Tag: Flavors

The Art Of Wine Tasting

Even though many just assume that wine tasting is sipping, swishing, and swallowing – many are amazed to find that its actually a bit more. Wine tasting is more of an art, an art that is used to distinguish the taste of fine wines. Wine can be a tasty and refreshing drink – if the bottle was stored correctly and aged properly.

Wine tasting begins with the swishing. The reason why wine tasters swish the wine around in their mouths is to get the taste. Both the front and the back areas of the tongue contain taste buds, although neither one has any distinct sensation in taste. Taste buds can detect food and liquid that is bitter, salty or sweet, without a problem. To get the proper taste from wine however, you need to swish it around in your mouth and allow your taste buds and sense of smell to bring out the unique and fine flavors in the wine.

When you have a cold however, the wine can taste very different. When tasting your wine, your sense of smell has a major impact on the taste. What many fail to realize, is that over 75% of our taste is due to our sense of smell. When we have a cold, our sense of smell is affected. Therefore, when eating or tasting wine with a cold, the taste will appear different. Wine tasters all over the world will tell you that tasting wine is more about a sense of smell than the actual taste buds.

The art of wine tasting is indeed an art. Wine tasters do however, follow some general guidelines and rules that judge how great a wine is. These techniques can help you bring the most out of your wine, providing you follow them and know how to bring out the taste.

The first thing to do with wine is to look. With wine, you can tell quite a bit about it by looking at it. You should always start by pouring the wine into a clear glass, then taking a few minutes to look at the color. As far as the color goes, white whines arent white, but actually yellow, green, or brown. Red wines on the other hand are normally a pale red or dark brown color. Red wine gets better with age, while white whines get more stale with age.

Next, is the smell of the wine, which you should do in two steps. You should start with a brief smell to get a general idea of the wine, then take a deep, long smell. This deeper smell should allow you take the flavor of the wine in. The more experienced wine tasters prefer to sit back a bit and think about the smell before they actually taste the wine.

Last but not least, is to taste the wine. To properly taste the wine, you should first take a sip, swish it around in your mouth, and then swallow. Once you swish the wine around in your mouth, youll bring out the rich and bold flavors of the wine. After swallowing, youll be able to distinguish the after taste of the wine, and the overall flavor.

Hungary For Wine

Despite what many may think, the area known as Hungary holds more wine tradition than any other country in Europe. Most of this very tradition is just now surfacing in the light, with people finally starting to catch wind about everything Hungarian wine has to offer. Even though many wine drinkers arent familiar with Hungary – there are many who are.

Hungary is home to over 20 wine regions, fully of forests, vineyards, and orchards. With several different varieties of grapes to offer, the vineyards found in Hungary have flourished since the great Roman Times. The weather in Hungary is seasonal to say the least, with cold winters and extremely hot summers. This weather allows the soil in the country to be diverse, which allows wine makers to create a variety of quality wines.

Despite the communist control in the past, there are several different wines found in Hungary. Although the vineyards here produce a lot of excellent wines, Tokay Aszu is by far the favorite here and the wine that locals always love raising their glass to. Tokay Aszu is a popular wine with meals or dessert, in Hungary and also happens to be one of the most popular dessert wines in the entire world.

Tokay Aszu was discovered in the mid 17th century in Hungary, quickly becoming a favorite for many European aristocrats. Even though it was great to the taste, many believed that certain types of the wine had mystical healing powers. Although this was strictly a rumor, it actually helped the wine become more popular than ever. Over the years, Tokay Aszu was one indeed the most popular wine in Hungary, spreading to other areas of the world as well.

Egri Bikaver, also referred to as Bulls Blood is another popular wine found in Hungary. This is another popular wine for locals, and can be found throughout the world as well. Getting its name from its color, Bulls Blood is truly a feast for anyone who likes wine. The wine is dark red in color, yet sweet to the taste. The wine was first developed back in the 16th century, and remains popular even to this day.

If you ever visit Hungary, there are many places you can visit to get some great wine. You should also make a point to visit Tokay, located in the northeast. You can take a train from Budapest and arrive here in a few hours. There are several different wine flavors and varieties here, sure to please just about anyone. The wineries found throughout the Tokay area are normally open for tours and tasters from May to the end of October. If you visit during these months, you can tour the underground cellars, sample the superb wine, and learn more than you ever thought possible about the manufacturing of Hungarian wines.

An Introduction To Chardonnay

Chardonnay grape is the most popular type of white wine, found all over the world. The flavor, taste, and aroma of it will though, depending on where it was made and what processing methods were used. Chardonnay has a variety of different styles and flavors, and remains a major type of grape. As a result of its popularity, this fine wine spread throughout Europe and other locations of the world such as Australia and California.

As more and more wine makers discovered Chardonnay, the fine wine began to grow quite well in South Africa and other areas as well. With it being a non aroma type wine, oak seems to work very well with it. The richest and most complex are American and French Chardonnay, which are also among the most preferred white wines. Even though it does suffer from fatigue, the flavor and richness of this wine will keep it loved by many for years to come.

Chardonnay originated from the Burgundy and Champagne area of France. Although white Burgundy is a popular wine that is prepared with Aligote, a lesser known grape, the fact remains that white Burgundy cant be made without the use of Chardonnay grape. What this goes to show, is that Chardonnay grapes have more than a few uses.

In appearance, Chardonnay grapes are green in color with thin skins. The grape is a result of the Pinot and Croatian Blanc grape, which are extinct to this day. Chardonnay on the other hand is still popular, fermented and aged using oak barrels that help to bring out the vanilla flavor the wine is well known for. It can also be aged and fermented using bottles, although it wont age quite as much as red wine.

