Society Of Foodism

The Szechuan style of cuisine arose from a culturally distinct area in the central western of part of China, a province known as Sichuan. This area of China came into its own culturally towards the end of the Shang Dynasty, during the 15th century. However, it was also the climate of the area that helped to shape the culinary traditions that were to arise from Sichuan province and make their way into the realm of international cuisine. The province from which the cuisine that the world knows as Szechuan evolved is often hot and humid, and this contributed to this necessity of preparing foods in ways that differ significantly from other regions of China. Szechuan cuisine is primarily known for its hot and spicy dishes, though naturally there is more to Szechuan food than spice and sauces rich and strong in flavor. A general overview of culinary history and trends reveals that, for the most part, areas that tended to spice heavily were areas in which the fresh food supply w

If you are just starting to cook, or are moving in on your own, chances are, you don't have much in terms of cooking equipment. Here is what we recommend for you to get, as you are starting out. As times goes by, you will, of course, get more kitchen gadgets. But here are five that we recommend starting out with: - Chopping board. This is something very basic, as you can't chop anything without having a chopping board. It is very versatile, as you can chop pretty much anything on it - onions, potatoes, tomatoes, meat, herbs, etc. Some people prefer to get separate chopping boards to meat, dairy items, vegetables, etc. Others get differently sized chopping boards, and use them depending on the volume of things they need to chop. Start out with one, and see what else you need. - A knife . Again, this is very basic, but you will not be able to chop or cook anything without a knife. A good, sharp knife goes a long way to help you prepare food. You can go to some stores, an

The history of olives and olive oil can be traced back to at the least biblical times. When the waters of the great flood subsided and Noah sent forth a dove it was an olive leaf she returned carrying in her mouth. It is known that as long as 6000 years ago olive oil was used as fuel in lamps. Maybe it was this olive oil that created such a beautiful Genie for Major Anthony Nelson to rescue in the popular television sitcom I Dream of Genie.  Today in modern grocery stores there are dozens of gourmet olives widely available. Gone are the days of canned black olives and green olives with pimentos as the only choices. For those of us who remember the days of opening a can of black olives and placing one on each finger then systematically biting them off here is the new olive.  Nicoises: Is a earthy rich olive commonly used in salad. The curing of this olive in red-wine vinegar gives it a distinctive taste.  Green olives with herbs de Provence: This vibrant citrus flavored

Pizza has been around for thousands of years. When did out of the ordinary and delicious gourmet pizza make its debut? What would the forefathers of pizza think of this culinary masterpiece? Everyone knows that a standard pizza comes with pepperoni, cheese, ground beef, peppers, onions, anchovies and sausage. Today gourmet pizza is created with any kind of topping. They are topped with anything from broccoli to chocolate. There are gourmet pizzas for breakfast that can be topped with scrambled eggs, bacon and cheese. And, there are vegetarian gourmet pizzas that are topped with a medley of vegetables. The gourmet pizza is relatively new and was created for the privileged. It has grown in popularity in nearly every household in the United States. Pizza parlors are popping up all across the country. A Sunday afternoon of football will be a definite hit with the gang if a gourmet pizza with all the toppings is served.  A sure pleaser for chocolate lovers is a dessert pizza topped

BBQ sauce is generally a basic mixture of tomatoes, sugar and vinegar. Tomatoes used can be in various forms such as tomato sauce, paste, puree and even ketchup. Sugar adds sweetness to the barbecue sauce and can either be corn syrup, honey or molasses. The addition of vinegar, on the other hand, lends a sour flavor to the bbq sauce and can be in the form of beer, white or flavored vinegar, wine or citrus juices. In general, bbq sauces can be used throughout the barbecue process from preparation to cooking. Bechamel sauce or White Barbecue Sauce has a long and illustrious history. It has been a pet of the French food connoisseurs, since 1651. One of the mother sauces of French cuisine, the white sauce is nowadays made by whisking scalded milk gradually into a white flour-butter roux. However, it can also be made by whisking a kneaded flour-butter beurre manié into scalded milk. The thickness of the final sauce depends on the proportions of milk and flour. White Barbecue sauce, unqu

