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Anchovies in Italian Food

Anchovies are a very important part of the flavor of Italian food. However, many people, even fans of Italian food claim to not like anchovies. Some people have bad memories of smelly little fish on pizza that have forever tainted their view of Italian food that includes anchovies. Unbeknownst to many of these people is the fact that anchovies are widely used in Italian food and it’s likely that some of their favorite Italian food dishes are made with anchovies.

These small and often misunderstood fish are used extensively in Italian food and there comes a point when it is impossible to enjoy Italian food without running into these little guys. Anchovies are a small saltwater fish. They are only about three inches long but pack quite a flavor. There are six different species of anchovies that are used in Italian food. From April to September is the Sicilian anchovy season and these species are lighter in flavor than the Spanish anchovies that make up a bulk of the anchovies used in Italian food.

Anchovies must quickly be preserved in order to keep the flavor that is wanted for Italian food intact. The most traditional way to preserve anchovies is packed in salt. This is the best way to guarantee an authentic Italian food flavor. Soon after the fish are caught they are cleaned and washed in salt brine and then set out to dry. The fish are then layered in round tins with sea salt in between each layer. The tins are then left to season for up to two months. A weight is placed on top of the tins in order to compress the fish and remove any extra fluids and fat from the fish. After the curing time is up they are sealed up and shipped off to be used in different Italian food dishes around the world.

Another way to preserve anchovies is to pack them in olive oil. This is similar to the above method of preserving, except that after the seasoning period is over the fish are again washed and the scales, skin, and bones are removed before placing the fish in jars or tins of olive oil. There are other ways to preserve anchovies for use in Italian food, but none are as popular as these first two. Anchovy paste is readily available, however this paste does not have the anchovy flavor that is desired for Italian food and instead ends up tasting just plain salty.

When using anchovies in Italian food it is important to rinse them first. They are much too salty the way you buy them and you want to wash away some of the excess salt. If you are shopping for anchovies to use in a specific Italian food dish, make sure to buy just enough for the meal you are planning. Anchovies do not last very long once opened and should be used right away to ensure the flavor. If you have leftover anchovies then wash them and put them in a jar of olive oil. Seal the jar and place it in the refrigerator. This will only buy you five more days but if the fish are left in the tin after opening they will begin to get a metallic flavor that will ruin your Italian food.

Now you know a little more about this Italian food favorite. The next time you see anchovies listed as an ingredient at your favorite Italian food restaurant go on and give it a try; you might be surprised at how good it is.

Tips for First Time Grill Owners

Grilling, or Barbequing is a true American tradition. Many Americans are finding themselves with a grill for the first time. Good experiences with your grill will surely lead to using your grill more and more.

Planning Ahead

Barbequing has been around since early cavemen figured out that food tasted great after being cooked on an open fire. Perhaps one of the main memories attached to a family barbeque is what was on the menu that day. Barbequing opens a whole array of types of foods available. The type of foods you serve should largely depend on your crowd and the event in which you are celebrating. With the wide range of possibilities, you are sure to find at least a few items that will please your crowd.

Another potential issue when barbequing is the weather. While you will not be able to guarantee that the weather stays nice your barbeque event, a certain amount of planning will help you avoid the days in which barbequing is just simply out of the picture. Watch the weather channel or check online for your weekly forecast. If rain or cold weather is likely on the day you were thinking about having your barbeque, it may be a good idea to wait for a better forecast.

Make sure that you prepare ahead for your barbeque. 12 to 24 hours before you plan on beginning the party, make sure to thaw, prepare, and marinate the meat you will be cooking. Once you have the meat stored away, soaking up the marinate, then you must start thinking about what types of side dishes you will be having. If you want a completely tradition barbeque, you may want to stick with traditional sizes. Traditional barbeque sides include potatoes, potato salad, baked beans, and coleslaw.

Maintenance

You will need some common household items on hand when it comes time to
clean your barbeque grill.

