FoodRevo blog

Do you realize the many ways that bacteria can contaminate the food your family eats? Do you know how to tell if your food is thoroughly cooked to keep your family safe from food poisoning? Do you know what to do if you or someone you love gets food poisoning?

When it comes to food preparation and storage, “Common Practices” could be POISONING your family!

Here’s how to avoid the problem entirely:

1. Plan For Safety

Make sure you have the right equipment, including cutting boards, utensils, food thermometers, cookware, shallow containers for storage, soap, and paper towels. Make sure you have a source of clean water. Plan ahead to ensure that there will be adequate storage space in the refrigerator and freezer.

2. Shop Smart

Prevention of food poisoning starts with your trip to the supermarket. Pick up your packaged and canned foods first. Buy cans and jars that look perfect. Do the cans have dents? Don’t buy canned goods that are dented, cracked, or bulging. These are the warning signs that dangerous bacteria may be growing in the can. Are the jars cracked? Do they have lids that are loose or bulging? The food may have germs that can make you sick. Look for any expiration dates on the labels and never buy outdated food. Likewise, check the “use by” or “sell by” date on dairy products such as cottage cheese, cream cheese, yogurt, and sour cream and pick the ones that will stay fresh longest in your refrigerator.

3. Store Food Properly

After shopping, get home as soon as you can. Then put food into the refrigerator or freezer right away. Make sure to set the refrigerator temperature to 40° F and the freezer to 0° F. Check temperatures with an appliance thermometer. Be sure to refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared foods, and leftovers within 2 hours of shopping or preparing. Place raw meat, poultry, and seafood in containers in the refrigerator, to prevent their juices from dripping on other foods. Raw juices may contain harmful bacteria. Eggs always go in the refrigerator.

4. Prepare Food Safely

Wash hands and surfaces often. Bacteria can be spread throughout the kitchen and get onto cutting boards, utensils and counter tops. To prevent this, wash hands with soap and hot water before and after handling food, and after using the bathroom, changing diapers, or handling pets. Wash everything else before and after it touches food. Use paper towels or clean cloths to wipe kitchen surfaces or spills. Wash cloths before you use them again for anything else. Use the hot cycle of your washing machine. Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and counter tops with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item and before you go on to the next item. A solution of 1 teaspoon of bleach in 1 quart of water may be used to sanitize washed surfaces and utensils.

5. Cook Food Thoroughly

Cook food thoroughly until it is done. Cooked red meat looks brown inside. Poke cooked chicken with a fork. The juices should look clear, not pink. Dig a fork into cooked fish. The fish should flake. Cooked egg whites and yolks are firm, not runny. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of meat, poultry, casseroles and other food. Use a thermometer with a small-diameter stem. Insert the thermometer 1 to 2 inches into the center of the food and wait 30 seconds to ensure an accurate measurement. Check temperature in several places to be sure the food is evenly heated.

6. Chill Food Promptly

Place food in the refrigerator. Don’t overfill the refrigerator. Cool air must circulate to keep food safe. Divide food and place in shallow containers. Slice roast beef or ham and layer in containers in portions for service. Divide turkey into smaller portions or slices & refrigerate. Remove stuffing from cavity before refrigeration. Place soups or stews in shallow containers. To cool quickly, place in ice water bath and stir. Cover and label cooked foods. Include the preparation date on the label.

7. Transport Food Safely

Keep cold food cold. Place cold food in cooler with a cold source such as ice or commercial freezing gels. Use plenty of ice or commercial freezing gels. Cold food should be held at or below 40° F. Hot food should be kept hot, at or above 140° F. Wrap well and place in an insulated container.

8. Reheat Food Correctly

Heat cooked, commercially vacuum-sealed, ready-to-eat foods, such as hams and roasts, to 140° F. Foods that have been cooked ahead & cooled should be reheated to at least 165° F. Reheat leftovers thoroughly to at least 165° F. Reheat sauces, soups, and gravies to a boil.

9. Serve Food The Safe Way

Use clean containers and utensils to store and serve food. When a dish is empty or nearly empty, replace with fresh container of food, removing the previous container. Place cold food in containers on some ice. Hold cold foods at or below 40° F. Food that will be portioned and served should be placed in a shallow container. Place the container inside a deep pan filled partially with ice to keep food cold. Once food is thoroughly heated on stovetop, oven or in microwave oven, keep food hot by using a heat source. Place food in chafing dishes, preheated steam tables, warming trays and/or slow cookers. Check the temperature frequently to be sure food stays at or above 140° F.

