Chicken Soup Recipe - Making Your Own

This article is not so much about my own Chicken Soup Recipe, but more about how you can develop your own unique version. I think everyone who likes to cook chicken should be able to make a good soup with it. It's a great way to use up leftovers, and an even better way to make sure you get enough vegetables in your diet.

While there are countless variations of techniques and ingredients in chicken soup, there is one constant that no one can do without: a good stock or broth. Without this your soup will have a watery taste, and that is no fun to eat. Also, a tasty broth is more likely to be healthier for you, since where there is flavor there is usually also nutrients. A good stock typically contains some gelatin, which comes from dissolved collagen from bones and connective tissue. Gelatin is great for carrying both flavor and nutrients because it can interact with organic molecules better than water can.

So does that mean you have to make your own chicken stock in order to have a good chicken soup recipe? Not necessarily, as there are many good chicken stocks available at grocery stores. I prefer the kind you get in boxes, but the canned stuff is usually good too. I'll use the powdered or cubed stuff in a pinch, but I find they have too much salt and other flavor enhancers for my liking. I'm also not sure how much gelatin they contain, if any.

However, if you do prefer to make your own stock, there are many excellent Web sites available that give instructions. Basically all you have to do is simmer chicken bones along with some onions, carrots and celery for an hour or two. Regardless of how you make it, there is one piece of advice I can give you that will always work: after the stock is made, remove the solid ingredients, and boil off some of the water to reduce the amount to half. Concentrating the stock will intensify the flavor, making everything you use it in that much more flavorful.

After the stock, your next choice is which vegetables to use. I've already mentioned the classic onion, carrot and celery mix, but there are so many other choices available. From time to time I enjoy some chopped spinach in my chicken soup, or any other leafy green I happen to have on hand. Frozen peas are another great option, but remember to add them about 5 minutes before the soup is done cooking, unless you prefer your peas mushy. Tomatoes are another great vegetable to use in chicken soup, and they have the added benefit of bolstering a weak-tasting stock. You can also use "substitute" vegetables to replace some of the classics: fennel in place of celery, leeks or shallots for the onions, parsnips for carrots, etc. And let's not forget about all the peppers out there, both hot and mild!

When it comes to vegetables, I usually just add whatever I have in my refrigerator. Any leftovers or veggies that are about to expire become candidates. I usually avoid root vegetables as they take longer to cook through, but if they are already cooked then they are fair game too. If not, then just chop them up into small pieces so they cook more quickly.

Next in the list of ingredients to select is the type of starch to add. There are so many to choose from that there is no way I could list them all, but one thing to think of is how much the starch you choose will thicken the broth. This will depend on how quickly it dissolves into the broth and how long you will be cooking it for. Most people don't want to thicken their chicken soup too much, so pasta is the usual choice for most people. If there is one variant of chicken soup that is more famous than all the others, it would definitely be chicken noodle soup.

But noodles are far from being the only choice. Brown rice is my go-to starch for chicken soup. Like barley, it will thicken a broth given time, but it normally takes more than an hour for that to happen. I like how it swells in the liquid of the soup, and how it adds just a touch of viscosity to it. It helps the flavor of the soup cling to the tongue for just a little bit, enhancing the taste experience.

Lentils are a very healthy starch to use, and there are a lot of varieties to choose from. Red lentils will practically dissolve into the soup, while the little green gems known as Puy lentils will keep their shape almost forever. At the other end of the spectrum are potatoes, which given enough time will thicken a soup enough to stand your spoon in it.

If you want to go for big-time comfort food, then dumplings should be your selection. Personally I have never made dumplings, but I know some people that swear by it.

Lastly, you need to decide what spices and herbs to go for. Chicken has such a neutral flavor that you should pay more attention to matching your spices to your vegetables you used. The basic spices that are considered "classic" would be parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme...just as in the song. These work very well when you use the classic veggies. But when you use other vegetables, then there are some really good combinations available. For instance, if you used tomatoes then you would be making a mistake to leave out the basil. Spinach and marjoram work very well together, while tarragon and fennel make a good pair.

But don't think just about spice and herbs. If you want a really refreshing flavor, add a bit of lemon juice. Don't forget about the garlic either, as it works with almost all other ingredients. And lastly, don't be afraid to add a bit of spice. You don't need to add so much that it burns the palate; just a little will heighten all the other flavors.

Of course, I'd be remiss if I left chicken itself out of the discussion. Any cooked or raw chicken will do, but you'll find that white meat is the best in soups. Dark meat, while tastier, has a much higher fat content and tends to make a soup feel greasy. White meat for soups and pastas, dark meat for everything else is the rule that I go by.

I hope you aren't disappointed that there wasn't a recipe that you could follow to the letter in this article. The truth is I don't usually cook that way anymore. I found I made much better meals once I understood the basics of whatever meal I was making I could improvise and make improvements and substitutions based on my tastes, who I was cooking for, and what I had in stock.

Erik Christensen

Curried Apple and Butternut Squash Soup

I love fall and everything is brings. Cool temps, wearing jeans, leaves changing colors, pumpkin patches and the smells of nutmeg and rain to name a few favorites. Few things say more about fall than the bounty of produce one can pick up at a local famers' market. Historically speaking, I have never really been a fan of Butternut squash soup. The texture reminds me of baby food and the flavor tends to be more like paste than of my earthy harvest desires, but the addition of apple, carrot and ginger have completely changed my outlook and now my Fall dreams come true every time I make it.

Ingredients

2 Tablespoon butter

2 Tablespoon olive oil

1.5 onions chopped

2 garlic cloves chopped

2 apples peeled and chopped (i used braeburn, cause I love them)

1 carrot, chopped

2.5 lbs of butternut squash-peeled and chopped up

4 Cups chicken broth

Red pepper flakes

2 Tablespoons salt + some white pepper

1-2 Tablespoons yellow curry powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

2T honey

1T grated fresh ginger

Directions

Put olive oil and butter in a pot & get them warm.

Add onions. Add garlic. Let saute for a bit-just until they are translucent.

Add apple and carrot & 1/2 curry powder, salt & pep

Add butternut squash

Saute for about 10 minutes. Add the rest of spices & honey.

When everything is pretty well cooked (tender), add broth and boil for about 20 minutes. Blend in batches.

Additions: creme fraiche, sour cream, pancetta bits, turkey sausage bits, bacon crumbles or fresh chives.

The Right Containers For Your Tomatoes

Making use of containers as you plant your favorite fruit? Don't you know that though we often neglect it, there are containers that would give off better results than the others? Little did you know but the container you use for your plant affects the growing of your plant. Containers are very useful to our growing of homegrown tomatoes. When you do indoor planting, the container holds your plant in a more compact state. An addition to this is that your plant becomes much easier to handle since they have become mobile and easier to transfer from one place to another. You might think that as long as the container can carry soil, you are already set for planting tomatoes in containers. But actually that's not all there is to know. The kind or the type, the quality, the size and the color are the factors you should think about. The type of planting technique should at one hand be another consideration.