Almost all Chardonnay wines are considered to be chilled, making them work extremely well with dishes that contain butter and cheeses. The wines also have less acid content as well, which makes them work well with seafood as well. There are a lot of food that you can pair Chardonnay with, which is what makes it so popular. A lot of fine restaurants serve it as well, especially Italian and seafood restaurants.

The Chardonnay grape can also be used in making Champagne and other types of sparkling wines. Although Chardonnay wine is the most popular use, there are several other uses for the grape that lead to some truly fine wines. Oak is often times used with the wine as well, which provides it with some great flavors as it ages. Although it can be a bit on the expensive side, it still remains one of the most preferred types of wine. You can find it at any wine or alcohol store – making it a great addition to your wine or drink collection.

The Requirements to Become a Chef

Many people try to find out the different requirements to become a chef. Nowadays, becoming a chef is treated like becoming a doctor or a lawyer wherein one must have a degree or at least a certificate from a culinary school. However, you should realize that you can become a chef even without formal education. Here are some of the requirements to become a chef even without a certificate:

Exposure Most people who become chefs have had some sort of exposure to the art of cooking during their lives. This is one of the most essential requirements to become a chef. Exposure may come from parents, or even the house cook. Some aspiring chefs even go to different parts of the world just to gain exposure. Exposure to the art of cooking opens up a person to take an interest in it. Exposure also gives a person knowledge regarding the basics of cooking. This also gives a person a standard on what his or her cooking should equal or surpass.

Passion Interest alone is not enough to become a great chef. Passion is the main requirement to become a chef. You need to be passionate a bout food. You should see it for its effects in both body and spirit. A great chef knows how to play the heartstrings of people simply by adjusting the flavors of a dish. Passion is at the heart of every dish. You might follow a recipe to the letter but without passion, you will not be able to truly make a dish delicious.

Discernment One of the most basic requirements to become a chef is discernment. You need to be able to tell whether something tastes good or not. The best chefs are able to discern flavors beyond the basic sweet, sour, salty, bitter and hot. To a true chef, flavors are like different shades of colors and the number of combinations that one can achieve is infinite. People are usually able to tell when a specific dish lacks something. However, it takes a chef to truly root out what exactly is that something that will complete the recipe. This requirement to become a chef can come naturally to some people while others have to get it through years of experience.

Curiosity The difference between a cook and a chef is the fact that while a cook follows a recipe, a chef creates recipes. In order to create a dish, a chef must be willing to explore new ideas. Curiosity is a requirement to become a chef because this trait will allow a person to explore the unknown and ask the question “what if?”

Curiosity will enable the chef to create whole new dishes and go against the boring conventions of society. It will allow the chef to make use of the latest techniques and tools in order to keep the people guessing regarding what new flavors they will encounter. For it should be known by the chef that food goes far beyond its value in the stomach. Food should be valued for its effect on the soul.

Training Of course, one must be trained in order to become a chef. However, this requirement to become a chef does not necessarily have to be filled by a culinary school. In fact, one can be trained right at home.

Why is Barbequing So Popular?

Barbequing is an American tradition. Each year, statistics show that at least 90% of families attend at least one barbeque party or celebration. About 40% of families delight in throwing parties that center around the idea of barbequing. With statistics like that, one must wonder why barbequing is such a popular event and tradition.

First, barbequing or grilling allows you to create a meal that is unmatched by any other type of cooking. The grilled smell and taste will perk up even the pickiest meat eater.

A variety of meats and side dishes are used when barbequing. Traditionally, families cook pork, beef, and fish on their grills. When visiting your local grocery store, look for meats that are specifically cut and packaged for barbequing. If you do not find pre packaged meats, then chances are spices, marinates, and kits for grilling are somewhere near by.

Traditional side dishes include potato salad, beans, and coleslaw. These sides work well with the variety of meats available and are easy to prepare and store until it is time to eat.

Your traditional condiment bar should include pickles, relish, and onions.

Different types of grills will present different types of flavors. Charcoal and smoker grills present a natural smoked flavor which is one of the most known tastes of barbequing. Smokers even allow you to control slight changes in the favor of the meat by using different types of woods. Alternatively, propane grills allow grillers to cook their meals faster, but still have a grilled flavor.

Some grills have the ability to come with many different types of cooking surfaces. These different cooking surfaces include a BBQ surface, a flat grill, and a ribbed grill. Some grills even offer these types of surfaces as none stick, which allow you to cook a whole array of foods that you would not be able to cook on a grill otherwise. You will be able to cook your whole meal, including side dishes if you plan correctly. Some gas grills even contain a Wok type surface for cooking pasta and rise dishes, or a full rotisserie set that allows you to cook rotisserie chicken.

Another reason barbequing is so popular is the fact that it gives you a reason to hold a party or celebration.

Outdoor parties not only allow your guests to be present during the cooking of the meal, but also give them the opportunity to be with friends.

Themed parties are always fun for your family and guests. Festive decorations can be found at any local party or general store. You may also consider purchasing decorations that can be stored and reused at a different time, such as reusable tablecloths and Tiki torches. Give your clambake a beach theme by adding tropical music and you may even consider adding some sand.

Finally, barbequing is popular because it can be considered a hobby as well. Barbequing, like anything else in life, takes time and practice. It can be fun to play and experiment with different techniques and recipes. Once you have developed a like for barbequing, then you can focus on creating your own variations on traditional recipes and ideas.

Barbequing is typically thought of as a summer event, but some diehard fans of barbeque will not think twice about breaking out their barbeque grills right in the middle of winter.