A Recipe for Rye Bread

The more I make bread, the more I am convinced of the importance of the kitchen being in the best position in the house. When we designed and built our house, I was determined that the kitchen should have a view and be on the front of the house. Now that it’s six-fifteen of a summer morning and I’m up early, kneading bread, because we’ve run out again, I’m especially happy to be looking out over a sun-soaked landscape to the distant mountains.  Every time you make bread you’re guaranteed a good ten minutes of contemplation as you knead it, the mechanical rhythmic activity frees the mind to wander or switch off…very therapeutic. Having a view thrown in as well is just an added bonus.

I haven’t always made bread. It is a comparatively recent development. Making jam was the first breakthrough into self-sufficiency, then came the day when our local supplier of rye bread, who made a loaf that (miracle of miracles), all the children would eat, decided to switch recipes and use caraway in it…instant rejection by the whole family.

We’d stopped the wheat bread to try and help my son’s allergies and found it helped most of us, so apart from the occasional indulgence of fluffy white bread, I wanted to stay off it. There was no alternative; I would have to take the leap into bread making. The main reason that I’d resisted was that it seemed to take so long. First the mixing and kneading, then the rising, then knocking down and forming loaves, a second rising and finally the baking. Who could keep track of all that in the chaotic life of a three-child family?

So eventually I take the plunge, turn to my friend Nigel (Slater, not namedropping but he and Nigella (Lawson) are ever-present in my kitchen, in book format of course) and find a foolproof recipe for a white loaf, simpler to start off with white I think.  Well the first try produced a reasonable, if huge, loaf, though my son still remembers that it was a bit doughy in the middle. Second try, I got two pretty perfect loaves and I was on a roll.

Now to find a recipe for rye bread. It seems that 100% rye is usually made by the sour dough method and I couldn’t see my family going for that, so settle for a half and half rye/whole-wheat recipe… triumph. Ok, my son the food connoisseur complained it was a bit too sweet, so next time round I reduced the amount of honey, but this recipe has been our staple diet ever since, and I am now truly ensconced in my kitchen, looking at the view, every other day, while I endeavour to keep the supply level with the ever increasing demand.

Any way, finally to the recipe:

500g rye flour
450g whole-wheat flour plus more for kneading
50g plain flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 10g sachet of instant yeast
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons oil
670 ml milk
125 ml water

Warm the milk to lukewarm.  Mix the flours and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle and put in the yeast, then honey, then oil, pour on the warmed milk and water and mix. When it gets doughy turn out on to a well floured surface (it will be extremely sticky) and knead for 10 minutes. You will need to keep adding flour as you knead.  It is better for it to be too sticky than too dry – you can always add more flour, but too dry will make a dry, hard loaf. After 10 minutes, put it back into the bowl with a plastic bag over it and leave in a warmish place for two hours or so. Then knock down, firmly pressing out the air, but not over kneading, then form into two or three loaves on a baking sheet, cover again and leave to rise for another hour. Then bake for 30 minutes at 190C until they sound hollow when you tap on the bottom of the loaf. Cool on a wire rack

So how do I keep track of the bread making, in between school runs, mealtimes and the rest?  Well I don’t always. There are times when I optimistically start the bread off, leave it to rise and four hours later remember about it, knock it down, forget to switch on the oven so it has had an extra day or so in rising time by the time it gets cooked. It does seem to be very forgiving though – whatever you do to it, you do generally get bread out at the end, it may not always be the perfect loaf, but then variety is the spice of life after all. There was one time it hadn’t quite finished cooking by the time I had to do the school run, so I asked my husband to take it out in ten minutes….. By the time I got back we had a very useful weapon against intruders. We didn’t eat that one…I think it was ryvita for lunch…!

Good luck with yours.

Copyright 2005 Kit Heathcock

Basic Cookware Explained

What is All-Clad stainless steel cookware and why is it the best top-of-the-line bake ware you can buy? All-Clad cookware is made with a heavy aluminum inside which extends up the sides of the pan. It is coated with a stainless steel cooking surface and has an outside layer of magnetic stainless steel. This type of bake ware is ideal for cooking on a gas stove where the flames can burn up the sides of the pots and pans. These types of pots and pans are heavier than the less expensive kinds that you find at cheap discount stores. This cookware is extremely popular among the expert chefs, holds up well in high heat up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit and it comes in a nonstick version as well.

Maybe you like to do lots of browning. If so you may want to use uncoated or non coated cookware for your favorite recipes. A top brand of uncoated pots and pans are made by Wolfgang Puck. Chances are you will never see a review that will not give Wolfgang Puck high marks for its baking performance and price value. Uncoated bakeware has an aluminum plate as the foundation or base. It does not run up the side as does the All-Clad type which is a big reason why uncoated is less expensive.

Calphalon nonstick bakeware is a hard anodized aluminum bake ware with a nonstick coating. If you are looking for a cheaper brand that will perform almost as well as the more expensive ones this may be what you are searching for. Plus it is also lighter in weight than most All-Clad varieties or brands. It may require a little more energy on your part during cleanup though since most Calphalon nonstick pots and pans are not dishwasher safe. Another positive aspect to this type of cookware is that it can be used in your oven in temperatures up to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Similar to Calphalon, Emeril (Emerilware) is a high quality cookware that compares favorably to other top-of-the-line pots and pans and is a very good value for the money. Your favorite recipe will still taste delicious. Famous TV chef Emeril Lagasse has this line made by All-Clad which is similar to their hard anodized cookware. The major difference is the designs added to the pieces. This cookware is made of hard anodized aluminum with nonstick cooking surfaces. It is not recommended for the dishwasher, but comes with a lifetime warranty. That is something you do not see everyday.