10. Complete Your Meal Experience Safely

Cooked foods should not be left standing on the table or kitchen counter for more than 2 hours. Disease-causing bacteria grow in temperatures between 40° F and 140° F. Cooked foods that have been in this temperature range for more than 2 hours should not be eaten. If a dish is to be served hot, get it from the stove to the table as quickly as possible. Reheated foods should be brought to a temperature of at least 165° F. Keep cold foods in the refrigerator or on a bed of ice until serving.

This rule is particularly important to remember in the summer months. Leftovers should be refrigerated as soon as possible. Meats should be cut in slices of 3 inches or less and all foods should be stored in small, shallow containers to hasten cooling. Be sure to remove all the stuffing from roast turkey or chicken and store it separately. Giblets should also be stored separately. Leftovers should be used within 3 days. Discard any food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Terry Nicholls is a networker who believes that customers are as important as distributors, and that health is the most important thing of all. You can share in his knowledge at terrynicholls.com/index.php terrynicholls.com/index.php
Terry Nicholls

Copyright Terry Nicholls. All Rights Reserved.

I got the Senseo single serve pod maker about 3 weeks ago. I tried it soon after (within a few hours) and have avoided the issue ever since.

The machine was easy enough to use. Clean the machine by filling the reservoir in the back with cold water and using the 2 cup brew setting once the unit has heated the water. You’re set once that is done.

The unit came with one bag of medium roast pods (there was the first mistake :: medium roast) and you have the option to either use the one pod or two pod holder. First off, you’d better get the pod/s in exactly perfect or you’re going to have a big mess to clean up when you try to brew. The water will leak profusely from around the pod holder. And if you do not want water running all over your counter, you had better make certain to empty the reservoir before you put it away and slide it back under the counter.

A major complaint that I have is the amount of coffee it brews. One cup… ok. It definitely means one cup. Like, about 3 ounces. The one cup setting fills my demitasse cup. I have to use two pods for that too. The coffee is weak and watered down. I’m up the river without a paddle if I want a two cup serving with using only two pods. No more than two will fit in the 2 pod holder. That will nearly fill a 6 ounce cappuccino cup. I’m more serious than that about my coffee drinking.

Clean up is simple. Wipe it down. Make sure the catch tray is empty. Pour out remaining water from the reservoir and you can even run the parts through the dishwasher if you prefer.

The coffee pods. That may be most of the problem. The coffee tastes old and stale. Almost as if it were ground some years ago. I know that sounds harsh but you do not even get a fresh ground scent once you open the bag holding the pods. I went so far as to go out and buy more of them just incase it was a fluke. No, it was not an isolated incident. Sadly.

I did cut the edge from one of the pods. Empty the contents and replace it with a bit of fresh grind Ethiopian. Aside from the small amount that it brewed, (on the single cup cycle) the taste was great. Fresh and even though I find the froth the machine produces to be bogus, all in all the replacement was a huge improvement. Maybe the machine would be more successful if they found a better coffee company to produce the pods.

Overall: I do not recommend the Senseo single serve pod coffee maker. You can do much better. It will cost you quite a bit more to step up but you will not regret it in the long run. If you enjoy a small amount of weak coffee, then this one is for you.

They charge you about $69.00 for this unit.

Their claims:

Each cup is perfectly brewed and topped with a rich, frothy coffee layer
Quick and easy one touch brewing system brews a cup in 30 seconds.
Convenient, no worry auto shutoff after 1 hour
Clean up is simple with dishwasher safe removable parts
1450 watts of power

Audrey -The Coffee Sage, runs her own weblog focusing on coffee and the love of coffee. You can find this article and others like it by visiting coffeesage.com/ Coffeesage.com

It is really very enthralling to notice that so many varieties of beans and coffees are available all across the world vis-a- vis the different kinds of grapes and wine that satisfy the taste buds of one and all. Furthermore, to provide a specification about the different types of beans and coffees available leads you to a great venture, an experience that gives you immense pleasure.

Out of all the others available, the most distinguished variety all around the globe is the Colombian. Mysterious, as it may seem when you take a sip of the La Esperanza from Tolima, as it has an inkling of pipe tobacco and milk chocolate which reminds you of a cherry like taste, yet it is enough to give you a zing. Further, as it is nurtured at approximately 6,000 feet, it is richly toned. Every sip leaves you with a soft fragile aromatic experience. You also tend to wonder as how such a mix can satisfy your taste buds.

