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The Chocolatey World Of Belgian Seashell Chocolates

Believe it or not chocolates are good for your health. There have been studies that were conducted by major research institutes that people who constantly eat chocolates have a longer life span than those who dont usually eat them. Chocolates are also filled with antioxidants that fights off cancer, cardiovascular diseases, thwarts off strokes, and lowers down blood pressure. Chocolate also has large amounts of iron and magnesium.

Other than its health benefits, chocolates can make you feel much better in a more legal and tasty way compared to alcoholic beverages and medications. The ingestion of chocolates induces the release of hormones called endorphins which promotes a state of happiness or a feel-good emotional experience.

Chocolates are also believed to be an aphrodisiac. It has been so since the time of the Mayan and Aztec civilizations in South America. It is believed that ingestion of chocolates stimulates sexual energy and consequently makes people fertile. It is also said to relieve exhaustion because of its nutritional aspects. Energy bars of athletes are mostly chocolates mixed with another substance for energy enhancement.

The team up of chocolate’s health benefits with the best chocolate confection the world, Belgian chocolates, then there may be no more stopping for people who are still skeptics of the chocolate magic that has been driving people crazy since it’s coming to European shores.

With chocolates, nothing beats the Belgians in making this sweet taste of heaven make its way to salivating chocolate crazy individuals. Belgian chocolates are deemed to be the alpha male of all chocolates. Even its rival Swiss counterparts bow to its gastronomical powers. The distinctive factor of Belgian chocolates that makes it outstanding is the excellent quality of the ingredients and the perfect chocolate making techniques that has been refined through the centuries.

Belgian chocolates come in many shapes in sizes. One of the preferred forms of Belgian chocolates is the seashell shaped ones. After all, a seashell is a symbol of many positive things in life. Seashells are thought to be gifts from the ocean. With its various shapes and forms, it is the symbol of uniqueness and beauty. One great symbolism of the seashell is created by Boticelli in one of his artistic creations. In his painting of “The Birth of Venus”, the seashell is depicted as the vessel of beauty, rebirth, love, and godly attributes to the earth.

Therefore, seashell shaped Belgian chocolates are perfect for symbolizing the chocolate’s representation of heavenly experience of a sweet filling wrapped in a beautiful chocolate shell or praline. One bite will surely bring you to the heavens.

With the Belgian seashell chocolate’s rich in symbolism, it has become a popular item for gifts to loved ones. As gifts, packages for these chocolates should also be perfect. With the finesse of Belgian craftsmanship, chocolates are made of excellent materials which include top notch delicious fruits, high quality chocolate, and natural vanilla. Artificial flavoring, which is common among inferior types if chocolates, is never included in the ingredients of Belgian chocolates.

In the quest for Belgian seashell chocolates, do not just opt for ones that are sold in supermarkets that claims to be made by the use of Belgian techniques of chocolate making. The most likely that you will be having a taste of real Belgian chocolates is in Belgium. There are no other places here on this planet where you can perfectly eat Belgian chocolates. Plus, with the country’s fine tourist destinations, Belgian chocolates, especially the seashell shaped ones, are the perfect snack as you go on sightseeing in the beautiful country of Belgium.

Different Types of Barbeque Grills

Summer is here, which means that it is time to begin grilling and preparing awesome barbeque parties. The only problem is, you have not bought your barbeque grill yet. When purchasing your first grill, you will find that you have a large array of options available to you. It may seem overwhelming at first due to the almost endless amount of possibilities and options available. The best way to decide on what type of grill is right for you is by educating yourself about them.

Cost

Barbeque grills can range from extremely cheap to very expensive depending on the type and features available on it.

If you are looking for a cheaper grill, then you should probably consider a charcoal grill. While larger charcoal grills are available, smaller grills can be purchased for as little as $10 to $15 at your local department store. Fancier, large charcoal grills can be purchased for about $60 to $75. Charcoal requires purchasing charcoal and lighter fluid each time you, so you must remember this when considering the cost.

Propane grills are slightly more expensive, starting around $100 dollars.

A smoker grill is slightly more expensive then a propane grill at about $130 each.

Natural gas grills on the higher end of cost. The mechanical part of this grill make it larger and more complex. The Natural gas grills are meant to be hooked up to your home line. Typically these types of grills start at about $300.

Multiple fuel grills are the most expensive at about $450 and up. Multiple fuel grills allow you to grill using one or a combination of fuels.

