Many Healthy Ways To Bring Beets To The Table

Beets come in many varieties these days. Growing up in the 1950s and 1960s my Dad grew beets in the garden out back. Mom regularly canned beets, summer after summer, and one of the things I loved was peeling them. Beets are interesting in that if cooked whole, and allowed to cool slightly, the skins can easily be slipped off. It was one of my chores before Mom poured her vinegar solution over them in their jars. I learned to love beets pickled, as that was what we had most often.

Unfortunately, just growing up with beets present summer after summer is not enough to guarantee that one will like them. Some of my sisters do not, while others, like me, love them. Another thing that was a yearly use of beets was a recipe from my Serbian Grandmother. She made a relish of sorts from canned beets, grated finely and adding in prepared horseradish and a little sugar. This was an Easter treat, served with ham. To this day I try to make some of this condiment any time we have a ham around the house.

Beets in Recipes

Sliced cooked beets are wonderful in a salad. A layer of some baby greens, a few slices of beets, a little soft goat cheese and a handful of walnuts makes a terrific salad with just a light dressing. Beets just cooked or steamed are perfect for salad, though pickled beet slices are also wonderful.

Make a delicious relish by roasting 3 medium beets wrapped in foil. Place them on a small baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for an hour or until tender when pierced with a sharp knife. Saute a coarsely chopped half onion in some olive oil until soft and translucent. Add in 2 peeled, cored and small diced apples to the pan and toss until they just begin to soften. Add in salt and pepper, along with 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar and 3 tablespoons of honey. A grating of nutmeg is also a nice touch. Once the beets are baked, allow them to cool enough to handle. Peel them by rubbing the skins off. Using gloves will prevent hands and nails from turning pink. Cut the beets into small dice and add to the apples and onions. Mix and allow flavors to meld for at least 2 hours. This is a delicious relish or side dish, good enough to eat alone.

Beets and Swiss chard are members of the same plant family. The beet greens can be eaten in the same ways, and the lively bitter taste is delightful. They are incredibly rich in nutrients, particularly beta carotene and lutein. A quick saute of beet greens with a few other vegetables make a quick and light stir fry.

Beets can be eaten raw also, grated onto a salad. They can be made into a similar beet and horseradish dish but all done fresh. Use fresh beets, finely grated and fresh horseradish finely grated, to taste. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Beet Varieties

There are beet varieties available these days I had never heard of as a child, but available in many places today. Chioggia beets are the most beautiful pink and white striped color. Spiraled layers of color make them a delight to the eyes as well as the stomach. Golden beets are just that, bright golden yellow inside. They are slightly less sweet than red beets, but also less earthy, which is sometimes the complaint people have about beets in general.

Some of the healthiest properties of beets are delicate. Over baking or cooking will lessen the amounts of the folate and lutein available. Beets are extremely high in heart healthy folate. They have great anti inflammatory properties and are incredibly high in fiber, making them great for colon health. They are also a good source of manganese and vitamin C. Make beets a part of your diet and begin reaping the rewards.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. I hope it was informative and helped you along your own culinary journey. You will find many more recipes and helpful tips on my web site. I am on Facebook at A Harmony of Flavors and share a recipe or tip each day to the fans that have liked my site. I hope to see you there soon.

Buying A Commercial Dishwasher

While many restaurant owners feel as though a commercial dishwasher is not a necessity, very often after they open and realize how much time and money it will save, they realize that they may in fact need one.

While there are several types of commercial dish machines available, the under counter dishwasher is gaining in popularity. These not only save space, but they are energy efficient, easy to load and dont use a lot of water. While they are an investment, once you begin using one and you see the money you save on these things plus employee costs, youll see that it will quickly pay for itself.

Which Brand To Buy?

There are several brands that make high quality machines, so the best way to figure out what you want is to do some research and decide what is most important to you. Brands such as CMA, Jackson, Insinger, Champion and Eurodib all make excellent quality products that will work in your restaurant.

Size and Space

Unless you have an enormous restaurant kitchen such as that of a large banquet hall or hotel, space is usually going to be an issue. You can buy a commercial dishwasher in several sizes so youll need to measure your area to see where you can put it and how much actual space you have. Even the best commercial dishwashers will not be useful if you choose one that doesnt fit the space and flow of your kitchen.

Number of Dishes

A busy kitchen is going to go through a lot of dishes in a night. If you are going to be running your dishwasher at a constant pace, youll want to get one that runs through the cycle fast. The Jackson Avenger HT High-Temperature Undercounter Dishmachine not only runs through the dishes super fast, it can also run 24 racks of dishes per hour in a tight space.

Budget

Of course budget is always something to be concerned about when buying any commercial product. Once youve started looking at dishwashers, youll find that they vary greatly in price, so its best to decide on which features you absolutely need before beginning your search. Once youve set your budget, youll then be able to narrow it down to exactly which features are worth the price and which are not.

Buying a commercial dishwasher is a huge step for many restaurant owners who may have never had one in the past, but with the right amount of time and research, you should have no problem finding exactly what you need at a price you can afford. Youll be amazed at the amount of time and money you save with just this one piece of equipment in your kitchen.

Which Grill Should You Get? Choosing Your First Barbeque Grill

Although is site is about portable gas grills, I would like to give you some insight on other options you have. In addition to the portable barbeque grills, you can also choose a charcoal grill, propane grill, natural gas, or smokers.
Before gas grills became popular, your likely choice would be a charcoal grill. Charcoal grills require charcoal (of course) and lighter fluid. It can sometimes be a challenge to heat the grilling surface evenly with a charcoal grill. They require cleaning and new charcoal with each use. They come in various sizes so if you like the charcoal taste but still want a portable grill this is an option.
Propane grills use propane to cook your food. They are easier to light than charcoal grills. Depending on the number of burners, you should be able to heat the cooking surface evenly with no problem. They also come in various sizes so you can opt for a portable model.
Natural gas grills require more room and likely a fixed location. These types of grills are hooked up to your home's gas line. If you want to cook meat fast and don't require a portable model, this is an option for you.
If flavor is your ultimate goal, then smoker grills are the right type for you. Smokers use wood to slowly cook your food which really brings out the flavor. They can be transported if this is important to you but if cooking time is a priority, then you might want to consider other models.
When you are shopping for a barbeque grill, there are three considerations we must consider: price, space, and flavor.
Price
In most buying decisions, cost is an important factor. The price is going to be determined by they type of grill and size. Your cheapest option is going a charcoal grill. You can get these for around $20. The next cheapest option is a propane gas grill followed by smokers. Natural gas grills are going to cost the most, starting around $300.
Size
Most people like portable grills because of their size, as they take up less space. Space considerations are going to depend on where you live. If you live in an apartment, portable charcoal and propane grills are your best bet. If you have a home with some space, then you can also consider natural gas and larger smokers.
Flavor
We love our grills because of the flavor they bring out in food. While they all get the job done, they are not created equal. If flavor is of utmost importance, a smoker is the grill is for you as it brings out that smoked taste. The downside of a smoker is the cooking time. If you want quicker cooking times with that smoked taste, charcoal with be your next best bet.

Four Desserts From My Serbian Grandma

My grandmother was from Serbia, part of the Yugoslavian union at the time she came to the US. She did not become a US citizen until I was 12 years old. She spoke the Rusyn dialect with her children, including my father who was born in the US, and her English was broken and strongly accented all her life. Grandma was a wonderful pastry baker. Her desserts were many, and some are recalled mainly as Christmas pastries.

Nut Pita

In my mind, Nut Pita is one of the recipes always associated with Christmas. It is not a very sweet dessert, but is quite rich. My grandmothers Nut Pita is two layers of unsweetened pastry dough, with a ground walnut, egg and sugar filling. The fillings could also be meat fillings, cheese or fruit. Pita means pie in Serbian, and I understand that the pastry part of these pies is generally a puff pastry dough or fillo dough. Pie can be interpreted as anything made with a crust, usually on the bottom, and sometimes also on top of a filling. Fillings may be sweet or savory. In Grandmas Nut Pita, the filling was made with a dozen eggs, separated. The whites were whipped separately and folded into the yolks, sugar and ground nuts. The pastry she made was with yeast, though not puff pastry type dough. It was rolled to fit a 13 x 9 inch pan, the filling went in and this was topped with another layer of the pastry. After baking, it was always sliced into diamond shapes, brushed with vanilla and then sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Kifli, Kiflicke, Kiefele

I am not sure of the spelling of these little pastries. The pastry part of these is rich and flaky, but not sweet dough. It is rolled out to small squares or circles and a filling is placed in the center, opposite sides or corners are pulled together and they are baked. The fillings in the center that I most recall are Prune Lekvar, a smooth puree of cooked prunes, and Apricot filling. Either of these two fillings is simple to make. Simply take pitted dry fruits and a small amount of water with some lemon rind and simmer until all the water has boiled down. Puree in the food processor until smooth with sugar, to taste. It makes a wonderful filling, and even tastes great spread on toast. The dough is light and flaky and the fillings are delicious.

Strudel

I have not had a strudel like my grandmas since the last time I saw her, a very long time ago. I have ordered strudel in restaurants, and since they are usually German restaurants, the pastry part was a thicker and more bread like dough. Grandmas strudel was made by stretching her dough to cover the entire kitchen table, with an overhang of at least 12 inches. It was stretched so thin you could read a newspaper through the dough. She would sprinkle on one of various types of sweetened fillings, such as poppy seed, ground walnuts, apples, cheese, and even cabbage. It always seemed there would not be enough filling, as it was spread so thin, but the dough was also very thin, so it was always perfect. Grandmas strudel was not only for holidays, but was always present in her house.