The debate about nonstick or uncoated has endured for many years, but which is actually better? Experts have always said that uncoated cookware gives better results, but nonstick has its advantages too. Fried eggs and pancakes are a couple of obvious examples of foods that are more fun to cook or bake on a nonstick surface. No more sticking to the pan during cooking or cleanup. Scraping cooked eggs off the pan is not one of the most enjoyable cooking activities. High quality nonstick skillets will contain a fully coated aluminum plate bonded with stainless steel allowing for even heat distribution. You can also find top brands that are dishwasher safe, although most manufacturers will recommend hand washing.

Starting with high quality cookware is a must if you are looking for the most enjoyable cooking experience. And before you can purchase the most ideal bakeware for your needs you have to ask yourself a few questions. How much can I afford? Will it bother me if they are not dishwasher safe? Do I want nonstick or uncoated? Would I prefer better cookware or easier cleanup? After answering these questions you will have a much better idea as to the type of cookware best suited for your personality.

Barbequed Ribs Kansas City Style

Kansas City ribs are serious business when it comes to BBQ. True to tradition, barbeque in Kansas City is dry rub-spiced, smoked with hickory and coated with a KC style sauce. For Kansas City sauce means a thick, rich and tangy tomato based sauce with molasses and sometimes a hint of vinegar. The meat is seared, slow cooked and mop basted with sauce until the meat is tender and a nice crust has formed on the outside. Roll up your sleeves and get ready for sauce that you enjoy getting under your fingernails.

Kansas City’s first recorded barbequer was Henry Perry back in 1908. Perry become very well known for his succulent ribs and would serve them to customer who would come from miles away. Perry converted an old trolley barn into a restaurant and would serve is ribs on newspaper for 25 cents a slab. “Old Man Perry’s” restaurant was located at 19th & Highland and was later sold to George Gates and Charlie Bryant. It become known as Arthur Bryant’s and is still today regarded as one of America’s greatest rib joints. Today Kansas City boast over 90 rib restaurants.

As with any rib, first start by removing the membrane on the back of the rib. This can prove to be difficult with wet finger. Dry hands and a paper towel work well for this. The paper towel will allow you to get a better grip on the membrane. Evenly coat the ribs with the dry rub, wrap with plastic wrap and then foil. Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours but overnight is best. 30 minutes before you are ready to cook the ribs, remove them from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Continually mop the ribs with sauce until finished cooking.

Kansas City Style Dry Rub:
1 C sugar
½ C paprika
¼ C kosher salt
¼ C celery salt
3 tablespoons onion powder
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 teaspoons dried mustard powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

Classic Kansas City Style Sauce:
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon mild curry powder
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon mace
½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 C ketchup
¾ C dark unsulphered molasses
½ C white wine vinegar

10 Great Tips On Cooking Meals

If you are as busy as most people you are always looking for ways to feed your family in convenient, fast, yet not-too-expensive ways. Try the following suggestions:

1. Cooking several meals for the week at one time. It may take a few hours of your time up front but will pay off in the long run when you come home each evening and have a meal ready to eat in a short amount of time. Try cooking a roast and using part of it as a main meal and then using some for sandwiches, beef stroganoff or as part of a stir-fry. Fry several pounds of hamburger and make a casserole, taco meat and chili to freeze for use later in the week.

2. After you return home from the grocery store clean all the fruits and vegetables you can. When it’s time for a meal all you will have to do is cook them or add them to a salad or soup.

3. Get ideas from the cooking shows on T.V. There are great shows that show you how to make a healthy meal in a short time.

4. Develop a revolving recipe file. If you get bogged down by the idea of having to plan 30 meals a month the recipe file is for you. Let family members choose some of their favorites and put the recipes in a monthly file. Flip to day five or fifteen and there is the meal just waiting to be cooked.

5. Enlist the help of the members of your family. As soon as the kids are old enough divide up the cooking responsibilities. Let everyone take turns with specific tasks or the whole meal. Pair these meals with fruit and veggies that have already been washed and cut-up and you are ready for dinner.

6. Share the cooking with friends or neighbors. I’ve known people who cook four or five of the same meal and then trade with four or five other people. This works best when people share the same basic ideas on what they like and don’t like. It’s a great idea though for a very easy week of evening meals.

7. Save coupons for those convenience things at the grocery store. They have entire entrees and dinners either fresh or frozen. Sometimes they are rather pricy but with the coupons they are good to have on hand for an evening when everyone is running in different directions and time is of the essence.

8. It’s O.K. to eat out from time to time. Clip coupons for these occasions and if you have kids keep a look-out for the places that have special prices for children. Some of the fast-food restaurants are trying to offer item choices that are a little more healthy.

9. Many larger cities have businesses that prepare food for the evening meal. They seem expensive at first but are so convenient and available for one person or entire families. There are many menu choices and meals cooked for special diets. When you calculate the groceries you buy and the times you eat out each week, this may work for you.

10. Combine several of the above ideas into a plan that is best for you.

It is possible with a little planning to cook meals that are quick and easy without spending hours in the kitchen every day.

Wine Bottling

The ideal utensils to use for wine making and boiling ingredients & juices are those of good quality enamel. Those sold under a brand name are most reliable. The utensils must not be chipped.

It is almost impossible to pour clear wine from one bottle to another without stirring up the lees. Because of this, it is a good plan, to siphon off the clear wine when rebottling it.

Using about a yard and a half of surgical rubber tubing or plastic tubing, siphoning is a very simple operation. First, put the bottles or jars of wine on a table and the empty bottles on a stool or box on the floor. Next, put one end of the tubing in the first bottle of wine and suck the other end of the tube until the wine comes; pinch the tube at your lips and - holding on tight - put this end in the empty bottle and then let the wine flow. As the level of the wine falls, lower the tube into it, being careful not to let it touch the lees. When nearly all of the wine has been transferred, pinch the tube at the neck of both bottles, put one end into the next bottle and allow the wine to flow again.

In this way a constant flow is maintained and you have bottles of crystal-clear wine. The sediment from each bottle may be put together; this will clear in time to leave a little more wine.

Most of you will already have heard of one or other home-made wine and will have decided which to make. For those who have not yet decided, preference for a 'port* or 'whisky' may be the deciding factor and this must rest with yourselves.

