Thursday, September 6, 2007
Chocolate is something that just about everyone has tried at some point and chocolate is something that many people love.Such is the power of chocolate in fact, that books. movies and even songs have been written about it. Below we look at 10 facts about chocolate.
1. Chocolate may have some health benefits. A lot of people talk about whether or not chocolate is healthy or unhealthy. Generally that are a lot of calories is many chocolate candies but studies have also shown that some chocolate, particularly dark chocolate, is rich in flavonoids because of the high percentage of cocoa. The antiociant value of these ingredients is thought to be beneficial to us, provided we do not overdue it.
2. Chocolate varieties. There are dozens of different types of chocolate and these can range from milk, dark and white chocolate through to chocolate defined by its percentage of cocoa content. It is even possible to get chocolate which is 100% although this for me tasted a little too extreme.
3. The invention of chocolate. There are many disputed with regards to when chocolate was invented. It is said that the Olmec Indians first grew cocoa beans many years BC.
4. Cocoa trees used to grow wildly in the Amazon area according to botanists. It is a few thousand years later though that the cocoa tree is thought to have been used for eating.
5. Baking chocolate is said to have been invented in 1765, when Doctor J. Baker and his associate used their wooden mill to create what we know call baking chocolate.
6. Chocolates with various fillings are said to have been invented in 1913 by Jules Sechaud in Switzerland. Jules created a way of making chocolates such that they could have fillings inside the chocolate.
7. In America, one of the biggest names in chocolate, Hershey, were founded in 1871 by Milton Hershey. Still in his teens, Milton started what one of the big chocolate companies, a company which still produce huge volumes in the States.
8. In Europe, the explorer Christopher Columbus is thought to be responsible for introducing the cocoa bean to the European continent. Columbus is thought to have brought back cocoa beans on his return from the New World, in 1504.
9. In the U.K., one of the biggest names in chocolate through the years has been Cadbury's. Cadbury's were founded in 1824 by Mr John Cadbury. John opened up his first chocolate shop in 1824 and now Cadbury's is a massive chocolate manufacturer.
10. To survive and thrive, cocoa trees need to be grown in certain climatic conditions. These trees need heat and thus thrive more in areas such as Africa, the West Indian Islands and in the Far East.
Professional Cookware for professional chefs
Whether you are just starting out in the kitchen or have many years experience you will produce better quality meals by using professional cookware. There are a multitude of brands, makes and styles to choose from. The best cookware for you is a matter of personal choice. The professional cookware used by one person could easily be considered unacceptable by another. This article will give you impartial advice on the different types of cookware available.
A popular material for professional chefs is stainless steel cookware. This is popular due to the fact that stainless steel cookware is resistant to scratches and dents. However, there are many professional chefs that do not like stainless steel cookware as it does not conduct heat on an even basis. As a result it is quite possible to ruin a meal you have spent a lot of time on.
Another option is to use aluminium cookware which is particularly popular for bake ware. It is important that aluminium cookware is coated or anodised to give it protection. This protection is necessary as aluminium has a tendency to scratches and dents. It is also subject to reacting with alkaline and acidic substances which results in the food it is contact with changing colour. The food will look burnt even though it isn't. If this happens you will certainly lose marks for presentation even if you don't for taste.
Copper cookware is a strong preference for professional chefs for the simple reason of copper's ability to conduct heat evenly. Copper cookware is probably the most popular cookware used by chefs. It is generally considered to be a good investment. However, it is generally the most expensive cookware. On the downside, copper cookware suffers from similar problems to aluminium cookware in that it scratches easily and food tends to stick to the bottom and sides.
Cast iron cookware is very resilient and can last a lifetime if looked after properly. New cast iron cookware needs to be seasoned (also known as cured) to make it effective. Seasoning is achieved buy rubbing fat over the cookware. The fat can be any type such as vegetable oil or animal fat. The cookware should be then left in a hot oven for at least an hour. The process should be repeated several times until the cast iron cookware becomes black. This makes the cookware non stick. It is a bit more labour intensive at the beginning but the end result is that you have cookware that will last for years and years. One last thing to remember here is that when you clean the cookware you should not leave it to soak in water. This not only makes it susceptible to rust but it also tends to dissolve the fat coating on the cookware.