Cheesecake makes a perfect gift. There are guidelines that should be followed when choosing the perfect gift. For one thing, the gift should be chosen specifically for a certain individual whose tastes are known to you. If you are not well acquainted with the recipient, you must give a general-type of gift that will not offend. Another guideline for choosing the perfect gift is that the gift must fit, and most important, if the recipient doesn't like the gift, it must be passed on to someone else. Do you know anyone who doesn't like cheesecake and wouldn't consider it the perfect gift? For gift-giving occasions the ultimate gift is one that is adored and can be shared with others, and this makes cheesecake the perfect gift. Even if the recipient is on a low fat, no fat, no sugar or no carb diet, cheesecake is the perfect gift because it can be made to adhere to almost any diet by carefully choosing the ingredients. In today's society there is almost no limit to

What can be more soothing to the soul, tummy-filling and sociable than having a piece of cheesecake? These are just some of the reasons why I love cheesecake. Just thinking about cheesecake sets my mouth to watering for a big piece of the light, airy confection made with a graham cracker crust and smooth creamy vanilla filling, with a favorite topping of cherries or strawberries or blueberries or streusel - - - or you can choose for yourself if you like. Then you will know why I love cheesecake. The first documented cheesecake was at an Olympic game in the seventh century in Greece. It then spread to other European countries and eventually made its way to North America when immigrants crossed the ocean to seek their fame and fortune. Little did they know that the recipe they brought with them would eventually launch a huge following of people who love cheesecake and would balloon into a multimillion-dollar industry across the world. The decadent taste and texture of cheesecak

Yes, even you can cook up wonderful meals and impress your loved ones! Ever thought that gourmet cooking is not for you, or that you do not cook well?  Then it’s time to totally change your mindset from today . . . Anyone and everyone can easily pick up cooking skills; younger or older, ladies and even the guys.  It doesn’t matter what your skill level is today; you can do much better and make great dishes like the chefs at your favorite restaurants.  And what’s more, the meals you cook will be done to perfection – your kind of perfection.   And you know what the best part is?  You already have the most important ingredient . . . you know what great food is! Let's show you the way . . .  Xperimental Cooking is putting YOU in charge – you’re the boss of the kitchen!  You choose the ingredients you like and whip up meals to suit your specific tastes.  Forget about strictly following recipes that are complicated . . . that requires you to buy special ingredients you wil

French cuisine is the amazingly high standard to which all other native cuisines must live up to. The country of France is home of some of the finest cuisine in the world, and it is created by some of the finest master chefs in the world. The French people take excessive pride in cooking and knowing how to prepare a good meal. Cooking is an essential part of their culture, and it adds to one's usefulness if they are capable of preparing a good meal. Each of the four regions of France has a characteristic of its food all its own. French food in general requires the use of lots of different types of sauces and gravies, but recipes for cuisine that originated in the northwestern region of France tend to require the use a lot of apple ingredients, milk and cream, and they tend to be heavily buttered making for an extremely rich (and sometimes rather heavy) meal. Southeastern French cuisine is reminiscent of German food, heavy in lard and meat products such as pork sausage and sa

British cuisine has always suffered from bad press. The simple homespun fare and plain preparation of most traditional British foods pales when compared to French haute cuisine, and it’s not uncommon for food critics to sound almost apologetic when writing about traditional British dishes as if there were something shameful in enjoying a good, thick joint of beef with an accompaniment of Yorkshire pudding. If they speak in glowing terms of anything at all, it is a nod to the clever naming of British foods, where dishes like bubble and squeak and spotted dick appear on restaurant menus. And yet, for all the snickering and apologetic references, British cuisine at its best is hearty, delicious, simple fare on which to fuel the nation that influenced the entire world. There is no other nation in the world that does a roast of beef to such perfection, nor any better accompaniment to the succulent meat than a puffed, piping hot Yorkshire pudding prepared in its drippings, and few cu

