Top 10 Thai Food Dishes I

Thai cuisine is a favorite of gourmet food aficionados around the world. It is well known for diversity of ingredients, complex spiciness and intricate flavors and aromas. Many Thai dishes are even prepared with a blend of herbal ingredients that are purported to have health benefits.

There is such a broad range of favorite Thai food dishes available that many people will come to Thailand and wonder where to begin; and so, I have prepared this article to present a list of my Top 10 Favorite Thai Dishes.

An important (mostly unconscious) principal of Thai food is a balance of five flavors - spicy, salty, sweet, sour and bitter. The one indispensable ingredient which is used in seasoning many Thai dishes is fish sauce. Fish sauce is considered an essential ingredient in Thai cooking in much the same way as soy sauce is important to Chinese cooking. Thai food is easten either as a single diseg or with rice. Steamed rice is the staple food althought sticky rice is more popular in the north and northease of Thailand where special rice varienties are produced for their sticky starch qualities.

Thai food is one of many things that you should not miss while you are traveling in this beautiful " Land of Smiles". Since there are countless delectable Thai dishes, U am writing this guideline for you to selct the most popular and authentic from the plenthora of Thai signature dishes.

The following list is a top 10 favorite Thai food dishes that you must not miss. The consideration and ranking is based on the popularity, uniqueness and authenticity of these Thai delicacies. Here are the winners of my Top 10 Thai Food Dishes.

10. Gai Pad Met Mamuang (Stir-Fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts) Even through Gai Pad Met Mamuang does not represent the overview of Thai food but it is a very nice treat to your taste buds. Since it is by no means spicy or hot, this slightly sweet and salty chicken fried with crunchy cashew nuts is aptly satiating for children of beginners who are not used to spices.

9. Por Pia Tord (Fried Spring Roll) Fried spring roll is one of the most popular appertizers for foreginers because it is not spicy and cornes with sweet and sour dip. Spring roll are crispy pastries with fried vegetable fillings. Though spring roll are commonplace in many Southease Asian countries, Thai Por Pia is different in flavors with a special dip prepared from Japanese apricot.

The Health Benefits of Chocolate : Can Chocolate Benefit Your Health ?

Chocolate is one of the most popular sweet-tasting treats in the world and has been for centuries. But part of the myth surrounding chocolate is that if it tastes so good, it must be bad for your health.

But the surprising news from the scientic community is that this reputedly decadent treat actually has some health benefits, especially if your choose chocalate wisely.

Is chocolate A Health Food ?

Chocolate contains more than 300 chemicals, and has been the subject of a number of studies by universities and other scientific organizations. Here's a quick rundown of the results (Note, we have no way of proving or disproving these claims so we offer them here as a stimulus for further research. If you're really interested in the subject, this may provide you with a starting point.)

- Cacao, the source of chocolate,contains antibacterial agents that fight tooth decay. Of course, this is counteracted by the high sugar content of milk chocolate.

- The smell of chocolate may increase theta brain waves, resulting in relaxation.

- Chocolate contains phenyl ethlylamine, a mild mood elevator.

- The cocoa butter in chocolate contains oleic acid, a mono-unsaturateed fat which may riase good cholesterol.

-Drinking a cup of hot chocolate before meals may actually diminish appetite.

- Men who eat chocolate live a year longer than those who don't

-The flavanoids in chocolate may help keep blood vessels elastic.

- Chocolate increases antioxidant levels in the blood.

- Mexican healers use chocolate to treat bronchitis and insect bites.

-The carbohydrates in chocolate raise serotonin levels in the brain, resulting in a sense of well-being.

What Chocolate Won't Do

There are many myths and half-truths about the effects of chocolate on the human body. Here are the lastest findings on several of them.

-Studies show that chocolate is not a causative factor in acne.

- Cacao contains the stimulants caffeine and bromine, but in such small quantities that they don't cause nervous.

- Chocolate is not addictive.

-Chocolate contains stearic acid, a neutral fat which doesn't raise bad cholesterol.

-Chocolate doesn't make you high. You'd need to eat a huge quatity(about 25 pounds at one sitting) to feel any noticeable effect.

But On The Negative Side...

1. Chocolate may trigger headacheds in migraine sufferers
2.Milk chocolate is high in calories, saturated fat and sugar.

What about Chocolate and Your Pets ?

Chocolate is considered dangerous to animals because it contains a stimulant called theobromine, which they can't digest.

Dark chocolate and baking chocolate are even more dangerous bacause they contain higher concentration of the substance. This applies whether chocolate is in candy bar form or and ingredients in cake, cookies, puddings or ice cream.

If a pet becomes ill after eating chocolate, take it to the vet immediately.

Dark Chocolate Versus Milk Chocolate
Dark chocolate contains more cacao and less sugar than milk chocolate. It follows tht any health benefits would be more pronounced in dark chocolate.

