Premium Chocolates, Fruits and More Sweet Notes

'Forget love - I'd rather fall in chocolate!' ~Attributed to Sandra J. Dykes

Gourmet Chocolate on AskMen.com
The world of chocolate has its highs and lows and our palate has evolved beyond swapping quality for quantity. While Ferrero Rocher and Godiva are fine, gourmet chocolate is more abundant - and more available - in today’s market than ever before. Chocolate is the voice of passion and love, whether it is the love of chocolate itself or as an expression of love for another human being. After all why shouldn’t we spend it on the good stuff? ...
Full Story: ...
... Fine Living: Premium Chocolates; By James Raiswell


Apple Cake in Rome, I, from The Boston Globe
Think of Italian desserts, think of fresh fruit: pears, figs, and grapes in the autumn; peaches, berries, and melons in the summer; and nuts - walnuts, hazelnuts, and almonds - year round. A popular dessert in Rome is torta di mele, or apple cake. Though it is considered a humble dessert, it is delicious and easy to prepare.
Until I began spending several months at a time in Rome four years ago, I never associated Italy and apples. Apples are quintessentially American! But as I learned shopping in markets here, apples are plentiful all year. Still, ...
Full Story: Si, si, an apple dessert; By Judith Barrett
Photo: Torta di Mele from A Tavola con Semplicita'

More Interesting Links!
~ Tiny watermelons are no bigger than kumquats - Tiny watermelons called Pepquinos were found in the wild and are now cultivated in greenhouses. The skin is soft, so the entire melon can be eaten whole. DailyMail.co.uk
~ Delicious Alphonsos inspire mango mania - The Indian Alphonso mango is picked ripe for maximum sweetness and juiciness. They can be hard to find, so if you can't find them, other mangoes will work well in the recipes provided, including ones for rice pudding and salsa. Telegraph.co.uk

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Easy Bites! - Asparagus and Bacon

'A man begins cutting his wisdom teeth the first time he bites off more than he can chew.' ~ Herb Caen

Involtini con Punte d'Asparagi e Pancetta / Asparagus and Bacon Involtini

Difficulty: Easy;
Preparation's Time: 30 minutes;
Servings: 4;

RECIPE ...

Ingredients:
• 48 Green Asparagus Spears; (Asparagus Officinalis);
• 8 Thin-Slices of Bacon, (the variety you prefer);
• Salt and Pepper to taste;
• Olive Oil;

Utensils, Etc:
• Cast-Iron or Non-Stick Skillet;
• Cooking-String;
• Baking-Proof Paper, (if you decide to use the oven);
• Medium size Brush;

Directions:
~ RINSE the Asparagus, PEAL then TRIM the Ends, (the chewy part).
~ Depending on the Asparagus length, you should CUT each Spear in three. Set the Tips aside, (the tip is the most delicate part and should be handled with care).
~ Take 3 pieces and WRAP them with 1 Slice of Bacon, (if the slice is too long, Use Half).
~ TIGHT each Involtino with Cooking-String and BRUSH it with a bit of Olive Oil. Set aside.
~ HEAT a Cast-Iron Skillet to COLOR the Involtini on all sides and Serve(*).

NOTES:
~ (*) I like it Warm with the Asparagus still Raw but, after coloring, you could place the butch in an Moderate Hot oven, (190°C ~ 370°F ~ Gas-5), for about 10-minutes, and serve.
~ 2 Involtini per person should be a good start.
~ In the picture I’ve used the Tips of green Asparagus from Altedo (Bologna), they are slimmer than the regular type. The Tips look good but you can use all the tender parts.
~ Tender left-over are great for a delicious Frittata/Omelette, Risotto, etc.

BUON APPETITO!

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Undiscovered Cheeses Etc

'Experience is the teacher of all things.' ~ Julius Caesar

Undiscovered Cheeses on AskMen.com
There are few foods in the world as varied and as versatile as cheese. Across the globe, different cultures enjoy their cheeses hard or soft, moldy or creamy, made from the milk of goats, cows or sheep, as a part of a meal or on its own, and with or without fine wine. Cheese, said one writer, “is milk's leap toward immortality,” and since nearly every nation in the world makes its own unique cheeses, ...
FullStory: ...
... 6 Undiscovered Cheeses; By James Raiswell