Further, the Supremo, which is the world’s second largest producer, gives you more surprise elements in their package. A complex mixture of hints of semi-sweet chocolate brewed with the sweet essence of vanilla pods is the main significant hidden aspect of the Supremo. As the aroma of the brew withers swiftly, make sure to drink this piping hot.

In search of the next variety we have to move towards Hawaii. Here grows the Kona. The beans of the Kona are picked by hands like in the teagardens of Darjeeling and are available in dark roasted and medium flavors. The medium ones have a more acidic tinge whereas the dark roasted are a little milder on the acidic count. Miniscule in its acidic content with a bold, strong, dark side to it that is the espresso roast is the most renowned among one and all. The different taste of the espresso roast gives it a different character and appeal and it illuminates in its distinct glory.

The southern slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, in Africa are the cultivable homelands of our next type of coffee beans rightly known as the Tanzanian Peaberry. Peaberries are world famous for their shape as they do not come in flat-sided bean pairs but rather they are distinguishably designed by nature and come in single oval shaped beans. Besides, their bodies are not heavy weighted but the acidic count is really high and this is the most important aspect of the peaberries. The mountain climbers of Mt. Kilimanjaro hence can experience a warm gush of the peaberries.

As you are in Africa take a short enjoyable journey through the coffee plantations of Ethopia. Ethopia, known for being the ancient fabulous home ground of coffee should henceforth never remain out of our study about the best varieties of coffee available all over the world. A citrus mixture containing flavors of ginger, orange peel and lemon can be made available in the Yirgacheffe region of Ethopia. This coffee is a unique blend of chocolaty and sour flavors, a refreshing scintillating feeling at every sip guaranteed.

The Monsoon Malabar is going to be our next succeeding well-known destination as we journey along east to India. The coffee beans here are very puffy yellow in color and shape having a very unique keen acrid taste, which is the result of the famous wet, winds that blow in the regions for three months. Further the Jumboors, having hints of sweetness that is caused by raisins should not be forgotten and thus, you should make sure to carry a sample of it as you proceed further in your journey.

Sumatra is our next stop, in search of coffee beans. Proceeding towards Indonesia we find ourselves in the native lands of Sumatra where the Lake Toba region is very well known for its beans of coffee. The bean cups are sweet and flowery and have a slightly roasted taste. In order to bring forth an astringent binding cup, which would also bear the intensities of cherry, the primitive originality of coffee, flower that is it being like jasmine has been left intact.

You should not avoid the northern provinces as you are bathing in the natural beauty of Sumatra. A spiced up tropical fruity concoction brought about by its dark roasted texture, which is part of its originality shapes, its uniqueness. Further sweet sour aromatic blend, which is the result of the grapefruit and cedar, mixed in together gives a tingle to your veins as you take a sip of the coffee.

Jamaica, a nature lover’s paradise is famous for the Jamaican peaberry. A unique discovery, retaining its Africanism, the Jamaican peaberry has a single bean in every pod and wholesome body adds to its originality. As you tend to sip along a cup of Jamaican coffee you are hit by its very strong flavors caused due to its sweet yet acidic zing and flowery essence and flavors.

Reading through the pages of ‘Travels Around The Globe’ – a treasure book has provided us with a refreshing knowledge hunt of the worlds best available coffee. The unquenchable thirst being satiated and the heart resting at peace we come to a phase where we have to close down our book and try to recuperate what we have learnt with a refreshing cup of coffee as reading gratified our knowledge thirst but now is the time to quench the taste buds.

Clinton Maxwell is publishing primarily for coffee-espresso-maker-tips.com coffee-espresso-maker-tips.com , a web page with information about roasting , cappuccino and other interests. His work on coffee-espresso-maker-tips.com/cappuccino-machines.html cappuccino machines can be discovered on coffee-espresso-maker-tips.com/cappuccino-machines.html coffee-espresso-maker-tips.com/cappuccino-machines.html.

Many different types of coffee makers exist—percolators, automatic drip-brew, etc.—but, because of the basic concept of water passing through coffee grounds or beans to create coffee, the coffee maker parts are very similar with each type.

In terms of coffee maker parts, the basic coffee maker consists of a base, called a heat pad, on which sites a glass or ceramic pot. Along the back of the heat pad a sometimes wide rectangular-shaped cylinder for water stock rises to an extended slip with a track underneath to support a filter cup.

