Wednesday, 26 February 2014
Sunday, 16 February 2014
BALSAMIC VINEGAR - MASSIMO BOTTURA
BALSAMIC VINEGAR
In 2011 Massimo Bottura received his third Michelin star. He also won the Grand Prize at the San Sebastian Chef's Summit. His Osteria Francescana restaurant in Modena has been in the top 5 of The World’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards since 2010.
Who better than a chef from Modena to reveal the great possibilities of using balsamic vinegar. And if this chef happens to be one of the most creative on the scene today, the subject becomes even more intriguing. Throughout the pages of this book, Massimo Bottura, chef/owner of the Osteria Francescana, shows how this ages-old ingredient is becoming ever more modern. It is commonly used in its liquid form but can also be used as a gelatine; it goes well both with sweet and salty food; in fact, it brings out the best of the other ingredients in all recipes where it is used. In 'Balsamic Vinegar', Massimo Bottura gives us some very new and exciting ideas for a very traditional product.
Friday, 31 January 2014
11 Kinds of Wings Around the World
I love the Buffalo wings! What is your favourite?
People across the planet love to get their soon-to-be-sticky fingers on chicken wings
From the usual spicy suspects, such as Buffalo wings, to exotic takes, such as the sweet-and-savory, soy-and-sugar-based ones you find in street stalls in Malaysia, we've discovered some of the best ways to prepare chicken wings around the world.
There’s something inherently special about eating foods that don’t call for the interference of utensils. I mean, sure, forks, knives, and spoons are pretty amazing tools in the history of human inventiveness, but devouring a delicious meal with the use of only your hands (and, subsequently, a dispenser’s-worth of napkins) is, in some strange way, uniquely liberating. Some might say it even makes the dish in question taste better.
That’s why people across the planet love to get their soon-to-be-sticky fingers on chicken wings (and sometimes even duck wings). These delectable morsels epitomize the primal way of consumption, where you simply hold on by the bottom of the exposed bone and bring each sauce-slathered drumette or wingette, aka “flat,” directly into your anticipating taste-bud lair. Plus, you’d surely get some shocked, cross-eyed glances from your hungry companions if you started slicing off meat from your wings, on a plate, mimicking the daintiest of 18th-century etiquette school students.
The beauty of these heavenly bites of protein is that there are different interpretations of cooking them in nearly every corner of the globe. We’ve discovered some of the best ways people prepare poultry wings on their home turf, from the usual spicy suspects, such as Buffalo wings, to exotic takes, such as the sweet-and-savory, soy-and-sugar-based ones you find in street stalls in Malaysia. Some may surprise you; others will inspire you. And, when it comes to making them yourself at home, you don’t have to wing it. Instead, click on any of the recipe links in each description, and use the easy-to-follow instructions to create your own versions of some of the best appetizers ever — and just in time for Sunday’s big game. Take a look at the meaty contenders.
10 Wings Around the World: Related
Microsoft Opens Digital Eatery in Berlin
The new cafeteria brings together technology and culinary arts
Microsoft has opened up a "Digital Eatery" in Berlin. This colorful café-showroom is located on the first floor of Microsoft’s new tech hub "Microsoft Berlin," built in an historic building on Unter den Linden 17. The goal of the new eatery is to bring technology and the culinary arts together, and customers can play around with Microsoft gadgets while enjoying locally sourced dishes from the kitchen, Venture Village reports.
According to a press release, the rotating café menu features dishes made with locally produced, seasonal ingredients. And though the menu isn't up on the Digital Eatery’s homepage yet, it should be available soon. The new restaurant is headed by event caterers Gernot Karger, Elmar Karger , and Björn Kloos..
According to Venture Village, the recently opened café brought in a mixed clientele, as there was "everyone from suits [to] tourists to students trickling in for a coffee and slice of cake."
Wednesday, 29 January 2014
UPCOMING FOOD FESTIVALS
24 JAN-09 FEB
Madrid, Spain
This annual culinary event returns to the capital with a comprehensive program of food-related activities and experiences. Gastrofestival 2014 pays tribute to ...
