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How to Make the Best Use of Your Fridge

Storing food in your fridge can be quite puzzling at times. So here are a few tips that would help you make the best use of your fridge and preserve your food longer.

You should clean your refrigerator at least once every week.You should not keep open tins in your refrigerator. It's because normally most of the foods are slightly acidic in nature. When you leave open tins and cans in the fridge, this acid can react with the metal and the air and turn your food metallic in taste. You should put your leftover tinned food in a separate clean container, cover it with a lid or a cling film and then label its contents and put the date.You should also wrap any other foods that are not properly sealed with a cling film or keep them in a polythene bag before you put in the fridge. Also keep all the jars and bottles properly lidded. The water in your foods can evaporate and form ice and frosting in the fridge.Store all the raw meats either in the freezer or along with raw vegetables in the bottom shelves. Keep all your ready to eat foods such as sandwiches and cooked meat products above it. This would stop any bacteria from the raw foods contaminate other ready to eat foods. Keep everything wrapped properly.Also you should not overload your refrigerator. Leave plenty of space for proper air circulation.Regularly check and make sure that your fridge temperature stays between 1?C and 4?C.Also vacuum your fridge's condenser coils at least once every year. Pull out your fridge away from the wall or (in some models) clean it from under the fridge. It will make sure that your fridge will run shorter cycles.

Your fridge is your Kitchen's life-line, if you want it to last longer and work efficiently better, you will need to regularly take care of it. It's really not a big ask if you can change your habits.

You can read more interesting tips about safely cooking and storing your food on Carlton Training's website.

Emma Phelps Photo Emma is a professional in the adult training industry working for the number 1 training provider in the UK: Carlton Training. She is happy to help you find your way and give you advice. Rate this Article

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Emma Phelps has published 3 articles. Article submitted on March 26, 2013. Word count: 343

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Calculating Emergency Food For Survival

Do you have food for survival at home? If you are thinking about stored vegetables and fruits then you are wrong. We are talking about food that you can use in emergency. When there is no electricity and fuel to prepare raw vegetables, you would need ready-to-eat meal. Contemplate a situation, where you afraid losing your food security. Plan how you would arrange nutritious diet for your family, if you are stuck in flood water.Millions of people from across the globe starve, when they are met with a natural calamity. Melting glaciers, warming environment and devastation of woods indicate that there would be more floods and cyclones than expected. Also the severity of the nature coupled with administrative incompetence would cripple the normal life. People would remain inside homes or take shelter in refugee camps.

People living in rather safe areas face another kind of threat. They fear terror attacks and civil upheaval like strike and shutdown of the public services. World is a safe place for those, who are always prepared to meet emergencies. An emergency could be general or personal. For instance take economic recession that made millions of people unemployed.How it can save you from starvation? It is specially prepared meal that can retain its taste and nutrition value for long time. It comes in packets of different quantities to meet individual needs. You can get packets for personal use or buy family pack for your entire family. Since the food can be stored for long time, you need not to buy fresh stock every month.

That last for six months and consume the stored food, if you don't meet an emergency in these six months. After consuming the present stock, you can buy fresh food packets for next six months. In this way, you can make arrangements for food for survival without investing much money.You might find it difficult to determine the amount of pre-prepared meal, you need to store. Common men can't calculate their needs and for this reason, they might not be able to determine the amount of emergency food needed to be stored. A credible food for survival store can help you calculate the amount of food, you need to store. Reliable stores provide food calculator that you can use to determine the amount of pre-prepared meal you need to store.

Forsberg Larry has been associated with the companies which primary deal in supplying the highest quality, lowest priced Freeze Dried Foods. The author has also been a famous cook.For More Information Please Visit Food for Survival and Survival Food Storage.
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Mis 6 Monas de Pascua 2013

Como cada año, preparo las Monas de Pascua de los niños (y no tan niños) de la familia. Aqui os muestro las seis.

Las Monas las comimos antes de tiempo porque nos era más cómodo para todos, así al día siguiente (hoy), descansábamos en casa al ser festivo.

Preparé dos con fondant, y el resto con cremas.

Primero la foto general.


Y ahora, os las enseño sin decorar.







Y ahora una a una y con el corte y os explico de qué sabor eran.

La de mi sobrina Tamara, era una tarta Ferrero Rocher que la puse en un molde demasiado grande y quedó ridículamente bajita, la tarta tuvo tela y cachondeo toda la tarde. Aunque yo os digo que todos la quisieron probar, y mi sobrina quiere la misma para el próximo año, aunque pondré el doble de ingredientes y en un molde de 15 cm.


De sabor, para repetir. Pero cuando quitamos la decoración, parecía un plato plano, jajajaja.



La de mi hija  Paula. Era un bizcocho genovésde vainilla, relleno de crema suiza de mantequilla en una capa y en otra fruta en almíbar, cubierto de ganaché de chocolate y fondant de vainilla. Los macarons también los hice yo aunque no me quedaron muy bien de presentación, pero estaban muy ricos. Los rellené de ganaché de chocolate negro. Almíbar ligero (225 gr. de agua y 75 gr. de azúcar con un chorrito de aroma de ron)

El corte.


Lo primero que desapareció fueron los macarons.


Siguiente tarta. La de mi sobrina Ainoha. Un bizcocho genovés de chocolate, relleno de crema suiza de nutella, aunque primero le puse una capa de toffee , y con trocitos de galleta de canela. Cubierto de ganaché de chocolate negro y fondant.  El mismo almíbar que el anterior. Decorado con rosas y hojas de mantequilla dulce, compradas en el súper. El amíbar igual.



El corte. Las rosas también volaron en un pis-pas.



La siguiente tarta. La de sobrino Sergi. Junto con la de mi hijo, fueron las preferidas de los abuelos, por aquello de que el fondant no les apasiona.

Era un bizcocho parecido a la Selva Negra, no le puse kirsch claro.
Bizcocho genovés de chocolate, con almíbar de cerezas, relleno de nata y cerezas, con una capa de ganaché de chocolate y cubierto de trufa, decorado con cerezas, lágrimas de choco con leche (no tenía virutas) y rosetones de trufa. Riquísimo.




El corte.




La tarta de mi hijo Iker. Un bizcocho genovés de vainilla, relleno de crema suiza de nutella con trocitos de chocolate con kikos y mermelada de fresa , cubierto con ganaché de chocolate negro,  una buena capa de nata y cubierto de almendra tostada caramelizada. Decorado con M&M´s. Almíbar sencillo. Exquisita.



El corte.





Estaban todas muy ricas. 


En definitiva, pasamos un día buenísimo. Mi hermana Montse preparó carne en salsa con patatas enteras hervidas y canelones (hizo 124, jajajaja, bueno es que repartió bandejas para mí y mi hermana Maribel (que trajo una escalibada riquísima, y ademas era la encargada de toda la decoración de las Monas: los huevos de chocolate (compró una bolsa enorme, y me hice con tres para la próxima Mona que me tocaba preparar jejeje) .  

Os pongo una de las badejas de canelones. Estaban de repetir.




La de mi sobrino Raúl  fue ésta. Se la llevamos a su casa el domingo y pasamos allí el día. Por cierto, un día fenomenal.



Un bizcocho genovés de vainilla, relleno de crema suiza de nutella y mermelada de fresa. Lo cubrí con ganaché de choco negro y crema suiza. La decoré con almendra caramelizada y M&M´s.

El corte.




Y mi cuñado Oscar (y su mujer Rosa, jejeje), le regaló como cada año la Mona a su ahijado, mi hijo Iker. Mira que chulada con los angry birds.



La tipica Mona de  pa de péssic con mantequilla dulce y almendras. Estaba muy rica.

Y ahora hasta el próximo año, que de momento he tenido bastante, jejejeje.



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Why might it be beneficial to learn new culinary techniques with kitchen?

Art of food preparation can be one of the classic methods to impress guests, friends, family and related. Those who are able to prepare delicacies to satisfy the palates of people be realistic that this is the door to a full night of complement. One would also be able to prepare difficult recipes with ease through the various cooking lesson plans. It is not a new concept for people to go to learn culinary skills. From age now, people have learned the art of the older generations and have practiced for themselves become established leaders. Men and women have come up with a Quick and easy meal ideas to become well-known culinary expert.

But the current scenario presents many opportunities for those interested to learn new technical culinary art. There are few culinary arts colleges, where the theme revolves around the art of cooking. It includes everything from learning how to handle the dishware and knives to the mix of different ingredients. Little by little, these themes are being incorporated as full time at University courses, so interested students can learn new technical culinary art.

Culinary art of learning is not a difficult subject for those who lean toward the kitchen and love dabbling in food preparation. It has not only been their hobbies but they have an inclination towards the skills that usually manifests as a quick and easy meal ideas. Polish more abilities, people can go to the universities of culinary art full time and races. In doing so, they may have the knowledge of how to mix different items and what should be the right technical preparations.

Apart from proper cooking procedures, students are able to obtain cooking lesson plans. They can be trained in the preparation of various types of cuisine, from recipes of Greek food to continental delicacies. There are organized only classes on the culture and custom of foods in different continents and civilizations. Any special flavors that are located in different countries are also taught in these courses. All the experience of these races is enough to instill new ideas in the minds of trainees. Once finished the race, one can become well equipped to treat several recipes of oneself. Since they have the knowledge of different types of food, their combination is rational and also sure to be attractive.

Many people today are choosing chef and culinary arts as full time racing. A lot of chefs have gained fame through several books and sample and have established their unique recipes. It seems that when they learn new techniques of culinary art, nothing prepared becomes an element to be tasted. Even if prepared easy finger food recipes, it would also be tasty and attractive. Due to grinding of kitchen knowledge and understanding of the finer points as she prepares delicacies, people are capable of creating interesting dishes. These palate service exciting delights, others are also full of praise and this gives a boost to the person's abilities. Sets the name of the person in society and many great leaders have emerged as a result of hard work, interest in kitchen and teaching at the universities of culinary art.

Krishna Kumar Singh PhotoGoodcookingtoday is a distinguished place and is better than any other cooking websites and responds to all the needs in terms of culinary Wonderland. Offers a wide variety of recipes food easy finger recipesquick and easy meal ideas, recipes of Greek food to learn new culinary techniques art.
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GALLETAS DE QUESO

Siempre hay un momento para este tipo de picoteo: galletas de queso. Lo malo es que están tan ricas que no hay forma de parar. Por otra parte....nos lo merecemos ¿verdad? Es una receta que seguramente muchos sabéis, quizás con distintas proporciones pero en definitiva igual de ricas. Ahí va:


 Ingredientes: 200 grs de harina, 100 grs de mantequilla, 1 huevo, sal, orégano, queso rallado (la cantidad depende de la intensidad de sabor que os guste).



Preparación: Se amasan todos los ingredientes depositados en un bol grande por el orden arriba indicado. Se deja reposar un rato tapado con plástico transparente, luego se extiende la masa con un rodillo y se le da la forma que queramos. Se mete al horno, previamente calentado a 150º turbo y hasta que empiecen a dorarse.




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Five Lesser Know Spices in Indian Cooking

Indian cuisine calls for many spices that are commonly known to us in the western world. Spices such as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cumin and coriander seed are ones we all know and probably use. What about some spices that are totally unknown? The smells of Indian cooking are unmistakable. The smell of something very exotic can be quite enticing. Walking past an Indian restaurant can be an experience all on its own. So what is it that makes the food smell so different? Here are some of the ingredients that may contribute to the exotic scents that are so attractive. These explanations may help you to search out these unusual spices and try out an Indian dish or two.

Black Sesame

The first one I will discuss is Black Sesame. This may or may not be an unusual spice. It is commonly used in Chinese cooking as well as Indian and other Southeast Asian cuisines. The black and white sesame seeds come from the same plant, but just a different variety. Black sesame seeds have a slightly stronger flavor than white. They are an extremely good source of calcium; studies have shown that one gram of seeds contains approximately 85 milligrams of calcium. If you like the flavor of white sesame seeds, these will not be so different. They make a lovely presentation when sprinkled over rice, and are often included in Indian dishes, or sprinkled on breads just like the white sesame we know.

Black Cumin

Next is Black Cumin seed. This is truly an unusual spice, and hardly known outside of India. Many places mistakenly sell Nigella seeds under the name of black cumin. Black cumin is Bunium persicum, and has a more nutty and earthy aroma than common cumin. It is far thinner and finer in size than regular cumin seed. As its name implies, the seeds are black and used commonly in northern Indian Moglai cuisines. It has a sweeter, lemony character with caraway notes. It is commonly used in yogurts, chutneys, curries and biryanis, some garam masalas. If you search out this spice, look for Bunium persicum specifically, or you may get nigella seeds.

Black Cardamom

Black Cardamom or Hill Cardamom, Amomum subulatum, is related to green cardamom and are both from the ginger family, but there the comparison stops. The flavors of black cardamom are far different and do not lend to use in sweet dishes. The seed pods are larger and coarser and have a camphor like flavor and a smoky character from the method of drying over fires. It is commonly used in savory dhal or rice mixtures, and in some northern Indian garam masalas.

Carom Seed or Ajowain

Carom, Trachyspermum ammi, is also known by Ajowain, Ajwain, Ajowan and many other spellings. It is a tiny seed with a flavor similar to thyme, but more aromatic and bitter. The seeds have a tiny stalk attached, much like anise seeds and look similar to celery seed. Carom is popular in Indian dhals or potatoes and is almost always used cooked in a dish as its flavor can be overwhelming when raw. It is good for digestion and is often used in lentil dishes for its anti flatulent effect.

Nigella Seed

Nigella, Nigella sativa, is sometimes mistakenly called Onion Seed, but is totally unrelated to onions. It is also confused with Black Cumin, as explained above. So what is this seed that is so confused with other species? It has a pungent bitter taste and smell with an oregano undertone. It is used often to top Naan bread, and used in the well-known Indian spice blend called Panch Phoran. A common mixture for this Indian five spice might be equal parts cumin, fennel, mustard, fenugreek and nigella seeds. This blend generally uses the spices left whole. They may be fried in oil to release flavors and the oil used in a food. Nigella seeds also are used in kormas, dhal and braised lamb.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. I hope it was informative and helped you along your own culinary journey. You will find many more recipes and helpful tips on my web site. I am on Facebook at A Harmony of Flavors and share a recipe or tip each day to the fans that have liked my site. I hope to see you there soon.

Chris Rawstern Photo My name is Chris Rawstern and I have been on a cooking and baking journey for 42 years. Many people have asked what A Harmony of Flavors means. Have you ever had a meal where the visual presentation was stunning, the smells were incredible, the taste was so remarkable that you ate slowly savoring every bite, wishing the experience would never end? Then you have experienced what a truly harmonious meal can be like. My passion is to teach people how to create a Harmony of Flavors with their cooking, and help pass along my love and joy of food, both simple and exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, trying new things. I would love to hear from you, to help me continue my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Visit my Web site http://www.aharmonyofflavors.com/ my Blog my Marketplace or Facebook page A Harmony of Flavors
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Five Best Kitchen Items to Have on Hand

Over the years, I have amassed a huge amount of things for my kitchen. Some are used daily and some rarely, though all have their place. The five items I will discuss here are ones I use all the time. From the most inexpensive little piece of molded plastic to a pricey item worth every penny, read on to learn more about them.

Item one is the Zyliss or Suzi Garlic Press.

Prior to owning this press, I had a generic garlic press that might manage to squeeze out a couple of drops of garlic juice. I figured garlic presses weren't worth what they cost, so I just left it in the back of a drawer and forgot it. Then I discovered the Zyliss.

The first time I used my Zyliss garlic press, I was nearly in tears of joy, seeing the entire clove of garlic nicely and finely minced on the counter. I love using garlic, so this was a revelation. I use it nearly every day, and it is as easy to clean as it is to use.

Item two is the Jar Pop.

The Jar Pop is a little, inexpensive plastic gadget that just makes life simpler. That something so simple can do such a great job is a marvel. Any time I want to open a vacuum sealed jar, I pull out this little gadget. It hooks under the lip of the jar, you lift up a bit. The pop of the vacuum being broken is a delight to hear. Once the vacuum seal is broken, the jar is nearly always simple to unscrew. That little piece of plastic is almost worth its weight in gold.

Item three is the Thermapen.

This is an amazingly fast instant read thermometer. There are many instant read thermometers on the market. Most are a lot less than instant. While you may be able to use one that takes a whole minute to display properly, sometimes the oven door should not be open so long when something is baking. From reading the internal temperature of a baking loaf of bread to the most expensive prime rib roast, the Thermapen gives a reading in less than 5 seconds flat.

This wonderful technology comes at a price, of course. This is the high end of the scale, but once you have seen it in action, it is really hard to go back to those others. Anyone who is looking for a great gift for the chef of the household, think of the Thermapen.

Item four is the Oven Glove.

This is an oven glove, not a mitt. It has places for all the fingers, so there is flexibility and ease for gripping. It can be worn on either hand. It is a heavy woven cotton glove with silicone stripes or ridges on the outside. This provides good grip when handling hot pots or casseroles. It also has a very deep cuff, so it protects the wrist and lower arm. It is great for barbecuing, or flambeing. Such a simple design, yet the best I have come across as a heat barrier. You almost need to try it out to believe it.

Item five is mini ice cream scoops.

There are many types of mini cookie or ice cream scoops available on the market. These are less for ice cream than portion control. When making cookies, it is far too easy to have many sizes of cookie go into the oven, and some get done more quickly than others. With the little cookie scoop, each cookie is the same size. Any cookie that calls for dropping onto a baking sheet or forming into a ball will benefit by the scoop, giving equal amounts for each cookie.

Obviously these are not only for cookies. The little scoops come in various sizes. I currently own two. One is 1 1/4 inch across and holds just over two teaspoons. The other is 1 1/2 inch in diameter and holds one tablespoon. I use the larger one when making meatballs, and each meatball is the same perfect size. The scoops can be used for making truffles, or for scooping out the center of a candy or dough to insert something into, such as a cherry. Larger scoops can portion out cake or muffin batter. The uses are only limited by your imagination.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. I hope it was informative and helped you along your own culinary journey. You will find many more recipes and helpful tips on my web site. I am on Facebook at A Harmony of Flavors and share a recipe or tip each day to the fans that have liked my site. I hope to see you there soon.

Chris Rawstern Photo My name is Chris Rawstern and I have been on a cooking and baking journey for 42 years. Many people have asked what A Harmony of Flavors means. Have you ever had a meal where the visual presentation was stunning, the smells were incredible, the taste was so remarkable that you ate slowly savoring every bite, wishing the experience would never end? Then you have experienced what a truly harmonious meal can be like. My passion is to teach people how to create a Harmony of Flavors with their cooking, and help pass along my love and joy of food, both simple and exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, trying new things. I would love to hear from you, to help me continue my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Visit my Web site http://www.aharmonyofflavors.com/ my Blog my Marketplace or Facebook page A Harmony of Flavors
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Empanadas de Atún

Empanadas de Atún 130


Preparándolos para la vigilia de Semana Santa, muchos me han pedido que les enseñe a hacer empanadas especiales para estas fechas donde los creyentes se abstienen de comer carne. Así que hoy cocinaremos unas con relleno de atún. Hice la receta siguiendo los consejos de un lector anónimo, poniéndole además mi toque particular. Salieron muy buenas, así que espero que les guste.

Antes de ir con el paso a paso les recuerdo que es importante que el atún sea de buena calidad. Por favor no pretendan ahorrar comprando atún desmenuzado, porque lo barato sale caro y el pastiche que venden bajo esa denominación, es cualquier cosa menos lo que debe ser.

Habiendo hecho esta salvedad, vayamos a la receta... y felices pascuas para todos!

Continuar leyendo »
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Fruit Tart from Larissa Choma

Hi there, I am Larissa Choma. Every week, I uncover excellent tasty recipes that are easy to make. People love having simple along with nutritious quality recipes that could be served in numerous occasions. Attempt this Fruit Tart recipe for the next celebration where a simple treat would fit right into the actual offering.

Larissa Choma feels that fruits form a fundamental element of our own life and need to be incorporated within our eating habits to make sure that your body gets a full doze of vitamins along with other necessary minerals.

Fruit Tart Biscuit Recipe

Ingredients

Refrigerated sugar-cookie dough, one-half of the 20-ounce roll

Neufchatel - mild cream cheese - 4 ounces

Sour cream - ¼ cup - employ reduced fat sour cream, when wanted

Sugar - 2 tsp

Fruit - strawberries, blueberries, peaches or perhaps green and red grapes - use virtually any combination which will be pretty and tasty

Instructions

Study all of the instructions before beginning the particular preparing methods.

Pan - The nine-inch spring cake pan is good for this specific recipe. The interior ought to be ungreased for the reason that cookie dough has adequate butter.

Oven - Pre-heat the oven to three hundred and fifty degrees.

Develop Crust - The cookie dough will propagate in to the pan easier when it is room temperature. Spread the dough in to the ungreased pan. Chill the dough for 30 minutes to lower the temperature and cause it to bake not so quick.

Bake Crust - Put the cake pan upon the actual oven rack in the middle position. Bake the crust for 12 to 14 minutes till a golden brown color appears. Allow the crust to chill for 5 minutes.

Prepare the actual Tart -

Take off the brown crust area from the cake pan and place it on a stand in order to complete cooling entirely.Blend the actual cream cheese, sugar along with sour cream in a compact blending bowl. Stir till combined smooth.Move the cookie crust to a serving plate.Spread out the cream cheese "sauce" mixture across the total surface of the brown crust area. Abandon one-half inch across the border.Arrange the particular fresh fruit with a desirable routine into the brown crust area.Put the tart in the refrigerator for up to two hours just before serving.Slice just like a pizza to serve. Slices could be diversified to accommodate more friends.

Fruit that could be in season is suitable for this particular tart. Narrow slices make certain that the tart is similar to a pizza. Permit the fruit to stand for a few minutes to permit the juice to drain.

Every time this attractive tart is actually served, use distinctive fresh fruit blends. Fruit is welcome in almost any season! Prefer the exotic fruits that people do not eat every day.

Making youngsters consume fruits is virtually a hard activity. Not anymore with this particular fruit tart. They will likely like it anyhow and you will simply replenish their diet program with all necessary nutrient elements that are meant for their over-all progress. Packaging a fruit tart for lunch according to Larissa Choma will make your children jump with pleasure due to its yummy style.

This specific fruit tart will be a conversation starter. Men and women will essentially value your culinary skills and would really like to have something more from your kitchen area.

To know more about Larissa Choma and to avail her services feel to contact her at - https://twitter.com/LarissaChomaCA

Article Source - http://goarticles.com/article/Fruit-Tart-From-Larissa-Choma/7212966/

Larisa Choma generally writes articles on various cooking tips and recipes while cooking healthy food. Larisa Choma is a well known cookery writers in Canada. Her recipes, based on various types of dishes from around the world are full of original ideas and are loved by many people of all generations.
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Get to Know Mahlab. A Pleasant And Aromatic Spice

Outside of Turkey, the Middle East and Greece, Mahlab is little known. This spice is the inner kernel of the pit of the St. Lucie Cherry, Prunus mahaleb. In these countries and others the name is slightly different and can be found spelled as Mahaleb, Mahleb, Mahalabi, Mahiepi and others. The tree is deciduous and can grow to 40 feet in the right climate. The bark is smooth and red. The fragrant flowers are white, on long stalks and in clusters. The fruits are small, only up to about 3/8 inch, turning black when ripe. It grows wild in southern Europe, the Middle East, the Mediterranean and Turkey. It is also grown as an ornamental tree as it has a somewhat weeping habit. It can be grown from seed, is quite disease resistant and its strong root stock can be used for grafting.

The tiny inner kernel of Mahlab is an oval, 3/16 inch long, buff or tan colored with wrinkled skin and a creamy colored interior. The scent is a pleasant mix of sour cherries, bitter almonds and a hint of rose. This lends most greatly to baked goods such as breads, cakes and cookies, but this should not have to be its only use. Biting into a kernel raw will leave a bitter note, but once baked the flavors transform to fruity and rich, but subtle. A little can go a long way. Think of nutmeg when using Mahlab. A spare hand will yield excellent flavors, but it can make all the difference between a plain dessert and something uniquely alluring.

Suggestions for Using Mahlab

When using this spice, it should be ground just before use, as the flavors dissipate quickly once ground. It is easy to grind with a mortar and pestle or in a spice grinder. If grinding by hand, use some of the sugar and or salt called for in the recipe, as the grains help with the grinding action on the seed kernels and yields a nice powder. As for amounts to use, approximately 1/2 to 1 teaspoon per 2 cups of flour in a recipe is a good rule of thumb. Mahlab is a good addition to breads, sweet pastries, cookies and biscuits. It would also be a great way to transform simple pudding or rice pudding. The flavors lend themselves to milk based foods and cheese.

As the spice is native to the Middle East, Turkey and Greece, most recipes that use this spice are ones from these cultures. Sweet, rich egg dough calling for mahlab is made into rolls called Choereg in Turkey and Armenia. Similar bread called Lambropsomo is made in Greece at Easter time. All over the Middle East are cookies called Ma'moul. The spelling is different in different countries, but these are filled with either a nut or date mixture and pressed into a mold before baking. Each different filling has a different patterned mold to distinguish between them. Many recipes for Ma'moul on the internet do not call for mahlab, mainly because it is less known here in the States, but if you can find it, this spice makes these authentic.

Try to find mahlab kernels and use a new spice flavor the next time you make cookies or breads. Search out one of the many recipes for Choereg or Ma'moul and try out a recipe from a different culture. There are so many rich cultures using less known spices that just cry out to be made.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. I hope it was informative and helped you along your own culinary journey. You will find many more recipes and helpful tips on my web site. I am on Facebook at A Harmony of Flavors and share a recipe or tip each day to the fans that have liked my site. I hope to see you there soon.

Chris Rawstern Photo My name is Chris Rawstern and I have been on a cooking and baking journey for 42 years. Many people have asked what A Harmony of Flavors means. Have you ever had a meal where the visual presentation was stunning, the smells were incredible, the taste was so remarkable that you ate slowly savoring every bite, wishing the experience would never end? Then you have experienced what a truly harmonious meal can be like. My passion is to teach people how to create a Harmony of Flavors with their cooking, and help pass along my love and joy of food, both simple and exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, trying new things. I would love to hear from you, to help me continue my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Visit my Web site http://www.aharmonyofflavors.com/ my Blog my Marketplace or Facebook page A Harmony of Flavors
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Snack Recipes-asking

Internet is full of countless fashion appetizer recipes. Not all of them are easy to do. However, by throwing a lunch buffet to your friends you not but think of easy appetizers: appetizers that will make your guests drool-worthy for the main course. In this article we will discuss about some things that you should have in mind at the same time of planning for their appetizers and also share with you some fresh appetizer recipes.

Each party has a theme. Its menu becomes truly fashion when his subject gets reflects on their tickets. For example, it would be trendy if you choose Mexican appetizers for a Carnival of type meeting or Caribbean style snacks for a tropical party? Once you have decided on your appetizer recipes, you're ready to experiment a little. This will add a touch of originality to your easy appetizers. You should not ignore or the accompaniments of their appetizers. For example, in a wine-tasting party, you should serve snacks that complement your wine. Again, if there is a heavy dish, their snacks should not be too heavy and should not use ingredients from your plate either. Before that I share with you some cool appetizer recipes, let's take a look at rankings that snacks is. The first classification is easy appetizers - snacks that are easy to do and not much complicated from the point of view of the ingredients.

The second category is healthy snacks. These snacks are (for the most part composed of vegetable ingredients) health factor. The third category is cheap, appetizers snacks which appeal to people who cannot afford to buy expensive ingredients.

The last category is the finest appetizers - snacks that are fashionable, not too difficult to make, however, appeal to the guests near and far. They might be a little expensive to do but the flavor is really impressive! We can now share some recipes appetizer cool and fashionable.

Let's start with All Natural Tahini Chocolate Shake. This appetizer is rich in protein and energy without added sugar.

You will need a frozen banana; good quality sesame seeds 2 Tablespoons (30 mL). 3/4 cup (175 mL) water; 1 teaspoon (5 mL) vanilla; and 1 tablespoon (15 mL) cocoa powder. Now place all ingredients in Blender, mix well and serve immediately.

Then we will learn how to make Apple and Pizza Switzerland.

You will need: 3 tablespoons (45 mL) pizza sauce; applesauce 5 tablespoons (75 mL); Salt and freshly ground pepper. 1-16 "(40 cm) pizza crust, precooked; 1 red small onion chopped. 1/2 pound (225 g) Canadian Swiss cheese grated; 2 Tablespoons (30 mL) chopped fresh parsley; olive oil 2 tbsp (30 mL); 2 teaspoons (10 mL) cider vinegar; 1 Apple, total; and baby spinach in 2 cups (500 mL) cut into strips. First handset pizza sauce with sauce Apple and season them. Then, it extends the pizza crust and use the onion for garnish. Mix the parsley with cheese and sprinkle mixture over pizza. Bake the pizza in the oven half-rack for 5-7 minutes until the cheese turns to gold. You can serve immediately or let it cool for a while before serving. Cut into bite-size pieces is a good idea. Add color and flavor to this appetizer for the next step. Mix the olive oil and vinegar. Add the apples and spinach, them season and stir well. Spread this delicious pasta on top of pieces of cold pizza or as an accompaniment to wet.

Today is the last of our fashion appetizer recipes cooked egg rolls.

You will need 1 lb (454 g) pork lean ground. 3 onions, chopped. 2 cloves chopped garlic; 1 carrot, grated; chestnuts of water 1/2 cup (125 mL); 2 Tablespoons (30 mL) soy sauce; 1 tablespoon (15 mL) cornstarch; 1 teaspoon (5 mL) sesame oil; Pepper 1/2 tsp (2 mL); Big 12 (5 1/2 inch/13 cm) egg roll wrappers. and 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of oil. In non-sticky cooking utensils, Cook the pork over medium heat until no. already rose for about 5 minutes. Now remove the fat. Add the onion, garlic, carrot and water chestnuts. Cook more to fire medium for about 3 minutes. Take a bowl and mix the soy sauce, cornstarch, 1 tablespoon water, sesame oil and pepper. For the mixture in a frying pan and mix well. Let the mixture cool slightly below. Now you need to prepare the rolls. Mix 1 roll. Place the container, brushing it with water and put the mixture of pork, leaving on the border of ½ inch (1 cm) on all sides. The sheath and pinch ends to seal the roll. Brush the foil with oil and bake in the oven at a temperature of 375? F (190? C) for 20 minutes until the roll is golden and crispy. To add extra flavor to your rolls, serve with plum sauce and salad.

These tickets are something that is truly unforgettable. Use these recipes and enjoy them and fee free to come visit us for more snacks or recipes for dinner at uFOODz.com
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Why to Consider Cooking Classes to Sharpen Your Talent

Do you think that you cook quality and tasty food? If yes, it's well and good for your confidence level. But it is also necessary to ask this question to those who have eaten your cooked food. They can give you a clear picture about your cooking skills. Moreover, you can take feedback from professionals involved in this for long. They can give you some suitable yet effective tips.

Considering Group cooking classes Auckland is another good way to know more about your cooking talent. There you can find many expert chefs to hone your inner-talent. They have undergone a special training for cooking. Additionally, they have experience enough to tell you what is right and what is wrong in your food. But joining any training should be done only after a complete search.

There are many institutes offering cooking classes with various courses. Specialization plays an important role while looking for any course. The way to cook Italian food is different than Chinese food. So, they have different courses available to choose from. Your interest in particular kind of food also matters a lot. Ensure that you keep this aspect in mind while choosing any cooking classes.

If you do not have enough time to visit such classes, you can look for some Italian organic and gluten free cooking Auckland. These courses are available online as well and you can go through an online training for free. Before considering any course, ensure that you check whether the offering institute is genuine. There are many fake online institutes as well trying to cheat people by offering irrelevant stuff. Be aware of such wrong practices because these can give you inappropriate information and make your cooking even worst.

Legitimate classes always consider the basic needs of their students. Trainers first evaluate the skills of their students and provide them training accordingly. This is a good way to teach individuals as per their knowledge and learning capabilities. In training institutes, you will also come across many other students having interest in the particular food. They can also share some good experiences with you. Ensure that rely more on the trained professionals than those individuals. But you can also learn some good points from them to hone your skills.

Team role plays an important role to cook food for a large event. There are many cooks work together to accomplish certain tasks. In cooking classes, trainings also teach their students to work as a team. Team building Auckland can help you be a professional cook. If you are thinking to get a good job as a chef, joining cooking classes is the best option. There will not only learn the main aspects of cooking, but also to decorate food and serve it beautifully.

When it comes to cooking classes, ensure that you look for Team building Auckland too. This will hone your cooking talent. Moreover, you can consider some Italian organic and gluten free cooking Auckland as per your ease.
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Enjoying The Diverse Foods of Guatemala

When I married and moved to Guatemala, I had little experience in the kitchen. My culinary expertise at age 20 covered making coleslaw from scratch, making wieners with canned beans and cheese over top as a casserole, and making a cake from box. I was ill prepared for all I had to learn, as the quality of boxed or canned goods in Guatemala was poor and the selection extremely limited.

First Encounters, Black Beans and Tamales

The first time I went to Guatemala was at Christmas with my Dad. I was to marry the following spring, and he wanted to meet the family and see the country I was moving to. One of the first foods I encountered was black beans. They were pureed. I had never seen pureed beans of any kind before, and I had no idea what these were. They tasted good, and I continued on. At Christmas in Guatemala tamales are an absolute must. Tamales Rojos y Colorados, two kinds mainly seen at the holidays are a savory variety and a sweet variety. Either kind had many flavors that were unusual to me and it took time to become accustomed. Once I did I learned to make them, a long process but rewarding.

Corn Tortillas from Scratch

Another food that was present at every meal was tortillas. In Guatemala they were corn tortillas, made from scratch, by hand at each meal. The smell of corn tortillas baking on the comal is one I will never forget, and one I crave to this day. There is nothing remotely like the real tortillas patted out by hand and baked. The corn tortillas one finds in the stores here are a very poor substitute.

The Lowly Radish, Exalted

Radishes were one vegetable that my Dad grew in his garden and I grew up with them around, though I never cared for them. When presented with a bowl of something pinkish one lunchtime, I had no idea the dish was a radish salad, or Picado de Rabano. I tried it with trepidation, but found that prepared this way it was really delicious. Some days it was prepared as a side dish, but some days it was made into a main course by adding in chopped roast beef in equal parts to the radishes. The use of mint in a dish such as this was extremely strange to me, yet the mint really makes the dish.

Hilachas

One meal I have never managed to make to my satisfaction is Hilachas. Literally called Rags, in many places in the US now we find a similar dish called Ropa Vieja, or Old Clothes. It is a stew made with a roast beef that has been cooked and then shredded into strings, and thus the name. It is mixed into a sauce with a tomato base and usually served with rice and of course, tortillas.

The Versatile Plantain

Plantains are another food I had never encountered, and I found out how many ways they are used. Slightly green and cooked in plain water, they are a side dish used like a vegetable. There is little sweetness this way and that works well. If allowed to ripen more, and cooked in water, they have a sweetness present that the greener variety lack, and they can be used either as a side dish or as a dessert. At times the ripe plantains are just fried. They are delicious just plain, or sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon, or topped with cream. Plantains are made into a dessert called Rellenitos, or Filled Plantains. The plantains are cooked, then mashed. A little sugar and cinnamon are added. Separately the pureed black beans are cooked until they become a thick paste, and teaspoons of the beans are encased in a portion of the mashed plantains, which are then fried and sprinkled with sugar. These are a particular favorite. Another way plantains are used is in a mole sauce. Mole is a sauce made with unusual ingredients, such as tomatoes, tomatillos, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, cinnamon and chocolate. This is all ground together into a gravy type sauce and sweetened. The plantains are fried and added to the sauce. I make this dessert, still.

Stuffed Peppers Guatemalan Style

Stuffed peppers in Guatemala are a treat like no other. Generally using a mildly hot pepper like Poblano, the filling is a mixture of ground meat with vegetables that have been cooked and pickled separately, then mixed together. They are stuffed into the pepper, which is generally left with the stem on. The whole pepper is dipped into an egg batter and then fried. These are served with tortillas and a light tomato based sauce. The first time I was served a Chile Relleno, was between two tortillas with the sauce spilling out from the edges. It was sublime.

These are just a few of the many wonderful foods I learned to love while living in a foreign country. My advice to anyone traveling abroad is to keep an open mind and be willing to try new things. This is what makes traveling a wonderful experience.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. I hope it was informative and helped you along your own culinary journey. You will find many more recipes and helpful tips on my web site. I am on Facebook at A Harmony of Flavors and share a recipe or tip each day to the fans that have liked my site. I hope to see you there soon.

Chris Rawstern Photo My name is Chris Rawstern and I have been on a cooking and baking journey for 42 years. Many people have asked what A Harmony of Flavors means. Have you ever had a meal where the visual presentation was stunning, the smells were incredible, the taste was so remarkable that you ate slowly savoring every bite, wishing the experience would never end? Then you have experienced what a truly harmonious meal can be like. My passion is to teach people how to create a Harmony of Flavors with their cooking, and help pass along my love and joy of food, both simple and exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, trying new things. I would love to hear from you, to help me continue my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Visit my Web site http://www.aharmonyofflavors.com/ my Blog my Marketplace or Facebook page A Harmony of Flavors
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Cooking Training From Zero to Hero For Beginners

If you are not sure about what you will do you can ask someone in your home like your mother, sister or even girl friend to begin your cooking material and pay attention to what will they do, once they're done now your turn to repeat all the things they did, remember the result may vary because it made from a different hand, anyway this is your cooking lesson you should not give up if you fail just do another try that will make your cooking look perfect and produce a good taste result. For starter you should not try a hard cooking with an expensive material just begin your cook with a cheap budget because if you cost much money for your first lesson then you fail it will only waste your time and money. Actually cooking is easy to learn because all you have to do just a frequent practice every day and a good tester who can comment fairly about your result.

Otherwise you can also join a private cooking course out there nearby your country, you need to cost some cash but trust me it's really worth it because you pay something which will return another cash for your self in the near future. You can find out a good course place that give you a cheap prices from magazine and another media. Maybe you will need to spend some times there to be an expert in cooking area but once you make it you can begin promoting your cooking result to your friend around there, you can make a commercial cooking for your mate and your neighborhood. You can sell your food and get some money from every sell, if they satisfy enough surely they will make another order and promote your food to their friend.

You can also promote your food in internet and create a good video that shows your cooking material and how you do it. People will comment on your video and ask you to deliver your food to their places. If you don't like this method you can just apply to some restaurant or hotel to work there with your current cooking skills you will be interviewed and make a trial food there if they think you are qualified enough you will get a high chance to work in world class restaurant with a high salary and some facilities provided by your company, you must be happy with this skill.

Take your family to have holiday together overseas or you can just go camping but remember before start going holiday please prepare your charcoal barbecue grill to make sure you will have no issue with your cooking you can also try charcoal smoker wish you all the best in your holiday
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Paco Roncero Taller, Parte I: FANTASÍA Y TECNOLOGÍA DE VANGUARDIA AL SERVICIO DE LAS EMOCIONES

   "¿PARA QUÉ SIRVE LA TECNOLOGÍA SI NO ES PARA EMOCIONARSE?" dice el último spot de Audi. Una constante en este espacio que compartimos con vosotros hoy aquí. Una experiencia llena de fantasía es como siempre recordaremos Rocío y yo nuestra experiencia en PacoRonceroTaller al que hemos tenido el placer de asistir tras ganar el CONCURSO DE RECETAS organizado por MIELE como podeis ver pinchando sobre el nombre anterior.

   Dada la dificultad actual para ir a un sitio así, he querido dividir la experiencia en 2 partes para que os hagais una idea lo más real posible DE LA EXPERIENCIA COMPLETA. En esta primera veremos todo lo sorprendente en torno al lugar, la intriga inicial, los recovecos, y toda la información posible sobre la sala y la más avanzada tecnología de vanguardia de la que dispone al servicio de los sentidos... la impresionante OLEOTECA de Paco Roncero, la llegada a la sala, algunos videos y lo primero que tomamos. Y para no extenderme demasiado y hacer un post infinito en el que os perdais leyendo, una segunda parte con el resto del Menú Degustación, los vinos que tomamos y la despedida final.

Desde nuestra visita a "TICKETS, La Vida Tapa" de Ferrán Adriá no recuerdo haber tenido por la noche "flashes" de los platos mientras dormía. Aquí me ha vuelto a suceder, pero con otras sensaciones.

Y es que este "TALLER DE LAS EMOCIONES" no se trata de un "Restaurante" al uso, aunque en él se cena un Menú Degustación y se sirven vinos y champagnes... No se trata de un cine, aunque en él hay pantallas inmensas y sonido envolvente... Se trata del sueño plasmado de un cocinero vanguardista como él, que un día pensó en un sitio en el que desarrollar su investigación, poner en práctica nuevos platos e ideas, y también por último ir un poquito más allá, y llegar hasta LAS EMOCIONES que éstos despiertan en sus clientes. Para ello ideó este espacio futurista en el que se mezclan LA GASTRONOMÍA, EL CINE, LA MÚSICA, EL ARTE... Según hemos leído en el siempre interesante blog de Philippe Regol, "Observación Gastronómica", Roncero se basó en el Restaurante multisensorial ULTRAVIOLET de Shangai del cocinero Paul Pairet para materializar su sueño. Podeis pinchar sobre el nombre anterior si quereis conocer algo sobre este restaurante al que podeis ir si viajais a esta ciudad china en alguna ocasión y quereis vivir algo similar.

   En este espacio Paco Roncero juega con las emociones de los comensales a través de la ESTIMULACIÓN MULTISENSORIAL, en el que hacer que cada plato se sienta a través de todos los canales de comunicación de los que disponemos, vista, oído, olfato, tacto, olor... 
 “Un lienzo en blanco para dibujar los sueños” como él mismo lo define. Concebido como un laboratorio de investigación, el nuevo taller es un espacio para el desarrollo del talento creativo del cocinero y su equipo en el diseño de nuevos platos, además de un aula de formación conectada para el intercambio de conocimientos entre la elite de los maestros de la cocina. Pero también ocasionalmente es un lugar donde hasta ocho afortunados comensales podrán vivir experiencias únicas, plantadas en diferentes actos y escenografías, con la presencia y bajo la dirección de Paco Roncero al mando de esta nave estelar del Siglo XXI.

        foto: premiumfest.com

Pocos días antes de nuestra visita se emitía en las Noticias de Telecinco un video sobre este espacio NO ABIERTO AL PÚBLICO, al que solamente se puede acceder con invitación de los patrocinadores del mismo (HP, MIELE, LAND ROVER, NH Hoteles y Guía Repsol).


   Para llegar hasta las emociones de los clientes, para ESTIMULAR TODOS SUS SENTIDOS A LA VEZ, a contado con la colaboración de un polifacético autor que se define a sí mismo como “creativo renacentista”. Pep Torres, fundador del Museo de los Inventos de Barcelona y reconocido por la revista Time como el creador de uno de los 50 mejores inventos en 2009, ha interpretado los diferentes platos que componen el menú de Roncero a través de una poética puesta en escena que conjuga imágenes, video-proyecciones y música de los más variados estilos, logrando así redimensionar las sensaciones que provoca la comida en el comensal. Un entorno que hace que las creaciones comestibles del chef madrileño adquieran luz, movimiento y sonido, además de su color, aroma, textura y sabores intrínsecos. Cambios inesperados; momentos para el humor, el placer, la reflexión y la nostalgia; sonidos que se mueven entre los ritmos vibrantes de AC/DC y los 4’33” de silencio de John Cage o  escenarios que trasportan al público desde el Nueva York en blanco y negro de los años 50 hasta el Moulin Rouge de Tolouse Lautrec, pasando por un relajado día de primavera en la hierba, una sobremesa bajo una sombrilla con las olas acariciando tus pies o, incluso, trasladándonos hasta nuestra propia infancia donde descubrimos los colores y el placer de pintar.

               foto: puntogastronomia.com

   Sus avanzados sistemas para generar atmósferas cromáticas, controlar la temperatura y la humedad de la sala, aromatizar el ambiente y ofrecer sonidos específicos, son las herramientas para la creación de experiencias únicas que trascienden lo gastronómico y que ofrecen un infinito abanico de posibles sensaciones. Así, comer a la orilla de una playa virgen sintiendo el tacto de la arena en la piel y el aroma a salitre del mar o disfrutar de una copa de Chardonnay con los pies descalzos sobre la hierba mojada y el aire limpio entrando en los pulmones tras una tormenta de verano son experiencias únicas e imposibles de reproducir en un mismo lugar, hasta ahora. La “caja mágica” de Roncero contiene en apenas 50 metros cuadrados la esencia del verdadero lujo ofreciendo al privilegiado espectador la posibilidad de sentir y vivir diferente cada plato del cocinero.

   Todo es sorpresa en esta diseñada experiencia. Y cuando decimos todo, se incluye hasta el lugar donde uno queda para ser llevado hasta el Taller, recibiendo únicamente un email en el que se le cita en la C/ Aduana nº 16... en la otra punta de la magistral entrada al Casino de Madrid... cuando uno avanza por la calle, no sabe bien donde parar, pues el número no se aprecia bien. Nos quedamos a la puerta de una cafetería esperando a que apareciese alguién..

Pensad en que NADIE CONOCE A NADIE. Solo sabíamos que iban otras parejas ganadoras del concurso, quizá alguien de MIELE, pero nadie con ninguna identificación en este sitio "furtivo"... Incertidumbre, nervios... esperamos en la calle a que alguien aparezca... vemos unas parejas cerca, no sabemos si van al mismo lugar que nosotros... al final una con nuestras mismas inquietudes se acerca y pregunta: SÍ, vamos al mismo sitio. De la cafetería sale PILAR (gracias por tu inmejorable y alegre trato, imborrable recuerdo!) representando a MIELE, que muy amablemente nos pregunta quienes somos y nos acompaña dentro, donde aparece un señor elegantemente trajeado y nos entrega UNA CARTA LACRADA con el sello de cera de Paco Roncero....


   Paco intenta explicar como en esta cafetería ha ideado su sueño, su taller de experimentación, entre cafés, bocetos e ideas escritas en servilletas... y como ha plasmado ese proyecto gracias a la financiación de los patrocinadores citados, que ahora cuentan con el derecho exclusivo de invitación al mismo.

   Salimos de la cafetería y nos adentramos por la parte trasera del Casino de Madrid, recorriendo toda la parte menos conocida del mismo a la que solamente SE ACCEDE SIENDO SOCIO,  pasando por sus larguísimos pasillos del siglo XIX, por sus salas de billar privadas, etc. hasta uno de los ascensores que nos llevan hasta el 2º piso, lugar del taller.


Nos encontramos frente a una puerta blanca de gran altura, nos explican brevemente el inicio de la experiencia. De repente la puerta se abre, oimos una música ligera, con todo el fondo de la sala en neon azul, y un aroma en el ambiente que no olvidaremos jamás... ( y al final entendereis por qué). Pero no se entra en un templo sin purificarse...de frente, nos topamos con el lavabo donde lavarnos las manos y acceder a la mesa... Por la parte superior asoman los brazos mecánicos de las pantallas gigantes, los tubos que almacenan los proyectores...es como entrar en la antesala de la nave de Star Trek...

      

Entro el primero y me topo con la sala vacía, impresiona de verdad. El verdadero protagonista del Taller de Paco Roncero es HISIA (SENSACIÓN EN SWAHILI) una “mesa inteligente” de unos seis metros de largo fabricada en Keraon (un material cerámico de altas prestaciones obtenido a más de 1200ºC) que cuenta con zona de showcooking donde veremos a los cocineros al fondo preparar todos los platos "en directo" y que además ante el comensal actúa como la "la pizarra mágica", ya que vibra, desprende frío/calor, y tiene capacidad para agitar sin contacto el contenido de platos y vasos entre otras cosas... gracias a que va integrada con elementos interactivos y sensores embebidos utilizando la tecnología del sistema "Civis’ Sense". 

            fotos extraídas de ABC y de la web de Carmen Baselga, Taller de proyectos


Además impresiona mucho el techo sobre la mesa, lleno de tubos blancos de diferente grosor y longitud que contienen un avanzado SISTEMA DE PROYECCIÓN AUDIOVISUAL, VAPORIZADORES DE AGUA para controlar la HUMEDAD, SENSORES DE TEMPERATURA, capacidad para AROMATIZAR EL AMBIENTE DE LA SALA gracias a sus DIFUSORES, JUEGOS DE LUCES QUE CAMBIAN, EXTRACTORES de humos para la zona de show-cooking y un EQUIPO DE SONIDO brutal.




   La mesa se presenta franqueada a ambos lados por dos sofisticados brazos motorizados con pantallas gigantes, una pizarra digital interactiva articulada que “aparece” desde el techo solo cuando se la necesita, mobiliario contenedor de una sofisticada cocina MIELE con unos avanzados modelos de hornos, frigoríficos, botelleros...etc.

Las sillas se han diseñado con la finalidad de estar completamente adaptadas a la mesa, por lo que son graduables en altura y giratorias, de modo que aúnan confort y movilidad y se adaptan a cualquier persona de cualquier altura. Nos sentamos y hace aparición "la estrella" de este show, un cercano Paco Roncero que se nos presenta, nos da la bienvenida, nos cuenta el por qué de quedar en ese sitio "clandestino" inicial hasta llegar aquí, que nos dejemos llevar y disfrutemos la experiencia junto a él. De repente LA SALA SE TORNA POR COMPLETO EN COLOR ROJO, MIENTRAS CADA VEZ SE OYE MÁS FUERTE UN CORAZÓN LATIENDO... Si ya de por sí no conoces a casi nadie de los que te acompañan en la mesa, estás nervioso por la presencia del cocinero delante de ti, las explicaciones que te da sobre lo que va a suceder, y tienes ese "cosquilleo", ellos intencionadamente con ese fuerte sonido de un corazón latiendo te dan esa ACELERACIÓN INICIAL con la que abres los ojos al máximo, te pones alerta y te activas al 100%. Para ellos, todo pensado. Quieren provocar SENSACIONES en los comensales, no todas tienen por qué ser agradables. "Que cabrones", piensas un minuto después... jajaja.

    Paco Roncero nos pide que nos relajemos, que nos dejemos llevar, que disfrutemos el tiempo allí y vivamos la experiencia divirtiendonos al máximo. Para relajarnos de esa tensión inicial, nos lleva a la emoción contraria, EL RELAX... de repente EMPIEZA A OLER A TIERRA MOJADA y empiezan A PROYECTARSE GOTAS DE AGUA SOBRE LA MESA, que se enfría con la misma... AUMENTA LA HUMEDAD en el ambiente, completando la sensación de que fuese a llover mientras la sala se torna por completo en azul... sensaciones ambientales curiosas, que sirven para hacer una pequeña demostración del potencial del taller y poner en situación  a los comensales.

   Destaca en las paredes laterales de la sala una imponente OLEOTECA (también fabricada en Keraón mecanizado con corte por control numérico) con 216 probetas con una variedad diferente de ACEITE DE OLIVA con su número y letra grabados para identificar cada tipo de aceite para su cata (ingrediente fetiche de Paco Roncero, sin duda). Esta estructura retroiluminada utiliza los principios arquitectónicos de un sistema de ventilación por convección para mantener todas las muestras de aceite a temperatura homogénea y constante.



   Y catando algo de esta impresionante OLEOTECA empezamos. Paco Roncero se acerca a su impresionante "colección" de aceites, nos cuenta algo de ellos y como vamos a catar 3 tipos de aceites muy diferentes entre sí al paladar...



   Para empezar a conocer a la mesa HISIA, un juego. Sobre la mesa se proyecta una imagen del campo, con un olivo que se agita y comienzan a caer las aceitunas sobre la mesa... de repente la mesa se llena por completo de aceitunas verdes en movimiento... Paco nos anima a "recolectarlas" y empujarlas con las manos hacia el centro, lo que hacemos todos en un momento divertido para romper el hielo. Enseguida sobre la mesa cambia la proyección, apareciendo el cuerpo de una mujer desnuda de espaldas sobre la que una aceitera derrama aceite... Paco nos anima a "masajearla" con el aceite derramado sobre su espalda...



  Los 3 tipos de aceite que vamos a catar se sirven en unos minisrecipientes tipo probeta junto a unas pequeñas bases negras que sujetan los CONOS DE OBULATO donde Paco nos explica que debemos añadir un tipo de aceite dentro de cada uno, mojar el cono relleno de aceite en un vasito con jarabe de azúcar y llevarlo a la boca de una vez, dejando que todos sus matices afloren en el paladar...


  Las variedades de aceite que catamos fueron de izquierda a derecha OCAL, PICUAL Y MORISCO. En primer lugar el OCAL, lo echamos dentro del cono de obulato, mojamos en el jarabe de azúcar y dejamos que se derrame en el paladar... un aceite suave, ligeramente dulce y que me recordaba MUCHO al sabor de las SEMILLAS DEL TOMATE entre otros.... Pasamos al PICUAL, más conocido, de sabor más intenso, más "VERDE" y algo picante, intenso pero delicioso también. Y por último otra variedad para mi desconocida, la MORISCA, la de sabor más PICANTE de los 3 aceites, un aceite de aromas ESPECIADOS Y PICANTES. Me encantó, y resultó supercurioso la gama de aromas que dejaban, sin entender muy bien el papel del jarabe de azúcar... Paco Roncero nos preguntó uno por uno con cual de los 3 aceites elaboraríamos un postre y por qué. Cada uno expuso su opinión. Nosotros optamos por el último, lleno de matices fuertes que pueden combinar bien con cítricos o chocolate... Un curioso acercamiento al para muchos desconocido mundo de los aceites de oliva, del que somos además embajadores mundiales.

   Al igual que en su época en elBulli de Ferrán Adriá del que es uno de sus mayores discípulos, a Paco Roncero le gusta comenzar sus Menús Degustación con un COCKTAIL. Para éste nos traslada al Nueva York de los años 50, proyectándose sobre la mesa imágenes de la época, con los coches, carteles y edificios de la ciudad de los rascacielos mientras suena en toda la sala música que le acompaña y Paco nos explica como nos van a servir en 3 jarritas AGUA DE TOMATE, VODKA y SALSA PICANTE para que nosotros mismos elaboremos a nuestro gusto nuestro propio "BLOODY MARY"...





   De repente Roncero se pone serio. Nos pide que nos concentremos en nuestro cocktail... que lo miremos fijamente y pensemos en agitarlo usando el poder de la mente... uno comienza a mirar la probeta... y la magia ocurre... EL LÍQUIDO COMIENZA A GIRAR SOLO DENTRO DE LA PROBETA mientras agita el cubito de hielo que se deshace en humo, combinando el cocktail sin que nadie lo toque... os dejo un video que grabé mientras estabamos boquiabiertos...


Paco no quiso desvelar el "secreto" de la mágica agitación del cocktail, al igual que un mago no revela sus trucos de magia, aunque leyendo posteriormente sobre el equipamiento de esta mesa HISIA descubrimos que está dotada de unos CICLONADORES MAGNÉTICOS que permiten poner en movimiento circular los líquidos que hay sobre ellos gracias a ellos... Creer en la ciencia no quita el momento mágico de ver el líquido girando dentro del vaso sin que nadie lo toque... Todo esta espectacular puesta en escena no sería nada si el fondo, que es el sabor del BLOODY MARY no estuviese bueno... y estaba delicioso, potente y genial, con el punto de vodka y picante que cada uno quiso.

   Tras la magia del Bloody Mary de los años 50 en la Gran Manzana, comienza al fondo de la mesa el ShowCooking de los 3 cocineros del equipo de La Terraza del Casino elaborando LOS SNACKS del Menú para los 8 comensales de la mesa... Para ello además "HISIA" se viste con unos originales PLATOS Y CUBIERTOS VIRTUALES, ya que los snacks se comerán con las manos y las migas que caigan, lo harán sobre el plato virtual proyectado sobre la mesa... un guiño de humor al play-food de los snacks




   Para acompañar los snacks, la sumiller encargada MARIA JOSÉ HUERTAS sirve un exquisito champagne francés ANDRÉ CLOUET GRANDE RESERVE MAGNUM.. que además nos explicará y muy amablemente enseñará a catar en sus 3 fases visual, olfativa y gustativa. Un champagne elegante y exquisito..



 
   Llegan a la mesa los 3 SNACKS a la vez: "TORTILLITA DE CAMARONES, RULO DE KIKOS RELLENO DE GUACAMOLE, Y GALLETA DE ALGA NORI CON ATÚN, SÉSAMO NEGRO Y CÍTRICOS"


  
Con ellos Paco Roncero quiere acercarnos diferentes sabores del mundo. En primer lugar la tortillita de camarones, fina como un papel, pero de sabor muy potente, intenso... sorprendente que algo tan fino contenga tanto sabor. Le pregunté como podían hacerla tan fina y nos comentó que usaban el obulato circular.
Los canutillos de maíz tostado (kikos triturados) contienen un guacamole que combina genial, y que nos acerca sabores mexicanos al paladar. De nuevo crujiente e intenso.

 
Acabamos con el toque nipón de la galleta de alga Nori (de nuevo hecha con obulato para dejar el alga tiesa y crujiente) con unas sabrosas lascas de ventresca de atún, toques cítricos y sésamo negro. DELICIOSA, crujiente e intensa. 3 bocados geniales de diferentes sabores del mundo, geniales para comenzar a abrir boca.

   Le siguió un aún más delicioso "TARTAR DE OSTRAS EN CUCURUCHO DE PANCETA IBÉRICA"


Delicadísimo, para comer en 2 bocados y rápidamente para evitar que el cono de panceta ibérica crujiente se humedezca y se empiece a deshacer... me dió tiempo al menos de esta foto para el recuerdo personal y degustarlo en mi mente. Las ostras van finamente picadas y levemente cocinadas, aún calientes dentro del "cucurucho" (de textura como un torrezno) de panceta ibérica... un Mar y Montaña genial, original, delicioso y sorprendente. Con unos sorbos de ese champagne André Clouet, lograbas alcanzar el placer máximo sin duda...

   Más SNACKS con un clásico de elBulli, las "FRESAS HELADAS RELLENAS DE PARMESANO"



Unas FALSAS FRESAS, hechas en molde de silicona con su forma (incluso los agujeritos), rellenas del puré de fresas trituradas y una vez congeladas, rellenas de un delicioso HELADO DE QUESO PARMESANO y una puntita DE MISO en la parte superior que forman de nuevo un bocado genial y delicioso. Otro puntazo exquisito.

   El siguiente SNACK nos recordó al entrante con el que ganamos el concurso por su composición, un original "FILIPINO DE CHOCOLATE BLANCO Y FOIE CON CARDAMOMO" del que grabé un video de CÓMO SE HACE para vuestro disfrute y por si os animais a hacerlo...




Se come de un solo bocado, ya que ES LÍQUIDO EN SU INTERIOR... una verdadera "bomba", una EXPLOSIÓN DE SABOR en boca. El entrante que más nos gustó sin duda, una pasada. La última vez que hice en casa mis "Foierrero Rocher" los probé con chocolate blanco y también quedan genial, pero aquí el interior es CREMA DE FOIE, que se derrama en boca al romper con los dientes el aro crujiente de chocolate blanco, al que se le especia levemente al final con un poco cardamomo. La combinación es genial, la crema de foie tiene un sabor potente, que contrasta con el chocolate blanco y el punto cítrico del cardamomo.. Mi snack favorito, sin duda.

   Acabamos los SNACKS con otro clásico de el Bulli, el "CREP DE PATO PEKÍN"



Hecho tradicionalmente al horno de carbón, con una puntita de esa salsa dulce y picante característica del pato estilo "PEKIN" sobre de nuevo un hiperfino crep y unas hojitas aromáticas. Un gran plato en formado de pequeño bocado que nos acerca a la gastronomía china, en lo que Paco Roncero nos definió como un pequeño "viaje por el mundo" desde que salimos con las tortillitas de camarones.

   Dejamos los PLATOS VIRTUALES proyectados sobre la mesa y en la cocina pasamos también a mayor contundencia en la mesa con el PRIMER PLATO, y último que vamos a ver en esta ya dilatada primera parte del post, "FALSO RISOTTO DE CALAMAR CON CURRY VERDE Y CÍTRICOS" para el que la mesa se convierte en un césped sobre el que unos pies desnudos (que por la forma delante, hacen el efecto visual de ser los nuestros) acarician la hierba...


Mientras, al fondo en la zona de ShowCooking los 3 cocineros que tiene Paco Roncero aquí currandoselo para los 8 comensales comenzaban a preparar un plato aromático, fresco, cítrico...





   El olor a hierba recién cortada, la relajación de ver el césped intenso verde frente a nosotros mientras los pies desnudos lo acarician... te transmite una sensación relajante y sorprendente sin duda. Pero lo más sorprendente es este FALSO RISOTTO en el que NO HAY ARROZ, sino cuyos falsos granos son en realidad CALAMAR finisimamente picado y lo más dificil, con TEXTURA DE ARROZ. Le pregunté a Paco Roncero cómo era posible, y me comentó que la mayor dificultad radica en las temperaturas con las que juegan con el calamar, para que no quede chicloso y sí con esa textura de arroz, picado finamente a cuchillo... ALUCINANTE textura y mejor sabor el que se va descubriendo al comerlo, empezando por el centro según sus indicaciones y hacia los bordes... se van abriendo sabores A CURRY VERDE, toques de POMELO ROSA... este calamar coge toques cada vez más exóticos, a hierbas y a cítricos, haciendome volver por momentos a recordar la cocina que degustamos en Tailandia. EXQUISITO, SOPRENDENTE y superrelajante comerlo con ese trasfondo de estar sentado en la hierba degustándolo.

   Y recordando este feliz momento de relax y disfrute gastronómico conjunto, dejamos por ahora esta primera parte del PacoRonceroTaller donde hemos podido conocer la llegada, la sala y su tecnología de vanguardia, la impresionante oleoteca y las primeras degustaciones del Menú. Seguiremos pronto con los demás PLATOS PRINCIPALES, POSTRES, VINOS y la DESPEDIDA FINAL. Seguro que os gustará conocer un sitio así, creo que merece la pena y es cuanto menos, sorprendente y curioso. Sigo haciendo este segundo post, me despido con este pequeño video resumen de TeleMadrid donde se puede apreciar mejor el movimiento de LAS ACEITUNAS sobre la mesa de las que os hablaba antes de la cata de aceites, LA LLUVIA inicial sobre la mesa, LOS CUBIERTOS VIRTUALES o un adelanto del espectacular FONDO DEL MAR sobre el que se sirve un plato de moluscos junto a imagenes, sonidos, aromas... etc. que veremos en el siguiente post. Realmente, como comerse un plato BAJO EL MAR. Hasta pronto, que lo disfruteis





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