Posts Tagged ‘drinks’

A lot of us have encountered the word “halal” on food labels and restaurants, but not all of us know what it actually means. Our Muslim bfriends depend their choice on this term because it signifies what is allowed for them to purchase or eat. For a country that has citizens with mixed religious affiliations, that term is just as critical.

Muslims in Islamic nations don’t have troubles eating in halal restaurants and picking up halal products as most likely than not, they are halal-certified. But for those who are in areas that have mixed religious groups, halal is not as rampant as they would like. Good thing that more establishments are now becoming conscious of their customer’s preferences.

Halal means lawful or legal. If a food label has this word on or a restaurant claims they are halal-certified, it means that the preparation of their food is in accordance with the Islamic dietary law, and thus, they are allowed to consume the items.

Just what are allowed in Islamic law? For meat items, the manner in which an animal should be killed must be swift. When slaughtering an animal, its windpipe and gullet must be cut and done rapidly.

If halal means lawful, haraam is the reverse. Muslims are not allowed to have haraam items, such as intoxicant and pork. A halal-certified eatery and a halal-approved food product should not include such ingredients. Also, they should be careful withhow they prepare the food, avoiding any contamination. If a spoon was already used for a meal with haraam ingredients, it should not be used anymore to prepare halal-approved food.

Haraam items also consist of blood, birds of prey or carnivores, animals slaughtered in the name of anyone but Allah, corpse of an animal, or those that have been dedicated to another deity.

There are Muslim groups who declare food products as halal and give halal certification to restaurants. Products that have halal authentication are the ingredients used by halal eateries to make sure that they follow the Islamic dietary law rigorously.

Today, more and more eateries not run by Muslims still make great effort to abide Islamic dietary laws. Those food establishments show that they value and respect all their consumers, regardless of their religious preferences.

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Merry Holidays and a happy Christmas to you! As we gather around with friends and loved ones to celebrate there will be some parties going on. If you are hosting a party this holiday season you may be looking for some good mixed drink recipes to share with your guests. Here are some favorite classics and maybe some you have not heard of before.

Bad Boy (or Girl) Dirty Snowball: Can be made with cream, Irish liqueur and peppermint schnapps. Pour ice into the glass. A fun glass makes the drink more fun. Add 2 parts liqueur and 1 part schnapps over the ice. Then add three parts cr?me over. It is quick and easy to make and top off with a fun straw to jazz it up.

Candy Cane Lane: It’s not a game but a cool blended drink! You will need one ounce creme de cocoa, the same of peppermint schnapps and half n’ half. Add half a cup of vanilla ice cream and quarter cup of ice and blend away. Take a tall glass or a parfait glass and add grenadine for the candy cane look and pour in the blended mixture. Add whipped cream to the top and a candy cane to make it delicious.

The Cool Yule Martini: Use 3 ounces of vodka, half an ounce of dry vermouth and one ounce of peppermint liqueur. Shake or stir and pour into a martini glass. It is best if you chill the glass first. Garnish with a leaf of peppermint or crushed candy canes.

Tom and Jerry: This is not the cartoon but a festive holiday drink people have enjoyed for generations. The batter can be made ahead of time. The batter is made by taking six eggs and separating them. In a small bowl beat egg yolks until they are thick. In a separate bowl take the whites and beat them until stiff. Stir in half a cup of sugar a little at a time. Mix beaten egg yolks into the egg white mixture. Add one and three quarters cups of sugar, salt to taste (not much) and one teaspoon of pure vanilla extract. Then slowly stir in one cup of powdered milk.

When you use the mix you add one to two tablespoons to a mug and fill to three quarters full with hot water. Add rum to taste of any type you like. Usually one ounce will do, and top it off with nutmeg as a tasty garnish. It’s a great drink on a cold day.

Any of these drinks can be made without alcohol for the younger guest or the designated driver. As with any party drink responsibly so you can remember the good times and not suffer the hangover. Enjoy the holidays with these simple drink recipes and your guests will have a great time.

As we gather around with friends and loved ones to celebrate there will be some serious partying going on. If you are hosting a bash this festive season you may be in search of some fantastic mixed drink recipes including Caribou Lou Recipe to share with your friends.

Stick packs have brought a new portability to the marketplace. Sometimes referred to as On-the-Go or “single serve”, stick packs offer a covenience over other forms of food packaging. Stick packs derive its name from its long, skinny shape that resembles a stick of gum.

Stick packs are made from a flexible foil that is filled vertically and sealed at both ends and down the back to form a small pouch. Unlike satchets, stick packs are narrow which makes it easy to pour the contents of the package into the neck of a bottle of water. Stick packs also hold single serving sizes and easily fits into a backpack or purse.

