igourmet’s New Years Resolutions
1. Spend more time with family and friends.
2. Lose weight.
4. Help others.
Bonneville
igourmet.com is a proud sponsor of Bonneville starring Jessica Lange, Joan Allen and Kathy Bates.
ABOUT THE FILM
Jessica Lange, Joan Allen and Kathy Bates hit the road in BONNEVILLE, a story about three friends who ”come of age” for a second time on a trip across the great American West. Faced with the decision of a lifetime, Arvilla Holden (Lange) loads up her 1966 Bonneville convertible and, with her friends (Allen, Bates) in tow, sets out from Pocatello, Idaho en route to Santa Barbara.
As they detour to spots like Bryce Canyon and Las Vegas, it doesn’t take long for the women to realize Arvilla has something unexpected in store. But what none of them realize is that what began as a simple trip will end up becoming a chance to rediscover themselves, their friendship, the importance of promises - and of letting go. Also starring Tom Skerritt and Christine Baranski, BONNEVILLE unites three of the most acclaimed actresses of our time in a story that celebrates fun, adventure and living life to the fullest.
Top Ten Flavor Pairings of 2008
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McCormick® Forecasts Top 10 Flavor Pairings for 2008 |
| HUNT VALLEY, Md. (December 20, 2007) – The fragrant, visually stunning duo of poppy seed and rose captures America’s quest for the ultimate sensory experience. This combination is just one of McCormick’s top 10 flavor pairings featured in the just-released McCormick® Flavor Forecast™ 2008. As the largest spice company in the world, McCormick keeps a finger on the pulse of flavor through an extensive network of researchers, trend experts, chefs, food technologists and sensory analysts. Together with leading restaurant chefs, cookbook authors and TV food personalities, they have identified the top tastes shaping how Americans will eat in the coming year. “Our team of chefs is constantly exploring new ways to experience flavor – it is the heart of what we do,” said Kevan Vetter, Executive Chef at McCormick. “When we see a new spirit of adventure with ingredients like lemon grass and lychee or red curry and masa, we know it’s an exciting time for food and flavor.”So what’s influencing the flavors of 2008? America’s escalating interest in health and wellness, the boundless passion for discovering authentic ingredients and cooking techniques from around the globe and the increased desire for local and artisan food are all driving forces in evolving our collective palate. McCormick explored these and other trends to develop the top 10 flavor pairings for 2008. McCormick’s Top 10 flavor pairings:
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Wine is an excellent gift to be offered on any occasion: from an intimate reception to the celebration of important events. There are several different related wine gift ideas that you can offer. Any person receiving a wine bottle will always be charmed by the gift.
Below are a few wine gift ideas:
- Include a pot of Wine Jelly in a wine gift basket
If you plan to offer a Christmas gift to a fine gourmet, wine jellies are a good idea. Wine jellies (made with red, rose or white wine) are used to create succulent sauces or simply putted on bread like jam. Wine jellies also enhance the taste of a fruit pie.
Here is an example of a Christmas gourmet basket:
A bottle of Sauterne or sweet Bergerac, foie gras (fat liver) , wine jellies, flavored oil , balsamic vinegar , a recipe book…
- Personalized wine bottle
Several enterprises offer the opportunity to acquire personalized champagne or wine bottles. You can also personalize the bottle by yourself: name of your friend or parent, birth date, your Christmas wishes…
This kind of corkscrews do not damage the wine stopper which has sometimes the same or more value than the wine and the bottle. Corks can sometimes be very hard to remove, so a professional corkscrew will leave the stopper intact.
Some corkscrew have an optional engraved monogram and manufacturers create professional corkscrew decorated for Christmas.
Crystal is delicate and is an excellent way to enhance the wine you offer to drink. Crystal glasses also add a touch of luxury to your table.
There are several crystal factories such as Val Saint Lambert (Belgium), Murano (Italy), Baccarat (France)…; which are expensive but there are also less expensive crystal glasses available on the market. They are cheaper because they do not meat the crystal criteria but are as beautiful as the real crystal glasses.
If your Christmas gift budget is very large, offer a set of 30 crystal glasses including: 6 red wine glasses, 6 white wine glasses, 6 water glasses, 6 champagne glasses and 6 port glasses.
If your budget is limited, do not hesitate to offer a set of two wine tasting glasses.
The term “crystal” is protected in Europe and in many other countries since many years. To be called “crystal”, the glass must meet some rigorous criteria in percentages and rates.
When you offer this kind of gift, ensure you that these standards are met, and you will always be sure to offer a gift of great value.
- Wine decanter
What does mean decanting? Wine decanting means transferring the content of a wine bottle into another recipient before serving in order to reveal the wine’s aromas. A decanter also emphasizes the wine’s colours. This is an excellent Christmas gift for a wine lover.
- Wine tasting set
If you plan to offer a wine tasting set for Christmas, include wine bags to cover the wine bottles, a wine tasting guide, scorecards to evaluate the wines, glasses designed to taste each category of wine.
Wine Clubs are a great way to discover and taste many different wines. There are different kind of wine clubs: red wine clubs, white wine clubs, etc. Wine clubs take you on a tour of the world’s best vineyards and give you the opportunity to buy great wines and realize big savings. Put the certificate in an envelope decorated with Christmas motifs and hang it on your Christmas tree. This kind of gift can also be mailed with your Christmas greetings.
- “Pocket vineyard”
Another great Christmas gift idea for a wine lover, is the pocket vineyard; which contains an informative gold mine about wine: grape harvest tables, glossary, diagrams, suggestions to match wine and food… It is also an excellent tool for someone who is building a wine-cellar and will learn a lot about the subject.
