Gluten Free Baking, A Journey into New Territory By Chris Rawstern

Gluten-Free foods are taking their place in the world these days. We are all becoming more aware of gluten, gluten intolerance, celiac (or coeliac) disease, and what this means for so many people. While I am not gluten intolerant, I often cook and bake for functions, locally. Last year I was asked to provide little treats for a Princess Party, put on by the Dacotah Prairie Museum. Accompanied by a queen, little girls from tots to teens were invited, to learn about the lives of real princesses. They were taught how to wave properly, and curtsey.

Little girls hear the word princess and go dreamy-eyed. The program was sold out. I made lots of little treats, but found out one of the little princesses and her queen were gluten intolerant, and could not partake of many of the little treats. This was an intolerable state of affairs. I decided I needed to learn about this disease, be aware of what was involved, and provide alternatives that would be tasty and exciting.

Over the past year, I have been trying out different gluten-free flour mixtures, and making lots of goodies, mainly from my own normal recipes, converted by simply substituting gluten-free flour and adding xanthan gum. In the main, they have been a whopping success. In my honest opinion, as someone who has been baking for 42 years, some of the cakes, fruit or nut loaves turn out more moist and tender than when made with wheat flour, a very happy discovery, without a doubt. The queen mentioned above, works at the museum, so I took an afternoon to talk with this young woman and learn more about what was involved. I also had baked one of my favorite coffeecake recipes, gluten-free and took it for her and the museum staff to try. They all loved it, moist and tender and full of flavor. The young woman was happy with my experiment, as was I.

Another great help along the way was finding Shauna Aherns Gluten Free Girl website. I have studied her site extensively and learned all sorts of things there. I mixed up her gluten-free flour mixture to experiment with, as well as trying out one of her bread recipes; another success. I took some of the bread for the woman at the museum to sample, as well as a slice I slathered with homemade pesto and cheese and broiled. She exclaimed, This is the best bread I have tasted since going gluten free.

This coffeecake recipe was given to me by my best friend of 54 years, and is a terrific recipe, no matter which flour you choose. This is the original recipe, for gluten-free, I substituted a gluten-free flour mixture made up of 6 cups brown rice flour, 2 cups potato starch and 1 cup tapioca starch. I used this mixture measure for measure in this recipe, and added 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum to the sifted dry ingredients. Be sure to check the labels of ingredients for hidden wheat when making this Gluten Free.

Bundt Coffeecake

1 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts; walnuts or pecans are good
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and sugar until light. Add the eggs, sour cream and vanilla and mix well. Sift together flour, soda, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well. Grease a 10-inch tube or bundt pan.

Mix together the chopped nuts, the 2 teaspoons sugar and the cinnamon. Sprinkle 1/2 of this topping into the greased pan. Put in half the batter - this requires plopping small spoonfuls of the batter into the pan as the batter is very thick. Then carefully smooth it to fill in any gaps. Tapping the pan on the countertop helps. Pour on the rest of the topping and again plop spoonfuls into the pan till all batter is used.

Bake for 1 hour, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool on a rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan. Sprinkle powdered sugar over the cake if desired. Serves 12 to 16.

GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: Replace the flour with your preferred gluten-free flour mixture and add in 1 teaspoon xanthan gum. Mix and bake as directed. Sometimes baking is a little bit longer than normal, but since the texture and moistness is so wonderful, I can wait those few more minutes.
Try this recipe, either way, and you will not be sorry.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. I hope it was informative and helped you along your own culinary journey. You will find many more recipes and helpful tips on my web site. I am on Facebook at A Harmony of Flavors and share a recipe or tip each day to the fans that have liked my site. I hope to see you there soon.

Healthy Meal Preparation Ebooks By Chickie Maxwell

Cooking healthy meals is something that everyone should know how to do. It's nearly impossible to maintain good health if you rely exclusively on prepared meals. Restaurant fare is known for being high in fat and sugar. The meals that you find frozen in the grocery store are packed full of preservatives. The best nutrients come from fresh whole ingredients, and the best way to prepare them is right at home in your own kitchen. Healthy meal preparation isn't as difficult as you may believe it to be. You don't have to be a chef to ensure that your family is eating well. In fact, all you need are the right resources.

With the right healthy meal preparation cookbooks, you'll have access to all the information you need to make memorable meals that everyone will love. If you don't have room in your kitchen for a pile of new books, consider turning to ebooks to build your collection. There are just as many ebooks today for healthy meal preparation as there are hard copies of cookbooks. To ensure that you're getting the most from your home cooking, look for books that will help you build a well-rounded collection.

There are many different types of healthy meal preparation cookbooks available. Look for those that will introduce you to new techniques and ingredients. Once you master a new style of cooking, you may find that you can apply it to more than just the recipes in the book. Healthy meal preparation is all about learning what goes into a good meal. While following strict recipes may help you at first, you'll soon find that you can create a delicious and nutritious meal from the ingredients in your pantry.

Some of the things that you should learn about healthy meal preparation include: ? The best pantry staples to keep on hand ? How to choose fresh healthy ingredients ? The best options in each food category, such as the healthiest dairy, meats, fish, and grain choices ? The healthiest food preparation methods ? How to flavor meals naturally without a lot of salt or additives

Once you've mastered these basics, you'll be able to equip your kitchen with the right tools for healthy meals every day of the week. Your pantry should stay stocked with simple ingredients that you can create a fast meal from any day. Whole grain pasta, canned tomatoes, onions, and a jar of minced garlic will help you make a simple spaghetti dish that's healthier than what you would find at most Italian restaurants. The right snack foods will make it easy to grab something on the go without ruining your diet.

Choosing a variety of informational ebooks on healthy meal preparation is the first step to drastically improving your health. You really are what you eat. As soon as you make the commitment to eating better, you're sure to feel better as well. You'll enjoy more energy, a healthy weight, and even a better mood. Make the commitment to learn more about eating healthy today and you'll enjoy the benefits for the rest of your life.

Why These Three Fruits Are Great for Smoothies By Steve Sheer

A smoothie is a tasty style of saving time. Modern people simply HAVE TO love them. Think about it, you can actually eat something you like and feel you're getting healthier. You can drink it without feeling bad about this short period of enjoyment. They're sweet as well as tasty and they're healthy too, what a mix!

The Fruit

Many people have been asking for quite some time now, is there a fruit that's better than another? Does the best fruit really exist -- the healthiest one that goes perfectly with any other?

The response to that concern is quite simple -- there is no such thing as the greatest fruit. You can find fruits that offer you much more nutrients and there are those which are basically tastier than others. Still, as with almost anything on the planet, everything boils down to the way you make it. To help you choose the best fruit for your needs, here is a listing and description of the most favored fruits used to make a smoothie.

Fruits Used Most Often

The best fruit to start with is undoubtedly oranges. Oranges aren't just probably the most famous fruits, but they're also one of the most beloved ones. It's also a well known fact they're incredibly healthy, too. Oranges have beta carotene, which is an incredibly strong anti-oxidant -- it prevents cells from being harmed. This means it's one of the most healthy fruits in existence.

Another fruit that we need not to overlook, is undoubtedly strawberries. Of course, strawberries are as nutritious as oranges, let me tell you that. Strawberries are jam-packed with riboflavin (vitamin B2), that is accountable for body growth (crucial for kids). This fruit is additionally really light and very tasty -- sweet and delicate.