Stick packs or stick-pouches have been around since the late 1980’s. In Japan and Europe stick packs have been established since the early 1990’s. Stick packs have begun to take hold as a new category due to the increase in demand for flavorings and functional ingredients for more active users. Stick packs have reached beyond sugar substitutes to include flavored drink mixes, energy drinks, vitamin supplements and diet drink mixes.

A major feature of stick packs is the controlled portion aspect. With consumers being as active as they are they does not have time to measure specific amounts for each usage. Stick packs take care of that challenge by having the correct dosage in each stick. The individual sticks also preserve freshness while eliminating any waste for the consumer. Also, since stick packs are not sold by the singles the consumer can purchase a month’s worth at a time.

Beyond portability stick packs also have a lesser impact on the environment as compared to other forms of packaging. When compared directly with a traditional pouch the savings can be upward of 35 percent on just the cost of film.

Stick packs provide various benefits to the customer and the environment. Due to their low per-item cost and controlled portions stick packs provide a very cost-effective and delicious solution for the consumer.

Imbibe is a leader of great tasting stick packs and private label beverages. To learn more about Imbibe visit http://www.imbibeinc.com

Common fallacies regarding joining wine clubs are unjustifiable. Some uninformed fellow would conclude, wines are exclusive for well-off individuals and the wine club memberships are very expensive .They will also add, it is filled with plenty of hassle requirements. But frankly speaking, the wine club is just a venture that will give you the opportunity to be delivered monthly stocks of variety of wines.

If you are a beginner or an obsessed wine enthusiast, joining in wine clubs will open up a new world for you and will take you to many varieties of wine that many had not yet tasted. Number of clubs accessible that guarantees something is to be appreciated by everyone. Club membership is another chance to have a gift of wine whether for relatives, associate, or customer. Despite the fact that this system to buy wine is sometimes exclusive, it can be an excellent opportunity to buy wine online.

Only some people regards joining wine club is reserved for the most talented wine connoisseur with an outstanding tasting talent. This is practically false. Wine clubs are blessing to all wine lovers. Whereas some clubs exclusively rationing the most excellent wines, more than a few clubs also specifically intended for novice wine lovers. Excluding the fees to buy and ship the wine, clubs generally don’t have membership necessities. The wine club is not only for the wine connoisseur; it is the recreational area of every wine lover.

Wine clubs carry out by shipping wines warily to satisfy the needs of a certain club. This is the reason, choosing a club should be vigilantly dealt with .Make your arrangements on what you want, whether you really wish to get similar sort of wine each month, or would you rather get a range of wine styles. If you really want to taste that is something special; there are wine websites in the World Wide Web that provides wines and then letting you to buy wine online. Many wines sites exhibit each variety of wines in their website for costumer selection. Common clubs let you end the membership any time you wish with no fine, so joining in a wine club is a problem free endeavor.

Wine clubs presents a wide selection of wines depending on method, country source, and price variety. Whether you favor red wines that originate from Italy, white wines from Germany, or completely expensive wines from California probabilities are wine clubs are always here for you to meet your needs. All clubs are not restricted to a particular style, state, or price choice, though. If you favor a selection of styles and countries look for more diverse clubs which tender a blend of great wine, certain to offer a pleasant surprise monthly and take the disappointment of which wine to buy.

A wine club monthly subscription can be excellent gift for wine lover. Have some information gathering on the favorite wine your friend or relatives. Offering them presents will make them thankful having you around. Information gathering is just convenient. Inviting your planned recipient to a candlelight dinner and pursued him or her to choose the wine. If there is a time to visiting his home, take a glance at their house wine stand so that you will know what wine he likes. Pretend that you are buying someone a wine, you can ask what wine he prefer. Without the efforts, you can ask straightforwardly what the person favorite wine. Offering someone a wine gift subscription is a best way to make your clients reminded of you. A bottle of fine wine will make a good remembrance; surely it will be a worthwhile gift for them.

While wine clubs are ideal for many people they are not for everyone. If you are a spontaneous person who prefers to drive to the local wine shop and pick a selection the night of the meal, the wine club likely won’t meet your needs. If you have a selection of trusted wineries and vintages you do not like to stray from, a wine club membership would not be a wise investment. If your tastes change frequently and you have no idea what you want from one day to another, most wine clubs would not be able to keep up with your shifting tastes.

If you enjoy fine wine, and like the idea of wine showing up at your door on a monthly basis, try this innovative way to buy wine. Branch out and use a wine club to introduce yourself to new wines. Further refine your tastes by sampling new styles of wine, or wine from new regions. Take advantage of the club organizers to help you decide which wine to buy.

