There is a Reason Why People Love Italian Wines

Making wine is probably as old as humankind itself, and one of the oldest winemaking regions in the world is Italy. Italian wines traces their roots as far back as the Roman Empire, and probably even before that. Rome is the city that began bottling wines for ease of transportation, storage and use. Today, wines from Italy account for about one-fifth of all the wines produced in the world.



There are thousands of vineyards in Italy, and while many wines are produced in modern distilleries, some rustic villages still produce wine in the old fashion way by stomping the grapes under their bare feet, claiming this makes the wine taste the best. Commercially available wines are of course prepared under much more hygienic conditions, so don't worry about the bottles you're considering purchasing from your local wine shop.



The favorable weather of the Mediterranean area makes for very favorable growing conditions for Italian wines, and true wine connoisseurs know that weather has a great affect on the quality of the wines. There are also many different elevations along the coast of Italy, allowing the country to produce many different types of grapes and therefore types of wines.



Italian wines are typically much less sweet and a bit more dry and acidic than most other wines produced around the world. This makes them a typically better accompaniment for food than other wines, whose strong or fruity flavors may interfere with the taste of your meal. Most restaurants therefore are known to carry a wide variety of Italian wines, most especially those that specialize in Italian food! Real wine lovers know that it's almost perverse to have a French wine with Italian food.



Italy has certified some 350 grapes for use in their wines, and there are some 500 other varieties and hybrid varieties that are used for Italian wines. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are two of the most commonly used for red wine, and chardonnay and reisling for white wines.



The country of course prides itself on its wine varieties, and so laws are somewhat stringent when it comes to how they can be labeled and referred. However, some winemakers took it upon themselves to step away from common blends and grapes used in order to produce richer and more flavorful wines. The term "Super Tuscan" refers to Italian wines that do not have the traditional blending of grapes that one would typically find in the different regions. Some of these blending varieties were initially labeled as "table wines" by the Italian appellation system, but that term is seen as somewhat derogatory, and so makers of these Italian wines began to use the term Super Tuscan.



If you're looking to expand your list of favorites, then you must consider Italian wines. There is such a wide variety, and the winemakers take such pride in their product, that you are sure to find many that are just to your liking. So the next time you are at an Italian restaurant be sure to try one of the fine wines available, you will be pleasantly surprised.

Wines; Pairing Them With The Perfect Meals Discovering Their True Tastes

Enjoying a good wine these days can be a daunting challenge. There are some terrific wine inventories popping up in our local grocery stores across the country. The more these wine inventories amass at some of the super shopping centers, the larger number of amateur wine consuirs there will be with questions of which wine to serve with particular meals.



Hopefully I can offer some helpful tips to improve your overall wine experience. There really is nothing much more enjoyable in the culinary arts as the pairing of a sumptuous wine with an elegant dinner.



Cabernet Sauvignon some consider to be the king of reds. A big-structured, dark-fruited wine, the best of which become even more elegant with age. The swirl and taste brings out the flavors of plums, blackberries, and black currant; sometimes violets or rose petals, and often mint, mocha, and eucalyptus or cedar; strong tannins underneath.



Such a wonderful flavored wine is best served with a well marbled beef. The sheer enjoyment of mixing the robust flavors of this wine as you just sample your beef will enhance your tasting experience. It is a wonderful mix of flavors completing the enjoyment of your main course. This choice of wines is also served well with hearty fowl such as duck. The two flavors compliment each other very well. Your enjoyment of this wine will also be intensified by serving it with meats that are basted with spice rubs and sauces with lots of black pepper and mushrooms. A strong soy sauce marinade is another excellent choice. Long-braised stews, pot roast and grilled red meat are all wonderful choices to pair with a Cabernet Sauvignon.



You should really taste and test to find your style. Some Cabernet's are made to be drunk tonight, with ripe fruit and subdued tannins. Others need years to mellow. Great Cabs, some argue, are balanced the day they are released and get better with time.



Now we have our Chardonnays a rich yet complex white. With complex fruit flavors and often a rich, creamy texture it has become more than likely the most popular of white wines.



With the swirl and taste of this wine you will be captured by the green apple, pear, melon, creamy lemon, and sometimes pineapple, rounded out with butterscotch and vanilla.



This elegant white is best paired with sweet shellfish, your dinner guests will never be disappointed. This wine also goes well with any white-fleshed fish such as halibut, sturgeon, mahi mahi, tilapia and the flavorful cod. In the meat family your best choices would be chicken of turkey, pork and veal. Again the mix of the flavors and texture of the two together in your mouth is a wonderful way of truly enjoying the wine. A nice Chardonnay will also compliment a risotto and pasta dish served with white cream, buttery sauces.



California winemakers have traditionally made Chardonnay in a rich, buttery style by fermenting and aging it in oak barrels. Now, some have learned that too much oak can cover up the fruit, so some winemakers are starting to substitute stainless-steel tanks for a leaner, crisper style. Be certain to sample many varieties as they can and will vary some in flavor and dryness.



Then we have our Merlot a soft tannins, dark fruit, probably the most popular of the reds here in the states. Merlot has dark fruit flavors like Cabernet Sauvignon, but is generally a little rounder and softer. The swirl and taste of this popular wine will leave you with the enhanced flavors of blackberries, blueberries, plums, cassis, and dried cherries combined with chocolate, cedar, and tobacco and sometimes hints of black olive.



Again with this red you will want to try a few varieties as you will come across some with a more dry, delicate fruit flavor and spice. Then there are others that tend to have a bit more of a wild berry and herbs flavor, they tend to be a bit darker and heavier in texture.



Personally I enjoy a nice Merlot with a hearty red meat but others seem to feel it pairs best with lamb, a more meaty fish such as salmon or tuna. Your dishes can be complimented with black olives, fresh herbs, mushrooms, berries and dried cherries. A tender, milder cut of beef, such as a tenderloin makes for an excellent choice when serving a Merlot. I always found it most enjoyable to take a bite of the tenderloin and then a sip of Merlot and let the flavors just mesh on the palate.



When it comes to choosing a wine to serve with particular meals there are some basics that you should follow to get the most enjoyment from the wine. Be certain to sample different makers of the same type wine as you will find a difference in flavors and dryness. Most of all make your wine tastings an enjoyable experience.

Unusual Facts About Chocolate The Aztecs

Chocolate has one of the highest concentrations of lead of all the foods eaten by Westerners. Although lead binds to cocoa shells, the beans absorb little lead in the countries where they are grown.



This contamination seems to appear at some time during the manufacturing process. The U.S. FDA has done testing and the levels of lead in chocolate are so low that even if a person eats chocolate every day, they are unlikely to suffer any adverse effects.



Called theobromine poisoning, animals such as horses, dogs, parrots and cats (especially kittens) frequently die from the toxicity of chocolate. This is because animals can not metabolize therbromine readily and it will remain in their blood streams for up to 20 hours.



They may experience epileptic seizures, heart attacks, internal bleeding and finally death. Treatment for them involves inducing vomiting within two hours of eating the chocolate or contacting their veterinarian. About 1.3 grams of chocolate per kilo of the dogs body weight is enough to cause toxicity, in other words a .88 oz bar of chocolate would be enough to cause these symptoms in a 44 pound dog.



While large dogs are not as susceptible, it should still be kept out of their reach as dogs like chocolate as much as humans do.



There are fifteen movies, nine books, six songs, two anime characters and two bands with the name chocolate, this list is not complete and continues to

grow daily.



There are six large volume chocolate makers in the world, three in the United States, one in the United Kingdom, one in Italy and one in Switzerland (where white chocolate originated after World War I. The regionally large chocolate makers are found in Brazil, Finland, the United States, Belgium, Germany, Japan, Switzerland and New Zealand.



Nine of the larger chocolate companies make confectioners or premium chocolate; they are located in Belgium, 3 in Italy, the United Kingdom, two in the United States and two in France.



The most historically significant chocolate makers were: J. S. Fry and Sons in the United Kingdom was the first producer of edible chocolate. Lindt & Sprungli in Switzerland developed conching, a technique for processing fine chocolate.



Menier Chocolate of France Pierre Paul affarel in Italy built the first manufacturing company for mass production in 1826.



The Aztecs and Chocolate:

The Aztecs had a great love of chocolate and it was one of their favorite drinks. One of the reasons was the native drink of the Aztecs, known as octli, was alcoholic and being drunk was frowned on by the Aztec society.



Made from the century plant, octli was a juice that came from cutting the stalk of the flower from the century plant that had matured. The stalk was undercut and removed leaving a basin that the juices collected in, this juice was collected for a period of several months and allowed to ferment, turning it into octli.



Chocolate to the Aztecs was a much more acceptable drink, the warriors and nobility especially desired it. Octli was not prohibited, the elderly were permitted to drink it, and actually they were identified as people who had children and grandchildren, not necessarily old. They were allowed to have up to four cups each night, at some feasts every one could drink it, however the normal penalty for being drunk was death.



Chocolate, understandably became an acceptable replacement for octli with higher up Aztec civilization, even then not everyone accepted chocolate as a drink. Because cacao was seen to be a luxury product, not standard in the austere life they had lived previously, many of the Aztec associated chocolate to the leisure and luxury loving people of the Gulf Coast and the lowlands it had originated in.



Remembering that the Aztecs had no scales and that everything was counted, records of the time indicate that the palace and court of Nezahualcoyotl, the king of Texcoco was said to have used 2,744,000 beans annually, now that is a lot of beans! Now his cousin, Motecuhzoma Xooyotzin, was much wealthier, he stored more than 960,000,000 beans in his storehouse.



Cacao beans were used as currency; therefore it was common for storehouses to have huge quantities of them on hand at all times.

Seven Tips For Using Your Crock Pot to Make Your Best Roast Ever

For busy cooks wanting to prepare a tasty and healthful meal, with minimal preparation time, a roast prepared in your crock pot with vegetables is hard to beat! After a few minutes preparation, you simply flip on your crock pot and about 12 hours later, you have a delicious meal. The best part is that this hearty meal cooks, without you having to tend to it, while you work or sleep.



Following are seven tips for preparing the perfect roast in your crock pot.



Tip One - choose a good quality cut (eye of round is my favorite, and rump roast is also good). A great thing about preparing roast in the crock pot is that you can use cheaper cuts and they will come out very tender due to the long cooking time. Whatever type of roast you choose, be sure to trim any excessive fat that is present on the sides or bottom of the roast.



Tip Two - many people like to brown their roast in a skillet before adding it to the crock pot. This adds flavor and enhances the appearance of the cooked product. To save time and add excellent flavor, use a product like Kitchen Bouquet, which you brush on the meat before cooking. It adds color and flavor at the same time.



Tip Three - buy a package of frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, or whatever you prefer). You can add these to the crock at the very beginning, but it is a good idea to let them thaw before adding. If you use a frozen product such as "California Blend" that has many small pieces, it is best to thaw in warm water and add them in the last 3-4 hours of cooking. Otherwise, the smaller vegetable cuts tend to turn to mush. If adding potatoes, cut them into chunks and add at the beginning of cooking - potatoes need the full cooking time.



Tip Four - use about 3/4 cup of a beef broth. Pour this into the crock before beginning cooking. This adds flavor and helps make a hearty gravy that you can use with other dishes (such as mashed potatoes). Prepare the broth with a premium quality broth mix, or bouillon cube.



Tip Five - salt and pepper the roast, or use a seasoning blend. I use a Cajun pepper blend that includes salt, because I like the extra spiciness. Use whatever you like, but salt and pepper alone will give excellent results. Cook the roast for 10-12 hours on LOW. This allows a long, moist cooking time that will result in a tender, melt in your mouth roast.



Tip Six - avoid the temptation to lift the lid for a better look while the roast is cooking (unless you are adding thawed frozen vegetables as mentioned in tip three above.) Particularly when the crock pot is set on low, this allows a lot of heat to escape and can increase the cooking time.



Tip Seven - If you have any leftovers, chop them up the next day and add your favorite barbecue sauce. Heat through. This makes a delicious barbecue beef sandwich that will outshine any that you can buy!



Use these tips to make a mouthwatering roast dinner that is delicious, easy, and a sure hit every time!

When It Comes To Preparing Easy Dinner

Cooking can be fun if creativity is involved in it. Everyone wants to try new recipes which are great in taste and less time consuming.



Some people are very conscious about their health and try some low crab recipes befitting to their daily diet whereas some very busy people want quick dinner recipes or crock pot recipes which can be done within minutes without compromising for the taste.



In todays busy world where people have to give the best shot in the office hardly find time to spend on cooking. Both parents in the family have to work and meet the needs and demand of their children as well as to cope up with the price rise.



For such people quick dinner recipes are of great help. You can take the help of internet and search online the recipes which require less time. There are many website full of new recipes for you to try and enjoy.



These websites will help with new ideas and techniques which can be used effectively for making dinner quickly. It is the advantage of some site that the recipes they are offering are able to provide without any charge.



They tell you the time saving tips and the things you can do ahead to make dinner time quick and simple. In this way the online resources help you to simplify your life.



Evening is the time when all the family members are together and that is why dinner is considered as the main meal of the day. It is also expected to have plenty of options, variety and flavor and so preparing dinner can be a herculean task, spending hours together in the kitchen. Even this task can be made easy if certain things are taken into account: -



The best idea to make sure the meal prepared is tasty and fresh is to going for meal planning. Planning for the upcoming meal will keep you away from the hassles. Proper planning and buying all the ingredients required in advance for the coming week will make the task easy and you get along well even after a long hard and tiring day.



You will be sure of what to make in the dinner and will avoid one more visit to a local fast food joint.



Every family member has their choice and demand and wants to have the same for the dinner.



To handle such situation try to find out through an informal poll and include at least one favorite in the entire meal. It will not have unsatisfied eaters at the dinner table.



In addition to the meal planning you can surf through those hundreds of websites that offer satisfying dinner recipes. The recipes you might think are time consuming these sites would give some amazing shortcut to cut short the required time for any recipe.



Isn't it wonderful to have new twist on pork, beef and fish dishes along with countless number of chicken dishes.



Whether you are trying to make quick dinner or those which will reduce the fats but don't forget to give them the balanced diet essential for their growth and development.

Tips for Quick and Easy Iced Coffee

Coffee is a fantastic drink at any time of day, during any season of the year. That being said, a steaming hot cup of java isn't always welcome once summer rolls around. Don't let the summer heat deprive you of your favorite beverage when you can switch to iced coffee!



During the warmest months of the year, iced coffee makes for a refreshing change of pace. While most cafes and coffee shops serve these cold concoctions, you may be wondering how to get iced coffee at home. Here are my tips for serving up delicious iced coffee without having to break a sweat:

Healthy Pizza Tips

The pizza has been voted America's favorite food for countless years, and is consumed by most Americans each year. Actually, the pizza could have been invented by the Greeks, the Phoenicians, the Romans or anyone who had the foresight to mix flour and water together and heat the mixture on a hot stone.



It has been around in one of its many forms and has been a basic part of the Italian diet since the Stone Age.



The pizza in its first generation as a food in Rome was a healthy tomato filled food that was not only great tasting, but actually good for your body. It was a crude bread that was baked beneath the stones of a fire. After cooking, it was seasoned with various toppings and used instead of plates and utensils to sop up broth or gravies.



It has been written that the idea of using bread as a plate came from the Greeks who ate flat round bread baked with all manner of toppings. It was eaten by the working man and his family because it was more economical and more convenient.



In "The Aeneid" written by Virgil (70-19 B.C.), it describes the legendary origin of the Roman nation, describing cakes or circles of bread:



"Beneath a shady tree, the hero sprad his table on the turf, with cakes of bread; And, with his chiefs, on forest fruits he fed. They sate; and (not without the god's command). Their homely far dispatch'd, the hungry band invade their trenchers next, and soon devour to mend the scenty meal, their cakes of flour...See, we devour the plates on which we fed."



In the ashes after Mount Versuvius erupted and covered Pompeii on August 24, 79 A.D., evidence was found of a flat flour cake that was baked and widely eaten at that time in Pompeii and nearby Neopolis, the Greek colony that became Naples and from a great cookery book by Marcus Gavius Apicius who was proported to be a culinary expert. This book contains recipes which involve putting a variety of ingredients on a base of bread (in his case, a hollowed-out loaf.)



This recipe called for chicken, pine nuts, cheese, garlic, mint, pepper and olive oil (all ingredients found in our pizzas today.)



Tomatoes were first added to pizzas in the early 1500s. First thought to be poisonous, the poorer people of Nales began adding tomatoes to yeast dough they used to make their pizzas. These new pizzas with the tomatoes were proclaimed to be the best pizzas in all of Italy.



Pizza migrated to America with the influx of Italians in the latter half of the 19th century. For many people, expecially the Italian-American population, the first American pizzas were know as Tomato Pie. It is said that Gennaro Lombardi, who came from Naples, opened the first Pizzeria in the United States in New York City at 53 1/2 Spring Street.



There are two distinct forms of pizza in America. The thin almost cracker crust form popularized by the Italian-Americans in New York and what's known as Chicago-style deep-dish pizza. This last form was created by Ike Sewell at his bar and grill called Pizzeria Uno in Chicago. This form is baked in an inch deep pan and contains layers of meat, cheese, and other ingredients in a flaky crust.



Most pizza nowadays are the fat loaded kitchen sink style pizza. Everything from bacon, Italian and other types of sausage, to cheddar cheese top pizzas around the world every day. To make matters worse delivery chains have started to use inexpensive processed food products to help make the pizza as cheaply as humanly possible. As with most things in life, you get what you pay for. That pizza the chain company delivers to your door with a smile, could land you in the doctor's office with a frown in no time.



The first step in eating a healthy pizza is making it yourself. There are any number of restaurants that will boast healthy pizzas on their menus, but to be sure it truly is a healthy pizza, it's better to play it safe and make it yourself. There are some places that will truly make a healthy pizza, but in order to understand what is most healthy for you to eat it's easier to cook it.



Once you've come to the realization that you will be cooking this culinary masterpiece, it's time to decide on ingredients. The healthiest pizzas include fresh tomatoes, garlic, and small amounts of fresh mozzarella cheese. The pizza can be topped with spinach, broccoli, or any number of fresh vegetables.



Bake the pizza for 20 minutes at 400 degrees, and dab off the grease from the cheese as it starts to settle on top of your pizza. After you have finished cooking the pizza, let it cool, and enjoy. The pizza should taste better than ever knowing that it's one full of healthy ingredients and there is nothing like the satisfaction you have in knowing that you made it yourself.