Tag: Fruits And Vegetables

Planning a BBQ Clambake Party

Barbeques are popular for events such as the 4th of July, birthday parties, receptions, and going away parties. No matter why you have decided to plan a barbeque party, the memories that will spring from it are sure to stick with your guests for populous years to come, provided that you plan ahead. Alternatively, a unskilled popular type of barbeque is a barbeque clambake. Clambakes are typically held in a pit on the beach, but if a beach is not available, you may want to consider holding your clambake right from your grill.

1 ) First, no barbeque would be complete without guests. Plan ahead of time, checking with your potential guest for scheduling conflicts and issues. Finding a date and time that is pragmatic for everyone should not express to far as long as you everyone enough modern notice. Remember that not everyone will imitate able to come, no matter how much notice you give them, so do not get discouraged if you do not get as many RSVPs as your originally hoped for.

2 ) Be sure to check the weather for that cast of year. If you live in a climate that cannot be predicted, then you may want to have a backup plan just incase unusual weather comes. You cannot predict things approximating rain and thunderstorms ahead of time, but you can make sure that you hold you barbeque during the time of year that will be pleasant to your guests. A barbeque in cold weather may hold more negative memories of trying to keep warm rather then good memories of family and friends.

3 ) You will urgency to dominion the items for your clambake. The traditional items you leave need is Clams still in the shell, seawater ( if available ), corn still in the husk, and potatoes.

Side dishes can also be bought, but are not necessary since the potatoes and corn can act as such. If you feel that you need other side dishes, the simplest passage to side dishes is chips and plunge. Chips and dip wind up not require any cooking on your part, and will still be loved by the majority of your guests.

4 ) Depending on the theme of your party, you may or may not want to purchase decorations. Festive decorations can be found at any local party or general store. You may also grant purchasing decorations that can be stored and reused at a different time, such considering reusable tablecloths and Tiki torches. Give your clambake a beach theme by adding tropical tune and you may matched consider adding some sand.

5 ) The day before you party, you leave want to make sure to thaw, prepare, and marinate the meat you will be cooking. Store the meat stored away, soaking up the marinate until it is time for it to go on the grill. Prepare bit side dishes that you can ahead of time.

6 ) The day of the party, entertain up early and start preparing for it. You do not want your guest arriving while you are still cooking or hanging decorations. It should only holding you a few hours at most to prepare the area in which you will be having the party, but the reactions from your guest will probably seem as if you have been planning this for weeks.

Place your clambake on the grill, layering your already cooked potatoes, corn still in the husk, and your clams on the grill. Then grill these until the corn and clams are complete.

Depending on the time in which your guests arrive, you may want to include you guests in the actual cooking of the clambake. Enjoying a few drinks around the pit or stove will not only give you time to gather and converse, but will also make your guests hungry, as they smell the wonderful fragrance coming from the steaming or boiling vegetables and clams.

The Process Of Manufacturing Wine

Wine, which is a drink we all know and love, is produced from fruits such as grapes and berries by drying and then fermenting them. Once the fruits ferment, the sugar within the fruit will turn into alcohol. The wine will display a different color, taste, and aroma depending on the type of fruit that it was made from.

Wine is divided into three main categories – fortified, sparkling, and table. Wine is known as fortified when a bit of brandy is added into it to enrich the alcohol. Wine is deemed as sparkling when it has the right level of C02. Table wine, the third category, is wine in its natural form – which is different from any other type of wine.

Normally, grapes are the preferred ingredients for making wine. They contain an equal amount of acid and sugar, which cant be found in any other type of fruit. When drying the grapes, a high amount of heat is needed. To use grapes with wine though, you need to know the exact harvest season. If you dont pick the grapes during the right time, your wine will suffer due to the level of increases in sugar and a lack of acidic extent.

During the beginning stages of wine making, the grapes or other fruit is crushed by a large cylindrical container that will deflate the juicy parts of the fruit into large bags that are attached to the machine. Next, the juicy part of the fruit is fermented through the use of heat. During this part of the process, present yeast will help to convert the sugar into alcohol. Once the sugars start to break down into alcohol, the wine will get a buttery flavor.