Join the wine club you like, and sample wines from around the world. Save big when you buy wine online at wines.com.

Clueless about the best way to meet people and get to know a new city? There’s a simple way to figure out where the best spot to go later in the evening is, or better yet, to understand how things work. Just head to a local cafe, and get the best insight on how the country you’re in operates. Learn if people are leisurely or rushed just by watching them drink some coffee.

In fact, it’s easy to learn about a place by studying the caf? lifestyle. For example, if you’re in the United States, in most any city that’s not a New York or a San Francisco, you’re going to find that the way that most people do coffee is as fast as they possibly can. From driving through the window at the local Starbucks to a number of to-go options in malls and shopping centers, coffee isn’t so much an experience to be savored, but a substance to be consumed as quickly as possible. It seems that Starbucks has been responsible for introducing concepts like flavors and soy milk to suburban areas, though, and even Dunkin Donuts has had to step up their game and finally offer espresso.

One spot in the United States where the caf? lifestyle is slightly more thriving that isn’t New York or San Francisco is Portland, where the rain and dreary weather make it pretty much essential to cuddle up with a warm, caffeinated beverage. A lot of places in the world have coffee as a major part of keeping warm, including in The United Kingdom, where a cup of tea might be preferred, but coffee, especially Italian espresso, is finding its stronghold.

A couple of cities in The United States are a better look at what could have been, or rather, what was before Starbucks made carry-out to-go coffee the thing that everyone needed and wanted. At a couple of regal cafes in New York, Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco, you’ll get laughed out the door if you try to order a “tall” anything. Families who came to the States managed to order large machines from the old country that make seriously great drinks, so it’s possible to sit for awhile and enjoy a decent coffee and a sandwich with the other people in the neighborhood who value such things.

It’s pretty obvious how things work in The States when you realize that all your coffee comes with is a napkin or a dairy creamer. In other places, where you’re encouraged to sit and stay awhile, there’s practically a small spread presented with even the most regular cup of joe. In Buenos Aires, cookies, crackers, and some soda water come along, too. In Italy, at least a cookie is expected. In Holland, at least a couple of cookies come, too. And in Paris, if you’re going to a cafe to enjoy a coffee, you might actually save money by ordering it with some pastry or croissant item.

And that’s the thing about the caf? lifestyle: if you’re from a more rushed country, there’s something so amazingly freeing about having the time to just hang out and relax and observe somewhere else. Because if you’re used to coffee in a cardboard cup that doesn’t taste particularly great, it’s pretty amazing not just to taste genuinely coffee, but to actually change the pace of your life, even if it’s just for a vacation.

Perhaps some of that culture will rub off the places that it doesn’t exist already. Starbucks, after all, has made it acceptable to want something with espresso, and maybe the slow food movement in The States will carry over to beverages in public. A number of bloggers and internet fiends are making it slightly more acceptable to sit in a public place and still be a responsible adult, so long as there’s a computer in front of you and you look busy.

If you’re traveling for business, visiting a different city for a little while, or relocating abroad, the best possible thing to do is to head to a popular local coffee spot. In just an afternoon, you’ll learn more about a country by watching its citizens drink coffee and talk than you would from a whole stack of Lonely Planet guidebooks.

Damian Papworth adores coffee. As such he created the One Cup Coffee Makers website. On this site you can read up about your 1 cup coffee maker

The word “beer” is often used as a generic noun to describe a cold refreshing beverage. However, beer lovers around the world will heartily agree that there’s nothing generic about beer.

In fact, world of beer gives you a multitude of options. The amount of differing characteristics that can be found is surprising, with most people having a favorite type even if they are not aware of it. From stout to cider, and porter to pilsner, there really is something for everyone.

Most beers, particularly those sold commercially, are processed using similar methods. However, the names given to different styles of beer generally reflect individual characteristics of the product, such as where it originated. Different types of beer have unique qualities like appearance, taste, origin and aroma.

Below are some of the most popular types of beer available…

Lager: Some of the world’s most popular beer brands are lagers. Incorporated within this type of beer are American styles such as double pilsner, all-malt and ‘light’ beers. Germany and the Czech Republic are seen as the international leaders in the production of them.

Ale: This includes brown ale, American amber, porter and wild ales. Also falling under the category of “Ales” are Chile Beer, Pumpkin Ale, Belgian and French ales, English, German, Irish, Finnish, Scottish and Russian ales.

Cider: While not an official beer, cider is still enjoyed by many beer drinkers. Favorites include standard cider, New England cider and many specialty ciders.