Pear and Cheese on USPears.com
In the 17th and 18th centuries, the French and Belgians started the wave of pear cultivation that led to most of the pear varieties now thriving in the Pacific Northwest. Europeans inevitably partnered pears with wines and cheeses to create elegant appetizers, desserts and cheese courses.
Specially selected combinations developed and tested by gourmet chefs are outlined below. We are sure that these combinations will enhance your soirée, lunch, or picnic. ...
Full Story: FRESH PEARS, CHEESE and WINE: A Tasty TRADITION

More Interesting Links!
~ List of Cheeses from Wikipedia
~ Arugula Salad with Pear, Blue Cheese and Apricot Vinaigrette; Recipe by Rachael Ray on FoodNetwork.com

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Food, Drink and Sweet Notes

'The greatest wealth is health.' ~Virgil

GOURMET PLEASURES WITH SOME SWEET NOTE

Gourmet Pleasures on Independent.ie
They may extol the virtues of fine ingredients, but even for committed foodies, sometimes only a treat will do, says Declan Cashin.
When it comes to food and snacks, we all have our guilty little pleasures. Sure, we know we're all supposed to feast on fine, fresh ingredients as part of a daily balanced diet, and graze on nuts and fruits rather than cakes and biscuits during work and in our downtime. However, in tough times like these, we need our little treats and pleasures to help buck us up, and that goes for the gourmand experts too. ...
Full Story: ...
... The guilty gourmets;


Pavlova, culinary thievery? on the Independent.co.uk
New Zealand's new Prime Minister, John Key, faces a host of diplomatic challenges as he adjusts to the job. But of them all, the one exercising him most at the moment is the weighty matter of the provenance of a meringue dessert topped by cream and tropical fruit. Mr Key is irritated by Australia's long-standing claim to have invented the pavlova, which he dismissed yesterday as "ridiculous". He urged his neighbour and ally to acknowledge the dessert's New Zealand's origins ...
Full Story: Pavlova wars: New Zealand reclaims its national dessert; By Kathy Marks

More Interesting Links!
~ Health Journal - Why That Big Meal You Just Ate Made You Hungry; By MELINDA BECK, WSJ.com
~ The Gastronomer - Eggplant, Without All the Oil. Slick.; By Andreas Viestad, WashingtonPost.com

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Tasting Menus Around the World and More

'When a man sits with a pretty girl for an hour, it seems like a minute. But let him sit on a hot stove for a minute - and it's longer than any hour. That's relativity.' ~Albert Einstein

DINING, EATING OUT, & MORE

Tasting Menus on AskMen.com
Eating well doesn’t have to cost a fortune, but oh what fun you’ll have if you spend one. For that next special occasion, holiday splurge or maybe even when you’re just plain hungry, a mouthwatering tour of the food at a world-class restaurant could be just what you need. A fine restaurant’s tasting menu consists of a multi-course meal designed by the chef. Often ranging from hors d’oeuvres to desserts, ...
Full Story: ...
... Fine Living: Top 10 Tasting Menus; By Phil Pivnick


ASIA NEWS on WSJ.com
In Kyoto, kaiseki restaurants serve Japan's version of haute cuisine.
The meal at famed Kikunoi restaurant was cutting-edge: 12 courses made up of 60 different items, each fanatically sourced using the freshest and highest-quality ingredients available. And in the trendiest fashion, the entire meal, which stretched to almost three hours, weighed in at less than 1,000 calories. Welcome to kaiseki (kye-SEK-ee), the original fixed-price tasting menu, whose roots in Kyoto go back almost 500 years to the Japanese tea ceremony's origins and ...
Full Story: The Art You Can Eat; by STAN SESSER


Tasting Stadium's Food on WSJ.com
Lobster rolls at Citi Field take on cheese steaks at Yankee Stadium.
On chilly Wednesday night at spanking-new Citi Field, José Reyes scored from first base for the home team in a comical Padres screwup, and the Mets beat the San Diego Padres 7-2. But some of the best action was in the stands, in the open-air food court called Taste of the City. Both local teams lost the openers at their new stadiums - the Mets to the Padres on Monday 6-5, and the Yankees to Cleveland on Thursday 10-2 - but they scored points with their efforts to give New York baseball fans a lot more than franks and beer to feed themselves and their loyalty. ...
Full Story: Taste-Testing New York Baseball; by RAYMOND SOKOLOV

More Interesting Links!
~ Request to TV chefs: Wash Your Hands!; NYDailyNews.com
~ A Future With Fewer Reservations; WSJ.com
~ Eat shoots and leaves; Guardian.co.uk

Photo:
~ Tasting Menu at Fat Duck; from Forbes.com

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Food Adventures: Exotic Cuisines

