Pony Of Prey Blog

With all the different wines in the world a newcomer can often feel lost and confused on where to start. There are many different kinds of fine wines that very in color, taste, and price. Wine is an alcoholic beverage that is made my fermenting grapes for extended periods of times. Wine has a rich and long history that dates back to around 6000 BC. The top ten countries that produce wine are France, Italy, Spain, United States, Argentina, Austraila, China, South Africa, Chile, and Germany.
Being there are various types of wine from different countries one must first decide what taste they are looking for. Whether you want a sweet, dry, rich, bitter, or smooth taste greatly affects the type of wine you should select. Certain types of wine are associated with different types of meals. For instance red wine is typically served with hearty pasta dishes and red meat while white wine is typically served with chicken and fish dishes. These are not rules by simply customs due to the taste and the flavors of the wine that seem to best accompany the meal.
A great way to find out what wine is best suit for you is to go to a wine tasting. Many places that sell wine offer free wine tastings to the public. These kind of events give you the opportunity to try out new and different wines without guessing and wasting money on a bottle that may not be for you. Simply stated wine testing is the best way to learn what wine you will like so get out there and find your match.f

Sometimes you need the best wine glasses you can find. In Austria almost 50 years ago a Professor named Claus Reidel was thinking the same thing. Except he couldn’t find any glasses.They studied every aspect of drinking wine, from whether bowls should be round or if mouths should be tapered or flared and they found the perfect combination for just about any kind of grape that had ever been stuffed into a bottle.

Buy Reidel Glassware at GlasswareDirect.com.au

Port, sherry, riesling, chardonnay, pino grigio, pino noir, Beaujolais, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Merlot, Chianti, Shiraz and Syrah, they all got their own very special glass. Some of those styles were Sommeliers Black Tie, Vitis, Vinum Extreme, Ouverture, and the famous O Series which was designed by the grandson Max. The best glasses were handmade from the finest lead crystal but they also realised people need more affordable options so they made some out of regular glass. But they didn’t sacrifice quality, always offering cold cut sheer rims and excellent clarity and resonance in all models. In Australia Reidel not as easy to find as you’d think, and less easy to find at discount prices, but not any more thanks to GlasswareDirect.com.au, a new website that’s coming soon where you’ll be able to get the greatest bargains on this top notch stuff.

Buy Commercial Glassware at HospitalityDirect.com.au

Restaurants and catering businesses and bars other professional institutions are going to be shopping here, so home consumers should shop here as well. Wine tasting glasses are really crucial to enjoying the a good vintage and you don’t want to waste what you’ve got on cheap stuff. They’ll have these lines for you to choose from.
Reidel Sommeliers The best artisans blow these by hand from 24% lead crystal. They are ultra thin, ultra clear, and very lustrous. They are high end stemware for the most discerning drinkers. There are lots choices here including cognac glasses, brandy snifters, spirit glasses as well.
Reidel Vitis This is a more affordable option for all the best features as in the one above, but they’re made by machine so you can spend less on the best. Its all pulled stem glassware from Europe in a contemporary design that looks great. The range is basic.
Reidel Vinum A great bargain option for those who want expert wine glasses. They’re also made from crystal with lead but there’s something about them that makes them more affordable. They have options for martini, champagne, high ball, low ball, water, beer, and others.
Reidel Ouverture A basic series of high value wine glasses at a very bargain price. You have only a few different choices here but they all work very well and they don’t cost much at all even though they’re not made from crystal. It’s the great option for the home for the enthusiast.
Reidel O Series This is the modern stemless design made from non lead crystal glass which looks like the other stuff but isn’t.

Article sponsored by Kitchenware Direct

These marinated pork chops are bound to be a favorite for many great meals.

1 (12 oz.) can cola
1/4 cup soy sauce
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
6 (3/4 inch) bone-in-pork loin chops

Directions

In a 2 cup measuring cup, combine the first seven ingredients; mix well. Pour 1-1/2 cups into a larger resealable plastic bag; add pork chop. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 8 hour or overnight. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade for basting.

Drain and discard marinade from pork. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 5 to 6 on each side or until meat juices run clear, basting with reserved marinade.

