How to make coffee: the rules…

Coffee, especially a well made cup, is something magical…the smell, the taste, the caffeine! But there is no magic or mystery in making the perfect cup, just a few basic rules that can keep your “cuppa” consistent and delectable.  Now when I say basic rules, I mean basic as in very simple, but don’t be fooled by the simplicity of the process… there are plenty of ways to go wrong, so take note!   Even if you load your coffee with cream and sugar;  even if you prefer coffee drinks such as iced coffee (or Irish coffee!)…it is still crucial to start with a base of the best coffee you can make.  So now let’s have a look at the four basic rules to great coffee.

1)  Pick the right beans and keep them fresh.

Now don’t feel pressured to choose the best beans you can find (unless that’s what you’re after).   Excluding the cheapest bargain beans, most coffee beans are certainly able to produce a great cup of coffee.  The caveat to this is that they must be kept FRESH, meaning as little exposure to air as possible.  For this reason I recommend purchasing coffee that is stored in an airtight bag, not from the self serve bins (regardless of how enticing they look and smell).  A freshly kept coffee bean will make a much better coffee brew than a far superior bean that has sat out for a day.  So, whether your beans are pre-ground or whole, how you store your coffee at home can make a great difference in the final taste of your coffee.  Shop around for an airtight canister to store your beans in.  If you are grinding your own beans, grind only enough for the intended serving and use them immediately.

Note – How to grind coffee.  If you choose to grind your own coffee be mindful of the following general guidelines:

Coarse – A coarse ground coffee is primarily used for the french press.

Medium – Medium grinds are the most common for pre-ground coffee because most people use drip brewers, which the medium grind is well suited for.  To make a stronger pot of coffee in a drip brewer, grind the coffee a little finer.

Fine – Espresso requires a fine grind in order for the extraction to be perfect. Turkish grind coffee is moderately finer than espresso

2)  Keep everything CLEAN.

Again, this seems obvious, but don’t underestimate how much this can affect the taste of your coffee!  Keep your equipment clean.  Coffee oils build up a residue very quickly and give your fresh brewed coffee an old, stale taste…not pleasant.  Also very important…keep your water clean.  Buy a filter if using tap water (Just a simple attachment to the faucet will do, and  $25-$35 is all you need to spend).  If your water has any taste to it, the nuances will show up in the coffee. Needless to say we don’t want that. We just want pure , clean, cold water so that the only thing you taste is your coffee.

3) Measure both the coffee to be used and the volume of your coffee cup.

Again, very important.  For years I didn’t measure and made consistently weak under-flavored coffee.  One six-ounce cup of coffee needs two tablespoons of coffee beans. If that sounds like a lot then you have probably been making less than full strength coffee as I was.  When I finally did begin measuring, my coffee drinking experience was transformed into the delightful, pleasing experience that remains constant if I follow these simple directions.

4)  Choose the right coffee maker.

French press, drip coffee maker, stove top espresso, a $12 pot or a $600 machine.  Each method has its fans , but for simplicity’s sake I’m just going to recommend a nice solid drip brewer.  Now I own, and once in a while enjoy, both a french press and a classic Bialleti stove-top espresso maker.  But, like most people, I like to wake up, pour some water into my coffee maker, add a few scoops of coffee, and hit a button.  Are there better ways to make coffee?  Sure, but the ease and consistency of a mid-range (don’t go too cheap, but there’s no need to spend a fortune either) drip brewing coffee machine are hard to beat.  OK, OK, so the french press and stove-top espresso makers aren’t at all hard to use…but when it’s early and I’m groggy I don’t want to worry about water temperature and brew time (i.e. burning the coffee!).  So for me, 90% of the time I use a drip brewer. 

One of the most important things to look for in a drip coffee maker is its ability to heat the water correctly .  A common complaint against the drip maker is that they don’t heat the water sufficiently ; and water that is not brought to the correct temperature will fail to extract the full flavour from your coffee.  Luckily, there are plenty of coffee makers on the market that can do this with no problem .  Just keep this in mind while shopping, and you won’t run into any troubles.

 

Well there you have it, the basic (but important!) rules on how to make coffee, how to grind coffee, how to store coffee, why you need to keep it clean, and how to pick out a coffee maker. 