Dark chocolate is allowed on the popular Montaignac diet while milk chocolate is not.

You'll need to do a little research if you have any health concerns about eating chocolate. But with products like gluten-free and sugar-free brand finging their wat onto supermarket shelves, you're sure to find some form of chocolate you can enjoy with a clear conscience

What Are the Benefits of Milk?

From the time we were children, we listened to our parents tell us of all the benefits of milk and as a result, we were expected to drink at least one glass per day.

As we became older, many of us shucked the idea of drinking milk either because we felt we were too "grown" to have to drink milk, or because we had become conscious of our figures and felt milk would have a detrimental effect on that part of us. In lieu of milk, we switched to other dairy products or vitamins in order to still receive the correct intake of Vitamin D and Calcium.

As we became older, many of us shucked the idea of drinking milk either because we felt we were too "grown" to have to drink milk, or because we had become conscious of our figures and felt milk would have a detrimental effect on that part of us. In lieu of milk, we switched to other dairy products or vitamins in order to still receive the correct intake of Vitamin D and Calcium.

Strangely, the analogy here is that if we went through that much trouble to still receive the benefits of milk, we knew that there was something in milk that our bodies were able to utilize. According to an article published on the Internet by the Newer Knowledge of Milk, there are several benefits of milk: the ability to prevent osteoporosis, hyper tension, and colon cancer. And most importantly, these benefits are derived from an intake of fluid milk, not simply vitamins or other sources.

Drinking milk also helps reduce the incidence of tooth decay. There is no evidence to support the theory that drinking chocolate milk aids in tooth decay, and as a result, allowing children to drink chocolate milk increases their consumption of milk. One of the major contributing factors to many people shucking the benefits of milk for a substitute source is the belief that drinking milk will cause them to gain weight. There is no evidence that drinking the required servings of dairy products such as milk contribute to a person being overweight.

Clearly lactose intolerant individuals need to supplement with a non-dairy product. But for everyone else, we should shy away from drinking milk. We did it when we were 5, and we can definitely do it when we are 80. The benefits of drinking milk stay the same!

Health Benefits of Spinach

Health Benefits of Spinach:
Spinach contains choline and inositol, the substances that help to prevent atherosclerosis or thickening and hardening of arteries.
Spinach and alfalfa help stabilize blood sugar among diabetics. Make a drink by getting several handful of spinach, add 3 cups of water. Place over low heat for one hour. Then strain. Take ½ cup twice a day. Spinach and alfalfa may be served as part of the meal.

Spinach is loaded with flavonoid that functions as antioxidant and anti-cancer agent.

Spinach contains carotenoid that help fights cancer.

Spinach is a rich source of Vitamins C and A

Spinach is an anti-aging vegetable.

Spinach is a good source of Vitamin K, which aids in the formation of the blood substance required for clotting of blood.

Spinach is also helpful in the following cases ; Anemia, Tumors, Constipation, Insomnia, Obesity, Neuritis (inflammation of nerves), Nerve exhaustion, High blood pressure, Bronchitis, Colon cancer, Prostate cancer, Breast cancer, Osteoporosis, Dyspepsia (chronic indigestion), Also helps ailment of the kidneys, bladder and liver.

Nutritive Values : Per 100 gm.
Vitamin A : 9,420 I.U.
Vitamin B : Thiamine .11 mg.;
Riboflavin : .20 mg.;
Niacin : .6 mg.
Vitamin C : 59 mg.
Good source of Vitamin k : amount undetermined.
Calcium : 81 mg
Iron : 3.0 mg.
Phosphorus : 55 mg.
Potassium : 470 mg.
Carbohydrates : 3.2 gm.
Protein : 2.3 gm.
Calories : 20

Benefits of soy milk

Benefits of Soy MilkAs the taste of commercial soy milk improves more and more people are drinking it as enjoyment. But many people drink soy milk for the added health benefits. So what are the benefits of drinking soy milk as compared to cow’s milk?

Benefit 1: Soy milk contains only vegetables proteins Vegetable proteins have the advantage that they cause less loss of calcium through the kidneys. It is known that a diet rich in animal (and dairy protein) creates a higher risk for osteoporosis.

Benefit 2: Soy milk contains no lactoseAbout 75 percent of the world population cannot tolerate lactose. Some ethnic groups are more affected than others. For example 75 percent of Africans and 90 percent of Asians have lactose intolerance. As an additional benefit, soy milk contains the prebiotic sugars stachyose and raffinose. These prebiotic sugars boost immunity and help decrease toxic substances in the body.

Benefit 3: Fewer people are allergic to soy milk Only 0.5 percent of the children are allergic to soy milk, whereas 2.5 percent is allergic to cow’s milk.

