Showing posts with label good info. Show all posts
Showing posts with label good info. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
what is Bicol Express?
(Bikol: Sinilihan) is a popular Filipino dish which was popularized in the district of Malate, Manila but made in traditional Bicolano style. It is a stew made from long chilies (siling labuyo in Tagalog, lada panjang in Malay/Indonesian), coconut milk, shrimp paste or stockfish, onion, pork, and garlic. It is said to have evolved from gulay na may lada, another Bicolano dish which is nowadays also presented as one of the many variants of Bicol Express.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
The History of Cheesecake
Cheesecake is believed to have originated in ancient Greece. Historians believe that cheesecake was served to the athletes during the first Olympic Games held in 776 B.C. However, cheese making can be traced back as far as 2,000 B.C., anthropologists have found cheese molds dating back to that period. Alan Davidson, author of the Oxford Companion to Food, wrote that, "cheesecake was mentioned in Marcus Porcius Cato's De re Rustica around 200 BCE and that Cato described making his cheese libum (cake) with results very similar to modern cheesecake."
The Romans spread cheesecake from Greece to across Europe. Centuries later cheesecake appeared in America, the recipes brought over by immigrants.
The Romans spread cheesecake from Greece to across Europe. Centuries later cheesecake appeared in America, the recipes brought over by immigrants.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
How To Learn to Love Cooking
By Mark Stibich, Ph.D., About.com
Many people regard cooking as a chore. Likewise, many people who are motivated to improve their eating habits fail because they are either afraid to cook or have decided that they “hate” to cook. It is very difficult to get control over what we eat if we rely on food that is already prepared for us, whether from the frozen foods aisle at the grocery store or from fast food restaurants. Use these simple tips to take the mystery and drudgery out of cooking:
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: varies
Here's How:
1. Start Simply
If you are new to cooking or have limited time, do not begin your cooking experiments with complicated dishes or with recipes that include ingredients that you are unfamiliar with. Follow these simple suggestions:
-Choose a simple soup or stir-fry recipe, broil a piece of fish or some scallops, or prepare a colorful salad.
-Prepare all of your ingredients before you start to cook so that you don’t get flustered (which is why cooking always looks so fun and easy on cooking shows).
-Read the recipe a couple of times before you begin, so that there are no unexpected steps in the middle of your recipe.
2. Learn Some Techniques
Take a simple class on knife skills. Ask the butcher the best way to prepare the cut of meat that you buy. Get a book that shows you diagrams of preparing different vegetables. Remember, every cook had to learn these things at some point.
3. Cook What You Like
You will have more fun cooking if you are looking forward to eating the finished product. Even if your main goal is to cook in a way that is healthy, there are excellent recipes that use spices and interesting combinations of flavors to make things taste good without fats or sugars (or any other ingredient that you are trying to avoid).
4. Plan Your Meals
Before you head to the grocery store, sit down and figure out a couple of meals:
-Look up the recipes, and write down the list of ingredients that you need.
-Know when you will eat each meal, based on when you have the time to prepare them (for instance, more complicated dishes can be served on the weekends, with more simple food or leftovers served on weekday evenings).
-Try to plan at least three days at a time.
5. Start with Quality Ingredients
It is very important that all of your ingredients be fresh and of high quality. Not only will they taste better, but fresh food contains more vitamins. If all of your ingredients taste good on their own, it is hard to have a recipe that is a failure.
6. Enjoy Each Step
Try to change your thinking about each part of the food preparation process and enjoy each step along the way:
-Go to the grocery store when it is not crowded and enjoy the achievement of getting all of the items on your list.
-When you chop your vegetables for cooking, take your time and notice the different textures and colors.
-Take special interest in the spices that you add and how each one changes the flavors of your dishes.
-Pretty soon you will be inspired to improvise by adding your own touches to recipes
7. Don’t Forget Presentation
After putting effort into shopping, washing and preparing ingredients, and cooking the meal, don’t just dump the food onto the plate:
-Take a couple of seconds to arrange the food on the plate.
-Add a lemon wedge or some freshly-ground pepper.
-Even if you are eating by yourself, make your food attractive.
8. Be Proud of Yourself
You did it. You made the food that you are about to eat. You can take comfort in the fact that you know what is in this food that is about to nourish your body. After a couple of successful meals, you may find yourself “addicted” to cooking and excited to plan your next adventure in the kitchen.
Many people regard cooking as a chore. Likewise, many people who are motivated to improve their eating habits fail because they are either afraid to cook or have decided that they “hate” to cook. It is very difficult to get control over what we eat if we rely on food that is already prepared for us, whether from the frozen foods aisle at the grocery store or from fast food restaurants. Use these simple tips to take the mystery and drudgery out of cooking:
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: varies
Here's How:
1. Start Simply
If you are new to cooking or have limited time, do not begin your cooking experiments with complicated dishes or with recipes that include ingredients that you are unfamiliar with. Follow these simple suggestions:
-Choose a simple soup or stir-fry recipe, broil a piece of fish or some scallops, or prepare a colorful salad.
-Prepare all of your ingredients before you start to cook so that you don’t get flustered (which is why cooking always looks so fun and easy on cooking shows).
