Archive for June, 2006

White Tea

Friday, June 30th, 2006

White tea is tea made by steaming and drying new growth buds and young leaves to inactivate polyphenol. Before steaming, the buds are shielded from sunlight to prevent chlorophyll formation. Similarly, the leaves are plucked young so as to retain high concentrations of catechins.

The name White tea comes from the silvery white hairs that cover the little buds giving the plant a white appearance. The most popular bushes from where these leaves are plucked are Da Bai (Large White), Xiao Bai (Small White), Narcissus and Chaicha bushes.

For centuries, White tea has been identified with the Chinese province of Fujian. This tea too has medicinal properties like green tea. In fact, some suggest that White tea is more powerful when it comes to preventing stomach tumors or cancer.

White tea is considered to be the first tea consumed in the world. It is made with the least amount of processing, a fact that makes it medically more useful than all other forms of tea. Later, green tea was developed by using a process of steaming and roasting and black tea by semi-fermented or fermented methods.

The way White tea is brewed is also slightly different. It should never be boiled in water. Instead the tealeaves should be added to hot water and left to steep for five to eight minutes. Unlike other teas, you need to add a large amount of leaves.

There are several varieties of White tea available in the market. The most common ones are:

1. Chinese White Teas: These include:

Bai Hao Yinzhen: The Bai Hao Yinzhen is fleshy, bright colored and covered with tiny white hairs. It has a uniform shape with no stems or leaves. It uses only the undamaged and unopened buds.

Bai Mu Dan: A grade down from Bai Hao Yinzhen tea, it has the bud and two leaves covered with a fine, silvery-white down.

Gong Mei: This uses leaves from Small White tea trees, and forms the third grade of White tea.

Shou Mei: This is a fruity, furry White tea with tips and an upper leaf. It has a stronger flavor than other White teas. It is the fourth grade of White tea and may be dark in color.

2. Ceylon White: The Ceylon White tea gives a very light liquor with a touch of pine and honey. It has a golden coppery infusion.

3. Darjeeling White: This is a pale golden brew with a mellow taste having a hint of sweetness and a delicate aroma. For strong flavor, a little extra tea needs to be added to the infuser.

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More Gourmet Tips

Friday, June 30th, 2006


What Is Pesto Sauce?

Find out more about this flavorful sauce.


How To Give Unique Mother’s Day Gifts

Spoil her with gourmet chocolates or a relaxation gift basket.

OJ — Nature’s Gold Fresh squeezed juices can easily be transported to a new level,getting your day off to a great start, delivering importantnutrients, energy, and a morning smile.
According to Dr Sandra Cabot, who has published many books onhealthy eating, including Raw Juices can Save Your Life!, citrusis one of the healthiest foods available.
"Oranges are one of the highest sources of natural vitamin C inthe world," Dr Cabot said. "Oranges have man …

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Gourmet Olives

Friday, June 30th, 2006

Peugeot Coffee Grinders
Many experts prefer Peugeot coffee grinders. Without a grinder, your coffee making experience can become tiresome. Find out how these grinders work and why they are preferred.

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A Thing To Do With A Basket After The Fruit Is Gone Once you have consumed the fruit and other contents of yourfruit basket, do not throw out the basket itself! Thesecontainers that hold a bevy of edible goodies are perfect for anumber of clever uses around your home. From storage todecoration, the basket portion of your gift will allow you tokeep enjoying the present long after the fruit has been enjoyed.
Today’s fruit baskets are using more unique and less traditionalcontainers, ranging from coland …

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Gourmet Olives

Olive oil and olives are popular items in many kitchens and we usually don’t think too much about them. We know they are Mediterranean and good for your heart, but did you realize that their uses date back to biblical times. After the great flood, Noah sent out a dove carrying an olive leaf and olive was used to fuel crude lamps over 6000 years ago.

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Food

Broiling

Friday, June 30th, 2006

When a recipe calls for a food item to be broiled, this
means the food should be cooked by direct exposure to
flame or a heat element. Typically, “broil” is a setting
on any oven. However, it is important to place the food
on the top rack when using the broil setting.

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Candy Molds

Thursday, June 29th, 2006

The candy mold is the defining element of candy making no matter if you are making chocolate candy bars or hard candies like peppermints, you will need one.

Having a candy mold allows for consistent reproduction of candy again and again. In the commercial production of candy massive molds are used to provide a tremendous output of candy per minute while small individual molds are more useful with at-home candy making adventures. The point is that whatever your scale, there should be a candy mold option open for you.

For those searching for just the right mold, there are many options available today including several websites online that specialize in the sales of candy molds for every possible occasion from holidays to special promotions, if you find the right website you will have access to all of the candy molds you will need.

Candy mold designs are only limited by the imagination of mold creator and there thousands of unique designs already available for those who want to make their own candy. Even the right candy mold cannot be found there is always the option of having one made from scratch.

