History of Coffee

According to some of the legends out there, coffee was supposedly discovered in Ethiopia, where coffee grew wild everywhere. Some shepherds with their sheep, have discovered that their flocks didn't sleep during the night after eating coffee that was growing in the wild.

Another legend that I have discovered gives us the name for coffee or "mocha". An Arabian was banished to the desert with his group to die with no food. In desperation, Omar the name of the banished man had his friends boil and eat the fruit from a plant unknown to them. Not only did the juice of the unknown plant save them who were banished, but their survival was taken as a religious sign by the residents of the nearest town called Mocha. The plant and its juice that was formed were named Mocha to honor this event that has happened.

In the 9th century in the Muslim world, coffee began to be use as a medicine, was liked for taste and became a pleasurable drink among the Muslims.
During the 14th century some coffee trees were transplanted to Arabia. They named it Kiawah.

One early use for coffee is has little appeal today. The Galla tribe from Ethiopia. Used coffee, but not as a drink. They would wrap the beans in animal fat as their only source of nutrition while on prowling. The Turks were the first country to adopt it as a drink, often adding spices such as clove, cinnamon, cardamom and anise to the brew.

By 1500 it was already in Turkey and then in Italy. In 1720 Gabriel Mathieu de Chieu, a French Marine Official, brought to Martinica three coffee trees from Paris. Only one of these trees survived the trip. From this surviving tree, coffee growing started in the New World.

Coffee shops began to open in the late 1600's in country's capital cities then in the larger cities and from then on into the beginnings of domestic use.

The Benefits of Olive Oil

I have been hearing for a while, that olive oil is healthy for you. What makes this oil from olives so healthy? What is the benefits of olive oil? I did some research and this is what's up:
The greatest promoter of monounsaturated fat is olive oil. Olive oil is a natural juice which preserves the taste, aroma, vitamins and properties of the olive fruit. Olive oil is the only vegetable oil that can be consumed as it is - freshly pressed from the fruit. The useful health effects of olive oil are due to both its high content of monounsaturated fatty acids and its high content of antioxidant substances. Studies have shown that olive oil offers a protection against heart disease by controlling and mantaining LDL, bad cholesterol levels while raising HDL, the good cholesterol levels. No other naturally produced oil has as large an amount of monounsaturated as olive oil -mainly oleic acid.
Studies have shown that people who consumed an estimate of 25 milliliters, roughly about 2 tablespoons of virgin olive oil each day for 1 week showed less oxidation of LDL cholesterol and higher levels of antioxidant compounds, mainly phenols, in the blood. But while all the types of olive oils are sources of monounsaturated fat, extra virgin olive oil, from the first pressing of the olives, contains the higher levels of antioxidants, particularly vitamin E and phenols, because it is less processed. Olive oil is clearly one of the good oils to consume, one of the healing fats. Most people do well with it since it does not upset or interfere the critical omega 6 to omega 3 ratio and most of the fatty acids in olive oil are actually omega-9 oil which is monounsaturated.

Different Kind of Kitchen Supplies

Here is some great kitchen equipment!

Some Info On Baking Pans

Don't over crowd the oven. The pans should never touch each other or the sides of the oven, or be placed over or under each other on the racks.



Grease pans using a piece of paper towel; rub a small amount of shortening, butter or margarine evenly over the bottom and on sides of pans, if intended for. A small amount of pan spray may be used and spread over the pan, also using the paper towel method.



Prevent sharp edges on muffins, cookies or quick breads by greasing the muffin cups or pans only on the bottom and halfway up the sides so the batter is higher than the grease line. This is one time you might not want to use a pan spray.

Some Info On Woks

Although the district cuisines of China and other Asian countries vary in flavors and ingredients, the unify link between these districts is the use of this wonderful tool the wok as the prime cooking vessel.

The wok was changed centuries ago as a result of lost of fuel. Its rounded shape and long sloping sides provide an extensive cooking surface,
which may be heated to very high temperatures with little fuel. The wok is most commonly related with the technique of stir-frying, but can be used to deep-fry, braise, roast, steam, and simmer.

Cooking with a Wok

There are a few general strategies for doing any cooking with a wok that should be kept in mind.

Preparation and cooking are two separate actions. Carefully read the entire recipe, if you are using one before beginning any cooking. All ingredients should be arranged before cooking.

Attention to the cooking process is very important because most foods are cooked over extreme heat in a matter of minutes. The strength of the heat used for wok cooking is important. In most cases, easily controlled high heat is needed. For this reason, a gas range with its instant heat control is normally more efficient than an electric range or electric wok.

The kind of oil used is also very important. A vegetable oil is normally used in wok cooking. It may be heated to a high temperature without smoking is essential. Peanut oil, corn oil, and soybean oil also works well. Other kinds of fats or greases, such as olive oil, sesame oil, or butter should not be used because they burn easily and tend to smoke more easily.

Due to the variables, such as kinds of foods, type of heat, and the kind of cooking equipment used, cooking times that are directed in recipes should be used as estimate times; it is not enforced to cook at the specific time that is given to you.

Individual wok accessories aren't needed to ensure great cooking, but they can make wok cooking more at ease. If you will be doing a great amount of wok cooking, you might want to stock your kitchen with some good utensils that are made for the wok specifically. Looking for some supplies for your kitchen? Shop here at Lil Chef's Aid.Com

Cast Iron Cookware....is it better?

There are several reasons that people ramble about their cast-iron cookware. Besides being an ideal heat composer, cast iron heats evenly and constantly, it is low-cost and will last a lifetime with proper care, and it is an old-fashioned way to cook fat free. When well seasoned, a cast-iron pan will be stick resistant and require no additional oil.
The benefits of cast-iron pans are wonderful: Foods move smoothly out of it as from no pan made with Teflon; it goes from stove to oven; no special utensils are needed to cook in it; it won't warp, and cleanup is a easy task. It's time people realize the culinary wonder that a cast-iron pan can be! Shop now for some great cast iron cookware at Kitchen Supplies

Chocolate Truffles Yuummm!!

Chocolate Truffles are a rich and tasteful, bite-sized petit four made with a smooth mixture of chocolate, cream, and butter to which various flavorings are added (liqueurs, extracts, nuts, coffee, purees, spices, candied or dried fruits). This mixture is really a Gouache that is rolled into random rounds to look like the real truffle fungus that grows around the roots of trees in France and Italy. Once the truffles are formed they are then rolled in cocoa powder to replicate the 'dirt' that the real truffles grow in. While cocoa powder is the time-honored coating, truffles can also be coated in confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, toasted and chopped nuts, tempered chocolate, shredded coconut, or even shaved chocolate.

Portuguese Food

Where I left off in my last post, was the upcoming entree after a great bowl of Portuguese soup. There are so many different types of entrees Portuguese people. I'm going to talk about a few. One type of Portuguese food that is famous is bacalhau (cod fish). But the word almost always refers to salt cod and the dishes made from it, as fresh cod is rarely consumed in Portugal. There are so many ways to cook this wonderful fish. Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá is one way I find popular out there. It is essentially a casserole of cod, potatoes and onion. You made add more ingredients, desire to your taste. It is a specialty from city of Porto, being now the popular dish throughout Portugal, and is thought to be one of Portugal's greatest bacalhau recipes. Served with some great wines such as Alentejo Wine, Dão Wine or Douro Wine. This is a great meal to enjoy.