-Read the recipe a couple of times before you begin, so that there are no unexpected steps in the middle of your recipe.
2. Learn Some Techniques
Take a simple class on knife skills. Ask the butcher the best way to prepare the cut of meat that you buy. Get a book that shows you diagrams of preparing different vegetables. Remember, every cook had to learn these things at some point.
3. Cook What You Like
You will have more fun cooking if you are looking forward to eating the finished product. Even if your main goal is to cook in a way that is healthy, there are excellent recipes that use spices and interesting combinations of flavors to make things taste good without fats or sugars (or any other ingredient that you are trying to avoid).
4. Plan Your Meals
Before you head to the grocery store, sit down and figure out a couple of meals:
-Look up the recipes, and write down the list of ingredients that you need.
-Know when you will eat each meal, based on when you have the time to prepare them (for instance, more complicated dishes can be served on the weekends, with more simple food or leftovers served on weekday evenings).
-Try to plan at least three days at a time.
5. Start with Quality Ingredients
It is very important that all of your ingredients be fresh and of high quality. Not only will they taste better, but fresh food contains more vitamins. If all of your ingredients taste good on their own, it is hard to have a recipe that is a failure.
6. Enjoy Each Step
Try to change your thinking about each part of the food preparation process and enjoy each step along the way:
-Go to the grocery store when it is not crowded and enjoy the achievement of getting all of the items on your list.
-When you chop your vegetables for cooking, take your time and notice the different textures and colors.
-Take special interest in the spices that you add and how each one changes the flavors of your dishes.
-Pretty soon you will be inspired to improvise by adding your own touches to recipes
7. Don’t Forget Presentation
After putting effort into shopping, washing and preparing ingredients, and cooking the meal, don’t just dump the food onto the plate:
-Take a couple of seconds to arrange the food on the plate.
-Add a lemon wedge or some freshly-ground pepper.
-Even if you are eating by yourself, make your food attractive.
8. Be Proud of Yourself
You did it. You made the food that you are about to eat. You can take comfort in the fact that you know what is in this food that is about to nourish your body. After a couple of successful meals, you may find yourself “addicted” to cooking and excited to plan your next adventure in the kitchen.
What is a Dieting?
Dieting is an act of self-control and avoidance of fatty food, low cholesterol food, less oily food, so as to maintain the fat-to-muscle ratio. Eating more raw vegetables and less oil-rich food increases the body metabolism and ultimately increases the life expectancy. Dieting should be done from early age accompanied with a regular exercise routine.
Eat Healthy - Stay Fit!!!
Eat Healthy - Stay Fit!!!
What is cuisine?
The traditional cooking methods and food preparation of cultures, religions and regions is known as cuisine. The ingredients, equipment and skill available may influence a cuisine. A cuisine includes not only the food of a culture, but also the beverages. New cuisines evolve over time.
Advances in food production, food preservation and the transport of food have now allowed cuisines to be experienced around the world and not just in their place of origin. The traditional cuisines of France, Italy, India and Japan are particularly popular around the world. Western influences such as fast food threaten the future of some traditional cuisines around the world and the Slow Food movement has been established to promote and preserve these cuisines.
Advances in food production, food preservation and the transport of food have now allowed cuisines to be experienced around the world and not just in their place of origin. The traditional cuisines of France, Italy, India and Japan are particularly popular around the world. Western influences such as fast food threaten the future of some traditional cuisines around the world and the Slow Food movement has been established to promote and preserve these cuisines.
What is entertaining?
Entertaining is inviting and providing hospitality to guests for informal parties and special functions, often for the purpose of talking, eating and drinking. The presentation of one’s house and the food served are both important aspects of consideration when entertaining.
What is cooking?
For some, the basic recipe will help to hold over hunger and is the best that can be done. For others, food is more than just a meal, it’s an art form. Something that is to be enjoyed - Jim Catanich.
The act of preparing food for human consumption is known as cooking. The cooking process involves using a variety of methods and tools to prepare a set of ingredients so that they are digestible and have flavour. The process uses a form of scientific method and so the quantities of different ingredients and the conditions in which the food is prepared influence the resulting product. Heat is often applied to food during the process.
Cooking covers both the necessity to eat and the desire for variety in what is eaten. A combination of taste, sight and nutrition requirements come together in subtle ways to make each meal different. Each culture has developed its own methods and techniques for preparing their food, creating unique and rich recipes that have now been shared throughout the world. However, the obsession with the art of cooking is one thing all cultures share.
The act of preparing food for human consumption is known as cooking. The cooking process involves using a variety of methods and tools to prepare a set of ingredients so that they are digestible and have flavour. The process uses a form of scientific method and so the quantities of different ingredients and the conditions in which the food is prepared influence the resulting product. Heat is often applied to food during the process.
Cooking covers both the necessity to eat and the desire for variety in what is eaten. A combination of taste, sight and nutrition requirements come together in subtle ways to make each meal different. Each culture has developed its own methods and techniques for preparing their food, creating unique and rich recipes that have now been shared throughout the world. However, the obsession with the art of cooking is one thing all cultures share.
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