Bobalky

Little dough balls, soaked with hot water and mixed with honey and ground poppy seeds. Unless one has grown up eating this dessert, it seems hard to enjoy. We of the family find these little balls totally irresistible. Grandmas version is sweet with all the honey, but I have seen savory versions out there also. It seems so many of the desserts I grew up with are also known in savory versions.

I am very lucky to have grown up in a family with such a rich heritage. Like most children it is easy to take for granted the culture and food traditions that become part of your life. Too many children today want to skip the traditional foods of their families and head to the local fast food restaurant. My Grandparents often said, With age comes wisdom. It took me many years to realize they are right and I am now trying to pass these traditions on to you.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. I hope it was informative and helped you along your own culinary journey. You will find many more recipes and helpful tips on my web site. I am on Facebook at A Harmony of Flavors and share a recipe or tip each day to the fans that have liked my site. I hope to see you there soon.

Best Range Of Kitchen Appliances

Today we can find various online shopping portals which help consumers to buy their daily need products like: Morphy Richards Cafe Rico Esp CM with Frt, Glen Cooking Ranges - Indian GL-2011, Sunflame 3 Burner Sapphire S
(1). Morphy Richards Cafe Rico Esp CM with Frt
Features:
Makes espresso ,cappucino and latte coffee
Unique easy to clean heated milk frother.
Thermostatic hotplate - heats milk for frothing.
Brushed stainless steel trim
6-espresso cup capacity
Pemanent stainless steel filter
Illuminated on / off switch
Variable strength selector
Heat resistant carafe and lid
Stainless steel milk frothing jug
Fail - safe cut out
Colour - Graphite /Brushed stainless steel
Wattage - 1200 watts
(2). Glen Cooking Ranges - Indian GL-2011
Features:
World Class appliances from Glen complement your contemporary lifestyle.
Teaming up with your passion for cooking and insistence on the best that you demand from life.
Glen has appliances that are truly international in form and spirit. From a hob to a cooktop to a cooking range to a Chimney - Glen is ultimate in innovation.
Glen appliances make your life comfortable and in rhythm with what you want.
Glen Cooking Range GL 2011, Gas Oven FITTED WITH Italian Thermostat for perfect baking, Separate Grill Chamber, Motorised Rotisserie Optional, 52 cms Four Burner Black finish, PDCA Burners with 5 years replacement warranty.
Optional: Installation charges of Rs 250 will be extra towards installation of Hobs, Cooking Ranges and Cookerhoods.

(3). Sunflame 3 Burner Sapphire S

Renowned for its high-quality, high-performance kitchen/home applications, Sunflame is clearly the No. 1 choice of homes across India. With leading-edge technical superiority, and innovation as the cornerstones of its corporate philosophy, Sunflame assures its customers consistent quality and dependability.
At Sunflame, each appliance is crafted with a rare inspirational quality that can enhance every cooking experience and turn it into a gourmet adventure. Sleek and streamlined, Sunflame Appliances are designed to turn an every day cook into a gourmet expert. In home appliances, nothing comes close to matching Sunflame in elegance, performance and design.
Features:
3-burner cook top from Sunflame
International brushed steel matt finish body
Brass burners with three rows of flames for even cooking
Euro coated pan supports

Homeshop18 offers best steamers and rice Cookers.

Kitchen Appliance Placement Advice

It is very easy to become 'institutionalised' around kitchen appliance placement and to put them where everybody else does - but with a little more creative thinking you can redesign your kitchen to be right for you, rather than the masses, and here's how.

It is all too easy to simply place you luxury kitchen appliances where they have always stood but with a little extra knowledge you can move beyond predictable placement without going massively over your kitchen budget.
Stainless steel is the obvious choice but instead think about a dramatic color change and ask for appliance swatches to match your gadgets to your kitchen cabinets Think about a sculpted kitchen extractor too, rather than a simple pull out wooden-cladded design, as this can create a real showpiece.

Kitchen Appliances Placement Advice

Why should a dishwasher have to sit at floor height? Why not elevate it to a mid-height location around 60-70 inches off the floor and then house your microwave above it. You will find these placements suit the usage of the appliances more than by simply having them in their normal positions, lower to the ground.

Place built-in ovens side by side rather than one above the other, at the right height so you can see easily into them both.

Well designed 'statement' extractor hoods from the like of elica are becoming very fashionable and think about the design of your extractor before plumping for one that simply 'does the job'.

Think about housing your small kitchen appliances in a mid height kitchen cabinet that sits around 40 inches off the floor, as this will make it easier to get at them - and that means you will use them more:)

Don't just plump for a floor standing refrigerator. Why not consider using drawer-style fridge units that look like kitchen draws. They are easier to use and take up less space.

Place a small food preparation sink within your kitchen island as you will find most of your food prep will be done from there and it saves making a mess all over your kitchen.

Look at housing a foldable lcd TV under one of your wall cabinets so it can be folded into view whenever it is needed but will not take up valuable space. Think too about turning it into a multi-media centre or a kitchen PC, allowing you to go online, watch movies, listen to the radio or the TV from one unit.

How To Cook Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is the German food that most people know the best. It is green cabbage that is sliced very finely and is then fermented by bacteria in lactic acid. This fermentation process is the same as occurs during pickling, and gives the cabbage its sour taste. Thus the dish is known as sauerkraut, or sour cabbage.

Sauerkraut can be bought in many German grocery stores and in many outdoor markets in all parts of Germany. You can eat this German delicacy raw, and it is packed with minerals and vitamins that keep you healthy.

Remember though that if you are not accustomed to the bacteria that is in the raw dish, you could suffer some stomach problems temporarily.

If you want to make your own sauerkraut, you first need to wash the white cabbage and slice it finely. The sliced vegetable is then put into a pot, and you need to mix in a precise amount of salt. Then you mash it up with a cabbage masher. This lets the juices from the cabbage to get extracted from the cabbage. This should make enough liquid to cover the cabbage entirely.
This is an important step in the process: making sure that the cabbage is totally covered in liquid. This keeps out any air; contact with air will ruin the fermentation process.

Then, you will take the cabbage and put it into an airtight bowl for about five weeks. The bacteria/yeast combination will start to ferment the cabbage. After a few weeks, the bacteria in the lactic acid will go active, and will convert any sugar in the chopped cabbage into acid. Your sauerkraut will be ready to eat when it has achieved the right amount of sourness, depending upon your tastes.

You can keep your sauerkraut for 3-4 months if it is in a container that is airtight, and is kept below 36 degrees F. You do not have to keep sauerkraut in the fridge, but the shelf life is extended a lot if you do so. Most of the sauerkraut you buy in stores has been pasteurized to extend the shelf life even further.

When it comes time to cook your finished sauerkraut, you should drain it of liquid and possibly rinse it off if it is very salty. You will then put it into a large pot. For each pound of sauerkraut, you should put in of a cup of dry white wine. Boil it, and then turn the heat down to low. Let the kraut simmer for about one hour. If it gets too dry, add some water.

There are many things that you can add to spice up your sauerkraut, depending on your tastes. You can add onions, bacon, cream and even some types of berries! In some parts of Germany, people add pork cutlets or ribs to it to provide a smoky taste. The pork will absorb the liquid and become very soft.

If you decide to make your own sauerkraut, know that people have been doing a form of this for thousands of years. The preservation of green cabbage was discovered in China in 220 BC. As they built the Great Wall, they needed to have good, nutritious food in the winter, so they started to preserve their summer cabbage by drenching it in wine.
Pickling cabbage was started in Europe in the 1400s by people from Mongolia. It became popular in eastern Europe and then it eventually took root in Germany.

As you can see, making sauerkraut yourself is quite an art! But many Germans will only make it themselves; they would never want to buy it from a grocery store shelf. Give it a try sometime!

George Foreman Grill Reviews: More Revelations Of Next Level Grilling!

Innovation is unavoidable particularly on such a dynamic marketplace. No wonder, premier manufacturers continuously excel in providing superior technologies every now and then. Naturally top brands cannot afford getting surpassed by their counterparts given the tough competition. And so it would be better off to be the pioneer when it comes to product improvement. It is not surprising though should foreman grilling system consistently innovates itself. Moreover, you'll be able to find out all these and more on George Foreman Grill reviews. Consequently, allow me introduce you to a number of its bestselling grills which can be your next grilling units at home.

Foreman GRP4 Grill

Maybe your family members are fond of eating up hamburgers apart from grilled cuisines. Good news for GRP4 next grilleration series could make sufficient servings for everyone. In fact, it can cook up to 4 burgers. The 72-square-inch cooking surface is perfect for three generous servings that assure minimal fats. And that is made doable by the traditional sloping grooves that course out oil and grease away from your cookpiece. Rather, excessive fats are deposited into the drip tray which can be easily emptied and cleansed. Operated by 1000w power, it entails effective but even heating system for seamless grilling process. Not just that for that unit also bears the signature components of GF models like the detachable and dishwasher safe grill parts. Discover more in George Foreman Grill reviews.

Foreman GRP99 Grill

What can you say about 100 square inches cooking surface? I bet there are many culinary ideas running on your mind to make the most of GRP99 grill's extravagant capacity. Thus, you can utilize this hot item in preparing fish fillets, cheese sandwiches, or grilled veggies. Best thing is that the component features non-stick finish which means you don't have to use some more oil or butter in cooking. In the same way, it implies you don't have to be worried about the aftermath cleanup. Among other elements though, it takes pride of interesting set of controls right on the top mounted control panel. In particular, it features power button, digital timer, and adjustable temperature setting. It is but further coupled by LED readouts for quick and easy utility.

