How to Grow Grapes for Excellent Wine
March 31, 2008
How to Grow Grapes for Excellent Wine
by: Brian Cook
I think it quite safe to say that more has been written about the cultivation of grapes than has - or ever will be - written about any other fruit. This is not surpris¬ing, considering that the grape is probably the oldest of known fruits.
Surprisingly, grapes do not need loads of manures and fertilizers; they grow well on quite poor soils and need little after-attention. The roots will search out and find what they want; all we have to concern ourselves with is where to put the top-growth - the vine itself.
If one wall of your house faces south, south-west or even west, that problem is solved very easily. If you cannot plant the vine under that particular wall, plant it round the corner and train the vine round to the sunny side of the house. Grapes may be grown in the open garden in similar fashion to loganberries, or they may be trained over sheds, garages, out-houses and such-like.
Vines are not expensive, and if two are planted, the yield may be regarded as fantastic when considering the value of the wine that may be made for many years.
How to Bake: Bread on the Grill
March 30, 2008
One of the slickest tricks we know is baking bread on the grill. Once you get to know your grill, it’s easy-like baking your favorite recipe in the oven.
We can think of all kinds of reasons to use the grill. You can enjoy fresh baked bread while camping, or at the cabin, or at the next family reunion. Sometimes, it’s just nice to get out of the kitchen, enjoy the spring air, and bake outside. (Watch the neighbors turn their noses upwind when the smell of fresh baked bread wafts over the fence.) And in the summertime, you don’t have to heat up the kitchen to bake. Finally, if there is ever an extended emergency when the power is off, you may have the only fresh bread in town.
You can bake nearly anything with a covered grill. (If your grill doesn’t have a cover, improvise with a large inverted pot.) The heat rises and circulates in the covered area just as it does in your oven. The heat source can be charcoal, gas, or even wood. We prefer gas because it is easier to control and does not impart a smoked taste to the bread. Since it is hottest near the flames, elevate the bread even if you have to improvise. In our grill, there is a secondary shelf for baking potatoes and such.
It’s Football Gift Basket Time of the Year
March 30, 2008
It’s Football Gift Basket Time of the Year
by: Larry Flynn
We’re reaching the NFL’s “run for the playoffs” time of year. Between mid December and the Super Bowl, the best games of the season are on TV Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Whether you gather at your home or a friend’s, a true football fan provides his guests snacks and treats. So grab a basket and let’s fill it with a selection any fan would love.
First, let’s start with your favorite team and find some logo items. Being a Bears fan I usually start with a chip and dip snack bowl. I’ll compliment that with cooler cups in my team’s colors; blue and orange. I’m a nervous fan when the “home team” plays so I always include a nerf football or two, to squeeze away my anxiety or to throw the deep post pattern to my speedy wide receiver in the comfort of the family room.
Okay, now to the important items in my gift basket, the snacks. I have a weakness for chips and dip so I include potato chips and onion dip as well as tortilla chips and hot salsa. Peanuts (not in the shell I’ve learned) are a must as is popcorn. Last but not least, summer sausage, very cheddar cheese and my favorite wheat crackers are included to provide us sustenance during our three and half hour gridiron spectacle.
Mays Featured Holidays and Recipes
March 29, 2008
There are three great days in the month of May that I would like to talk about…Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, and Memorial Day. I will share a brief history and include a couple of delectable recipes. Happy May!
—————————————————————–
Cinco de Mayo - May 5, 2005 - Cinco de Mayo means “The 5th of May.” Many people believe that it is Mexico’s Independence Day. This is not true. Independence Day in Mexico is September 16. The history of Cinco de Mayo dates back to the mid 1800’s. Mexico was in substantial debt with France, Spain, and England. France decided to use this to their advantage and invade Mexico. The first invasion attempt was on May 5, 1862. It is known as The Battle of Pueblain. The Mexican army was out numbered and out matched, yet, they defeated the French army and kept control of their country. Unfortunately, they lost a battle that took place about a year later and the French gained control from 1864 - 1867. Although Mexico lost out to the French in the end…they still celebrate the bravery shown at the first battle. I have included two delicious recipes to fit any Mexican celebration.
Perking Up for Caffeinated Treasure in the Caribbean
March 28, 2008
Perking Up for Caffeinated Treasure in the Caribbean
by: Jennifer Smith
Possibly the world’s most famous coffee-growing location is Colombia, but many countries in and around the Caribbean also produce this flavorful bean. Most coffee-growing islands in the Caribbean, however, do not produce quantities large enough to export on a wide scale, like the plantations in Central and South America, which serve markets all over the world.
Growing History
Coffee was discovered in Africa, but today this drink is popular worldwide. It was passed from the Ethiopians to Constantinople’s Ottoman Turks and even to Pope Clement VIII in Italy, who is said to have baptized the drink. There are many variations in the story of how the crop was transplanted to the Caribbean, but, needless to say, the region’s land turned out to be ideal for growing this popular bean.
The type of coffee plant most often grown in the Caribbean region is called “Arabica.” It was developed from plants grown in Saudi Arabia, inspiring the name. Coffee can be grown in many different climates, but each climate will create beans with subtle taste variations.