Related to this notion, is similar option that has appeal with some people, or in other words, the idea of constructing their own candy molds. As with those who already specialize in making molds there are websites that sell the materials for making the mold—be it silicone, other heavy plastics, and even metal—and those interested will be able to find a lot of variety here.

Making candy has taken on more appeal as the availability of the tools and materials to accomplish this have become more readily available. This has lead to a surge in amateur candy makers taking up the craft to flex a bit of creative muscle to make tasty morsels all their own. Even businesses like catering companies have taken a look at the possibilities and many now are making specialized candies that show yet another aspect of their business prowess.

Again, it doesn’t matter what sort of candy mold you might be searching for. You can find what you want if you look enough at what is possible, talk to some professionals and maybe even do a bit of experimenting on your own.

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Coffee

Thursday, June 29th, 2006

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Health Benefits Of Olive Oil

Learn about the healthiest oil and how you can use more of it.

Peet’s Gourmet Coffee Company
Find out about this company that roasts gourmet coffee for you every day.

Gourmet Coffee Roasters
Tips on how to use them.

Gourmet Coffee Maker Review
Find out about some of the top coffee makers.

Should You Buy Gourmet Coffee Online?
Find out the benefits of shopping online.

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How To Throw A Wine And Cheese Party
Some ideas on how to throw a quick and easy wine and cheese party.

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Gourmet Foods

Roaster Oven

Thursday, June 29th, 2006

  • The Roaster Oven
    The roaster oven is an oven that is used only for homely purposes and should not be used for commercial, professional or industrial usage. In this oven you should only do cooking, roasting, steaming and baking of foods.
    The roaster oven is a convenient oven for homely purposes because of its following features:

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    Guide
    There’s a lot to buying good cheese and keeping it fresh for use. If you want good tasting cheese that lasts a long time then you need to follow some proper buying, storing and serving procedures.
    Here’s a guide on how to buy, store and serve cheese.

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    Gourmet Foods

  • Mexican Candy

    Thursday, June 29th, 2006

    The import and sales of Mexican candy in the United States has been a steadily increasing market for a number of years now with figures now suggesting that this is an almost $170 million dollar business. This fact should certainly make some of us take up and notice.

    The major contributor of this increase has been the demand for these types of treats by the Latino population on the west coast who are looking for tasty snacks that remind them of their own cultural tastes and provide their children with an opportunity to sample some of their childhood candy favorites. Beyond this, the emergence of candy markets across the U.S. that specialize in ethic foods, have begun to spread sales numbers from coast to coast.

    But what is different about Mexican candy? What explains it growing popularity?

    Eduardo Rodríguez, the founder of Dulcelandia, a Chicago based candy store chain that sells a variety of Mexican candy made following statement: “The American candy market is a great market, but it lacks spice.”

    What is meant by spice, you may ask? Many of these foreign confections with their combination sweet and sour with the tangy flavor of chili powder challenge many Americans sensibilities when it comes to what is considered candy.

    But, for some the uniqueness of Mexican candy has been a welcome change in taste from the regular run of candies to be found at the local supermarket. Despite the fact that most of the buyers of these candies are Latino emigrants, a growing number of Anglo and African Americans are intrigued by the different flavors that Mexican candy has to offer.

    Many of the candies are uniquely shaped, taking the form of soda bottles, ears of corn, cucumbers, and roasted chicken to name a few. Most of them are made with all natural fruits: peach, pineapple, mango, tamarind, guava, papaya, and cantaloupe. These are further enhanced by the inclusion of chili powder coatings.

    So how about a bag of chili-coated gummies? Or, perhaps, you would prefer a mango-and-chili-flavored lollipop? Again, these may seem like odd combinations, but it wouldn’t hurt you to try them? You may be in for a pleasant surprise.

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    Morning Pilaf

    Wednesday, June 28th, 2006

    Makes: 1 Serving

    Ingredients:

    1 Cup Kashi Pilaf
    1 Cup Natural Cranberry Juice or Milk Substitute
    1 Cup Water
    1/4 Cup Raisins
    1/2 Cup Dried Fruit (your choice)

    Directions:

    1) Boil water.
    2) Add Kashi Pilaf.
    3) Simmer ingredients until water dissolves.
    4) Add cranberry juice/milk substitute, raisins, and dried fruit.

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    Coffee Pods

    Wednesday, June 28th, 2006

    Coffee Of The Month Club

    Give the gift that keeps coming every month - a coffee of the month club is one the best gifts you can give a friend or loved one, or yourself.

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    Folgers Coffee Pods
    Although coffee has been around since the dawn of time, manufacturers are still coming up with new and innovative ways to enjoy your morning cup of joe. Pods are fast becoming the hot new method for home coffee brewing, and Folgers coffee pods are leading the way.

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