To be honest, there's practically nothing simpler than preparing a banana smoothie -- you don't need to add any other thing. But the real reason why we love smoothies so much is because their flavor is more complex. There are several positive aspects of bananas inside a smoothie, aside from the vitamins and minerals -- it's the fullness they bring. Bananas also add a bit of sweet taste (just be certain you don't overdo), which may successfully remove the need to add refined sugar. Also, bananas contain tryptophan, a substance that makes people happier compared to what they usually are.

The Conclusion

What you ought to keep in mind at all times is, that in most instances the beauty of a smoothie lies in its simplicity. Combining many fruits might give you amazing results, however it may as well make the taste too complicated. But when you stick to those three fruits and add a maximum of 3 or 4 more, you will not be sorry.

Just be sure to continually try out new stuff, to check out untried combinations. Oranges fit with bananas, yet not so good with strawberries; they also make a great mix with oats. If you try many mixtures, you can rest assured that you're going to think of many different flavors you (along with everybody else) will love.

Making a Rich and Thick Coffee with Turkish Ibrik By Sergei Pikovski

It is a fact that coffee has become a huge industry these days that is why there are different ways in brewing them that includes using an Ibrik from Turkey. As a matter of fact, it is the industry that is second largest to oil all over the world. In addition, coffee has always been one of the favorite beverages that many love. Coffee can be brewed in different ways.

There are different recipes that people can make using the Turkish apparatus called the Ibrik. Turkish coffee is known to be really strong and at the same time flavorful. However, the coffee that the said apparatus produces is not recommended for those who are faint-hearted.

According to history, Ibrik is a traditional pot that is handmade. It has an open top with a long handle. The most common materials that it is made of are copper, brass, copper, as well as other metals. On the other hand, there are some who use ceramic.

The Ibrik is a small pot that can only hold enough coffee. It makes about a cup or a couple. The top of the pot is known to be narrower as compared to its bottom area. The long handle of the pot is designed to be able to accurately prevent burning the users' hands because the end of the pot is directly placed in the source of the heat.

Most people use dark roasted coffee that is extremely and finely ground. It is put into the Ibrik along with a similar amount of sugar. Usually, a spoonful for each individual is enough to make a cup. In addition, a small quantity of water is also needed. Typically, it would require about 4 fl oz every spoonful of coffee.

There are times when the grinders in the coffee pot are unable to thoroughly grind the coffee fine. That is why most people use a pestle as well as a mortar in order to pulverize the coffee before using. If the coffee is too course, it will not be able to produce a Turkish coffee. Turkish coffee is rich that provides coffee drinkers an intense pleasure. It is also sweetened and is often spiced. Often, sugar as well as cinnamon is added to the pot with the coffee.

The process of making a Turkish coffee is very simple. Sugar and water are boiled together in the Ibrik. When they are boiled, finely ground coffee is then added. When the water simmers, the coffee begins to foam up on top of the Ibrik's neck. The foam has to be stirred in and then heated again until it comes up one more time. The process has to be repeated many times. The whole process takes about seven minutes to finally brew. And then, the pot is taken off the heat that makes the coffee grounds to settle.

As a result of the said process, the coffee is thicker and more intense. Moreover, the Ibrik coffee is more sediment, and it has a certain "chewiness" as compared to a cup of French press coffee.

5 Advantages of a Home Made Ice Cream Maker By Adrian O.

Ice cream is one of the worlds' favorite comfort foods. It just seems to make everything better, don't you agree? You can mix it with fruits, custard, wafers, chocolates, nuts, brownies, cheeses and other stuff that people like, to give it different wonderful flavors. There are even eccentric flavors such as squid, wasabi, chicken, and bacon! Ice cream has been enjoyed by the elite from as early as second century B.C., and as its goodness became known, more and more people hungered after it which gave birth to its massive production in the 1800s.

Surprisingly, not a lot of people know that you don't have to look for a gelateria or sherbet shop every time you want some dessert. Through developments in technology, you can now make your own frozen dessert according to your tastes. Ice cream makers are available in the market and can be purchased in almost any appliance shops or online store. Some think that these machines are expensive but the truth is they have many advantages that can outweigh their prices.

One of the main advantages of having a homemade ice cream maker is the ability to create healthy desserts anytime. Unexpected guests may always visit one's home and it can be a real treat to serve them delicious homemade desserts such as sorbets, sherbert and yogurt. You can always lug one of these over to a friend's house to have an impromptu party, as most of them can be easily cleaned and stored after without hassle.

Another good thing about these machines is that they can be used to make different ice cream flavors effortlessly. Right after you create one mix, you can go ahead and pour it into a freezer bowl and make another one. Even a cheaper model can make tons of flavors since most of these machines can create desserts in as little as 20 minutes.

Aside from portability and ease of use, the homemade stuff is healthier than most frozen desserts bought in the store. You may not be so sure whether the ice cream that you are about to buy from the grocery has been defrosted and frozen back several times which can lose its flavor and health benefits. Having a homemade ice cream maker gives you the option to create your own flavor and to put ingredients which you think are beneficial to you.

If you are looking for a quality machine for a fraction of the price, you may also look into buying a durable ice cream maker online. A durable one can last a long time and it can be very good investment if you are planning to use it very often. Some of the trusted brands in the market are Cuisinart, Hamilton Beach, Lello and KitchenAid. They can be easily purchased online where you can also read feedback from users so you can assess if their features are apt for your needs.

Last but not the least, having a homemade ice cream maker saves you time than going out and looking for the flavor that you want. You do not need to be a professional to create new flavors. All you need to do is to look for a recipe and gather all the ingredients and you can make as much ice cream as you want.

Rotisseries - the Good, the Better, the Best By Sheonty Sultan

If you want a hunk of poultry or leg of lamb that is firm to the touch, yet, tender and oozing juices, an investment in the best rotisserie is non-negotiable. Using a rotisserie ensures even cooking as well as better health because the fat drips away. It is not some complex procedure, contrary to popular belief. Peruse these reviews and you will find the rotisserie that best suits your culinary requirements.

Centro Electric Rotisserie

This has a moderate rating from customers. It might work well but it does not go with the Centro BBQ which it is supposed to fit perfectly. So that defeats the purpose. You don?t want to have to buy something and then use a hack saw to get it down to size as was suggested by one buyer. The upside is it produces great results. Another disadvantage is that it is not sturdy enough, so one better beware while cooking heavier portions of meat. Available at Canadian Tire and priced at around $60?you get what you pay for, we suppose!

Verdict: Buyer Beware!

Cuisinart Stainless Steel Vertical Rotisserie CVR 1000

This rotisserie got rave reviews. Customers seem to love it for its being easy to use and clean, and for its ability to produce excellent end results. It is better to buy an already set up rotisserie versus the previous one we discussed. The idea is to make life easier, not harder! This is available at Costco and priced at around $200. Look out for discounts. It is a good-looking piece with its stainless steel finish which will be easy to incorporate into any kitchen d?cor. These are other features that make it so popular:

? 5 preset temperature settings

? roasting rack and poultry tower

? easy to clean with dishwasher safe accessories

? up to 8 lbs can be roasted

? non-stick interior

? 3 year warranty

Verdict: Buy

Ronco Showtime Platinum Rotisserie and Barbecue Oven

The Ronco is often called the best rotisserie. You will have to find that out for yourself. It surely is an impressive addition to your counter-top. These are its salient features:
? horizontal rotisserie

? unique platinum silver interior

? digital timer

? 6-month warranty

? all attachments are dishwasher safe

? can cook a 15-lb bird

? 3-way rotisserie settings

If you want a "set it and forget it" piece, this would be it.

