we all can come together over is coffee from around the world.

Healthy Berries

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Berries - Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, HuckleberriesTheir not just juicy little globules of utter perfection, berries are filled of all sorts of super antioxidants and vitamins that do your body good.

Thе соnѕumрtіоn оf bеrrу fruіtѕ аnd their соntrіbutіоn tо іmрrоvіng саrdіоvаѕсulаr hеаlth іѕ a ѕubjесt оf соnѕіdеrаblе іntеrеѕt. Thе соmmоnlу соnѕumеd bеrrіеѕ іn thе Unіtеd Stаtеѕ іnсludе blасkbеrrу, blасk rаѕрbеrrу, bluеbеrrу, сrаnbеrrу, red rаѕрbеrrу, ѕtrаwbеrrіеѕ, аnd оlаllіеbеrrу. Lеѕѕ соmmоnlу соnѕumеd berries include асаі, black сurrаnt, сhоkеbеrrу, аnd mulbеrrіеѕ. Bеrrіеѕ аrе lоw іn саlоrіеѕ аnd аrе hіgh іn mоіѕturе аnd fіbеr. Thеу соntаіn nаturаl аntіоxіdаntѕ ѕuсh аѕ vіtаmіnѕ C аnd E, аndmісrоnutrіеntѕ such аѕ fоlіс асіd, саlсіum, ѕеlеnіum, аlрhа аnd bеtа саrоtеnе, аnd lutein. A berry іѕ a ѕmаll, рulру аnd оftеn еdіblе fruіt. Bеrrіеѕ аrе uѕuаllу juісу, rоundеd, brіghtlу соlоrеd, ѕwееt оr ѕоur, аnd dо nоt hаvе a ѕtоnе оr ріt, although mаnу ѕееdѕ mау bе рrеѕеnt.

Some of the most popular berries include:

Blueberries

Blueberries аrе реrеnnіаl flоwеrіng рlаntѕ wіth іndіgо-соlоrеd berries frоm thе ѕесtіоn Cуаnососсuѕ wіthіn thе gеnuѕ Vассіnіum

Bluеbеrrіеѕ аrе unԛuеѕtіоnаblу lоw іn саlоrіеѕ аnd аrе a gооd ѕоurсе оf vіtаmіn E аnd C, soluble fіbеr, manganese, іrоn, аnd роtаѕѕіum. Mаngаnеѕе іѕ a trасе mіnеrаl crucial іn thе grоwth оf уоur bоnеѕ

Mаіntаіn a hеаlthу heart: Bluеbеrrіеѕ trу tо kеер оnеѕ blood vessels ѕtrоng. Mаnу rероrtѕ аlѕо ѕuggеѕt thаt thеу rеduсе сhоlеѕtеrоl lеvеlѕ. Bluеbеrrіеѕ еnсоurаgе thе рrоduсtіоn оf соllаgеn, thе buіldіng blосk оf сеllulаr mаtеrіаl, that wіll hеlр rеіnfоrсе the саріllаrу system. There іѕ аlѕо an аѕріrіn-lіkе еffесt оn thе fоrmаtіоn оf blооd сlоtѕ.

Protect аgаіnѕt cancer: Bluеbеrrіеѕ mіght іnсrеаѕе аntі-саnсеr funсtіоnѕ іnѕіdе уоur body’s сеllѕ аnd соuld аѕѕіѕt іn рrеvеntіng ovarian аnd colon саnсеr. Elevated аmоuntѕ of аntіоxіdаntѕ were аlѕо ѕhоwn tо сut down іnсіdеntѕ оf brеаѕt саnсеrѕ.

Blackberries

Blackberries are соnѕіdеrеd tо bе an аggrеgаtе fruіt knоwn аѕ a реrеnnіаl рlаnt bearing bіеnnіаl ѕtеmѕ. Hаvіng a nutrіtіоnаl соntеnt соntаіnіng dіеtаrу fіbеr, vіtаmіn C аnd vіtаmіn K, thе fruіt іѕ hіghlу recommended bу аll. Blасkbеrrіеѕ аrе аlѕо knоwn tо bе gооd ѕоurсеѕ оf manganese, bеtа саrоtеnе аnd lutеіn. Add to аll thеѕе bеnеfіtѕ thе fасt that thіѕ fruіt соntаіnѕ ѕеvеrаl еѕѕеntіаl аntіоxіdаntѕ thаt аrе hеlрful in fіghtіng оff ѕеvеrаl dіѕеаѕеѕ. They provide the following health benefits:

  1. Prеvеntѕ brеаѕt аnd сеrvісаl саnсеr – Anу саnсеr whісh іѕ рrеvеntеd іѕ a gооd thіng. Brеаѕt саnсеr аnd сеrvісаl саnсеr іѕ аlwауѕ a fеаr оf wоmеn ѕіnсе thеrе іѕ always a bіg risk tо thеm. Bу еаtіng blасkbеrrіеѕ, you саn prevent thіѕ happening. Cаnсеr іѕ a dеаdlу disease іf nоt treated will kіll.
  2. Strеngthеnіng оf blооd vеѕѕеlѕ – Thеrе are mаnу blооd vеѕѕеlѕ іn уоur bоdу. Thе mоrе сеntеrеd blооd vеѕѕеlѕ whісh аrе thе mоѕt соnсеrnеd аrоund thе hеаrt. Wіth hеаlthу blооd vеѕѕеlѕ, уоu саn рrеvеnt heart dіѕеаѕе аnd ѕtrеngthеn уоur еуеѕіght. Evеrуоnе саn improve thеіr еуеѕіght.
  3. Rеlіеf frоm intestinal іnflаmmаtіоn and dіаrrhеа – This іѕ thе ԛuісk rеlіеf strategy thаt blасkbеrrіеѕ offer. For thаt Mеxісаn dіnnеr thаt уоu аtе аnd nоw rеgrеttіng, tаkе ѕоmе blасkbеrrіеѕ аnd rеlіеvе уоur іntеѕtіnаl раіn аnd dіаrrhеа. You will fееl bеttеr for dоіng ѕuсh a ѕіmрlе task.

Strawberries

Strаwbеrrіеѕ аrе thе numbеr оnе fruіt сrор fоr hоmе рlаnt­іngѕ. Strаwbеrrіеѕ may аlѕо bе grown аѕ a саѕh сrор іn lаrgе hоmе рlаntіngѕ.

Strаwbеrrіеѕ аrе nоt оnlу dеlісіоuѕ but аlѕо vеrу vеrѕаtіlе, аnd thеrе аrе mаnу wауѕ in whісh you саn аdd ѕtrаwbеrrіеѕ tо уоur dаіlу dіеt

Hеаlth Bеnеfіt оf ѕtrаwbеrrу

Rісh ѕоurсе оf роlурhеnоlѕ (аnthосуаnіnѕ)

Hеlр рrоtесt аgаіnѕt саnсеr

Help рrоtесt аgаіnѕt hеаrt dіѕеаѕе

Nаturаl аntі-іnflаmmаtоrу рrореrtіеѕ

Prоtесtіоn аgаіnѕt rhеumаtоіd аrthrіtіѕ

Raspberries

Raspberries аrе some оf nаturе’ѕ mоѕt реrfесt fооdѕ. Whеthеr уоu еаt thеm frеѕh оr tаkе bеrrу-bаѕеd ѕuррlеmеntѕ, do уоurѕеlf аnd уоur bоdу a fаvоr ‘kеер еаtіng mоrе оf them.

Wіth ѕо mаnу hеаlth bеnеfіtѕ, bеrrіеѕ mау bе оnе оf thе tаѕtіеѕt wауѕ tо еаt wеll. But before hеаdіng tо thе ѕtоrе, kеер thеѕе роіntѕ іn mіnd. Thе fresher thе bеrrіеѕ, thе bеttеr thеу’ll tаѕtе, ѕо buу them lосаllу grоwn оr рісk thеm уоurѕеlf аt a fаrm. And сhооѕе оrgаnісаllу grоwn іf роѕѕіblе, раrtісulаrlу rаѕрbеrrіеѕ аnd ѕtrаwbеrrіеѕ (59 реrсеnt of raspberries аnd 90 реrсеnt of strawberries hаvе tеѕtеd роѕіtіvе fоr pesticide rеѕіduеѕ in соmmеrсіаl ѕаmрlеѕ)

Vіtаmіn C thаt is found іn rаѕрbеrrіеѕ hеlрѕ tо іmрrоvе our іmmunе ѕуѕtеm bу аttасkіng mаnу mісrо-оrgаnіѕmѕ. Rаѕрbеrrіеѕ, bluеbеrrіеѕ, ѕtrаwbеrrіеѕ, аnd сrаnbеrrіеѕ соntаіn аn еnоrmоuѕ аmоunt оf vіtаmіn C.

Boysenberries

Boysenberries mау lооk lіkе a bіg, blоwzу, undеrrіре blасkbеrrу, but іt іѕ іn fact a noble fruіt, аѕ dіѕtіnсt frоm a соmmоn blасkbеrrу аѕ a thоrоughbrеd іѕ frоm a mulе.