Foreman GRP90WGR Grill

For certain obtaining a multi-functional unit would enliven your family. How much more given the 72-square-inch cooking capacity of GRP90WGR edition? The cooking surface is further furnished with tough triple coating ideal for non-resistant and non-scratch surface. Moreover, the unit is inclusive of 5 grilling plates to accommodate several cooking methods for example baking, grilling, griddling, panini and waffle making. And all these are embossed with special sloping grooves for healthy cookery. These channels lead away oil and grease from the cookpiece therefore the fat-free grilling advantage. Discover more of these on George Foreman Grill reviews.

Gluten Free My Story

Last year I was asked to make foods for a Princess Party at the local museum. It was to be for young girls from tiny tots to teens (with an accompanying Queen) to learn about what it meant to be a princess in real life. Things they were shown were pictures of real princesses from past and present, and talks presented on the rigors of growing up a princess. The little budding princesses were taught how to curtsey and wave.
Any little girl hears the word Princess and goes dreamy-eyed. There are so many princesses in fairy-tales, Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, to name just a small handful. All the little girls wanted to dress up and come to a Princess Party.

My task making the princess treats took me to making some delicious, as well as beautiful little foods. At the last minute, I found a recipe for Chocolate Mice.

They seemed so cute; I just had to try them, so I made just a few. Mice seem to figure prominently in some fairy-tales, like Cinderella. I thought they would be very appropriate. I used them to decorate plates and the table, but there were not nearly enough to give one to each little princess in attendance. Still, they were received well and exclaimed over, and everyone wanted one. I filed that success away for use at a later date.
However, in the course of that party, I found out that one of the little Princesses, and her accompanying Queen (who is one of the museum employees) has gluten intolerance.

That little Princess, though she wanted one of the little mice as much as all the other Princesses, could not have it because it was not made gluten free. I felt heartbroken. I love to cook and bake, and all the pretty little foods were a great success, but not for that little Princess and her Queen. This was unacceptable. I had to learn about this problem.

The first Princess Party was such a huge success that a few weeks later the museum held another one, so some of the little Princesses that hadnt been able to attend the first party would now have a chance. The Queen who works at the museum would again be in attendance with her little daughter. This time I would pay more attention to the foods served.
Starting the Learning Process

At this point in time, I knew about wheat containing gluten. I had no idea about some of the other things that might contain wheat, or even about cross contamination. I came across a new recipe for chocolate covered mice. It used a basic cake mix recipe (using gluten free flour), baked, then crumbled with some frosting to form dough for the bodies, formed and dipped them in chocolate. I used almond slices for ears, and red licorice for tails. I was all set. I made the little bodies. I got my package of licorice to make the tails. Something made me look at the ingredients. It contained wheat. Oh good grief. Now what.

My husband, always ready to solve a problem, looked online and found a place that sells gluten free licorice, ordered some there and then, and it arrived a few days later. I finished making the little mice, in smaller size than the first time, and they were so cute I could hardly wait for all the little Princesses to enjoy them this time, including the little Gluten Intolerant Princess.

I kept the concept high in my mind throughout the creation of all the little goodies made for that party, and was careful to have plenty of alternatives. Everything I made was delicious, and enjoyed by all, and that is exactly as it should be.

Continuing Education

After that event had passed, I continued to be curious about what all could be done gluten-free. I help out at the museum very often, making goodies for events, as well as just to share. My sister-in-law also works at the museum and I have become an extension of the museum family. The young woman who is gluten-intolerant is a very sweet person, and I did not want to have to exclude her from enjoying some of the things I do there, so I started looking online to see what all this gluten-free stuff was all about.

This was when I found out that aside from the obvious wheat, barley and rye also contained gluten. Oh, my. Okay, that really started feeling a bit crippling, in reference to making a recipe. I talked to my best friend in the world (since second grade.), also named Chris. Some years ago she decided to go gluten-free because she felt she was possibly gluten-intolerant to some degree. Knowing this, I asked her what she did on her journey to gluten-free. What did she bake. How good was it in comparison to wheat-based recipes. Did she ever make bread.

She gave me lots of good ideas, as well as more knowledge. She told me about the cross contamination issue, about not using anything wood, as it could never be completely cleansed of wheat; how much all this could affect a person who was gluten intolerant. It was daunting. Scary. Frustrating.

Next Steps

I thought about all this a lot. I thought about how glad I was that gluten-intolerance was not one of my issues. But I also thought about what would it be like to actually have to face this issue, as so many people do. What would it mean to me. I was determined to learn.
The local grocery (a hometown grocer and a fabulous store) carries five different varieties of gluten-free flour blends. They also carry most of the different single type flours that can be used to create a gluten-free mixture of your own. For starters, I bought Namaste brand gluten free flour blend to try out. Next day I made pancakes for breakfast, using my normal pancake recipe, but substituting with this gluten free flour, plus a half teaspoon of Xanthan Gum. I love peaches in pancakes, so I added in peaches to the recipe. They were completely delicious. I put a couple on a plate with some maple syrup and gave them to my husband to try. He loved them. Okay, I was on a roll.

I used that same flour mixture (in a regular wheat flour recipe) to make a cake, again adding Xanthan Gum. It turned out perfect. The texture was slightly different, but the flavor was great. I dont think anyone would know the difference, if I didnt tell them.

You may wonder about Xanthan Gum. I did. I read about it, and it is a thickener. It adds cohesiveness to recipes that are gluten-free. It is a pricey ingredient, but you dont need much at a time. I have been just guesstimating, mainly. If I am making a recipe with 1 cup of flour called for, I may use 1/2 teaspoon of the Xanthan Gum. If it is a larger recipe, such as a two-layer cake, I might add in 1 teaspoon of Xanthan Gum to the whole recipe. I sift it together with the flour and whatever other rising agent is used normally in the recipe. I also read recently that more top chefs are using Xanthan Gum these days, as it thickens things without the need for heat. Making a salad dressing that is runny can gain a little body by mixing in Xanthan Gum, for example. I have not yet tried this but I will.

Branching Out

A great majority of the recipes I have made gluten-free in my testing phase are ones I have made many times in the past with regular all-purpose (wheat) flour. Most of them have been cakes or coffeecakes, plus pancakes. I wanted to see what happened, using recipes I knew well. In general, I find that the cakes are moister, and I like that aspect a lot. Now I felt it was time to try a different flour combination. The King Arthur Flour catalogue had their own blend of gluten-free all purpose flour, though they also supplied the combination of the flours, plus they sell the 3 different flours used to make that blend. I bought the three flours and proceeded to mix up my blend. I made pancakes. YUM. Okay, that was a go, so I went on to another cake. A success.

I have tried to take some of these cakes to the museum, so the gluten intolerant young woman working there can give me her opinion, along with all the others there. I even set up a time to talk with her, just to pick her brain a little and see if there were other pitfalls I was unaware of. I got more tips from her, plus sharing with her yet another coffeecake that was so delicious. I feel I have a much better handle on the whole thing. I went online, searching for recipes and I just fell in love with one website in particular. I found many recipes out there that I want to try. I have tried quite a few, from various sites. So far though, my greatest successes have been with old tried-and-true recipes I have just substituted the flour (and Xanthan Gum).

What about Bread

I wondered about bread. I read about it online, and how it does not function like normal wheat bread dough. I talked to my friend Chris again. She said she tried making bread way back when, and made enough bricks to reface the front of my house. She said she gave up on bread. Okay. I know what a good cook and baker she is, so that was a little daunting to hear. Still. I have been making bread for over 40 years. Granted, regular wheat breads, but I do have a lot of bread-baking experience. I have printed numerous gluten-free bread recipes from online. I havent tried them yet. Except one. And oh my, was it good. I told my friend Chris about it. I dont know if shes tried it yet, but I did take some of this bread I made to the young woman at the museum and she loved it.

I have also been making Pesto for over a year and using it on my No-Knead Bread (not-GF). I slather it on, sprinkle on some grated Parmesan and broil a few minutes until the cheese is all melted. It is fantastic. I did this with a slice of the gluten-free bread I made and it was just wonderful. I also took a slice of the bread with Pesto for the woman at the museum, and she brought tears to my eyes when she said, That has got to be the best thing I have tasted since I had to go gluten-free.

I now know how careful one must be when starting down this path. I also know that I cannot give things I bake to anyone with a severe gluten-intolerance, because my kitchen is regularly used for baking and cooking with wheat flours. I do understand better what works and what not.
I have tried scones. Not a success. Yet. I have tried biscuits. Not a success. Yet. I will get there. You can, too.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. I hope it was informative and helped you along your own culinary journey. You will find many more recipes and helpful tips on my web site. I am on Facebook at A Harmony of Flavors and share a recipe or tip each day to the fans that have liked my site. I hope to see you there soon.

French Country Kitchen Design And Decor Tips

The most captivating room in a French country home is often the kitchen because it serves as the social gathering point for good food and conversation with friends and family. You can add this rustic charm to your kitchen by focusing on the colors, fabrics, furniture and decor. Bringing these characteristics into the design of your French country kitchen is easier than you may think. Many hillside houses in the southern region of France are fairly small and so are their kitchens. Their French owners focus on warm colors and maximizing available space with functional earthy furniture and old-age accessories.