Benefit 4: Soy milk reduces cholesterol The saturated fats in cow’s milk are unhealthy and increase your cholesterol. The protein in cow’s milk has no benefits for the cholesterol. Soy protein can decrease cholesterol levels. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration of US) confirms that soy protein, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may significantly reduce the risk of coronary heart. The FDA recommends to incorporate 25 grams of soy protein in your daily meals.
Benefit 5: Soy milk contains no hormonesCow’s milk contains natural hormones (from the cow) but also synthetic hormones, which can influence the good working of our own body. The synthetic hormone rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone) increase milk production by as much as 20 percent.

Benefit 6: Soy milk does not cause insulin dependent diabetes Although no general consensus exists among scientists, some studies have shown an association between drinking cow's milk in early life and the development of insulin dependent diabetes. This association does not exist with soy milk.

Benefit 7: Soy milk is rich in isoflavones The presence of isoflavones is the most important and unique benefit of soy milk. Each cup of soy milk contains about 20 mg isoflavones (mainly genistein and daidzein). Cow’s milk does not contain isoflavones. Isoflavones have many health benefits including reduction of cholesterol, easing of menopause symptoms, prevention of osteoporosis and reduction of risk for certain cancers (prostate cancer and breast cancer). Incidents of these cancers are very low in countries with high intake of soy products, including soy milk. Isoflavones are also antioxidants which protect our cells and DNA against oxidation.

Top 10 foods for 2010 Part III

Simply put, it's the juice of an olive and it's filled a wide assortment of substances that offer a diverse range of health perks. Besides being a monounsaturated fat, EVOO is chock full of compounds with health-promoting effects. In fact, it's the same substances that provide olive oil's distinctive tastes and colours that are responsible for all kinds of weaponry against disease.

These small packages of goodness continue to impress - a decreased risk of diabetes, blood cholesterol lowering and anti-cancer action is just the tip of the iceberg. Dig in, but practice portion control. They're super as snacks to bridge the gap between meals.

Also known as legumes, dried peas and beans, pulses just don't get the respect they deserve. True, they're thought of as peasant food but these days, that's not such a bad thing. Put that together with the research that shows these foods can reduce blood cholesterol levels, help to regulate blood sugar and blood-pressure readings, and legumes are a clear winner as a meat substitute. The one drawback is flatulence - but if you consume these foods regularly, you can reap the benefits without the unwanted side effects.

While it's not a food and you likely can't get enough of it just eating food, vitamin D can't be left off the top 10 list for 2010. The sunshine vitamin, as it's also known, used to be considered mainly for its role in keeping bones healthy. But after years of people practicing safe sun habits and levels of vitamin D dropping, the potential costs to health of vitamin D shortages are now coming to light.
And they are staggering: Just the impact on immune-system functioning alone is astounding. Besides compromising our ability to fight illness, a deficit of vitamin D is linked to an epidemic of type 1 diabetes in children and other autoimmune diseases like MS. It's also being named as a culprit in the development of a number of cancers as well as heart disease. Experts are now saying that adults should take a supplement of 1,000 IU per day.

source by http://lifestyle.ca.msn.com

Top 10 foods for 2010 Part II

This member of the Camellia sinensis family continues to reap accolades in scientific circles. A defender against different cancers - prostate, skin, bladder, oral, you name it - it seems that green tea's brew of chemicals offers some benefit. It also acts as an antioxidant playing a part in keeping arteries healthy. Bone health and green tea is another area of research. And for those concerned about their weight, a few cups a day may aid in shedding pounds. But go for the real thing: There have been reported cases of liver toxicity with green tea extracts.

They're packed with soluble fibre, the type that reduces blood cholesterol and plays a role in regulating blood sugar. But there's more to their apple a day reputation than previously thought. Apples contain high levels of flavonoids, which appear to reduce inflammation throughout the body. And scientists now know that inflammation is involved in the development of many chronic diseases including heart disease, stroke and some cancers. Eat the peel to up your antioxidant intake.

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Salmon, sardines, mackerel and tuna are all super sources of omega-3s, a type of fat that's in short supply in the diets of most Canadians. And they're vital right through the life cycle from pregnancy through to old age. They're key to the brain health of an infant and to that of an elderly person. In between, they're also essential for a growing list of disease-fighting actions from protecting arteries and mental health to maintaining good vision.

Top ten food for 2010 PART I

While the term superfood has been conferred on some berries more than others, the entire family has been a hotbed of research for scientists. Acai berries, blackberries, blueberries, both wild and cultivated, raspberries, strawberries and even cranberries - all have distinct health benefits, showing that the term variety does indeed have merit. Some berries defend against certain cancers while others promote healthy arteries. Others still fight against cognitive decline.