I would advise you only in this: make, say, a gallon or a half-gallon of a variety of wines and then decide which you prefer over a period of time. I have whittled my own preference down to nine different wines which I brew regularly according to season, leaving the dried fruit for the time when fresh fruit is not available and when roots - potatoes, etc. - are too fresh for wine-making purposes.

NOTE:

Different recipes will call for slightly different approaches, but it must be remembered that whatever else has to be done, the brew must be kept in a warm place throughout the fermentation period, and that the process after fourteen days* fermentation in the tub is the same with all recipes.

Now select your recipe and go ahead with your wine-making, bearing in mind all that I have warned you about.

When to Use High Heat on Your Barbecue

Its a mystery how some people seem to have the knack for for barbecuing how they always seem to get everything exactly spot on and not like the rest of us who end up burning the sausages. Believe it or not, there is technique involved other than just using the force.

One of the main secrets to knowing how to cook a mouth watering meal on your barbecue is knowing when to use high and low heat.

When it comes to barbecuing you could have heard cooks refer to "sealing in the juices" and you may have even tried to attempt this technique yourself, but as with everything if you do not know what you are doing then you are doomed to fail. If you watch the way the best cooks do a barbecue they cook their veg and steaks on a high heat to sear the outside before slow cooking this is a very effective method of sealing in the juices

This method should be used for foods that are to be partly cooked through such as a medium rare steak. However if you are cooking food like ribs or burgers that have to be cooked right the way through it is advisable you use a low heat to prevent any sort food poisoning.

This is better explained when it is better understood how the process actually works, as the meat is heated, the cells and the fibers of the meat tense up, squeezing out much of the juices. So if you only want to lightly cook the meat then searing it will help to seal in the juices by quickly cooking the outside. But be careful not to cook on a high heat for to long, or the inner layers will cook too quickly, vaporizing all of your precious and tasty juices.

When you are using high heat, the rule of thumb is to cook on each side for a maximum of five minutes each side. After ten minutes, anything that you’re cooking should be moved aside to a medium heat so that it can finish cooking at that lower temperature.

Remember, when it comes to high heat, practice makes perfect, and the perfect is well worth the practice!

The Origin Scotch and Irish Whiskey

The origin of Irish whisky is a little cloudy, no one is actually sure when it was 1st created, it is summised that brewing started sometime in the 12th century.

Irish whisky is barley, malt whisky made in Ireland. Irish whisky resembles Scotch whiskey in that its ingredients and formulation is slightly different.

Note that Irish whisky is written differently.Peat is almost never used when malting Irish whisky, resulting in a whisky with a smoother, sweeter flavour. In most Irish whiskys, the smoky, earthy flavors of Scotch are absent.

Common wisdom says that the Irish invented whisky, but it is speculated that the Scots perfected it. Both claims are open to doubt, if "beauty is in the eye of the beholder," then "perfection is on the tongue of the glassholder." In other words it is a question of taste. The word whisky comes from the Irish Gaelic term "uisce beatha" which translates as "water of life" ("uisce" is pronounced ish-ka).

There are fewer distilleries of Irish whisky than there are distillers of Scotch. Economic difficulties in the last couple of centuries have led to great number of mergers and closures.

Currently there are only three distilleries operating in the whole of Ireland (although each produces a number of different whiskies.) Irish whisky, like Scotch, comes in several forms. Like Scotch whisky, there is single malt, (100% malted barley and grain whisky.

Grain whisky is much lighter and more neutral in flavor than single malt and is almost never bottled as a single grain. It is instead used to blend with single malt to produce a lighter blended whisky.

Unique to Irish whisky distilling and something that the scotch have never followed on, is pure pot still whisky (100% barley, both malted and unmalted, distilled in a pot still). The "green" unmalted barley gives the pure pot still whisky a spicy, unique Irish quality. Like single malt, pure pot still is sold as such or blended with grain whisky.

Irish whisky is believed to be one of the earliest distilled beverages in Europe, dating to the mid-12th century). The Old Bushmills Distillery also lays claim to being the oldest licensed distillery in the world since gaining a license in 1608.

The History of The Irish Coffee

The Port of Foyne was a busy air traffic point between Europe and United States in the 1930s and 1940s, carrying a diverse range of people from refugees and Royal members. It was the winter of 1934, the flight from Foyne left to New York in extremely bad weather that eventually caused the flight to return. Chef Joe Sheridan working at the restaurant in the terminal building offered tired passengers the coffee drink mixed with a quality Irish whiskey. One American passenger asked if that's Brazilian coffee, and the chef answered, "that's Irish coffee."

In 1952 Jack Koeppler, owner of Buena Vista in San Fransisco brought the Irish Coffee recipe back to the United States and made it famous. Every year, the Foynes Flying Boat Museum holds an Irish Coffee Festival in August. The festival has the world's best Irish Coffee making competition.

The Original Irish Coffee
Joe, Sheridan, Foynes Flying Boat Museum

Cream - Rich as an Irish Brogue
Coffee- Strong as Friendly Hand
Sugar - Sweet as the tongue of a Rouge
Irish Whiskey - smooth as the Wit of the Land

In a warm stemmed whiskey goblet, pour one jigger of Jameson Irish whiskey. Add one spoon of brown sugar and fill with strong black coffee within one inch of brim. Stir to dissolve the sugar and top off with whipped cream, slightly aerated by pouring it over the back of a spoon. Do not stir after adding the cream as the true flavor is obtained by drinking the hot coffee and Irish whiskey through the cream.

The Classic Irish Coffee
- 2 oz Jameson Irish Whiskey
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 5 - 6 oz freshly brewed strong black coffee

Stir thoroughly and top off with a layer of heavy whipping cream, poured gently over the back of a spoon.

The French Bar Stool Design

French bar stools are the very best way to add that special touch of class to any bar or home, these classic stools feature curved legs with fluted tips, the finest quality seats and highly stylish seatbacks. If what you are looking for are high quality bar stools these are the stools for you.
The craftsmen from these French regions have been manufacturing such fine quality work for many generations.

