Food & Drink

There are two ways in which chickens or birds can be cut up, one for domestic use and the other for professional use. The technique can be learned very easily and is a useful skill to have.

The advantages is that it is more economical to cut up chicken or birds themselves than buy in installments, and you can cut the way you want them in any various combinations, as drumsticks with or without the thigh, or with the breasts or with the wings, Etc

A key point to remember is feeling the joints when you have to sever nerves and cartilage. To overcome bones, ideally serrated knife or poultry shears are used.

The method that is common and popular among home cooks is:

Basically eight steps to cut up the chicken or birds. Firstly, using a large sharp knife, free of leg by carefully cutting the skin between the body and legs. Cut through the skin to the extent that the set, bending the leg out with the hand. Then rotate the leg until the ball out of the common springs. After that, through the joint, pressing lightly. Atravessam the leg in the knee to separate the thighs of the drumstick. Separate the kite in the shoulder joint, cut a small portion of the breast with him. Press firmly enough to split the collarbone and split its back parallel to the backbone. Cortadas across the back to the midpoint, breaking the backbone with short movements of the knife. Finally to separate the breasts, carefully cut left and right along the length of the breastbone.

The professional chefs have a different method of cutting or chickens and poulty the following method is based on 1-3/4 pounds birds to achieve plots of equal size:

In eight steps, first, make a cut of approximately 3 / 8 inches deep across the back under the shoulder blades. Cut along the vertebral column in a right angle to this and remove the chicken " " oysters, which is the partial tender whose quality matches that of the breast. Cut through the skin between the body and legs. Dilatou the leg and through the collection. Chop off the outermost section of each wing, cut through the joint with a small helicopter or large knife.

Remove the wings with some breast meat, along the breastbone and wishbone as far as the whole. To remove the breast, first hold the chicken firmly by the wishbone and cut along the breastbone. Turn the body 180 degrees, then loosen the breast of the front along the wishbone as far as the whole. Remove the breast, making a cut from the set until the end of the breastbone.

The legs are left in one piece and the wing tips are removed, for the sake of appearance.

The number of individual parts depends on the size of the chicken. You can use the rest of the carcass to make stock, soups and sauces.

The above two methods are easy to master and if you choose to cut their chickens or just professionally, these are the correct methods to follow.

Junk food addicts argue with health food nuts, asserting white bread to be the best. The health food nuts retaliate exclaiming about how much better store bought whole wheat bread is than white bread.
The battle rages on…
On which side of this debate do you stand?
For that matter, which side should you REALLY be pulling for?
Lets weigh all the facts, the faults about each choice and determine which one we should honestly be proclaiming as the honest to goodness best!
THE FAULTS OF WHITE BREAD
1. White bread is nutrition less. Even fortifying it with vitamins can t replace half of the nourishment that is lost through the bleaching and sifting process that is used on the flour which white bread is make out of.
2. White bread has a lot harmful chemicals and preservatives added to it to increase it s shelf life, but they decrease your lifespan.
3. White bread is practically tasteless. This is a pro to some people but a con to a lot of others who enjoy tasty food.
THE FAULTS OF STORE BOUGHT WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
1. Store bought whole wheat bread would be extremely healthy and good for your body IF you could find a loaf made without fattening and nutrition less sweeteners like sugar (but no store that I know of sells any such thing).
2. Store bought whole wheat bread contains, unfortunately, the same chemicals and preservatives that white bread does, also to lengthen shelf life.
On light of this information which viewpoint do you now hold to?
Neither hopefully. There is only one thing you can do to make sure you are getting the best tasting, highest quality and healthiest bread. And that is…
Bake your own whole wheat bread! Read why you should below.
THE VIRTUES OF HOME BAKED WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
1. Home baked whole wheat bread tastes good. Home baked whole wheat bread has a very delightful taste that is probably the main reason (even more so than it s health aspects) people prefer home baked whole wheat bread to it s bland counterpart, white bread or unhealthy store bought whole wheat bread.
2. Home baked whole wheat bread contains vitamins and minerals your body needs. Medical studies have proven that all the B vitamins in whole grain foods help you to have a healthy heart, and guard against heart disease.
3. Baking your own whole wheat bread is not the least bit difficult either. Just learn the basics to baking bread along with a few proven recipes and you ll be set.

