Open Journalism For All - News, Documentaries And Information Services

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons liquid skim milk or fat free buttermilk
8 oz. cottage cheese

Put lemon juice and milk in blender. Add cottage cheese gradually while on low speed. Blend 2 to 5 minutes on high speed. If on standing cream becomes too thick, thin it out with skim milk or fat free buttermilk to desired consistency.

Appetite comes with eating !!!

About the Author

Petrosyan writes for http://www.healthfood.blogspot.com

Thomas Jefferson said, “Good wine is a necessity of life for me”. No wonder he was one of our founding fathers!

More and more people are drinking wine these days and why not? It’s readily acknowledged by the medical community that drinking red wine in moderation has a myriad of health benefits including lowering your risk of contracting heart disease, breast cancer, prostate cancer and cataracts. I don’t know about you, but for me, that’s a good enough reason to enjoy a glass or two every night. In addition, it’s a nice way to relax after a rough day and getting together with friends over a glass of wine is a great venue for socializing and having fun.

One way to do this is by hosting a wine tasting party. Besides being a lot of fun, this is an excellent approach for learning about wine and maybe finding a few new wines you really enjoy. Below are some guidelines that will help you organize a wine tasting that’s sure to be a hit.

1. Inviting your guests-

   The first thing you need to consider when organizing a wine-tasting party is how many people to invite. Generally speaking, 8 to 12 is considered the optimum number of guests. This size group is large enough to promote spontaneous interaction and small enough to be easily manageable.

   Whether you telephone, email, or sent written invitations is a personal choice. I happen to prefer sending email invitations. American Greetings has a great card site that includes “eInvites”. It’s a wonderful service where you can send invitations and your guests can simply click a button to RSVP. You can even schedule follow-up reminders. The American greeting site has a $20.00 yearly membership fee, but for all the ecards and services, I think it’s worth it.

2. Choosing the wine-

   In my opinion, choosing the wine to taste at your party is the best part of the planning stage. But then, I happen to get mesmerized every time I walk into a large wine store. There’s so much to choose from.

   There are many different ways you can handle wine selection. One option is to consider a themed party. For example: “California Chardonnays”, “German Rieslings”, “Wines Under $10.00″, or “Italian Reds”. The possibilities here are endless, so don’t be afraid to be creative. Another option might be to choose wines from a particular winery or even to select different vintages (years) of the exact same wine. Selecting different vintages of the same wine is called a vertical tasting and this may be more costly to do since older vintages tend to carry a higher price tag.

   When buying the wine for your party, keep in mind that for tasting purposes, each pour should be about two ounces. This means that for eight people or less, one 750 ml bottle should be enough.

3. The question of food-

   No party would be complete without food. However, depending on your goal for the event, you may want to wait until after tasting the wine to serve food because food affects the taste of wine and visa-versa. If your goal is to have an informal gathering of friends and experience new wines with good food, by all means serve food paired with the various wines. In fact, an easy and fun way to have a wine tasting party is to ask your guests to bring the various courses (appetizers, soup, salad, dessert) along with a paired wine while you provide the main course and wine.

   If your primary goal is tasting and judging new wine, it is more appropriate to wait until after the tasting to serve the food. Instead, during the tasting, provide only unflavored crackers (saltines) or bread to cleanse the palette between wines.

4. Tasting and rating the wine-

   Remember to limit your pours to two ounces (visually, two ounces is about two inches in a normal size wine glass). Place pitchers of water out for your guests to rinse their glasses or cleanse the palate between tastings. Also, have buckets available for those who choose to spit out the wine instead of swallowing it. Spitting is not necessarily an indication of not liking the wine. Many wine tasters spit so they will not be affected by alcohol consumption. Especially if the tasting is to be followed by socializing and drinking wine.

   One suggestion for tasting and rating the wine is to simply hand out paper and pens to each of the guests as they arrive so they are able to make notes on each wine tasted. To make this process more structured and organized, you can download and print wine tasting forms from the internet. Clicking on the following link will take you to Wine-Reviewer where you may download a wine tasting review form. Wine reviews
   You may reduce the chance of ratings being influenced by personal preference or prejudice by having a “blind tasting”. To do this, completely wrap each of the bottles with aluminum foil and label it with a number. The wine will then be identified and judged by the number on the bottle.