Verdict: Strong Buy

All the rotisseries have some features in common, that is, they help you cut fat with ease and make your food tastier. They are supposed to be convenient to use and make cooking stress-free: then it seems the choice is between the Cuisinart and the Ronco. There are other brands out there but these are our favourites. These are also very affordable, effective, and easy to use and clean which is what you want to look for in a rotisserie.

Now that you are armed with all this knowledge about rotisseries, surely you know exactly what you want and what will best suit your particular needs. All you have to do is go out and get it: happy cooking!

Cinnamon in the Cupboard Real or Imposter By Chris Rawstern

I have a bone to pick about cinnamon. How many of you really know what spice you have in your cupboards. Are you sure it really is cinnamon.

We in the U.S. are having the wool pulled over our eyes about cinnamon. What we commonly know in the U.S. as cinnamon is actually Cassia (cinnamomum aromaticum). It is a relative of true cinnamon, but not the real thing. The rest of the world uses true cinnamon (cinnamomum verum), in their cooking or baking, yet here we are sold something completely different.

As background, I first found out how much difference there was between these two spices when I lived in Guatemala. The cinnamon there tasted very different from what I knew growing up in Ohio; making things like an apple pie or apple crisp just tasted different. They were very good, but didn?t taste like what had known. I chalked it up to differences in quality of product, or maybe my baking skill was inadequate. Any typical Guatemalan foods I ate or made with cinnamon tasted just fine of course, with nothing to compare.

That was back in the 1970s, and it wasn?t until much later, when once again living in the U.S., I tried making a Guatemalan dish, Platanos en Mole (Plantains in Mole Sauce), using the cassia available. The dish just tasted wrong. I couldn?t understand it. I had made this dish many times in Guatemala. I had a lot more cooking and baking skill by this time. What was wrong? I started checking into spices in general, with an eye to those things I knew were different, and discovered that we in the U.S. are being marketed a completely different product.

Cassia cinnamon is a very good spice, of course. I do not for a second propose we do away with it! What would our apple pies taste like without it. It is a wonderful spice, worthy of the space in our cupboards. However, I propose that true cinnamon have an equal place.

Cinnamon of either kind is the bark of the tree. The bark is peeled off and dried, curling into what are known as quills or ground into powder. This is where the similarity ends. Cassia quills are very thick curls, strong and sometimes even hard to break. It has a stronger taste, warmer and more potent. There is some very good quality cassia to be found these days, such as Korintje AA. A lovely spice to perk up anything you commonly make with cinnamon here.

For my cooking classes I always take both types of cinnamon: a high quality cassia quill and ground Korintje AA cassia, alongside true cinnamon quills and ground cinnamon. True cinnamon quills are curled and layered together in a tight roll, are very thin and easily crushed. The flavor is lighter and more delicate, with a somewhat lemony quality. I set the quills side by side and demonstrate the differences, first breaking a cassia quill, with the ensuing loud snap when it breaks. Then I show the cinnamon quill, layered together, and how very easily it breaks and crumbles. With the ground version of each side by side, I ask the class members to smell the two; first the cassia that is the most familiar, and then the cinnamon. The startled reactions when they realize exactly how big a difference exists between these two spices, is quite rewarding.

I would liken this before the U.S woke up and smelled really good Arabica coffee. Once we found out about good coffee, the tide turned. I believe this country is in the process of bringing true cinnamon into the light. It is found in most any Mexican grocery section these days. Good quality spice shops carry excellent quality cinnamon and also excellent quality cassia. If you want to make any ethnic food from anywhere else in the world, or just become familiar with a new flavor go for true cinnamon. It?s worth the effort.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. I hope it was informative and helped you along your own culinary journey. You will find many more recipes and helpful tips on my web site. I am on Facebook at A Harmony of Flavors and share a recipe or tip each day to the fans that have liked my site. I hope to see you there soon.

Corn Dog Batter By Pat Jackson

Reliving what you loved in your childhood, those fond memories of carnivals and fairs, and really getting back to that time of innocence and youth is usually about having or doing something that you loved back then. This can come in many different forms, all depending on what you enjoyed as a child, but there are a few things that many children had in common.

Going to a carnival or fair was one of them and, when there, they usually ate the food that they still love today. One of these foods is a corn dog! Even today, many of the adults who loved it when they were young still enjoy having one because it brings them back to their youth, while also being very tasty. Of course, if they want one today, they will usually have to go to a carnival for a good one, which can be difficult.

Those who do not want to go through that hassle or buy frozen ones do have the perfect option, though! You can make your own at home and it is simple to do! From making the corn dog batter to frying them up, you will have your corn dogs ready quickly.

Making the corn dog batter is, obviously, the first step when making your own corn dogs. Without it, you are just frying a corn dog plain, which is not going to taste like you imagine a corn dog would. If you do not know exactly how to make the batter then you can rely on recipes. There are some very interesting and tasty recipes available for every person to look into, as well as being easy.

Corn dogs in general are easy to make so you will not find many recipes out there that are near impossible to deal with. Some are even creative about flavoring the batter, which really makes something you can enjoy. The different additions available allow you the ability to take what you love and change it into something else. Make your childhood treat something to fit your adult taste or just play with what you enjoy a little; it can really pay off in the end.

Whether you want normal corn dog batter or something a tad bit more adventurous, the way it is made is usually the same. You take your ingredients and mix them in a bowl until you have a nice and smooth batter to dip your hot dogs into, which should come after you dip them in the flour. If the corn dog batter is normal, you already know how it will taste after fried, but if you added something to it then it can become an adventure in itself to taste this new treat.

It will be as if you are a child again, tasting a corn dog for the first time. Recipes are easy so, if it did not turn out to your liking, you can always scrap what you currently have and try again. Make it until you are happy with what you have!

The Health Benefits And Effects Of Whole Coffee Beans By Sl Groezinger

For over thousands of years now, coffee has been identified to stimulate talkativeness, alertness, activeness and creativity. It is one of the most in demand drinks and you can simply prove it by means of the growing numbers of coffee establishments sprouting all over the world. Whole coffee beans are seeds of a coffee plant. It is the kernel inside the violet and red fruit called cherry.

There have been lots of health studies that revealed how drinking coffee affects human beings. Coffee contains numerous compounds which affect the person's body chemistry. It is consists of substances which are gentle psychotropics for individuals as defense mechanism. However, these chemicals are poisonous if taken in high doses, or even in their usual quantity if drank or eaten by people. Coffee has caffeine - a stimulant.

Moreover, there was a research which discovered that coffee has more stimulating effects which are not connected to its caffeine content. It contains unidentified substance that enhances the production of the two stimulating hormones - the adrenaline and cortisone.

Drinking coffee results in several health benefits which other beverages cannot give and they are the following:

1. Some studies found out that those who drank more coffee have fewer chances to acquire?Alzheimer's disease in their advancing years and had a reduced threat of developing?dementia.?

2. Caffeinated coffee intake results to a lower incidence of?disease on gallstones?and?gallbladder?in both male and female.

3. Coffee minimizes the risk of diabetes but researchers have not proven yet why it has this effect.

4. Coffee drinkers lower the possibility of developing Parkinson disease at about eighty percent (80 %) because of its caffeine component.

5. The caffeine content in whole coffee beans helps to boost emotions and sharpens the mentality.

6. It also cures headaches because of caffeine.

7. It contains large quantity of antioxidants which help to control the damage to body cells.

Eating or drinking the coffee is the easiest way of permitting caffeine to penetrate the bloodstream and can have harmful results it taken in huge doses and on a regular basis. The following are the effects of coffee.