Specialty gourmet coffee is a very hot commodity on the market today. The consumption of gourmet coffee has grown steadily, with consumers enjoying the sophisticated taste of gourmet coffee beans.
Specialty gourmet coffee, sometimes as a premium coffee is unusually coffee beans grow only in the ideal coffee-producing climate. These coffee beans have unique properties, as the soil in which they grow very distinctive taste.
Gourmet coffee has a well-balanced flavor and taste richer than the standard mass-produced coffee. Gourmet coffee beans go through a rigorous process of certification, the stringent to help, to keep high quality.
In the 1974 edition of the Tea " & Coffee Trade Journal ", Erna Knutsen the first term " specialty coffee " to describe this unique coffee beans, in particular micro-climate with the unmistakable , unusual flavors.
In 1982 the Specialty Coffee Association of America was of coffee professionals to help quality standards for the specialty coffee trade.
Since the 1990s the growing popularity of coffee houses and gourmet specialty coffee retailer, have gourmet coffee one of the fastest growing markets for food in the world. In the United States alone, it nets about $ 8.5 billion a year.
Some have gourmet coffee specialties in comparison with wine. The aroma and taste are similarities, such as the consumer in connection with the two drinks. The characteristic properties of gourmet coffee, but even more complex than wine. The coffee bean depends on the altitude, climate and soil flavor, as with the grapes for wine.
The history and tradition of specialty chemicals coffee breeder, this is a very complex beverage. So you with a cup of your favorite gourmet specialty coffee, sit back and enjoy, you deserve it.
Copyright 2005 Perfect-Coffees.com. All rights reserved.

Few wine lovers are lucky enough to possess perfect purpose built, cavernous, subterranean cellars. Many of us have imperfect storage arrangements for our wine, but it is important to understand how to protect wine from damaging conditions so that we can make the most of the wine storage facilities available. Wine storage conditions dont need to be perfect, but the finer the wine and the longer you intend to store it for, the nearer to perfect they have to be.
There is a lot of variety in the way in which different wines will react to adverse conditions. Red wines tend to be more robust with white wines being more delicate. There is also variation between the grape varieties, with grapes like cabernet sauvignon being considerably more resilient than pinot noir. The aim in this article is to give you an overview of the factors to consider and the options available for storing your wine.
1)Temprature
Temprature along with light is responsible for doing the most damage to wine. The ideal wine cellar temperature is between 7-13 degrees C. At the higher end of the scale wines will mature faster. The key though is a constant temperature. If all other factors are optimum then it can be ok to store your wine at much higher temperatures (eg room temperature) as long as its a constant temperature.
If you dont have a cellar in your house then think about using north facing walls, under the stairs, a well insulated garage or coal hole. Keep a thermometer in your storage area so you can check for a consistent temperature.
2)Light
Natural and artificial light will do a lot of damage to wine. If your wine storage area isn t dark like a cellar or under stairs cupboard then this is a very easy to overcome problem. Try and block of the area with a curtain or cover the wine with a blanket.
3)Humidity
Relative humidity for wine storage should be at least 55% with the ideal range being 70-75%. The role of humidity in wine storage is slightly controversial, although lack of it is believed to aid oxidation of the wine.
4)Movement
Wine really doesnt enjoy too much movement. If you ever need to transport your wine or if its just been delivered from your merchant then its important to give the wine a few days rest. If you happen to live in a house that gets shook by heavy traffic, trains or planes, then try and store your wine in an area that is least affected.
5)Horizontal
There is a plethora of wine racks available to buy. This is an important purchase as wine should always be stored on its side. Storing wine on its side keeps it in contact with the cork thus preventing the cork from drying out and letting air in.
Buying and renting cellar space
The five points we have just covered are your main considerations when choosing where to store your wine. If you have the money, it is possible to purchase a wine storage cabinet. These temperature and humidity controlled cabinets resemble fridges, but will give you absolute perfect storage conditions. Another alternative would be to install a spiral cellar. Many companies now sell and install these if you have the available space and money. For those wine lovers that are buying the finest wines to lay down for many years it may be worth considering renting cellar space from a reputable wine merchant. This will be costly, but money well spent to protect your investment.