Next, is the settling. Settling involves the yeast cells or any other type of material flowing near the top of the wine. Once it is at the top, it is then filtered with all sediments being gathered on the filter. Aging is next, which is where the wine is tightly packed away in special contains that wont allow any contact with air for months – sometimes even years. Once the wine has been aged, it is transferred into smaller bottlers then shipped out and sold.

When the wine is bottled, it is done in a way that makes it easy to distinguish the several types of wine. Colored bottles are preferred, as they will greatly reduce the risk of oxidation, damage, and several other possible risks. The bottles are also labeled according to their manufacturer and brand as well, which makes it easy for you to select the wine you are interested in.

Once you have bought a bottle fo wine, you should always make sure you store it in the right place. The most appropriate places to store wine is the basement, underground cellars, or anywhere else that is damp and cool. No matter where you store your wine at, you should always make sure that temperature stays around 55 degrees F.

Never store the wine in an area where the temperature fluctuates, as it can harm the wine. A humidity level of around 60% is also important, in order to keep the cork moist. If the temperature is too low, it can also harm the wine.

The Flavors Of Wine

Although the four main flavors – sweet, salty, sour, and bitter are all your tongue is really capable of tasting, the long lasting impression that wine leaves in your mouth is far more complex. When you drink or taste wine, your taste buds and your sense of smell are involved, adding to the way you interpret wine overall. The flavors, aromas, and sensations that wine is comprised of provide the interaction that you taste when you sample wine.

Sweetness is something that wines are well known for. With most types of wine, grapes are responsible for the sweet taste. Grapes contain a lot of sugar, which breaks the yeast down into alcohol. The grapes and yeast that were used to produce the wine will leave behind various sugars, which your tongue will be able to quickly detect. Once your tongue detects these various sugars, the stimulation of sweetness from the wine will be ever so present in your mouth.

Alcohol is also present in wine, although your tongue doesnt really know how to decipher the taste of alcohol. Even though the tongue doesnt really taste alcohol, the alcohol is present in the mouth. The alcohol found in wine will dilate blood vessels and therefore intensify all of the other flavors found in the wine. After you have samples a few types of wine, the alcohol level can easily have an effect on your taste buds, making it hard to distinguish other drinks that you may have.

Another flavor is acidity, which will effect the sugars. With the proper balance of acidity, the overall flavor of wine can be very overwhelming. Once you taste wine that contains it, the flavor of the acidity will be well known to your tongue. Although acidity is great with wine, too much of it will leave a very sharp taste. With the right levels, acidity will bring the flavors of the grape and fruits alive in your mouth – providing you with the perfect taste.

Yet another effect of flavor are tannins, which are the proteins found in the skins of grapes and other fruits. If a wine has the right amount of tannins, it will give your tongue a great feel, and bring in the sensations of the other flavors. Once a wine starts to age, the tannins will begin to breakdown in the bottle, giving you a softer feel to the taste. Tannins are essential for the taste of wine – providing the wine has been properly aged.

The last flavor associated with wine is oak. Although oak isnt put into the wine during the manufacturing process, it is actually transferred during the aging process, as most wines will spend quite a bit of time in oak barrels. Depending on how long the wine is left in the oak barrel or cask, the ability to extract the flavor will vary. Most often times, wine will be aged just enough to where the oak taste is visibly there – and adds the perfect sentiment to the taste.

Factors to Note of on How to Become a Chef

Factors to Note of on How to Become a Chef

Is there anyone in the world who does not love eating food? Obviously it would be hard to track down anyone who has the least interest to taste all the food that the world could possibly offer. While there are people who fancy themselves in dining at the finest restaurants, there are likewise lots of them who prefer devouring the homemade recipes. So what is the point of difference between the two? First and foremostthe basic difference could be pointed out at the cook!

Generally, the food preparation at home could be taken charged of by anyone who has the skill to cook and who preferably knows the recipe of the dish. However, those foods at the dining restaurants are prepared by the expert individual who is rather called the chef. So how does one become a chef?

