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Camping is a grand adventure, except for the ever-present question of what to eat out there in the woods. Of course you are going to want to bring your own supplies but are you sick of the same old camping food? Do most of your camping meals come out of a can? If you’re tired of the old standbys, burgers and hot dogs, consider trying a few new ideas for camping cuisine. With a little advance prep, you can definitely jazz up the food on your next camping trip.

What You Need

You pretty much have to grill everything you cook on a camping trip, or, if you’re really roughing it, cook it over an open fire. That limits your choices somewhat, but you can still do lots of things to liven up camping food. All you need are skewers, aluminum foil, a heavy frying pan and a cast iron Dutch oven with a lid.

Dinner on a Stick

If you can cook hot dogs on a stick, why not try fajitas on a stick? Pre-skewer marinated beef or chicken, onions and green peppers, and roast on the grill or over the flames. Bring tortillas, guacamole and salsa, and you’re set. You can also do kabobs or sausage and peppers the same way. Use your Dutch oven to cook side dishes like couscous or other quick-cooking grains. Or wrap baking potatoes in foil and place them in the ashes to roast.


Use Your Dutch Oven

With the Dutch oven, you can make excellent stews, chilis, roasts and even grilled pizzas. For fun camping desserts, try making peach cobbler or berry cakes. Bring pre-made biscuit dough or cake batter and fresh fruit, and mix and bake them right in the Dutch oven.

Cooking in Foil

Foil packet cooking offers many other options. You can cook salmon or other fish with some lemon, butter, dill, asparagus and white wine, and you’ve got a whole delicious meal in one convenient package. Banana s’mores, another fun use for foil, make a great twist on the classic. Just peel and split bananas lengthwise, fill with chocolate chips and mini-marshmallows, wrap in foil and place on the grill or fire for about five minutes. Carefully remove the bananas from the fire, unwrap, sprinkle with broken-up graham crackers and enjoy.

Easy Camping Breakfasts

For breakfast, you can bring pre-mixed omelets in plastic bags and pour them into a hot cast iron pan over the fire. For a side dish, fry potatoes with bacon grease and pre-chopped onions. You can bring pre-mixed pancake batter and make pancakes with fresh berries you pick on the trail, or you can use the Dutch oven to cook oatmeal with your choice of toppings.


About The Author:

This is a guest post by Mark Lynch. Mark recommends finding more great information on camping food ideas, tips, and tricks at Chefs.edu.

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charlesdyer
Martin Lopatka

Coffee is big business these days. You only have to look at the recent statistics provided by the Rainforest Alliance, which reveal that over 25 million people in the tropics have a vested interest in this crop, as it forms the basis for their e countries’ economic stability.


Coffee farmers are aware that this is risky business as despite the huge demand for this commodity, there are still difficult challenges to face. This is why organisations like Rainforest Alliance and the Fairtrade Foundation seek to give these producers a better deal for their work.

However, it is not only the coffee suppliers who have to stand up against low prices, rising costs and often government policies which are far from unhelpful. This David versus Goliath situation is now being seen at the other end of the chain too.

In New York, it has recently been reported that a number of small, independent coffee shops are popping up in Manhattan, with the task of taking on international brands like Starbucks – which boasts a shop on nearly every corner of the island.

The success of these coffee spots is hard not to notice though, as morning queues can often run into double figures and lead to a patient build up of folk eager for their taste of high quality coffee.

The example set at Stumptown Coffee Roasters, with no tables or seats set out, has shown that not everyone is interested in sitting down in the place where they buy their coffee, or even faster coffee, like they could get down the road; their main concern is the coffee itself.

It is hard to imagine but the single-location coffee shops and smaller chains now make up a greater number than the larger chains. This would have been unheard of just a short time ago. Competition here seems to be thriving, with the smaller companies ready for the challenge.

Even closer to home, in London, the independent cafes are working hard to provide a great experience for their customers, with service at the forefront of all they do. Having a close relationship with the coffee producers themselves is also mentioned as being important.

The sourcing of coffee is becoming increasingly key to those setting up their own establishments as knowing where the coffee came from is something more and more people want to find out about.