Their talents have been much sought after by many companies in the world and their masterpieces decorate many of the stately homes and royal palaces in quite a few countries around the globe, the most common of which being the bar stools and designer chairs.

The design of French furniture has been dated to a few points in French history. These include during the reigns of Louis XV, Louis XVI, and Louis Philippe in the 18th and 19th centuries. The main design criteria to designing bar stools of this quality is comfort, well sanded and varnished edges style and most of all, the art work that is carved into the wood. This quality of craftsmanship still exists with many of the French bar stool manufacturers.

The style of these barstools works far better when the décor of the room is of a plain design, this includes the walls, ceiling, floors the lot. The idea behind this type of bar stool or chair design is to try and recreate that comfortable welcoming feeling of homes in the French wine region.

Having the right bar stool for the room can really set of the décor and complete the design. If you choose neutral colors, you can brighten things up with the addition French paintings or prints of your choice, but nature paintings always work best for setting a calming mood.
These styles of bar stools are quite function as they are shorter than most other bar stools; this makes them quite versatile for many locations such as medium size counters or writing desks.

The Best Chilli Recipe

Those who like to cook chilli always want to discover that one chilli recipe that will have their family and friends talking about for ages and maybe even impress a few chilli contest judges.

Below is one of the best chilli recipe for you to try and I think you everyone who is involved will be well impressed
Ingredients

•    4-5 lbs. ground beef of your choice
•    ¼ cup of olive oil if needed to brown meat
•    64 ozs. V8 Juice for 4-5 lbs.
•    1 onion for each pound of meat
•    1/4 cup of brown sugar or honey
•    1 bell pepper for each lb. of meat
•    2-3 cloves garlic for each lb. of meat
•    3 jalapenos or 1 habanera
•    2 tablespoons cumin
•    ½ cup finely chopped parsley or cilantro
•    2 tablespoons of chilli powder (your favourite)
•    1 teaspoon of celery seed
•    1 bay leaf for each pound of meat
•    1 - 16 oz. can dark kidney beans for each lb. of meat

•    salt and pepper to taste
•    10 mushrooms per pound of meat
•    1 tablespoon of the SECRET INGREDIENT

Ground beef or ground round should be at least 80% lean. Brown ground beef with olive oil.

Salt and Pepper to taste throughout the recipe.

After meat is browned, add onions, bell peppers, bay leaves and garlic.

Add secret ingredient.
Add chopped mushrooms.
Add celery seed.
Add brown sugar or honey.
V8 juice is added next.
Cook down for about 10 minutes at a simmer.

Add beans last and cook them until they are done to your taste.
Cook this entire batch of chilli until you get it coming up. Bubble a little. Do not boil. Turn it off and let it sit. You can even let it sit so long that it gets cold.

Then reheat it.

Siphon off the grease when it cools - the whitish looking stuff on the top.

Talisker Scotch Whisky

Sometimes when you are thanking a long-dead distiller for building his still in such a stunning location, you wonder at the insanity that led him to settle on such a remote spot. Talisker is one of those places: situated high on the northwest coast of Skye in Scotland, it looks back to the jagged ridge of the Black Cuillin, out into the stormy Atlantic Ocean. Even taking into account the reviled Skye road bridge, this isn't an easy place to get to by road, but it was the sea that proved Talisker's saviour, perhaps its raison d'etre.

'Everything would have been brought in by sea, by puffer,' says the distillery's new managing director Alastair Robertson. 'And everything went out in exactly the same way. The sea was critical to its survival - there had to be a sea link to get the place started.' It might explain why Skye, the largest of the Hebrides and a place famed for its thirsty population, has only ever had one distillery; although iron in the rock, the brutality of the Clearances and the subsequent anti-establishment stance of the

Skye people could also have played a parr. Still, Talisker remains a frontline malt: UDV, thanks in part to the tireless enthusiasm of its former manager Mike Copland, and is a major player in Johnn:e Walker. The workforce may have shrunk since the days when it malted all its own barley, but it remains a mighty dram. Pean water, heavily-peated malt and long ferments provide the foundations, but Talisker's seem lies in the still house and, specifically, in thr strange wash stills. 'Every distillery, thankfully, has something unique about it." says Alastair.

Springbank Scotch Whisky

SPRINGBANK The decline of Campbeltown as a distilling capital came suddenly. Of the 21 distilleries that Barnard visited, only two are still in existence and one of them, Glen Scotia, is open only intermittently. The good news is that you will soon be able to buy five different Campbeltown malts; four from one distillery - the legendary Springbank.

A resolute pillar of tradition, family-owned Springbank is the only malt distillery where the entire process from malting to bottling is carried out on the same site. In fact, flying in the face of convention, the firm reintroduced floor malting in 1992. 'People tell us that our hands-on approach is special,' says Ewan Mitchell, who handles marketing. 'Because it has been in the hands of the same family for so long, our chairman is determined to keep it the way he inherited it. Fortunately we've got a good reputation and consumers want to see it as people-based. Our independence is obviously as important to them as it is to me.'

But is Springbank just an anachronism in today's industry? 'The industry is becoming less and less traditional,' says Ewan, 'but we're against change for change's sake. It's easy to impose new methods but lose sight of the product. At the end of the day we control the bottled product from start to finish.'

For manager Frank McHardy, tradition makes a difference to the quality of the spirit. 'People are totally involved in the product,' he says. The guys have to work it, make the malt, mash it and distil it - there's total involvement. We're also employing 25 people in Campbeltown and, given the economy of Kintyre, that's very important.' Frank's tour of duty has seen him manage Bruichladdich on Islay and Bushmills in Northern Ireland, before returning to Springbank; thus he has run three very different distilleries in the 30-mile radius which most historians agree is the cradle of whisky making.