One last tip!  Fight the urge to steal a cup from your coffeemaker while it is still brewing.  The hot water and coffee beans produce different flavours throughout the brewing process.  So wait until the last drop has dripped and give it a stir.  This is coffee the way it should be   Enjoy!

 

 

 

 Charcoal smokers will give you an interesting range of tastes and is a spot-on changeup from your normal summer cooking . You can smoke just about anything that can be grilled , and matching the various kinds of woods with different kinds of meat is an awesome challenge and makes for a fun hobby.

                 Check it out. Ribs are one of the most popular types of meat to use in a charcoal smoker. You can’t beat a big rack of ribs, smoked just right with a mesquite or hickory. Pork or beef, doesn’t matter because either are great smoked. Water is very important , too. Since smoking takes a bit – many hours in a lot of cases – you need to have a water pan in there to ensure the meat  doesn’t dry out. You can get that amazing smoky flavor, but it’ll all be ruined if the chops or ribs are dry and tough.

                Pork chops are another popular smoking meat. My favorite recipes calls for smoking chops with maple wood, then adding a maple syrup glaze to coat the chops with during the final 30 minutes . The smoke gives the chops the maple flavor, the water keeps it moist, and the glaze at the end seals in the juicy goodness. It has a sweet taste flavor that goes perfectly with roasted yams.

You need some lighter wood but heartier meat when you’re smoking fish. Haddock or any kind of mild white fish is difficult to smoke, though it can be done. So your best bet if you’re just starting off is to smoke tuna or salmon . They’re meatier, thicker , and they keep together through the smoking process. Apple is a great lighter wood that works well with salmon, though you have to smoke much longer because the flavor is mellower. Be careful! You don’t want to overcook your salmon. If it’s flaky, it’s overcooked. Briny water is very important with salmon to keep it from drying out, particularly if you must smoke it longer. Use damp wood chips to produce a more billowy smoke. If it turns out great, though, it’s worth the work. It pairs well with wild grain rice and Swiss chard.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with the water too. Besides just water, you can add juices or beer. For example, smoking venison with a light maple wood and a cherry-infused beer imparts a great flavor you can dress with a cherry sauce or serve as is.

The most important thing is to experiment. Smoking is a skill , and with any craft the skill is sharpened through trial and error. Charcoal smokers come in different sizes and shapes, and many times have different features. Start simple – a standard vertical smoker should start you just fine – and go from there. Don’t go out and blow hundreds of dollars on the killer smoker on your first time go. You won’t know how to use everything and will be overwhelmed. A cylinder, a water pan, two racks, and a thermometer is enough to get you going .

If you are looking for the perfect gift to send a friend or family member from your home town , then a local themed gift basket would be an easy and convenient gift idea.  No matter where you live, it should be very easy to find a local themed gift basket.  All cities throughout the United States have some special local events of foods that are worth noting.  The easiest thing to do is to go online and find out what your citiy is famous for, and just incorporate some of those items in your gift basket.   

If you live in the Indianapolis area, there are a lot of fun race themed Indianapolis gift baskets available.  Many of them are filled with local sweets and treats like black and white checkered chocolates, chocolate race car, some checkered flags and much more.  Hoosiers love racing themed gifts , but you could also send an IU basketball or Colts football themed gift basket.  If you reside in Georgia, then sending a Georgia themed basket would typically be filled with fresh peaches and  peach jelly and peach BBQ sauces  .  No matter what city you live in , it is always fun to show your local spirit when sending a gift.  The local themed gourmet gift baskets are also fun to send to a friend if your favorite sports team is competing against theirs.  When the Patriots are playing the Colts , and you want to send a fun gift idea to a friend in Indianapolis, you can fill up a gift basket filled with some New England BBQ sauce, some clam chowder mix and local brewed beers to remind your buddy in Indianapolis that this year is going to be your year.  Texas is known for fabulous Texas griling and BBQ, and provides great ideas for local Texas gift baskets .  There is nothing better than receiving a gift basket filled with Texas made sauces and grilling seasonings.  They make the perfect grilling gift that is ideal for a man’s gift.  No matter what the occasion, it is always fun to show off some of the local favorite foods and treats to your friends and family. 