It's amazing how so many people love chocolate cakes. One of my favorite is the "Red Lobster Chocolate Lava Cakes". It's sooooo delicious! If you are like me, I urge you to try this recipe when you have time. You'll fall in love with it. Trust me... :-)   So here it is: Red Lobster Chocolate Lava Cakes Number of servings: 6 persons    Ingredients: Nonstick cooking spray 6 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped 10 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine, at room temperature 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup flour 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 3 large eggs, at room temperature 1 (10 ounce) package frozen raspberries thawed, puréed in blender Fresh raspberries, optional 1/2 cup heavy cream, softly beaten Fresh mint sprigs, optional Confectioners' sugar for dusting, optional Instructions 1. Spray inside 6 individual custard cups or soufflé dishes with nonsti

For a change, a good cup of coffee would be nice. It does take some time and some energy to find a great cup of gourmet coffee these days. If you do know of a perfect coffee shop, you are one of the lucky ones. But, did you know that you can basically make a nice cup of coffee on your own from home? Here are 7 simple steps that you can take to produce the perfect cup of coffee every time. Start with quality . One of the most critical aspects of coffee drinking is the grade of the coffee that you start off with. If you have a favorite flavor, then purchase whole beans in that flavor. If you can do this, it will allow you to get the most fresh coffee accessible. Grind away . Purchase a quality coffee grinder. Some of the best grinders available today are easy to use and easy to clean up. By grinding your own coffee beans, youll be able to only grind what you need, meaning that you will have complete freshness in your coffee. Store It Right And Tight. It is very fun

The next time you finish a rigorous workout, you may want to consider a surprising new sports drink to help refuel tired muscles: chocolate milk. A recent study, published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (1), reports that athletes who drank chocolate milk after an intense bout of exercise were able to workout longer and with more power during a second workout compared to athletes who drank commercial sports beverages. The researchers of the study indicate that chocolate milk is a strong alternative to other commercial sports drinks in helping athletes recover from strenuous, energy-depleting exercise. Researcher Joel M. Stager, PhD, professor of kinesiology at Indiana University states that "Chocolate milk contains an optimal carbohydrate to protein ratio, which is critical for helping refuel tired muscles after strenuous exercise and can enable athletes to exercise at a high intensity during subsequent workouts." Stager and colleague

A lot of studies and research has shown that kids who eat breakfast perform better in school and  have a healthier diet.  Eating breakfast will help promote the proper growth and maximize school  performance as well.   Breakfast is often times a victim of the morning  time crunch.  Even though you may be tempted to  skip breakfast, you can simplify your morning  routine by following these 8 tips: 1.  Finish homework and pack school bags at night. 2.  Decide on what your children will  wear to school before you go to bed and locate  lost shoes for the following day. 3.  In the morning, get up 15 minutes earlier. 4.  Give up computer games and morning  television. 5.  Have healthy foods on hand.  You should also shop for breakfast foods with your kids and take into account their personal preferences. 6.  Set the cereal out the night before. For younger children, fill a zippered plastic bag with her portion, then add the milk in the morning.

As you may know, not fueling up with the right nutrients can affect how well your body performs  and your overall fitness benefits.  Even though healthy eating is important, there are myths that hinder your performance if you listen to them.  Below, you'll find some myth busters on healthy eating. 1.  Working out on an empty stomach. If you hear a rumbling noise in your stomach, the rumbling is trying to tell you something.  Without listening to them, you are forcing your body to run without any fuel.  Before you exercise or do any physical activity, always eat a light snack such as an apple. 2.  Relying on energy bars and drinks. Although they are fine every once in a while, they don't deliver the antioxidants you need to prevent cancer.  Fruits and vegetables are your best bets, as they are loaded in vitamins, minerals, fluid, and fiber. 3.  Skipping breakfast. Skipping breakfast is never a good idea, as  breakfast starts the day.  Your body

I receive a ton of questions about all of these new "energy" drinks that have hit the market over the last few years. They seem to be all the rage, especially with the youth, and they promise you the world with outrageous claims of all of the super energy that you are going to have, and how you'll be crushing the competition in your sport, and so on. So a couple questions arise: Are these "energy" drinks really any good for you? Do they actually increase your energy? Do they really have some sort of magical energy formula? Will they help you lose weight? First of all, let's look at what most of these energy drinks are usually made of. Most of them are simply carbonated water loaded with gut-fattening high fructose corn syrup, caffeine, the amino acid taurine, and a few random B-vitamins thrown in for show to trick you into thinking there's something healthy about these concoctions. Let's start with the high fructose cor