Drinking water can be divided into two large categories: the olfactory, bacteria-infected, poisonous tap water and the nice, cheap, disinfected, cleansed, plant-prepared bottled water. The problem is that these two groups are more often confused to the extent that we even don t know what we are drinking. Tap water can be infected with higher degree of poisonous substances, which serves by no means as an assertion that boiled water is the best option.

There are a lot of validated proofs that bottled water can be really mistrustful. Take for example the fact that we use it only for DRINKING. What happens when we are taking a shower, when we are cleaning the dishes, washing our teeth? We use the ordinary tap water. We don t buy bottles for every usage of water in our homes. Which amounts to the same quantity of both bottled and tap water being infused into our bodies: either by direct consumption or by infusion into the pores, the ears, the nose, the mouth when washing. So, we are bacteria- infected either ways. Why don t let go of those preposterous beliefs that bottled water will guard us from the numerous bacteria which flow all around?

Another proof can be the infiltration system used by many bottling plants. Bottled water is being cleaned from bacteria only once before it is sipped into the bottles. That is certain to lift the question what if some bacteria survived the unreliable filtering systems? This immediately brings to a practical mind that buying water is a waste of money. This fact has been alluded in the name of a famous mark bottled water: read vice versa, it means NAIIVE in French and English. What more eye-hammering hint can be given to signify that we are actually getting sheer nothing for our money?

Thus, it is better to name bottled water semi-clean. There is no valid test to distinguish clean water from unclean water. There are bacteria everywhere. Anyway, there are some things that really distinguish bottled water (or let it call less-bacteria-containing water) from the really infected one. That is the rotten smell of canalization which is spread when using tap water. You can smell it when washing your dishes, for example. If you really distinguish it, this will mean that you d better buy bottled water, no matter the feeling of being cheated. Bottled water is not so expensive, and sometimes it can be really good to use, especially when it comes to drinking large amount of bacteria daily.

Let alone the ice filling, teeth washing, bathing and showering, planting your vegetables and such minor activities. A small amount of bacteria hasn t harmed anyone. The real trouble begins when drinking it regularly. That s what bottled water is trying to reduce, and it should be a naivete to ignore the fact.