A fryer filter is one of the most valuable things you can have in your kitchen and that is if you are a sucker for fried food . I’ve always felt bad each time I dispose tons of oil because I feel that I am wasting money . I have to come up with a way  on how I can make the most out of my oil . As you know, the oil in your fryer degrades in quality over a certain amount of time and it should be replaced. How often? Well it really depends on what you cook, how much you cook and how often you cook.

Bad taste, uneven browning, odor and flavor transfer, smoking, rancidness, greasiness, heat loss, carbonizing of baskets, elements and container walls are just some of the few problems you will encounter with reusing deep fryer oil and fat. To solve this problem  and to help you save money, you need a good filter.

Fryer filters work by draining cooking oil from the fryer tank and then it circulates it through a filter that strains unwanted and nasty particles. It will then return the filtered oil to the fryer tank. Oil or fat that has been filtered from one to three times a day keeps the oil as clean as new. You can maintain the lowest possible contaminates and you can be assured of long life and even browning at minimal cost.

To make sure you are able to attain uniform browning each time and to extend the lifespan of your oil, clean the fryer baskets thoroughly and elements with a good quality detergent and rinse cautiously several times. You have to do this at least once a week. Add new oil to the fryer and then use an oil fryer filter on a periodic basis. Again, this will depend on your frying frequency. If you own a restaurant, it’s advisable to filter one to three times per day or after each shift.

If you can’t get hold of a  a portable fryer filter, you can just use a filter paper. This method will allow a large percentage of the food particles to pass through the paper. 

Dried foods hold a lot of nutritional values. A handful of dried food can always provide you with nutritional benefits of eating grams of fresh foods. When eating such foods you can actually intake sufficient amount of calories, vitamins and carbs. There are a number of people who in fact consume a mixed diet of both varieties of foods to maintain a rich life style. This certainly is a habit that is considered as being very much healthy. You need to keep in mind that consuming such foods is always looked up as a much better option, as dried food is always a better preferred light food as compared to chocolates, biscuits and chips or wafers.

These types of foods are certainly very much high in carbohydrates, fibers, antioxidants and vitamins. Besides, these are also believed to be very low in fat contents. One of the main disadvantages of consuming this diet is that they are very much rich in energy density. When processing dried food, all the excess amount of water is dried maintaining it completely liquid free. This is also one of the reasons why it is lot easier to preserve such foods for a prolonged period of time. But with the process of dehydration, the energy density of the food also increases as compared to fresh fruits.

So if you are not doing any work that involves additional amount of movement or physical activities, then there are possibilities that you could in fact add additional amount of kilojoules to your excess weight. Another drawback why most people don’t prefer eating dried foods is that they have a tendency to stick to your teeth. So in case you are eating too much of dried foods on regular basis then it is necessary that you should take proper care of your teeth. Dried foods are also considered as most convenient type of snacks, especially when consumed in smaller amounts. If you want more benefit from eating dried food then it is important that you try and eat this with lots of fresh fruits and juice. Apart from this, such foods are always a much beter option as compared to eating chips as it does not add any amount of fat to your body. 

There certainly is an increase in the number of people who prefer dried foods on regular basis. These food products are considered as highly rich in protein, minerals and vitamin count and they certainly do lack carbohydrates and fats. Analysis of such food ingredients proves that they are very low in water content. But they have the tendency to supply with extra amount of energy to our organ system. They offer your body with best nutritional benefits. Everyone likes eating dried food. No matter what time of day it is, but a small amount of this food always has the power to kill your hunger. You need to bear in mind that these types of foods are generally made by removing all the excess amount of water from the natural fruits. So, these are considered as tasty and the best part is that they are just not messy.

This is one of the prime causes why most individuals can enjoy consuming them any time and at any place. As dried foods have less amount of liquid so there are many people who doubt the nutritional value of these foods. Even if they undergo the process of dehydrating still they have the power to supply full supply of energy to our body. When drying these food products, all its carbohydrate, protein and vitamin content are in fact concentrated inside the food. You need to keep in mind that drying certainly is one of the best ways to store the fruit. Another benefit of carrying these foods is that they are very much lighter in weight. Even if all amount of water is dried up still they are rich in sugar content and this is one of the reasons why these food products are high in energy count.