1. Coffee has high level of acidity which can lead to abdominal pains.

2. Caffeine makes you think that you have more energy, as a result you are going experience hot flashes and you will sense that you have to burn it off. Hence, the body breaks down because it feels that the energy level is low.

3.When too many coffee beans are consumed by the body, the lack of ability to perform normal tasks can occur, thus the loss of motor capacity. You can easily experience overdose because of its high caffeine content.

4. Incidence of inability, nausea, exhaustion, fever and fatigue can arise when too much caffeine was taken by the body.

5. Individuals who are not a coffee drinker but with risk issues for heart disease may possibly increase the possibility of heart attack if they consumed a large amount coffee.

These are just some of the health benefits and other effects of intake of whole coffee beans.

Best Stand Mixers for Flexibility By April Raine Spencer

A quick glance at one of the most popular stand mixers, the KitchenAid, reveals nothing unusual or suspect about that iconic small kitchen appliance. The Artisan model seduces with its classic retro lines while its more statuesque sibling, the Professional, commands a certain respect.

But it?s when you take a look at its slightly quirky rival, the Cuisinart standing mixer, that you are likely to do a double take. First off, you could be forgiven for assuming that you are staring at a sewing machine if it weren?t for the puzzling presence of a mixing bowl and whip accessory.

A closer look reveals an unexpected feature, one that hides the first of the Cuisinart stand mixers? dirty little secrets: a hinged cover right on the front that hides a slow speed power outlet used to connect a large meat grinder or a pasta maker attachment to the mixer, giving it much greater flexibility. Suddenly, this mixer appears more imposing.

Lifting the front cover, you can?t help but notice a second top cover with not one, but two surprise outlets. The mid speed power outlet located towards the front allows for a citrus juicer to be attached, while the high speed power outlet towards the back lets you connect either a blender or a food processor attachment.

Cuisinart stand mixers could be forgiven for having identity crises or sprouting multiple personalities. If you looked like a sewing machine operating under cover of a mixer and performing as a juicer, blender, food processor, meat grinder and pasta maker, wouldn?t you get confused? But not the Cuisinart. With a super powerful 800-watt motor, it takes everything you throw at him in its stride.

At first blush, the KitchenAid mixer appears rather puny. Just a simple mixer doing its job ? doing it well mind you, but still just? mixing. No competition here. But wait - look! What is that odd cover on the front of the mixer? Well, it turns out that the KitchenAid has its own little secrets too, an attachment hub that can house over a dozen attachments:

. ice cream maker
. pasta maker
. pasta sheet roller
. pasta roller set
. pasta cutter companion set
. pasta excellence kit
. pasta press
. ravioli maker
. grain mill
. food grinder
. food tray
. sausage stuffer
. fruit & vegetable strainer
. slicer & shredder
. citrus juicer
. can opener

Rather impressive, isn't it? A quick glance at this list, and it becomes obvious that KitchenAid stand mixers have quite the weakness for pasta. Can't say I blame them, and ravioli is up there on my list of favorites.

And let's not forget about the power of ice cream. Nothing tastes like home made ice cream. Add a little liqueur, and you have a sophisticated dessert which your guests will forever remember. If you want to become the entertaining guru in your circle of friends, look no further.

On the other hand, the Cuisinart stand mixer offers the option of adding a blender, juicer and food processor as attachments. But are they the types of small kitchen appliances you would select if you were buying them separately? For example, would you prefer a masticating juicer for health reasons?

Something else to keep in mind is that those stand mixer attachments are all sold separately. But still, you would have to fork out a lot more money to purchase individual small appliances to do the same job. You would also need more storage space so unless you have a large pantry, be prepared for a significant portion of your countertop to pretty much vanish.

When all is said and done, I guess choosing the best stand mixer for your needs will depend on the kind of parties you?re planning on throwing.

Rotisseries - the Good, the Better, the Best By Sheonty Sultan

If you want a hunk of poultry or leg of lamb that is firm to the touch, yet, tender and oozing juices, an investment in the best rotisserie is non-negotiable. Using a rotisserie ensures even cooking as well as better health because the fat drips away. It is not some complex procedure, contrary to popular belief. Peruse these reviews and you will find the rotisserie that best suits your culinary requirements.

Centro Electric Rotisserie

This has a moderate rating from customers. It might work well but it does not go with the Centro BBQ which it is supposed to fit perfectly. So that defeats the purpose. You don?t want to have to buy something and then use a hack saw to get it down to size as was suggested by one buyer. The upside is it produces great results. Another disadvantage is that it is not sturdy enough, so one better beware while cooking heavier portions of meat. Available at Canadian Tire and priced at around $60?you get what you pay for, we suppose!

Verdict: Buyer Beware!

Cuisinart Stainless Steel Vertical Rotisserie CVR 1000

This rotisserie got rave reviews. Customers seem to love it for its being easy to use and clean, and for its ability to produce excellent end results. It is better to buy an already set up rotisserie versus the previous one we discussed. The idea is to make life easier, not harder! This is available at Costco and priced at around $200. Look out for discounts. It is a good-looking piece with its stainless steel finish which will be easy to incorporate into any kitchen d?cor. These are other features that make it so popular:

? 5 preset temperature settings

? roasting rack and poultry tower

? easy to clean with dishwasher safe accessories

? up to 8 lbs can be roasted

? non-stick interior

? 3 year warranty

Verdict: Buy

Ronco Showtime Platinum Rotisserie and Barbecue Oven

The Ronco is often called the best rotisserie. You will have to find that out for yourself. It surely is an impressive addition to your counter-top. These are its salient features:
? horizontal rotisserie

? unique platinum silver interior

? digital timer

? 6-month warranty

? all attachments are dishwasher safe

? can cook a 15-lb bird

? 3-way rotisserie settings

If you want a "set it and forget it" piece, this would be it.

Verdict: Strong Buy

All the rotisseries have some features in common, that is, they help you cut fat with ease and make your food tastier. They are supposed to be convenient to use and make cooking stress-free: then it seems the choice is between the Cuisinart and the Ronco. There are other brands out there but these are our favourites. These are also very affordable, effective, and easy to use and clean which is what you want to look for in a rotisserie.

Now that you are armed with all this knowledge about rotisseries, surely you know exactly what you want and what will best suit your particular needs. All you have to do is go out and get it: happy cooking!

5 Advantages of a Home Made Ice Cream Maker By Adrian O.

Ice cream is one of the worlds' favorite comfort foods. It just seems to make everything better, don't you agree? You can mix it with fruits, custard, wafers, chocolates, nuts, brownies, cheeses and other stuff that people like, to give it different wonderful flavors. There are even eccentric flavors such as squid, wasabi, chicken, and bacon! Ice cream has been enjoyed by the elite from as early as second century B.C., and as its goodness became known, more and more people hungered after it which gave birth to its massive production in the 1800s.

Surprisingly, not a lot of people know that you don't have to look for a gelateria or sherbet shop every time you want some dessert. Through developments in technology, you can now make your own frozen dessert according to your tastes. Ice cream makers are available in the market and can be purchased in almost any appliance shops or online store. Some think that these machines are expensive but the truth is they have many advantages that can outweigh their prices.

One of the main advantages of having a homemade ice cream maker is the ability to create healthy desserts anytime. Unexpected guests may always visit one's home and it can be a real treat to serve them delicious homemade desserts such as sorbets, sherbert and yogurt. You can always lug one of these over to a friend's house to have an impromptu party, as most of them can be easily cleaned and stored after without hassle.

