Family Cooking Tips

Archive for April, 2009

With hypermarkets becoming an agglomeration of poisoning so-called foods, and in the conditions of more and more sensitivities and illness, it’s no wonder people turn towards natural organic foods. Although analyses between conventional and non-conventional foods are relevant, any consumer can use his/her common sense to decide whether the foods he/she buys are good for health. The dangers that lurk in non-organic foods are hormones, antibiotics, pesticides and fertilizers. The non-organic livestock is raised in very harsh conditions, while the fruit and vegetables are synthetically boosted to look great and take the consumer’s eye. By contrast, natural organic foods are cultivated or grown according to the rules of Mother Nature, with very little human intervention.

Natural organic foods may also have traces of pesticide residues, but these are usually drifted from nearby farms that use chemicals for crop production. Furthermore, with natural organic foods there are a lot more nutrients and fewer threats for the health. If we take the example of organic eggs, analyses indicate that besides the lack of hormones and antibiotics, there is less saturated fat, less cholesterol, more Vitamin A, twice more Omega-3 acids, huge amounts of beta-carotene and seven times more Vitamin E than in non-organic eggs. The difference is therefore huge, not to mention that the quality of the protein is significant too.

The word is spreading about the advantages of natural organic foods, and since not all geographic areas benefit from the direct access to organic retailers, it is good to know that many of the products can be now ordered online from the closest source. If you want to buy natural organic foods, it is more likely to find them at the market than in hypermarkets. Moreover, in case you travel to the country side, the chances to find producers of natural organic foods is a lot higher. Make a bit of research and see where you find them and whether you can make some supplies.

The only disadvantage of natural organic foods is their price, because they are between 10% and 40% more expensive than non-organic foods. When it comes to vegetables and fruits, the products are very easy to recognize by their look: there will be no huge perfect apples or strawberries, but various fruit sizes, some flawed, others intact. The same thing stays valid for meat, but you will only be able to tell which is which by shopping from the special organic sectors in markets or supermarkets.

The art of French cooking is given much prestige in a country of French fries and hamburgers. When one is used to this American fare, it is easy to marvel over the sophistication and refinement of French cooking and recipes. This fascination is what draws people to French restaurants when they are in the mood for a fancy French meal. Yet, French food is not that difficult to prepare if you start with the basics. Finding French recipes and cooking them is just like anything else?it gets easier the more you do it!

Making A Meal

In France, a very specific course list is decided on and plays a major role in determining the French recipes used when cooking. Typically, a French meal includes an entr?e, main course, cheese, and dessert. These courses are matched so that the meal is not too heavy. For example, a meat entr?e and meat main course should never be served together.

Another step you can take before cooking French recipes is ensuring that you have all the ingredients typically used in French cuisine. There are several ingredients that are essential when preparing any French dish, and they are a staple on any French kitchen. Such items include: olive oil, vinegar, nutmeg, hot mustard, garlic, onions, flour, sugar, basil, sorrel, parsley, coriander, and sage. Having these ingredients on hand will make cooking your French recipe a lot easier.

A Simply Sensational Dessert

With French cooking, it is best to pick a recipe that is fairly basic when first starting out. If this is the case, there is not any recipe more basic than that for Mousse au Chocolat, or Chocolate Mousse. To prepare this recipe, you will need: 3 tablespoons orange liquor, 4 eggs, 2 tablespoons sour cream, 1 ounce unsalted butter, 1.5 ounces sugar, and 8 ounces of plain, bitter chocolate.

First, separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. Whisk together the yolks and the sugar in a large bowl until the mixture is smooth and clear. Next, cut the butter and chocolate into small pieces and place them in a saucepan. Add the orange liquor and 2 spoonfuls of water. Over low heat, melt the mixture until it is smooth, making sure that it does not stick to the pan.