Here's another powerful disease-fighting family whose members are also known as the cruciferous family. Brassica includes arugula, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, various cabbages, cauliflower, collards, horseradish - including the hot Japanese horseradish wasabi- kale, kohlrabi, mustard greens, radish, rapini, rutabaga, turnips and watercress. Just this year alone, dozens of studies have examined various substances in these foods and their powerful action in fighting different types of cancer. And these vegetables work in diverse ways to combat cancer at all different stages of the disease.
For those who aren't cruciferous fans, repeated tasting helps. And for broccoli, some garlic and lemon with a splash of extra virgin olive oil might change your minds.

Naming the number one whole grain choice isn't fair. All whole grains have something to offer and by eating a mix, you can gather an assortment of perks. Some, like barley, oats and rye, supply benefits for blood cholesterol and regulating blood sugar while others, like whole wheat, provide advantages for regularity. Read labels and look for whole grain as the first ingredient. Be aware that enriched wheat equals refined grain.

Benefits of Banana

Health Benefits of Banana :

Banana is an energy booster.

Banana contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin. Serotonin is a hormone that is known to make you feel happy and improve your mood.

Banana is a rich source of iron, thus it is helpful in cases of anemia.

Banana is good a good source of potassium. If you are taking diuretics take 2 bananas a day to prevent the depletion of potassium in the body.

The skin of the banana is said to help remove warts(cover the warts with the inner skin of banana).

Banana is good for people who have high blood pressure because it is low in salt.
Banana is also helpful in the following cases : Stomach ulcer (banana has a natural antacid), Colitis, Digestive disorder, Diarrhea, Constipation (banana is high in fiber), Hemorrhoids
Nutritive Values : Per 100 gm.

Vitamin A : 430 I.U.

Vitamin B : Thiamine .04 mg.;

Vitamin C : 10 mg.

Calcium : 8 mg.

Iron : 6 mg.

Phosphorus : 28 mg.

Potassium : 260 mg.

Carbohydrates : 23 gm

Protein : 1.2 mg.

Calories : 88

10 foods to boost your brainpower part II

Sprinkle on sage Sage has long had a reputation for improving memory and although most studies focus on sage as an essential oil, it could be worth adding fresh sage to your diet, too.

Go nuts A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that a good intake of vitamin E might help to prevent poor memory. Nuts are a great source of vitamin E along with leafy green vegetables, seeds, eggs, brown rice and wholegrains.

Brainpower supplements Two supplements are causing excitement within the medical world. The first Eye Q, a blend of high grade marine fish oil and evening primrose oil, is thought to boost brainpower in children. A study by Durham County Council and Mansfield College, Oxford, concluded that 40 per cent of the children sampled improved both their reading skills and attention spans when taking the supplements.

The second is called Ethos Endymion, which contains L-Carnosine, a strong antioxidant which appears to have dramatic results for a number of conditions: cataracts, improving skin tone, speeding up wound healing, and protecting the brain from plaque formation that may lead to senility and Alzheimer's. L-Carnosine is found in chicken and lean red meat so this powder supplement could be especially useful for veggies.

source by www.bbc.co.uk

10 foods to boost your brainpower past I

Opt for wholegrain food Walk into a room and forget why you're there? Forget already what this article's about? Make sure you're eating a diet rich in a mix of wholegrain foods such as cereals, wheatbran, wheatgerm and wholewheat pasta. One study found that women who increased their folic acid, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 intake showed an improvement in recalling information compared to women who were not taking a supplement.

Enjoy oily fish : The essential omega-3 fatty acids - found in oily fish, as well as fish oil, walnut oil and flaxseeds (linseeds) - are high in DHA, fatty acid crucial to the health of our nervous system. Low DHA levels have been linked to a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and memory loss. Fish also contains iodine, which is known to improve mental clarity

Binge on blueberries Research from Tufts University in the United States and published in the Journal of Neuroscience suggests that blueberry extract can improve short term memory loss. Widely available, so there's no excuse!

Eat more tomatoes

There is good evidence to suggest that lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes, could help protect against the kind of free radical damage to cells which occurs in the development of dementia, particularly Alzheimer's.

Get a blackcurrant boost

Vitamin C has long been thought to have the power to increase mental agility. One of the best sources of this vital vitamin is blackcurrants.

Pick up pumpkin seeds

Just a handful a day is all you need to get your recommended daily amount of zinc, vital for enhancing memory and thinking skills.

Bacteria and Food

Question: When you see a kid pick food off the floor and eat it, what do you think?

Bonnie Bassler: I think good, he is educating his immune system, right, and so, yes, so, you know, I think that somehow people, kids are covered with bacteria and you are covered with bacteria, so I am not a proponent of not getting the kids vaccinated, of not taking baths and washing him, of course, of reasonable hygiene, right, that is sort of how I live. I’m not hysterical about it and what I do think, what I really think, I think the human body is amazing. It is amazing at how well it works to make us so infrequently sick. People don’t die from infectious diseases in this country, they don’t, right, a few thousand people die a year from infectious diseases and most of them are old people, right, whose immune systems are not working so well, right? So the human body, given the sort of environment we, and I mean Americans by that, listen, it is amazing at protecting us, and the bacteria are helping with that, the good ones, the ones that are on us, so I don’t, this might get you, too, I don’t use those anti-- I mean, I work with bacteria every day, purposely work with gobs of bacteria every day, all day, it’s not quite that bad, but we don’t use those antibacterial soaps, soap is fine. You know, like I think, I just know, I’m always eating it, I’m always rubbing my eyes, I’m always and I am mostly well.