'In everything satiety closely follows the greatest pleasures.' ~Cicero

FINE LIVING AND MORE ADVENTURES

Adventurous Eater from AskMen.com
There are some foods in the world that are simply too spectacular not to be tasted at least once over the course of a lifetime. And while the most interesting culinary delicacies usually hail from remote locations in the farthest reaches of the globe, have no fear: We’ve sourced out a handful of the best delicacies and suggested exactly where you can enjoy these palatable treasures.
So, for the adventurous eater, here are our picks for the foods to try before you die.
Fried spider, Cambodia ...
Full Story: ...
... Fine Living: Foods To Try Before You Die; By James Raiswell

Extravagant Dishes on AskMen.com
In the fine-dining world it is rare to find a menu that includes simple meat and potato dishes. Likewise, the cocktail and dessert menus have become increasingly concentrated with items that favor the exotic. The trends are geared toward extravagance. The list that follows highlights some of the more extravagant items found in fine-dining establishments around the globe.
10- Sea urchin cappuccino
Full Story: Top 10: Extravagant Dishes; By Michael Miller

More Interesting Links!
~ Luxury LifeStyle Updates; [Enjoy it, with some Sense of Humor!]; OCK Style
~ Name Your Drink: Mixology News; OCK Style
~ Liquid Gold: from Most Expensive Whiskies to Mixology 101; Mishka Bites!

Photos:
~ Fried Spider Cambodia from TrekEarth.com;
~ Sea Urchin Roe from Flickr.com

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Healthy Eathing: Barbecue

Healthy Eating on More.com

Traditional barbecue fare — with its sizzling lipids and charred carcinogens can raise healthy eating questions. Here some suggestions with few surprising options.

Mexican Burger
Why it’s good for you:
* Grass-Fed Beef: A pound of it is pricey but here’s what you get for your money: higher levels of heart-healthy omega-3 acids and lower levels of total fat than in non-grass-fed beef, according to a report from the Union of Concerned Scientists. ...
... Bonus: We added soy protein, which absorbs the meaty flavor and cuts the fat. ...
Full Story: Your Anti-Cancer Barbecue Menu; by Tula Karras; Recipes by Wendy Hess, RD

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Homemade Yogurt, an Ingredient Not Just for Breakfast

The Curious Cook and Recipes for Health from The New York Times

Homemade yogurt
Homemade yogurt has no sweeteners or stabilizers and has a fresh, tart flavor. A step-by-step primer to making yogurt is included.
RIGHT now my kitchen is teeming with bacteria, and I’m doing everything I can to make them feel at home. They’re lactic acid bacteria, the ones that ferment milk into yogurt and buttermilk, cream into crème fraîche. I’ve been making all of these, as well as milk thickened with reputedly beneficial “probiotic” lactic acid bacteria. And getting to know viili, a Finnish fermented milk that reminds me of the Japanese soy product natto. It’s slithery. ...
Full Story: ...
... They Do the Work, You Reap the Yogurt; By HAROLD MCGEE

Recipes for Health
Tender and juicy kebabs with grilled chicken or swordfish in a yogurt marinade.
I can't think of a better destination for chicken tenders than these grilled kebabs, which are tender and juicy (as long as you don't overcook them). But you can use swordfish for kebabs, too: the yogurt marinade works equally well with both. Serve the kebabs with basmati rice. ...
Full Story: Chicken or Swordfish Kebabs; By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

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Something's Fishy: Health and Sustainability

Culinary News

Navigating the information to choose fish responsibly on the Chronogram.com
Spanish mackerel is sustainable, but it was "not very popular" on one chef's Saugerties, N.Y., menu last summer. This article examines what we know about fish, human health and sustainable fishing practices.
What do we really know about the fish we eat? Even if we are diligent about buying local and organic produce, grain, and meat, does that care extend beneath the sea? Many species are suffering from overfishing. Fish farming can pollute the ocean, and spread disease to wild fish. Regulation and inspections are either lacking or inconsistently applied and enforced. ...
Full Story: ...
... Something’s Fishy: Is that seafood sustainable?; by Peter Barrett

Personal Health on The New York Times
... Among foods that help to reduce the inflammatory marker CRP are cold-water fish like salmon, tuna and mackerel; flax seed; walnuts; and canola oil and margarine based on canola oil. Fish oil capsules are also effective. Dr. Ozner recommends cooking with canola oil and using more expensive and aromatic olive oil for salads. ...
Full Story: New Thinking on How to Protect the Heart; By JANE E. BRODY