For indoor planting, it is best to use the fiberglass or plastic pots. These containers are the ones that I would recommend you because of reasons that would benefit both you and your plant. There are basically two major explanations why this has been the popular choice. The first major reason is for economical purposes. These pots are larger than the others and can carry larger tomato plants. They have larger spaces and your plant's roots can fully develop in this larger area. The second reason is that the soil in which the tomatoes are planted should remain moist. Plastic and fiberglass pots will keep your plants from drying up even if you expose your tomatoes to the heat they badly needed.

If you are doing hydroponics, the container you can use can either be a cement trough, a glass jar, an earthenware crock, a fiberglass tank or a container made of metal. Those that are made up of metal and concrete should be painted with asphalt emulsion before use. Painting it from the inside shall avoid the toxicity in your plants. For glass containers, you are to consider the opposite side. You need to paint the outer portion with dark color to avoid chemical change as the sunlight hits your container. Another reason why it should be painted with black is that the dark color prevents the possible growth of algae caused by the sun. However, when you do hydroponics, the fiberglass is the best option for a container.

The very thing you need to consider when you grow your tomatoes with the help of containers is that no matter how huge or small your containers are, it should be able to carry the weight of your plant. Often do we neglect it but it is true that the container matters. It is important that you use that which fits your tomato variety and the kind of planting technique that you would like to put into practice. Little may containers be, but they have big contributions on growing the juiciest and tastiest homegrown bests.

Paul Dale is the author of "Tomato Growing Secrets". For more great information on growing tomatoes in containers go to our website. The website contains valuable information on anything related to growing your own tomatoes.

The Way of Vegetarian Cooking

It will only take a little knowledge to be able to not fall into the pitfalls that can happen once you begin vegetarian cooking. Those who decide to begin on changing over to a vegetarian diet are quite often unaware of how to get the most out of this new way of eating.

With the increasing popularity of vegetarian cooking and the high level of awareness of nutrition some mistakes can be made. However, these mistakes can also be easily avoided. So there are a few important things to keep in mind.

It is certainly very possible and not at all difficult to be exceptionally healthy on vegetarian foods. The key to this, as with any other dietary option, is to have a good variety with what you consume each day. Ensuring that you have a wide variety of foods will mean that you will get all the essential nutrients that the body needs.

Many people believe that they have to "substitute" the meat in order to replace the nutrients that meat offers. This is not exactly true. By having a little bit of understanding about what goes together and being open to experimenting with different ingredients you won't need to "substitute" anything. Also with a healthy appreciation of foods from other countries you will get to learn what goes together well.

If you include grains, pulses, vegetables and fruit along with eggs and some dairy foods if you're not vegan, then you really can't go wrong.

Look at bringing more unrefined foods into your diet. Look at foods with fiber and which are also low in sugar and salt. Not only will they have a better content of nutritional value, but they will also be healthier for you.

Fresh is best. That saying has been around for such a long time and still holds true today. When shopping for produce make sure that you get the freshest and start thinking about shopping for the fruits and vegetables that are in season. The bonus to that is that usually they are cheaper. Farmers markets are a good supply of seasonal foods.

You can also use your freezer. If you grow your own food, or can buy seasonal fruits and vegetables in plentiful supply, think about blanching the vegetables and freezing them. You can also make sauces and purees from tomatoes, capsicums, fruits and berries all of which will be very useful when winter rolls around.

There are some amazing recipes for vegetarian meals that are stand alone rather than being meat replacement. That's not to say that you still can't have the traditional burger using, for example, chickpea patties, but you will find that the more you experiment and broaden your culinary repertoire the more you will produce gastronomically tasty and mouthwatering dishes. Start vegetarian cooking today and taste the results.

Italian Cooking Recipes Widely Available Online

Italian cooking has never been easier, with many great dinner recipes found on the Internet, and most being geared towards people who work during the day and do not have hours to spend in the kitchen. Now it is entirely possible to eat authentic Italian cooking, without having to spend a ton of money at an up-scale eatery. The whole family is now able to do their part in making one of the Italian cooking recipes with the many easy recipes that can be found with a single click.

One of our favorite Italian cooking recipes found online is Manicotti My Way, and only takes about an hour to prepare. This dish will require a chopped onion, two minced garlic gloves, three cups of chopped cooked ham and two cups of shredded Swiss cheese. Also needed will be ¼ cup olive oil, one cup grated Parmesan cheese, six tablespoons of each butter and flour, and three cups of milk.

First, add the oil, garlic and onion, and cook for about five minutes until tender, before adding the ham and Parmesan cheese. While doing this, be sure to get the pasta shells ready. The package will generally have directions, but they usually take no longer than about 10-12 minutes to cook. Next, cook the butter until it becomes foamy looking, while stirring in the flour and milk slowly, while continuing to stir until the sauce begins to thicken.

Finally, stir half the cheese into the sauce, while the other half should be stirred into the ham mixture. Then, fill each shell with the ham mixture and cover the bottom of a large glass baking dish with the cheese sauce. Next, place the filled shells into the cheese sauce, and pour any remaining sauce over the shells to finish of this Italian cooking recipe.

Following the directions on recipe closely and exactly will result in a great dinner for the whole family that will have everyone thinking hours were spent on preparation. However, with the Italian cooking recipes found online, dinner is now made simple with these easy recipes. From Italian cooking, to Chinese, to even Indian, there is something for even the pickiest of eaters.

Pasta Sauce Recipes

Pasta (an Italian noodle variant) is one of the most popular and well known food dishes throughout the world. The basic recipe is a combination of flour, water (and eggs are also an additional preference). The pasta dough is then boiled. Historically, there are hundreds of delicious pasta sauce recipes that have been created and prepared all over the planet to top this famous Italian dough. There are basically two types, the first one being dried and the second is fresh but there are so many different types with different shapes and sizes and some stuffed with an assortment of different flavors, but they all have their own individual name. There are several unique types of pasta, such as:

Pasta Sauce Recipes - Different Types of Pasta

Acomo Pepe(tiny beads)
Cannelloni(tubes filled with meat)
Capelli d'angelo(Angel Hair shape)
Capellini(round, thin strands)
Conchiglie (resembles seashells)
Cavatappi(tube, spiral or corkscrew shapes)
Cresti di gallo(brown coloured - curved shape)
Ditali/ditalini(similar shape and size to macaroni)
Farfalle(bow tie shape)
Fettucine(flat strands)
Fusilli(spiral or corkscrew and hollow)
Gemelli (tubular spaghetti entwined appearance)
Gnocchi(tiny potato dumplings)
Lasagne(ripple-edge, flat shape)
Linguine(narrow and flat)
Lumache (snail-shaped)
Lumaconi (huge shells)
Macaroni (short/long tubes)
Orecchiette(small, ear-shaped in appearance)
Penne rigate(tubed and diagonally cut)
Perciatelli (big, hollow strands)
Ricciolini (twisted strips)
Rotelle(spiral shaped)
Ravioli (pasta cushions for fillings)
Rigatoni (large tubes)
Spaghetti(round, thin strands)
Tagliatelle(thin strips of ribbon pasta)
Tortellini(pasta 'hats' with filling)
Vermicelli (round, thin strands)
Ziti riigati(tubular with a curve)

One of my favorite pasta sauce recipes is the very popular "Pesto Sauce".