Another good thing about these machines is that they can be used to make different ice cream flavors effortlessly. Right after you create one mix, you can go ahead and pour it into a freezer bowl and make another one. Even a cheaper model can make tons of flavors since most of these machines can create desserts in as little as 20 minutes.

Aside from portability and ease of use, the homemade stuff is healthier than most frozen desserts bought in the store. You may not be so sure whether the ice cream that you are about to buy from the grocery has been defrosted and frozen back several times which can lose its flavor and health benefits. Having a homemade ice cream maker gives you the option to create your own flavor and to put ingredients which you think are beneficial to you.

If you are looking for a quality machine for a fraction of the price, you may also look into buying a durable ice cream maker online. A durable one can last a long time and it can be very good investment if you are planning to use it very often. Some of the trusted brands in the market are Cuisinart, Hamilton Beach, Lello and KitchenAid. They can be easily purchased online where you can also read feedback from users so you can assess if their features are apt for your needs.

Last but not the least, having a homemade ice cream maker saves you time than going out and looking for the flavor that you want. You do not need to be a professional to create new flavors. All you need to do is to look for a recipe and gather all the ingredients and you can make as much ice cream as you want.

Why These Three Fruits Are Great for Smoothies By Steve Sheer

A smoothie is a tasty style of saving time. Modern people simply HAVE TO love them. Think about it, you can actually eat something you like and feel you're getting healthier. You can drink it without feeling bad about this short period of enjoyment. They're sweet as well as tasty and they're healthy too, what a mix!

The Fruit

Many people have been asking for quite some time now, is there a fruit that's better than another? Does the best fruit really exist -- the healthiest one that goes perfectly with any other?

The response to that concern is quite simple -- there is no such thing as the greatest fruit. You can find fruits that offer you much more nutrients and there are those which are basically tastier than others. Still, as with almost anything on the planet, everything boils down to the way you make it. To help you choose the best fruit for your needs, here is a listing and description of the most favored fruits used to make a smoothie.

Fruits Used Most Often

The best fruit to start with is undoubtedly oranges. Oranges aren't just probably the most famous fruits, but they're also one of the most beloved ones. It's also a well known fact they're incredibly healthy, too. Oranges have beta carotene, which is an incredibly strong anti-oxidant -- it prevents cells from being harmed. This means it's one of the most healthy fruits in existence.

Another fruit that we need not to overlook, is undoubtedly strawberries. Of course, strawberries are as nutritious as oranges, let me tell you that. Strawberries are jam-packed with riboflavin (vitamin B2), that is accountable for body growth (crucial for kids). This fruit is additionally really light and very tasty -- sweet and delicate.

To be honest, there's practically nothing simpler than preparing a banana smoothie -- you don't need to add any other thing. But the real reason why we love smoothies so much is because their flavor is more complex. There are several positive aspects of bananas inside a smoothie, aside from the vitamins and minerals -- it's the fullness they bring. Bananas also add a bit of sweet taste (just be certain you don't overdo), which may successfully remove the need to add refined sugar. Also, bananas contain tryptophan, a substance that makes people happier compared to what they usually are.

The Conclusion

What you ought to keep in mind at all times is, that in most instances the beauty of a smoothie lies in its simplicity. Combining many fruits might give you amazing results, however it may as well make the taste too complicated. But when you stick to those three fruits and add a maximum of 3 or 4 more, you will not be sorry.

Just be sure to continually try out new stuff, to check out untried combinations. Oranges fit with bananas, yet not so good with strawberries; they also make a great mix with oats. If you try many mixtures, you can rest assured that you're going to think of many different flavors you (along with everybody else) will love.

Healthy Meal Preparation Ebooks By Chickie Maxwell

Cooking healthy meals is something that everyone should know how to do. It's nearly impossible to maintain good health if you rely exclusively on prepared meals. Restaurant fare is known for being high in fat and sugar. The meals that you find frozen in the grocery store are packed full of preservatives. The best nutrients come from fresh whole ingredients, and the best way to prepare them is right at home in your own kitchen. Healthy meal preparation isn't as difficult as you may believe it to be. You don't have to be a chef to ensure that your family is eating well. In fact, all you need are the right resources.

With the right healthy meal preparation cookbooks, you'll have access to all the information you need to make memorable meals that everyone will love. If you don't have room in your kitchen for a pile of new books, consider turning to ebooks to build your collection. There are just as many ebooks today for healthy meal preparation as there are hard copies of cookbooks. To ensure that you're getting the most from your home cooking, look for books that will help you build a well-rounded collection.

There are many different types of healthy meal preparation cookbooks available. Look for those that will introduce you to new techniques and ingredients. Once you master a new style of cooking, you may find that you can apply it to more than just the recipes in the book. Healthy meal preparation is all about learning what goes into a good meal. While following strict recipes may help you at first, you'll soon find that you can create a delicious and nutritious meal from the ingredients in your pantry.

Some of the things that you should learn about healthy meal preparation include: ? The best pantry staples to keep on hand ? How to choose fresh healthy ingredients ? The best options in each food category, such as the healthiest dairy, meats, fish, and grain choices ? The healthiest food preparation methods ? How to flavor meals naturally without a lot of salt or additives

Once you've mastered these basics, you'll be able to equip your kitchen with the right tools for healthy meals every day of the week. Your pantry should stay stocked with simple ingredients that you can create a fast meal from any day. Whole grain pasta, canned tomatoes, onions, and a jar of minced garlic will help you make a simple spaghetti dish that's healthier than what you would find at most Italian restaurants. The right snack foods will make it easy to grab something on the go without ruining your diet.

Choosing a variety of informational ebooks on healthy meal preparation is the first step to drastically improving your health. You really are what you eat. As soon as you make the commitment to eating better, you're sure to feel better as well. You'll enjoy more energy, a healthy weight, and even a better mood. Make the commitment to learn more about eating healthy today and you'll enjoy the benefits for the rest of your life.

Gluten Free Baking, A Journey into New Territory By Chris Rawstern

Gluten-Free foods are taking their place in the world these days. We are all becoming more aware of gluten, gluten intolerance, celiac (or coeliac) disease, and what this means for so many people. While I am not gluten intolerant, I often cook and bake for functions, locally. Last year I was asked to provide little treats for a Princess Party, put on by the Dacotah Prairie Museum. Accompanied by a queen, little girls from tots to teens were invited, to learn about the lives of real princesses. They were taught how to wave properly, and curtsey.

Little girls hear the word princess and go dreamy-eyed. The program was sold out. I made lots of little treats, but found out one of the little princesses and her queen were gluten intolerant, and could not partake of many of the little treats. This was an intolerable state of affairs. I decided I needed to learn about this disease, be aware of what was involved, and provide alternatives that would be tasty and exciting.

Over the past year, I have been trying out different gluten-free flour mixtures, and making lots of goodies, mainly from my own normal recipes, converted by simply substituting gluten-free flour and adding xanthan gum. In the main, they have been a whopping success. In my honest opinion, as someone who has been baking for 42 years, some of the cakes, fruit or nut loaves turn out more moist and tender than when made with wheat flour, a very happy discovery, without a doubt. The queen mentioned above, works at the museum, so I took an afternoon to talk with this young woman and learn more about what was involved. I also had baked one of my favorite coffeecake recipes, gluten-free and took it for her and the museum staff to try. They all loved it, moist and tender and full of flavor. The young woman was happy with my experiment, as was I.

Another great help along the way was finding Shauna Aherns Gluten Free Girl website. I have studied her site extensively and learned all sorts of things there. I mixed up her gluten-free flour mixture to experiment with, as well as trying out one of her bread recipes; another success. I took some of the bread for the woman at the museum to sample, as well as a slice I slathered with homemade pesto and cheese and broiled. She exclaimed, This is the best bread I have tasted since going gluten free.