Warm Colors - Almost all rural French kitchens have warm appealing colors. Sunny yellows, gold, rustic red, azure blue and dark hunter green create that warm and elegant French country hillside feeling. Walls are often painted a buttery yellow or light cream color to accentuate the natural light. Creamy stucco walls with dark olive green and rich burgundy accents will immerse your senses in the ambiance of a quaint vineyard home in the south of France. Tuscan sun-drenched color can be emphasized with terra cotta tiles or a worn wooden floor.

Cabinets and Furniture - Cabinets and furniture in a French country kitchen design should utilize indigenous woods like cherry, walnut and pine. Kitchen cabinets should be light or moderately colored and can be painted or stained. The kitchen table can be square or round but much of its appeal should come from the rough and natural tone of the wood. Imprefections in the cabinets or furniture wood are desirable and add character. If you plan to replace kitchen furniture, focus on large pieces with clean curves with natural or lightly painted surfaces. Simplistic and elegant furniture made of rustic hardwoods should be complimented with accent pieces of wrought iron, marble and terra cotta to create that old world south of France charm.

Decor and Accessories - Search for items made of natural materials when choosing of accents and accessories for your French country kitchen. Hanging pots, often made of copper, add functionality and give that vintage feeling. Wrought iron and ceramic are typical old world Tuscany kitchen classics. Provencal fabrics are normally straight or plaid patterns with matching or contrasting colors. You can choose bold yellow or reds to brighten the room or light blue or cream to soften the look. Toile is common in the region with blue, red or black patterns offset on a white or cream background. Just be sure the fabrics blend with the walls, artwork and decor. Focus your accents, pictures, fabric and accessories on traditional French motifs including roosters, olives, vineyards, grapes and lavender flowers.

Finishing Touches - Since gardens are a natural extension of almost all houses in the south of France, liberal placement of flowers will add the finishing touch to your French country kitchen design. Hang dried, silk or fresh flowers from wrought iron fixtures and add them to pots, window boxes and vases. Hydrangea and geraniums are plentiful in the south of France and commonly visible within French country houses.

Whether you decide to go all out or prefer a lower budget approach focusing on furniture, decor and accessories that are aged, comfortable and earthy will bring the quaint elegance of the French country hillside into your home.

Why Should We Trust Online Butchers?

With the decline of the local butchers we have found ourselves in the situation of buying meat from the supermarket, which in most cases is not the best choice one could make. Despite the fact that we can find lots of assortments of meat at the supermarket the reality is that the quality of the products lacks a lot of points. So what other choice is there if we want to prepare a good tender loin without having to pay astronomical amounts of money? Well, we can always choose the services of online butchers.

These services have been around for many years selling meat and meat products to various eateries throughout the cities. With the recent disappearance of the local butchers, they have decided to expand their business and make their products available for the large public. Ordering meat online seems an unimaginable fact but the reality is that you will receive high quality products directly at your door step.

When you are preparing for some guests and you would like to prepare something special then you can simply choose to order your meat online. You can choose the delivery date and you will receive the package right at your door step. The meat is pre-prepared which means that you wont have to pluck the chicken but instead you will receive some fine cuts of meat, most of time packed in portions. Your order will come in refrigerated packages which ensure the freshness of the meat. So what can be better than that?

The prices are also more than attractive as they can be compared to those found in supermarkets however the quality of the meat is considerably higher. If you are worried about the type of meat that you can order online then you shouldnt be because most online shops offer some great varieties that you will surely find more than appealing. For instance, you will be able to order halal meat, organic meat and so on.

Cooking great meals can only happen when you have the right ingredients. Meat is very important in a healthy and balanced diet, this is why it is very important to only buy high quality products that will be a pleasure to eat and to cook. With online butchers you have the possibility of choosing the meat that you want and also see the exact price that you will have to pay. The best thing that you can do is simply try the service out and see if you like. Once you tried it you will surely be able to make a decision.

Weight Loss Remedy In Kitchen Cupboard

What is in your kitchen cupboard? Why am I asking you that? The reason you want to lose weight is in the cupboard. Are you thinking of going on a diet and are looking for pills, joining a gym to get on an exercise program.

The answer to your weight problem is already in your kitchen cupboard. It is apple cider vinegar. Yes, you heard right. Cider vinegar weight loss is an age-old technique: you do not need to pump your body full of chemicals or go on some crazy crash diet.

So how can apple cider vinegar help with your weight loss? The truth is, no one quite knows. Scientific tests have not been able to prove anything for sure about cider vinegar in regards to weight loss. The reason to try cider vinegar is mainly the stories of people who have already used it, and already lost weight thanks to it.

There are a few ideas as to why cider vinegar aids in weight loss. Some people believe that it increases a persons natural metabolism, which makes out body digest and change food into energy faster. Other people have stated that cider vinegar actively burns the calories in your body to help you lose weight. Some reports say that cider vinegar helps cleanse the liver, which is an organ that can have a big effect on weight loss.

One recent experiment showed that taking cider vinegar with or right before a meal can help you feel more full, and thus prevent overeating. The test was a very small one, but the results looked good.

Cider vinegar weight loss still needs to be tested more with people before we can be sure just how much it helps. There is evidence that ancient Egyptians used cider vinegar for weight loss, so it must be doing something right!

There are a couple of different ways to use cider vinegar in your weight loss program. The easiest way is just to add a little bit of cider vinegar to a glass of water or juice, and drink it with a meal. Another option is to buy tablets or capsules that contain cider vinegar in them. Some of these tablets contain other things, like vitamin B6 and something called lecithin, which may have more effect than cider vinegar alone.

Aside from weight loss benefits, cider vinegar is very healthy for you. It is naturally rich in vitamins and minerals, and can help with a number of medical problems and improve your general health. For instance, cider vinegar contains potassium, which helps lower blood pressure. It also has fiber, which can absorb the cholesterol that causes heart problems. Those are just a few things it helps with cider vinegar can also help with digestion, sore throats, arthritis pain and even diabetes.

Despite all the bonuses of using cider vinegar weight loss, it has some risks as well. The biggest thing to watch out for is that cider vinegar is very acidic, which means it can burn and damage your teeth, mouth or throat. It is important to dilute cider vinegar in water or juice before drinking it. Be sure to contact your doctor before trying cider vinegar if you have any serious medical conditions.

Make Chia Seeds A Part Of Your Daily Meal

Chia seeds are a high origin of Omega-3 fatty acids. Additionally they have a lot of fiber, iron, protein, healthy fats, calcium, magnesium and many other important vitamins and minerals. These seeds are considered as superfood as well as have several health advantages.

Delicious Methods to Incorporate Chia Seeds in Your Daily Recipes

Now that you are aware of that eating chia seeds can be very advantageous for your health, you can't afford to neglect them. Yet, quite often people think about the way to make these seeds a part of their meals. In case you also are thinking about it, listed here are some ways that you could incorporate the seeds in your breakfast or even lunch as well as reap their health benefits. As chia seeds have hardly any taste you can easily incorporate them in many preparations.

Chia Gel: In case you soak these seeds in water, they swell up and turn into a gelatinous mass. After the gel forms, store it in the refrigerator and you can add three tablespoons of the gel into soups, salad dressings and sauces. You may also consume the chia gel by itself, if you like.

Smoothies and Other Drinks

You can add chia seeds into smoothies you drink everyday in the morning. Or even, you can add them into your coffee. The gentle nutty flavor of the seeds complements the coffee and will make it much more appetizing and flavorful. Alternatively, you can include the seeds in your orange or any other fruit juice.

Baked Items

You can grind chia seeds in a coffee grinder as well as sprinkle the powder on muffins, bread and biscuits just before you bake them. You can actually include the seeds in to the dough if you like. If you need an egg substitute, chia seeds work just fine. Make a gel of the seeds utilizing quarter cup of water and add one teaspoon of ground seeds to the gel as well as use it as an egg substitute in baking recipes.

As a Topping

You can add the seeds as a topping on salads or even mix with yogurt or cottage cheese. You can actually add it as a topping on granola, muesli or any other breakfast cereal. Actually, chia seeds are so versatile that you can sprinkle them over mac and cheese, cooked oatmeal and spaghetti too.

Make a Pudding

You can mix chia seeds with regular or non-dairy milk and make a pudding. You can add dry fruits or nuts to further improve the taste of the pudding. The pudding seems like tapioca pudding as well as is excellent to consume.

Stir Fry

If you stir frying vegetables, you could include a couple of tablespoons of chia seeds to the stir fry. Include the seeds at the end to avoid them from turning gelatinous. You can have the veggie with some brown rice and enjoy not just the taste, however also the health advantages of the seeds.

Try these and innovate some chia recipes of your own to reap the tremendous benefits of this superfood.

Five Ways To Keep Your Kitchen Cupboards Clean

Investing in new kitchen cabinets is a sure-fire way of improving the general look and feel of your kitchen area and simultaneously raising the value of your property (whether it is your home or office space) considerably. Choosing the kitchen cupboards for your home or office is one thing, keeping them in a good condition is quite another. I have put together some tips that will help you to keep your cabinetry as good as new with the minimum of fuss.

1.Clean regularly: Kitchens are a breeding ground for all kinds of nasty moulds and bacteria, and keeping your surface areas and kitchen cabinets clean will go a long way to ensuring a hygienic food preparation area. While surface areas require daily cleaning, kitchen cupboards only need a thorough scrubbing once every two weeks. Keeping up with this schedule will ensure that your cabinets do not become dull and gummy, as untended kitchen furniture is prone to do.