   To make the evening a bit more interesting and educational, research the wine, winery and wine-making region. Your guests will probably find the information interesting and will appreciate your effort.

Using these guidelines, having a wine-tasting party is as easy as 1-2-3-4. Have fun, but please remember to drink responsibly and do not let others drink and drive. If possible, have someone be a designated driver to insure that everyone gets home safely.

Marcia Parks is a successful free-lance author,wine-reviewer and web publisher. Her current project involves traveling the United States to visit and review wineries. You may read more of her detailed wine reviews at http://www.wine-reviewer.com.

About 850 A.D it is said that a lone shepherd and his flock came across a strange and mysterious plant growing upon a secluded and forgotten hillside. Before he could stop them some of his herd had began to gnaw away at this unusual berry. After about fifteen minutes or so the herder started to notice that his sheep were behaving in an odd manner.

Not only were they unusually alert but they also appeared to be extremely hyperactive. Now being a little weary and extremely tired the shepherd decided to try the berries and see if the end results would be the same for him as they had been for his flock.

To his pleasant surprise the shepherd began to feel wide awake and he too became very alert. After a few hours had passed along came a wandering monk who, after being informed of the plants amazing qualities proceeded to scold the poor shepherd and lecture him on his foolish indulgence. After he had finished telling the shepherd just what a sinner he had been the monk set upon his journey but not before he had added a little something to his backpack and supplies.

Back at the monastery the monks decided to try this new and exciting substance. Soon the endless hours of praying were endured with the greatest of ease. Coffee, the drink had been revealed to the world. Its widespread use then took a grip in the Ethiopian lands before then migrating on to the Arabian outlands. Here it was to be held for many years as a sacred substance but was eventually to be unlawfully exported by a merchant called Baba Budan. Word of its qualities were soon to spread and within a few years coffee was to emerge as one of the most valued commodities of all time. Now would you believe that each year we drink an amazing four billion cups and there are those among us who would cry at the thought of starting their day without it.

Although coffee is mainly known as a sleep suppressant there are those who consider coffee to have many health benefits. It is thought that people who suffer from asthma and partake of the beverage have at least 25% less symptoms which may be due to a substance in coffee called theophylline. This is known as a bronchodilator and quite simply it is thought to help those who suffer with the disease to breath with a little more ease. Drinking coffee on a daily basis is also thought to help lower your chances of developing colon cancer by a figure also in the region of about 25%. This may be due to the fact that coffee helps to keep you regular. Coffee can do more than just help you get through your day!

Aside from the benefits that have been mentioned above, it has to be said that simply enjoying coffee as a beverage is a delight that will never be easily surpassed. The unbelievable thing is that most people have no idea of the different tastes and delights that this monarch of all drinks has to offer. One of the fastest growing trends of the past few years has to be the rising popularity of obtaining coffee via the internet. Never before has it been so easy to sample such a huge variety of blends, tastes and aromas, and all at the click of a mouse. I order coffee frequently through the internet and I always make a point to record the country, blend and from whom I purchased.

Now you know the story of the magic beans I hope that next timeyou are considering popping into the local coffee shop you recall the story of the wandering sheep herder and consider just what you might be drinking were he not to have wandered with his flock onto that lonely hillside. Take the time to try the many different varieties available and I promise you the joys of coffee will be sure to tantalize your senses,tease your tastebuds and delight your friends and associates.

Latte or mocha?

Valerie Shapero is a favorite well known beverage author who researches for the well known coffee website Fuzzy Coffee. This is a super place for info about food and beverages. visit: fuzzycoffee.com

If you are opening a business and wanting to sell popcorn, you are going to need a couple of commercial popcorn machines. When you buy a popcorn machine that is for commercial use, you are able to make a lot of popcorn at one time, and you are sure to please all of your commercials with your high quality and tasty popcorn that you sell. Popping popcorn in bulk is a great way to always have some on hand, and not keep any customers waiting in the event that you are running short, and looking as if you might run out of popcorn.