Pasta Sauce Recipes - Basic Pesto Sauce

Ingredients: 3 bunches of fresh basil, 2 tbsp of pinenuts, 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 cloves of garlic, salt & pepper, 1/4 cup of olive oil, 3 tbsp of grated Parmesan cheese.

Method: Remove basil leaves from stems. Place pinenuts and 1 tbsp of oil over low heat until a light golden brown in color. Drain. Place basil leaves, pinenuts, peeled garlic, salt & pepper in food processor until mixture if finely chopped and smooth. Whilst processing, add 1/4 cup of olive oil in a thin stream and process for a further 5 seconds. Remove and place into a small bowl and add grated Parmesan cheese - combine.

This pasta sauce recipe is delicious on fettuccine and spaghetti. Basically, Pasta Sauce Recipes are incredibly versatile and can be served in many, many different ways. Bon Appetit

5 Gift Ideas for Homebrewers and Beer Enthusiasts

Homebrewing is a rewarding and engaging hobby that is growing tremendously in popularity. Many men and women alike have discovered the art and science of brewing beer and making wine, mead, cider, and other fermented drinks. The key to the draw of this hobby is the constant desire to attain better and better results.

If you're an outsider to homebrewing, it may seem like trying to give your homebrewer a brewing-related gift is off-limits due to the complexity of the hobby and your lack of knowledge in the area. This does not have to be the case!

Brewing Starter Kits (for the not-yet brewer)

There are numerous kits available on the web, they come in a range of completeness, and all share common characteristics. The necessities are:

• Fermenter - This is either a bucket with a lid fitted with an o-ring seal, or a glass or plastic "carboy", which looks like a large jug. A kit with two fermenters allows the ability to improve clarity and flavor by allowing the brewer to transfer the beer to a secondary vessel for aging and clearing.
• "Racking" Accessories - "Racking" is the act of transferring beer from one vessel to another. This always has to be done at least once during the beermaking process. A kit will include a length of clear plastic tubing which can be used to siphon beer, and may include additional siphon accessories. A plunger-action automatic siphon starter will save a lot of frustration, and starting a siphon can be unsanitary without one.
• Hydrometer - This simple instrument is used to measure the specific gravity of the beer throughout the brewing process. It enables the brewer to gauge the completeness of fermentation, and helps him or her avoid the dreaded "bottle bombs" that can happen when still-fermenting beer is sealed into glass bottles.
• Packaging Equipment - This can be as simple as a bag of crown caps and a capper, but some more expensive kits may include a starter kegging setup.

Equipment kits are priced from around $50 to upwards of $300.

Equipment Upgrades (for the brewer who is already hooked on the hobby)

There is a long list of upgrades to the basic starter kits which brewers will appreciate. They essentially fall into one of two categories: those that help a brewer improve the quality of his product, and those that make the brewing process quicker, easier, and more enjoyable.

Most brewers are most interested in improving quality. Here are some of the top quality-enhancing upgrades to the basic extract brewing kits:

• 6 Gallon (or greater) Boiling Pot - the ability to boil the full 5 gallon volume of "wort" (unfermented beer) will increase the quality of the finished beer noticeably. Any pot with the required volume will do, but cheap enamel-coated pots tend to chip or crack. A quality stainless pot is ideal. These pots can be found through normal retailers or homebrewing suppliers, and range from $30 to $200 for fancy brew kettles eqiupped with valves, thermometers, etc.
• Wort Chiller - the boiled wort must be cooled before yeast can be added. This is time-consuming without a chiller, which usually consists of a large coil of copper tubing through which cold water can be flowed. Quickly chilling the hot wort avoids a specific off-flavor common in homebrewed beer. These start at around $50.
• Temperature Controller - The fermentation temperature of beer plays an enormous role in the flavor of the finished product. A temperature controller allows a refrigerator (or heating pad, etc) to be used to obtain a specific temperature. These start around $55, but require a fridge or heating apparatus.
• Yeast Stir Plate - A chronic problem with newer brewers is that they add too little yeast to their beer. This has a very detrimental effect on the quality of the beer. Yeast culturing stir plates are the best way to grow up large colonies of healthy yeast, and are an upgrade highly desired by many brewers. Most stir plates start at upwards of $100, but a stir plate designed specifically for the homebrewer is offered by at least one company on the web.

Custom "Homebrewery" Gear (for the novice to expert brewer, or beer lover)

Almost every homebrewer has fantasies of being a pro brewer. The first comment of "You really made this beer?" is enough to set the wheels spinning. Most homebrewers create a brewery name for themselves, and many design and print labels for their bottles. Some brewers have become so involved in the hobby that they seem to have purchased every piece of equipment they will ever want. Custom brew gear is a new category of products, and is perfect for these brewers.

• Custom Bottle Caps - These are newly available products to the homebrewing market. The bottle cap is so iconic in the beer world, and this adds a very special touch to a homebrewer's craft. Custom bottle caps are available in a variety of cap colors.
• Custom Tap Handles - The kegging brewer undoubtedly has a kegerator or home draft setup. The perfect accessory to this is custom tap handles, purchased or built, which give a homebrewery a professional image just like a local pub.
• Customized Beer Glasses - Any beer drinker needs glassware. Glasses can be engraved, printed or even hand painted to become a great gift.

Beer Recipe Kits (for the novice to expert brewer)

What better way to treat a homebrewer than to fuel his or her passion for crafting great beer? Visit an online or local homebrew retailer, and browse their ingredient kits. This may be a daunting task, as there are many, many styles available. Here are some tips:

• Exotic Style - Grab a kit for an exotic or little-known style of beer.
• Clone of a Favorite - Some retailers offer "clones" that are designed to brew something extremely similar to a famous commercial beer.
• Premium Kits - Purchase a kit for a premuim style of beer, which contains a large amount of ingredients and produces a cellar-worthy beer. These are usually strong styles such as Russian Imperial Stout, Belgian Trippel (or even Quadrupel), Imperial India Pale Ale, and pretty much anything with the "Imperial" moniker applied to it.
• Try Wine or Mead - Some brewers may be interested in branching out in their brewing. Most brewers will have the equipment necessary to brew a wine or mead kit.

There are two main types of ingredient kits. Extract kits are the simplest to brew, and can be brewed by both new and seasoned brewers. All Grain kits contain barley malt grain that must be "mashed," a process that many brewers do not have the equipment to conduct. When in doubt, purchase extract. An expert brewer will still be able to make high-quality beer from it, and will enjoy the quicker brewing process it affords him or her.

Alternatively, gift certificates are an easy option, and homebrew retailers almost always offer them.

Beer! (for all homebrewers and beer lovers)

All homebrewers love the experience of beer. It is difficult to develop a palate for the vast array of flavors that can be achieved through the four basic beer ingredients of malt, hops, water and yeast. A gift of hard-to-find or premium beers from around the country or around the world is more than just a gift of beer; it is a gift of education in his or her craft.

Find a local bottle shop that has a mix-a-sixpack option, or search for an online beer retailer.

Harper Abbot is an award winning homebrewer, and owns and operates http://www.wildhopsprintshop.com. He has been an active member of the homebrewing community since he first fermented a brown ale in a white plastic bucket in the bedroom closet.

