Food and Drink

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How to Buy Wine Gift Basket

Sunday, February 17th, 2008

Whenever it comes to buying gifts for friends, family or work colleagues, it can be so difficult. Especially when we now live in an age where everyone has everything they could possibly want or need. One of the best gifts in this situation would be to buy a gift basket. Bu what […]

How to Avoid the Jitters Associated with Coffee

Tuesday, November 27th, 2007

So many people who feel over-worked or stressed turn to coffee for an energy boost.  But is this the best option?  The caffeine in coffee often makes people suffer from the “jitters” so they’re now turning to other drinks instead.
Yerba Mate
Yerba mate (pronounced yerba-mateh) is believed to be another alternative.  The leaves of the Yerba […]

Chocolate Food of the Gods

Monday, September 24th, 2007

Although the chocolate we buy today is sweet, the Aztec translation is actually “bitter water”. The reason our chocolate is sweet today is because of the way it’s now processed. The Aztecs and Mayans knew chocolate was a liquid made from crushed cacao beans containing alkaloids which have a bitter taste.
Despite its bitterness, […]

A Buyers Guide to Coffee Roasters

Friday, September 21st, 2007

Coffee roasters are available in all various styles and sizes and are priced at about £150 although can rise to a couple of thousand. Price however doesn’t always correlate to quality. Other than looking for a good brand, here’s some tips for buying a coffee roaster.
How “Hands On” Do You Want To Be?
Experimenter […]

A Guide to Buying Coffee Makers

Friday, September 21st, 2007

Although you may only think of coffee makers as modern gadgets for swish penthouse apartments you’d be wrong. They’ve been around almost as long as coffee itself and originally came in the form of a Turkish Ibrik. This is a copper container with a long handle and a grooved tongue. You’ll still […]

Health Benefits of Raw Chocolate Bars

Tuesday, September 18th, 2007

People have been going crazy over health and diet since the ’70s.  Faddy diets have come and gone and even come again however one of the “diets” still around is the raw food diet.  Basically this is means the food not cooked above a certain temperature. Generally the upper limit is around 115F/46C.
Whatever your stance […]

How to Buy the Perfect Coffee Grinder

Tuesday, September 18th, 2007

The reason some people like to grind their own coffee beans is due to oxidation. If you buy coffee that has already been ground there is a larger surface area exposed to the air. If you grind at home you’ll be able to minimize the exposure to the air and achieve the freshest […]

Wine and Chocolate Pairing

Thursday, September 13th, 2007

Wine, fruit, meat and cheese have long been combined so why on Earth are people now combining wine with chocolate? Some people are horrified at the thought whilst others view it as an opportunity to experiment and excite the taste buds.
On the whole, chocolates are sweet so there’s the risk that your wine can […]

How To Serve a Cheese Course

Wednesday, September 12th, 2007

The cheese course has always been popular in Europe and it seems to be catching on in America too. Offering your guests a selection of tasty cheeses with crackers is wonderful way to round off a meal.
To make things even more enjoyable, try presenting your cheeses attractively with labels for each cheese. Or […]

How to Store Cheese and Keep it Tasting Great

Wednesday, September 12th, 2007

Like all food products, cheese needs to be stored in just the right conditions for it to taste its best. Generally this involves keeping it in cold temperatures and way from air.
You don’t need to keep it in the fridge to keep it cold, a wine cellar can work too. But for most […]

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