The Process of Vivid Thinking Which Makes Success Certain - Part 1 by: Jason Katzenback
Some principles are so simple that we often overlook their significance. For instance, success is lack of failure; each failure is due to some mistake; each mis take in action originates in some mistake in thinking. To change from failure to suc cess, it is necessary to develop those processes of thought which prevent mis takes, and which lead to success.
There is a process of success. It is a dual process. The first step is vivid imaging in thinking. It is the subject of this chap ter. The second step is idealized doing. It is the subject of the next chapter. This dual process-vivid imaging and idealized doing -guarantees success. You have often been told that success comes to the man who “uses his brain”- that is, to the man who thinks. But mere thinking will not prevent him from making mistakes; neither will purposeful thinking, nor well thought out plans.
Thinking in vivid images is the only process which always prevents mistakes.
Even great experts make mistakes when they fail to think in vivid images.
The great Quebec Bridge fell down in the process of construction. All the factors de termining its construction had been given careful thought by great engineers. There had been months of exact figuring and cal culation of stresses and strains. Certainly, the engineers and constructors did not in tend it to collapse, delay their work, injure their reputation as bridge builders, and cause loss of life.
Yet, it did collapse, and hence someone- evidently many engineers - made some serious mistake in thinking, overlooking some important factor. Can such mistakes in examining a plan-no matter what it is -be prevented? Can they always be pre vented?
As you study the failure of the noted en gineers who planned the Quebec Bridge, and the colossal blunder of the great engineers who planned two of the subways of New York City, you will be convinced that the most expert and careful thinking about a plan, and the most exact examination of it, do not guarantee success nor prevent fail ure. You will also be convinced that noth ing but vivid images can prevent such fail ures.
This study will not mean much to you unless you realize that an idea differs from a mental image, and unless you discriminate between the process of “thinking-in-ideas” and that of “thinking-in-vivid-images.”
Your mind is a living consciousness, but you often permit the greater part of its con tent to die. The content is usually a colony of corpses of images which were once alive. That is the difference between ideas and vivid images. Ideas are the dead corpses of images which were once living and vivid.
In his mind, the successful inventive genius forms vivid images of every part of the machine which he is constructing. Be fore it is made, he mentally sees each part separately, and all parts assembled and working together. After examining a new machine he is able at any time to re-image a picture of the machine. He re-sees the image when the physical object is no longer present. That is thinking in vivid images.
You look at the same machine; but, after leaving it, you are able “only to think about it.” That is thinking in ideas. Vividness is a quality of mind which makes geniuses, and it can be developed. When you read “the iron is hot,” you think of the idea of heat. When you accidentally put your finger tip on the red hot iron, your mind thinks in vivid images of special heat, because an image is the immediate result of sense impressions. A vivid image is formed by sense impres sions. So, you can develop vividness in thinking by use of your special senses-by use of all of them. There are more than five special senses. There are twelve. They are color, sound, smell, taste, balance, motion, direction, heat, cold, weight, tactility, and pressure. Images formed by using only a few senses may lead to mistakes. Vivid images formed by using all the senses are infallible.
Success begins by testing every factor of your plan by vivid sense images. That means testing what you plan to do by men tal pictures formed by use of all of the senses. If you are testing a thing, use the special senses themselves. If you are test ing plans or propositions, use the sense images.
Find the rest of the story at http://TheExecutiveTrainer.com
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You ve decided to switch to specialty coffee. You ve made a bold move to enter the realm of the tastiest, freshest coffee around. Specialty coffee typically has gone from the roaster to your cup as fast as humanly possible. After all, coffee is a perishable and delicate commodity. Its peak taste has a very short life span. It will weaken with time, air exposure, and exposure to moisture. Speed in the entire coffee process, from when the beans were picked right up to when your machine brews your pot, is essential.

Because specialty coffee is an especially perishable item with a very limited shelf life, try to keep it as fresh as possible when you get it home. Store it in airtight containers or in a sealed coffee bag like the kind from the supermarket or gourmet store where you bought the coffee. Heat, light, air and moisture can all diminish your coffee s flavor. That s because all of these factors speed up the release of the coffee s aromatic gases over time. Refrigerating or freezing the coffee may slow this process, but only if the coffee hasnot yet been exposed to air. Opened coffee that is later frozen will build up condensation from the moisture in the air, and the coffee will end up tasting worse than if it had not been frozen at all.

Also, make certain to grind your specialty coffee immediately before brewing. Coffee beans are like little containers that store the coffee oils and aromatic compounds. The flavor is exposed to air and moisture once a bean is ground. If brewing doesn t occur right away, the precious flavor and aroma can be lost. In other words, grinding coffee at home is the second most important step to getting the most out of your coffee.

The third step is knowing exactly how long a time to allow your specialty coffee to brew. If you let water contact the grounds for too long, your coffee would end with an excessively bitter flavor. In contrast, if you let water contact the grounds for too short a time, your coffee may not reach its full flavor potential.

The final step in delicious specialty coffee brewing comes after your coffee is finished brewing. Don t allow your coffee to sit on a burner or hotplate too long afterward. Any longer than 20 minutes is too long because the coffee s taste would start to become bitter. Your taste buds, and your stomach, will appreciate it.

