Tag: Gourmet

The Italian Food of Trentino-Alto Adige

Italian food has a rich history. It draws on the influences of many different cultures and time periods. It is a great melting pot of different ideas all brought together by a distinctly Italian flavor that makes it Italian food, the most sought after cuisine in the world. The region of Trentino-Alto Adige is a great example of how history has affected and influenced Italian food.

Prior to 1550 the food in this region was known for its simplicity. Food was simply meant for sustenance and a distinct regional flavor had yet to emerge. However, that all changed in 1550. That is the time of the Council of Trent. The Council of Trent was an Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church. The council was held in response to the growing Protestant Reformation in an effort to counter it. It is hard to imagine that such a religious and political event would have any affect whatsoever on the local Italian food. However, when all of these high ranking church officials came to the area, they brought with themselves a taste for fine food. It is this event that first taught the region to appreciate the art of fine cooking. This is a great example of how history has shaped the current state of Italian food.

The cuisine here was also influenced by the Republic of Venice and the Habsburg Empire. Other influences include that of the Slav, Austrian, and Hungarian cuisines. It’s hard to imagine now that Italian food was shaped by these cuisines that many people think of as distinctly different than Italian food. This region is known for its use of fresh water fish in contrast to much of the rest of the country that uses salt water fish in much of their cuisine. It’s also interesting to note that despite the foreign influences, it is this area that most popularizes the dishes that are traditionally thought of as Italian food such as pasta, tomatoes, and olive oil. However, in addition to these commonly thought of Italian food dishes is a host of other foods such as potatoes, dumplings, and sauerkraut made from scratch. Goulash is the most commonly served Sunday meal.

Health conscious travelers should also note that lard is still a very popular ingredient in the area. Those concerned with saturated fat should be sure to enquire about the ingredients of the Italian food they are enjoying in this region. But it is important to note that many chefs find that lard is the best ingredient for certain situations and the Italian food chefs in this region certainly feel that way.

There are some specific dishes that are unique to this region. One is potato dumplings with ricotta. You might not think of dumplings when thinking of Italian food, but they are quite common to the area. They even have canederli, a specific dumpling unique to the area that is made with leftover bread. This region also boasts its own regional sauerkraut as well as a stuffed chicken dish.

This region of Italy is a great example of how external forces have shaped Italian food. The style of cuisine here is an excellent blend of the popular Italian food and the unique authentic flavors of regional Italian food.

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. When you buy your wine, you should always make sure that you store it in the right location. Wine that is properly stored and taken care of can be truly amazing once you drink it – making it more than worth the time and effort.

The Italian Food Diet

It seems recently that among health circles Italian food has gotten a bad rep. With the advent of Atkins many former Italian food fans have steered clear of the cuisine because of all the pasta that is used. However, this idea that pasta will make you fat is largely unfounded. A diet of Italian food, especially from the Mediterranean is actually very healthy and will keep you looking and feeling great as long as you know what Italian food to eat and how to prepare it.

A great example of the fact that Italian food will not make you fat is in Sophia Loren. She told the world in her book that she grew up on spaghetti and ate it constantly. She says that it is not the pasta that makes you fat; it’s what you put on top of it. People who gain weight eating Italian food typically do so not because of the pasta, but because of creamy sauces like Alfredo sauce and because they eat in too large portions. Italian food from the Mediterranean doesn’t rely on rich, thick sauces and uses olive oil instead of butter, making it very healthy.

It all starts with the ingredients you keep. For good, healthy Italian food you want to make sure you stock the kitchen with quality pasta, olive oil, garlic, onions, lean meat, fish, and seafood. For seasoning you will want some herbs like basil, oregano, and parsley. You’ll want to stay away from a lot of cheese and perhaps only get a little parmesan cheese to top your favorite Italian food dishes. The creamy and cheesy Italian food dishes are the ones you’re going to want to stay away from to keep a healthy diet.

There are several different light Italian food meals that you can prepare with these simple ingredients. Here is one to start you off, an Italian food classic, pasta with tomato sauce. You can use any type of pasta you want and you might want to try livening it up with variety. Italian food is not just spaghetti noodles. Boil the pasta in water with salt. Make sure not to overcook the pasta. You want it to be firm, yet tender. The most common mistake made in making Italian food is making mushy pasta. For the sauce simply chop up some garlic, an onion, and some tomatoes. Take a tablespoon of your quality olive oil and saut both the garlic and onions until they are soft. Once that is done add the tomatoes and cook until all the ingredients are blended together well. To top it off add your favorite herbs such as parsley, oregano, or basil. Try different combinations of herbs, there is no definitive herbs for Italian food so experiment and give your sauce your own signature flavor.