History of the Stove-top Espresso Maker
March 27, 2008
History of the Stove-top Espresso Maker
by: James Grierson
The story of the stove-top espresso maker begins in 1918, when Alfonso Bialetti returned to his native Italy from France, where he had worked in the aluminium industry, to start a small workshop manufacturing metal household goods.
The actual idea for the stove-top espresso maker came from a simple washing machine. During the 1920s Alfonso Bialetti observed the local women of Crusinallo washing their clothes in a sealed boiler with a small central pipe. This pipe would draw up the soapy water from the bottom of the boiler and redistribute it over the laundry. Alfonso Bialetti hit upon the idea that he could adapt this washing machine and scale it down to make a simple coffee maker that would allow Italians to enjoy real ‘espresso type’ coffee in their private homes.
Alfonso Bialetti began tinkering away, building various prototypes. His prototype stove-top espresso makers were manufactured out of aluminium. This was due to there being an embargo imposed by Mussolini’s government on stainless steel. As Italy had a rich source of bauxite (aluminium ore), aluminium became the ‘National Metal’ of Italy.
The Old Fashioned: Two Recipes of an Underrated Classic
March 26, 2008
Like many mixed drinks, the Old Fashioned has a number of variations and a history.
It is one of the few cocktails that survived from the days of the Martini and the Manhattan. When prepared well, it is a full-bodied, delicious drink. It was one of my mother’s favorites as a young woman in the 1940’s and still carries the glamour of the era.
Accounts agree that the Old Fashioned originated at the Pendennis Club, in Louisville, Kentucky.
This Old Fashioned recipe appeared in a book written by George J. Kappeler, published in 1895, called Modern American Drinks.
THE OLD-FASHIONED WHISKEY COCKTAIL
Dissolve a small lump of sugar with a little water in a whiskey-glass; add two dashes Angostura bitters, a small piece ice, a piece lemon-peel, one jigger whiskey. Mix with small bar-spoon and serve, leaving spoon in glass.
Robert Hess, writing for Drinkboy.com, cautions that it is common for modern bartenders to top off the drink with an ounce or more of soda. In his opinion, the soda spoils the drink.
Here is another recipe from Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix’em by Stanley Clisby Arthur.
Choosing Mail Order Gourmet Meat Cuts
March 25, 2008
Choosing Mail Order Gourmet Meat Cuts
by: Mary Borke
Buying meat is one of the finest delicacies left in gourmet food. There are so many cuts, tastes, and styles of preparation, filets, and seasoning to delight and tingle all senses. Saving money on gourmet meat can be easy, just follow the few basic rules that follow. When selecting a meat cut remember that the more taken to prepare this cut will mean that it is more expensive and this doesn’t necessarily mean it will taste better though. Choosing to have the meat with a bone in or filleted is up the person’s preference. The bone in is cheaper than filleted as this cut has taken less time to prepare. Meat with bone in will also cook faster as the bone acts as a heat conductor and cooks it faster. Filleted meats also may have less flavor than a cut with bone in.
Why do We Need to Knead?
March 25, 2008
Bread dough needs to be elastic in order to capture the gases created by the yeast, stretch as bubbles form in the dough, expand, and rise. Without that elasticity, bread would not have the open texture we enjoy nor would bread be chewy. But what creates that elasticity?
The endosperm of the wheat contains two important proteins, glutenin and gliadin. When wheat flour is mixed with water, these two proteins link with the water molecules and crosslink with each other as they are physically manipulated by kneading. It takes a certain amount of physical manipulation to bring these molecules into contact and create strong links. As the kneading continues and these molecules create stronger bonds, gluten is formed. It is gluten that gives the dough elasticity.
If you watch the dough being mixed with the bread hook in your stationary mixer, you will see changes occur in the dough as the kneading takes place. First the dough will stick to the sides of the bowl. As the bonds become stronger and the dough more elastic, it pulls away from the sides into a drier ball. The sides should become clean. Within four or five minutes at medium speed, the dough will change even more and become elastic as the gluten is completely formed. After you have watched this process a few times, you will be able to recognize the changes in the dough as the gluten forms. If you pinch a portion of the dough and stretch it, it should pull to a thin layer before it breaks. Without that elasticity, bread isn’t good bread.
Grilling Recipes Give People Tasteful Tremors Just Thinking of BBQ Grilling!
March 24, 2008
Grilling recipes give people tremors just thinking of the explosive thought of bbq grills producing tender, smoked ribs that melt right in your mouth.
Slabs of meat we call hamburger patties, spare ribs, steaks, lamb chops, and more line up gas grills like army soldiers lining up in front of their lieutenant. A great complement to barbequing is appetizers. An appetizer is a smaller portion of food like pizzas and wings that can be prepared by grilling, barbeque smokers, or the good ol´oven with its heat source located above, not below like grills. Fajitas and burritos can also be slapped on bbq grills and barbeque.
BBQ recipes are most diverse with the addition of slices of pizza or a cut of bread. A great tip to heat up those appetizers for your barbequing pleasure is blasting the gas grill to its optimum max temperature, having it heat up, turning it off, and slap the appetizer on it immediately. This savvy grilling method will cook your food quickly without burning your barbecue. Anything with cheese will melt to perfection, so add shreds of cheese to your favorite appetizer and grill it!