His Bushmills' experience is proving particularly useful in developing Springbank's latest addition, a triple-distilled unpeated malt called Hazelburn, which is due to appear in 2002.

TASTING NOTES

Springbank 10-year-old
46%ABV full, malty nose with some sea air, spice, pigskin and toffee apple. Very smooth and sweet to start then a fusillade of flavours -dried herb, butter, salt, smoke, vanilla pod, moss and flowers. A great package.

Springbank 15-year-old
46%ABV Well balanced between vanilla, creme brulee, salty sea air burnt range and smoky wood. A silky mouthful though the wood is a little prominent then a splash of sea spray on the finish.

Springbank 21-year-old
46%ABV Amber colour. Peach, raisin ozone, smoke, fluxing between caramelized orange and salt. Smooth start, then some heather, raisin, clootie dumpling coconut matting and the signature salty finish.

Springbank 1966 Local Barley
54.4%ABV Huge nose mixing coal bunker, sweetly ripe fruit, hickory wood and almost rancio-like aromas of mushroom, leaf-mould, anise and smoke. Explodes on the palate: biscuity, then some toffee, hickory chips, smoke and sea air. A fascinating mix of sweet and sour.

Longrow 10-year-old
Attractive mix of muted/turfy peat smoke with a perfumed rose-petal lift. A drop of water kindles the peat fires but always balanced by a lavender/rose-scented perfume. Silky, briny with a rich coal-tar/perfumed finish.

Potted Whiskey

It would be appropriate for a people-based profile of whisky to begin by naming the first whisky maker. Sadly, no-one knows who he was. In fact, no-one knows who the first distiller was. It is clear that from AD 4 onwards, alchemists in China, India, Arabia, Egypt and Greece were using distillation to make turpentine, medicines, makeup (al-kohl, our alcohol) and perfumes, but there is no evidence that they adapted brewing techniques to make whisky.

How the Irish and Scots got in on the act is equally mysterious. The Celts may have known about distillation, but apart from a couple of enigmatic references in the 6th century AD there's no proof. What is agreed is that distillation arrived in Scotland with the monks of the Celtic Church, suggesting that distillation was already taking place in Ireland - perhaps Irish monks had encountered the art in Sicily or Andalucia, or through their ancient trading links with the Phoenicians.

By the time Friar John Cor bought his famous eight bolls of malt in 1495 - the first record of whisky making in Scotland -distillation was widely practised across Europe. It is hardly surprising that the first distillers were monks: the water of life, aquavitae (uisge beatha in Scots Gaelic) was a medicine made in monastic laboratories, and markedly different to today's whisky. Flavoured with heather, honey, roots, herbs and spices - partly to hide off-flavours, partly because it was a medicine -this medieval mix was closer to a crude whisky liqueur.

Until the beginning of the 19th century the top Irish brands were flavoured in this way. It was only when whisky began to be made in great houses and crofts alike that it became recognisable as the drink we know today. Distillers have always used the main crop of their region as the base for their spirits, and in Scotland and Ireland that meant barley. Making whisky was a means of using up surplus grain: in winter, cattle could be fed on the grains left after mashing and crofters could use their whisky as part-payment of rent. Made in batches in small pot stills, the process used for malt whisky today, whisky soon became an integral part of rural life.

When crofter-distillers from Scotland arc Ireland were driven off their land from 1 ~4; onwards, whisky spread to America and Canada. Though rye whiskey had been made as early as 1640, it was this sudden wave of immigrants that established whiskey as North America's spirit. They, too, used the local grains - rye, corn and wheat - and by 1783 commercial production had kicked or: in Kentucky.

By 1825, the whisky industry in Scotland and Ireland was controlled by men of capin. Gone were the days of the crofter-distiller making enough to fuel the craic and the ceilidh and pay the rent. New legislation ushered in a building programme of new malt distilleries across the Highlands and in Ireland. At the start of the 19th century Irish whiskey had the highest international reputation, with the heavily-peated Scottish malts considered an acquired taste. Then in 1827, Robert Stein invented a continuous still (see pages 86-87), which not only mace distilling less labour-intensive but produced lighter, grain-based whisky which could be mass produced. Adapted in 1831 by Aenea-Coffey, the continuous still changed whisky production forever.

Distillers in the Scottish Lowlands seized the new invention and by the 1850s grocer and wine merchants such as John Walker. George Ballantine, James Chivas, John Dewar and Matthew Gloag began blending malt with the light grain, and the public sa: up and took notice. The Irish resisted, for a time. Distillers including John Jameson and John Power, who were already enjoying international prestige with their pot-still whiskies, refused to use the continuous method, dismissing it as an adulteration o: 'real' whisky.

The North Americans had no such qualms and Coffey's patent still was soon adopted in America and Canada. This interest, along with James Crow's research into quality control in Kentucky, improved consistency. The Canadians were so enamoured of the Coffey still that, in 1875, they passed legislation decreeing that Canadian whisky could only be made from grain distilled in a continuous still, and aged for a minimum of three years in oak barrels. The quality-oriented, modern industry was taking shape. Even at this stage there was no indication that whisky would become the world's best-selling spirit. Brandy was still more popular, but the vine parasite phylloxera vastrix put paid to that when, from the 1870s onwards, it wiped out Europe's vineyards - and the brandy industry with them.

It is entirely possible that American whiskey would have become the world's dominant player, were it not for the growth of the Temperance Movement in the US which led to Prohibition in 1919. At that time, Irish whiskey was selling more in America than Scotch, but while Scotch and Canadian whisky managed to retain a quality image, Irish whiskies lost their biggest market overnight and were being (badly) copied by bootleggers. Their reputation plummeted. At the same time, Irish independence led to the ban of Irish products in Britain and the Empire. With no markets left, the Irish industry imploded and blended Scotch took over.