Serve this sauce over your hot pasta and if you want put a little sprinkle of parmesan on it. This is a simple Italian food dish that stands on its own and you won’t need to eat bread or anything else with it. This is a great example of how healthy Italian food is supposed to be, light and fresh.

Feel free to try different variations on this recipe. Italian food is full of a variety of pastas and recipes that can keep you satisfied and healthy as long as you stay away from the heavy sauces and creams.

Why Choose a Coffee Franchise?

A coffee franchise might very well be the perfect business for many would be business owners seeking the safety of buying into a name that is well know and well loved rather than engaging in the riskier business practice of building a business and a brand name from the ground up. If you are looking for a franchise opportunity consider carefully the gold mine that a coffee franchise can be in the coffee culture of the new millennium.

Some say it all began with Friends though there are those who will argue that the growth of the coffee industry has been a long time in the coming and that the popular situation comedy is only a testament to just how popular and iconic coffee houses were becoming. Regardless of why, one thing is certain. Coffee has become big business and those that are seeking a franchise business to build would do well to consider the value of owning a coffee franchise when making business plans and decision.

A coffee franchise will require lower start up costs than many restaurant businesses and the operating costs for many of the smaller coffee businesses are lower than a typical full service restaurant and even the average fast food restaurant on a normal day. There is less staff involved in running a coffee franchise and, in many cases; there are lower energy costs involved in the daily operations of these types of businesses.

Another reason to consider a coffee franchise for your investment business is that they are popular and seem to be growing in popularity each and every day. Some communities are more open to a coffee house or coffee caf than others but those that accommodate these types of businesses often find that they perform quite well and turn nice tidy profits. The days of one big kid on the block when it comes to coffee are long gone. There are plenty of options available when it comes to coffee franchises and believe it or not, there are plenty of customers that are both brand loyal and that enjoy switching things up a bit. This means that there are plenty of opportunities for new customers on a regular basis as people expand their horizons, try something new, or find a new favorite brand to be loyal too.

In addition to a coffee franchise that deals solely with serving coffee to the demanding public there are plenty that also offer goods and services that compliment coffee quite nicely and go well with your coffee time. From wi-fi access and Internet cafes to those coffee franchise restaurants that offer smoothies, bagels, sandwiches, baked goods, and countless other enticements to get customers in the door there are plenty of options when searching for a great coffee franchise investment.

There are plenty of reasons why a coffee franchise is a sound investment decision. The bigger question you may need to ask yourself is why not choose a coffee investment with all the great things going for them?

Why are Coffee Franchises so Popular?

Investors everywhere are enamored with the idea of building a coffee franchise business. There are many reasons for this but the bottom lines boils down to the fact that so many among us love coffee-especially those that own and operate a coffee franchise. While loving your product or service is a great reason to go into a certain business, there are many other things that should be considered. With that in mind, many of the following reasons contribute to the wide popularity of the coffee franchise in the United States.

Low Investment. While this certainly isn’t true of all coffee franchises there are many emerging coffee franchises that allow business owners to invest in their franchises and build upon the capital of their good names for well under one hundred thousand dollars. In the world of franchises this is huge with more popular franchises selling in excess of one million dollars for the first restaurant or store.

Low Overhead. This is yet another great reason to look to the wonderful product of the coffee bean upon which to build your business. The less money spent on expenses equal greater profit. Profits are the goal when investing in a coffee franchise or any other business venture.

High Profit Potential. When you consider the cost of a cup of coffee at your average coffee franchise store the return on the investment is phenomenal. People spend more on a cup of coffee than they will spend on a gallon of gasoline at today’s prices and consider it money well spent for the pleasure a good cup of Joe provides. The costs involved in creating that cup of coffee are relatively low when compared to the cost of a fast food hamburger and yet the cost of the cup of coffee is generally much higher.

Popular Product. Coffee is popular with millions of drinkers worldwide and new people turned on to the wonderful world of coffee each and every day. Not only are we looking at a world of growth as a business but coffee drinkers are growing younger than in years past. Coffee is a part of pop culture these days and seems to be a fad that is here to stay. You will need very little advertising to get your message across. Your biggest concern will be to continue providing excellent products and service so that customers will return day after day.

Pop Culture Appeal. I mentioned above that coffee houses, stores, and cafes have become a part of pop culture. This is appealing to many would be business or franchise owners and a huge reason that the coffee franchise has become prominent across the country in big towns and small communities alike. It is an opportunity to become a part of the popular culture of a generation and that is the sort of momentum that many business owners would love the opportunity to capitalize upon.

If you are considering buying into a franchise business, a coffee franchise may be the perfect solution. Examine carefully your reasons for wanting to do so and take the time to put pen to paper before buying in to make sure you are getting the best value for your investment dollar.