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Entertaining: The Many Uses of Vodka and More

Home & Food on DivineCaroline.com

Supplies
Aside from being a fantastic drink, vodka has many uses which you may not have known about. Since vodka is one of the world's most popular drinks, many of us have a bottle handy in the home. And since its typically filtered and pure, it makes a handy liquid to have around.
Here are a few uses:
To remove a bandage painlessly, saturate the bandage with vodka. The solvent dissolves adhesive ...
Full Story: ...
...The Many Uses of Vodka; By Dahlia Rideout

Special Occasions
You don’t need to bust your food budget because you are throwing a party. There are great alternatives to those fancy dishes that are usually served. Here are some inexpensive yet delicious substitutions to popular entertaining dishes that cost more:
* Instead of guacamole serve black bean dip topped with avocado. ...
Full Story: Save Money on Entertaining Food; By Common Sense with Money

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Eating Food That’s Better for You, Organic or Not

Health on The New York Times
In the six-and-one-half years since the federal government began certifying food as “organic,” Americans have taken to the idea with considerable enthusiasm. Sales have at least doubled, and three-quarters of the nation’s grocery stores now carry at least some organic food. A Harris poll in October 2007 found that about 30 percent of Americans buy organic food at least on occasion, and most think it is safer, better for the environment and healthier. “People believe it must be better for you if it’s organic,” ...
... says Phil Howard, an assistant professor of community, food and agriculture at Michigan State University. Full Story: Eating Food That’s Better for You, Organic or Not; By MARK BITTMAN

Business> Metrics on The New York Times
The map of organic farms in the United States is clustered into a few geographic centers, a strikingly different pattern than the map of all farms, which spreads densely over many regions, breaking only for the Rockies and Western deserts.
Areas in the Northeast and Northwest have many small organic farms that sell produce directly to consumers. Large organic farms, which some critics call organic agribusiness, have flourished in California. Full Story: The Hot Spots for Organic Food; By HANNAH FAIRFIELD

LIFESTYLE ESSENTIALS: Clarins > ≈ Organic > ≈ ≈ ≈ Mix > ≈

Quick-Cooking Quinoa Captures Culinary Kudos

Cooking on Gourmet.com
Quinoa is actually an herb, not a grain, but it takes the place of couscous in recipes such as a Moroccan chicken stew. For best results, boil the quinoa in salted water, then steam it to fluff it up. Serve this ancient staple wherever you’d use couscous, and ...
... you’ll get a meal with more protein and fiber than semolina could provide. Couscous, along with mahimahi and sweet Walla Walla onions, are verbal booby traps in our household: The mere mention of any of them immediately elicits the wisecrack, “I heard you the first time.” ...
Full Story: Quinoa: The Better Couscous; by Kemp M. Minifie

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Acai Berry Comes With Some Pronounced Doubts

Lean & Fit on The Washington Post
How bad can the economy be if people are buying acai? Surely you've heard of acai, even if you're not sure how to pronounce the name. (It's ah-sigh-EE.) The little purple berries have been touted for more healthful qualities than you'd think ...
... a simple berry could bear. Who'd have believed that this modest product of Brazil's Amazon rain forest could do everything from speed weight loss to correct sexual dysfunction -- while bolstering your immune system, too? A lot of people. According to Spins, Americans spent more than $108 million on acai products ...
Full Story: No Matter How You Say It, Acai Comes With Some Pronounced Doubts; By Jennifer Huget

LIFESTYLE ESSENTIALS: Clarins > ≈ Organic > ≈ ≈ ≈ Mix > ≈

What Is It that Stands Between You and Vibrant Health?

Health News on NaturalNews.com
Speaking of what's in your food, check out this revealing article on the toxins found in packaged foods.
What is it that stands between you and vibrant health? People who have spent a fortune on supplements, ...
... gotten plenty of exercise and bought high quality food still find themselves unable to answer this question. For many of them, the answer lies in neurotoxins hidden in even the most healthy sounding foods, including many foods labeled as organic. These ingredients often cause serious reactions, including migraines, insomnia, asthma, depression, anxiety, aggression, chronic fatigue, and even ALS. ...
Full Story: A Hundred Health Sapping Neurotoxins are Hidden in Packaged and Restaurant Food; by Barbara Minton
Photo from Wikipedia

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Two Cultures Mix in This Hot Pot