Hybrids: Combining different beer styles or ingredients create this “experimental” beer. Sub-categories include smoked, spiced, fruit and vegetable beer.

Those are the essentials that every serious beer drinker should have already ticked off their beer list. Remember that variety is the spice of the life; you’re severely limiting yourself by always being loyal to one brand. There is a world of options available to you, so try something new next time you’re in a beer drinking mood.

For the critical coffee connoisseur who seeks unsurpassed taste, using your very own coffee grinder in the comfort of your own home is a superior method. That delicious coffee flavor that you know well and adore is trapped inside a coffee bean while it’s whole. Subsequent to the grinding operation, the flavor begins to be destroyed. No matter what your favored brewing method is, the way to guarantee that you’ll sip a delicious cup is to grind the beans directly prior to the brew process. The conical burr coffee grinder is the very best motor-driven coffee grinder you’ll find in today’s market. Conical burr grinders are quite adequate to support your home coffee use; let’s analyze some of the pros and cons.

Pluses:

1) Less heat — While utilizing this quality grinder, you’ll observe this to be one of the fundamental benefits. When grinding coffee beans, the special design of the conical burr coffee grinder creates less heat due to reduced friction. Since heat modifies coffee’s essence, this smart design brings about a superior tasting cup of coffee.

2) Granularity — Ranging from remarkably fine to a rough grind, you are generally in command of granularity while working with conical burr grinders. What this translates to is the power to grind many assorted types of coffee using this electric grinder. If you’re preparing espresso, you must have the resource to grind the coffee to a particular size. Possibly, you savor Turkish coffee; this involves grinding the coffee to a micro-fine sprinkle.

3. Consistency – This relates to the fineness of grind, but specifically to the even distribution of particles. The more sophisticated grinders have the ability to produce consistent grinds. If you are grinding your coffee with an electric grinder that has a blade or one you grind manually, it may become obvious that obtaining a consistent grind is beyond its capabilities. Achieving a uniform grind is particularly crucial for coffees like espresso.

Disadvantages:

1. Cost – Relative to other varieties of coffee grinders, a conical burr coffee grinder is a more expensive option. This shouldn’t create too much of a problem, however, because you can buy a quality grinder for less than a hundred dollars.

2) Cleaning: Conical burr grinders do call for a bit more time and effort to clean than a plain blade-style coffee grinder.

Lolita 5-6:30 pm and 9:30 pm to close Tuesday through Thursday; 5-6 pm and 10:30 p. to close Saturday. 4-6:30 pm. Sunday Lolita is one of Michael Symon’s (of the food network) first restraints. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is only $2 and there are several dishes for only $5. I went with my sister and we ordered the mac and cheese and The Lolita Burger. I have to say it is the best mac and cheese I have ever had.

Lincoln Park Pub – Tacos $1.25; Mex beers, $2.25; margaritas, $3.25Taco Tuesdays, 3 p.m.-midnight. The Tacos are made on homemade taco shells. If you like very hot food try the morning after tacos.

Momocho is one of the hippest restraints in Ohio City. From 5-6:30 p.m. daily they have 1/2 off taquitos and margaritas plus a great deal on Tecate.

Blind Pig – Pizza and wings for $5; 23 oz. beers $2.50, 4-9pm daily. The pizzas are pretty big for $5, big enough for two people at least. The beer special includes imports. They have plenty of very large flat screen TV’s to watch the game on.

Light Bistro -4:30-7 pm, Cocktails starting at $3. Food plates are $5. This is one of the Best Restaurants in Cleveland. The food is excellent, everything is local and seasonal. Go for drinks and stay for dinner.

Sunset Lounge 4 – 7 p.m. daily, discounted drinks, half-off sushi and other appetizers. The sushi here is very good. The atmosphere is also good.

Paladar 4-7 p.m. daily, Beer $3, mojitos and margaritas $5; Latin appetizers $2 to $4. This place has a great atmosphere and very good food.

However you like to prepare chicken, you can add a great marinade, or sauce, made with honey. Put some honey in a bowl and add whatever spices you prefer. You can vary the spices according to your tastes. Some of the items you can add include garlic, ginger, cinnamon, soy sauce, lemon juice, and orange juice or peel. You can add this during cooking, after cooking, or both. Experiment and discover some great new flavors.

If you want a salt free version, simply swap cider vinegar for the soy sauce, or use low sodium soy sauce. I let it sit in the fridge for about an hour before I throw it on the grill. I like to do this with a George Foreman grill, though you could cook it in the oven if you wish, I just find that the smoky flavor from the grill really works with this marinade.