Brass wire grill brush
Steel wool pads, preferably that contains soap already.
Mild dish soap
Sponge or dishcloth
Spray cooking oil
Dry baking soda
Aluminum foil

The first thing that should always be done to your grill is a routine brushing. Using your brass wire grill brush (or other brush suitable to your type of grill) you should brush off all the surfaces. By routinely brushing your barbeque grill, you will prevent any type of buildup. If buildup from food is left to long, it can become increasingly difficult to remove. Once you have cleaned the surfaces of your grill, then you must focus on its racks. The racks in your grill are especially important as this is where the food touches when it is cooking. You will have to use the wire brush to remove as much buildup as possible. Once you remove as much as possible, start washing the racks with dish soap. If the racks are really dirty, you may also want to use the steel wool pads. Be sure to completely rinse off all soap and residue before cooking on these racks again.

This process should be completed each and every time you cook on your barbeque grill. If these steps are not taken, you may find it increasingly difficult to clean your grill, and may find that damage will occur.

The majority of problems that arise from barbeque grills comes from lack of cleaning and maintenance. That means if you notice something does not seem quite right with your barbeque grill, chances are it can be fixed with just a simple cleaning. Even if you clean it, and still find that it is having problems, at least you saved yourself the potential embarrassment of taking it to a professional only to find out all it needed was to be cleaned.

Finally, one method of preventing problems with your barbeque grill is protecting it from the outdoors. Covers are available for grills in all shapes and sizes, so chances are, you will find one that fits your grill. If you have a cover for your barbeque grill, then all you will ever need to do is do the regular maintenance listed above.

How to Find a Coffee Franchise Opportunity

The Internet is filled with information about beginning and running your own business. More importantly it is also filled with information that is particularly relevant to beginning your own franchise business. If you are interested in purchasing a coffee franchise you need to begin by gathering the facts and the Internet is a great place to do just that.

A simple search on almost any major search engine will net many results for franchise opportunities that are related to coffee. Your best bet is to go to several different franchise websites that offer pertinent information on various franchises within a given category. In this instance you would want to search for services that offer information specifically regarding coffee franchises. Franchise Gator is a great place to begin your search though other search engines such as Franchise Advantage and Gaebler.com are also excellent resources when searching for various franchise opportunities.

These websites are also excellent resources for information about the franchises and shouldn’t be used as a mere listing service (or you are wasting a valuable resources). Of course if you are looking for a list of franchises alone and then wish to narrow them down after you’ve taken a few moments to get the basics about each coffee franchise business then this is a great place to begin.

The bottom line is that you can find almost every coffee franchise opportunity in the United States and several across the globe by performing a simple search online and planning to spend a good deal of quality time sifting through the results. If you prefer to take the easy route, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, the websites and directories mentioned above are excellent tools for your arsenal.

What these sites do is eliminate a lot of flipping from one website to the next searching for information and guidance by putting all the information you’ll need in one place. It makes the search much more convenient while also making an easy reference point for you to return to for information as you narrow down the coffee franchise businesses you are most interested in pursuing. Use these tools wisely and they will serve you well on your coffee franchise search.

Before committing to one coffee franchise opportunity however you should do a much more complete study of the franchise than you will find on most of these directories. You will want to know how well the company is doing as a whole and what the financial forecast and outlook for the parent company are before buying into the franchise frenzy.

The reason most people decide to pursue a coffee franchise opportunity is to achieve financial security and even prosperity. For this reason you want to make a decision about your coffee franchise that will help you achieve those goals. Take the time to do the work before you invest and make decisions based on reason with a plan for profit rather than based on emotion and a hope for a payoff on your efforts.

Tips for Better Barbequing

If you are new to barbequing, chances are you have run into some problems when it comes to barbequing. Barbequing, like anything else, takes practice. Learning from your mistakes, as well as the mistakes of other will help you learn quickly.

Before you begin cooking, spray your cooking area with a nonstick cooking spray. This will prevent your meat from sticking when you are rotating or removing it. If your meat sticks and tears, you will lose a large amount of juice, and your meat may dry out.