Ease of Use

The easiest grill to use is by far the natural gas grill. Natural gas grills are designed to hook directly into your homes natural gas line, eliminating the need to provide the fuel source. Natural gas grills are also one of the easiest grills to clean since you do not have to worry about cleaning out the charcoal or wood.

The next in line would be the propane grills, as they have similar features of the natural gas grills. The only issue keeping Propane grills from being equal to natural gas grills is the fact that you must provide the propane somehow. This usually means hauling and handling propane tanks.

The hardest grills to use are charcoal and smoker grills. Both types of grills require additional purchases of supplies, and then requires extra cleaning once grilling is complete.

Remember that bigger grills require more space to store and more time to clean. Bigger is not always better when it comes to grills. If you want a grill that is easy to clean, you will want to think about a smaller grill.

Flavor

If you are concerned with flavor, you first choice should be a charcoal or smoker grill. Both of these grills allow you to replicate a true smoked flavor. Smokers are especially nice because you can also control the flavor by changing the type of wood or wood chips you use. This is good if you are wanting to slow cook your meat.

If you are wanting to cook something a little quicker, you may want to stick with the charcoal grill. A Charcoal grill will cook quickly if you want it too, and it will still provide a good smoked taste.

Space

Finally, the space you have available should be a consideration. When you grill is not in use, you must have a proper place to store it. Charcoal and Propane grills are ideal for smaller areas such as apartments and city homes. If you have a large amount of space available, then you may want to consider the larger options.

The History of Pasta in Italian Food

The most widely recognized element of Italian food today is pasta. Pasta is a signature of Italian food in all parts of the globe. It is easy to store and prepare and therefore became the ambassador of Italian food to the world. Pasta has a much older history than other common dishes in Italian food like pizza and tomato sauce.

There are many myths surrounding the time when pasta actually entered into Italian food. The most common of these myths is that Marco Polo introduced it to the country from his extensive travels. However, pasta was already a part of Italian food during Marco Polo’s life. To get to the heart of the matter you must travel even further back in history. In fact the most accepted theory on the introduction of pasta to Italian food takes us back to the eighth century. During this time the Arab invasions greatly influenced Italian food and are the most likely start of pasta’s life in Italy.

Since the wheat used for this early pasta thrived in Italy, it quickly spread and by the 1300’s dried pasta was immensely popular and found all over the country. The appeal of pasta to Italian food was its nutrition and its long shelf life. These factors made pasta a great candidate for long ship voyages and because of this it was one of the first Italian foods to be introduced to the world. By the time pasta made its world debut much advancement had been made and there were many different shapes and forms of pasta being used in Italian food. The Italians had also developed ways to make pasta faster and more efficiently, making it an integral part of Italian food and Italian life.

The next important phase of pasta’s development in Italian food was the introduction of the tomato of course. Today pasta and tomato sauce go hand in hand when thinking of Italian food, but the marriage wasn’t made until 1839. Prior to this time tomatoes were just being introduced to the world from the Americas and many Europeans believed them to be poisonous. It took a long time for people to trust the tomato enough to eat it and include it in Italian food. However, once the tomato was accepted it was welcomed with open arms and took off in Italian food, especially in the southern regions of Italy.

Today one only has to look at the numbers to see just how big a role pasta plays in Italian food. Italians eat over three times as much pasta as Americans. Their pasta consumption is over sixty pounds per person per year. It’s no wonder that pasta is considered the cornerstone of Italian food. In fact, pasta is used so extensively in Italian food that Italy must import most of its wheat in order to keep up with the demand. This popularity of pasta and Italian food has caused pasta to be mass produced. This has lead to an inferior quality of pasta being used in American Italian food. The best pasta is still found in Italy where they stick to the same recipes handed down through the generations. A true Italian food lover must try some authentic pasta made in Italy if they want to capture the authentic taste of Italian food.

The Journey of the Belgian Hot Chocolate

Hot chocolate is a delicious drink that is a cocktail of cocoa powder or chocolate, sugar, and milk. This toothsome beverage can be traced back to the Mayan and Aztec civilizations in which they consumed their chocolate drinks made from roasted cocoa seeds mixed with spices like chili and achiote or annatto. The chocolate beverage was not only enjoyed but was also revered. Unfortunately, not everyone has the honor to drink chocolates during those times, only the members of the upperclass can drink it.