27 JAN-29 JAN
Madrid, Spain
For three days, this beautiful and culturally rich city will host the Madrid Fusión-International Gastronomic Summit. From 27 to 29 January 2014, the Campo de ...
27 JAN-31 JAN
St. Moritz, Switserland
St. Moritz Gourmet Festival : A paradise for gourmet fans. After all, it is not without reason that our festival has gained cult status throughout the world. ...
01 FEB-28 FEB
Copenhagen, Denmark
Copenhagen Cooking is one of the biggest food festivals in Northern Europe. The food festival’s mission is to spread awareness of Copenhagen as a world-class ...
01 FEB-08 FEB
Cotswolds, UK
BITE is back. Join us for breakfasts, brunches, lunches, teas & dinners; pop-up restaurants; cocktails & fine wines; masterclasses, talks & ...
06 FEB-16 FEB
Berlin, Germany
Every year, the Culinary Cinema shows about around twelve current features, documentaries and short films that deal with food and/or the environment. The films ...
07 FEB-09 FEB
Brussels, Belgium
Salon Du Chocolat Brussels will take place in Belgium for a period of three days. The main motive of this international expo is to facilitate the chocolate ...
08 FEB-10 FEB
Italy
From Saturday 8th till Monday 10th February the event opened the gates for the third time. That’s almost the same period as the ninth edition of Identità ...
09 FEB-11 FEB
Milan, Italy
A Tasty Intelligence! This theme will illuminate edition number 10 of the Identità Golose congress 2014. Taste, style, pleasure, substance, mouth-watering ...
22 FEB-02 MAR
Paris, France
With over 1,000 exhibitors, the show is a real window on agriculture in all its diversity. Products from the mainland and overseas French regions are featured ...
Tuesday, 28 January 2014
European Union Wine Label Information
Do you know where the wine come from?
European Union Wine Label Information
The European Union (EU) is the world's largest wine economy, with roughly 70% of global production and 60% of global consumption. All 27 EU member states produce wine to some extent, and each has its own language, traditions and wine classifications. Maintaining consistency across the entire economic zone requires a set of overarching, EU-wide wine quality classifications and production laws. Until relatively recently, the EU classified wine quality into two categories: 'QWPSR' (Quality Wine Produced in a Specific Region) and 'Table Wine'. These were replaced in 2011 with PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) and PGI (Protected Geographical Indication), as explained below.
The PDO and PGI logos in their English-language forms, with translations beneath:
PDO (Protected Designation of Origin)
According to the EU definition, PDO products are "produced, processed and prepared in a given geographical area, using recognized know-how". Their quality and properties are significantly or exclusively determined by their environment, in both natural and human factors. The category is named Appellation d’Origine Protégée(AOP) in French, Denominazione di Origine Protetta (DOP) in Italian and Denominación de Origen Protegida(DOP) in Spanish.
Each EU country has its own quality categories which correspond to PDO. The most significant are:
The EU definition of a PGI product is one closely linked to the geographical area in which it is produced, processed or prepared, and which has specific qualities attributable to that geographical area. The category is named Indication Géographique Protégée (IGP) in French, Indicazione Geografica Protetta (IGP) in Italian andIndicación Geográfica Protegida (IGP) in Spanish.
Each EU country has its own quality categories which correspond to PGI. The most significant are:
Below is a wine label from France's Rhone Valley, with annotations highlighting the information required by EU wine labeling laws. Below that is an overview of the EU wine classifications prior to 2011.
Prior to 2011, all wine produced commercially within the EU fell into one of two categories: 'QWPSR' (Quality Wine Produced in a Specified Region) and the more basic 'Table Wine' (including 'Table Wine with a Geographical Indication').
QWPSR (Quality Wine Produced in a Specified Region) covered the same wine quality levels and types as PDO now does. The difference is that PDO covers all foodstuffs and beverages, rather than just wine. As clearly stated by its long title, QWPSR covered quality wines (i.e. those which met legally defined production standards) produced in officially delimited geographical areas. Its French translation was VQPRD (Vin de Qualité Produit dans une Région Déterminée). As is now the case with PDO, each EU country had its own classification/s (e.g. AOC in France, DOC and DOCG in Italy) which corresponded to QWPSR.