This slip typically has an opening with a flap at the top for pouring the water into the cylinder. Most machines, those differing slightly from brand to brand or make to make, are comprised with these five coffee maker parts: heat pad, water-stock cylinder, a slip with open flap and track, a filter cup, and a coffee pot.

Of course, a list of the coffee maker parts wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the filter itself. This white pocket of paper-like interwoven fiber is sometimes zigzag-creased and sometimes smooth, but it is always thick and heavy enough to support the weight of coffee grounds.

One innovative convenience of the filter is that it is only used once. After use, both soggy filter and coffee grounds are thrown away, so cleaning the filter for reuse is unnecessary.
As exemplified by the convenience of the filter, the coffee maker parts in general work together to make that great rich cup of smoldering coffee – the best ever inhaled!

The process of brewing coffee, in the context of the relationship between the coffee maker parts, is a simple and easy process: Cold water is poured through the flap on the top of the slip and stored in the back cylinder until the machine is heated up.

When the water is at the right temperature and the pad at the bottom of the machine is hot, the water in the cylinder is channeled through the slip and down into the coffee grounds within the filter. Coffee then fills the otherwise empty pot below.

These coffee maker parts work like a snap—one, two, three! Only a few parts need to conduct this process efficiently, and when each part is working properly, the process is good-to-go!

coffeesure.com/ Gaggia Coffee Machine and other brand name coffee makers and products are available at our site.

If you haven’t experienced White Persian Melon tea, you’ve missed a real treat. White Persian Melon tea is a flavorful blend of white tea combined with sweet melon nectar. It’s one of healthiest and most refreshing beverages you can drink.

But, like other teas, some White Persian Melon teas are better than others. Making great White Persian Melon tea, of course, requires the best white tea with the best melon flavoring.

One of the features that people typically evaluate in determining good tea is when the tea is plucked. However, this is not the best way to judge the White Persian Melon Tea you’re buying.

White tea can only be harvested for about two weeks during March and April of each year. White tea, by definition, is a spring tea, harvested only from the very first buds the tea plant produces each year. Harvesting white tea requires particular temperatures and other environmental conditions.

It must be picked when the weather is dry and there has been no frost the night before. Therefore, all white tea is a “first plucking” unlike other tea plants, which are plucked multiple times during the growing season.

So, when it comes to choosing the best White Persian Melon Tea, it’s more important to understand the best varieties of white tea, so that you know that your White Persian Melon tea is high quality. These varieties are used by many different companies and can be found in several different brands of white tea.

Bai Hao Yinzhen Tea – A Chinese white tea, this is considered the very finest grade of white tea. It is usually referred to as Silver Needle tea and can only be plucked for a little more than two weeks of during March and April. There must be no rain or dew on the ground when it is plucked and there can be no frost. Only unopened and undamaged buds are used to produce this white tea.

Bai Mu Dan Tea – This tea is also grown in China, and is generally considered the second highest grade of Yinzhen tea. This tea is also picked during a short timeframe in March and April and requires correct environmental conditions, too. However, compared to Bai Hao Yinzhen tea, it contains more leaves and fewer buds. The very best tea of this grade uses only the top two leaves on the tea plant, along with the unopened bud.

Darjeeling White Tea – Darjeeling tea is grown in the Darjeeling region of India, the part of the world famous for Darjeeling black teas. Darjeeling white tea is a wonderful combination of the delicacy of white tea with the muscatel flavor that is unique to Darjeeling teas. You’ll find several grades of Darjeeling. To choose the best, be certain that the tea is 100% Darjeeling.

Ceylon White Tea – Ceylon tea is produced in Sri Lanka and is one of the most famous of the black teas. Ceylon white is rare and highly prized. It has a pale color and a hint of honey in its sweetness.

In addition to choosing a White Persian Melon tea that features one of the best white tea varieties, it’s also important to choose a tea that gets its melon flavoring from the highest quality sources. The best White Persian Melon tea is flavored with melon nectar that has a flavor that is a cross between the tastes of honeydew and cantaloupe.

High quality nectar is important to imparting the sweetness and lightness of the melon flavor and to ensuring that the melon’s anti-oxidants are protected.

Choosing high quality White Persian Melon Tea ensures not only that the taste will be as delicious as you expect, but also that you’ll get all the health benefits you’ve come to expect from white tea. And, with good White Persian Melon tea, you get even greater health benefits than with many other white teas.