Independent coffee shops have a strategic advantage over the big names as they can work on the style of the setting and get in great-tasting coffee their customers will love. The passion for the product is a big concern for those looking to establish their own cafés, as they want staff to get on-board with their ethos right away.

There are now plenty of places to go for fine tasting coffee in the UK, with independent coffee shops now aware of what their customers feel is most important to them. The success of these establishments is testament to the notion that small can be beautiful and sometimes that is what people prefer.


About The Author:


Steve Birdsall is a self-confessed coffee aficionado who likes to know where his coffee comes from. For those looking for a supplier of coffee beans for their operations, why not check out wholesalecoffeecompany.co.uk.

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The fair trade system aims to raise standards of living and employment for farmers and producers in developing countries. It does this by setting a minimum price for their produce. In return, trading organizations in economically developed parts of the world are able to use a particular fair trade logo on their packaging. Fair trade coffee brands have become more popular in recent years. Although these command higher prices, consumers are willing to pay extra for brands they perceive to be ethically sourced.


Fair Trade Schemes

There is no single fair trade scheme for coffee, with different suppliers and retailers operating under varying regulations and standards. The overall aim of these schemes is to increase the income of coffee farmers in developing countries. To become part of a fair trade system, coffee suppliers must meet a number of criteria.

These may include the banning of child labour and elimination of pesticides and herbicides. In addition to this, some programs focus on additional sustainable environment elements. Farmers tend to be part of a cooperative that shares out the benefits of being a part of the fair trade process. Companies who buy their product pay more to have the fair trade logo on their product packaging.

Prodecoop

One fair trade scheme is Prodecoop in Nicaragua. This has over 2000 members, with a third being women. As well as distributing knowledge and expertise of coffee production throughout its entire membership, there is investment in social aspects such as housing and education. The scheme also has some 40% of women in management or supervisory positions.

Benefits of Fair Trade

Proponents of these systems highlight the improvements to the lives of farmers and others in the developing world, including financial and socioeconomic benefits. Financial incentives of joining a fair trade scheme result in better standards of living, cleaner water supplies, more schools and better health care. At the other end of the system, consumers become aware of issues in the developing world, such as exploitation and poverty.

Costs of Fair Trade

Critics of these schemes highlight the minimal increase in income for farmers. Some of the costs required to meet the fair trade requirements may be passed on to the farmers. The cooperatives may be the only way to access international markets in some places, forcing farmers to commit to long-term contracts.

Distributors of coffee in the developed countries can charge whatever price they wish, with the added advantage of the fair trade name attached to attract buyers. The coffee may be marketed as a luxury brand, with the ethical angle to justify higher prices. Not all of the profits may be passed back to the farmers.

Fair trade may create a dependency on Western “charity”, whereas realistic market conditions are needed to help developing countries, including infrastructure and farming machinery.

Conclusion
Fair trade systems can help raise the economic and social conditions for coffee farmers and of course their families. However, the multitude of schemes works in different ways, with varying benefits for people in the developing world.


About The Author:

Author Colin McD. We recently had a bean to cup coffee machine installed in at work (from the guys at Liqudiline Solutions), which has revolutionsed the morning coffee and smell in the office! However it made me wonder what Fair Trade was exactly and what it meant.

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Royalty Free

Maltese food is an intriguing and unique blend of the Italian, British and Arabic influences which have all seeped into its local food culture. The reason? Malta and the neighboring Maltese island of Gozo are strategically placed along one of the oldest trading passages between Europe and Africa, and thanks to this prized location they have been under the rule of several different countries throughout the years.


Traditional Maltese food is very simple and rustic, and the residents on the islands tend to eat very seasonally (which also happens to be very fashionable these days). Be sure to hunt down a plate of Lampuki Pie (fish pie), a hearty rabbit stew or Braġioli (beef olives) during your trip.

Another local speciality that was traditionally a peasant dish is Widow’s Soup, which contains a delicious Ġbejniet (a very special local sheep or goat’s cheese).

The Maltese are very fussy when it comes to their bread, and it’s the one thing that can make them teary eyed and homesick when they move elsewhere. For some of the most delicious local bread, visit Ta’ Ricardu in Gozo and order a platter with sundried tomatoes, olives, capers goats cheese and on of their prized loafs.