I would like to have a grande caramel macchiato now so badly. Isn t it so perfect? You can taste the sweet caramel just as you can smell the aroma of the freshly ground coffee nearby. I know that everything you desire right now is a cup of great coffee. Just imagine it, a tall cup filled with rich coffee sitting before you. And this coffee is with your favourite flavour, with or without milk and sugar just as you like it. I personally cannot imagine that there is someone who doesn t expect his everyday coffee with anticipation. It is probably the best moment of the day.

But here it comes, you thought you would just whiz through the drive-through but you see eight other cards waiting in front of you. And you have to wait forever in order to get that fresh rich coffee. It might not take so long but you definitely don t feel like waiting any minute right now. Of course, you might have already thought up of a way to get rid of this awful routine. All you have to do is purchase a personal espresso super machine and wholesale gourmet beans.

Do you know a lot about wholesale gourmet coffee beans? What about home espresso machines? Let me share a little secret with you concerning java. To begin with, it has a great taste. Well, you might have already known that fact. Anyway, what really matters is that you know that you can prepare your very own java mixes and espresso drinks in your own kitchen. That s right, you heard me well. No longer should you rely on that drive-through teenager who may or may not use the old espresso grounds already in the coffee machine. This can be so unpleasant. Today you can buy quality wholesale gourmet coffee and the right coffee machine to get the coffee you deserve.

Personally, I don t see any better way to go. I like buying my own wholesale gourmet coffee beans because I know how old they are. That s how I don t have to use those Starbucks stores which use some of the cheapest beans. My best advice to you would be to purchase wholesale gourmet coffee beans online and I can assure you that you will end up with a finer cup of coffee. After all, all that matters is the fine equipment. Espresso machines are really popular these days. What people want is to be able to prepare their own caffeinated drinks at their homes. We no longer have to run to the coffee house downtown when we feel like having a cup of rich coffee. If you follow my advice, your next step will be hopping online and conducting a search for espresso machines and wholesale gourmet coffee beans. You would never regret if you purchase them.

This is an absolutely spectacular recipe for chocolate oatmeal cookies. Though oatmeal cookies are not considered a cool, modern dessert by many, there is a reason that traditional recipes survive over the decades. And this recipe proves it — sometimes traditions are best! Even the kids will want to get involved to make a treat that s quick to make and healthy, too.
Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Prep: 10 min, Cook: 10 min.
* 3/4 lb. semisweet chocolate chips
* 1/2 cup soft unsalted butter
* 1 egg
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
* 3/4 cup all purpose flour
* 1/4 tsp. baking soda
* 1 tsp. baking powder
* 3/4 cup quick or old fashioned oats, uncooked
* 1/4 tsp. salt (optional)
Oven should be preheated to 375 F. Separate 1 cup chocolate chips from the rest and melt this in a saucepan over low heat. Set aside.
Beat sugar and butter together in a bowl until smooth and fluffy. Add the melted chocolate, vanilla, and egg.
Remaining ingredients should be combined in another bowl. Stir in the remaining chocolate chips and the chocolate mixture made previously.
Place rounded tablespoonfuls on an ungreased cookie sheet, bake 8-10 minutes as needed, then cool 1 minute on the cookie sheet before removing cookies to a wire cooling rack.
To freeze cookies, cool rapidly to retain freshness. All dairy and egg-based foods should be cooled in a refrigerator. Place the single-serving amounts in freezer-proof containers and seal tightly. If aluminum foil is preferred, wrap and fold edges to seal securely and place on a flat surface to prevent cookies from becoming misshapen.
Place containers in freezer until frozen. (Once the cookies are safely frozen, the flat surface, such as a cookie sheet, can be removed to save freezer space). Cookies will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 2 months. Before unwrapping, make sure to thaw cookies completely at room temperature. Enjoy! (In moderation, of course. But who says moderation has to mean just one at a time?)