Finding commercial popcorn machines for your business is not that hard to do. Whether you are looking to rent or buy, you are going to find that there a few places that you can look for these machines. Start with your telephone book, and the yellow pages. Be sure that you look under Commercial equipment, as well as rentals. You will want to check out the prices for both renting and buying so that you can get what you are looking for, with the budget you have allotted for your popcorn machine.

You will also find that many movie theater equipment places will sell or rent Commercial popcorn machines. This is great because you will be able to find what you are looking for wether it is for a movie theater or not. If you are having a problem finding somewhere that sells or rents equipment such as this, you can do a search online, and get just what you are looking for.

Concession stand equipment places will also sell or rent Commercial popcorn machines. Checking in with your local one will provide you with a machine that you can go and pick up. This will save you on shipping charges, and you will not have to drive very far to get the machine that you are looking for. However, you might want to consider more than one machine for your business, as customers love variety, and the more flavors and choices that you offer, the better your popcorn business will do.

Jeff Casmer is an award winning entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and internet marketing consultant with career sales over $25,000,000. He also dabbles in some of his true loves like “popcorn”. Please visit his resource on Popcorn Machines contain the the most complete information, supplies, and training to help you choose the right popcorn machine whether its a modern or a rare antique.”

Metropolitan Cigars on 7th Avenue, in the historic Ybor City
section of Tampa, Florida features one of the world’s largest
walk-in humidors with a history dating back to the turn of the
20th century. Two wonderful discoveries in cigars were made on
the recommendation of owner Sam Capitano.

Metropolitan Cigars has quite an interesting history that
follows the development of Ybor City into the cigar capitol of
the world in the early 1900’s. The atmosphere of Ybor City
demands attention. Brick lined streets overlooked by black
wrought iron balconies, shops featuring hand made treasures, and
cuisine of Cuban and Italian decent topped off with Cuban coffee
and café con leche are everywhere.

At the turning of the 20th Century, Ybor City’s population was
made up of mostly Spanish, Cuban, and Italian immigrants. Tampa
was no more than a mosquito-ridden fishing village of some 700
people when Vicente Martinez Ybor, a cigar manufacturer and
Cuban exile, came to Tampa to establish his factory.

Before long, the population of immigrants swelled to 30,000 and
contributed to making Tampa the cigar capital of the world.
Francisco Capitano and Company were famous manufacturers of
“high grade Havana cigars” in the early years. Events leading to
the Spanish-American War in 1898 led to increased world
attention on this growing metropolis.

The cigar workers of Ybor City responded to Jose Marti’s plea
for men, money, and arms for the insurgents who opposed Spain’s
rule over Cuba. In 1898, thousands of U.S. troops arrived in the
Tampa staging area as Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders prepared
for military operations in the Spanish-American war. At the
culmination of the war, the population of Tampa once again
thrived.

After numerous successful years in the tobacco business, James
Capitano, son of Francisco, decided to take the family in a
different direction. In 1933 he opened the Metropolitan
Pharmacy–named in honor of the $900 loan taken out of his
Metropolitan Life insurance policy. The present Metropolitan
Cigar Shop grew directly from the Metropolitan Pharmacy. The
shop prospered during the era of World War II when the shipyards
at the Port of Tampa operated 24 hours a day.

James Capitano’s success was based in part by the expansion of
the pharmacy’s stock to include lunch boxes for the shipyard
workers, whisky and alarm clocks - along with an extensive
selection of fine local cigars.

Sam “Sonny” Capitano, Owner - Metropolitan Cigars

After thriving for half a century, the cigar industry abruptly
fell victim to the automated machine-made cigar. Many of the big
Ybor City cigar factories closed and only a few small operators
kept the art of hand rolling cigars alive. A centuries old craft
was nearly lost. However, the Metropolitan Pharmacy remained.