This was the situation until the late 1970s when, through industry complacency, or the inevitability of changing fashion, young drinkers turned away from brown spirits or the global whisky industry fell into deep depression. Blended Scotch has struggled hard to regain consumer confidence in its old markets, though it has enjoyed success in southern Europe and Asia. But in America, northern Europe and Britain, malts have kept the whisky dream alive. This recent fascination with premium whisky has also boosted the American whiskey industry and sparked a new optimism in Ireland and Canada. There are now more quality whiskies on offer than ever before, and a renewed interest in how they are made and the people who make them.

Making Quality Wine

Wine is a very wide spread term that is simply fruit being distilled and fermented for the product of an alcoholic drink. When most people think of wine they immediately think grapes, but there are so many different sources for wine production these include rice (sake), various fruits (elderberry, grapefruit, cherry, etc.), barley, and even honey (mead).

For the purposes of this wine article we will stick with wines produced solely from grapes. These are categorized by several means, of which include vinification methods, taste and lastly vintage. Many unknowing wine drinkers wouldn't care about the subtle differences in these categories, after all, most people rely completely on the taste of the wine. However, for many aficionados out there wine is a very intense passion. Their wines must always meet the highest expectations everything must be spot on, the variety of the grape, the taste and vintage must all meet the highest standard before serious wine connoisseur's will consider purchasing a bottle.

Vinification

Vinification is the process by which grape juice is fermented into wine. This fermentation process is what determines the quality of the the wine and this is what gives the wine it value. A common misconception by the novice wine drinker is the colour of the grape juice varies, this is not so as the juice from a grape (red or white) is almost a clear liquid. What does determine the color of the wine is whether the grape skins have been fermented with the wine or were they left out, red wines are fermented with there skins on and with white wine the skins have been left off and as for rose wine, well it is just a combination of the two wines

Sparkling wines and champagne are carbonated, this is where carbon dioxide is enter into the mix, this process is achieved by fermenting the grape juice twice. The first time, the juice is fermented in open containers, which allow the carbon dioxide to escape and with the second fermentation, the juice is kept in closed containers, trapping and infusing the C02 with what is then wine.

Taste

Most wines are described as dry, off-dry, fruity, or sweet. This is a direct result of the amount of sugar that is left over after the fermentation process has ended, Dry wine has very little sugar content, while a sweeter wine has a higher sugar content.

Beyond this basic taste analysis, wine-tasting enthusiasts have developed a system of wine classification, this entails the more in depth the tastes and the more aromas the wine gives off. Many less informed on wine find this system hard to grasp, but the seasoned wine drinker consider the ability to discern even the most subtle elements of a wines taste to be a great achievement. As one example, Cabernet Sauvignon which is a very popular wine that tasters claim contains a combination of black currants, chocolate, mint, and tobacco flavors.

Vintage

Vintage is a straight forward classification when wine is concerned, this refers to the year of the grapes harvest from which the wine was produced. This is important because many grape growers have exceptionally good harvests only during certain years. Also, the best grapes are usually singled out for use in a producers vintage bottles. You get the highest quality wine from that year’s harvest.

Recipe - Lavender Heart Cookies

Lavender, its bushy hedges wafting a delicate scent in the winter sunshine, is one of my favourite herbs. It is hardy, smells wonderful, cleanses the air of viruses and repels insects. All these virtues and you can bake with it too! I was going through my recipe books yesterday, looking for something new to try in the biscuit baking line and saw a recipe for Lavender Heart Cookies. Every time I’d glanced through the book it had always intrigued me, but I'd never tried it before, as the idea of using lavender in baking seemed a little bizarre...interesting but probably getting results of 'yuk Mum, what are these bits?'

Anyway, in the spirit of culinary adventure, I thought I'd have a go. The ingredients were minimal - butter, sugar, flour and flowers! Lavender florets. So off I went to pick the lavender. Not much was required, just two tablespoons of fresh florets (the little purple flower bits off the main stalk), so I had a nice therapeutic moment selecting the best stalks from my lavender hedge, which is still producing new flowers despite it being the middle of winter here. Then came the mixing all the ingredients together into a crumbly dough, which is more crumb than dough, but eventually did all work together. After its rest in the fridge, I tentatively rolled out the dough, still crumbling madly, but it was eventually persuaded to stay together by an insistent rolling pin. I churlishly refused my youngest daughter’s offers of help in cutting out the hearts...mean of me, I know, but this was my journey of exploration not hers, this time!

They came out of the oven, fragrant and golden. The moment of reckoning drew near. Children, scenting new baking, gathered around. The girls uncritically tucked in, my son, the conservative connoisseur, turned away, but changed his mind at the appreciative noises around him. A cautious nibble and he was convinced – I was not trying to poison them...!

Here's the recipe in case you'd like a culinary adventure too!

Lavender Heart Cookies
115g/4oz butter
90ml/6 tablespoons caster sugar
175g/6oz plain flour
2 tablespoons fresh lavender florets

Cream together the butter and 60ml/4 tablespoons of the sugar till light and fluffy. Stir in the flour and lavender and work it in, kneading with your hands till it comes together into a soft ball of dough. Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes. Roll out on a lightly floured surface. Stamp out the cookies with a heart shaped cutter (alternatively a fluted-edged round cutter). Makes about 18 with a 5cm/2inch cutter. Put carefully onto a lightly greased baking tray and sprinkle the remaining sugar onto the top of each shape. Bake at 200C/400F for about 10 minutes till golden. Leave the cookies on the tray for 5 minutes, before putting on to a cooling rack.

So my experiment was deemed a success. The adults, later that evening, also liked them. ''Elizabethan'' suggested my sister-in-law, and "packaged in a pretty box they'd make a great gift". I have to admit here that, given the choice of a chocolate biscuit or a lavender one, the children would unanimously vote for chocolate, but the fact that they considered them edible at all, when they knew they had flowers in, is pretty high praise for this recipe. I was the one who surreptitiously finished them off the next morning with my tea. That fragrant flavour on the palate, clean yet sweet, was irresistible!

Copyright 2006 Kit Heathcock

3 Great Coconut Shrimp Recipes

Title:
3 Great Coconut Shrimp Recipes


If you love coconut shrimp, here are three different, but very good coconut shrimp recipes to try.