The Importance of Home Soda Maker

Soda drink is acknowledged worldwide in almost every event. This is because it can go well with any drink when combined together. It can also be obtained in varieties to suit different tastes and people always consider taking them when they find it difficult to make other good choices. The availability of this drink in stores and the ease to prepare it domestically makes it convenient for use. Domestic soda drink can be prepared by using the home soda maker.

For commercial or large-scale quantities, machines such as the Soda stream home soda maker should be used since it saves time to produce a huge amount. Nevertheless, the use of Soda Stream Soda Fountain saves money.

Another advantage of using the soda maker is that it allows making different kinds of drinks since the producer can actually add flavors to suit taste. This feature is particularly advantageous for getting soda drinks to be used in parties and other out-door activities where there is bound to be a variety of taste that seek satisfaction.

It is nice to have a device that can make delicious drinks in large quantities with little time and great savings because it makes it less worrisome to organize events such as anniversaries and parties. There is no best time in the year to take a tasty and healthy drink. Winter or summer, autumn or spring, soda is an answer for all occasions, even if it is wanted sweet or bitter.

Apart from having extra time and profit from the use of Soda Stream Soda Maker, the possibility of getting the drink done at any time of the day is another advantage. Contrary to the bottled soda drinks which are obtained in the stores, soda drinks made instantly from the machine taste new, thereby giving a sharp refreshing taste. As for the cost, it is even cheaper than the bottled ones.

Furthermore, using the commercial machine to make soda drinks will save people the stress of going miles to supermarkets, cost of transportation and the risk of losing some bottles on transit. It also encourages the "go green" mantra, thereby saving the environment and animal life.

Finally, it is important to make use of the Soda Stream Home Soda Maker machine to get soda drinks that are safe to drink. In fact, there is ultimate gain in making soda drinks from our homes since it is comfortable and has a great positive value on our health and the environment.

For more information and customer reviews, please visit the Home Soda Maker site.

Enjoy and have a great holiday!

Buffet Catering - Best Choice for Parties

Buffet catering is a unique style of catering that can help you in the planning of any private or corporate functions. Lots of corporate caterers and cooking chefs offer wide range of variety in buffet catering with lower costs and better quality. You can give buffet lunch / dinner contract to the expert and can focus on other important things about venue and other arrangements. Some caterers also offer Buffet for private parties, big and small corporate events, any office meeting and function, anniversaries and birthday parties. In buffet catering a lunch or dinner is served by fashionable waiter staff along with self-serve stations. If you want to have a buffet catering in your function, then you must have big space which can allocate large tables and also have space for catering staff to move around.

If you have less space or want to have casual get-to-gather, you can go for BBQ(Barbecue or Better Be Quick)buffets. BBQ buffet allow more communication between the attendees and makes it feel more homely. Backyard of your house can also work as your BBQ buffet party, but make sure you have good weather; otherwise people will be uncomfortable joining in.

Buffet catering can be used for different types of functions including:

• Cocktail Functions
• Boardroom Lunches and Dinners
• Breakfast, lunches
• Dinner buffets
• Lunch boxes for outdoor group functions
• Morning & Afternoon tea & Coffee Breaks
• Private functions
• Social Events
• Weddings
• Birthdays
• Anniversaries
• Reunions Etc

Cocktail parties are great treat for guests. Finger food served with cocktails can be a great serving for small gathering in the backyard of your house. These kind of parties are not too expensive, and even expense can be shared by few members or party organizers. Lunch boxes can be a great option for limited day picnic. It can also be served at a remote place where getting your favorite food is hard.

Buffet catering at Corporate Catering Companies

Now days corporate catering companies provide a many items in buffet catering like, oven roasted chicken, fresh garden and fruits salad, different noodles, roast chicken, Fresh cold seafood platter, king prawns, champagne oysters and smoked salmon etc. You can order for some particular party or occasion and their waiters can create great ambience and atmosphere with their service. They might be able to recommend a right location to provide accommodation to the number of people. They provide a wide range of buffet catering, Spit roast catering, dinner packs and Finger food catering and boxed lunches all at affordable cost.

Dinner at the Geisha House

The Geisha House in Atlantic Station was not at all what I expected. I envisioned Geisha fluttering throughout the restaurant, wearing elaborate kimonos and pouring tea.

I thought that I'd hear soft music, the type you hear while floating off to sleep, during a relaxing massage. I read Autobiography of a Geisha, after all. So, I thought that I knew what to expect.

The Geisha House was nothing at all like I'd imagined. There was only one geisha, the hostess when I visited on a Friday night. The other servers wore black slacks with red, low-cut T-shirts. I am happy to say that they had Asian servers and also servers from other ethnic groups. That was cool. After a hard day at work, I was ready to chill, so I wanted to be enveloped in soft soothing music. The music at the Geisha House was not soft and gentle. It was pounding and rhythmic, sort of like being in a club, which is fine if you are expected a club-like environment.

I can say the the Geisha House was sexy. Red lighting, seating, and low-lights gave the restaurant an exotic feel.

The food did meet my expectations. I tried the teriyaki salmon, which was delicious. Although I am not sushi expert, the California rolls that I tried were also decent. Well, they tasted pretty much the same was as the ones at Publix. Meals at the Geisha House are a la carte. Most entrees are about $15 each. So, for about $35 I had salmon and California rolls, which is too pricey given the atmosphere.

Junk Food - Sweet and Slow Poison

The one best thing to live for is food, food and only food for the foodies. But do we really look into the taste or its nutritional value. Many restaurants and eat outs have flourished and they make good money out of their business of food.

EXAMPLE: The sodium mono glutamate added in the recipe's of KFC will lead to negative health results in long term

The carbohydrates present in almost all drinks will damage nerves in the nasal and mouth cavity.

Black salt added in many Chinese items will decompose your bones.

These are just a few to bring out to the light of focus.But we still read it,ignore it and enjoy the taste at the cost of our health.Many newly born kids are born with malnutrition. Who is responsible for this? Is it our taste that we really look into or is it our negligence towards health.The government also has to take several measures and look into the health and nutrition of the people of the country because we always feel that "HEALTH is WEALTH".

Health awareness has to be brought into the people and see that the nations population is at good health. Many people now are suffering from different kinds of diseases just because of the wrong intake of food. People in this country have got used to corrupt all the materials that we use. We can even find bananas getting ripened in seconds just by sprinkling a chemical on the raw bananas. Where have the ethics of our people gone. Don't they think of their kids before doing all this.

Looking forward for some miracle to happen to stop all these things.

Buy Black and Decker DCM2500B - Cheap Coffee Maker

Hello everyone, and welcome to this review of the Black and Decker DCM2500B. During the next few paragraphs we will be covering why anyone would want to buy this particular machine, and hopefully gaining a little insight as to what this machine is all about.

Let's start with some positives. This coffee maker is very easy to use. The opening where water is poured to fill the tank is larger than that of rival coffee makers. There are 2 accurate and convenient water level indicators, another great feature. The Filter basket is easily removed and cleaned.