This isn’t the end of Metropolitan’s story. Fast forward to the
21st century and discover a newly vibrant Ybor City - a
renaissance based on its designation as a Historical District.
The festive atmosphere of restaurants and clubs attract diners
and dancers every evening. Cigars have made their way from the
back room in this century too. Sonny Capitano closed the doors
of the Metropolitan Pharmacy in 1992 to open a successful cigar
shop inside the historic Columbia Restaurant. Five years later,
Sonny found himself establishing another shop - the Metropolitan
Cigar Shop of today on Seventh Avenue.

I asked Sam for a couple of cigar recommendations. My first
request was for an inexpensive bundled smoke of medium body. He
directed me to a bundle of 20 - “Cuban Leaf, Rare Connecticut
Habano Torpedos” for $24. That’s $1.20 per stick! I have to
admit, I was skeptical at that low a price that they would be
any good, but I bought them anyway. What a pleasant surprise!
They were a steal. He then directed me to his own brand of “Don
Capitano Maduro Torpedos” for $7.00. They were excellent!

If you are going to be in Tampa, be sure to visit Metropolitan
Cigars, 2014 East 7th Avenue, Tampa, FL 33605. 813-248-3304 or
800-607-3304, and tell them Kevin from Cigar review sent you.
Visit their web site at http://www.metropolitancigars.com.

Find more information about premium cigars on http://www.cigar-review.com >

The history of wine consumption in America has been frought with starts, stops, and inconsistencies. The American population has always had a love-hate relationship with alcohol. Historic prohibitionist attitudes amongst much of the American population have blurred the line between moderate wine consumption and detrimental alcoholism. As a result, regular, moderate consumption of wine by the American public continues to face ideological and legal impediments.

The History of Wine Consumption During the Colonial Years

Since its origins, the history of wine consumption in America has been both encouraged and despised by different demographic groups. Spanish missionaries produced the earliest New World wine during the early 17th Century. Shortly thereafter, French immigrants began to cultivate grapes in the Hudson River Valley. They made wine, juice, and preserves.

The early history of wine consumption in America was dominated by immigrants whom were primarily Catholic, and of Central or Southern European descent. The bulk of wine-drinking immigrants came from the wine loving nations of France, Italy, Germany, and Spain. They descended from cultural traditions that valued social wine consumption with the evening meal.

The aforementioned wine drinkers were counterbalanced by immigrants from Northern Europe. Many held Puritan belief systems that discouraged or banned alcohol consumption of any kind. The nativist movements of the early 18th Century cast suspician on immigrant groups that retained Old World customs and did not entirely assimilate into American society.

Wine consumption was a lightning rod for these discriminatory points of view. Although not accurate, alcoholism was seen as a problem only associated with certain ethnic groups that enjoyed wine. Whiskey and beer was the actual source of vast majority of problematic inebriation. Nonetheless, early prohibitionist forces were very effective at linking wine to the ills of American society.

History of Wine Consumption During the 19th Century

In the 1830s, Americans consumed massive amounts of whiskey and beer. Alcoholism was extremely widespread and was affecting the stability of the American family. Husbands spent time in the saloons instead of with their families, and rampant drunkedness increased instances of philandering and crime.

Ironically, as Prohibitionist fervor gained national momentum in the nineteenth century, the American wine industry boomed. From 1860-1880, Phylloxera devastated the vineyards of France. California wine production greatly increased to fill the international void. Huge tracts of vineyards were planted in Southern California to satisfy the international demand for wine. However, most of this production was exported and it did not have a major impact on the history of wine consumption in America.

By the mid-1880s, European wine production rebounded, causing a glut of American wine. To make matters worse, Pierce’s Disease and Phylloxera simultaneously struck Southern California’s vineyards. Rising population and real estate values in the Los Angeles Basin was the last nail in the coffin of extensive viticulture in the region. With Prohibitionist attitudes constantly gaining momentum, American demand for wine was insufficient to make up for the loss of the much larger European market.

History of Wine During the Prohibition Years

In response to the massive outcry of many Americans against alcohol consumption, Congress passed the 18th Amendment in 1917. It banned the commercial production and sale of alcohol in America. The Volstead Act was ratified in 1920 and expounded on the actual implementation of Prohibition. It also mandated several loopholes in alcohol production and consumption. Physicians could prescribe alcohol and it could be consumed for religious purposes. Additionally, a head of household was legally allowed to produce 200 gallons of wine a year for personal use. This was largely a concession to the significant Italian-American electorate.