10 Ingredients in Weight Loss Pills
Looking for help with losing weight? Help that goes beyond the usual lifestyle changes, portion control advice and exercise routines? Weight-loss supplements touting names like “fat burner” and “thermo max” can be enticing. But do they work? And even more important, in the wake of the Food and Drug Administration s recent ban on ephedra, are they safe?
In this article, Environmental Nutrition provides a snapshot of 10 of the most popular ingredients currently in supplements for weight loss.
Chitosan Made from the shells of lobsters, shrimp and other shellfish, chitosan is an indigestible fiber. It is supposed to help weight loss by binding with the fat you eat, blocking its absorption. However, studies do not support this claim. Side effects include constipation and gas. People with shellfish allergies should beware.
Chromium Most often present as chromium picolinate, it has been promoted to boost lean mass and decrease body fat. Though study findings have been inconclusive, an analysis of several studies recently concluded that supplementing with 200 to 400 micrograms of chromium picolinate could result in about a 2.5-pound weight loss per week in some people. Other studies have found a loss of body fat and an increase in muscle tissue, with no change in weight. Still others have found no effect at all. Though some laboratory studies have raised safety issues, a large number of human studies suggest it is safe.
Citrus Aurantium (Bitter Orange) This herbal extract is a natural source of synephrine (a compound similar to ephedrine) and the supplement industry s current answer to the ephedra ban. But there are no published studies to show it is an effective supplement for weight loss. And like ephedra, its side effects include an increase in blood pressure; Environmental Nutrition recommends avoiding it.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) Both animal and human research hints at a possible role for CLA in reducing body fat and increasing lean body mass, but it s not quite ready for prime time. None of the human studies have been long-term. CLA is currently being studied in combination with chromium picolinate. CLA is found naturally in dairy foods and beef and is generally considered safe.
Garcinia Cambogia The extract from Garcinia cambogia fruit rind contains hydroxycitric acid (HCA), which supposedly curbs food intake, weight gain and storage of excess calories as fat. However, studies have failed to prove G. cambogia is an effective weight-loss aid. The most common side effects are upper respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms.
Guarana Caffeine is the effective ingredient in guarana plant seeds. Guarana may have a mild appetite suppressant effect over the short term. It was often used in combination with ephedra until ephedra was banned. The potential side effects are those of caffeine overdose insomnia, restlessness, anxiety or panic.
Hydroxymethylbutyrate (HMB) HMB is a natural byproduct of the breakdown of the amino acid leucine. HMB supplements are used by body builders in hopes of increasing muscle mass. A few small studies have suggested that HMB increases lean mass and decreases body fat when combined with weight training. However, studies with overweight and obese people are needed.
Plantago Psyllium Psyllium is a water-soluble fiber from Plantago ovato seeds. Taken before a meal, it may make you feel full, causing you to eat less. While it is proved to aid constipation (that s how Metamucil works), it has not been proved as an effective weight-loss aid.
Pyruvate Pyruvate formulas boast that they stimulate metabolism and reduce body fat. Pyruvate is found naturally in food and in the body as a result of the breakdown of carbohydrates and protein. Some studies have shown a weight-loss benefit with pyruvate supplements. But the people in the studies also exercised and cut back on calories. Moreover, the dosage used in the studies was high, requiring a handful of tablets each day. Experts say the case for pyruvate to aid weight loss is weak.
Yerba mate Brewed into a tea, bitter Yerba mate is high in caffeine. Used in combination with other caffeine-containing herbs, like guarana and damiana, it was found in one study to delay stomach emptying time and aid weight loss. The study was short (45 days), so conclusions on keeping the weight off cannot be made.
The Bottom Line
Though all are relatively expensive and none are proved, of these top popular weight-loss contenders, chromium picolinate and CLA are probably the most studied. If you ve already made up your mind to go the supplement route, you might want to give them a try. Just don t expect miracles and check with your doctor first. More at http://www.enjoyment4you.com http://www.enjoyment4you.com