Learn How to be a Good Cook with these Simple Tips

Would you like to plan a family feast, have a picnic or throw a dinner party but you really don’t have a clue as to where you should begin?  Read this article and you will find plenty of fancy tips and simple clues that will have you rearing to get into your kitchen in order to cook up a storm.

If you are planning on cooking a big meal you can make it a lot easier on yourself by doing most if not all of the prep work the day or the night before the meal.  For example, if you plan on having a salad you can easily make it the night before.  This way you’ll be able to focus on cooking on the day of the event.

When you cook meat don’t ever turn it over with a fork.  Instead use a spatula or a pair of tongs.  The reason you shouldn’t use a fork is because it will pierce the meat.  Once you do this the juices will run out and the meat will end up being dry.

You should always slice meats against the grain in order to get the best texture and to enjoy the best tactile sensations while you’re eating.  When you slice against the grain you will cut through the muscle fibers.  This will result in more tender slices of meat.

Conversely, when you slice meat with the grain it ends up being overly tough and much too chewy.  Slicing against grain is also a good method to use when slicing chicken and turkey.  However, steaks, pork roasts, beef, chops and loins tend to get the most benefit from this approach.

If you plan to serve wine a general rule of thumb is that white wines should be served with fowl, fish and pork and red wines should be served with red meat.  In order to keep your wines always chilled to the correct temperature you can store them in a built in wine refrigerator in your home.

Have you ever noticed that when you clean shrimp or fish it’s a pretty messy task that keeps your hands smelling rather distinctively for at least a day or two?  Here’s an effective and easy way for you to remove the smell:  take a couple of fresh strawberries and squish them between your fingers for several minutes.  Then rinse your hands with soapy water.  Do this and the offensive smell will instantly disappear.

If you ever have too many people over for breakfast or brunch and find that you have too few eggs you can make scrambled eggs and stretch them by adding bread crumbs.  If you add seasoned bread crumbs you will be able to feed more people with a dish whose flavor has been enhanced by the bread crumb seasoning.

People sometimes get sick from melons that are not fresh.  You can check to make sure that a melon has not gone bad by feeling the part of the melon that was once connected with the vine.  If it’s soft then the melon is still fresh and it should be good.

In order to make sure that you don’t overcook a meal you should taste it at different points in the cooking process.  This will allow you to know exactly when the food is done.

While cooking is one thing, cleaning up is a whole other game.  Here’s an easy way to easily remove baked on food from your dishes.  First, scrape off all of the loose food.  Next, put a few drops of dishwashing soap or dishwasher detergent in the dish.  Add boiling water and stir the solution.  Let it stand overnight.  When you awaken the next morning you’ll find that the food that was baked on will have been lifted off the plates.  You’ll find this method is extremely effective on glass baking dishes.

Well, there you have it – a handful of tips that can help to turn even an inexperienced cook into a well appreciated chef.

A Beginner’s Guide to Buying Boutique Wine

Boutique wineries are wineries that don’t mass produce their wines.  Because boutique wineries produce a relatively small number of bottles, their wine tends to be made with the greatest of care.  Their attention to detail often ensures that boutiques wines are unique and delicious.

In general, wine is a terrific gift for both family and friends.  However, if you are searching for an even better gift for virtually any occasion then you need to look no further than boutiques wines.

If you aren’t very knowledgeable about how to choose the best wines then you will want to read this article.  It is a short but powerful beginner’s guide that will show you how to find the best boutique wines.

But first, let’s start with some wine basics.  You can divide wines into three primary categories – red, white and sparkling.  Only sparkling wine that is produced in the Champagne region of France it can legally be called Champagne.

For the sake of this guide we will not discuss blush wines because they are essentially a blend of red wine and white wine.

All wines can be differentiated by their age, origin, the types of grapes that are used and the techniques used to produce them.  You can see where a bottle of wine originated right on the label.

In the United States you will find that most boutique wineries are in California and Oregon.  The kind of grape used to produce the wine gives the wine its name.

There are many varieties of grapes and wines.  Some of the most common are Chardonnay, Zinfandel (which is a specialty of California) and Syarh (which originated in France).

Today the different types of grapes are grown in various places around the world.  They are no longer relegated to “growing up” where they originated from.  Therefore, it would not be unusual to find a bottle of Syrah that comes from California or a bottle of Zinfandel that originated in Australia.

You will see that each bottle of boutique wine has a year marked on the label.  The year is known as the vintage.  The vintage is when the grapes used to make the wine were harvested.

The quality of any particular vintage will vary with the climate that the grapes were grown in.  And since the climate depends on Nature’s whims, the quality of any the wines from any particular vineyard will vary from one year to the next.