Question: What is your advice to parents?

Bonnie Bassler: Not relax, I think you have to be vigilant, I think you have to expect your kid is going to get sick over his or her young life, that is part of how you give them a nice immune system, so later, when your body is not healthy, you are better at coping with those things. But I think, you know, there are seven billion of us and most of us live in conditions that are so much less hygienic than Americans live in, right, I think it is a system that works.

Recorded on: 6/17/08

source by www.bigthink.com

Fatty foods may cause cocaine-like addiction

(Health.com) -- Scientists have finally confirmed what the rest of us have suspected for years: Bacon, cheesecake, and other delicious yet fattening foods may be addictive.

A new study in rats suggests that high-fat, high-calorie foods affect the brain in much the same way as cocaine and heroin. When rats consume these foods in great enough quantities, it leads to compulsive eating habits that resemble drug addiction, the study found.

Doing drugs such as cocaine and eating too much junk food both gradually overload the so-called pleasure centers in the brain, according to Paul J. Kenny, Ph.D., an associate professor of molecular therapeutics at the Scripps Research Institute, in Jupiter, Florida. Eventually the pleasure centers "crash," and achieving the same pleasure--or even just feeling normal--requires increasing amounts of the drug or food, says Kenny, the lead author of the study.

"People know intuitively that there's more to [overeating] than just willpower," he says. "There's a system in the brain that's been turned on or over-activated, and that's driving [overeating] at some subconscious level."

In the study, published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, Kenny and his co-author studied three groups of lab rats for 40 days. One of the groups was fed regular rat food. A second was fed bacon, sausage, cheesecake, frosting, and other fattening, high-calorie foods--but only for one hour each day. The third group was allowed to pig out on the unhealthy foods for up to 23 hours a day.

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Not surprisingly, the rats that gorged themselves on the human food quickly became obese. But their brains also changed. By monitoring implanted brain electrodes, the researchers found that the rats in the third group gradually developed a tolerance to the pleasure the food gave them and had to eat more to experience a high.

Healthy Eating
They began to eat compulsively, to the point where they continued to do so in the face of pain. When the researchers applied an electric shock to the rats' feet in the presence of the food, the rats in the first two groups were frightened away from eating. But the obese rats were not. "Their attention was solely focused on consuming food," says Kenny.
In previous studies, rats have exhibited similar brain changes when given unlimited access to cocaine or heroin. And rats have similarly ignored punishment to continue consuming cocaine, the researchers note.

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The fact that junk food could provoke this response isn't entirely surprising, says Dr.Gene-Jack Wang, M.D., the chair of the medical department at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory, in Upton, New York.

"We make our food very similar to cocaine now," he says.

Coca leaves have been used since ancient times, he points out, but people learned to purify or alter cocaine to deliver it more efficiently to their brains (by injecting or smoking it, for instance). This made the drug more addictive.

According to Wang, food has evolved in a similar way. "We purify our food," he says. "Our ancestors ate whole grains, but we're eating white bread. American Indians ate corn; we eat corn syrup."

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The ingredients in purified modern food cause people to "eat unconsciously and unnecessarily," and will also prompt an animal to "eat like a drug abuser [uses drugs]," says Wang.
The neurotransmitter dopamine appears to be responsible for the behavior of the overeating rats, according to the study. Dopamine is involved in the brain's pleasure (or reward) centers, and it also plays a role in reinforcing behavior. "It tells the brain something has happened and you should learn from what just happened," says Kenny.

Overeating caused the levels of a certain dopamine receptor in the brains of the obese rats to drop, the study found. In humans, low levels of the same receptors have been associated with drug addiction and obesity, and may be genetic, Kenny says.

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However, that doesn't mean that everyone born with lower dopamine receptor levels is destined to become an addict or to overeat. As Wang points out, environmental factors, and not just genes, are involved in both behaviors.

Wang also cautions that applying the results of animal studies to humans can be tricky. For instance, he says, in studies of weight-loss drugs, rats have lost as much as 30 percent of their weight, but humans on the same drug have lost less than 5 percent of their weight. "You can't mimic completely human behavior, but [animal studies] can give you a clue about what can happen in humans," Wang says.

Although he acknowledges that his research may not directly translate to humans, Kenny says the findings shed light on the brain mechanisms that drive overeating and could even lead to new treatments for obesity.