This coffeecake recipe was given to me by my best friend of 54 years, and is a terrific recipe, no matter which flour you choose. This is the original recipe, for gluten-free, I substituted a gluten-free flour mixture made up of 6 cups brown rice flour, 2 cups potato starch and 1 cup tapioca starch. I used this mixture measure for measure in this recipe, and added 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum to the sifted dry ingredients. Be sure to check the labels of ingredients for hidden wheat when making this Gluten Free.

Bundt Coffeecake

1 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts; walnuts or pecans are good
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and sugar until light. Add the eggs, sour cream and vanilla and mix well. Sift together flour, soda, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well. Grease a 10-inch tube or bundt pan.

Mix together the chopped nuts, the 2 teaspoons sugar and the cinnamon. Sprinkle 1/2 of this topping into the greased pan. Put in half the batter - this requires plopping small spoonfuls of the batter into the pan as the batter is very thick. Then carefully smooth it to fill in any gaps. Tapping the pan on the countertop helps. Pour on the rest of the topping and again plop spoonfuls into the pan till all batter is used.

Bake for 1 hour, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool on a rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan. Sprinkle powdered sugar over the cake if desired. Serves 12 to 16.

GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: Replace the flour with your preferred gluten-free flour mixture and add in 1 teaspoon xanthan gum. Mix and bake as directed. Sometimes baking is a little bit longer than normal, but since the texture and moistness is so wonderful, I can wait those few more minutes.
Try this recipe, either way, and you will not be sorry.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. I hope it was informative and helped you along your own culinary journey. You will find many more recipes and helpful tips on my web site. I am on Facebook at A Harmony of Flavors and share a recipe or tip each day to the fans that have liked my site. I hope to see you there soon.

Better Nutrition With Homemade Soup By Gretchen Scalpi, Rd, Cde

Many of my clients tell me how much they like having soup for lunch in the colder months, but most of the time, they name off various brands of soups bought at the store. Don't get me wrong: many commercial soups are great options for the calorie conscious. The problem with canned soups, of course, is the sodium content. Some products have an excess of 1,000 mg of sodium per serving. To my way of thinking, this is far too much salt for one simple food item. So while it's easy to turn to grocery store shelves for your lunchtime soup, consider making your own soup.

The beauty of homemade soup is that you can literally take any basic soup recipe and modify it based on ingredients you have on hand. You can make adjustments and get the sodium content reduced without foregoing good taste. Most soups start with a stock, broth, or a vegetable base. You can make your own stock if you have the time, but starting with a ready made broth can cut down on preparation time. If you buy ready made soup broth, I recommend that you read the labels carefully. Regular broth will make your homemade version of soup just as high in sodium as canned soup. The low sodium versions of broth have sodium too! I found that most of the "low sodium" brands of broth had close to 500 mg. sodium per serving. This is still too much if you are sodium conscious. I found several organic low sodium stocks with just 140 mg. per serving, so it pays to look around.

If you want to try making homemade soup for your lunches, here's an idea: make one batch pot of a different soup every week. Keep enough of the soup on hand for one or two meals, and then freeze the rest in smaller containers, preferably 1-2 portion containers. If you make a different kind of soup each week, you will soon have a "selection"of different soups in your freezer that you can choose from for a quick lunch or dinner meal. Take a single serving of frozen soup to work and you'll have a nice healthful meal ready to heat up.

Here is my favorite vegetable soup recipe:

Vegetable Barley Soup

2 Tb. olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup diced carrots

12 oz. fresh mushrooms chopped

1/2 cup barley (use pearl or hulless barley)

6 cups low sodium beef, chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 tsp coarse salt

2-3 cups chopped spinach, kale or Swiss chard

Heat oil in large pot and saut? onions and carrots until tender. Add mushrooms and cook for another 2 minutes. Add barley, low sodium broth and salt. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to simmer until barley is done. (Pearl barley takes about 40 minutes; hulless barley takes about 60 minutes to cook). Add chopped greens and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Serves 6.

? 2013 Gretchen Scalpi. All rights reserved. You are free to reprint/republish this article as long as the article and byline are kept intact and all links are made live.

Get Great Cake Design Ideas By Chickie Maxwell

Many individuals enjoy baking all types of tasty treats such as cakes, cookies, pies, and a variety of other pastries that appeal to all palettes. There are a considerable number of these individuals who have gone to great lengths to create the quality and perfection that professional do, especially when they bake and decorate cakes. Naturally, it helps to be somewhat artistic and talented. But what if you aren?t or if you have never tried to equal the endeavors of the professional baker?

What most individuals don?t realize is that they don?t have to go out and spend a fortune on the different "tools of the trade" that are needed to decorate cakes like a professional. Believe or not, many of these "tools" can be found in your home and include such items cutlery, paper, paper towels, paint brushes, and even some of the toys your children play with. These tools can help you create a cake that is worthy of the most discerning tastes.

So as you can see, you do not have to attend expensive culinary classes in order to learn how to decorate cakes just like a professional. Granted, having the appropriate tools is extremely helpful, but as we mentioned above, you already have some of them in your home. Here are a few cake decorating tips to consider:

Naturally, you want to start with a smooth layer of icing - apply a thin layer and refrigerate it for about 20 minutes and then apply the final layer. Using a cake spatula and continually dipping it in cool water is the best way to create the smoothest icing possible. You can also top the cake with powdered sugar instead of icing if you choose. Applying a stencil is a great way to decorate cakes when using a dusting of powdered sugar.

Edible decorations are cheap and make it easy to decorate cakes quickly ? candy, coconut, nuts, and sprinkles can all be placed on the icing in order to make your cake stand out in a crowd. Just be aware that these have are high in sugar and add to the calories.

Purchase a cardboard comb ? you can find these in any baking store and they are ideal for creating a more textured looking icing when you decorate cakes.

Use a pastry bag to create piping ? most individuals have seen how pastry bags can be an integral part of cake decorating. You can adjust the size of the piping using different metal dispensing tips that can be easily attached to the pastry bag. This is one of the primary tools that everyone should have to decorate cakes with. You can create flowers, spell out words, and create a number of other designs using a pastry bag and different tips that are included.

On a closing note, you might want to experiment a little in order to perfect the best cake decorating techniques. If you are really intent about learning how to decorate like a pro, then you should consider investing the money in a cake decorating class.

The Staple Ingredients of Thai Cuisine By Julie Brown

Thai cuisine is a combination of a variety of cooking styles from different regions of Thailand. It is typically famed for its powerful spicy flavours, but in actual fact Thai dishes should be the perfect balance of four fundamental tastes: hot, sour, salty and sweet.

There is a degree of complexity to Thai cookery which can often be mistaken as a jumble of flavours to the untrained chef. However, by using the correct quantities of each ingredient, a harmony of flavours can be achieved, so that each of the four tastes can be distinguished and compliment each other perfectly.

Thai dishes tend to include a wide variety of herbs and spices that are now readily available in your local oriental supermarket and some can even be found in western supermarkets. Kaffir lime leaves, known as ma gruud, bring a sour, but aromatic flavour to Thai cuisine, and are usually bruised and added whole to many Thai soups. They are famously used in Thailand?s most popular soup dish; Tom Yum Goong.

Much like bay leaves, kaffir lime leaves are not consumed but used to provide an aromatic afternote. They are often blended with various other herbs, roots and spices and used to add fragrance to Thai curry paste. They can be purchased fresh or in frozen and dried forms.

