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	<title>Gourmet Blog :: Food &#38; Cooking</title>
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		<title>How To Cook With Wine</title>
		<link>http://www.gourmetdirectory.info/blog/how-to-cook-with-wine/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gourmetdirectory.info/blog/how-to-cook-with-wine/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2009 06:54:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David Miller</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Cooking Recipes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gourmetdirectory.info/blog/how-to-cook-with-wine/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Wines are widely used in the cooking world because they intensify taste and zest. They are also capable of releasing flavors from food that are not possible by regular means of cooking.
The main question you must have now is this: What type of wine goes with what type of food?
You have red wines, white wine, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Wines are widely used in the cooking world because they intensify taste and zest. They are also capable of releasing flavors from food that are not possible by regular means of cooking.</p>
<p>The main question you must have now is this: What type of wine goes with what type of food?</p>
<p>You have red wines, white wine, sparkly champagne, sherry etc. You have grape vine types like merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, zinfandel, syrah, and Riesling. With the wide variety of them available, picking a wine is pretty tricky. The secret here is to know what combinations are used by professionals.</p>
<p>1. Red Wine</p>
<p>There used to be a rule in cooking that &#8220;red wine goes with red meat, white wine with white meat&#8221;. Although it&#8217;s not really true anymore, most chefs still go with that.</p>
<p>- For red meat, young and full bodied red wines are recommended. Try going for Zinfandel Red or Merlot.<br />
- For red sauces, robust, full bodied wines are best. Make pasta, pizza or other tomato-sauce based dishes with it.<br />
- Using root veggies with beef stock? You might want to look for an earth red, full bodied wine. The color it imparts to the meat makes it all the more wonderful.</p>
<p>2. White Wine</p>
<p>Cream based sauces, butter and herbs. Yum. White wine is usually used with white meat and best for light colored dishes.</p>
<p>- If you fancy a zesty dish, add some sparkling champagne.<br />
- For chicken, pork or veal, try cooking with white wine. Spice up your grilled chicken by mixing dry, white wine with butter as the sauce.<br />
- Crisp, dry white wines are ideal for seafood soup and shellfish dishes. Bouillabaisse, anyone?<br />
- Leftover sweet white wine in your fridge? Why make delicious, delectable desserts? Whip up some Bavarian cream.</p>
<p>3. Fortified wine</p>
<p>Fortified wines are what they are: fortified. Additional neutral alcohol is added to them. Then they are aged for a long time. Examples are sherry, port and vermouth.</p>
<p>- Sherry is great for poultry meat and vegetables soups.<br />
- For sweet, fruity dishes or desserts, splash some port or vermouth. Your dry vermouth can also be a good substitute for white wine.</p>
<p>4. Cooking wine</p>
<p>Cooking wines are relatively less pricey wines that use salt as a preservative. They can be found in supermarkets and groceries. Most professional chefs disdain the use of cooking wines because the salt content is hard to work with. You may need to adjust your recipe to work with the saltiness.</p>
<p>5. Exotic wines</p>
<p>Cooking is an experiment. If you&#8217;re feeling bold and daring, you could try cooking with exotic wines. Asian wines are popular choices for an all together different meal. There is the sake, bekseju and seol joong mae.</p>
<p>- Sake is a rice based wine from Japan. Although it&#8217;s mainly a beverage, it is popular as an additive to many Japanese dishes.</p>
<p>- Beksuju is a Korean wine made from raw rice and herbs. It can be used in vegetable dishes to increase the &#8216;herbal&#8217; feel. Seol Joong Mae, a fruit wine made from plum, can be used for desserts and fruity dishes.</p>
<p>I hope that clears up some of your confusion. With that said, here are some few reminders for the novice cook:</p>
<p>- Cook only with wine that you would drink. There is no sense in cooking something that you wouldn&#8217;t want to taste.<br />
- There are a lot of good, quality yet inexpensive wines out there. Don&#8217;t get too carried away and buy something that&#8217;s way off your budget.<br />
- Don&#8217;t cook using aluminum or cast iron cookware. Alcohol is reactive with these materials and could cause harm to your dish.<br />
- After adding your wine, try to wait for 5-10 minutes before tasting it. Wine needs to simmer for a while before it can impart flavor to your food.<br />
- Got some left over wine? Put them in your ice cube tray and freeze them. This makes them good for future use.</p>
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		<title>Lose Weight by Burning Fat with Food</title>