The Black and Decker DCM2500B uses the standard flat bottomed type of filter. There is a new and improved water delivery system, unlike previous coffee makers, this machine does not use a stream for delivering water to the coffee, it uses a shower head to deliver the water evenly over the coffee grinds.

Programming is simplified to the max, and even the most coffee maker illiterate of us should be able to figure how to set the timer without the use of the manual.

Unfortunately but not unexpectedly when we consider the price, this machine does not come with a thermal carafe, but it does come with a very sturdy heavy duty glass carafe, which does an excellent job of collecting the coffee. I would however recommend that if you aren't planning to drink all of the coffee straight away, investing in a thermos might be a good idea. Leaving coffee for extended periods of time on the warming plate can cause a lot of the flavor to be lost, something I think we'd all like to avoid if possible.

Generally speaking this coffee maker is of an excellent standard when we look at the price tag. This unit is well worth come consideration.

To finish, I'd like say the Black and Decker DCM2500B is ideally suited to someone on a low budget looking for a coffee maker that is reliable and makes a smooth tasting cup of coffee.

This review was brought to you by Christopher W Harrison
Thanks for reading.

Authentic Cajun Food

If you love cooking and experimenting with different foods then you will love authentic Cajun food. Although there are several different styles Cajun food is founded from the heart and the flavors and styles are amazing. You will love learning about the different Cajun spices and how they can affect a meal. Often there is no set recipe and the methods would have been passed down from generation to generation through families. Once you understand the methods behind the cooking then you can produce excellent Cajun food.

Cajun cuisine is named after the French speaking "Cajun" immigrants who were deported to the US from Canada. It is a very simple rustic style of food which is still enjoyed today the ingredients and preparation of authentic Cajun food is very simple. Usually it is common for the meal to be prepared in three pots, one for the main course, one for rice and the other for vegetables. The Cajun spices and core ingredients are the reason why Cajun food is so good; they do not over complicate the food and keep it very simple.

Grilling and barbequing meats are very popular when cooking authentic Cajun cuisine and the traditional recipes would have used a great deal of smoked meats to enhance the flavor. Although Cajun spices are used there are no exact measurements and often they are added to taste. So often you will make the same dish over and over and it will taste totally different every time. Although different the authentic Cajun food will still taste delicious every time. Finding the right ingredients can be a challenge and this will be a challenge depending on where in the world you are.

You may find specialty food shops that will stock authentic Cajun cuisine and Cajun spices which can help you to create amazing dishes. If there are no shops near you then you should try on the internet as there are many different stores and food shops online. Once you have sourced your ingredients you should start experimenting to see what tastes good. You need to cook authentic Cajun food from the heart and take your time. The whole process of cooking Cajun cuisine is that it is relaxed and takes time you will also find that it is a great time to get everyone involved and enjoying the cooking process.

Once you have found the style and taste of Cajun cooking that you enjoy then you will find that you are using the Cajun spices in a lot of different dishes. With cooking there are no rules and if you enjoy the flavors and tastes then that is all that matters. Cooking should be an enjoyable thing to do and not a chore for you to get by. If you find a style that you enjoy cooking like authentic Cajun food then you should share the passion with other people. Friends and family will love eating your great tasting food. You can enjoy a traditional barbeque with Cajun foods whilst relaxing with friends, there is no better way to spend a lazy summer's night.

Knowing The Good Foods for Your Health

Some of our healthy foods can be surprisingly filled with hidden fats. With so many people dieting and so may new so called diet foods available we tend to take for granted that they are healthy and not pay attention.

Eating fish full of omega 3 fatty acids has been said to be a benefit health wise for us.

Sushi can be a healthy treat but if you don't make the right choice you may end up eating sushi made with bad ingredients you don't want such as mayonnaise.

Have a tuna roll or sevechi so long as you know it's the healthy sushi you choose.

The fresh fruit or dried fruit dilemma, which is better for you? Fresh fruit is less dense than dried fruit and you can be sure there is no added sugar. Dried fruit is a handy fruit choice but because it has fewer calories than the dried fruit, fresh fruit should be your fruit choice whenever possible.

In the dieting world the granola bar is a big so called healthy choice for a snack or to replace lunch with. Store bought granola contains added sugar and therefore more hidden calories than you may realize. If you must have granola then try making your own, some honey, nuts, fruits and oatmeal is all it takes to be sure your eating healthy granola.

Lunch seems to be that one meal that is hard to find the right choices for.

The veggie burger seems to be the healthy choice instead of that whopper with cheese. Well be aware that the cheese may be what is holding that veggie burger together. Although the veggie burger is a smarter choice they should be eaten in moderation.

Learning what to look for in your food choices, even the diet food we take for granted can make us healthier people making smarter choices.

Health Benefits of Eating Chocolates

Who doesn't love chocolates? Almost everyone does - from certified chocoholics down to individuals who just want to satisfy their sweet-tooth craving.

Chocolates are becoming more popular these days as more studies reveal that eating them proves to be beneficial to our health. And here's how:

1. Makes you happier
Chocolates are known to contain tryptophan, an amino acid needed for the production of serotonin which is better known as the 'happy hormone.' It is considered as a natural anti-depressant. According to studies, depression can lead to weight gain as depressed individuals are more likely to crave for starchy foods. So the next time you're feeling down and low, grab some chocolate and off you go for life's next challenge.

2. Reduces your risk of heart attack
When eaten in moderation, chocolates can reduce your risk of heart attack. Thanks to its phenol and catechin content. Phenol is a substance that's also present in red wines, tea, and in some fruits and vegetables. Catechin, on the other hand, is an antioxidant that also reduces your cancer risk.

3. It's a natural pain reliever
When we eat chocolates, our brain produces opiod chemicals called endorphins. The latter do not only elevate one's mood, they also can reduce one's pain.

4. LDL buster
Dark chocolate can reduce LDL or the 'bad cholesterol' as much as 10 percent. This is because dark chocolate, together with flavanoid-rich cocoa powder, contains high concentrations of HDL (the good cholesterol).

5. Reduces blood pressure
Aside from reducing one's bad cholesterol which could trigger heart attack, indulging in chocolates once in a while can also reduce a person's blood pressure. Chocolates stimulate the release of nitric oxide which widens and relaxes the blood vessels.

6. Promotes healthy blood flow
Research has it that drinking flavanoid-rich cocoa drink with 25 grams of semi-sweet chocolate simulates the effect of low-dose aspirin to a person's blood flow. It reduces blood's ability to clot and therefore, decreases the risk of stroke.

7. Lowers insulin resistance
According to experts, chocolates have the ability to reduce insulin resistance. When the body is more sensitive to insulin, it utilizes glucose more effectively.

Indeed, chocolates are not just special treats; they can also be your health buddy (just don't go overboard!).

Don Munn is a health buff and writer. He enjoys writing articles for health, technology, and food sections as much as he loves keeping his home allergen-free. Find out how hvac vacuum pump and magnehelic gauge helped him achieve that.

Crab Facts And Crab Salad Facts

Did you know that a crab has ten legs, unlike spiders, which have eight? The first pair of legs on these animals form a pair of claws. These crustaceans have an exoskeleton, which means their bones are on the outside instead of the inside, acting as a kind of shield. The abdomen and thorax are joined together, which is quite unusual, although there are a few breeds without this feature. Males have narrow abdomens and females have wide ones.