Coconut Beer Batter Fried Shrimp with Pineapple Salsa

2 eggs
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup beer
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
coconut oil
3 cups grated coconut

Seasoning mix:

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
2-1/4 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1-1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1-1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Thoroughly combine the ingredients for the seasoning mix in a small bowl and set aside.

Mix 1-1/4 cups of the flour, 2 teaspoons of the seasoning mix, baking powder, eggs, and beer together in a bowl, breaking up all lumps until it is smooth.

Combine the remaining flour with 1-1/2 teaspoons of the seasoning mix and set aside. Place the coconut in a separate bowl.

Sprinkle both sides of the shrimps with the remaining seasoning mix. Then hold each shrimp by the tail, dredge in the flour mixture, shake off excess, dip in batter and allow excess to drip off. Coat each shrimp with the coconut and place on a baking sheet.

Heat deep fryer to 350°F. Drop each shrimp into the hot oil and cook until golden brown, approximately 1/2 to 1 minute on each side. Do not crowd the fryer. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

Lay shrimp on large lettuce leaves and serve with Pineapple Salsa dip. Garnish with lemon, orange, or lime wedges.

Pineapple Salsa

1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple
1/3 cup chopped red onion, 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup pineapple preserves (or apricot-pineapple preserves)
1 tablespoon finely chopped seeded fresh jalapeno chili
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine ingredients and gently toss.

Coconut Shrimp Kabobs with Island Coconut Salsa

1 lb. shell-on shrimp, uncooked
1/3 cup coconut milk, canned and sweetened
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon red chili peppers, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
12 to 18 fresh pineapple chunks

Island Coconut Salsa

1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup chopped green onion
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 to 2 teaspoons minced garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup olive oil or macadamia nut oil

Peel and devein shrimp retaining tails; set aside. Combine coconut milk, lime juice, garlic, red peppers, cumin, coriander and pepper; pour over shrimp. Marinate no more than 1 hour. Thread shrimp and pineapple chunks on skewers. Broil or grill, 3 minutes per side, or until shrimp are done. Arrange coconut shrimp on large lettuce leaves. Serve with Island Coconut Salsa on the side.

Caribbean Shrimp Run Down

1 lb shell-on shrimp, uncooked
3 tablespoons lime or lemon juice
3 cups coconut milk
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic
Finely chopped hot pepper to taste
1 lb. tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 t. fresh chopped thyme
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Peel and devein shrimp retaining tails. Pour the lime juice over the shrimp and set aside. Cook the coconut milk in a heavy frying pan until it is oily. Add the onion, garlic and cook until the onion is tender. Add the hot pepper, tomatoes, salt and pepper, thyme and vinegar. Stir and cook very gently for 10 minutes.

Drain the shrimp, add the other ingredients and cook until the shrimp is tender, about 10 minutes. Serve hot over rice. Preparation time: 30 minutes.

By Dianne Ronnow © 2006 Mohave Publishing. All rights reserved.

Shrimp Cheesecake

Time after time I wondered about making this particular cheesecake; will it be good or will it be a fly by night idea? After all, who ever heard of putting shrimp into cheesecake?! Well it turned out to be a fantastic idea and you just can't believe how good it really is...
1 pounds cream cheese(get a good solid cream cheese not one of those presoftened ones)
1/2 pound sour cream
1 1/2 pounds fresh medium shrimp
1/3 cup green bell peppers chopped fine
1/3 cup red bell peppers chopped fine
1 large clove garlic minced
2 ounces butter
3 medium eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup heavy cream
6 ounces shredded New York sState sharp Cheese pepper as you like it.


Lining For Pan:
10 ounces dried unflavored bread crumbs
6 ounces melted butter


Tomato Sauce:
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 medium bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoons dried italian seasoning
1 clove minced garlic
2 tablespoon olive oil
28 ounces crushed tomatoes (canned)


Cook, clean, and chop your shrimp.

Saute peppers, garlic, onions, in 2 ounces melted butter for 6-7 minutes on medium heat, add your shrimp and cook for 2 more minutes, drain well and put aside.

Beat your cream cheese so it is smooth, then add your sour cream and mix until fairly fluffy, add your eggs one at a time mixing well after each one.

On low speed gradually add the heavy cream until blended. Stir in the shrimp and vegitable mixture and sharp cheese now add the pepper.

Prepair your 10 inch x 2 inch springform pan:

In a medium mixing bowl place your bread crumbs and your melted butter, blend them together well.

Using melted butter and a pastry brush butter the sides of your springform pan.

press the buttered bread crumbs to the sides of the pan and the remainder to the bottom of the pan.

Pour the cheesecake into the pan and place in a preheated 300 degree oven for 55 minutes or until jelled( it might be slightly wiggly in the center but thats OK, but not mutch ) after 55 minutes shut OFF the oven and let it remain in there for 3 hours, then remove it and let it cool, when cool, remove it from th pan.

Prepair your tomato sauce while your cheesecake is cooling:

Saute your onions, garlic,and italian seasoning,and bay leaf in hot oil until vegitables are tender, add your tomatoes, simmer about 30 minutes uncovered on low heat or until you reach your desired consistency, remove the bay leaf from your sauce.

Serve hot over room temperature cheesecake.

About The Author

Andrew Krause is a Chef and Pastry Chef for over 30 years, at persent I own a Gourmet Bakery called The Cheese Confectioner. You can visit my site at Free Gourmet Cheesecake Recipes

NOTE: You are welcome to reprint this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the about the author info at the end). Please a send a copy of your reprint to pastrie@verizon.net

Double Decker Pastry

This recipe is an experience for anyone, it’s kind of unique and very different from today’s baking, today all you need to do is go to the market and pick something off of the shelf, put it in the microwave and you have it.
Well I’m old fashion when it is something I’m going to eat and enjoy, I need to have hands on and do it the old way.