		<link>http://www.gourmetdirectory.info/blog/lose-weight-by-burning-fat-with-food/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gourmetdirectory.info/blog/lose-weight-by-burning-fat-with-food/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 Jul 2009 07:59:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Alan Smith</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Food Service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gourmet]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Restaurant]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gourmetdirectory.info/blog/?p=31</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In recent years many dieters have discovered how eating certain foods can work better with your body to burn fat. Listed below are several fat burning, diet-friendly foods that can help fight the battle of the bulge. It&#8217;s not easy to get all the right foods and then eating the right amount when dieting. The [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In recent years many dieters have discovered how eating certain foods can work better with your body to burn fat. Listed below are several fat burning, diet-friendly foods that can help fight the battle of the bulge. It&#8217;s not easy to get all the right foods and then eating the right amount when dieting. The foods in this article a good starting point in choosing the best foods that help promote fat loss. Eating the right foods is vital to anyone&#8217;s diet. Discovering which of those foods can help to burn body fat is KEY to being able to lose weight faster and they will also assist you in long term maintenance.</p>
<p>Top Ten Fat Burning Foods</p>
<p>1. Importance of Water: Water is the most significant nutrient that helps rid your body of any excess fat you may have. Dieters wanting better dieting results should increase the amount of pure drinking water in their dieting schedule or meal planning. When a person becomes dehydrated it will affect their bodies basic functions essential to sustain life, plus all the energy it needs additional activity and digestive processes. Dietitians recommend drinking between 6-8 glasses of water each day but even more if you are exercising or outdoors in warm weather.</p>
<p>2. Eggs&#8211;Not Just for Breakfast: Eggs are the perfect affordable fast food; inexpensive, rich in protein and the yolk contains vitamins A/D/E A vast majority of people worry about the cholesterol found in eggs yolks yet the truths is that, for most people the level of cholesterol in eggs does not affect them. Some of the latest studies indicate that eating whole eggs may actually result in significant improvement in one&#8217;s blood lipids (cholesterol) profile.</p>
<p>3. Grass Fed Beef: A single serving of lean meat can be part of a healthy fat loss plan. Certain red meats such as: pork, chicken and fish contain some cholesterol and saturated fat, which is the right kind of fat needed for healthy living. They also contain healthy nutrients like protein, iron, zinc, creatine, carnosine and even omega 3 nutrients, when you eat grass-fed beef.</p>
<p>4. Grapefruit: Research suggests that grapefruits can help with weight loss. Grapefruit juice only holds about 90 calories per serving, with virtually no fat and less than ten percent in total carbohydrate. The grapefruit holds 20g of natural sugars and only 1g protein. If you enjoy grapefruit but think they are too tart, try sprinkling some artificial sweetener or honey on top. Eating half a grapefruit or drinking 8 ounces of grapefruit juice are said to help block any enzymes from storing fat. Grapefruits are said to speed up the way our body&#8217;s burn fat.<br />
NOTE: There are certain medications which are known to interact with the grapefruit juice, therefore, please consult your health care provider before having this fruit in any form.</p>
<p>5. Cod Liver Oil: The wonderful advantages of fish oil are amazing. Eating fish or taking fish oil supplements will reduce inflammation (joints/skin), reduce body fat, Omega 3 oils may help to reduce hypertension and increases testosterone levels. The level of fish oil you should have is directly related to the type of diet you are on and your current health. Don&#8217;t hesitate to consult with a doctor about the proper amount you should be taking. Cod liver oil is among the best source for fish oil. One hundred grams of regular cod liver oil provides one million IU of vitamin A, which nearly three times more than beef liver. Research shows that cod liver oil has lowered blood pressure induced by stress-elevated levels of cortisolis, which is part of the adrenal gland and is usually referred to as the &#8217;stress hormone&#8217;.</p>
<p>6. Green Tea: Green tea is one extraordinary beverage. Not only is it said to help prevent certain types of cancer and heart disease, but numerous research studies have also found that drinking green tea, or taking green tea supplements, will work to boost the rate your metabolism is able to burn fat. Some researchers claim you can burn up to 80 calories a day just by drinking five cups of green tea a day.</p>