These crustaceans are omnivorous, which means they eat both animals and plants. Some are vegetarian and just eat algae but others eat mollusks, worms and other crustaceans.

These animals range from tiny to huge. Some are the size of a fingertip and others can be ten feet wide. The pea crab is the smallest one and the Japanese spider crab is the biggest. When that one stretches its legs out it can measure up to twenty six feet in diameter! This huge monster is actually the oldest crab in the world and it can live for over a hundred years.

These animals are caught in cage-like devices, which are cages where they can get into but there is no exit because the doors are one-way. This type of seafood makes up about one fifth of all fish and seafood caught in the world's oceans, the most common ones being horse crabs, which are also known as Japanese blue crabs. These are indigenous to China but also found in other places.

Fiddler crabs have one big claw on one side and they can make good household pets but most are best served hot or chilled on a plate! This is certainly one of the most popular kinds of seafood ever and it ranks as highly as lobster in terms of flavor, sophistication, and versatility. Knowing a few facts about this tasty shellfish will allow you to impress your dinner guests while they eat your delicious seafood salad recipes.

Crab As Food

One and a half million tons of these delicious crustaceans are enjoyed every year. You can serve them hot, make curries or pasta dishes, or make wonderful salad recipes. This ingredient is high in vitamin B12, which is good for the nervous system, blood, and brain function. Healthy food, which also tastes good is always worth knowing about and many people, would claim that shellfish is their absolute favorite food.

A seafood salad recipe is one of the best ways to impress dinner guests. This seafood is easier to prepare, cook, and present than you might assume and you do not need to fiddle about with it for hours or present it with a fussy garnish.

This ingredient might have a wonderful flavor but not everybody can afford the price tag, which is why budget alternatives such as "krab" are available and you can use these to make a seafood salad if you are on a budget.

Health & Social Care

The role of the Environmental Health Department is to ensure that Food Safety Legislation is observed in food businesses in the Bradford district where food and drink is produced, stored and sold. In addition we also investigate food complaints and general complaints about food businesses.

We can also offer advice and assistance to both businesses and members of the public on a range of related topics and have a supply of useful booklets and leaflets, many of which are available free of charge.

Gripes: Studiokitchen

Foobooz is reporting that "Studiokitchen," the new bar within Speck Food + Wine restaurant in Northern Liberties is offering reservations at $120 "per seat" Tuesdays through Fridays and $150 per seat on Saturdays. If you are intrigued as I was as to what delicious offerings could be in store at this price, click through on the link (http://www.studiokitchen.com/).

There you will find no description or pictures, but the following admonitions:
-"No diet restrictions can be accommodated" to allow "maximum creative flexibility by the kitchen." If you don't like it, they suggest you peruse Speck's regular menu, which is, of course, not yet available.
-Although the meal begins at 7:30, one should arrive at 7:00.
-If you do deign to be late, you may join the meal already in progress (presumably without whatever you missed).

The City Paper reported that Shola Olunloyo announced on his blog that the bar takes after Momofuku in its "draconian" online reservation system.

Oh "Studiokitchen by Shola Olunloyo," go to New York to dish out such pretentiousness at such a steep price. Even better yet, take a lesson from how Thomas Keller manages to accommodate his patrons' wishes while still maintaining his reputation as an amazing chef.

Please feel free to comment on the food if you go.

World Cafe Live - Grilled Cheese and Beer Tasting

In a new monthly installment, that hodgepodge of concert goodness World Cafe is offering "Grilled Cheese & Craft Beer" nights. For a mere $35 (incl. tax and tip), you too can enjoy five courses and four beers. Although the grilled cheeses (served en masse to the entire upstairs dining hall) were invariably less than hot, overall, I found it hard to resist the combination of cheese, bread, and craft beer.

The beer was Pretty Things Beer, a Cambridge, Mass-based "gypsy brewery run by Dann & Martha Paquette." Served in wine-sized bottles, the offerings were rich and flavorful, making me hope that "gypsy brewery" did not mean "incredibly hard to find again."

First up was the cheddar monte cristo, craisins, pineapple mustard on ale rye bread, served with "Field Mouse's Farewell," described as a French and rustic beer. The sandwich was a little soggy from the sauce-like pineapple mustard, made worse by the lack of utensils. The beer was perfect and if I knew my descriptive beer adjectives, I'd use them.

Second course was my favorite - pesto mozzarella, oven cured tomato puree and balsamic glaze on braided challah bread. The bread was that airy-but-substantive mix that showed off the tomato and mozzarella flavors. I clearly was far too into the sandwich before I realized I hadn't taken a picture yet. The tomato puree was served on the side and provided the perfect dipping sauce. Served with Jack D'Or, or Pretty Things' table beer, it was rather refreshing, considering it was grilled cheese and beer.
The fish and chips course presented the most challenging for our utensil-challenged meal. The potato chips were a bit too overpowering, but as a chip substitute, they stood up to the other flavors. The fish, despite looking over-fried, was light, flaky and moist. Served with "Saint Botolph's Town," which featured the malts of Yorkshire, England. The extent of my description on this beer would be "dark and rich." The last course, a grilled skirt steak, boursin and caramelized onions on multi-grain had a predictable but satisfying flavor and was paired with my favorite beer of the evening (hopefully not just because it was also my fourth beer of the evening), the "American Darling," made from a German caramel pils malt. It hit all of my favorite beer notes: strong, crisp, with a slightly sweeter finish. Last but not least was a "bublanina" dessert, described as a "czech bubble cake made with babayaga beer, with fruit sauce and creme." Unfortunately, the raspberry fruit sauce overpowered this cake for me and, even after four beers, I had no interest in finishing it. But an interesting concept.

This event offers a happy concept overall -- good value, great combinations, but rough on the execution. Grilled cheese is one of those dishes that has to be hot when served. Still, something about bread, cheese, and beer is fairly irresistible and World Cafe delivered. September is already sold out, so get tickets in advance.

World Cafe Live is located at 30th and Walnut Streets, Philadelphia, www.worldcafelive.com. Thanks to MCRF for the birthday treat.

R2L

A surprisingly sophisticated newcomer to the Philadelphia restaurant scene, R2L may be getting overlooked in its hidden perch above the city. Maybe it was a Monday night, maybe it was the negative side to the LaBan Inquirer review, but R2L deserves more of a crowd than it's getting. It raises the bar in Philadelphia and most importantly of course, it made my birthday just a little bit better.

Located on the 32nd floor of Two Liberty, R2L offers no guarantees in getting one of the leopard print banquettes that face out on the cityscape. Here was my view. (If you look carefully, you can see me, my father and stepmother).
Later, there were fireworks over the zoo that seemed magically arranged.

Speaking of extraordinary, our server was both professional and personable, setting the tone for feeling like we were getting VIP treatment. The food followed suit. I was foregoing the lobster as an entree, so I indulged with the lobster roll appetizer. A buttery fresh roll cradled lump lobster meat lightly dressed in a lavender-infused dressing. I confess I didn't detect the lavender, nor did I miss it, I was too busy scooping up lobster. The fish and chips hit the right note of moist crisp fish and fries. On our server's recommendation, we ordered the grilled truffle flatbread, with parmesan and arugula over a thin crusted bread. Glad we took his advice, the dish was lusciously balanced between ingredients.

