Sweets

Posted by fernando in Sweets

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Where in your home  can you experience adventure and learn new skills? What can be your studio for creating and your laboratory for learning? Your kitchen, that's where. Your kitchen is a unique workshop for creating something uniquely yours.

Every great cook starts somewhere, and mastery arrives to those who are willing to try new recipes and make some mistakes. See what happens when you treat your kitchen as a playground by cooking with new ingredients and techniques. Cookbooks and magazines are filled with ideas of how to cook foods and combine flavors. Each dish you create carries you a little further down the road to understanding how ingredients interact when subjected to the forces the cook creates in the kitchen.



recipe Recently, I volunteered to be a tester for Cook's Illustrated, a great source for precise instructions and some of the best recipes for classic dishes. The opportunity to be an early user of the magazine's recipes appealed to me, as well as the chance to perhaps work with foods that are not familiar.





The stated goal of recipe testing at Cook's Illustrated is to 'investigate the fundamental principles of cooking' so that readers can become better cooks. Indeed, the folks at Cook's Illustrated's testing division, America's Test Kitchens, believe that good cooking is based on objective technique -- the right way to sauté or the best way to cook a pot roast.

Without recipe testing, critical steps that are obvious to the recipe author may be forgotten, driving subsequent cooks into the culinary ditch. Good testing requires the recipe writer to think clearly about each step and every tool required to prepare a dependable recipe. A trusted recipe source gives you clear instructions that produce reliable results, even the first time.



Armed with a zeal for accurate instructions and for trying new foods, I eagerly anticipated testing recipes for America's Test Kitchens. With excitement I opened the email from Cook's Illustrated and discovered that I would be testing Foolproof Fudge. My reaction was "Oh, fudge!", and I meant it in both senses of the word - the candy and the oath.



The Oxford Companion to Food describes fudge as a confection of milk, sugar and butter boiled to the soft ball stage and then beaten until it acquires a smooth, creamy consistency. The Companion also suggests that fudge is a favorite for home sweet-makers as it is simple and easily flavored.



Not only is fudge a favorite of the home confectioner, it is a staple sold by merchants in tourist locales. My dad envisioned spending his retirement like this: he would offer samples of fudge on the street of a picturesque tourist town in New Mexico or Colorado, while my mother would be back in the candy kitchen whipping up the flavor du jour. Clearly, my dad did not recall my mom's bleak attempts at fudge-making. She would end up with grainy looking clumps of seized-up chocolate that were inedible. This is my fudge legacy; to my mother's credit, her gumbo-making legacy is notable.



Creating sweets is fundamentally different from creating savory dishes. The science is more precise and the tolerance for errors is narrow. Sugar and chocolate are not as forgiving as onions, olive oil and tomatoes.



Chocolate is very sensitive to rapid temperature changes, and can mutate from smooth and creamy to grainy and chunky -- a change called "seizing." Seized chocolate has broken down to its basic elements of cocoa, sugar and fat, rendering it unusable for candy. However, seized chocolate is good for my favorite default use of failed sugar recipes: Apply your mistake directly to vanilla ice cream.



Given the sensitivity of chocolate, I do not cook with it much. And like many cooks, when I'm in the kitchen, I'm usually working on a deadline: preparing dinner for my family or a client. Spending time making sweets can leave a family protein-starved. Who really wants fudge for dinner? Finally, in the best case of all going well, I have to tolerate 2-1/2 pounds of fudge in my home.



Now that I've created a fudge mountain out of a recipe molehill, how did my test go?



The ingredients were simple: semisweet chocolate chips, unsweetened chocolate, baking soda and sweetened condensed milk, salt, vanilla extract and walnuts. The 2 ounces of unsweetened chocolate I zipped through my small food processor as a shortcut to its status of "finely chopped," and combined it with the chocolate chips and baking soda.



I followed the instructions as precisely as I was able, heating the condensed milk with a dash of salt on the stove, but removing it before it turned golden because its consistency was beginning to look foamy and it was becoming clumpy. Here, I suspected, was where my mother's fudge had gone wrong.



After removing the milk from the heat, I began stirring in the chocolates. I was concerned that I would have problems stirring the melting chocolate so that it didn't seize. However, since the pan was not over the heat, there was no sudden temperature change and the melt went smoothly. I was beginning to think that maybe I could do this.



I continued stirring for four or five minutes and added the walnuts, which offer the perfect relief to the rich, sweet creaminess of the fudge. I stirred some more, hoping that the thickening of the fudge was a good sign.