Pour the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and blend well. Add the sour cream and continue to stir. Next, beat the egg whites until frothy using an electric mixer, allowing them to become ?hard.? Gradually add the egg whites to the chocolate mixture, whisking to blend. Pour the final result into small dishes and refrigerate for three hours until serving.

Acquiring Expertise

French cooking might seem difficult, but in reality, it is easy to make many French recipes. If you start with something basic, you will be able to expand your range of recipes until you are an expert at preparing French cuisine!

There are many different sauces for those who love pasta. Pasta cooking can be very easy to do which is why many people like to cook pasta. Depending on which part of the world you belong to, pasta can come in many different shapes and forms. Along with the many different shapes of pasta, come the many different pasta sauces suitable for pasta cooking.

Red Sauces For Pasta Cooking

Tomato sauce is the usual sauce for some pasta recipes, although it can easily be substituted with a white sauce or any other kind o f sauce there is. The base for most red sauces is tomato. What you add to it depends on your preferences. Many people prefer to add herbs and spices while others add ground meat to their pasta cooking. Cheese is also one of the more common ingredients to pasta cooking.

The cheeses that are usually added to your red sauce are parmesan, ricotta and mozzarella. Many other cheeses can be added to the red sauce, still depending on the preferences of the person cooking. Parmesan is a usual favorite for pasta dishes as well as mozzarella.

White Sauces For Pasta Cooking

Many white sauces are added to pasta cooking to complement the pasta. Usually, these are cream based or based on some herbs or spices. Some people even use the ordinary canned cream of mushroom and just add this to any pasta. It can be considered w white sauce also. White sauces are usually creamy and thick. Some white sauces are not cream based but are instead butter based while others are based on broth.

Cheeses are also used in white sauces to complement it. Since cheeses come in a variety of flavor and smells, some can make or break your pasta dish. If you are still experimenting with pasta cooking, try out cheeses in small quantities.

Other Alternatives To Pasta Cooking

Olive oil can also be used to bring out the flavor of the herbs and spices that you add to your pasta cooking. Broth and wine can also be concocted to make a delicious sauce for pasta while pesto is commonly used for pasta also. Butter mixed with herbs is another alternative that is different for pasta cooking. Meat sauces often come in both red and white sauces and all kinds of meats are used for pasta. Some use vegetables instead of meat to enhance the flavor of their sauce.

If you prefer organic food for all of your meals, you should be prepared to stay organic even when you are away from home. People who are traveling on holiday or for business purposes, often have to plan their meals very carefully in order to stick to their eating habits and beliefs. Thus, a list of organic restaurants will always be handy for one who searches for such a feature. The healthier alternative is one of the services many facilities now include, although the prices of the menus may be slightly higher for this consideration. Both regional and seasonal cuisine gain something in this respect!

There are a few steps to take in order to select the best and most convenient organic restaurants for your purposes. In case you are just interested in dining out, you can search on the Internet and see what restaurants in your area serve organic meals. Databases have been expanding significantly in this respect particularly since lots of people concerned with organic food have started giving online recommendations for one restaurant or another. Hence, you can check for reviews or post your own comments in relation to one location or another to help other people identify good organic restaurants and spread the word further on.

In case of traveling, you can use the Internet for the maps that help to the identification of organic restaurants. Take recommendations, suggestions and directions for at least two or three such locations so that you may be able to choose the most convenient one, or even try them all. The advantages of organic restaurants is that they serve food cooked with organic products only and without adding any chemical ingredients or colorants to enhance the taste and the looks of desert for instance. What you’ll be eating should be 100% natural.

Furthermore, organic restaurants make a very healthy choice for people who suffer from certain ailments and who for one reason or another have to stick to a strict diet. Lower cholesterol levels, more nutrients and virtually a total product safety, these are the main advantages of food produced without the use of additives, hormones or pesticides. The food served in organic restaurants will therefore be preferred by people who suffer from the irritable bowel syndrome to give just an example of a health condition caused by the consume of chemicals-packed food. Therefore, make information on organic restaurants an important part of any travel guide.