Table Wine and Table Wine with a Geographical Indication were collectively replaced by PGI in 2011. The aim of this was to remove the word 'Table', along with its connotations of low quality, from the EU wine nomenclature. An additional benefit was that it solved the disparity between the European use of 'Table Wine' (basic, low-quality wine) and the American use (wine with an alcohol content below 14% ABV). Thus the phrases Vin de Table (France), Vino da Tavola (Italy), Vino de Mesa (Spain), Vinho de Mesa (Portugal) andTafelwein (Germany and Austria) are now legally obsolete. For more information on this, see Vin de Franceand Vino da Tavola.
The PDO and PGI logos in their English-language forms, with translations beneath:
PDO (Protected Designation of Origin)
According to the EU definition, PDO products are "produced, processed and prepared in a given geographical area, using recognized know-how". Their quality and properties are significantly or exclusively determined by their environment, in both natural and human factors. The category is named Appellation d’Origine Protégée(AOP) in French, Denominazione di Origine Protetta (DOP) in Italian and Denominación de Origen Protegida(DOP) in Spanish.
Each EU country has its own quality categories which correspond to PDO. The most significant are:
- France: AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée)
- Italy: DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) and DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita)
- Spain: DO (Denominación de Origen) and DOCa (Denominación de Origen Calificada)
- Portugal: IPR (Indicação de Proveniência Regulamentada) and DOC (Denominacão de Origem Controlada)
- Germany: QbA (Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete) and 'Prädikatswein' (formerly known as 'QmP' or Qualitätswein mit Prädikat)
- Austria: Qualitätswein and Prädikatswein, including DAC (Districtus Austriae Controllatus).
The EU definition of a PGI product is one closely linked to the geographical area in which it is produced, processed or prepared, and which has specific qualities attributable to that geographical area. The category is named Indication Géographique Protégée (IGP) in French, Indicazione Geografica Protetta (IGP) in Italian andIndicación Geográfica Protegida (IGP) in Spanish.
Each EU country has its own quality categories which correspond to PGI. The most significant are:
- France: VDP (Vin de Pays)
- Italy: IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica)
- Spain: VT (Vino de la Tierra)
- Portugal: VR (Vinho Regional)
- Germany: Landwein
- Austria: Landwein.
Below is a wine label from France's Rhone Valley, with annotations highlighting the information required by EU wine labeling laws. Below that is an overview of the EU wine classifications prior to 2011.
Prior to 2011, all wine produced commercially within the EU fell into one of two categories: 'QWPSR' (Quality Wine Produced in a Specified Region) and the more basic 'Table Wine' (including 'Table Wine with a Geographical Indication').
QWPSR (Quality Wine Produced in a Specified Region) covered the same wine quality levels and types as PDO now does. The difference is that PDO covers all foodstuffs and beverages, rather than just wine. As clearly stated by its long title, QWPSR covered quality wines (i.e. those which met legally defined production standards) produced in officially delimited geographical areas. Its French translation was VQPRD (Vin de Qualité Produit dans une Région Déterminée). As is now the case with PDO, each EU country had its own classification/s (e.g. AOC in France, DOC and DOCG in Italy) which corresponded to QWPSR.
Table Wine and Table Wine with a Geographical Indication were collectively replaced by PGI in 2011. The aim of this was to remove the word 'Table', along with its connotations of low quality, from the EU wine nomenclature. An additional benefit was that it solved the disparity between the European use of 'Table Wine' (basic, low-quality wine) and the American use (wine with an alcohol content below 14% ABV). Thus the phrases Vin de Table (France), Vino da Tavola (Italy), Vino de Mesa (Spain), Vinho de Mesa (Portugal) andTafelwein (Germany and Austria) are now legally obsolete. For more information on this, see Vin de Franceand Vino da Tavola.
How to Separate Eggs with a Water Bottle
Her you will see a cool way to separate eggs. I received a video on Facebook
today and when I check it on Youtube I find loads of them!
Enjoy and learn!
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