Because of the Volstead Act, American wine consumption actually increased during Prohibition. The traditional American alcoholic beverages of beer and distilled spirits were illegal to produce and sell from 1920-1933. As a result, regions like Lodi saw a massive increase in demand for grapes used for home winemaking.

Prohibition did not curtail the American apetite for alcohol, it merely destroyed the legal framework that governed alcohol sales. Due to the inaccessibility of alcohol, the use of other drugs, including cocaine and marijauna greatly increased. Additionally, the government lost a major source of revenue from taxing alcohol as organize crime took over the means of production and distribution. The American public became increasingly dissolutioned with the government’s stubborn attempt to attain the impossible.

The 21st Amendment: Repeal of Prohibition

After a decade of the “noble experiment”, Congress passed the 21st Amendment. It ended national Prohibition and transferred the authority to allow or ban production and sale of alcohol to individual states. Many states relegated this authority to the county level. Counties in some states prohibit alcohol to this day. The history of wine production and sales since the repeal of Prohibition has been governed by the 21st Amendment, not the free trade mandates of the U.S. Constitution.

Because every state has the power to make their own laws regarding wine sales, it has effectively made commercial wine distribution a convoluted mess. Marketing wine in the U.S. continues to be a difficult and frustrating task, especially for smaller wineries.

The effects of the 21st Amendment have had a major impact on the history of wine consumption in the U.S. during the 20th and 21st Centuries. Its legacy is a tangle of state and county laws that regulate the production and sale of wine.

The Fortified Wine Years

Immediately after the repeal of Prohibition, wine consumption dropped as Americans had renewed access to spirits and beer. From the repeal of Prohibition to the late 1950s, high-alcohol dessert and fortified wines dominated the market. These were the darkest days of the history of wine production and consumption. Many fortified wines were produced and sold extremely cheaply, and catered to the “misery market”. “Winos” drank these overly alcoholic concoctions becauses they were the cheapest way to get drunk. In the quest for short-term profits, unscrupulous producers stamped a black mark on the history of wine in America.

From 1934 to the early 1950s, immigrant families consumed the majority of table wines. Unfortunately, many of their offspring did not follow their parents traditional drink choices and began consuming beer and cocktails as they assimilated into American society. Table wine was a mysterious beverage to most Americans and was associated with high-society and recent arrivals from Southern and Central Europe.

The Jug Wine Years

America’s taste for non-fortified wines finally began to develop in the early 1960s. The majority of these new wine drinkers were young, well-traveled, and relatively affluent. As the Baby Boom generation came of age, the ranks of wine drinkers increased. Even still, the majority of consumers bought simple, sweet wines.

The early 1980s saw the height of the frenzy to promote and sell inexpensive wines to the American public. The White Zinfandel rage was and continues to be a major part of the market. Total American wine consumption reached an all-time high due to a massive influx of capital and advertising. Despite predictions of continued increases, it did not materialize.

At the same time, overall alcohol consumption decreased in the United States during the 1980s. The anti-drug and alcohol movement justifyably discouraged dangerous levels of drug and alcohol ingestion. Unfortunately, extremists in the movement also attacked the history of wine consumption in America. Zero-tolerance attitudes portrayed moderate wine consumption as not only hazardous to the individual, but also as detrimental to the entire population.

The Renaissance Years

In the late 1980s, jug wine consumption fell sharply. American tastes were changing, and the market began to demand wines with defined characteristics. Mike Benziger’s Glen Ellen Winery entered the void, creating the hugely popular “fighting varietals” genre. These wines bridged the gap between the generic production of the past, and the boutique wineries of the following decade.

Much of America’s current interest in quality wine stems from a 1991 60 Minutes Program that examined the health benefits of moderate wine consumption. The “French Paradox” is the fact that the French consume fatty foods, significant red wine, and have a very low incidence of heart disease. This news had a major impact on American wine consumption, especially in aging, affluent demographic groups.