Food> ONE COOK'S BEST DISH on The Boston Globe
Cliche though it may be, East definitely meets West in the kitchen of Zhuqing Li and Ed Steinfeld's Victorian home. Li, 45, comes from Fuzhou, the capital of China's Fujian province; Steinfeld, 42, grew up in New Jersey. And though Li says she didn't learn to cook ...
... until she came to this country as a graduate student, today the family - Li, Steinfeld, and their sons, Daniel, 10, and William, 7, - enjoys Chinese meals nearly every night, prepared by Li. Steinfeld jokes that he's living a dream shared by many American Jews: Eating Chinese food on a daily basis. The couple's different culinary heritages converge in a dish that appears frequently on their table: matzo ball hot pot. It's based on the traditional Asian hot pot ...
Full Story: Two cultures mix in this hot pot; By Jane Dornbusch,

LIFESTYLE ESSENTIALS: Clarins > ≈ Organic > ≈ ≈ ≈ Mix > ≈

The Future of Farmers' Markets

Food Matters on BBC.co.uk
Britons have an appetite for buying from farmers' markets, but are there any real advantages to buying food direct? ...
... Farmers' markets, with their emphasis on fresh, seasonal produce and their hands-on approach to shopping, are a magnet for food-lovers. Factor in the shoppers' chances to chat to the growers and possibly pick up a recipe from fellow food-lovers, and you have a formula for food-shopping success. ...
Full Story: Farmers' markets; by Hattie Ellis

LIFESTYLE ESSENTIALS: Clarins > ≈ Organic > ≈ ≈ ≈ Mix > ≈

Plan Well, Freeze Well, then Eat Well.

The Minimalist on The New York Times
IF I tried to sell you a new appliance that could help you save money, reduce food waste and get meals on the table faster, the only thing you’d ask would be “How much?” The answer is “Nothing.” You already own it. For just as the stove comes with a hidden and ...
... often overlooked bonus — the broiler — so does the refrigerator: the freezer. Why not use it? I know: you do. In that messy box you have some ice cubes, some stuff you bought frozen — a pizza? Lean Gourmet? peas? — and maybe, if you cook a lot, some stock or hastily stored leftovers. You also have a load of things you’ve already forgotten about and will eventually toss, ...
Full Story: Freeze That Thought; By MARK BITTMAN

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Avocado's Reputation Gets Another Chance

Recipes for Health on The New York Times
Avocados occasionally get a bad rap for containing fat, but experts say that healthy fats, along with oleic acid, vitamins and dietary fiber, can be beneficial. Eat avocados, once called "poor man's butter," in a variety of foods, including Mexican soups. ...
... When I lived in France, in the ‘80s and early ‘90s, I hardly ever ate avocados. Those sold in the markets were smooth, thin-skinned varieties grown mostly in Israel. They were watery, not as creamy or nutty-tasting as Haas avocados, the dark, pebbly-skinned variety that we get in California. Plus, it was a time of fat phobia. Any fat was a bad fat, and avocados are rich in fat. But the fats in avocados, like those in olives and nuts, are for the most part healthy monounsaturated fats ...
Full Story: Avocados: ‘Poor Man’s Butter’ No More; By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

LIFESTYLE ESSENTIALS: Clarins > ≈ Organic > ≈ ≈ ≈ Mix > ≈

Gourmet Gold: Black Truffle in Western Australia

Explore Australia on The Sidney Morning Herald
Winsor Dobbin joins the search for gourmet gold - the black truffle - in Western Australia. The truffle dogs are excited. They bark and frolic as they prepare to hunt for truffles, ...
... which are also known as "the diamond of the kitchen". Truffles are among the world's most sought-after delicacies and now black truffles are being harvested in several parts of Australia.
The Wine & Truffle Company, in Manjimup, ...
Full Story: One sniff and you're hooked;

LIFESTYLE ESSENTIALS: Clarins > ≈ Organic > ≈ ≈ ≈ Mix > ≈

Read Before Snapping Your Next Asparagus Spear!

The Curious Cook on The New York Times
Snapping asparagus spears is a popular method for removing the fibrous ends. But cutting the spears 6 to 7 inches from the tip yields more reliably tender results. ...
... IT’S spring at last: prime time for a vegetable that does not go gently into our food chain, that keeps binding up its harvest wounds even as it’s shipped and stored, growing and bending upward to find the sun. A vegetable whose texture horticultural engineers test by tapping it with a tiny hammer and listening to it vibrate. Asparagus is the hardest-living stalk in the produce business, ...
Full Story: Asparagus’ Breaking Point; By HAROLD McGEE

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