<p>7. Fresh Salmon: Not only is it delicious, wild salmon is one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids and it is high in protein. Farm raised salmon usually is omega-3 deficient if its corn/grain fed. Whenever possible eat wild salmon to be sure you are giving your body the nutrition it needs.</p>
<p>8. Apples: The benefit of apples are wonderful, they are high in fiber which aids in burning fat and lowering cholesterol. Keep in mind that a lot of the goodness of apples are contained in the skin; just make sure to wash them thoroughly before eating.</p>
<p>9. Berries: Berries are a great source of pectin. Pectin is important while dieting because it has water binding properties that will limit the amount of fat your cells absorb. Berries are packed with vitamins and minerals, and they have some of the best sources of antioxidants of any food in existence. Berries also pack a healthy dose of fiber, which slows your carbohydrate absorption and helps to controls blood sugar levels. The health benefits many berries have can be found in the rich source of antioxidants they carry. For instance, wild blueberries are among the highest in antioxidant capacity per serving, when compared with more than 20 other fruits.</p>
<p>10. Benefits of Yogurt: Yogurt is low in calories and the best choice for dieters is to find products containing at least 15 percent DV (Daily Values) of calcium per 4oz serving if you do not eat any other calcium-rich foods. To better help your body lose weight, don&#8217;t eat yogurts with fruits at the bottom; instead purchase plain low fat yogurt. Yogurt is actually considered a better source of calcium than a glass of milk</p>
<p>Eating the right foods are an important part of any weight loss program, but also keep in mind that exercise will increase good cholesterol levels (HDLs) and lower bad cholesterol levels (LDLs). Exercise combined with a healthy diet is a winning combination to burning body fat.<br />
Rachell enjoys writing on numerous topics and believes that readers will be entertained by her distinct style of communication.</p>
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		<title>Seafood Restaurants in Boracay</title>
		<link>http://www.gourmetdirectory.info/blog/seafood-restaurants-in-boracay/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gourmetdirectory.info/blog/seafood-restaurants-in-boracay/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 29 May 2009 08:59:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Marilyn</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Seafood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Boracay]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Restaurants]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gourmetdirectory.info/blog/?p=28</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Boracay is home to many seafood restaurants, all offering scrumptious and tasty meals fresh from the seas. To help you decide where to go, here are the top Boracay seafood restaurants:
1. O&#8217; Banza
O&#8217; Banza is ranked third in our list of top Boracay seafood restaurant. Located along White Beach, O&#8217; Banza serves Portuguese cuisine but [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Boracay is home to many seafood restaurants, all offering scrumptious and tasty meals fresh from the seas. To help you decide where to go, here are the top Boracay seafood restaurants:</p>
<p>1. O&#8217; Banza</p>
<p>O&#8217; Banza is ranked third in our list of top Boracay seafood restaurant. Located along White Beach, O&#8217; Banza serves Portuguese cuisine but it is a favorite among other establishments because of its grilled dishes and seafood. A must-try is the prawn cocktail, giving customers a completely different gastronomic experience.</p>
<p>Combining meat and seafood, Cataplana is another popular dish in the restaurant guaranteed to make your mouth water. Don&#8217;t forget to order their onion soup and the bacalhau food varieties. The restaurant&#8217;s specialty, Arroz de Marisco is an appetizing combination of seafood and rice, good for 2 persons.</p>
<p>Beer and wine are available at the restaurant. Ask for a bottle that will go well with your dish. The prices are affordable and the restaurant&#8217;s interiors are unique and intriguing for its decorations.</p>
<p>2. Kaeseke</p>
<p>After trying Portuguese, go for Japanese cuisine. The Japanese seem to know how to make good seafood themselves. Kaeseke Boracay restaurant adds to the variety of food served in Boracay and comes in second on our list of top Boracay seafood restaurants.</p>
<p>The dish that most customers love is Kaeseke&#8217;s Prawns and Baked Stuffed Squid, but you should also try the special Lobster Sachimi served with miso soup, which is addicting and will make you want more.</p>
<p>Kaeseke also serves more familiar dishes like sashimi, maki, sushi, and of course, the scrumptious tempura. Kaeseke restaurant is located in D*Mall area within La Rotunda. The price list may seem high but the food plus great service from the crew is worth it.</p>
<p>3. Paradiso</p>
<p>The honor of being the best Boracay seafood restaurant belongs to Paradiso Grill. Located between Le Soleil and D*Mall in Station 2, Paradiso is a popular spot for grilled seafood.</p>