The Future…Factors to Consider

As American society becomes increasingly more fast-paced and hectic, fewer families are sitting down together for dinner. This is not a positive sign for American wine consumption as few people open up a bottle of wine to drink with their drive-thru or take-out dinners.

Wine enjoyment is symtomatic of relaxation, and these days American society is anything but relaxed. The history of wine is also synonymous with stable family relationships, and the divorce rate in the U.S. is currently about 50%.

Furthermore, wine is a complicated subject that generally requires a certain amount of leisure time and money to become a true adherent. Additionally, wine has an unflattering image amongst many American alcohol consumers who prefer beer or liquor. In my opinion, there are limits to how large the quality wine market can increase.

On a more positive note, the American population is aging, and older, more affluent people tend to enjoy wine more than other demographic groups. Hopefully they will pass their appreciation of wine to the next generation.

In many ways, the history of wine consumption in the U.S. is a microcosm of both the positives and negatives that have come with the innate American experience. Studying the history of wine consumption in the U.S. illuminates the political, cultural, religious, and racial diversity that has made the nation what it is today.

America has a relatively small but growing population of wine-lovers. Although the number of regular wine drinkers are far from being a majority, they will continue to grow as the population ages. Future trends will probably include an increase in consumption of quality varietals grown in specific, terroir-driven locations.

About The Author

Ben Bicais lives in the Napa Valley and is the webmaster of http://www.california-wine-tours-and-accessories.com.

ben@california-wine-tours-and-accessories.com

Regional Characteristics of Craft Brewing.

It is surely apparent to even the most casual observer that the
selection of small batch, or micro brewed, beer has grown
steadily for many years. Early on in the craft brewing revival
it was widely speculated that the microbrew revolution was
merely a fad and once over, factory beers would once again be
the only beer left standing on the shelves. But these smaller
brewers have not only survived, they have thrived and
revitalized many brewing traditions nearly lost forever. What
has emerged is rather amazing. When you travel the United States
and sample beers over a wide geographic range, patterns emerge
in the beer styles and flavors you sample. These brewing
tendancies are based on the history of beer making in the
region, the availability of ingredients, and even the climate of
the area and its effect on the demand for various beer styles.

Let’s look at some of the broad regions of the country and what
you can expect in the general styles of beers. While this
exercise sheds some light on how each region has evolved, it is
by no means an absolute reference. There are many wonderful
exceptions to every generalization.

North East

New England has roots that run to the very beginnings of when
Europeans first settled North America, and one of the first
traditions these settlers brought with them was brewing. Many of
our founding fathers not only enjoyed a brewed libation, they
often made their own. One of the biggest craft brewers even
takes its very name from a famous patriot and brewer from the
American Revolution. The microbrew revolution has not traveled
far from its heritage, and you will find almost exclusively
beers made in the English tradition. This is ale country, and
most brewpubs even have the traditional hand pulled beer engine
offering true cask conditioned ales at cellar temperatures.
While English ales rule in the North East, a few renegades are
offering Belgian style ales. These beers are very traditional in
their hops and malt balance, smooth and very drinkable.

Midwest

Many Germans migrated during the 1800’s to the Midwest in search
of farm land and work in the booming cities. With them they
brought a long tradition of brewing cold fermented lagers from
their homeland of Germany, Bavaria, Poland, and other middle
European countries. True to form, this portion of the country
still has some of the best lagers to be found in the world. It
is this part of the country where brewing survived during
prohibition and then blossomed after its downfall. The United
States largest brewers are still in the Midwest, but they are no
longer alone. The beer selection you will primarily find here
focuses on lighter beers that have been cold fermented and offer
crisp clean colors, the floral and citrus aromas of Noble hops,
and little in the way of estery yeast by-products. The exception
to this rule is the amazing bounty of aromas you may find in a
glass of traditional Hefeweizen, or wheat beers with the yeast
left unfiltered.