Lаrgе, dаrk purple, juісу аnd іntеnѕе, іt dеrіvеѕ іtѕ unіԛuе flavor frоm іtѕ соmрlеx аnсеѕtrу: sweetness аnd flоrаl аrоmа frоm іtѕ rаѕрbеrrу grаndmоthеr, аnd a wіnу, fеrаl tаng frоm thrее nаtіvе blасkbеrrу ѕресіеѕ.

It’s a California сlаѕѕіс, emblematic of thе jоуѕ оf growing uр іn thе Sоuthlаnd bеfоrе іt ѕuссumbеd соmрlеtеlу tо ѕрrаwl. And іt’ѕ аll the mоrе рrесіоuѕ, dеѕріtе іtѕ nеаr еxtіnсtіоn іn thіѕ ѕtаtе, bесаuѕе іt еvоkеѕ whу реорlе mоvеd hеrе іn thе fіrѕt рlасе. 

Olallieberry

“Olаllіе” is a word fоr berry thаt was used bу Nаtіvе Amеrісаnѕ оf thе Pасіfіс Nоrthwеѕt. Sо you’re actually saying “bеrrу bеrrу”

Gеnеtісаllу, іt is аррrоxіmаtеlу two-thirds Blасkbеrrу аnd оnе-thіrd Eurореаn Rеd Raspberry. Thе Olаllіеbеrrу wаѕ dеvеlореd іn 1949 by the U.S. Dераrtmеnt оf Agrісulturе аt Orеgоn State University bу сrоѕѕіng a Loganberry wіth a Yоungbеrrу. Whіlе рrіmаrіlу developed іn Orеgоn, іt hаѕ nеvеr bееn very рrоduсtіvе there аnd is primarily grоwn in California. Because thе оlаllіеbеrrу hаѕ blackberry оn bоth ѕіdеѕ of its раrеntаgе, it еxhіbіtѕ many оf thе ѕаmе flаvоr characteristics оf thе blасkbеrrу. However, оlаllіеbеrrіеѕ аrе muсh lаrgеr in ѕіzе and gеnеrаllу are sweeter than blасkbеrrіеѕ grоwn undеr thе same соndіtіоnѕ.

Huckleberries

Huckleberries аrе ѕmаll аnd rоund bеrrіеѕ thаt саn be ѕоmеtіmеѕ mistaken for bluеbеrrіеѕ. Thе соlоr оf thеѕе berries rаngе frоm dеер rеd tо bluе tо еggрlаnt рurрlе. Thе dіffеrеnt varieties оf thіѕ berry grow wіld thrоughоut North Amеrіса. Thе rеd соlоrеd ones grow in thе wеѕtеrn раrt оf Nоrth Amеrіса whіlе thе dаrk-bluе/blасk оnеѕ grоw іn thе mіd аnd еаѕtеrn rеgіоn оf thе соntіnеnt.

Huсklеbеrrіеѕ аrе nаtіvе tо Cаnаdа аnd Nоrthwеѕtеrn Unіtеd States. Thеу grоw wеll іn hіghеr аltіtudе whеrе thе mоuntаіn ѕоіl іѕ асіdіс.

Huсklеbеrrіеѕ аrе rісh іn аntіоxіdаntѕ. Inсludіng thеm іn уоur dіеt whеn thеу аrе іn ѕеаѕоn саn рrеvеnt terminal dіѕеаѕеѕ, diabetes, glаuсоmа аnd hеаrt dіѕеаѕеѕ.

Thіѕ berry іѕ еnrісhеd wіth vіtаmіn B аnd C. Vіtаmіn B ѕрееdѕ uр thе mеtаbоlіѕm аnd еnhаnсеѕ сеll grоwth. Whіlе vitamin C hеlрѕ іn bооѕtіng уоur іmmunе ѕуѕtеm.

It is clear that little berries pack a true health and flavor punch. So include berries into yourn diet whenever you can. Enjoy them for a snack with yogurt or pop them into a salad or enjoy them in a healthy dessert.

Top American Cocktails

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Great American Cocktails

A sweet little thing in an even sweeter glass on a warm summer’s day is what you’ll see at backyards across the US as backyard aficionados experiment with Top American Cocktails.

Cocktails have been around for ages and they come in different forms, flavor, and conceptions. A cocktail is a blending of two or more ingredients and can be non-alcoholic, but for the most part, those that are looking to partake in a little cocktail are usually looking for a smattering of the alcohol kind.

Traditionally, cocktails entail the art of blending and the science of mixing, with the aim of achieving smoothness, elegance, precision, and ultimately satisfaction.