Lemongrass (ta krai) also provides a sour element to Thai cuisine. They are often purchased fresh, but can also be frozen for convenience. Lemongrass is used to inject a sour fragrance into a wide variety of Thai cuisine, including Thai curry pastes.

The Bird?s eye chili (prik kee noo) is another ingredient that is widely used in Asian cooking. Indigenous to Central and South America, the bird?s eye chili made its way to South East Asia via the Spanish and Portuguese colonists and traders. It is characterised by its fiery heat and is often consumed raw in dishes such as khao kha mu (stewed pork trotter served with rice).

Roots such as garlic (krathiam) and ginger (king) provide a deep base flavour for many Thai dishes, although traditionally Thai chefs prefer to use a more citrusy root called galangal (kha). The galangal root is a staple ingredient for many Thai curries and soups and because of its deep flavour it blends well into spicy dishes.

Dried herbs are often used to provide a ?spice? element to Thai cooking. Ground white pepper (prig thai bhon) was traditionally used as the prime provider of heat before the ?Fresh Chili? was brought to Thailand, but it continues to be used in a wide variety of dishes.

Ground chillies, (prig kee nu bonn) are simply a dried version of the bird?s eye chili. The drying process allows it to be stored for longer and often delivers a serious heat to food.

Typically cumin (ye raa) is used to provide a bitter element to Thai cuisine. This is often sold in seed form, but can also be sold as a ground powder.

Fish sauce (nam pla) is commonly used in many Thai dishes and is made from fermented fish. It provides salty and pungent flavour and is typically used as a seasoning. It can be added to food during the cooking process, but can also be enjoyed as a raw seasoning that can be added to prepared dishes.

Shrimp paste (kapi) is another staple in Thai food and is made by fermenting ground shrimp and salt. Much like fish sauce it has a pungent aroma but is used only as an ingredient in cooking and cannot be consumed raw. Shrimp paste provides a powerful flavour which exudes bitterness and saltiness and is used in the famous chilli paste called nam phrik kapi.

Thai curry paste (khrueang kaeng) which translates to "curry ingredients", can be made fresh or bought in most supermarkets. Most khrueang kaeng will be a ground mixture of fresh or dried spices, chillies and various herbs and other ingredients such as shrimp paste.

To provide sweetness to food two ingredients are primarily used; Palm sugar (nam taan peep) and coconut milk (maphrao).

Palm sugar is a solid formed sweetener made from Palm Sap. Rich and sweet in flavour it has a more subtle sweetness than ?cane sugar?, and is more suitable for cooking with spiced dishes. It is often used to sweeten Thai desserts, but is also regularly used in savoury Thai dishes.

Coconut milk is creamy and sweet and is especially popular in dishes that originate in Southern Thailand. Most famously used in Thai curry, coconut milk is added after spices and herbs to provide a deep creamy flavour and helps to blend the intricate aromas together.

Cinnamon in the Cupboard Real or Imposter By Chris Rawstern

I have a bone to pick about cinnamon. How many of you really know what spice you have in your cupboards. Are you sure it really is cinnamon.

We in the U.S. are having the wool pulled over our eyes about cinnamon. What we commonly know in the U.S. as cinnamon is actually Cassia (cinnamomum aromaticum). It is a relative of true cinnamon, but not the real thing. The rest of the world uses true cinnamon (cinnamomum verum), in their cooking or baking, yet here we are sold something completely different.

As background, I first found out how much difference there was between these two spices when I lived in Guatemala. The cinnamon there tasted very different from what I knew growing up in Ohio; making things like an apple pie or apple crisp just tasted different. They were very good, but didn?t taste like what had known. I chalked it up to differences in quality of product, or maybe my baking skill was inadequate. Any typical Guatemalan foods I ate or made with cinnamon tasted just fine of course, with nothing to compare.

That was back in the 1970s, and it wasn?t until much later, when once again living in the U.S., I tried making a Guatemalan dish, Platanos en Mole (Plantains in Mole Sauce), using the cassia available. The dish just tasted wrong. I couldn?t understand it. I had made this dish many times in Guatemala. I had a lot more cooking and baking skill by this time. What was wrong? I started checking into spices in general, with an eye to those things I knew were different, and discovered that we in the U.S. are being marketed a completely different product.

Cassia cinnamon is a very good spice, of course. I do not for a second propose we do away with it! What would our apple pies taste like without it. It is a wonderful spice, worthy of the space in our cupboards. However, I propose that true cinnamon have an equal place.

Cinnamon of either kind is the bark of the tree. The bark is peeled off and dried, curling into what are known as quills or ground into powder. This is where the similarity ends. Cassia quills are very thick curls, strong and sometimes even hard to break. It has a stronger taste, warmer and more potent. There is some very good quality cassia to be found these days, such as Korintje AA. A lovely spice to perk up anything you commonly make with cinnamon here.

For my cooking classes I always take both types of cinnamon: a high quality cassia quill and ground Korintje AA cassia, alongside true cinnamon quills and ground cinnamon. True cinnamon quills are curled and layered together in a tight roll, are very thin and easily crushed. The flavor is lighter and more delicate, with a somewhat lemony quality. I set the quills side by side and demonstrate the differences, first breaking a cassia quill, with the ensuing loud snap when it breaks. Then I show the cinnamon quill, layered together, and how very easily it breaks and crumbles. With the ground version of each side by side, I ask the class members to smell the two; first the cassia that is the most familiar, and then the cinnamon. The startled reactions when they realize exactly how big a difference exists between these two spices, is quite rewarding.

I would liken this before the U.S woke up and smelled really good Arabica coffee. Once we found out about good coffee, the tide turned. I believe this country is in the process of bringing true cinnamon into the light. It is found in most any Mexican grocery section these days. Good quality spice shops carry excellent quality cinnamon and also excellent quality cassia. If you want to make any ethnic food from anywhere else in the world, or just become familiar with a new flavor go for true cinnamon. It?s worth the effort.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. I hope it was informative and helped you along your own culinary journey. You will find many more recipes and helpful tips on my web site. I am on Facebook at A Harmony of Flavors and share a recipe or tip each day to the fans that have liked my site. I hope to see you there soon.

Tea the Real Story By Chris Rawstern

Everyone knows what tea is, right? Tea, technically, comes from the leaves of one plant, camellia sinensis. Anything other than the leaves from this plant is not actually tea, although tea is often used as a catchall word to include all the different herbal beverages used these days.

Legend has it that tea was discovered long ago in China quite by accident. Some leaves from a nearby plant blew into a cup of hot water; a nice brown colored beverage resulted, was found to have a refreshing taste, and tea was born. However it was discovered, tea is very refreshing, whether it is black, green, oolong or white. Tea has been proven in more recent times to have wonderful health benefits. We have all heard of antioxidants in tea, helping to fight free radicals that can cause harm to the body. Tea is far lower in caffeine than coffee. It is refreshing, whether used hot or cold.

There are various types of tea, all beginning with the same leaves. Black tea is created by bruising or crushing the green leaves to expose them to oxidation and allowing them to ferment, then rolling the leaves and drying. This produces a beautifully colored beverage and has the strongest flavor of all the varieties of tea. Oolong tea (pronounced OH-long) is oxidized and fermented the same as black tea, but only for about half the amount of time and the resulting product is a lighter, more reddish beverage with a flavor all its own, somewhere in strength between black tea and green tea. For green tea, the leaves are heated immediately, stopping the fermentation process entirely, then dried and rolled. It produces a lovely light colored beverage, and is said to have the most health benefits. The processing of white tea is similar to that of green tea, but only the unopened buds of the leaves are used. It has the same health properties as green tea, but the flavor is the lightest and most delicate.