2.Match your cleaning product to your surface type: Most modern-day kitchen cupboards are finished with a catalysed conversion varnish. This type of varnish is the easiest to clean and only require the occasional wipe with a damp cloth. If there is a stain that is particularly hard to get out, you might try a bit of soapy water, but steer clear of any abrasives of waxy products these will just shorten the lifespan of the surfaces.

Metal inserts and joinery can be cleaned using mild soap and water. Most of the metal parts found on contemporary kitchen cabinets are manufactured with a coating that protects against corrosion and abrasion and cleaning the joinery with harsh chemicals will strip it of this protective layer. Simply give it a thorough wiping with a damp cloth once a week.

3.Raid the pantry: Television- and magazine advertisements will have us all think that we need a variety of costly cleaning products to keep our homes clean. In fact, most of what you need is already in your pantry. Baking soda, for instance, is suitable for removing most common household stains from cabinet surfaces. Use two or three tablespoons of baking soda per cup of warm water and gently remove grease and stubborn splatters with a sponge. Afterwards, rinse down with cold water and dab with a paper towel. Alternatively, use a combination of equal parts vinegar and warm water and get rid of food build-up in no time.

4.A stitch in time saves nine: Keeping your kitchen clean does not need to take long if you keep on top of things. Here are a few hints that will cut your cleaning time in half:
Clean spills and liquids immediately.
Do not leave newspapers and other printed media on cabinet surfaces, the ink can seep into the surface finishing and in time, leave unattractive (and stubborn) marks.
Instead of sliding objects across surfaces, pick it up and minimise the risk of scratching.

5.Be gentle: Its understandable that you might want to break out a scrubbing brush or steel wool pad at the first sign of a stain, but rather refrain often, a simple wiping with a damp cloth will have the same effect, while keeping your kitchen cabinets protective surfaces intact.

And there you have it. Follow these few simple guidelines and keep your kitchen cupboards and other office furniture looking brand new without spending the earth.

Mastering Cooking With Salt And Pepper

One of the simplest ways you can improve your kitchen skills is to master cooking with salt and pepper. These are two of the basic cooking ingredients that will be practically in all recipes so mastering their use will pay off big for anybody looking to improve their cooking skills.

When to Salt

Cooks everywhere have varying opinions on when to salt food when cooking with salt and pepper. This debate is especially contentious when grilling steaks with the many opposing sides each insisting that it's best to salt a couple of days prior to grilling, a couple of hours before, right after grilling, or on the table while eating. One of the most entrenched opinions held by many chefs and home cooks alike is that salting too early dries out food.

Many home cooks attest to the fact that salting too early will only result in a puddle of juices oozing out of the meat, leaving the meat stringy and wasting prime cuts. Traditionalists therefore recommend grilling without salt and adding it right after grilling or at the table.

The more scientific salt advocates, on the other hand, insist that salt actually has an osmotic cell-changing effect on meat which allows it to hold in more moisture, thereby making it more juicy. Salt is also said to dissolve the sticky myosin protein in meat to help hold ground meat better. It is because of this that salt advocates of this persuasion recommend salting early and salting liberally. The rule of thumb is that the bigger the food item, the earlier it has to be salted. That can mean anywhere from a couple of hours before grilling to a couple of days depending on who is doing the advocating.

When to Pepper

Although less contentious than the "when to salt" debate, cooks also have varying opinions on when to use pepper while cooking. Some say that since pepper is heat sensitive, putting in pepper before grilling or cooking is a waste since you lose the flavor from the heat. A comfortable majority on the other hand insists that pepper needs to be cooked into the food so that its flavor melts into the steak or whatever food item it is put in. The more technically inclined point to the fact that the melting point for pepper's core component is high enough to allow the flavor to migrate deep enough into the food item before it escapes, therefore making the meat more flavorful. To put it simply, the heat cooks the pepper into the food to provide a depth of flavor you cannot achieve by sprinkling pepper on a dish after it is cooked.

How Much Do You Really Need?

When cooking with salt and pepper, beginner cooks often find themselves agonizing over the common instruction to "season to taste." While the reason for this is clear enough for anybody who has been cooking for a while, it can be daunting for a first-time cook who simply does not know where to start with "season to taste." The only real answer to this is to start with very little and to season throughout the cooking process keeping in mind that using too much seasoning is a bigger danger than using too little. With the perfect amount of seasoning, a dish tastes perfect, but with too much the rest of the flavors become overpowered.

It is easy to know when you need more seasoning anyway as under seasoned food tastes flat. As most veteran cooks know, salt does not simply add saltiness to a dish, but is also instrumental in allowing other flavors to come out better resulting in a more complex and full-bodied dish. So salt and season gradually, with a final adjustment just before serving for that perfectly salted and seasoned dish.

How To Cook Chicken In The Oven

Oven prepared chicken is not only an impressive dish especially for parties; it is also very soft on the pockets. This type of chicken is not labor intensive which means it can be cooked at short notices. Chicken that has been baked can be served during reception dinners, bridal shower parties or engagement parties. People intending to wed soon should make a point of mastering how to cook chicken in oven so that they make their married life as blissful as possible. Use the following simple steps to take care of the baked chicken and you will never look back.

Chicken preparations will depend to a large extent on how the chicken was initially preserved. Depending on the state of the chicken, you will have to adjust the initial preparations to suit the type of chicken that you have i.e. whether fresh or frozen. Thawing will have to be carried out on frozen chicken either by having the chicken placed under running cold water for a number of hours or having it transferred from the freezer to the lower sections of the refrigerator where it will have to stay for 24hours so that it thaws out slowly and completely. Before you start cooking the chicken, you will have to remove it from the fridge and place it on the sink. Preheat your oven to a high of 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Insert your hand into its cavity and then have the heart, neck and other internal organs out of the cavity.

Have the chicken washed thoroughly using cool running water and then proceed to pat it dry using paper towels. Place it on a clean plate before cleaning your hands well as well as the work surfaces with soap. After you are through, rub the chicken with some 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil and any one combination of the following spices: tarragon and rosemary; basil, garlic and oregano; lemon pepper and salt seasoning; pepper, paprika and salt; black pepper and poultry seasoning or use just about any blend of seasoning that you fancy. Place the chicken the breast side down on the pan. Bake it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for a period of one hour. Remove and turn the chicken on its other side and return to the oven for another 30 minutes of baking. The breast will remain not only tender, but also moist. Use an internal meat thermometer to ensure that the meat is well cooked especially at the deepest part of the breast or the leg bone if it registers a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

This might take a longer time to master but once you master it, there is no other easier way to cook chicken. Other methods of cooking chicken include crock pot roasting or casserole baking. Chicken tetrazziniis a different type of chicken dish that is more synonymous with Italians. This dish is baked but the chicken is baked together with spaghetti and cheese.

Foreman Grill Grp90wgr: See The Extravagant Culinary

Meat Grilling

Certainly you'd by no means doubt the capacity of George Foreman technologies in offering the best grilled meals. Considering its special grilling mechanisms, no one would dare resist its expertise. In specific, it features healthful grilling advantage being furnished with sloping grooves right on the cooking surface that facilitates coursing out of extra oil and grease. In turn, these oils are then directed into the drip tray for good and in no way to bother the cookpiece again.

Waffle and Panini Making

Do waffles ring a bell to you? More so, with your kids' appetite who can't resist these dough based cakes. What is even more exciting is its many different forms. In fact, there is an array of recipes which you can prepare to offer your kids this pastry in a variety of forms and tastes. You may opt for the classic American waffles, Belgian waffles, or Scandinavian waffles. And, you can efficiently do all these culinary tricks on Foreman Grill GRP90WGR. In the same way, you can make use of the unit in making panini which is another bestselling foodstuff for the little ones. And, kids would never say no to enticing sandwiches personally prepared by you.

Pastry Baking

I bet you're also thinking of baking pastries for the family. Besides, cookies are best to cheer up any soul. No wonder, households are captivated by pastries especially the children. Nevertheless, it also works for grown-ups who may come home stressed out from the office. For a dose of optimistic vibes, it would be great to make some yummy cookies for everybody. Excellent thing you can be able to commence baking GRP90WGR edition.

Griddle Cooking

Do you happen to have a home griddle? Nicely your kitchen will never be enough without this metal tablet. Using this method, you could easily make your family some items of home-made flatbreads ideal for breakfast and snacks. Not just that for griddles may also be utilized in generating your favourite hamburgers best for your kids' snack box. And, it may be utilized in heating sauce, soup, or some other leftover dishes by the family members. Good news for you can do griddle cooking on Foreman Grill GRP90WGR.

Knowing What To Expect From A Culinary Arts School

Classes offered in culinary arts school cover a wide range of topics, from conditions for sanitary food preparation to the basics of diet and nutrition. Module options dont end there however. Students may find themselves in a wine appreciation course, or even in a class that can help them acquire the necessary skills for being a hospitality ambassador.

Graduates of culinary arts school are in demand just about everywhere. The reason is that there are a growing number and variety of restaurants worldwide, particularly in developing countries where more and more people can now afford to dine out. Hence, the demands for culinary experts are almost endless, ranging from restaurants to schools to hospitals to all places in between that offer some kind of food service. All these places need experts to ensure that they can serve a balanced diet to the many people they have to feed.

Culinary arts school can appeal to a wide range of demographics. From those who want to have a change of career to high school graduates seeking to enter the food service industry. Not only are these classes offered in many places, they are also available in the evenings and on weekends in order to accommodate a persons current job or lifestyle.