"If we could develop therapeutics for drug addiction, those same drugs may be good for obesity as well," he says.

Article by http://www.health.com/

What are Hoshigaki?

Hoshigaki are Japanese dried persimmons. There are mainly two kinds of persimmons: amagaki (sweet persimmons) and shibugaki (astringent persimmons). Amagaki are delicious eaten raw, but shibugaki are not. When shibugaki are dried in the sun, they become sweet and delicious with the sugar crystallized on the surface. Hoshigaki making is usually done in late autumn when persimmons are harvested and the weather is cool.

How to Make Hoshigaki:

1. Wash fresh and firm shibugaki with stems intact.

2. Peel persimmons.

3. Tie strings in the stems and hang persimmons in a sunny and dry place in the way that persimmons don't touch each other.

4. When persimmons become darker and softer a few weeks later, they are ready for eating as confections. The longer they are dried, the harder they become.

How to Store Hoshigaki: Store hoshigaki in a gift box or container in a dark and cool room. It's best to eat hoshigaki before harden or moldy. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap, and hoshigaki can be stored longer in the freezer.

The Cook and the Fig

Family Features) - Figs, those California fruits that love sunny climates, are turning up on more and more restaurant menus and family dinner tables. We're fig-uring out that these sweet and luscious fruits bring depth and variety to many different dishes.

Brought to California by Franciscan missionaries, figs taste great and are most versatile in their dried state. Look for deep purple Mission and golden, nutty-flavored Calimyrna varieties. Take them along with you for a sweet, fiber-filled portable snack. The sunny flavor of dried figs also stars in Italian biscotti cookies, coffee cakes and muffins, stuffing for the holiday bird or a pork loin, rice dishes, salads, appetizers-especially with Gorgonzola cheese, and the "figgy pudding" of English lore. Dried figs combine well with other fruits like apples and pears in comforting, cold weather desserts like Apple-Fig Crumble.

But figs are more than just great tasting. They're also good for you. Just five figs give you 5 grams of dietary fiber-that's a significant contribution toward the recommended daily total of 25 to 30 grams. Along with fiber, figs contain a wealth of essential nutrients including calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium and copper. Naturally fat free, cholesterol free, trans fat free, and sodium free, dried California figs are becoming a must-have pantry staple.

Winter Breakfast Sandwich With Maple Syrup, Toasted Walnuts and Cream Cheese

The warm, crunchy, golden brown staple on breakfast tables in more than 90% of American homes is one of life's simplest pleasures. This humble breakfast hero is also an iconic symbol of all that's right and good in American life.

Toast is the great leveler, a symbol of democracy: Crunchy toast is enjoyed in humble homes and at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

America's love of toast has given birth to toaster collections, a national toaster museum, children's book, songs about toast and cookbooks full of toast recipes.

One hundred years since the introduction of the first electric toaster, Americans are faithful to their long-lived love affair with toast. In fact, a recent survey commissioned by the Grain Foods Foundation and conducted by Harris Interactive indicates that more than 93% of respondents say they enjoy toast any time of day.

How passionate are Americans about toast?

Nearly 10% of adults surveyed confessed they'd rather enjoy their morning toast than, um, a passionate interlude with their significant other. More than half of the survey respondents would choose toast over candy, and nearly 40% over chocolate. That's some serious craving for toast.

Hum a few bars in the key of "T"

"Americans are passionate about toast!" exults comedian Heywood Banks. Banks is singing all the way to the bank, having hit solid gold with his song about toast that he's parlayed into an animated cartoon (at comedyhome.com). Banks has created a children's book, t-shirts and music CDs based on the lyrics to his song "Yeah, Toast!" Toast lovers like Banks are delightfully quirky - he plays a toaster as a percussion instrument.
Love, craving and science in the kitchen

"There's nothing more satisfying than a piece of perfectly toasted bread," says Ted Allen, cookbook author and food and wine consultant for television's popular "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy." "One of the most comforting, simple moments you can have is to make yourself a slice of toast. The scent of bread caramelizing in the toaster is wonderful."

The process that caramelizes toast - cooking the sugars in the bread and turning them golden brown - is the Maillard reaction, which gives toast its flavor and its crunch.

So push that lever down, get out your favorite toppings and tap your toe to the toast dance while waiting (im)patiently for the tantalizing aroma of caramelizing bread. If that's not true love ...
For more intriguing, fun and delicious information on grain-based foods like bread and toast, visit http://www.grainpower.org/.

Write down this recipe for ... toast
Chef and toast enthusiast Jesse Ziff Cool has written a tome to toast. "Toast: 60 Ways to Butter Your Bread & Then Some" includes toothsome toast recipes, from sweet to savory, for every meal occasion.

"Toast is still the greatest thing since sliced bread - and getting better all the time. Toast is the perfect beginning for an appetizer, sandwich, entrée, snack - even dessert," says Cool, chef, restaurant owner and cookbook author.