Because white tea is not fermented during processing, it retains more anti-oxidants in their most natural state. In addition, melon is a potent source of anti-oxidants, as well. Anti-oxidants are important to our health because they fight free radicals in our bodies. Free radicals are oxygen containing molecules that are created as our bodies turn the food we eat into energy.

Though they are naturally generated, they cause cell and DNA damage, which, over time, leads to aging and disease. Anti-oxidants neutralize these free radicals before they can damage our cells and DNA. For this reason, a diet full of anti-oxidant rich foods like fruits, vegetables and tea, are important to keeping us healthy and ensuring that we live a long life.

White tea contains, among others, the anti-oxidant EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), which is one of the most powerful of any anti-oxidant. Much research has shown that life long consumption of the anti-oxidants in white and green tea can prevent cancer, heart disease and many other maladies of aging.

Melon contains the anti-oxidant GliSODin, which is another of the most powerful anti-oxidants. GliSODin has been shown to neutralize some of the most powerful free radicals in our bodies and stimulates our bodies to make its own anti-oxidants. This is especially important because scientists believe that our own body’s anti-oxidants are more effective at destroying free radicals than those we ingest from our diets.

So, as you can see, White Persian Melon tea is one of the healthiest beverages you can add to your diet. Purchase your tea from the most reputable tea companies to ensure you’re buying only the best white tea mixed with only the best melon nectar. The delicious and refreshing flavor will be certain to please your palate while it protects your body.

Jon M. Stout is Chairman of the Golden Moon Tea Company. For more information about goldenmoontea.com tea, goldenmoontea.com/wholesaletea wholesale tea and goldenmoontea.com/blacktea black tea go to goldenmoontea.com

Today is January 15, 2007 and I just lived through another power outage. This is the third one in the midwest in the last six months.

The first in July, lasted 8 days and the temperature outside was a balmy 98F Plus. No air conditioning, no refrigeration, no power for even a fan. The second, in late November, missed me for which I am extremely grateful. This latest outage was due to an ice storm on January 12, 2007 and over 150,000 homes in my area were without power. At last check there were still some 80,000. Lucky me, I was one of them. Also, Lucky me, I got my power back in less than forty eight hours.

Again I realize that most of you think I am just ranting but there is a point to this rambling.Sitting in my freezing home by myself – I sent my family to relatives homes – I realized how much I miss the taste of BBQ. I miss the backyard gatherings with family and friends and I cannot wait for the warm spring and hot summer when I can fire up the pit and cook up whatever my heart dictates – ribs, chicken, pork steaks (for those that are unfamiliar this is pork shoulder or butt cut into steaks – 3/4 inch thick is best), burgers, simple hotdogs. Potato salad & cole slaw, watermelon, beer and wine coolers. I am ready. Winter is just too dreary.

I can sometimes satisfy the urge with an electric indoor grill that I have had for years. While it is not the same as a charcoal grill (I prefer charcoal over propane) it does satisfy a need when you combine it with your favorite BBQ sauce, be it bottled or home-made. Now, just for you, if you do not have access to an indoor grill, I am going to give you my absolutely favorite recipe for getting past the BBQ urge in winter. Your can do really great BBQ chicken in the oven:

2 1/2 to 3 lbs. of chicken pieces – either a whole chicken cut up or pieces of your favorite parts – I usually use thighs & drumsticks as I prefer the dark meat
salt & pepper to taste
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup ketchup – use jalapeno ketchup if you want to spice it up a bit
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon of either Dijon or Hot Sweet mustard
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper – like cayenne – if you want a little heat.

Heat oven to 400deg F. Arrange chicken pieces in a deep baking dish and season with salt and pepper if desired.

In a bowl combine water, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, worcestershire sauce, and red pepper if desired and pour over chicken pieces.

Bake about 45 minutes, uncovered, then tip the baking dish and skim off the fat.

cookwareforhomecooking.com/ Quality Cookware makes Better Home Cooking

This dish will take care of any BBQ withdrawal without having to stand in sub-freezing temperatures in a foot of snow. It goes well with either your best home-made or deli potato salad and a green salad or hot green beans. Use your imagination and enjoy. Whatever you would make for a summertime gathering will work here equally as well. Feel free to come and visit me at cookwareforhomecooking.com/ Cookware for Home Cooking or visit my cookwareforhomecooking.com/cook_books_kitchen_tips.html Links for links to some very exciting cookbooks and cooking tips.