Without fail, I like appetizers more than entrees. While I appreciate the effort of R2L into my striped bass dish, the separate portions of scallop, bacon, and bass were not unified, but instead offered three standalone tastes on the plate. The scallops were amazing, but the other tastes were a bit dry and further inconsistent with the citrus salad in the middle of the three. My father's veal signature dish featured three small dishes again, this time more melded -- tenderloin, brisket and meatloaf. Forming a loose stew, it rated highly in terms of done-ness and flavor. The shitake mushroom fries, while interested (pureed mushrooms deep fried into fry shapes), were almost too rich to eat.

Because I view desserts as almost effortlessly good, I rarely judge a restaurant more favorably based on its desserts. After all, how hard is it to make sugar, flour, and fat taste good? Yet R2L surprised me with its donut ice cream. Apparently, dozens of glazed donuts are sacrificed for this concoction; more importantly, you can taste every one of them, blended to perfection into a rich ice cream. This is one that I will crave in the future. Also worth mentioning is the warm vanilla cake, a vanilla version of the popular molten chocolate. Very good, but don't miss the donut ice cream. Topping it off were fun complementary root beer macaroons and decadent bergamot truffles.

Ushered back down into the exclusive elevator and bid goodbye by the friendly hostess on the ground floor, I began thinking of future special occasions or even my next available happy hour that would allow a return trip. While I love how down to earth the Philadelphia restaurant scene can be, I hope more restaurants follow R2L's lead take on fine dining.

R2L is located in Two Liberty, 37th floor, with an entrance on 50 S. 16th Street. http://www.r2lrestaurant.com/

Signature Potato Salad

Nothing signals summer like potato salad. A staple for barbecues, summer holidays and family outings, it's the perfect comfort food tempered by its coolness. After tasting my mother's potato salad over July 4 weekend, I became determined to make my own potato salad - my signature version, so to speak.

As it turns out, potato salad is much harder than it looks. Trying to make it your own? Well, there may be more peeling potatoes in my future. I started with the ingredients featured to the left, as well as Martha Stewart and Julia Child ideas floating around my head. I also opted against the vinegar or "German" styles. While I love them, there is something to be said for the cold and creamy taste of classic potato salad.

I used about two pounds of red potatoes, hoping they would stand up to the challenge of being firm (they did). I peeled and covered them with water and set them on the stove to boil, despite Julia Child's instruction to go for simmering. I can't pay attention to the boil/simmer dichotomy, Julia, I'm way too busy with prep.

The majority of my prep was spent on mayo. While I adore my mother's version because it reminds me of her and my family, I am strangely averse to mayonnaise (or miracle whip or anything else like that). However, I've had great homemade mayo at fancy restaurants and loved it, so I thought that might be part of this salad. After looking at several recipes, it appeared Martha's was the easiest, so I went with that. It calls for two eggs, a dash of dry mustard, 1 cup each of light olive and a vegetable oil, 2 tbsp of lemon juice and 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Mixing all of the ingredients together except for the oil, you then add the oil slowly while blending (or whisking, as I did, with an electric whisker). I recommend going light on the salt, or adding it at the end to taste. I also used slightly less oil as I wanted a thicker consistency. I ended up putting in about a teaspoon of sugar to take off the salt edge, but this may have been a misstep. All in all, not bad, not wonderful for my mayo-hating palate. Another key is light olive oil -- I used the good stuff and it overpowers the flavor.

All this whisking made me lose track of the potatoes, which were over-boiling (told 'ya I had no time to monitor). I turned them down and let them go until the fork test said "done, but not crumbly." I drained them, but let them sit about 5 minutes before I remembered my mother's trick of running cold water over them to get them to stop cooking. It works!

And now we come to both the easiest and hardest part: seasoning. I ended up going with chopped mild yellow onion (about 1/4 -1/2 cup), bacon bits (the kind on the jar is better for you, but TRB wisely noted that the freshly made ones may have had more flavor) and chopped chives to taste, with a little light sour cream to even out the mayo tang.

The result? I need to work on the spicing, to bring this up from good potato salad to great, and make the mayo in advance so I'm concentrating on the potatoes and bringing everything together. I'm also thinking of using real bacon freshly cooked and browned onion bits versus raw. Any other advice is always welcome, as I'm hoping to perfect the recipe.
Perfection aside, I'd like to think it still fits well into this tailgating meal. Beer, a Phillies win, and fireworks are all good accompaniments, I might add.

Ten Stone

I emerge from blogging hibernation with a warning: Ten Stone has gone downhill. Still centrally located, still a decent beer selection, but otherwise, not worth asking for the menu.

After meandering around the city, including stops at Devil's Alley (still lacking a cohesive identity, but offering plenty of open bar stools) and Pub and Kitchen (which apparently needs not one, but two pretentious girls to tell us there won't be a table for 45 minutes), the runner boyfriend and I arrived (after running, of course) at Ten Stone. I enthusiastically gushed about the fish tacos, which I once enjoyed, and the food generally. There were also plenty of tables on a Saturday night, which we should've taken as a sign.

Although we both ordered the same beer (an excellent Stoudt's Karnival Kolsh), mine arrived lukewarm while TRB's was perfectly cold. After that was replaced, our chicken tacos arrived. To describe the tacos as the kind you would get at the worst grocery store might overstate the quality here. The cold flour tortillas you normally find next to the margarine were topped with the "chicken breast topping" you would buy in the salad aisle, topped with ranch dressing and grated American cheese. Um, really? This wasn't some Top Chef challenge where bad ingredients equaled a good result, this was just bad ingredients playing out as you would expect.

We also shared a burger topped with provolone and sauteed onions. The burger, ordered medium well, arrived with mysterious pink patches toward its perimeter, a feat I have not seen achieved absent microwave intervention. But who knows, perhaps a faulty thaw process was to blame here.

Last but not least, Ten Stone adds an 18% gratuity automatically. For a party of two. Although I would have given 20%, that particular deprivation of my usual choice led me to simply sign and leave.

After apologies for abandoning the superior neighborhood burger offerings of London's and Rembrandt's, we headed back to said neighborhood, never to return to Ten Stone. Consider yourself warned.

Ten Stone is located at 21st and South. Thanks to messyandpicky.com for the photo and 2006 review.

Organic Vegetable Box Scheme

Organic Vegetable Box Scheme
Originally uploaded by AndyRob

Organic Vegetable Box Scheme available in North Fambridge

Tillingham grown organic vegetables

Organic vegetable Boxes

Kent Cider

Kent Cider found in a pub in Canterbury, which can now be visited much more easily from East London via Stratford East and the High Speed 1 rail link

In brief season: blood oranges

In season around now, blood oranges are the most elusive of citrus fruits. They appear briefly for a few weeks each year with unpredictable timing.

The fruit’s name comes from its garnet flesh and scarlet juices. It derives its colour from anthocyanin, a pigment more common in red fruits and flowers. Fuji and Red Delicious Apples, for example, owe their dark red skins to the pigment.