Never place food on the grill until the temperature is correct. The fluctuation in temperatures will cause your food to dry out or burn. If you are using a charcoal grill, make sure that the coals are completely gray before putting the meat on the grill. This will allow the temperatures to level out, and the majority of the lighter fluid to burn off.

Cooking with charcoal lighter fluid can be good or bad. The lighter fluid will cause the food you are cooking to taste different then with other types of grills. Alternatively, attempting to not use lighter fluid may cause a lot of frustration due to the fact that charcoal can be difficult if not impossible to light without lighter fluid.

You must properly prepare the meat you are cooking, before cooking it. You should never attempt to cook meat on a grill when it is still frozen, or even partially frozen. Thaw your meat by sitting it out about 12 to 24 hours before you plan on cooking it, or by thawing it in a microwave. If you meat is thawed, but in the refrigerator, set it out long enough for the meat to get to room temperature.

Once meat is cooked, never put it back in on the same plate you had it on when it was raw. This could cause the spread of many unwanted illnesses. Do not handle cooked meat with the same utensils that you used when it was raw.

Never poke you meat while it is cooking. Poking holes in meat will cause the juice inside to leak out into the bottom of the grill. Not only will this make your food dry and unappealing in the end, but it also could potentially ruin your barbeque grill. At the very least, it will cause a buildup of unwanted grease and juices on your girll, which will make cleanup harder.

Once the meat is on the grill, try not to open the lid to many times. Each time you open the lid, you change the temperature in the grill. The constant change in temperature and the air flow will cause your meat to dry up quickly.

Remember that the higher the heat is not always the better. While it is ok to quickly cook food, turning the heat up will just cause the meat to dry up and potentially burn.

While using tin foil or aluminum foil will make cleaning easier, it will cause your food to have more of a fried taste then a grilled taste.

If you are planning on using your favorite barbeque sauce, be sure to wait as long as possible to put it on the meat. Putting barbeque sauce on to early will not only potentially cause your meat to dry out, but it could also burn.

How to Compare One Coffee Franchise to Others

A coffee franchise in most areas is a solid business decision. The complication often arises when deciding on one coffee franchise over its many worthy competitors. There are many franchises on the market that offer coffee as a primary source of revenue. Consider some of the following things when deciding which coffee franchise is the best one to meet your needs while promising the most solid financial future for your business needs.

Start up fees. Different coffee franchises will have different requirements for building space, design, dcor, equipment, inventory, and other associated fees in order to begin your business. Make a list of all the franchises you are interested in purchasing, the fees involved in starting the business, and what is included in those fees as well as what other money you may need to come up with on the front end of your business venture.

Financing. Many coffee franchises have resources to help those who wish to buy into the franchise find financing. Some do not however. If there are opportunities for financing within the franchise this is a plus to many would be franchise owners while others prefer to come up with their own financing. Some franchises also require those who buy into the franchise to have a certain amount of money to invest in addition to any financing. You need to hammer out all the fine print and financial details before making any decisions or property purchases.

Franchise fees. Every franchise has fees associated with buying into the franchise. In essence you are ‘renting’ the name of the parent company in order to run your business. Each franchise will have certain requirements of those who buy into the franchise by means of monthly fees, advertising contributions, required inventory, and other requirements that may not exactly be financial (among these are uniforms, store policies, and procedures for paperwork). Understand before buying into a coffee franchise exactly how much the franchise fees will be each year (or what percentage of your revenue will be required) and what those fees buy you as the franchise owner.

Training/Support. This is the final of the major considerations you need to check when comparing one coffee franchise with others. A company that offers a true partnership and extensive training and support to franchise owners is worth its weight in gold. You need to find out how much training and support are offered, how they are offered, when they are offered, and what this will mean to you as a franchise owner. A company that offers virtually unlimited training to help you get business up and running is worth more money and higher fees than those that leave you to tread water until you sink or swim.

Consider each of these things when comparing coffee franchises for purchase. Decide which issues are most important to you and which franchise opportunity is most likely to offer all the things you are looking for your investment. That will be the best possible choice though you might want to keep a top 3 list in case something falls through in the process.