Before applying to a culinary school, students should consider several factors to make sure that their school can help them move toward a successful career in this field.

Accreditation is among the most important considerations. Like many other schools, a school in culinary arts must undergo examination of their teacher qualifications, student-teacher ratios, curriculum, and facilities prior to receiving an accreditation from the government or any recognized body or association. The process of accreditation involves a series of examinations to determine whether or not a culinary school is qualified to train students to work in this industry.

For many schools, this may be a rather long process and achieving it can be considered a major accomplishment. So when searching for a great school to attend, it is important for students to ensure that their prospective school has been duly accredited prior to applying for admission.

Cost is another important factor to consider when choosing a culinary school. Unfortunately, studying in many schools (especially specialty trade schools) can be somewhat costly. However, with a little research, students can also find some that are not as expensive, and some that offer scholarships to deserving students for attending their school. Loans are also available for most schools, but students should bear in mind that they must be paid back later on, and not burden themselves with more debt than they can handle when they enter the work force.

The type of school should also be carefully considered before applying for admission. Most culinary schools are designed towards a particular end goal. For example, students who plan to manage a restaurant or a hotel in the future must take this into consideration when choosing their school. Those who want to be a professional chef in their own business must also look at the focus of the school. Some schools specialize in pastries, others in baking, and still others in international cuisines. Knowing what an individual wants to do with their degree prior to applying to any college will likely be a big help.

School facilities should be another concern when it comes to choosing a culinary school. Before deciding to attend in any school, a student must first find some time to visit. One important thing to check is to see if the school is using up-to-date equipment. Cooking equipment is always changing. This is why it is important for many students to acquire the skills they are seeking using the most modern equipment.

Following these guidelines can help students move toward building a successful career in culinary arts. Before entering, it is good to realize that theres more to this career than just cooking. It is a broad discipline that ranges from creating and designing practical menus to offering the best hospitality both to loved ones and customers. Enrolling in a culinary arts school can help individuals attain the career they are seeking in the food service industry.

Barbeque Grill Maintenance Tips

Once you've purchased your barbeque grill, you will need to maintain it if you want to enjoy it for years to come. Many grills can cost hundreds of dollars; therefore it is in your best interest to clean it regularly so you can enjoy it for many summers. Depending on the barbeque grill that you have, there may be different maintenance requirements. However, most grill maintenance advice is universal, meaning you should follow most of these barbeque grill maintenance tips no matter what type of grill that you have.
First, you need to gather the supplies necessary to clean you grill. You will need a wire grill brush, steel wool, dishwashing soap, cloth, cooking oil, baking soda.
You should brush off your grill at regular intervals. After several uses, burnt food can begin to build up on your racks. By cleaning regularly, you can prevent the buildup that becomes increasingly more difficult to remove. This buildup can cause flare ups as they can catch fire.
Seasoning the Grates
Before first use, you should season the grates. We need to make sure the grates are clean and free of build up. Next, we spray the grates with cooking oil and rub the surface with a clean cloth. After coating the grates, turn the grill on medium heat to let excess oil burn off. Repeat this process as necessary.
Give It That Shine
You just invested a lot of money for that grill so we want to keep it looking nice. A great cleaning agent for stainless steel grills is baking soda. Ensure that the grill is clean and free of any debris. Once it is clean, you scrub it with baking soda to give it the nice gloss as if you just brought it home from the store.
Protection from the Elements
Most people keep their grills outdoors during the summer months. This will subject your grill to bad weather that can cause rust and other problems. The simplest solution is to cover your barbeque grill when not in use. There are covers for grills of every size so you shouldn't have a problem finding one.
These basic barbeque grill maintenance tips can help your grill last a long time. Buildup on the racks and burners can cause problems. The easiest way to prevent them is to clean your grill regularly. These regular cleanings will enable you to enjoy your barbeque grill for many years.

Five Lesser Know Spices In Indian Cooking

Indian cuisine calls for many spices that are commonly known to us in the western world. Spices such as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cumin and coriander seed are ones we all know and probably use. What about some spices that are totally unknown? The smells of Indian cooking are unmistakable. The smell of something very exotic can be quite enticing. Walking past an Indian restaurant can be an experience all on its own. So what is it that makes the food smell so different? Here are some of the ingredients that may contribute to the exotic scents that are so attractive. These explanations may help you to search out these unusual spices and try out an Indian dish or two.

Black Sesame

The first one I will discuss is Black Sesame. This may or may not be an unusual spice. It is commonly used in Chinese cooking as well as Indian and other Southeast Asian cuisines. The black and white sesame seeds come from the same plant, but just a different variety. Black sesame seeds have a slightly stronger flavor than white. They are an extremely good source of calcium; studies have shown that one gram of seeds contains approximately 85 milligrams of calcium. If you like the flavor of white sesame seeds, these will not be so different. They make a lovely presentation when sprinkled over rice, and are often included in Indian dishes, or sprinkled on breads just like the white sesame we know.

Black Cumin

Next is Black Cumin seed. This is truly an unusual spice, and hardly known outside of India. Many places mistakenly sell Nigella seeds under the name of black cumin. Black cumin is Bunium persicum, and has a more nutty and earthy aroma than common cumin. It is far thinner and finer in size than regular cumin seed. As its name implies, the seeds are black and used commonly in northern Indian Moglai cuisines. It has a sweeter, lemony character with caraway notes. It is commonly used in yogurts, chutneys, curries and biryanis, some garam masalas. If you search out this spice, look for Bunium persicum specifically, or you may get nigella seeds.

Black Cardamom

Black Cardamom or Hill Cardamom, Amomum subulatum, is related to green cardamom and are both from the ginger family, but there the comparison stops. The flavors of black cardamom are far different and do not lend to use in sweet dishes. The seed pods are larger and coarser and have a camphor like flavor and a smoky character from the method of drying over fires. It is commonly used in savory dhal or rice mixtures, and in some northern Indian garam masalas.

Carom Seed or Ajowain

Carom, Trachyspermum ammi, is also known by Ajowain, Ajwain, Ajowan and many other spellings. It is a tiny seed with a flavor similar to thyme, but more aromatic and bitter. The seeds have a tiny stalk attached, much like anise seeds and look similar to celery seed. Carom is popular in Indian dhals or potatoes and is almost always used cooked in a dish as its flavor can be overwhelming when raw. It is good for digestion and is often used in lentil dishes for its anti flatulent effect.

Nigella Seed

Nigella, Nigella sativa, is sometimes mistakenly called Onion Seed, but is totally unrelated to onions. It is also confused with Black Cumin, as explained above. So what is this seed that is so confused with other species? It has a pungent bitter taste and smell with an oregano undertone. It is used often to top Naan bread, and used in the well-known Indian spice blend called Panch Phoran. A common mixture for this Indian five spice might be equal parts cumin, fennel, mustard, fenugreek and nigella seeds. This blend generally uses the spices left whole. They may be fried in oil to release flavors and the oil used in a food. Nigella seeds also are used in kormas, dhal and braised lamb.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. I hope it was informative and helped you along your own culinary journey. You will find many more recipes and helpful tips on my web site. I am on Facebook at A Harmony of Flavors and share a recipe or tip each day to the fans that have liked my site. I hope to see you there soon.

Country Kitchen Doesnt Have To Include Kitsch

Some hear the term country kitchen and have visions of ceramic rooster salt and pepper shakers and curtains adorned barnyard animals. While this sort of dcor appeals to some it is certainly not the only option for those who want a country kitchen. A French country kitchen is a lovely choice.

Below are some ideas for those who want a French country kitchen that still has an air of elegance.

Metal Accents

Metal accents are one simple way to give a French country feel to your kitchen dcor. Consider a metal chandelier or a weather vane placed next to the door. Metal accent that show a bit of rust, wear and distress can give your room that much more charm.

Touches of Blue

One thing that may come to mind when you think of a French country kitchen is Delft blue. This is an easy way to add splashes of colour while at the same time producing that warm, rustic feel that you want. Hand painted tiles, linen curtains or fabric chair cushions are a few of the ways that you can bring this blue into the room without it being overpowering.

Farmhouse sink

A farmhouse sink is an obvious choice for any type of country kitchen and a French country kitchen is no exception. These charming sinks work well in a typical cabinet or, for an added touch of elegance; you can add carved details, such as faux legs, to your farmhouse sink.

These sinks are available in a variety of colours and finishes including everything from white porcelain and distressed copper. While copper finishes will be discussed in the next section, it is important to be careful not to overdo it. If you choose a copper farmhouse sink then let that be the main copper element rather than having several others that will be competing for attention with the sink.

Copper Finishes

Copper finishes add warmth to your French country kitchen. You can choose to bring in copper elements in the small details that you add to the room, such as an antique recipe box or a cookbook stand. Light fixtures, faucets and switch plate covers are other ways that coppers can be used to add the finishing touches to your room.

Adding Details

As is the case with every decorating project, the details can make the room. Be careful when selecting knick knacks and other decorative items as adding too many will make the room look cluttered. Instead, choose one or two that really stand out to you and allow those items to shine.

Shop in antique stores and from online retailers who specialize in French country dcor. You will find an abundance of choices that will bring the finishing touches to your French country kitchen.

Where To Find The Best Vegetarian Recipes!

Introduction

Many people are turning vegetarian for a healthy lifestyle and a fit body. Some turn to macrobiotic diet which balances a person's physical and mental condition by utilizing foods that energy and are high in nutrition. Macrobiotic diet also helps in healing the diseases.