© Donna Monday
Earn a College Degree while watching TV!
www.online-distance-learning-careers.com

For the British at least, Shrove Tuesday is probably better known as Pancake Day. Those wonderful delicacies, smothered in sugar and lemon and often tossed around in village competitions. As you will see from the recipes below, the Brits certainly don’t have the monopoly of this type of fare for the occasion:

REBANDAS DE CARNAVAL

This a great way to use up stale bread at any time.

Ingredients:

1 “yesterday’s” Canarian loaf (any crusty white bread like a French stick or baguette will do just as well), 1 egg, 1 cup of milk approx., Sugar, Sprinkle of ground cinnamon.

Method:

Slice the bread diagonally into 1/2 to 3/4 inch slices and discard the ends of the loaf. Beat the egg, milk and cinnamon together in a bowl then soak the bread slices briefly in the mixture. Lift them carefully and fry gently in oil in a shallow frying pan, turning once. Remove when golden, arrange on a plate and sprinkle with sugar. Watch them disappear fast!

(A variation on this recipe is to substitute half the milk with white wine.)

TORTILLA DE CARNAVAL

Ingredients:

Gofio, Plain Flour (optional), Three or four egg yolks, Ground cinnamon, Half a litre of milk, Sugar, Aniseed liqueur or Marie Brizard.

Method:

Mix the egg yolks with the milk, cinnamon and sugar (the amount of which you can vary according to taste), along with a dribble of the aniseed liqueur. Beat well, then add the gofio a little at a time, until you have a consistency resembling custard. (You can mix flour with the gofio, again according to preference). Fry small amounts of the mixture until golden in hot oil to make little pancakes. It is customary to eat them at Carnaval time, accompanied by coffee.

About The Author

Pamela Heywood has been resident in Tenerife since 1992. Formerly an accountant in the UK, she has since written for local magazines and newspapers and now runs several web sites, publishing a number of ezines. This article first appeared in Tenerife Topics, a monthly newsletter that looks mostly at the other face of Tenerife from that the tourist usually discovers. http://tenerife-topics.8m.com

Grow your own

The cheapest method has got to be to grow your own. The great thing is that it doesn’t require you to have much garden space, or even a garden at all!

We grow tomatoes, and strawberries in containers and the extra benefit is that you get total control over the growing conditions.

The best combination is to have organic soil together with organically produced seeds or plants, that way you ensure you get the full flavour and benefit.

Containers can be placed anywhere that receives a reasonable amount of daylight, which means that you can use them on balconies or other hard surfaces.

Look for your local suppliers

One of the most satisfying things to do is to buy organic food locally. That way you get the freshest ingredients for your kitchen and also get to support local businesses. With no transportation costs for the supplier too you should get very competitive prices.

Don’t forget that these same businesses will be employing local staff so you are also helping the local economy, everybody wins in this scenario.

Local markets

We visit a big monthly market held on a disused airstrip. Organic food is just one of the variety of items sold there but the prices are very, very good indeed. Of course they are all local suppliers and with several of them in one place we benefit from healthy competition and get to sample a lot of fruit!

Local box schemes

If you are unable to get out of your house or are too busy working to select your groceries by hand then why not subscribe to an organic box scheme?

You will receive, delivered to your door, a weekly selection of fruit and vegetables in season.

Farm shops

Finally, investigate whether any farms near you are operating an organic farm shop. Our local one is operated on an open farm so that you can go and see where the animals are being kept and take a look at the crops being grown.

They actually have a well-designed walking route around the farm which makes a nice day out for the kids too.

If you investigate the options above you should be able to make considerable savings whilst you and your family sample the delights and advantages of organic food

Virginia Louise is a keen convert to the organic way of life, having two children has especially highlighted the benefits to be gained by them from eating organically.

Virginia runs an information site on the advantages of organic food where you can obtain lots of free information about what makes organic food so beneficial, where to get it and suggested recipes.

The peppermint cookie recipe has a rich flavor and a great looking pink glaze. A great way to use up all those leftover candy canes!

Ingredients

Cookie:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons salted butter, softened

1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

1-2 tablespoons milk

2-3 drops red food coloring

peppermint candy canes, crushed

Hardware

Large bowl

Medium bowl

Cookie sheets

Plastic wrap

Mixer

Step 1: In a large bowl, combine powdered sugar, butter, and peppermint extract. With an electric mixer, beat at medium speed until creamy.