South

Settled mainly by the French, the south and Gulf Coast has
little in the way of a brewing history. The very warm climate
made growing malt and hops nearly impossible, and fermenting in
this heat is unpredictable. As such, the South does not have
many brewpubs and Micros in order to define their space. With
the advent of refrigeration, and the ease of shipping
ingredients now, there are some great brews beginning to take
shape. So perhaps it would be better to wait until more brewing
traditions have been created before pigeon-holing this newcomer
to the brewing scene. One thing that is noticeable is the effect
hot weather has on the beer drinkers desire. Lighter beers
served ice cold are in much greater fashion than the heavier and
warmer ales served by their neighbors to the North.

Mountains

The mountains of Colorado, Nevada, and Idaho are especially
noted for unparalleled skiing. Along with skis, vacationers
often bring a hearty thirst worked up from multiple trips down
the mountains. Here an ever-growing brewpub scene offers some of
the most varied selections in the country. It is almost like the
brewers of the mountain region reflect the many expectations
brought by visitors from every corner of the world. Here you
will find German lagers, English Ales, and American originals
all served side by side. But one characteristic that begins to
shine through comes from the proximity of the hops growing
region in the Pacific Northwest. Beer here has a distinct extra
dose of hops that make them All American. Instead of using hops
imported from Europe, beer is most often embued with American
varieties descended from traditional hops of the world.

West Coast and Pacific Northwest

The West Coast is mostly affected by the very close US center of
hops growing in Oregon and Washington states. Beer styles here
are most certainly American. The Pacific Northwest is also the
heart of barley growing in the United States, so it is no
surprise that the density of micro brewed beer is higher here
than most anywhere else in the country. And every brewery or
brewpub offers many styles with assertive hops; in the kettle
for bitterness as well as large amounts of dry hops in the
barrel for aroma. Most styles are American adaptations of German
or English traditional brews, adapted for the cool wet weather
and utilizing the abundance of local ingredients.

While throughout the world there are literally dozens of st
yles of beer, relatively few are brewed in any one region of
the United States. Each area has been influenced by climate,
availability of ingredients, and tradition, to develop a limited
number of distinct beer offerings.

If you are a gourmet coffee lover you will know that there are many related products and items that are connected with it, the thing is there are many people just like you who are also bewitched by gourmet coffee and these people can be found talking about the subject on many forums and news groups around the internet. Finding these fellow enthusiasts is pretty easy but you need to know the facts.

For a small minority items you might even wonder why such a message board might exist but let me tell you now there are news groups all over the web on the most unusual and weirdest of subjects, coffee makers and those closely linked to the industry will themselves join and take part in news groups targeted at food and drink and the general sphere of coffee products and connected accessories, it is in such places that a person will be given the insider secrets on such areas and also get an idea of the latest coffee merchandise to get released.

Whilst searching for coffee details on a message board you can normally guarantee that the tips you will gain will be a hundred percent honest and very reliable indeed, somebody may have ordered a Green Coffee product or a Kona Coffee Beans product however not have been happy with their purchase, by carefully checking some message board posts on the chosen coffee product before they purchased they could very well have obtained some vital advice aimed at their coffee related purchase.

Furthermore newsgroups can give you some real positive guidance on coffee products and accessories, It only takes a couple of minutes of your time to divide the best goods from the bad. Pretend for a minute you have read numerous forum posts talking about a wood coffee table, if this food and drink merchandise was included on your shopping list then this may be one coffee product that you can happily buy and know that you are getting a wonderful deal for your cash.

The selection of individuals that appear in the gourmet coffee forums is also amazing, there are people who work in the industry, people who are retired from it, the coffee advice that these kind of folk can provide is simply priceless. It is in these forums or even blogs that you will learn the insider coffee secrets, where to get the real wholesale prices, where not to buy from, all kinds of wonderful facts and data. Best of all these folk are not charging for what must be considered the best information there is on coffee, it is just like sticking your head into a classroom on a subject you are totally interested in, experts on blends, specialists on rare coffee beans, all providing their knowledge for free.