Glass cookware remains a popular favourite. It can be very decorative and is generally a lot easier to clean than metal cookware. It can withstand variations in temperature and in most cases can be used on top or the range. It is important that the correct methods of cleaning are used. These should be non-abrasive self polishing cleaners. Stubborn stains can be removed by leaving the cookware to soak in water.
The phrase �you get what you pay for' applies to professional cookware as much as anywhere else. You should avoid buying cheap cookware as the odds are it will not last long and will not perform as well as better quality cookware. Look to buy a brand name. Many of the better brands have online advice and tips as well as recipes to try. Compare prices online to those in the good department stores.
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Michael Saville has written more articles about professional cookware. These can be found at http://www.vicariously.net/food The site provides information and advice on all aspects of cookware as well as other food and drink items.
The Absinthe Ritual
Copyright (c) 2007 Oxygenee Ltd
Unlike many ordinary aperitifs, absinthe was historically almost always prepared and drunk in a very specific way - this, the so-called "absinthe ritual" was part of the reason for its popularity and for the unique position it's always held in the world of drinks. The classic French absinthe ritual involves placing a sugar cube on a flat perforated spoon, which rests on the rim of the glass containing a measure or "dose" of absinthe. Iced water is then very slowly dripped on to the sugar cube, which gradually dissolves and drips, along with the water, into the absinthe, causing the green liquor to louche ("loosh") into an opaque opalescent white as the essential oils precipitate out of the alcoholic solution. Usually three to five parts water are added to one part of 68% absinthe. Historically, absintheurs used to take great care in adding the water, letting it fall drop by drop onto the sugar cube, and then watching each individual drip cut a milky swathe through the peridot-green liquid below. Seeing the drink gradually change colour was part of absinthe's ritualistic attraction.
The "ritual" is important � it's part of the fascination of absinthe. No other drink is traditionally consumed with such a carefully calibrated kind of ceremony. It's part of what gives absinthe its drug-like allure (for instance, one talks about the dose of absinthe in the glass, a term you'd never use with whisky or bourbon). From all historical evidence, it seems that absinthe was almost always drunk like this � even the poorest working man, in the roughest bar or caf�, would prepare his absinthe slowly and carefully. It was seldom drunk neat (except by the kind of desperate end-stage alcoholics who might also be drinking ether or cologne); the water was always added slowly not just sloshed in; ice was absolutely never added to the glass.
The water added to the absinthe dose must always be iced, as cold as possible. Part of the advantage of using an absinthe fountain was that you could add ice cubes to the water to keep it cold, and some carafes had a chamber for ice as well. There's a famous poem by the French author and absintheur Raoul Ponchon, where he says if you add tepid water, you might as well be drinking �.pissat d'�ne / Ou du bouillon pointu � donkey piss or an enema broth. Paradoxically though, ice wasn't added to the glass itself � the idea was to start with the drink as cool as possible, but let it slowly warm to room temperature as you drank it. Aside from historical considerations, it tastes better this way. It's essential to add the water as slowly as possible � drop by drop - particular at first, as the louche starts to develop. There are two reasons for this: it enables you to admire the gradual change of color, and it allows the aroma to develop slowly for maximum complexity and interest. (Technically: different essential oils precipitate out of the solution - and thus release their aromas - at different dilution percentages. By pouring very slowly you effectively get to appreciate them all individually, whereas if you just throw the water in everything gets released at once).
Holding the carafe in a relaxed and stylish way high above the glass, and letting the water slowly drip out drop for drop is harder than you'd think, and was a much admired skill at the time. Busy caf�s had "absinthe professors" � professional absintheurs � who for a small sum would instruct a patron in the art, or assist him themselves. A slightly easier but also historically accurate method you might prefer is as follows: Place a sugar cube on the spoon. Drip a few drops of water on to the sugar cube, just enough to saturate it thoroughly. Then do nothing, just watch the sugar cube for a few minutes. It will spontaneously slowly start to collapse and drip into the glass, eventually leaving only a few drops of sugared water on the spoon. Then add the rest of the water in a thin stream.