<p>Paradiso offers its diners native Filipino cuisine. Most barbecued delicacies preserve the distinctive Filipino taste. You&#8217;ll be amazed at their fresh crabs, prawns, squids, snappers, lobsters, and lapu-lapu (a type of fish). In Paradiso, you have the chance to pick what you would like to eat. The food is then weighed and priced according to weight before being cooked, thus assuring that you only eat what&#8217;s fresh out of the sea.</p>
<p>The price is average, around Php 700 or USD 15 per meal. Their specialty is the Mixed Seafood Kebab, a must for every customer who eats there. In keeping with the festive spirit of the Philippines, the atmosphere is enjoyable and very friendly. The rustic interiors complement the truly Filipino feast that will surely satisfy your appetite and leave you wanting for more Boracay seafood.</p>
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		<title>Gourmet Sauces &amp; Marinades</title>
		<link>http://www.gourmetdirectory.info/blog/gourmet-sauces-marinades/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gourmetdirectory.info/blog/gourmet-sauces-marinades/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 28 May 2009 03:01:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Margaret</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Condiments and Sauces]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Condiments]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gourmet Sauces]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marinades]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gourmetdirectory.info/blog/?p=25</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Marinades are just a simple way to prepare certain foods that you want to have an extra kick to. Marinades to meats, serve two different purposes to tenderize and to give more flavor. Less fatty foods have a blander taste than most steaks and such. Marinades are just an easy way to tenderize and add [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.winecountrychef.net">Marinades</a> are just a simple way to prepare certain foods that you want to have an extra kick to. Marinades to meats, serve two different purposes to tenderize and to give more flavor. Less fatty foods have a blander taste than most steaks and such. Marinades are just an easy way to tenderize and add a lot more flavor.</p>
<p>To make a marinade you need something of acidic base with herbs and vinegar to make the meats tasty. A marinade with a little bit of chili powder, garlic and oregano with give the food you are a making sort of a Mexican taste. Maybe for an Asian marinade some ginger and sesame seeds with a little soy sauce and hot sauce. A lot of sodas give great taste as well such as sprite goes good with chicken and coca cola is another.</p>
<p>The different foods you may be making are different from each other so you might need a couple of different sauces. Marinades with an acidic base give both flavor and tenderization. These marinades with acidic bases tenderize by unraveling the protein strands in the meats and fish in which you are marinating. When you are using an acidic base marinade never use aluminum or such because it will cause discoloration in the food and might cause it to have a bad taste so just use glass or other plates rather than aluminum.</p>
<p>The other type of marinade is dry marinade. These types are usually made of dry spices and can be rubbed right into the meats which you are trying to add flavor to. This will enhance the flavor but will not do to good as a tenderizer.</p>
<p>Yes, most marinades have a secret ingredient which the chefs refuse to reveal. And marinades without the secret ingredient simply taste bland. Now, when there are hundreds of marinade companies out there, why would you want to try making your own marinade?</p>
<p>Simply log on to any search engine and look for marinades. You will come across hundreds of websites selling these marinades. <a href="http://www.winecountrychef.net">Wine Country Chef</a> is a good website you should consider when buying marinades online. It is a place where a sense of time and place is skillfully blended with fresh and flavorful ingredients to capture the essence of the wine country. Gourmet marinade with fresh local ingredients and a flavor that captures the essence of the wine country to be enjoyed with chicken and beef.</p>
<p>Wine Country Chef&#8217;s mission is simple: to provide the best products and service to customers. Wine Country Chef takes great pride in what it do, the commitment to customer service and in the products it sells. The online store is designed to provide you with a safe and secure environment to browse the product catalog.</p>
<p>The longer you leave food and meats to marinade the more flavor and tender your food is going to be. If you have steaks it is good to either buy a 30 minute marinade or get a better marinade and let it sit and soak in the marinade all night until the next day.</p>
<p>Leftover marinades are useful for sauces but they need to be cooked to a heat that will kill any bacteria that grew over night. These sauces are good to add to fish steak and other foods. Just be sure to kill all the bacteria before you use the leftover marinades.</p>