First of all, there is a basic education and some other related goals that need to be completed by someone who aspires to become a full-fledged chef. It does not mean that because you are equipped with the cooking skills you will already pass to be a chef. There is a formal education that will grant you the certification of becoming a chef, so to speak. Becoming a chef is an important career. People will recognize and appreciate your craft and there is nothing more fulfilling than that! But then, you must understand that becoming a chef is not that easy. Pursuing a career in being a chef would take up too much of your time. You will be required to fully stand on your feet for a long time to go through the hustles and bustles of food preparation. You could be on the call for all day and all night. Do you think you are ready to fight this grueling moment? Better think of it first.

There are a lot other things that are necessary if you wish to become a chef. One of which is a personal hands-on experience. There is nothing more comparable than that of a personal experience with cooking. An exposure to the craft will totally be a plus point. Such hands-on experience will be a good start for you as you take up a course in the culinary art schools. You could enhance your exposure by working in restaurants while still studying or handling the cooking preparation at home or during parties.

Another aspect that an aspiring chef could focus on is observing and understanding the works of others. By simply looking at how other people go on with the preparation of the meal, you could learn a lot too. By exposing yourself to the reactions of these people, you could assess yourself as to whether you would also prefer to become a chef or you would be hands up on the job in no time at all.

As you have made up your mind to become a chef, the next step that you must take is to look for culinary schools that would sharpen your cooking skills and broaden your knowledge on various recipes to be mastered. You could luckily spot the scholarship offers and gain lots of potential clients with which you could present your cuisine. The schooling duration could last for up to four years.

It matters that you have an extensive exposure with the preparation of several kinds of food from fruits, vegetables, and up to the meats. It is also your responsibility to wash all the utensils that you’ve used. Take in mind that becoming a chef entails hard work, perseverance, and dedication.

Become a Pastry Chef: Know these Things First

Who does not love pastries? Pastries are all-time favorite desserts. They are the best to be given as gifts. Most people struggle to create pastries but only a few succeed. But how about with the pastry chefs? What are their secrets in creating the best pastries in town? Have it ever occurred to you that you want to become a pastry chef? Read on and be made aware of the aspects that envelop the world of a pastry chef.

Who is a pastry chef?

A patissier or a pastry chef is someone who is based in professional kitchen surroundings. He is naturally skilled with the preparation and creation of desserts, pastries, and some other baked products. The pastry chef works in bakeries, bistros, hotels, and restaurants.

The pastry chef is one of the members of the brigade de cuisine in most professional kitchens and is likewise tagged as the station chef in the pastry department. There are assistants working with the pastry chef.

What are the duties and obligations of the pastry chef?

There are a lot of responsibilities that need to be catered to by the pastry chef. Among of which are ordering, menu planning, and costing. The everyday operations of the establishment obligate the pastry chef to research on new recipes, cooking concepts, and the testing of the newfound recipes. It is the duty of the pastry chef to attend to the advance preparation of several desserts before the dinner begins. The plating of the desert is typically assigned to the Garde manger during the specific time of ordering.

The pastry chef is the one who is in charged with the dessert menu. The dessert menu covers not only the traditional ones but also the dessert beverages, gourmet cheese platters, dessert wines, and many others.

What are the various positions of pastry chefs?

There are many designated positions for the pastry chefs especially within the large food establishments, restaurants, and hotels. The highest so far is the Chef de Cuisine who takes charge of conceptualizing the menu dishes and selects the direction of the foods. The executive chef is a subordinate to the chef de cuisine. He makes the recipes, controls the costs, and does the administrative works. The head chef is involved in smaller food operations. The sous chef ensures that the prepared food passes the standards that have been set up. It is the chef de partie who manages a particular section in the kitchen; the commis chef does the large volume of cooking whereas the apprentice chefs are those that are being trained.

What are the usual activities that the pastry chef executes?

Among the many obligations of the pastry chefs are:

To connive with the other chefs in the establishment regarding the pairing of desserts and menu planning;

To test and evaluate at the same time the dessert recipes and new pastry lineup;

To order the supplies from different vendors or go directly to the growers of the fresh berries and fruits;

Prepare the budget allotment for the department;

Supervise the transition of the chefs and those apprentices; and

Provide the supplementary trainings or educational programs regarding dessert and pastry making.

If you desire to become a pastry chef, you need to be abreast with all these aspects. You could either take up the related courses on Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management or the Bachelor of Science in Culinary Management. As you enter the world of the pastry chef, you’ll soon realize how vital you could be in the world of cuisine specialty.