Finally, the fudge reached the consistency recommended in the recipe, that of stiff cookie dough. After pressing the fudge into a pan and cooling it for several hours in the refrigerator, I reached the verdict: This really was a foolproof fudge recipe. I would not hesitate to recommend it to the novice cook or to an experienced confectioner.



What did I learn about The Recipe? I confirmed that accurate instructions are fundamental to sharing "foolproof" recipes. Again, I exhort cooks and non-cooks alike to get into the kitchen and play. Make friends with new ingredients. As I gained confidence in my chocolate-cooking ability, you may discover your culinary specialty!

Kitchens

Posted by fernando in Kitchens

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It is a mistake to suppose that any room, however small and unpleasantly situated, is "good enough" for a kitchen. This is the room where housekeepers pass a great portion of their time, and it should be one of the brightest and most convenient rooms in the house; for upon the results of no other department depend so greatly the health and comfort of the family as upon those involved in this 'household workshop'.

Every Kitchen should have windows on two sides of the room, and the sun should have free entrance through them; the windows should open from the top to allow a complete change of air, for light and fresh air are among the chief essentials to success in all departments of the household. Good drainage should also be provided, and the ventilation of the kitchen ought to be even more carefully attended to than that of a sleeping room. The ventilation of the kitchen should be so ample as to thoroughly remove all gases and odors, which, together with steam from boiling and other cooking processes, generally invade and render to some degree unhealthful every other portion of the house.



There should be ample space for tables, chairs, range, sink, and cupboards, yet the room should not be so large as to necessitate too many steps. Undoubtedly much of the distaste for, and neglect of, "housework," so often deplored, arises from unpleasant surroundings. If the kitchen be light, airy, and tidy, and the Kitchen Utensils bright and clean, the work of compounding those articles of food which grace the table and satisfy the appetite will be a pleasant task.



It is desirable, from a sanitary standpoint, that the kitchen floor be made impervious to moisture; hence, concrete or tile floors are better than wooden floors. Cleanliness is the great desideratum, and this can be best attained by having all woodwork in and about the kitchen coated with polish; substances which cause stain and grease spots, do not penetrate the wood when polished, and can be easily removed with a damp cloth.



The elements of beauty should not be lacking in the kitchen. Pictures and fancy articles are inappropriate; but a few pots of easily cultivated flowers on the window ledge or arranged upon brackets about the window in winter, and a window box arranged as a jardiniere, with vines and blooming plants in summer, will greatly brighten the room, and thus serve to lighten the task of those whose daily labor confines them to the precincts of the kitchen.

The Kitchen Appliances.

Cooking

Posted by fernando in Cooking

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When it comes to cooking healthy meals for our families, there is always some degree of dissention among the ranks. The good news is that there are recipes that are very healthy but the healthy nature of these recipes is somewhat disguised. What they do not know in these instances truly should not bring harm their way (outside of allergies, which should never be ignored).

Healthy cooking is often difficult as most of us do not want to spend time planning and preparing meals that our families refuse to eat. At the same time, we want our families to be healthy so we feel compelled to learn new and improved ways of cooking healthy foods for our family to enjoy (and unfortunately in some cases scorn).



With weight and nutrition being known as the culprit in so many health conditions it is impossible to ignore the importance of not only eating healthy ourselves but also of teaching our children the importance of eating healthy. One way to insure that your loved ones are in fact eating healthy is to make sure that you are cooking healthy and nutritious foods for them. This does not mean that you cannot enjoy the occasional calorie splurge or even that you shouldn't. The key to cooking healthy is learning to control portions and understanding the importance of moderation.



For those that are hoping to incorporate healthy cooking habits into their daily routines, there are no more resources available than ever before in order to assist you in those endeavors. You can seek the services of a professional nutritionist, your doctor can offer advice, you can find all kinds of books on healthy eating, cooking, and living at your local library, and the Internet is an outstanding source of all kinds of information when it comes to leading a healthier lifestyle all around.



There are many books and magazines that are filled with recipes that encourage healthy cooking and eating habits. If you truly love to cook, then there is no shortage of recipes that you can try out along the way. The really good news is that you can incorporate healthy cooking into your cooking routine whether you are cooking for one or a household of ten.



There are many that will argue that cooking healthy food costs more than cooking the prepackaged foods that pack on the calories and additives. The truth of the matter is that when you compare the costs with the medical bills of the future for failing to do so, they seem rather slight by comparison. Yes, good food costs more money. In many cases, that is a simple fact of life. However, by learning portion control and eating the proper portions you just may discover that you are actually spending less as you adjust to the proper amounts of food you should be consuming in order to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.