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		<title>Restaurant POS Solution Provider in USA</title>
		<link>http://www.gourmetdirectory.info/blog/restaurant-pos-solution-provider-in-usa/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gourmetdirectory.info/blog/restaurant-pos-solution-provider-in-usa/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2009 08:58:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Robyn</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Restaurant]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Point Of Sale Solution]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Restaurant Management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Restaurant Software]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gourmetdirectory.info/blog/?p=22</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The restaurant and hospitality sector are increasingly turning towards computers and business software applications in order to run their businesses more efficiently, ultimately with the intension of saving on costs. It is crucial for any restaurant business wishing to compete, to select the very best restaurant POS software suite available to help in running there [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The restaurant and hospitality sector are increasingly turning towards computers and business software applications in order to run their businesses more efficiently, ultimately with the intension of saving on costs. It is crucial for any restaurant business wishing to compete, to select the very best restaurant POS software suite available to help in running there business.</p>
<p>POS stands for Point Of Sale. Point Of Sale software is basically a program that combines many aspect of restaurant management including order taking, order entry, billing, staff supervision and account organization tasks into one program. Most restaurants will need a Point Of Sale station at several points in the restaurant including the front of the restaurant, the back office area and the kitchen.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.spiderPOS.com">POS software</a> can handle complete order and customer management including tracking the number of orders and customers, table information, billing transactions and more. POS software can also provides excellent organizational abilities to help monitor and report every aspect of order taking and customer interaction and do proper timekeeping, inventory tracking, stock management, security tasks and much more.</p>
<p>Generally the number of computers with this software depends on the size of a restaurant. A small restaurant can do with a single installation of POS software. Bigger restaurants generally need a much larger number of computers equipped with POS software packages. The role of POS software in overall guest satisfaction is monumental. You must therefore make sure that POS software is intuitive and easy to use.</p>
<p>Finding the right POS software for you takes time and effort. It&#8217;s an important decision that will effect how your business operates. Make sure you do your due diligence and research several companies.</p>
<p>When choosing a POS system, experienced buyers will tell you that it is very important to buy from a solid company. Taking the time to evaluate companies to ensure that they are customer centric and are committed to great service for the entire lifetime of your business is a smart move which will alleviate headaches now and in the future.</p>
<p>Be entirely reliable when you come to <a href="http://www.spiderPOS.com">Spider POS</a> which is a full service Restaurant &#038; Nightclub POS solution provider. The premier restaurant POS solution is a true enterprise solution including touch hardware, software, enterprise system integration and support anywhere in the USA and Canada.</p>
<p>The system of Spider POS allows to provide the greatest quality product and service at the most affordable pricing. Each customer is assigned a dedicated Spider POS Project Manager to carry you through the entire installation process, ensuring complete success. Spider POS management reports make it easy to control multiple restaurants from a single location. Sales, labor, profits, all available &#8220;to-the-minute&#8221; from any secured location. </p>
<p>The point of sale enterprise solution automates and integrates every aspect of your business. It is a total solution for your everyday food and beverage operation. Spider POS view your purchase of Spider POS solution as the first step in a long partnership. Therefore Spider POS wants to make sure you are always satisfied beyond any expectation.</p>
<p>In the world of hospitality if you don&#8217;t keep pace with your competitors you could see yourself loosing your customer base. Restaurants are certainly no exception to this idea and having a good hospitality software suite for your restaurant or hotel is vital to being successful. While there may be times when external factors can make a difference to your success, using the right hospitality software can significantly increase your chances of success and give you the edge over your competitors.</p>
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