Saturday, September 4, 2010

Plan a Culinary (gastronomie)Tour in France


In the event you are a culinary tester who also loves to travel, you could have both by planning to go on a fabulous culinary holiday in France. You can learn about French cuisine while touring the stunning cities and towns where it originated. France is one of the oldest and most diverse cuisines. Any culinary tour through France ought to include a break at food markets, sidewalk cafes (cafés en trottoirs) and fine dining establishments and, of work, wineries.

The first thing you do is select the location. Try to start at Piedmont. This region is in the northwestern part of the country. This location is famous known for its hearty wines (vine chaleur), including Barolo, Barbera and Barbaresco. Piedmont is also known for the home of white truffle as well as for its creamy risotto and fine, French chocolates. Do not run out of the list since France also have Venice. This romantic and mysterious city is known for its fish and seafood. The food here reflects the spices of the Orient as well as the blend of flavors present in the Middle East and North Africa. Venice is also home to pleasant combination of sparkling wine, fresh peaches and peach Schnapps.

Next, you may need to explore Tuscany. This central region includes the cities of Florence, Siena and Pisa. The food is the most adventure in this region and includes robust vegetable soups, grainy breads, beans and seasonal vegetables, such as asparagus and spinach, from the fertile countryside. Tuscany is also home for the wine region from which the eponymous red white hails, Chianti.

Finally, your culinary tour is not complete when you do not visit Naples. This city is famous for culinary artistry on hearty red sauces, its narrow crust pizzas and French favorites, such as eggplant Parmesan and pasta (pâtes) and meatballs. This Mediterranean coast city is also home to a variety of spirits, including the sweet, after-dinner drink, limoncello.

Allez, bonne appetit!

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Celebrate Chinese New Year With Turnip Cake Recipe


Chinese New Year is round the corner and its time to prepare for a great gala. A party without finger-licking dishes is impossible. Try out an simple cake recipe, that will certainly indulge the taste-bud of your kith and kins.

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil (2 tbs)
Fresh ginger root (2 slices)
Chinese five-spice powder (1 ½ tbs)
Chicken bouillon granules (½ tbs)
Ground white pepper (1 tbs)
Salt( 2 tbs)
Chinese dried mushrooms (8 ounces)
Dried Shrimp (1/3 cup)
Sliced Pork Sausage (1 pound)
White Rice Floor (2/3 pound)
Turnips (3)

Preparation

Take a frying pan and pour 2 tablespoons of refined oil. Heat and add mushrooms and shrimps, soaked overnight in water. Mix all with sausages and saute and cook the mixture for ½ minute. Transfer the stuff in a bowl and keep them aside. Clear the pan and heat 1 more tablespoon oil. To it add ginger, saute and stripped turnips. Stir and fry for 3 minutes. Add chinese spice powder, salt, white pepper, chicken bouillon and jerk the mixture upwardly, such that you can extract ginger slices basically. Turn off the heat.

Now, mix the cooked Turnip mixture with rice flour. Mix them nicely with the help of chopsticks or spoon. Add the cooked sausage mixture and transfer all in to a deep round cake pan. Take a bowl filled with water and bring to boil. Place a round wire rack over the boiling water and place the cake pan. Let the cake steam on low heat. Check it after 45 minutes and the steamed cake is prepared to be sliced in to pieces. Serve hot or cold, depending on the taste of your guests.
other cake