But Cool was not the first to document toast recipes. The White House cookbook of 1887 contained five entire pages and 21 recipes devoted to toast.
Mighty toast and nutritionGuilty pleasure? Hardly.

"Toast is one of those perfect foods that will never go out of style. Warm, crunchy and golden brown, toast is delicious, affordable, easy to make and a low-fat, low-calorie source of grains," says Judi Adams, MS, RD, president of the Grain Foods Foundation. "With the variety of vitamins and nutrients packed into a slice of bread, it is one of the more nourishing choices for breakfast, or any time of day."

Cuisine of Thailand

Influence and Western popularity : Thai food is known for its enthusiastic use of fresh (rather than dried) herbs and spices as well as fish sauce. Thai food is popular in many Western countries especially in Australia, New Zealand, some countries in Europe such as the United Kingdom, as well as the United States, and Canada.

Serving : Instead of a single main course with side dishes found in Western cuisine, a Thai full meal typically consists of either a single dish or rice khao (Thai: ข้าว) with many complementary dishes served concurrently.

Rice is a staple component of Thai cuisine, as it is of most Asian cuisines. The highly prized, sweet-smelling jasmine rice is indigenous to Thailand. This naturally aromatic long-grained rice grows in abundance in the verdant patchwork of paddy fields that blanket Thailand's central plains. Steamed rice is accompanied by highly aromatic curries, stir-frys and other dishes, incorporating sometimes large quantities of chillies, lime juice and lemon grass. Curries, stir-frys and others may be poured onto the rice creating a single dish called khao rad gang (Thai: ข้าวราดแกง), a popular meal when time is limited. Sticky rice khao neow (Thai: ข้าวเหนียว) is a unique variety of rice that contains an unusual balance of the starches present in all rice, causing it to cook up to a sticky texture. It is the daily bread of Laos and substitutes ordinary rice in rural Northern and Northeastern Thai cuisine, where Lao cultural influence is strong.

Noodles, known throughout parts of Southeast Asia by the Chinese name kwaytiow, are popular as well but usually come as a single dish, like the stir-fried Pad Thai (Thai: ผัดไทย) or noodle soups. Many Chinese cuisine are adapted to suit Thai taste, such as khuaytiow rue, a sour and spicy rice noodle soup.

There is a uniquely Thai dish called nam prik (Thai: น้ำพริก) which refers to a chile sauce or paste. Each region has its own special versions. It is prepared by crushing together chillies with various ingredients such as garlic and shrimp paste using a mortar and pestle. It is then often served with vegetables such as cucumbers, cabbage and yard-long beans, either raw or blanched. The vegetables are dipped into the sauce and eaten with rice. Nam prik may also be simply eaten alone with rice or, in a bit of Thai and Western fusion, spread on toast.

Thai food is generally eaten with a fork and a spoon. Chopsticks are used rarely, primarily for the consumption of noodle soups. The fork, held in the left hand, is used to shovel food into the spoon. However, it is common practice for Thais and hill tribe peoples in the North and Northeast to eat sticky rice with their right hands by making it into balls that are dipped into side dishes and eaten. Thai-Muslims also frequently eat meals with only their right hands.

Often Thai food is served with a variety of spicy condiments to embolden dishes. This can range from dried chili pieces, or sliced chili peppers in rice vinegar, to a spicy chili sauce such as the nam prik mentioned above.