The process of water elimination is generally performed by circulating warm air around fruits that are completely ripened. Many people also make use of natural light to dry these fruits complete. By evaporating the moisture content of dried foods, it can retain only 20% of its liquid, but a lot also depends on the type of fruit you are dehydrating. There are also a number of manufacturers who like using sulfur oxide for the process of drying and evaporating. This is also one process that does not affect the nutritional benefit of these food products. Such type of foods are definitely rich in vitamin C but they lack vitamin B1 and D.

Search for free things to do in New York City at http://newyork.timeout.com.  They have more than 300 free things you can do.

Sad to hear about Gary Coleman’s passing today. He’s immortalized on Broadway in the musical Avenue Q, though. Go see it in tribute! Avenue Q is a former Broadway show, now playing Off-Broadway at New World Stages. Still right in the theatre district, though!

Sunset scheduled at 8:15pm today, why not see it from the Brooklyn Bridge in our NY See the Lights! tour? Plenty of seating room still available!

Boy, is it hot out there!!! Why not cool down and see NYC in one of our fabulous air conditioned buses. Call 212-852-4821 for details!

Get a discount at http://www.mommylabels.com. Use discount code Schmidt2010. It’s a really cool service that will make customized labels with your child’s name and/or address info. Check it out.

What makes us different is that we live AND work in NYC. Got a New York question? Ask a New Yorker from OnBoard — we know this city! 

Drama Desk awards are tonight. They’re a great bellwether for who might win Broadway’s coveted Tony Awards.

Want cheap, delicious New York pizza in a singular space? Try John’s on 44th Street; located in a converted church, it’s arguably NYC’s best. Of course, we always recommend all of the little carts and hole-in-the-wall places around Manhattan.  They are almost all great.  You could also try Grimaldi’s.

Yankees vs. Mets tonight! It’s perfect weather for a true New York City baseball game. Ask us for tips on where to sit and what to eat!

People always ask what time is best; personally, I recommend the 3:00pm See It All because you see the beautiful sunset over NYC!

DID YOU KNOW? Empire State Building was originally designed to serve as a dirigible terminal for Zeppelins and other airships to dock….

 Wonderful day today in NYC! Evening is going to be even more gorgeous. 

Halal Pork and Friends tonight at Happy Ending, 302 Broome, 8pm.

When it rains in New York City, OnBoard Tours is the only sightseeing bus that puts a roof over your head, guaranteed.

New York Museums: The Met or MOMA? You can only go to one, which do you choose? Tough choice! If it has to be just one, then the Met. 

This article comes from the OnBoard New York Tours Twitter Feed.  Follow it at @onboardnyctours

 

 

Numerous people recognize the uncooked food diet plan as regular consumption of unprocessed material or about the other word is an organic base. A person using the uncooked diet plan, the 3 quarters of the entire serving should consist of the whole plant or unprocessed food. Some individuals stick to the unique plan that they believe the more proportion of uncooked materials, the more they’ll gain wholesome.The most essential advantage of unprocessed substance is that these kinds of material keep the health of our digestive program. There are certain enzymes since the life force is contained in nature. Therefore, the usage with no procedure will keep these enzymes. In addition, the enzymes play the role to sustain our digest system having a complete procedure and no relying on special enzymes on our body.

The raw diet plan will help prevent our body gaining a lot of fat. Due to the raw meals, the regulating meals will not rely about the enzymes on our digest program, so the procedure will carry no lengthier time. The enzymes are basically the existence force that every plant has its unique measurement.Different with raw food, the cooking process will destroy or change the enzymes consist of minerals and nutritional vitamins. This situation will make some of your consumption can’t be processed nicely as digested fats, carbohydrates and proteins will be left. Since the result, the cooked substance will carry lengthier time to be processed and able to clog up the digestive program include the arteries.

Along using the procedure, you’ll obtain much more energy since the procedure on regulating food won’t so lengthier be compared with cooked material. Because the vitamins and minerals wouldn’t disappear, your skin will be much healthier. Another benefit is you’ll be lessening at the possible of developing cardiovascular and heart diseases due to the full and perfect digest procedure.

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Anybody who loves a BBQ must have a good relationship with their butcher. Whether that be an independent with his own shop in the village high street or tucked away somewhere on a side street, or at the local superstore, one ought to get to know and have faith in him.

 

Very often you can get excellent words of advice about how best, how long or what marinades to use to cook a piece of meat. He can also suggest as to which cut of meat might be best or have an alternative if he has something interesting in stock.