OK enough jabber let’s get on with the recipe so we can enjoy it, remember your ingredients should be room temperature or close to it.

Ingredients for dough:


5 cups unsifted flour
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baing powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
pinch of salt
½ pound butter softened
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
4 egg yolks
½ pint sour cream
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla


Ingredients for filling:


2 ½ cups ground walnuts
½ cup sugar for nuts
jam or lekvar or whatever you like


Sift together 5 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 4 teaspoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons baking soda.

Add the butter, shortening, 4 egg yolks, ½ pint sour cream, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla and of course the pinch of salt.

Combine all of these ingredients in your processor or mixer.

Divide dough into 3 parts, roll out the first piece and place it onto a 10 ½ inch x 15 ½ inch cookie sheet.

Mix together:


2 ½ cups ground walnuts
½ cup sugar for nuts
jam or lekvar or whatever you like


Spread some of this mixture onto the first layer of dough, then roll out another piece of dough and place it on top of the filling, put some more of the filling on top of the second layer of dough, now with the third piece of dough roll it out and create a lattice top on your creation.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes, cool and cut.

Now enjoy what you have made.

Whisky UDV

One of the Scotch whisky industry's greatest secrets sits at the foot of the Ochil Hills. You may notice some warehouses close to the road as you drive past, but it's more likely that your eyes will be drawn to Dumyat's crags or the phallic thrust of the Wallace Monument on the near horizon. UDV's Blackgrange site does not draw attention to itself, there's nothing to indicate that there's close to 3 million casks of whisky quietly maturing in 49 blocks of warehouses. The scale is awesome. You are dwarfed by the massive black warehouses, your imagination struggles to picture what a billion bottles of whisky looks like. Whisky is big, we know that but you onfcr realise how big when you drive down the avenues of Blackgrange. In the disgorging plant they are emptying up to 10,000 casks a week, at times the components for five different blends may be going out the same day. Now imagine being in charge not just of all this maturing stock, but also in charge of the new make coming out of UDV's 27 malt and 2 grain distilleries. That's Turnbdi Hutton's job. If you want to understand how a major blend is put together, ask Turnbull (UDV's operations director) and UDV's inventory and supply director, Christine Wright. For Turnbull, putting together a blend doesn't start with assembling components in the lab or the disgorging hall, it begins when he gets the sales projections from UDV's sales force. Every salesman expects brand to grow, he's staking his career prospects on it. Thankfully, the production side have seen it before and temper their enthusiasm, 'fuelled by many years of cynicism' as Turnbull puts it. No wonder he has a reputation for irascibility. His job is to balance the sales forecasts, set production levels to supply the fillings fa all the blends and work out the demand in terms of stock requirements. The whisky trade is always flying blind to a certain extent. The whisky you make today can't be used until it's three years old, you may be storing some to be used in 18 to 25 years time, as blends contain whiskies from a large range of ages. The aim is to get as close to a balance between supply and demand as possible. Get it too short and you have to Johnnie Walker Red Label The nose mixes light toffee peat smoke and fresh wood notes. Fresh and vivacious, it packs a crunchy, lightly peaty punch on the palate. ***(*) Black Label 12-year-old Gorgeously complex: perfume, peat and peaches in honey, soft grain and leather all in harmony. Silky and multi-layered on the palate, it balances a huge range of seductive flavours beautifully. * * * * * Gold Label 18-year-old 43%ABV Another stunner: richer than Black, with a hint of sea air and honey/beeswax. A complex palate of iced biscuits, ozone and rich malt. * * * * * Blue Label Peat fires smoulder in the glass and lead to a slowly unfolding palate, with all manner of dark truffle flavours: smoke, orange and bitter chocolate. Deep and profound - but is it worth the money? * * * *

The Different Coffee Variations And How To Make Them

Ok, so you like to down to your favourite coffee house and order coffees, cappuccinos, café mochas, lattes and espressos. It isn’t the fancy coffee cups that make this beverage taste so great. It’s the recipe of the coffee and of course the way it looks that factors into the equation. We all have a favourite style of coffee and every cup will taste different because of the roast of the coffee bean, the grind, the amount used, the water, the temperature and a variety of other factors. We have all had a go trying to reproduce the coffee goodness from the coffee houses at home, the way we imagine they are supposed to be done, but do we actually know the proper method to use in order to extort the captivating flavours perfectly? Below is the basic list of how to make these excellent coffees. Cappuccino: This coffee product consists of equal parts steamed and frothed milk and shot of coffee. The milk then gets poured on top of the coffee shot and dusted with nutmeg, cinnamon or chocolate powder. Café Mochas: The easiest way to do this is to make it with quality hot chocolate, add a shot of coffee with steamed milk poured in and top with whipped cream, then lightly dust with chocolate powder. To achieve to best effect, use a clear glass-mug with a long stemmed spoon.. Lattes: Foam and steam milk to 75 degrees (C). The ratio is worked out as 50% coffee and 50% milk. Slowly pour the milk down the side of the coffee cup or glass so it infuses with the coffee shot. The main differentiation between a latte and a cappuccino is a latte blends the milk and coffee together, whereas the cappuccino keeps the 2 apart. Espressos: We have all had a foul espresso, right?. There are a number of reasons for this. The No.1 reason being an unfavourable coffee bean being used. If you like espressos you are most likely a lover of all things coffee and know what makes a good coffee bean. So with this in mind, to make a good espresso coffee you need to follow these instructions: • Finely grind the coffee beans • You must pack the espresso down firmly • You must use a high pressure coffee machine or stove top model • You must not try to make too much coffee at once • You must see the crème floating on the top of the coffee shot, which is a golden-brown foam • You must use an appropriate espresso cup to keep the coffee warm When all is said and done, making coffee correctly is all up to you and the way your flavour buds take to the coffee taste. If you like coffee in a particular way, then make it that particular way. However, if you have guests over they may just like the basics. So do yourself a favour and learn the correct way to make coffees, lattes and espressos.