Food Wallpaper

Making the Most of Your Wine Tasting Experience

You are interested in learning about wine tasting. You have many friends who have raved about different wines. Where do you start? Quite simply, you start with the first glass.
Get a group of friends together and venture out wine tasting. Temecula Valley offers more than 30 wineries. Many of them have award winning wines.
Wine tasting is an experience. Here are a few easy steps to make enhance your wine tasting adventure.
Tasting wine is about knowing the wine. Keep in mind that wine has a unique taste, and each wine has its very own characteristics. Wine can be very rich and complex, and in order to fully appreciate it, you need to taste it properly. The true essence of wine tasting is to be able to identify the wine and get its true flavor. Every wine is different in flavor.
The basics of wine tasting are easy. You don't need any formal training and anyone can enjoy the experience. Always make sure that you have room temperature water, in order to cleanse your pallet in between tasting each wine.
Wine should be served in a stem glass. This way, you can hold the glass by the stem, while wine tasting. You want to avoid holding the glass by the palm of your hand. Oftentimes, this can warm up the wine and change the sample.
Start by looking at the color of the wine. The stemmed glasses should always be clean and clear, in order for you to see the wine and be able to look at it objectively. While looking at the wine, keep in mind that you will see many different colors. Not all wines are truly red or white. Red isn't always a perfect red. Older reds tend to be a little lighter in color. White wines may have a yellow, green or even brown tinge. While looking at the color, try and have a white background. This allows you to see the true color. If the wine is purplish in color, this indicates that the wine is young. If it is brownish in color, it means that the wine is an older wine.
Smelling the wine is the next step. Twirl the wine around in the glass, to air it. Take a deep breath through your nostril to smell the fragrance. By swirling the wine, you are releasing many flavors. Keep in mind that many wines have been bottled for many years.
When you smell the wine, you may detect fruit, flower, spice, wood or any earth essence. There are many smells that you may detect. Keep an open mind and remember that no observation is incorrect.
The third step is to evaluate your wine's taste or palate. Sip a small amount of your wine. Do no swallow. Allow the wine to roll around inside your mouth for a few seconds, allowing you to detect its flavors. You may want to introduce some air into your mouth, to further bring out more aroma and flavor. You will want to note the acidity, which is indicated by the watering of your mouth when acid is present. The tannin and body of the wine and the sweetness are the other qualities to note during the tasting. The tannin refers to the dryness or the drying sensation you taste. The body is indicated by the weight of the wine on your palate. The sweetness of a wine is actually controlled by the amounts of acid, alcohol and tannins present. Generally, the higher the alcohol, the sweeter the wine will taste. Sweet wines can taste fruity or not. Dry wines with low levels of sugar and no noticeable sweetness can still be fruity.
Too much acid can make the wine taste sharp and or tart. Too little acid will make it flat and un refreshing.
Too much alcohol will make it overly sweet, hot and biting as it is swallowed.
Too many tannins will make your mouth pucker. Tannins give wine its body and generally soften as wine ages.
The body of your wine is how it feels in your mouth. Wine will be light, medium or full bodied.
Finally, you will want to evaluate the wines finish. This is the sensation left in your mouth after swallowing. The longer the flavor lingers, the longer the finish.
Generally, wineries will have a receptacle available for wine to be spit out into. You may want to spit out wine because it is unpleasant, or because swallowing numerous wines may begin to cloud your judgment.
Additional tips to keep in mind. Don't sample more than six to eight glasses per tasting, as many more will tire the palate and cause you to lose focus. Avoid wearing perfume, so that it does not overpower the aromas of the wine. Try and go tasting after eating something, this way you won't get intoxicated, which could spoil the tasting experience for you.
In no time, you will discover what you like and what you don't. It will take months, or maybe years to fully detect the subtle variation in all types of wine. For the average wine drinker, this information is a good place to start.
By experiencing wine tasting and exploring as many wineries as you can, you will improve your pallet. It won't be long before you will be able to identify the many characteristics of wine that you taste. Most likely, you will have a favorite; however, don't limit yourself because of this. Always try something new that you have not tried…you never know, you may just discover a new wine that you may have passed up.

The Top Ten Reasons I Hate Wine - Ten, Home Brew

Despite this article's title I really do love wine and food from Italy, France, Germany, and other countries as well. And who among us can reject a bargain? But I also hate wine and many, many aspects of the wine scene. Let me explain my top ten reasons for this love-hate relationship. Previous articles discussed the unconscionable expense, the embarrassing lack of knowledge, no wine cellar, I can't get the ... bottle opened, insomnia, food problems, wine snobs, and the smells and tastes of wine, and wine colors. This article discusses home brew and the solution.

Why am I not a fan of home-made wine? To make it short and sweet I have yet to taste a home-made wine that doesn't taste like a home-made wine. When you know a little bit about the complexities of wine production, it's hard to believe that you can go to a store, buy liquid concentrate, pour it into bottles, squeeze on an ill-fitting cork, and in two months (or is it two weeks?) obtain a quality product. I know that I may be exaggerating somewhat, but the truth remains. History shows that time and time again dedicated amateurs have stood up to and even surpassed the professionals. But non-dedicated amateurs?

I think we can make an exception for people whose family have been making wine for generations. They may get their grapes from a brew-your-own outfit, especially if they live in a city apartment. But they don't just add water, stir, wait a few weeks and expect to get better than Grandpa's wine, except perhaps for the last batch he made when he was going blind and tried to push up the alcohol level with salt instead of sugar. Our humble conclusion, brew your own beer-maybe, wine-never.

There is one more problem with wine, but it's none of your business.
And now for the Solution. I have been told that the solution to these problems is to forego drinking wine and move on to mineral water, tofu drinks, or even single-malt Scotch. To which I reply, never. Now if you'll please excuse me there's this special bottle that I've been meaning to open for a long time. It was quite expensive, I'm not sure of its grapes varieties, it hasn't been cellared, I know I'll have trouble opening it, I won't sleep tonight, there's nothing but day-old pizza in the fridge, the guy in the wine store turned up his nose when I bought it, my nose is plugged and my color chart is nowhere to be found, but it's not home brew and I know I'm going to enjoy it. This might even tempt me to write a series on the top ten reasons I love wine. (But not the wine scene.)