When you walk down the aisle of your supermarket, have you ever wondered who makes that product that you eat? Sometimes you buy a food that keeps you alive. Novartis Medical Nutrition is one such company that produces clinical nutritional supplements to maintain and improve the health and well being of millions of patients and consumers in a medical facilities (such as hospitals or nursing homes) or at home.

Previously, clinical nutrition focuses on caloric intake, but modern science now creates highly specialized disease-specific products to treat Diabetes, Oncology, Digestive Health, Obesity, Surgical and Critical Care, Malnutrition, Dysphagia, Wound Care, and Pediatric Nutrition. Healthcare professionals and scientists are highly involved in these developments.

These specialized products are very familiar to the doctors, nurses, dieticians, and caregivers administering these live saving nutritionals. Many of these products can be taken orally by mouth or tube fed through the stomach or nasal tube.

Diabetes affects approximately 17 million people in the United States and 800,000 are newly diagnosed each year. It is important to treat this disease in its early stages as it is the seventh leading cause of death. Boost Diabetic is designed to meet the special dietary challenges associated with patients with Diabeties. It incorporates certain nutrients such as arginine, vitamin’s C, E and chromium to improve blood glucose levels and aid in preventing the long-term medical problems associated with diabeties.

Cancer takes the lives of more than 7 million people worldwide each year. With cancer treatment, you body is under attack, and becomes very weak. Weight loss and muscle wasting is known as cachexia. Resource Support was created to promote energy, help in the healing process, and build muscles when the body needs it.

Dyshagia is a swallowing disorder commonly as a result from strokes, brain damage, or anorexia. Since the patient can not swallow malnutrtion and dehydration can occur. Resource ThickenUp can modify the consistency of liquids which reduces the risk of aspiration and respiratory complications. Solid foods need to have a change in consistency so that the patient does not choke during feedings.

One such producer of these life saving products is Novartis Medical Nutrition manufacturers and distributes its clinical nutrtional products products in Minnesota with several distribution centers across the country. The other manufacturing plant is located in Osthofen, Germancy. It’s Headquarters is located in Nyon, Switzerland. They employ 2,500 people worldwide and Novartis Parent Corporation employs about 100,735 people worldwide

Ross Products was found in 1903 by Harry C. Moores and Stanley M. Ross. Ross Products is a division of Abbott Laboratories, and the Chief Executive Officer is Miles D. White and employs about 65,000 people. Currently Ross is the largest of the manufacturers of clinical nutrition.

Nestle will become the second largest producer of clinical supplements after it’s merger with Novartis is approved this year. It’s headquarters is located in Switzerland.

For more information on cwimedical.com/nutrition.html clinical nutrition please visit cwimedical.com. cwimedical.com.

Noah Lam has over 15 years of experience of providing high quality medical supplies and healthcare products from Acute Care Facilities to parents and children. His company, CWI Medical is a leading provider of Novartis Medical Nutrition products to healthcare facilities and for home use. In addition, CWI Medical is an ACHC Accredited organization maintaining standards of excellence in the Healthcare Field. For more information, please visit cwimedical.com CWI Medical.

For more information regarding cwimedical.com/novartis-nutrition.html Novartis Medical Nutrition please visit cwimedical.com cwimedical.com

After having read our article on ezinearticles.com/?id=34953 wine tasting parties you might be saying to yourself “great tips but I want to kick it up to the next level and do something that most people don’t do.”

Even though the farmer’s market is closed and the weather has turned quite chilly, the fall and winter have a lot to offer our palate. As we have told you before, leverage what you have and embrace the winter weather. Serve your guests wine, cheese and winter fruits.

One of our favorites is eiswein (pronounced ice vine). Eiswein or Ice Wine as it is called in this country is a wine that is made with the late harvest fruit by pressing it while still frozen…thus the name. Now here is the catch. Eiswein is not something you can pick up at your local supermarket and it doesn’t come in bargain basement $5/bottle prices. Here are a few of our picks and where you can get them.

Eiswein is usually sold in 1/2 bottles due to the high sugar content of the wine and the cost…less is more!