 

Even if one has the finest Weber gas grills or Weber bbq available, getting the very best fresh meats can make a substantial difference. And from the point of view of the chef, it should be simpler to cook correctly and earn greater praise. For it is well known that the woman of the house will make the salads, blend the marinades, lay the table, arrange the sauces, get the crockery cleaned and ready, peel and cook the vegetables. And the man of the house will chuck the meat on the BBQ, move it about it a bit and will indulge in the praises of those fed.

 

As well as getting fresh chops, steaks and sausages (always get the home made if using an independent butcher), one should get the best fresh mince and use it to fix your own burgers. In Australia you can’t get ready made burgers as it’s a source of pride for an Aussie to make his own. And they are so straightforward to do – put some bread in a blender and render them down to crumbs and mix in with the mince along with an egg, some olive oil, finely chopped mushrooms plus whatever section of herbs, seasonings and spices are wanted. That’s a simple recipe of course, after that one gets used to it, it’s a case of trial and error. Mixing together combinations of minces is fun as is including or taking out other things. And so goes the search for the perfect burger.

 

Part of the pleasure of cooking on a BBQ, whether it is on a charcoal burner or something like Weber gas grills, the fat or oils spilling onto the burners will cause a very pleasing flare of flame as it ignites. These flares are useful in themselves as they will seal the surface of the meat and keep in the juices which give the flavour to the inside of the meat which is why the charcoal and grills must be as hot as possible, while the marinades and sauces add to the taste of the outside.

 

We are very fortunate here in that we have a first class butcher in one of the villages and their expertise is unmatched as are their sausages. And their ribs. Ooh, and the pork chops. Put any of those on a Weber bbq and serve them up to your friendsmates and they will adore you forever. 

What is your favorite part of every meal? Dessert, of course! It doesn’t matter if you are serving dessert to your family on Monday night or enjoying something extremely delicious and special for a special occasion. We all look forward to what comes after the main course.

Europeans have a special love of desserts. From Italian desserts to the special treats known as German and French desserts, you simply want to taste forever when you wrap your taste buds around these heavenly flavors.

Cultures from Europe tend to favor heavier desserts that sit down on the stomach and make you feel full. It is the exact opposite when eating desserts in hotter, Mediterranean climates where fruity flavors and light cakes are preferred. This may reflect the type of food eaten in these different cultures. Lighter meals can accommodate a heavy dessert much better than a meal that is already heavy to begin with.

The French desserts being served today do tend to be lighter in nature, but Italian and German desserts are still rather heavy. They tend to be rich in sugar, fat and are often very high in calories. These desserts tend to be much heavier than what you will experience from most cultures throughout the world today.

French desserts today typically include a lot of fruit and fruit flavors. You may also find the French serving cheese and wine or crepes for dessert. It is when you go the country sides and takes the country French desserts that you start to get heavier concoctions that are bursting with flavor as well as fat and calories.

French country cooking offers desserts such as the amazing Apple Tart Tatin, a mouthwatering mingling of real butter, vanilla bean, French brandy, green apples and puff pastry that is sure to please even the most discriminating dessert fan.

Italian Desserts- Italian desserts can take many forms. The more rich and heavy desserts are generally eaten at an late evening meal, but desserts are even eaten during daytime meals as well. One great dessert that is often eaten which is a bit more heavy is known as Tiramisu.How would it be possible to go wrong with layers of amazing pound cake, mascarpone, and cream? Another of the most delicious and often eaten desserts in Italy is known as affogato. The name literally means drowned. It consists of a large scoop of Italian ice of rich ice cream which has been topped with a boiling shot of espresso. The name Affogato means drowned.

There are a few features that tend to bind most German desserts together: super sweet tastes, rich flavors, and a filling, heavy feeling on the stomach. The great thing about the Germans is they like their desserts to be fast and easy to make yet very filling and satisfying on the stomach. For instance, consider Kuchen, which simply means “cake” in German. Some people may make this cake with a filling of cinnamon and sugar while others only fill with sugar and then put a very sweet custard sauce over the top. The intense sweetness tends to be a trademark of German desserts.

Whatever your taste may be in a dessert, you will find something that you like from among French, German and Italian desserts. The internet is a great place to find wonderful new dessert recipes to try out on your own family.