Step 2: Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour and cornstarch, beat until well mixed.

Step 3: Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (30-60 minutes).

Step 4: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 5: Shape dough into teaspoon size balls. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Step 6: Bake 12-15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand 1 minute; transfer cookies to cooling surface.

Glaze:

Step 1: In a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar, butter, peppermint extract, and enough milk for desired glazing consistency.

Step 2: Stir in a few drops of red food coloring. Drizzle over cookies.

Step 3: While glaze is sticky sprinkle with crushed candy cane pieces.

Makes 30 cookies.

For more information on baking procedures and hardware used in this recipe see our Baking Tips section.

Important: Feel free to republish this article on your website. However, you are not allowed to modify any part of its content and all links should be kept active.

For more great Christmas cookie recipes visit http://kicked-up-cookie-recipes.com/christmas-cookie-recipes.html

For some great tasting biscotti recipes visit http://kicked-up-cookie-recipes.com/biscotti-recipes.html

For cookie baking tips and a wide selection of recipes visit http://kicked-up-cookie-recipes.com/

Preparing a good cup of coffee is easy with a krups coffee maker. But, do you simply combine ground beans with water until the brew is drinkable with a krups coffee maker? Of course not, to make that exquisite cup, one needs to follow a virtual checklist of do’s and don’ts.
Ask any connoisseur especially, one who uses a krups coffee maker, and he will tell you that in addition to having thoroughly cleaned equipment you’ll need fresh quality coffee beans, clear water, the right grind and the right amount of coffee (A good rule of thumb to make an excellent cup is 2 level tablespoons for each 6oz cup of coffee), the right brewing temperature (195-200F or 95-98C); to warming your cup before pouring the coffee in, stirring the coffee before serving, and not letting it sit on a warmer for more than 20 minutes. Phew! Quite a chore, isn’t it? Not necessarily, for most coffee drinkers (except those baristas who have all the time in the world!) achieve all this in a jiffy with help from an old, trusted friend - the coffee maker.
Today you have a whole host of coffee makers for the asking - Drip, Expresso, or a combination of the two. And for the tech-savvy, there are programmable coffee makers which allow you to literally order the machine to stir up a refreshing cup of French Coffee, Frappé, Fredo, Expresso, Cappuccino and what-have-you! You could even create your own signature concoction - and give it an exquisite name! But not all coffee makers are created equal. And that’s exactly where the Krups Coffee Maker scores.

Choose the right Coffee Maker.

Choosing the right vehicle that transforms your coffee beans is a hard task. And Krups makes that very task so much easier. Because precision, ingenuity, and unwavering craftsmanship for which Krups is so well known, is quite evident in its awesome range of coffee makers, expresso machines and coffee accessories. And in the rare eventuality of a breakdown, Krups coffee maker parts are easily available. Decidedly, Krups ensures that its coffee maker owners enjoy their cup to the last drip.

About the author:

Mike Yeager
Publisher
http://www.my-coffee-4me.com/

Yield: 6 Servings

1 x ———shortcake———- 2 1/2 c Biscuit mix; bisquick
4 oz Cheddar; sharp shredded 2/3 c Milk
1/3 c Butter; melted 1 x ——-apple topping——–
3/4 c Brown sugar; packed 3 ts Cornstarch
1/2 ts Cinnamon; ground 1/4 ts Salt
1 c Water 4 c Apples; peeled cored sliced
1 x ———-topping———– 1 x Heavy cream; whipped Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Combine the biscuit mix and the cheddar cheese then stir in the milk and butter. Spread the dough into two greased 8-inch layer pans and bake in the preheated oven for
20 minutes. Combine the brown sugar

cornstarch cinnamon and salt in a large saucepan. Stir in the water and cook until clear and thickened. Att the apples cover and simmer until the apples are tender. Spoon half of the apple mixture over one layer. Top with the second layer and remaining apples. Serve warm with whipped cream for a topping.