Good quality tea is a wonderful beverage. Whole rolled or twisted leaves are the best quality; the smaller the leaf, the higher the quality of the tea. The top grades are called Flowery, Golden Flowery or Tippy. Seconds, termed Choppy, are the leaves that have broken into smaller pieces. They brew a great tea, and are usually less expensive. The smallest particles leftover from the tea process, called Fannings, are what is used in tea bags. It brews tea of course, but once tasting a tea brewed from a wonderful full leaf Darjeeling Black Tea, for example, it is hard to return to a tea bag for optimal flavor.

Orange Pekoe (rhymes with gecko) is a western terminology applied to a grade of black tea; the word orange in the name has nothing to do with flavor, but could be a reference to the Dutch House of Orange using the name Orange as an implied sea" of some sort. Pekoe may be a westernized interpretation for a Chinese word meaning white hairs, referring to the fine white down on the tea leaves.

So, what are herbal beverages called? Herbal beverages are called tisanes, and may be prepared by different methods, usually infusion or decoction. It is incorrect to apply the term tea to anything infused or decocted, although tea is actually infused. Infusion is the preparation method of choice for leaves, flowers or buds; plant matter that will release its properties easily into a drinkable beverage. Placed into heated or boiled water and allowed to steep, the herbs release their goodness into the water, and then are strained out. Decoction is the method used for harder or denser plant materials, such as roots or barks that take longer to release their flavors or health benefits. With a decoction, the plant materials are brought to a boil, simmered gently for 15 minutes or more allowing the liquid to reduce, and then straining.

No matter which you prefer, tea or tisane, for pure enjoyment or for health benefits, look for the best quality. Discover your favorites among the different types of loose teas. Taste the different herbal tisanes and discover new flavors. Above all, enjoy.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. I hope it was informative and helped you along your own culinary journey. You will find many more recipes and helpful tips on my web site. I am on Facebook at A Harmony of Flavors and share a recipe or tip each day to the fans that have liked my site. I hope to see you there soon.

Cookie Making Made Easy My Busy Mom Method By Chris Rawstern

In the early 1970s, when I was very young and with small children to care for, I had a few cookie recipes I would make very often, because they were simple recipes, with ingredients I usually had at hand. Cookies are a terrific snack, don?t require utensils to pick up and eat and can be made ahead for a party. However, even with all that, they are just not my favorite things to make, because they need to be made either by dropping individually onto the baking sheet, rolling out and cutting (making a mess on the counter and more cleanup), or the often added step of having to chill the dough before working. I like immediacy. I want to mix up a recipe, bake it, clean up and be done.

One morning I made a batch of these cookies, finally popped the last pan in the oven, and set the timer. Itching to get outside for a bit and see what the children were doing, I went out and got distracted. By the time I remembered the cookies in the oven, they had burnt and shrunken down to tiny little black hockey pucks - not even the dogs had any interest in them! It pays not to get distracted when baking. This was the last straw. I had to think of a better way.

I came up with a brilliant idea that I call my Busy-Mom-Method one I use to this day. Rather than take the time to make all the individual cookies by batches, with separate baking times (and time to get distracted), I would roll the cookie dough directly onto a greased baking sheet, working it evenly to the edges and baking it as one large cookie. It is best to use a baking sheet that has three open sides, as it is simpler to maneuver the rolling pin and get the cookie rolled evenly. Keep in mind also, that a little more flour may be needed in the dough to allow for lifting it out and forming into a rough rectangle for rolling. Also, a little extra flour over the surface while rolling helps to keep the rolling pin from sticking. Try not to add any more flour than absolutely necessary, or the cookies will come out denser and harder.

It takes a few minutes more in the oven with one large cookie, but it comes out perfectly. Just watch for the edges to be golden, and the center to be set. With these cookies, I also make a simple icing that is just 1 1/2 cups of confectioners sugar, a pinch of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and enough water or milk to make a relatively thick consistency (very slow to fall from the spoon). Spread this over the hot cookie straight from the oven. The hot cookie warms the icing, making it melt and spread easily, using the back of the same spoon I used to mix the icing. I am all for less cleanup! Once the cookie cools, the icing dries and hardens, and I just cut the large cookie into small bar or square shapes, and voila, cookies in half the time. Two of my favorite recipes for this method were Hermits and Simple Vanilla Cookies. If you are a busy mom, try this method with any simple cookie dough. The Hermit cookies had raisins in them, but the thickness of the dough was no less than the thickness of the raisins, so it still worked well.
Simple Vanilla Cookies

Makes about 7 dozen

1 cup unsalted butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Cream butter, shortening and sugar. Add vanilla and salt. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in flour, mixing well. Drop from a teaspoon 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Flatten with floured, flat-bottomed glass. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove immediately from pan.

These Simple Vanilla Cookies are incredibly good, from such a simple recipe. Don't take my word - try them out, either as individual cookies, or with my busy-mom-method.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. I hope it was informative and helped you along your own culinary journey. You will find many more recipes and helpful tips on my web site. I am on Facebook at A Harmony of Flavors and share a recipe or tip each day to the fans that have liked my site. I hope to see you there soon.

Making a Rich and Thick Coffee with Turkish Ibrik By Sergei Pikovski

It is a fact that coffee has become a huge industry these days that is why there are different ways in brewing them that includes using an Ibrik from Turkey. As a matter of fact, it is the industry that is second largest to oil all over the world. In addition, coffee has always been one of the favorite beverages that many love. Coffee can be brewed in different ways.

There are different recipes that people can make using the Turkish apparatus called the Ibrik. Turkish coffee is known to be really strong and at the same time flavorful. However, the coffee that the said apparatus produces is not recommended for those who are faint-hearted.

According to history, Ibrik is a traditional pot that is handmade. It has an open top with a long handle. The most common materials that it is made of are copper, brass, copper, as well as other metals. On the other hand, there are some who use ceramic.

The Ibrik is a small pot that can only hold enough coffee. It makes about a cup or a couple. The top of the pot is known to be narrower as compared to its bottom area. The long handle of the pot is designed to be able to accurately prevent burning the users' hands because the end of the pot is directly placed in the source of the heat.

Most people use dark roasted coffee that is extremely and finely ground. It is put into the Ibrik along with a similar amount of sugar. Usually, a spoonful for each individual is enough to make a cup. In addition, a small quantity of water is also needed. Typically, it would require about 4 fl oz every spoonful of coffee.

There are times when the grinders in the coffee pot are unable to thoroughly grind the coffee fine. That is why most people use a pestle as well as a mortar in order to pulverize the coffee before using. If the coffee is too course, it will not be able to produce a Turkish coffee. Turkish coffee is rich that provides coffee drinkers an intense pleasure. It is also sweetened and is often spiced. Often, sugar as well as cinnamon is added to the pot with the coffee.

The process of making a Turkish coffee is very simple. Sugar and water are boiled together in the Ibrik. When they are boiled, finely ground coffee is then added. When the water simmers, the coffee begins to foam up on top of the Ibrik's neck. The foam has to be stirred in and then heated again until it comes up one more time. The process has to be repeated many times. The whole process takes about seven minutes to finally brew. And then, the pot is taken off the heat that makes the coffee grounds to settle.

As a result of the said process, the coffee is thicker and more intense. Moreover, the Ibrik coffee is more sediment, and it has a certain "chewiness" as compared to a cup of French press coffee.