Cooking healthy isn't an overnight change; it is a lifestyle change that should be implemented one step at a time. You do not have to go into your kitchen and through out every little thing that you deem 'unhealthy' only work to not buy more of these items once they've been used. Make wiser decisions when purchasing fats for food preparation and you will discover that you've made a vitally important step in the process of incorporating healthy cooking and eating habits in your home.



It's those small steps you take towards your goal of cooking healthy foods for your family that will matter far more than any giant leap. Before you know it you will find that you all have more energy and a better sense of overall health than you would have imagined before changing your cooking habits. If that isn't enough to encourage you however, you can always check out the excuse to go shopping for new clothes after you drop a size or two.

Healthy Eating

Posted by fernando in Healthy Eating

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Being a healthy eater requires you to become both

educated and smart about what healthy eating

actually is. Being food smart isn't about

learning to calculate grams or fat, or is it

about studying labels and counting calories.



Healthy eating is all about balanced and moderate eating, consisting of healthy meals at least

three times per day. Healthy eaters eat many different types of foods, not limiting themselves

to one specific food type or food group.



Eating healthy requires quite a bit of leeway. You might eat too much or not enough, consume

foods that are sometimes more or less nutritious.However, you should always fuel your body and

your brain regularly with enough food to keep both your mind and body strong and alert.



A healthy eater is a good problem solver. Health eaters have learned to take care of themselves

and their eating with sound judgement and making wise decisions. Healthy eaters are always aware

of what they eat, and know the effect that it will have on their bodies.



When someone is unable to take control of their eating, they are also likely to get out of control

with other aspects of life as well. They could end up spending too much, talking too much, even

going to bed later and later.



You should always remember that restricting food in any way is always a bad thing. Healthy eating

is a way of life, something that you can do to enhance your body or your lifestyle. If you've

thought about making your life better, healthy eating is just the place to start. You'll make

life easier for yourself, those around you, and even your family.

Fruit

Posted by fernando in Fruit

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In the past, there have been only a couple different kinds of apple trees that you could buy. But now, thanks to the wonders of genetic engineering, if you want to buy an apple tree you are able to choose between many different types of apples and flavors. Here I will outline five different popular types of apples that you can consider for your first apple tree.

First introduced in Japan, the Fuji apple has been around since 1962. The Fuji apple has yellow-green skin with red streaks down the side. The inside is delicious and sweet. It is white, firm, crunchy, and very flavorful. It becomes ripe in the middle of September, but tastes the best if it is left to fully mature until October or November. These apples will start growing early and grow in abundance. They are good for pollinating other apples. The Fuji tree can tolerate wet, dry, or poor soil, but the fruit quality will most likely reflect the quality of the soil. The apples always taste the best when they are fresh, and are great for cooking.



Gala apples are a wonderful tasting import from New Zealand. The Gala apple has yellow skin with a slight hint of red, and it is medium sized. The insides are yellow, very juicy, firm, crisp, and smell excellent. When they are fresh they are one of the best tasting apples you can grow. They grow quickly, and the trees bear heavily. They become ripe in late July. They are generally not used for cooking, just because Fuji is a better alternative. The trees can grow in wet, dry, and poor soil as well.



The delicious Brae Burn apples' color varies from gold with red streaks to almost completely red. It was first popularized some time in the late 1940's. It was also originally from New Zealand along with the Fuji, and is now the best selling apple in Germany. The insides are white, crisp, aromatic, firm, and juicy. They are sweet, but also slightly tart. The size varies from medium to large. They were introduced to the United States around 1980, and met with great enthusiasm. They are some of the most popular apples in the world. They generally don't become brown too quickly after being cut. They become ripe around October or November.



As red as its name proclaims, the Red Delicious apple is very tall and large. Their yellow insides are crisp, sweet, juicy, and delicious. They are grown across the country, and are great to put in salads. They are usually recognized by their distinct heart shape. They were first introduced in 1874 in Peru, Iowa. They become ripe in mid to late September. They are usually best when they are fresh off the tree.



Golden Delicious apples have great, juicy flavor. Their insides are firm, white, crisp and sweet. They are great for cooking because even when they are cooked or baked they keep their great taste and shape. The skin is thin and soft. They are great for salads. They range in size from medium to large. They are shaped much like the red delicious apple. The insides are crisp, juicy, sweet, and mild. Many people enjoy them, although they bruise rather easily. They become ripe in late September. They are good for many purposes, and they last a long time if not handled roughly.