Sugar isn't essential � it's entirely a matter of taste. In their publicity material, Pernod Fils suggested their absinthe could be drunk with or without sugar. There is � or certainly was - an ingrained French predilection for sweet anise flavored drinks, cultivated from childhood with syrups and cordials. Most Belle Epoque absintheurs added at least one, sometimes two or even three sugar cubes, and some added gum syrup as well. Today we're likely to find this far too sweet. I'd suggest using half a sugar cube to start with, and then adjusting upwards or downwards according to preference.
The correct dose of absinthe is about 30ml � just over an ounce. Add three parts water to one part absinthe and then taste. For casual drinking ( as opposed to tasting a rare bottle) you might prefer to add a little more water, bringing the ratio up to 4:1 or even to 5:1.
Overall, I think it's worth taking the trouble to prepare an absinthe in the traditional way like this. The slowness and care required help put one in the right frame of mind to appreciate the subtleties of the drink, and it undoubtedly tastes better this way as well.
There is some debate amongst absinthe historians as to when exactly the traditional absinthe ritual originated. Certainly, there is no evidence that it was ever normal to drink absinthe neat, without water. Absinthe was drunk with the addition of both water and sugar from at least the 1850's, and probably earlier. Absinthe was by no means unique in this respect - 19th century drinkers had a far sweeter tooth when it came to alcohol than we have today, and other drinks and cordials were also regularly sweetened with sugar. They were usually served with a long cordial spoon or a kind of swizzle stick, to help dissolve the sugar. The use of a perforated spoon specifically for absinthe was a later development, which appears to have originated in the 1880's and only became widespread in the 1890's. From the 1890's onwards, it seems, on the evidence of existing engravings and cartoons, almost all absinthes in bars and caf�s were served with a perforated spoon.
An occasional alternative to the perforated spoon was the brouilleur - a small metal or glass bowl that sat on top of the glass, and which, when filled with water, automatically dripped sugared water into the dose at the required rate. Some of these brouilleurs incorporated unusual refinements - one model in particular seems to have been designed to add absinthe to water, rather than, as usual, water to absinthe. But their use, although fairly frequent, was never remotely as widespread as that of the perforated spoon.
A popular alternative to using crystalized sugar (une absinthe au sucre) was to add either gum syrup (une absinthe gomm�e) or sweet liqueur d'anis (une absinthe anis�e). Neither of these versions of course required a perforated spoon.
It was perfectly acceptable to drink an absinthe without sugar (une absinthe pure), but, based on all the historical evidence this certainly wasn't the norm, and there is no publicity material extant from any manufacturer that suggests this was the primary method - it's always referred to, if at all, as an alternative to the sugared version.
Occasionally absinthe was drunk diluted with other lower strength alcohol - white wine (une absinthe de minuit), or cognac (Toulouse Lautrec's speciality, un tremblement de terre). But these were very unusual methods, which always aroused special comment, usually disapproving.
Drinking neat absinthe (ie without water), certainly wasn't usual at any stage, and was never socially acceptable. Where it is referred to, it is always in the context of alcoholism and degradation - in the same way, for instance, as we might refer to someone drinking a neat triple gin today (the equivalent in alcohol content).
Today, modern absinthes are often marketed in conjunction with the so-called Bohemian absinthe ritual. This is not a traditional method, but a modern innovation developed less than 10 years ago, and inspired by the success of flaming sambuca and such like. A shot of absinthe is poured into a glass, and a teaspoonful of sugar is dipped into it. The alcohol soaked sugar is set alight and allowed to burn until it bubbles and caramelises. The spoon of melted sugar is then plunged into the absinthe and stirred in, which usually sets the absinthe itself alight. Ice water is then poured in, dousing the flames. This method, has become increasingly popular, especially since it was shown in the film "Moulin Rouge", but is a historical travesty, and would have horrified any Belle Epoque absintheur.
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David Nathan-Maister is the MD of Oxygenee Ltd, a UK-based company operating in the field of absinthe, and rare and ancient spirits. A former winemaker, his involvement with absinthe dates back more than a decade. He's the proprietor of the acclaimed Virtual Absinthe Museum at http://www.oxygenee.com , the most comprehensive online resource for the history and lore of absinthe, which showcases his own remarkable collection of absinthiana.