In day to day life people often get confused that what should they eat and where can they find good vegetarian recipes? To overcome this you should keep on upgrading your knowledge about various recipes all over the world so that you are never in a dilemma or quandary.

There are various places wherein you can keep checking for the best vegetarian recipes. The first place is to check your own recipe box as in you can certainly find some very good recipes in your home cook's repertoire. You can also replace meat in some meat recipes or you can adapt that recipe by some vegetarian items. For e.g.: In Chicken tikka masala, chicken can be replaced by paneer. Thus by some experimentations and alterations you can discover many delicious recipes.

Another place where you can get good vegetarian recipes is some vegetarian friends who can help you in overcoming this situation. They can tell you their menu and their favourite dishes and you can get various recipes from them as they possess impressive variety of vegan recipes which are tasty as well as time tested.

You can also find various delectable, yummy dishes on the internet. You can browse various websites offering variety of vegan dishes. Internet is a great medium or a tool in finding the recipes as you can find thousands of good vegan recipes in the comfort of your home. Many people also share their best recipes on the net.

There are many cookery books of various vegetarian dishes available in the market; you can buy one as per your liking. They prove to be valuable resources in making up a vegetarian meal plan. Various vegetarian authors have penned or compiled down many recipes in different books. They have done trial and error and lots and lots of research into a compilation of tasty recipes to try at home. In these books you can get helpful information about living a vegetarian and healthy lifestyle. You can also get ideas for meat-free substitutions and ideas for more cooking from these books.

You can also try those books which offer various vegetarian cuisines from all over the world such as: Chinese stir fry, Mexican bean dishes, Italian pastas, and Indian curries and soups. Get creative and experiment with different ingredients!

Conclusion

Have fun and the joy in having delicious wholesome food and make your body beautiful!

Cook With Quality

Some people have an ultimate passion for cooking where others perhaps dont; however what most people will agree on is the need for quality, whether that is in the ingredients themselves or the cookware you use.

It is no good buying rubbish or cheap when cooking as you will not get the results that you want. It doesnt matter if you just want to make a quick snack or you want to cook a full on three course meal. Nobody likes to eat food that is not cooked great.

It goes without saying that you need to buy the best quality ingredients you can afford but where a lot of people fail when cooking is the quality of their cookware set. If you want to get the most out of your cooking which I am sure you do then if you havent got one already, think about investing in a good quality cookware set. Even if you have had yours for many years, very often they are not up to the job and with the advances in technology; cookware has come on in leaps and bounds. Your investment will pay off when you see how great the meals are you produce.

Establish your cooking habits

Before you go ahead and purchase anything however you will want to analyze your cooking habits. Consider things like, how often you cook. Is it some you do everyday? Do you cook for family and friends? What type of meals do you like to cook? Once you have established your habits you will then be able to establish what sort of cookware set you will need. Notice I say set here. The reason being is that, most people use more than one pot or pan, so you should really consider investing in a set which will allow you to have a variety of pans that will address the problem of not having a suitable pan available when you need it. People will often go to the cupboard and find they dont have the correct pan to do the job correctly and if you end up using something different this will inevitably give you the wrong results.

Invest wisely

Invest as much money as you can into your cookware set as this will ensure you will get something that will be durable and last you for years to come. I know it can be hard to swallow, handing over a large amount of money, but consider this. It is something you will use everyday and therefore warrants having a little investment. Just like you would purchase a car, you wouldnt invest in something cheap that would most likely break down in a few weeks. The same rule applies to cookware sets. If you spend only a little, you will not get a lot. All the tops chefs will tell you over and over again that you cannot expect quality if you are not willing to invest in it.

If you need to find out more about the best cookware to buy then please visit our site by clicking the links to the discover some of the best cookware sets on the market.

Pecorino Gran Cru: Best Quality Sheep's Milk Cheese That Is Perfect For You

If you are looking for a best quality sheep's milk cheese, the Pecorino Gran Cru is another exquisite cheese that is perfect for you. This is a newcomer on the scene building on a long tradition of Sardinian pecorinos. Pecorino Gran Cru is a cheese that has been produced for hundreds of years but recently made its way from Italy to the rest of the world. This is best quality sheep's milk cheese that is aged for 20 months in cheese banks with the use of the Parmigiano Reggiano technology, better known as the Parmesan Cheese technology. The use of this method preserves and accentuates the characteristic flavors of Sardinian cheese beyond the unique way the cheese is made. The milk comes from the high mountain milk, producing a very poignant taste that is unlike any other Pecorino cheese.

Pecorino Gran Cru has a balanced structure and firm texture. You would be surprised by the complexity of its aroma and the sweet touch of fresh milk. This is perfect when eaten alone. You will be able to taste its amazing flavor when it touches and melts in your mouth. It can be complemented with a drop of aromatic honey or paired with a glass of robust red wine. You can use Pecorino as a table cheese. You can use it for grating, for your garnishes and you can use it in soups. If you will try to add this traditional Sardinian cheese on your dishes would surely experience a creamy, delicious and delectable dish. It is a great complement to appetizers, pastas and sandwiches. You can slice or grate it depending on the type of food you are preparing.

Certainly this is another top quality product that you should try. If you haven't tried this creamy and tasty cheese, you should try one now. It would be best to buy this Sardinian cheese to known gourmet cheese shops that are distributing this delectable cheese. In that way you will be sure of the quality of your cheese you are buying. Buying in cheese shops has also one advantage, you can ask for more information from their respective cheese experts. You may also try to shop through online cheese shops to find a good quality Pecorino cheese.

The Beauty Of The Santoku Knife

When you love to cook you know how important it is to be able to multitask, and your tools are a big part of the process. The Santoku actually means three virtues in the Japanese dialect, and the Santoku knife really lives up to its name!

This multipurpose knife is perfect for every type of chopping and every size and type of ingrediant. One thing is for sure, it is not your ordinary kitchen knife. It can be anywhere from five to seven inches in the blade length alone, and it looks similar to the cleaver that we all have come to know and love. The Santoku knife will offer the best option for anyone unsure of grip and balance and therefore provides the best overall control.

The cutting performance on these knives is astonishing. The edges (always beautifully beveled) are very sharp, and due to notches on the blade, they are designed to release food easily, even if sticky! And as the knife is multi-purpose, youll not need a full set and therefore they are excellent investments and particularly great value; not least because they are generally durable and remain useful for as long as theyre sharpened. With that being said it should not be washed in a dishwasher to ensure long life and durability.

It goes without saying that these knives make great gifts for the cook of the family. They make life in the kitchen a whole lot easier, not to mention the reduction of utensils that will need to be cleaned. It does not matter what you have to cut, with a wash between selections to prevent cross contamination, using your Santoku knife is a breeze.

In many ways, a Santoku is very similar to the standard chef knife that youll see chefs use on cookery shows every night of the week. A good chef knife is invariably 6 inches long and has excellent balance and grip that means that its suitable for a wide range of uses. The main difference between these and their specialist Japanese cousins is those every important notches on the side of the knife that stop food sticking to the blade.

You will never find another kitchen utensil that you will use more or love as much as you do your own Santoku knife and the good news is that there are a number of great Santoku options on the market. From the Naifu range at Chefs Knife Store, to a classic Wusthof blade, youre sure to be able to find something to suit your budget.

This particular writer cannot recommend Santoku knives quite enough, so dont hesitate if youre looking for a new blade or indeed a new set!

Delicious Slovak And Serbian Traditional Easter Foods

Both my grandmothers have been gone from my life for over 40 years, but the impact their foods made on my life was strong. My grandparents from both the Serbian and Slovak sides of the family came from Europe in the early 1900s, bringing their knowledge of the foods and traditions along with them. Easter, along with Christmas, are the two holidays I associate with the most traditional foods.

Both sides of the family made traditional baskets of foods to take to their respective churches to be blessed. Though Slovakia and Serbia are not close to each other, the traditions of the area are very widespread. As the last Easter I may have spent with one of my grandparents was about 44 years ago, my personal memories are sketchy in some areas, and vivid in others. Lately, it has felt important to reach out to my siblings and learn what memories they might still have that are gone from my recollections.

The items traditionally placed in the basket of foods to be blessed are ham, sausage, egg cheese, bread, beets with horseradish, salt, butter, Easter eggs and a candle. There may be other things that were added. I recall the baskets being taken to church, but not too much more.

Traditional Foods

Some of the traditional foods that are less common here in the US are the beets with horseradish and the egg cheese. It seems lately that beets with horseradish recipes have been popping up all over. Not like the traditional one my grandma made, of course, but that combination suddenly has become apparent.

Beets with Horseradish

The recipe that my Serbian grandmother passed down was from grated cooked or canned beets, mixed with bottled horseradish to taste. The recipe amounts are fluid, depending on the size of family and how much horseradish one can tolerate. For two jars of beets, well drained and shredded, about 1 tablespoon of horseradish may be added. This amount may be increased or decreased as needed. A little sugar is added, from 1 to 3 teaspoons. All ingredients are mixed well, and then can be spooned into jars until needed.

This beet dish is used as a condiment, to go with the ham and other Easter foods. It can be used as a side dish on the plate, or it can be used on a sandwich of the traditional Easter Paska Bread with ham or sausage. The Serbian name of the beets and horseradish dish is not one I can recall. I have read that depending on the area it is from, this may be called Ren, Hren, Chrin and many other variations.