Locally: Total Beverage Check with your particular store because they don’t all carry the same items. Most of them have the Hubert Ganz Riesling Eiswein (1/2 bottle $40) and the Selaks Wines Ice Wine Kumeu (1/2 bottle $14). Some of them also have the Inniskillin Vidal Ice Wine (1/2 bottle $70…and a favorite of ours)

On the Internet:www.champagnewines.com and www.internationalwine.com

And who says an eiswein has to be made with grapes. La Face Cachee de la Pomme in Canada makes a scrumptious apple ice wine (cidre de glace). For more information, visit appleicewine.com. In case you don’t feel like making the trek to Canada in the winter, check their website for US locations.

Now that you feel like you speak several other languages, what cheese do you serve with these delectable wines? We recommend Roquefort. You need something with a little punch to it to counterbalance the wine. However, we do not profess to be wine or cheese experts so buy a bottle of eiswein and some of your favorite cheeses and have your own private tasting party before you serve to your guests. The wines could also be paired with some not-so-sweet desserts.

So the quick recap to plan your party:

Eiswein (not as many bottles as for regular wine)

Seltzer or Club Soda for non-drinking guests

Cheeses – 4 or 5 types

Fruits – apples and grapes

Non-sugary desserts (cheesecake is good) – 2 or 3 items

Have a great party and remember, drink and serve responsibly.

Indra A Books, author of this and many other lifestyle articles, is the owner and founder of ON THE GO 4 U, Personal Shoppers & Concierge Service in the Washington DC metropolitan area, providing life management services. In addition to its shopping and concierge services, ON THE GO 4 U also publishes a monthly e-zine and is available for workshops on wardrobe rejuvenation, entertaining and reprioritizing your life to get the most out of your personal time. For more information about the author and ON THE GO 4 U, please visit onthego4u.net onthego4u.net

© 2005 Indra A Books for ON THE GO 4 U

When I lived in the North End of Boston, in the nineteen eighties and nineties, I hung around a neighborhood bar from time to time, called The Corner Café. It was located on Prince Street near the corner of Salem Street. And it was indeed a neighborhood place. The owner, Richie Longo, was a neighborhood kid who grew up on Prince Street and duly attended Saint Leonard’s School—as his first generation Italian-American parents had—along with all the other neighborhood kids.

The regular patrons at the time, were neighborhood people too; all of whom seemed to have nicknames. (although, the nicknames were useful for identification purposes). There was Joe the Lawyer, who wasn’t a lawyer at all, but worked as an insurance investigator. Then there was John the Lawyer, who was a stockbroker, and John the Lawyer, who really was a lawyer with an office across the street. And I was always confused about Mary the Nurse, whose nickname seemed unnecessary; she was indeed a nurse, but she was the only regular named Mary.

Then there were the rest of the regulars: mostly young men ,who fancied themselves to be wise guys. Their conversations were peppered with phrases like ‘fuggeddaboudit,’ and ‘ba-da-bing!’ And they often talked about ‘needing to see this guy,’ or ‘having to take care of that thing.’ But despite the fact that they revered Robert DiNiro, and may have harbored dreams of being known by a nickname like “extreme unction,” the most serious crime any of them may ever have committed was betting on the Red Sox late in September.

When these local heros weren’t talking about ‘this guy,’ or ‘that thing,’ though, the conversation tended to stray toward food; often, toward Chicken Scarpariello. This was a hot dish—literally, and figuratively—during my years in Boston. And the folks often debated the qualities of one preparation over another. The talk often centered around the merits of Cantina d’Italia’s recipe, that included sausage, over Felicia’s, that didn’t. Sausage or not, though, Chicken Scarpariello is the kind of dish that would please any wise guy because it encourages eating with a fork in one hand an a torn-off piece of crusty bread in the other; the latter, used for sopping up the sauce, and for punctuating various exclamations of ‘fuggeddaboudit,’ or ‘ba-da-bing.’

The short version of the history of Chicken Scarpariello, ‘shoemaker’s-style’, is that it was named for the humble fellow who cobbled together the ingredients for the dish from his meager pantry. How it became a wise guy favorite is more obscure, and very likely lost to history. But I suggest that when you serve Chicken Scarpariello at home, the dinner table conversation will become animated and rise a decibel or two above normal. And will you and your fellow diners enjoy it? Fuggeddaboudit.

Skip’s Chicken Scarpariello
Chicken, Shoemaker’s-Style
Excerpted from my second cookbook, “Almost Italian.”