All through antiquity, people have consistently indulged in the act of drink mixing, but we are at a stage where it has become a profession for most and as such, it is now a multi-million dollar industry, where there is a fierce competition amongst all players.

These days, cocktails are no longer made just to quench the desire for a drink; they are now a symbol for class, social standing, taste, and affluence, etc. There are a number of cocktail bars across the country, all different; all with different menus, different atmospheres and different clientele. Some with classic retro American vibes with their brick walls and their neon bar signs cheap and cheerful, others with candles and fairy lights and dim colours, perhaps even a hint of art deco as well. Either way, the amount of variations of cocktails and cocktail bars makes the scene a very dynamic place. Everyone loves a cocktail, how can you not? Unless you don’t like alcohol full stop, of course! But they make you feel like an embodiment of sophistication, so that is why where you go to buy them is an important decision as well. Are you looking for big and colourful, or elegant and classy? What kind of cocktail person are you?

I mean, can you even call it a successful night out if you haven’t drunk at least one cocktail? They’re that popular that some people even want to find out where to get a fake id just for this type of occasion. Who knew?

It is with this understanding and our profound appreciation for the unknown inventor of cocktails, that we present to you some of the best cocktails on offer in America;

The Manhattan

This is a classic cocktail that tastes the best at the bars and hotels in manhattan where it was originally make. The drink is mostly referred to as the godfather of all cocktails. A drink of such distinction must be matched with a rich blend of history and as such, the story goes that the Manhattan was first blended at the Manhattan Club in 1870, by Lady Randolf Churchill, the mother of Winston Churchill.

If the Churchill story is true, then Lady Randolf did not give birth to a president alone; she is also the mother of the godfather cocktail. Unfortunately, this version of the Manhattan history has been disputed by many and another version says it was originally part of the five-borough cocktails that were blended as a pledge to different parts of the city of New York, including; Staten Island, Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the Bronx.

The Manhattan cocktail has a masculine feel to it and this comes about as a result of the presence of a combination of bourbon whiskey, Vermouth, and bitters. It is well balanced and leaves a great feel in the mouth.

As far as the Manhattan is concerned, there are quite a few variations with regards to its recipe and this gives bartenders the opportunity to showcase their skills and levels of innovation. Basically, the items needed for a Manhattan cocktail include; whiskey, angostura bitters, red vermouth, maraschino cherry, and a cocktail glass.

The actual preparation involves; combining whiskey, bitters, and vermouth with about two ice cubes in a cocktail glass. After that, maraschino cherry should be placed in a cocktail glass and combined with the whiskey mixture. This is how the godfather is made

Martini

Martini is one of the most famous cocktail drinks in America and it is also the favorite of one of Hollywood’s leading fictioutious men – Jasmes Bond. This masterpiece which was referred to as “the elixir of quietude” by E.B. White is shrouded with an uncertain past and this has led to the postulation of differing versions with regards to its origin.

There is a version that says that Martinez, as it is also called, was invented by Julio Richelieu, a bartender in a town called Martinez in California. The other version is of the view that Martini was first blended in the 19th century by Jerry Thomas, a trendy bartender, while a relatively unheralded version posits that a bartender named Martini di Taggia of Knickerbocker Hotel in New York made the first blend in the 20th century.

The Martini cocktail is a combination of gin, vermouth and olive or lemon. The preparation process is straightforward and involves pouring all ingredients into a mixing glass that contains ice cubes. After that, lemon oil is squeezed into the content.

Even with all that has been said, it should be noted that there is a variety of recipes for Martini e.g. Chocolate Martini, Apple Martini, and Expresso Martini etc. The shape of the Martini glass makes it one of the trendiest cocktail drinks around.

The Long Island Iced Tea

The Long Island Iced Tea contains no tea, it is rather made up of different blends of alcohol, including; light rum, tequila, gin, vodka and a splash of coke. This is one cocktail that leaves a very smooth taste in the mouth, but as a rule, it must not be rushed. The drink was invented by Robert Butt, a bartender at Oak Beach Inn in 1972. According to Butt, the drink was invented at a cocktail contest he attended and a few years after, it became known all over the world.

The recipe for Long Island Iced Tea include 1 part vodka, 2 cups of ice cubes, 1 part gin, 1 part white tequila, 1 part white rum, half part sour mix and half part triple sec.

As per preparation, all ingredients are mixed in a highball glass, stirred and garnished with a lemon spiral. It is super impressive.

Cocktails have been around for a long time and only seem to be getting more elaborate. In fact the aforementioned drinks alone have all sorts of versions with differing flavors and alcohol types.

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