Egg Cheese

This particular dish is one that I firmly recall only being called by its Serbian name, Sirets. The pronunciation of this word is SEE rets, with the letter R trilled. It is one of the traditional foods I have never cared for, but my Dad just loved. Since my Mom never made it, I asked Grandma for her recipe so I could carry on the tradition.

She told me to take one quart of whole milk and a dozen eggs in a pan and mix them together really well, adding in a little bit of salt and sugar. Over time I have found that about 2 teaspoons each of the salt and sugar work well. The mixture is cooked slowly on the stove, stirring constantly, until the eggs begin to cook and separate. Once the mixture has completely separated, it is poured into a cheesecloth lined colander to drain. Once drained, the ends of the cheesecloth are brought together and tied, and the ball is hung to continue draining. Grandma hung the cheesecloth ball from her kitchen faucet. Once the egg cheese ball has cooled it is placed in the refrigerator to continue to firm and chill. When ready to eat, it is unwrapped from the cheesecloth and sliced.

Paska Bread

This rich butter and egg bread was made mainly for Christmas or Easter. My Slovak mom also made it for Thanksgiving. The bread is delightful, and I have made this recipe as our daily bread since the 1970s. It may have started as a traditional bread used only for these special feasts, but it is far too delicious to limit its use. I have now created a version that is easy to make in my heavy duty stand mixer. For Easter, the bread is braided, either in a ring shape, or a round loaf with a small braid on top or in a braided loaf.

Keeping traditions alive for your children is a worthwhile endeavor, giving them a sense of place in the world. It is not meant to divide or separate cultures, but to keep the foods in their purest state so they maintain their ability to stand out from the crowd in these days of fusion cooking.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. I hope it was informative and helped you along your own culinary journey. You will find many more recipes and helpful tips on my web site. I am on Facebook at A Harmony of Flavors and share a recipe or tip each day to the fans that have liked my site. I hope to see you there soon.

What Are The Key Materials Of Any Good Party, Cake Tins Of Course

What shape do you want your cake? Those days are gone each time a cake was sometimes circle or rectangle, or simply sometimes rectangle-shaped when it would have been a Battenberg. Nowadays it is possible to bake a cake in almost any among a bewildering distinct selection of size and shapes. when it's baked and decorated it can be more like a work of art than the usual cake. It's all on account of fashionable cake tins.

Visualize a celebration and from now available there are cake tins that can make something befitting it, much more particular. Creating a child's birthday celebration cake offers an opportunity with all the broadest scope feasible for decryption and inspiration, which is wonderful exactly what be achieved with exclusive molded cake tins.

What child would not be thankful for an unique birthday cake mainly created for them? It could depict their favourite cartoon character like Postman Pat or Spongebob, Squarepants, or Wallee. A little girl might like a princess's carriage, or Tinkerbell crafted cake, although a boy can be delighted which has a Nascar racer, or Spiderman cake.

There are numerous other patterns of novelty cake tins available, all manufactured in light-weight but sturdy aluminium which will last for ages. Between the other themes offered are: an infant's bottle, pet crackers, perambulator, cheerleader teddy, baseball mitt, bunny rabbit, butterfly, care bears, princesses tiara, daisy, dinosaur, elephant, and enchanted fortress. That is never ever an exhaustive list. Should you log on you will find dozens more.

Another big event requiring a particular cake is, obviously a married relationship. Buying a bridecake is often a major expense, but it is not tough to make your personal with some very good cake-tins and some tolerance.

Traditional marriage ceremony cakes produced in pillared tiers with a representation from the happy couple top are always popular, there is however a growing trend towards newer designs for marriage cakes. A variety of cake tins most recently seen in a store window, skillfully used quite a few decreasing sizes of rectangular designed to appear to be suitcases, one along with one other, topped served by the happy couple portrayed as two caring bears.

A real wow with a not long ago gone to wedding ceremony was obviously a giant wedding cake comprised of plated tiers of countless individual smaller wedding party cakes. The little cakes were separate but closely grouped to look like one whole cake. The big gain was that there seemed to be little work associated with dividing the cake and giving away it amongst all of the guests. The bride and groom felt in no way diminished in relevance by having a small cake to slice into when coming up with the traditional first cut. It has all been possible because of modern design in cake tins.

Other special occasions which can be marked with a suitable celebratory cake include anniversaries, graduations, valentine's day, retirement, a christening, mother's day, father's day, and an engagement. Create the day exclusive by cooking super cakes in specific cake tins!

Get The Dream Kitchen At Half The Showroom Price

This article will tell you how to save yourself a lot of money. I am going to explain how to create your dream kitchen and not spend thousands.

The usual way to purchase a brand new kitchen is to visit kitchen showrooms all over the country in search for your ideal, dream kitchen. The stress of actually finding the showroom, the discomfort at choosing the kitchen, the annoyance of the high-pressure kitchen salesman and the big money cheque you sign does not appeal to anyone at all. The good thing is that you wont have to go through all this; you can create your brand new kitchen from the comfort of your own home.

Step 1: Cabinets @ 1000 - 3500
Firstly I would recommend that you find a company that specialises in bespoke products. At first they may come across as being less professional but I can assure you they will be more skilled and knowledgeable than your kitchen showroom. You can actually see there own work and you see the quality. The good thing is that you can tell them what you want and they will make it. No sales patter, no nonsense, just straight down to business.

Step 2: Doors & Drawer Fronts @ 595 - 995
If you search online for replacement kitchen doors you will find many results. Dont be put off by purchasing on the internet, give the company you find a call and speak to them directly. The doors you buy from them are exactly the same quality of the ones you buy from the showroom. You will also have more choice and you will find the perfect design you wish for.

Step 3: Appliances @ 1000 - 1800
Again I certainly recommend search online for your kitchen appliances. You will cut out the middle man and save yourself serious money. However you can always visit your local appliance store such as Comet, but dont be afraid to haggle with the price. You will receive some discount or even the odd freebie.

Step 4: Handles and Knobs @ 35 - 70
Handle are the icing on the cake for your new kitchen doors . Choosing the right handle to compliment the doors is key. Again, search Google for kitchen handle and you will be spoilt for choice. Dont be afraid to buy from China, they will get shipped no problem.

Step 5: Work Surfaces @ 1500 - 2000
Buy your worktops directly from the manufacturer. A granite worktop is definitely the best choice, very stylish and classy. Flick through your Thompson Local or Yellow Pages and give them a call.

Step 6: Installation @ 1000 - 1500
Stay local when searching for your carpenters and joiners. A good one will be fully booked so arrange a date and price. They are willing and importantly they will listen and no charge you over the odds.

Tips For Making Regular Cake Recipes Gluten Free

It seems there is so much searching for a good cake recipe that is already gluten free, when making a regular cake recipe with gluten free flours is usually quite simple. There are exceptions to every rule of course, but with my experience to date I find that cake recipes using the regular ingredients of flour, sugar, butter or shortening, eggs and a liquid of some kind are easily converted. If you have a good chocolate cake recipe, it will likely yield a good gluten free chocolate cake also. The same goes for a white cake, yellow cake or other flavor.

I made an old favorite recipe for a Caramelized Sugar Cake recently, and these days I am always curious how a gluten free version will come out. This cake is delicious, with caramelized sugar syrup made from scratch just beforehand. The syrup gives a light caramel flavor and color to the cake, and an added dimension to the texture. I have loved this recipe for so long that I decided, once we finished off the regular version, to try it again with gluten free flours.

So far, in my experience, I have been adding xanthan gum to any recipe using gluten free flour mixtures of any kind. If the recipe uses more than 2 cups of flour, I add 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum to the total recipe. If the recipe is small, as with pancakes, I use about a half teaspoon per recipe. Some feel that xanthan gum also causes them problems, so if this is the case and you know of another substitute for the thickening and structure that xanthan gum gives, please feel free to try that instead. Psyllium husks are a thickener also, and could possibly be used in place of xanthan gum, though I have no measure for how much at this time.

If you are gluten intolerant, you may already have a favorite gluten free flour mixture. For this cake I used a pre mixed batch of 6 cups brown rice flour, 2 cups potato starch and 1 cup tapioca starch. There are many good all purpose gluten free flour blends on the market also, and I have used some of them with perfect results. The gluten free options for this cake are the 1 to 1 substitution of gluten free flour, the addition of 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum and one added egg yolk, as the batter seemed too thin.

Caramelized Sugar Cake

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup boiling water

Melt the sugar in a saucepan. Once completely melted, allow the syrup to become a deep amber. Remove from heat and add in the boiling water. Be very careful as it will splatter about and again become semi solid. Once back on heat, stir with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until liquefied. Reduce the syrup slightly. Set aside to cool.

1 stick butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
3 tablespoons caramelized sugar syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8 inch round cake pans. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in eggs, one at a time until well combined. Sift together all the dry ingredients. Combine the water and the 3 tablespoons of sugar syrup. Beat in the dry ingredients, alternately with the liquid ingredients, in three stages. Beat well for a couple of minutes longer. Pour batter into the prepared pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

This cake is excellent with a simple buttercream or cream cheese icing. I filled my gluten free version with a coconut pecan mixture and topped it with a little buttercream icing. It could also be topped with the coconut pecan mixture, or even glazed with chocolate. Do try this recipe, whether it is the regular flour version or gluten free.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. I hope it was informative and helped you along your own culinary journey. You will find many more recipes and helpful tips on my web site. I am on Facebook at A Harmony of Flavors and share a recipe or tip each day to the fans that have liked my site. I hope to see you there soon.