Pretend for a minute you are searching for a vintage coffee table, why this item? well it just so happens a colleague of yours bought one, you too are wishing to buy the same merchandise however check a coffee forum first, there you find out the item is not as wonderful as you thought and end up ordering an alternative product. This can be applicable to any region of coffee products, office coffee grinders, insulated coffee pourers it doesn’t matter what the merchandise is, select coffee or food and drink news groups are of great value for any possible buyer of these kind of products.

The Free Secret gourmet coffee guide by Carol Hansonly the author of this article can be found at : www.bjcoffee.com

Deep-fried Shrimp Cakes Taud Man Goong

Street vendors in coastal towns. Especially around Songkhla,
Surat Thani and Phuket, offer a highly seasoned version of this
snack made with fish. For interesting variations, try this
recipe with crab, crayfish or lobster

Ingredients

1 1/4 lb (600 g) fresh shrimp or prawns, shelled and divined

1/3 cup (2 oz/50 g) ground pork or chopped ham or bacon or 1
tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 cup bread crumbs

2 lime leaves, very thinly sliced

4 cup oil for deep-frying

Sweet and Spicy Pickled vegetables

1 cup (250 ml) white vinegar

1/2 cup (100 g) sugar

3-5 bird’s-eye chilies

3-5 shallots, sliced

2 tablespoon finely sliced cauliflower

2 tablespoon finely sliced baby corns or cabbage

2 tablespoon sliced baby cucumber

1 tablespoon grated ginger

Preparation

1) To prepare the Sweet and Spicy Pickled vegetables, bring the
vinegar and sugar to a boil, then set aside to cool. Add the
remaining ingredients, mix and set aside.

2) Finely chop the shrimp and pork or oil together or process in
a blender until they form a rough paste. Add salt, sugar, kaffir
lime leaves and half the bread crumbs, then shape into flat,
round patties. Coat the out side of the patties with the
remaining bread crumbs.

3) Place the oil in a pan or wok and heat. Deep-fry the patties
in the oil until golden brown and fragrant.

4) Serve hot with the Sweet and Spicy Pickled vegetables and
green Chili sauce

Note: The Sweet and Spicy Pickled vegetables and shrimp cake
patties can be prepared in advance and fried just before serving.

Serves: 4 Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes

With the popularity of espresso shops and martini bars is it any wonder that the espresso martini has become popular as well? Sometimes called the espressotini, this drink is a perfect blend of caffeine and alcohol. If you’re looking for a buzz that picks you up while relaxing you at the same time, then it’s time that you asked your barista or your bartender for an espresso martini.

So what is an espresso martini? Well, that depends on who you ask. There are so many variations of this drink out there that there isn’t a generally accepted recipe. The only consistent ingredients are espresso and vodka and even then the espresso is sometimes substituted with coffee or even instant coffee crystals.

The best espresso martinis are usually made with real espresso. If you’re making one at home, be sure to let it cool to room temperature before adding it to your cocktail shaker. Using ice to cool down your espresso will just give you watered down espresso.

The vodka in an espresso martini is almost always of the flavored variety. The most popular option is using a vanilla vodka and adding a coffee liqueur. But now there are espresso flavored vodkas available as well. Whether you use unflavored vodka, vanilla or espresso just remember that you don’t want to use gin. It’s true that martinis are made with gin but it really doesn’t taste great when mixed with espresso.

Once the vodka and the espresso are added this is where all the variations come into play. Some people like to add a splash of Grand Marnier, while other recipes call for Tia Maria or Amaretto. Even chocolate liqueurs can be added if you prefer the taste of a mochaccino to a regular espresso. If you like the taste of one of these liqueurs and you think it will go with your espresso martini then give it a try. Whatever you choose, be sure to only use a splash because the main purpose of this additional liqueur is to add a just hint of flavor. You don’t want to overpower the primary flavors of the martini.

The one thing that almost all espresso martini recipes agree on is the garnish. Three espresso beans will top your drink off properly. The rules for garnishes say that odd amounts are lucky so go with one, three or five beans.

Espresso martinis are becoming more and more popular no matter how they are made. Whether you’re a regular at your local coffee house or that swanky martini bar in the city, why not order an espressotini the next time you’re looking for new and unusual drink.