By making a research on the Internet, you will find thousands of gift ideas related to wine that can be offered for Christmas. If your Christmas gifts budget is restricted, you can also offer a simple wine bottle in a nice gift pack.
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Prosperity66 is an European History, Holidays and Tarot cards passionate. She writes articles and creates websites dedicated to these subjects. For more Christmas Gift Ideas feel free to visit Christmas Time Guide. For more Wine Accessories and Infos, feel free to visit All About Wine. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dominique_Halet |
Amazing Gingerbread House
Check out this beautiful gingerbread house.
By Bye Emeril : (
The Food Network has officially cancelled Emeril Live.
Choose your turkey wisely
November 8th, 2007
By Deven Black, Jill Rovitzky Black and Judith Hausman
Gannett News Service
Shopping for a Thanksgiving turkey can be daunting. Sometimes the labels can be as confusing as an income tax return. To set you straight, we’re providing a glossary, so you’ll have the skinny on your turkey, no matter how plump a bird you buy.
Heritage
Heritage turkeys are the feathered equivalents of heirloom vegetables. To turkey breeders they’re “standard breeds” — old-school turkeys that look, live and, most important, taste the way turkeys used to. To buy one of these tasty throwbacks, try www. localharvest.org/store, a cooperative venture of farm markets. Enter “heritage turkey” in the search box and a variety of producers will come up. Some offer only on-site pickup but others ship either frozen or seriously chilled birds. Prices can run as high as $10 a pound. heritage turkeys are also available at www.igourmet.com
Pasture-raised
The name says it all: Pasture-raised turkeys roam around outside and eat primarily grass, so their food and activity level — both of which affect flavor — differ from those of their grain-fed cousins raised in confinement. Pasture-raised turkeys are also likely to be heritage breeds; the factory farm birds are so heavy of breast and short of leg that they can’t thrive out in the open. According to traditional-cooking authority William Rubel, heritage turkeys “have more intrinsic flavor, and if they have been raised on pasture, then their flesh will be as fully flavored as it can be OrganicAccording to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to be called organic, a turkey has to be raised on organic feed: grain- or grass-fed without the use of genetic engineering methods, ionizing radiation or sewage sludge for fertilization. And the birds cannot be given hormones or antibiotics. Many breeders who produce pasture-raised, heritage breeds do so organically. The growing popularity of organic foods means that you’ll also find organic birds at Whole Foods Markets and other high-end, health-food-oriented retailers or similar specialty stores. www.igourmet.com KosherTo qualify as a kosher turkey, the bird must be healthy at the time of slaughter and must be killed in a specific manner intended to minimize pain, under supervision of a rabbi trained in ancient Jewish dietary laws. All the blood has to be removed from the slaughtered bird, first by draining, then by a process of soaking and salting. The net effect of all that salt and water is equivalent to brining the bird, an effective although sometimes unwieldy way to enhance the flavor and juiciness of a turkey. That’s why in the supermarket arena, kosher poultry often trumps standard brands in taste tests, and why many non-Jews and non-observant Jews will buy kosher turkeys and chickens. Frozen kosher turkeys are available in most major supermarkets. Fresh birds can be ordered from kosher butchers or specialty kosher markets.Free-range
Free-range refers only to turkeys given free access to the outdoors. They may still be penned, unlike pastured turkeys, which actually wander around grass. Crowded conditions apparently have more impact on turkey health and taste than does access to the outdoors.
Fresh
According to Agriculture Department definitions revamped in 1997, “fresh” simply means the turkey has never been stored below 26 degrees. The term describes a “pliable surface.” The bird may still have been stored for several weeks. For the holiday season, most grocery chains carry fresh turkey. They still generally taste better than “deep frozen” birds and can be perked up further with brining. You may prefer to look for “fresh-killed,” meaning recently butchered and delivered, usually coming from farms closer by.
Frozen
Poultry taken below 26 degrees and held at zero degrees or below must be labeled “frozen.” If the turkey is defrosted, it should say “previously frozen” on the packaging. “Rock” frozen and requiring longer defrosting time (www.butterball.com answers all defrosting, temperature and recipe questions.), these turkeys may have been held a long time after processing. Widely available, conventional brands such as Butterball may also be “self-basting,” that is, injected with a solution of fat, broth, salt and water. This is meant to counteract the drying tendency of the quick-freezing, industrial cold-air process. In addition, factory-raised birds grow so quickly that their meat doesn’t have a chance to develop rich flavor and dense texture.
Natural
Fresh turkeys may also calls themselves “natural,” which has no official definition. It is a broad marketing adjective that officially indicates nothing about how the bird was raised, fed, killed or held. Sometimes packaging will further explain that “natural” indicates that the turkey contains no artificial ingredients. Premium brands, such as Murray’s, Bell & Evans and Maple Lawn Farms are fresh and natural, too.
Greetings From Baghdad
Today we recieved a wonderful email from Neal Greene, an officer in the United States Army, First Calvary Division in Baghdad:
“I”d just like to thank you for your great service to APOS. i”m an officer in the 1st cavalry division deployed to Baghdad and we have hadone of our weekly meetings supplied with snacks from your company. they
ship quickly and the price and quality is exceptional. if possible,
i”ll send you some pictures of some of our officers and your great
food.”
Thanks again,
Neal Greeene
THANK YOU OFFICER GREENE!
Meat Cake
The Meat Cake from the Black Widow Bakery with step by step instructions. Enjoy!
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