Chocolate was thought to be helpful in relieving exhaustion and was associated with fertility. The cocoa beans were also used by these old civilizations as currencies.

But the chocolate mixture during the old times is not as delicious as todays. When European settlers came to the south Americas, they even found the drink a bit repulsive. Even when Christopher Columbus has returned to Europe and brought with him cocoa beans from his travels to the New World; the chocolate was still a bit ignored.

It was only the time when a certain Hernan Cortez visited Mexico in the year 1517 when chocolate is beginning to make its way to the world. Cortez then met the Aztec Emperor, Moctezuma, and was introduced to some of the emperors traditions and activities. One of which is his favorite beverage, the chocolate. The emperor served Cortez the chocolate drink in a goblet made of gold, which was very impressive. The chocolate of the emperor was then a mixture of powdered cocoa beans, vanilla, spices, and honey.

The ritual must have impressed Cortez that he brought a lot of cocoa beans back to his native Spain. He also brought with him equipments for making chocolate beverages. The Spaniards kept the recipe a secret for a long time that it was only after one hundred years that the beverage became very popular in Europe.

When chocolates found its way to Belgium, it was like a match made in heaven! Belgians are known for their exquisite cuisine that is at par with the French. They even claim that their food is cooked in the way of the French but served generously like those of the Germans.

The Belgians have their own way of making chocolates. Through the years, they have honed their skills and perfected the manufacturing of chocolates of the best quality. In this perfection of this delicacy, it is easy to assume that chocolates are to Belgians as electronics gadgets are to Japan.

There are a number of varieties of Belgian hot chocolates to choose from and all seem to send the drinkers to paradise. From the moment the lips touch the cup and smell the aroma of the beverage, you will already feel the essence of the beverage being absorbed in your body. As you taste it a little you know that youll crave for more except that it will burn your tongue if you drink it in one gulp. Consequently, slowly consuming it is what makes it more pleasurable! And the perfect aftertaste that is like no other hot chocolate you can find anywhere else in the world.

No wonder that chocolate lovers seem to salivate more than the usual every time they here the word Belgium. Probably daydreaming of gargling and finally drinking all the Belgian hot chocolate they can gather up when they get the chance to visit the land of chocolates.

What is in a Coffee Franchise?

The biggest bonus or boon of franchise ownership is the name recognition that you are purchasing along with the education and training that most franchises offer as part and parcel of the commitment on your behalf as well as the hefty franchising fees. Truthfully speaking though, there is much more than just a name that you get when buying into a coffee franchise, or any other for that matter.

When deciding on the coffee franchise that you wish to purchase for your investment you should pay careful attention to the type of education, commitment to franchise owners, training, and other forms of assistance that are available to franchise owners within the organization. You want to choose a coffee franchise that is as committed to the success of your franchise operation as you are in order to have the best possible partnership.

Purchasing a franchise business makes you a partner in many ways rather than someone that is simply going it alone. For this reason it is vitally important that you choose wisely when you decide which company to enter into a partnership with. Do your homework and pay attention to more than just the numbers or the bottom line when determining which coffee franchise you wish to own.

The numbers are great and should not be overlooked but you should avoid tunnel vision that allows you only to see those franchises that are offering the most immediate profit potential. Most people purchase a franchise business such as a coffee franchise for the long term potential for profits rather than an immediate windfall. This is the wise route to take of course and could lead to serious long-term profits.

Another thing you want to pay close attention to when selecting a coffee franchise for your investment needs is the possibility for growth. Is there a lot of competition in your area? Is there the potential for growth and expansion in your area? Are you interested in or willing to have multiple coffee franchise stores in different cities? If you are interested in this sort of expansion does the franchise you are considering allow it? Remember that all franchises have different philosophies, requirements, and restrictions. This is the sort of small print you need to flesh out during the courtship phase rather than discovering once the marriage has been made.

You should also keep in mind that a coffee franchise doesn’t necessarily mean that it only deals with coffee. There are plenty of coffee franchises that offer so much more than a simple cup of coffee in the morning. There are coffee franchise stores that offer full deli services for breakfast and lunch, those that are also bakeries, and those that serve coffee, tea, and smoothies. Truth be told, there are all kinds of grand ideas that work well with a coffee franchise and many of them have been thought of already. This means that franchise opportunities are generally available for many of these new and wonderful ideas. All of these things are part and parcel when building a coffee franchise.