The most popular varieties are Tarocco (grown in Sicily), Sanguinello (Spain) and Moro (US). Blood oranges have a sweet taste with a hint of summer berries. They are best enjoyed eaten alone, freshly squeezed in juices and in desserts, bearing in mind that the colour dims when baked or heated.

Alternatively, a few segments add a rosy hue to a salad of grilled tuna, chicory or fennel, finely sliced purple onion and a strong vinaigrette or serve alongside warm cooked beetroot with a sherry-inspired dressing. For a simple finale plate try slices of blood oranges with Manchego and toasted almonds.

Baby leeks

In France, baby leeks are considered the poor man’s asparagus. Sweet, oniony and tender they can be braised in a pan in a little water then, while they are hot, dressed on a plate with a good vinaigrette and crumbled with sheep or goat’s cheese and cracked pepper.
Alternatively, soak 4 small leeks in cold water for 15 minutes, melt 2 tbsp butter on a heavy skillet then add the wet leeks – cook for 5 minutes then add a quarter cup of chicken broth and 1 tsp lemon zest. Braise leeks, covered, for 5 minutes, or until very tender, and season with salt and pepper.

The chef Jean-Christophe Novelli uses baby leeks in a quiche with poached salmon and blue cheese. They also work well in a frittata with sorrel, or mixed in with a soft-textured polenta topped with Parmesan cheese.

A Johnson Family Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2009, South Africa (£7.98; Asda) is a crisp and zesty white that knows its onions.

Britain's newest vegetable: the flower sprout

Britain has a new vegetable. Perfectly named to bridge two seasons – winter and spring - the flower sprout is a cross between a Brussel’s sprout and kale.


Cultivated by British growers in the Cotswolds, this new vegetable is coloured purple and green like kale but tastes more like sprouts. It is best eaten steamed or as part of a stir fry (marksandspencer.co.uk).

Purple sprouting broccoli is also in season now, bringing colour to plates and a sign that spring is just around the corner. Buy it in handfuls at farmers’ markets for best value and look for stalks that snap cleanly.

To make a tasty side dish of sprouting broccoli with garlic breadcrumbs heat a knob of butter and 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add 1 garlic clove, finely chopped, and after one minute 50g fresh breadcrumbs. Fry for three more minutes until crisp and golden. Cook the broccoli until just tender in salted water. Drain and serve scattered with the garlic breadcrumbs.

Perry - is it going pear-shaped?

Perry, or pear cider, slipped into decline more than 150 years ago when farmers replaced pear trees with shorter cider apple trees that stood up to the wind and didn’t take as long to reach maturity.

That said, in the name of artisan produce, there has been a renewed interest in proper perry pears and more trees are being planted. Perry pears are not eaters, they have a harsh acidic taste but produce a sparkling drink that ranges from “gin bright” to golden in colour with a fragrant hedgerow aroma and a happy balance between tannins and the sweetness of unfermented sugars on the palate.

The winner of CAMRA’s recent National Cider and Perry Championships 2009 is Broadoak Perry of Clutton, Somerset, which was picked from 20 perries from around the country and declared “a lovely, drinkable perry with a true pear aroma that starts with a medium sweet taste and is followed by a dry finish.”

Runners up were Seidr Dai, Painted Lady Perry, from Glamorgan and Gwatkin, Blakeney Red from Abbey Dore, Herefordshire. Gwatkin’s Yarlington Mill also won gold medal for best cider.

Banh mi - London's sandwich du jour

Tired of the same old sub, sandwich or panini? Currently budging over the burrito for London’s hottest ethnic street-food is the banh mi, a Vietnamese snack that’s arrived here via New York.

Not for the faint hearted, the banh mi (pronounced "bun mee") consists of a baguette made with 50 per cent rice flour to ensure that it's light and crispy, lined with homemade mayonnaise and pork liver pâté, then filled with Vietnamese salad of carrots and daikon (white radish), thin slices of cucumber, coriander and chilli, and finally, a generous helping of slow-cooked pork.

The bread and pate element are a legacy from the French occupation of Vietnam in the 19th and 20th centuries. Yet somehow the combination of sweet, salt and sour flavours hits the palate’s jackpot.

Try banh mi at Mo-Me market stall at Spitalfields, Caphe House on Bermondsey Street; Loong Kee Café on Kingsland Road, Shoreditch; Viet Baguette in Fitzrovia; Banzi in Surrey Quays; Café Bay in Denmark Hill, and the Banhmi11 stall in Broadway Market.

Healthy Meal: Fish with Leeks, Shallots and Lemon

It was 6:30 and I was tired. I worked a long day, sandwiched between a long commute and, as per usual, cooking was not high on my list of appealing activities. Enter my resolution to cook more and eat better. (And the ticking spoilage clock that is fish once you buy it).

In any case, I am pleased to report that at 7:30, after 25 minutes of easy prep, I sat down to an awesome, home-cooked meal. One that was healthy, fulfilling, and sustainable.

How, you ask? Well, let me expound. First, if you're going to buy fish these days, you have to go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium website (http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/) and get to its Seafood Watch pocket guide. It offers the definitive list of what you should and shouldn't buy. A warning: it's complicated. I intended to buy cod, but of the list of where and how the cod is fished, Whole Foods failed to offer sustainable cod in its fresh fish section. I also tend to think having a conversation with the Whole Foods folks about the website is a good thing. I ended up with silver hake, like cod but a more course grain. I think this recipe would work with any fish, your conscience permitting.

Ingredients:
2 lemons
2 shallots
2 leeks
2 cloves garlic
2 zucchini (or any roast-able veggie)

organic olive oil cooking spray
Sea salt
Pepper
2 6 oz. fillets of your favorite fish

(6:35 pm) Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a casserole dish (9x12) with olive oil spray - about 3 sprays should do it. Wash and slice leeks on a diagonal for large circles, white and light green parts only. Juice and zest one lemon. Toss sliced leeks, 2/3 of the lemon juice and the zest and a healthy dose of salt into the casserole dish (see picture above) and roast covered for 10 minutes, until the leeks just start to turn soft.

(6:45) During those 10 minutes, mince the two shallots, cut the two cloves of garlic into slivers, zest the second lemon and slice the zucchini into bite size pieces. Put the zucchini, garlic, sea salt, most of the lemon zest and two sprays of the olive oil into two pieces of foil, wrapped well but not closed entirely to prevent the zucchini from steaming. Roast.

(6:55) Take out the leeks and add the two pieces of fish right on top of the leeks. Generously season the fish on both sides with sea salt. Top with any remaining lemon juice, the minced shallots and pepper. Cover and roast side by side with your zucchini 15-20 minutes.

(7:20/7:25) Plating and eating. Easy, delicious and healthy. Get this part: Per serving, this entire dish is only 250 calories a serving. (Hake - 160 cal/6oz; Leeks - 54 cal/1 cup; lemon juice/zest - 20 cal; Zucchini - 20 cal/cup, or 3 Weight Watcher points total for the whole meal). If you anticipate needing more food to be full, I would recommend adding brown rice to the dish.

Thanks go to Great Food Fast, the book that offered the basis for the fish recipe, which I then tweaked a bit.