About the Author

For more information on cooking guidelines & recipes visit http://www.RecipeStation.com - Search for Quick Recipes

Garlic Lemon Chicken is a wonderful dish during the Holliday
season. Christmas and Thanksgiving often mean spending a lot of
time in the kitchen; this tasteful but easy dish is great for
those other days during this cozy family season.

Your family will love it and you won’t have to spend all your
time in the kitchen. Besides, garlic is very healthy and a bit
of a counter weight to all those heavy cholesterol rich foods
that are consumed during this time of year.

Are you ready for this truly delicious garlic lemon chicken?

Let’s get all of the ingredients together that you will need to
prepare this wonderful chicken dish.

You can either purchase a whole chicken and then cut it into
pieces or just buy the cuts that your family enjoys such as
chicken thighs or breasts. Remember the most calorie rich part
of the chicken is just under the skin. So you might want to go
for the breasts.

You will also need:

• 10 cloves of minced garlic,
• 4 tablespoons of
  margarine,
• 3 large lemons,
• 1 teaspoon of dried
  oregano,
• salt,
• pepper, and
• parsley.

You should begin by preheating your broiler. Take your chicken
and rinse underwater and skin, then rinse again well under cold
water and place in a large baking dish. Squeeze the lemons and
reserve the juice.

Sprinkle about one half of the garlic over the chicken and dab
of the margarine on various spots on the chicken. Pour of the
juice from the lemons on your chicken, and season with the
oregano, salt, and pepper. Broil for about 15 minutes, remember
to baste quite often. This last part is important, so invest
heavily in these 15 minutes.

Remove and turn the chicken, add the remaining of the
ingredients just like you did before broiling for the first
time. Now you will need to broil your chicken again for another
15 minutes.

Remember, to baste your chicken so it does not burn. If the
chicken starts to become too crispy, you can change from broil
to bake and bake at 350 degrees until the chicken is completely
done.

Remove the chicken from the oven and pour the remaining sauce
from the baking dish over your chicken and serve.

Everyone will absolutely love this garlic chicken dish. It’s
great to serve this chicken meal with whipped potatoes and a
garden salad.

- Always oil the meat, not the pan.
- Remove any excess oil and wipe off any marinading herbs as they will burn.
- Heat the pan as high as you can - don’t use a non-stick pan as you can’t heat it high enough without the possibility of it giving off fumes. Use a cast-iron skillet but don’t oil it. (If you use a stainless steel frying pan, you have no choice but to oil it lightly, as it will stick otherwise. However, you will find that the smoke goes everywhere.)
- If you want your steak rare, cook it over high heat to an internal temperature of 50C, then take it out of the pan and leave it to rest covered and measure the internal temperature with a meat thermometer again after 5-10 minutes and after that, until it reaches 60C. If you cook it to 60C in the pan, the meat will continue to cook after that and you will end up with medium-rare meat.
- For medium, cook the steak until it reaches an internal temperature of 61C and leave it to rest, covered, until the thermometer reaches 71C.
- For well done, take it off the pan at 67C and leave it to rest until it reaches 77C.
- If you find it does not reach the required temperature, just pop it back in the pan and sear it again on both sides quickly. Then take it off, cover it, let it rest and measure the temperature again.
- It is very important when you are cooking meat that you sear all sides of the meat. Just lift the meat up with a tongs and hold the edge of the meat against the pan until it is browned.

Testing done-ness by touch
- You can also test the doneness of meat with your fingertip. If the steak is rare, it will feel fleshy. As it turns to medium-rare you will see droplets of bloody juice appearing on the surface.
- When it reaches medium-rare, the surface will ’spring’ back when you touch it. The juices emerging will still be red.
- Medium-done meat is firm, and the juices are pink.
- Medium-well-done meat feels more sturdy, firmer to the touch and the juices are brown and pink.
- Well-done meat has a hard surface, and doesn’t spring back. The juices that come out will be brown.

Anne Kennedy is a food writer, based in Ireland, who just loves food. She thinks there is nothing better than a rare steak served with french fries and mustard, her absolute favourite meal when she visits Paris. Thankfully she is the Managing Editor of a food and wine website, http://www.greatfood.ie so she gets to cook it quite a lot, especially when she is testing a recipe or a cooking method. (After all, you can never be quite sure!)