The secret to this recipe for Chinese Chicken is Rum. Many Chinese restaurants use a similar recipe for both Chicken and Shrimp.

Scrumptious! You’ll need 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast per person. Rinse, dry, and slice into quarter inch wide pieces. Next get together your favorite stir fry vegetables. I like to use carrots, broccoli, water chestnuts, bamboo, snap peas, and snow peas, but you can use whatever vegetables you like best.

The vegetables could be cut beforehand, frozen or prepared fresh (e.g. broccoli, carrot) or tinned (like water chestnut, bamboo). I generally cut them into identical bits. Sap any tinned vegetables well before placing in the mix fry. The amusing part of the process appears now. You would require some garlic and fine quality peanut oil, if you are not sensitive to nuts

If you prefer, a good quality canola oil similar to Mazola canola oil may be substituted. A wok is recommended for cooking this recipe but is not necessary. Instead of a wok you may use any skillet you have on hand, whether it be a non-stick or basic frying pan. Before applying anything else, season the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder and a touch of paprika. Dredge the seasoned strips through flour. Remove the excess flour by lightly shaking the strips.

Add the chicken strips to 2 tablespoons of oil heated in your pan. Brown the strips until all sides are browned lightly. This does not take very long. When the chicken strips are browned, remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon to a paper lined bowl. Set aside. Place 3 cloves of finely chopped garlic into your pan and saute the garlic but do not let it burn.

As soon as the garlic is sauteed, add your vegetables and saute them. Do not allow them to get too well done but any firm vegetables like the broccoli or carrot should be fork-soft. At this point, add back your chicken strips and lower the heat. Now comes the fun part. Add 2-3 tablespoons each of soy sauce, garlic infused rice wine vinegar and some fresh shredded ginger root (about 1 inch peeled and chopped finely).

Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of warm water also, put the top on it, cook on low heat for approximately 5 minutes; stir at regular intervals to prevent burning. Use salt and pepper to season according to your preferences. Just before serving, put approximately 1/4 cup of the highest quality unflavored rum you have. Stir regularly to prevent a flare.

Serve on top of brown rice cooked al dente. Enjoy. There are so many easy recipes to cook chicken. However, none are easier than this crockpot chicken recipe! All you need is a crockpot and bone in chicken breasts. You can use any part of the chicken in addition to the bone in chicken breast. Begin by placing the chicken into your crockpot.

Put about 14 ounces or chicken broth or stock into the pot. Swansons chicken broth is a good choice because it is low-sodium. Cook the chicken over low heat for around 8 hours. You can also add your favorite vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and celery. When the chicken falls off the bone, it’s ready to eat.

Your chicken may be served with, or without, gravy and atop, or beside, potato, noodles, or rice. Other sauces or side dishe’s may be substituted, if preferred.

Wine glasses are very essential in the wine tasting experience. In order to properly taste the wine, you must have the correct wine glass. Wine glasses were designed the way they are shaped on purpose.

Red wine glasses all consist of these three components: base, shorter stem, and a wide bowl and mouth. The bowl is shaped to create the bouquet of the wine to enhance the flavor. The mouth of the red wine glass is wide so that it allows you to sip the wine allowing you to taste it at the front of your palette.

The surface area of the red wine glass is large to allow the wine to evaporate, allowing for a bold aroma. What is red wine without its bold characteristics and taste? The bowl was created large to also encourage holding the glass by the bowl, warming the red wine so it can be consumed at the temperature it is meant to be drank at.

White wine glasses are encompassed of the same components as the red wine glasses with a few differences in size and shape. White wine is a much more delicate wine and the white wine glass has a tall and narrow bowl in order to focus the bouquet directly. The stem of the white wine glass is also taller, allowing for the consumer to hold the glass by the stem which allows the white wine to stay at the preferred cooler temperatures.

The white wine glass has a smaller mouth than a red wine glass which makes you tilt your head back in order to drink it. White wine is meant to be tasted towards the back of your palette. The part of the palette where you taste the wine is important to the wine tasting experience.

Champagne, yet another type of wine, also boasts its very own glass design. The perfect champagne glass is called a flute. Flute glasses are very tall and narrow which maintains the effervescence and bubbles for much longer than any other shape of glass.

As you can see, wine glasses serve the dual purpose of being a vessel to hold your wine and to also to create the perfect taste. Each type of wine will have its own special glass that should be used to enjoy the taste and smell to the fullest. Wine can also be paired with food to create an even greater experience.

White wine goes beautifully with all types of seafood. Red wine can be paired wonderfully with red meat and even chocolate! Experiment with wine to find your perfect combination, but just remember to use the right wine glasses!