Ingredients:

2 ½ — 3 Lb. Frying chicken cut into 8 pieces
4 Tbs. Olive oil
4 Cloves garlic, peeled, and sliced thinly
1 Cup dry white wine (Pinot Grigio or Verdicchio are popular choices)
6 – 8 hot cherry peppers, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1 14 oz. Can chicken broth (preferably low sodium)
4 Tbs. Flat-leaf Italian parsley
2 Tbs. Unsalted butter
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Six Links sweet Italian sausage, cut into 1 in. chunks (optional)
4 Tbs. Flat-leaf Italian parsley

Preparation:

Season the chicken pieces on all sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, then add the olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, being careful not to let the garlic burn.

Add the chicken pieces to the sauté pan without crowding. Do this step in batches if necessary. Cook the chicken pieces, turning occasionally, until they’re golden brown all over; about 10 minutes. Remove the chicken pieces from the pan and reserve on a plate, covering them with aluminum foil.

Raise the heat to high, and add the wine. Boil, stirring with a wooden spoon to loosen any bits of chicken that may have caramelized on the bottom of the pan, for about 2 minutes. Add the cherry peppers, chicken broth, parsley, and butter. Allow the mixture to return to the boil, then stir in the lemon juice. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as necessary.

Lower the heat to the simmer, return the chicken to the pan, and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes. For a real wise guy presentation, add the sausage at this point too.

To Serve

Remove the chicken (and optional sausage) pieces to a platter, cover with the sauce and garnish with the parsley. Serve with plenty of Italian bread for sopping up the sauce.

Serves four

Skip Lombardi is the author of two cookbooks: “La Cucina dei Poveri: Recipes from my Sicilian Grandparents,” and “Almost Italian: Recipes from America’s Little Italys.” He has been a Broadway musician, high-school math teacher, software engineer, and a fledgeling blogger. But he has never let any of those pursuits get in the way of his passion for cooking and eating. Visit his Web site to learn more about his cookbooks: skiplombardi.com skiplombardi.com. For comments or questions, e-mail at mailto:info@skiplombardi.com info@skiplombardi.com

While green tea has been studied for its numerous health
benefits, there’s at least one area of interest that needs
more attention.

Can drinking green tea really enhance fertility?

Now that’s the one-hundred-thousand dollar question! There’s
a lot of conflicting opinions and research results
pertaining to that subject. We’ll try to be fair and present
both sides of the issue.

Any tea made from the Camellia sinensis bush contains
caffeine. On the bright side of the teapot, green tea has
only one-sixth to one-tenth of the amount of caffeine that a
similar amount of regular coffee contains.

For those of us who are trying to watch our caffeine intake,
that’s a good deal. If you need a caffeine fix though, green
tea isn’t going to give you what you’re looking for. Better
start looking for the nearest Starbucks.

How can drinking green tea increase fertility?

A study done by the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program
in Oakland, California revealed that the chances of
conceiving doubled for woman who daily drank more than one-
half cup of green tea containing caffeine (American Journal
of Public Health, 1998). Because this wasn’t the case for
the other tested caffeinated beverages, caffeine wasn’t
deemed the causing agent. Some credit was given to the
possibility that the polyphenols and hypoxanthine, compounds
found in tea, resulted in a greater number of viable
embryos, and increased maturation and fertilizability of
oocytes.

Another conclusion of this study was that the healthy
lifestyle of many green tea drinkers, such as regular
exercise and decreased smoking and fat intake, might also
play a role in the enhanced fertility levels of the test
subjects.

How can drinking green tea decrease fertility?

Tannic acids, an element found in green tea, have been shown
to cause fertility problems and greater chances at
miscarrying.

While not an “initial” fertility situation, rumor has it
that EGCG, the main disease-fighting antioxidant known as
catechins in green tea that have been found to impede the
growth of tumors, might also effect the blood vessel growth
of a developing embryo.

Another post-fertility issue related to an excessive intake
of green tea involves the increased rate of birth defects.

Past studies have concluded that coffee consumption
increases the risk of miscarriages and that caffeine intake
enhances the negative effects of alcohol intake on
fertility. While not directly related to green tea, caffeine
is the potential cause of such problems.

Should I or shouldn’t I drink green tea for fertility
issues?

The best advice that we can give you is something you’ve
heard before. Check with your doctor first. Do your
homework. Then and only then can you make a truly educated
and well-informed decision about a very delicate issue.
Whatever you decide, we wish you the best of luck in your
quest for that new addition to your family. Cheers…

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Copyright: 2005 Vaughn Balchunas

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Vaughn Balchunas is a writer and publisher of health, and self-growth articles.
For more information about tea and health go to: