Glamorous Slyph» food

Best Guide for Wine Collection

admincha — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 09:21:06 +0000

Starting a wine collection is not as daunting as people think it is. There are many reasons why you would start a collection. First, buying wine in bulk is cheaper than buying wine in individual bottles. Second, you always have a variety of wine to choose from when guest stop by unexpectedly. The only investment on your part is setting up an area to store your wine; a mini wine cellar.

Your wine cellar can be as simple as a strategically located closet or a corner in your basement. You also need a wine rack to hold your wine bottles. Wine racks are important as they store wine bottles at the right angle. There are many different kinds of wine racks. Some are for desk top use, others under the counter. If you are starting your journey to being a wine aficionado, here are some of the things you may want to consider. Start a wine cellar on a small scale initially. Why do this?

You can take advantages of bargains by buying your wine by the case. You will have wine available for any occasion.
Correct wine storing techniques. Properly stored wine retains its flavor for a longer period of time when compared to wine stored on a regular shelf standing up. Invest in a good wine rack. There are many different types of wine racks in the market to choose from. Different styles, designs made of many different materials. Pick one that matches your personal style and fits your budget. Take also into consideration how many bottles you will be storing, therefore investing in a wine rack that maximizes on storage capacity. Wine racks allow you to store your wine the proper way to retain the rich flavors. Some wine racks are easy to assemble, are lightweight, and very durable.
Store the wine in a dark, clean, damp location that has good ventilation. The temperature needs to be kept constant. The best temperature for wine storage needs to be kept between 50 to 55F. The seasonal temperature change of ten degrees doesn’t affect the wine but a rapid regular change causes the wine to age prematurely.
Relative humidity of 70% is recommended for storing wine. Lack of humidity may cause the cork to dry and shrink and allow air into the wine.
Darkness is important as exposure to light prematurely ages wine ruining it. The wine also needs to be free of movement to prevent disturbing red wines sediment. Once you put your wine up on your wine rack it should not be moved until it is opened. Proper ventilation is essential to avoid your wines acquiring a musty taste. The cellar should be free of odors as these can penetrate the cork and affect the flavor of your wine.
Wine needs to be stored horizontally to ensure that the wine stays in contact with the cork. This keeps the cork from drying out and prevents air from coming in contact with the wine.

Scary facts about Sweets & Snacks

admincha — Mon, 17 May 2010 01:55:45 +0000

Read some of these fascinating tidbits about popular staples found in any family’s pantry.

Jelly Beans keep their shine with Shellac – Shellac is regularly associated as being a type of wood finishing material. Its common uses include furniture, guitars and even AK-47’s that special shine. Shellac is derived from the excretions of the Kerria lacca insect which is native to the Thailand forests.
The FDA allows bugs and rodent hair in peanut butter – The FDA allows an average of 30 or more insect fragments and one or more rodent hairs per 100 grams of peanut butter. To find out more about other foods, here is the link to the FDA Defect Levels Handbook, which provides this scary information.
Sugar derived from pure sugar cane goes through a purification process using bone char. Bone char is manufactured by using bones from cows that have died of natural causes. These bones are mostly from the countries of I Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan. After being bleached by laying in the hot sun, they are then sold to exporters who in return sell them to the gelatine and sugar companies.
Natural vanilla can be moderately addictive – Reason being? It causes the body to increase the levels of catecholamine’s known to us as epinephrine, and even more commonly, adrenaline. These claims have not been documented precisely by a group of scientist, but there are several articles out there on the web.
Many mass produced ice creams have seaweed in them – This does not mean a chunk of seaweed from the ocean is in your ice cream. What you will see on the label is the name carrageenan .It’s a seaweed extract not added for flavor, but as a stabilizer to keep the ice cream crystal free.
Peanuts can be used for a component to make Dynamite – Peanut oil can be produced to create glycerol, which is then processed into nitroglycerin, one of the items that make up dynamite. This is not usually the norm however; there are several other ways to generate dynamite with the use of peanuts being involved.

celebrating our fifth year together

admincha — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 01:38:28 +0000

Yehey! Hubby and I are celebrating our fifth year anniversary together. I am a bit worried last February that we might end up celebrating our special day on Holy week just like last year. Good thing it’s over and we can freely celebrate it with fun.

Since he is working today I will just surprise him by cooking a delicious food that is different from our usual meals. Where to get the recipes? Well, my answer is in Ivillage food section. I used this site to get Holiday baking recipes that I cooked for the Holy week. One of those recipes is the Apple Mince Walnut Pie. Honestly, I had a hard time looking for walnuts in the supermarket. Good thing I find one after hoping from one mall to another.

Anyway, I am still thinking what to cook for dinner tonight. I will just choose two dishes; one for the main course and one for appetizer. I will just buy either chocolate cake or brownies for dessert. For the main course, I am choosing between the three Grilled Salmon with Korean Barbecue Glaze, Creamy Tomato-Stuffed Chicken and Pork Tenderloin with Rum Chutney. Those sounds delicious, but I will only choose one whose ingredients are available in the supermarket. For the appetizer, I only have one choice and that is Dumplings with Soy Slaw. It’s easy to make and we really love it.

Whew! It sounds like I have lots of things to do. Hopefully, I’ll get everything right. I don’t want to spoil the day by not perfecting the meals. If that happens, hubby will surely get mad for wasting resources. That’s why I’m a little scare now. Hehehe But, I am confident I will make it perfect. Hopefully!

So, I have to go now. I still have to buy those the ingredients. I’m sure it will be a long day for me. Oops I almost forget to buy a gift for him as well.

delicious squid rings, calamares

admincha — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:35:54 +0000

I missed eating this food. But, it’s a coincidence that our landlady is celebrating her daughter debut. For that she gives us some food. Luckily, this squid is part of her menu. I am so happy and enjoyed until the last piece of it.

This is not the actual picture as I don’t have the camera on hand. This photo is taken almost a year ago. But, since it’s the same topic and it’s okay to share it.

unsuccessful pancake

admincha — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:18:45 +0000

Just this day I make my first pancake. But, to my dismay it turns out to be quite unsuccessful. It is still edible though, but it doesn’t have any taste at all. I actually forgot to put sugar in it. And, the salt is not enough. The truth is, I followed the recipe I found in the web though yet I produce a not so pleasant one. I don’t know where I made a mistake, but practice makes perfect.

After which, I slump myself in front of my computer looking for phentermine reviews. I’m enjoying reading different views its users. It’s funny to read the different opinions of individuals as there are positive and of course negatives. As I am reading it, I am also eating the pancake I made even if it’s not that tasty.

Herbal teas to Keep Brain Younger

admincha — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 23:36:00 +0000

Many herbs and supplements have been researched and found to help improve your cognitive capabilities. Sit back and let these herbs keep your brain young and your memory sharp:

Green tea prevents an enzyme found in Alzheimer’s disease and is also rich in polyphenols, antioxidants that help prevent premature brain aging. Drink two cups a day to get the brain benefits.
Leaf of the ginkgo tree – shaped like a human brain and some believe this is why, in Asia, it has always had a reputation of benefiting the mental processes. A dwindling memory and decreased concentration is largely caused by decreased blood flow to the brain and loss of brain cells; ginkgo has been confirmed to boost circulation to the brain and other organs, improving memory and cognitive functions. If you are taking medications, consult your doctor before taking ginkgo.
Chinese club moss – helps to improve learning, memory retrieval, and memory retention. The moss, Huperzia serrata, yields a substance called Huperzine A that is similar to drugs used to control Alzheimer’s disease. The Chinese have used it to boost memory, and it is usually brewed as tea and given at a dose of one or two cups per day. Look for it in a health food store or Asian grocery. You can steep the moss itself in hot water, one teaspoon per cup, and drink as a tea, or you can take 50 mcg twice a day in capsule form. Because of its potent actions, you should only take Huperzine A under the supervision of your doctor.

Yummy Lumpiang Shanghai

admincha — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 13:25:20 +0000

I do want to explain my cravings, but sad to say I can’t. It’s a bit strange; I am just watching a sci-fi movie when I suddenly feel that I want to eat Lumpiang Shanghai. Don’t get me wrong I am not pregnant.

It’s sad because I can’t cook that food. Good thing I can still eat it because one of the drive thru of the roasted chicken stores is just few walks from our house. Yepey!

But, here is the recipe for Lumpiang Shanghai for those who want to cook it.

Ingredients:

* 2 pounds of cooked ground pork or beef
* 1 can of water chestnuts, sliced into small pieces
* 1 stick of carrot (grated)
* 1 cup of shrimp (cooked, unshelled, and minced)
* 1 cup of raisins
* sesame oil
* soy sauce
* 1 onion, sliced into small pieces
* 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
* oil
* 2 egg yolks
* lumpia wrapper (egg roll wrappers will work also)
* ground black pepper
* green onions, sliced into small pieces

Procedure:
Mix ground meat, water chestnuts, carrots, shrimps, raisins, sesame oil, onions,1 egg yolk thoroughly. Add soy sauce or salt, and pepper to taste. Put a one tablespoon of meat mixture in the middle of the wrapper. Flatten mixture. Roll wrapper like an egg roll. Fry. Serve with pineapple juice thickened with corn starch as sauce or with a mixture of soy sauce and lemon.

getting rid with onion maggots

admincha — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:36:24 +0000

Onion maggots are one third to one fourth inch long white maggots. The greatest threat of damage comes during a very wet spring. The adult fly lays its eggs near or on the stem of the onion. The maggots often attack the leaves or neck of the stem first, which can lead to the plant appearing yellow and limp. The maggots may completely eat off the onion stem and enter the bulb where the bulb becomes an infested, rotting mess.

Onion sets are more susceptible than larger onions to the maggot. Try setting out onions as early as possible to give the onions a chance to outgrow the problem before it happens. Also, you may try covering the soil with a layer of sand or wood ash.

sweet treats

admincha — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 13:39:49 +0000

I can’t resists this sweet treats.

Well, this is not really good for those who are dieting like me. It composed of too much calories and fats. The sad thing is that I can’t stop myself from enjoying this sweet indulgence.

I think its okay to reward myself to enjoy both the cake and the coffee after dieting and exercising. I am just fooling myself. Hahaha!

It’s really yummy!

important thoughts of eating right

admincha — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:59:34 +0000

Most of us take eating for granted. Just insert food into mouth, chew, and swallow. Game over! But when you consider that 65 percent of adults are overweight or obese, the game’s not even close—fat wins in a rout. Why? Because we’ve become a society that considers drive-thru fine dining, that saves money by ordering two pizzas instead of one, that’s been snowed into thinking bacon is a diet food, and that builds its food pyramids on top of a “family-size” order of 50 wings.

We tend to forget that we have choices when we eat—whether it’s at home or on the road, on vacation or at the ball-park. See, it’s a fallacy that easy eating has to mean greasy eating. Truth is, you can learn how to make smart food choices without sacrificing taste or splitting your pants. I know most people don’t have a lot of time to whip up elaborate meals. Part of the reason is that we all need easy eating, but not in its current form: one fat bomb, hold the pickles. There’s a better way. Just build your home meal plan around: Almonds and other nuts; Beans and legumes; Spinach and other green vegetables; Dairy; Instant oatmeal; Eggs; Turkey and other lean meats; Peanut butter; Olive oil; Whole-grain breads and cereals; Extra-protein powder; and Raspberries and other berries. So, think about it now before it will be too late!