As a general rule of thumb you will find that the older wines are more expensive than wine from a more recent vintage.  Typically, as far as quality is concerned, it is advantageous to buy an older vintage of red wine because red wines benefit from what is called aging.  Aging refers to keeping wine in the bottle for long periods of time.

On the other hand, there is no benefit associated with letting a white wine age.

Wine critics rate the quality of the wine to a large degree based on its complexity, acidity and aroma.  Higher rated wines command higher prices.  They also consider the quality of the specific vintage that is being rated, the way the wine was made, and other characteristics of the wine.

The reputation of the winery will also affect the cost of the wine and it has a distinct impact on the quality of the wine.

When you are choosing wines, be it for yourself or as a gift, keep in mind that most people drink white wine with meals that feature fish or white meat.  Red wines are usually matched with red meat.

Before you buy any wine you should research the type of grape, the brand, the vintage, and the critics’ reviews in order to have a better feel for what you want to buy.  After buying and drinking several different wines you will have a better feel for which boutique wines to purchase in the future.

No matter what wine you buy you will want to have it ready to drink anytime.  In order to do that you can purchase one of the affordable Wine Coolers that you can find online.

Vinotemp – Benefits of Using a Wine Refrigerator

Wine can be stored in a variety of ways. Some people use cabinets in their home that darken the storage area and protect glass bottles from breakage. Others place storage areas in their basements because the area is dark and cool. Still others simply place wine racks on countertops and store the wine as they would any other food items that do not need refrigeration. Though all of these are options, none are ideal, unless your basement is outfitted as a fully functional wine cellar. A great way to recreate the authentic wine cellar without investing thousands of dollars in remodeling your basement is to invest in a wine refrigerator. Refrigerators such as the Vinotemp offer ideal conditions in which to store wine. There are a number of benefits to using a wine refrigerator for wine storage, so if you are serious about preserving your wine collection, a refrigerator is a smart investment.

Refrigerators keep wine chilled at the perfect temperature. This preserves the flavor of the wine and allows it to age naturally. Experienced wine drinkers know that storing and drinking wine at a particular temperature is vital to fully enjoying the experience. It is possible to enjoy wines at varying temperature, but each type of wine has an ideal temperature. If you are going to get the most out of your wine, it needs to be served at its particular temperature. Storing the wine at its ideal temperature also plays a role in its ultimate taste. A refrigerator helps you keep the wine balanced.

The wine refrigerator not only gives you a way to store wine ideally, it does so without taking up counter space. One of the toughest things about collecting and enjoying wine is finding the space to store your bottles before drinking. There are plenty of people who would invest in a great deal more wines if they had the space in their home to preserve and age the wine properly. A wine refrigerator is ideal for even the smallest of homes. You can store a small model refrigerator under a table or counter, or place a larger refrigerator in a corner.

Many wine refrigerators offer a combination of function and style. They provide a convenient method for cooling wine, but they are designed to look attractive. You will not feel as if you have added another traditional kitchen refrigerator to your home. Many wine refrigerators feature a combination wood and metal design, giving it more of a furniture than appliance appearance. The refrigerators are stylish and attractive, so you never have to worry about junking up your space.

Wine refrigerators allow you to keep your selection of wine always at the ready for drinking. How many times have you returned home from a stressful day at work, only to find you have to wait another hour for your wine to chill? Ever throw a dinner party and forget to chill the wine in advance? A wine refrigerator keeps your wines chilled to the optimal drinking temperature, so a bottle of wine can be opened and enjoyed immediately. There is never a need to wait for wine to chill before opening the bottle.

Finally, investing in a wine refrigerator shows you are serious about wine. Many people enjoy drinking wine, but they are not serious collectors. Wine refrigerators are made for those who consider wine a hobby, as well as those who like to enjoy a variety of different wines on the regular basis. You can choose the size of your cooling system, so you get exactly what is right for you. It does not matter whether you like to collect wine, drinking wine, or you consider yourself a wine expert, a wine refrigerator makes your entire experience better. Investing in a wine refrigerator helps enhance your wine drinking experience, so you enjoy all of your wines as much as possible.

Hello world!

Welcome to WordPress.com. After you read this, you should delete and write your own post, with a new title above. Or hit Add New on the left (of the admin dashboard) to start a fresh post.

Here are some suggestions for your first post.

1. You can find new ideas for what to blog about by reading the Daily Post.
2. Add PressThis to your browser. It creates a new blog post for you about any interesting  page you read on the web.
3. Make some changes to this page, and then hit preview on the right. You can always preview any post or edit it before you share it to the world.