Seafood lovers will adore the Aljotta (fish soup) here, made from seasonal fish caught off the coast of the islands, often just metres away from where they are eaten.

Patazii is a Maltese delicacy that holds a special place in the hearts of locals. You will be able to find these small, moreish parcels of pastry stuffed with ricotta cheese or peas almost anywhere on street corners or bars if you fancy a quick snack.

If you’ve got a sweet tooth, there’s nothing more refreshing than a semifreddo style dessert. Malta’s Sicilian influence can really be felt here in layers of sponge cake, ice-cream and candied fruit.

Market life in Malta

Malta is surrounded by a rich, azure blue sea, so locals are lucky enough to have some of the freshest seafood you’ll find anywhere.

To catch it at its freshest, get yourself out of bed on a Sunday morning to visit the Marsaxlokk fish market at Marsaxlokk Bay, Malta’s second largest harbour. Depending on what time of year you visit, you could spot anything from swordfish, tuna and grouper to white bream, squid and octopus.

If you’re staying at a hotel in Malta rather than a self-catering apartment, let the local chefs do all the hard work for you. Mathew’s Bar nearby expertly cooks fish from the market for thoroughly reasonable prices.

Best restaurant in Malta

According to Restaurants in Malta , if you only dine at one place in Malta, you should make it the De Mondion Restaurant which was voted by the public as Malta’s best overall restaurant in the recent Restaurant Awards.

Panoramic views over the island, great service, balanced dishes (like Stuffed Saddle of Rabbit filled with Chantarelle and Fennel) rounded off with decadent desserts created by their new pastry chef Patissiere Otis make this a must-try.
If you’re staying at a hotel in the St Julian’s part of Malta , you’ll find that the rabbit and Braġioli at the family-run Maltese Mama eatery is as authentic as it gets.

Wine in Gozo

If you like your wine, you’ll love the Ta Mena winery on Gozo which has been going strong for 80 years now.
You’ll realise that the hike up the hill was well worth it after sampling the wine and olives at this lovely location. If you’re looking for something more substantial than olives, the Il Kartell restaurant uses wines, vegetables and other products like jam which are grown and made at Ta Mena.

Travel blogger Sherry Ott (who pens the Ottsworld blog) has raved about the kunserva she ate here – a simple but delicious tomato paste made from sweet tomatoes which is served simply on fresh bread. Maltese food at its very best.


About The Author:

Sharon Renholm loves to try new food in new places, when she is not travelling she tries to recreate dishes herself.

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KNOW MALTA by Peter Grima

Are you clueless to the question, ‘what is healthy eating?’ The United States of America (USA) department of Agriculture recommends you stick to a diet including fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains. However, what does that mean? What fruits, vegetables grains and lean meats do you need to eat?


Fear not, what follows is a list of six food items that are classified as ‘healthy’:

Walnuts: Nuts tend to be high in both calories and fat; however this is monosaturated fat and not saturated fat – found in meat and dairy products. Ass the high omega-3-fatty-acid levels in these nuts and this becomes a go-to food group for a healthy heart. A recent study on walnuts found that these nuts are the highest carries of antioxidants in the nut food group. So add a few walnuts into your breakfast or have them as a snack, but ensure to add this into your diet.

Apples: The old saying goes, ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’, and finally there is proof of this. Apples are high in fiber, which targets LDL – the bad cholesterol – and should be a part of your daily food intake. Apples can easily be added to your meals or eaten as a snack, but this antioxidant and anti-inflammatory food item needs to be incorporated into your eating program.

Broccoli: A member of the cabbage family of vegetables- is often associated with anticancer benefits, as well as reduced inflammation and a strong immune system. This vegetable is high in fiber and will help keep your blood pressure down and reduce your risk of heart-disease. Ensure that you incorporate this into your daily meal plan. Broccoli can be eaten raw, boiled or event baked, and is fantastic in stir-fries, salads and roast vegetables.

Kidney Beans: Loaded with potassium and magnesium, kidney beans help lower your blood pressure, reduce your risk of heart disease and lower your LDL Cholesterol levels. Furthermore, kidney beans are high in iron and protein, making this the perfect meat replacement for vegetarians. Kidney beans are fantastic in chilli dishes, salads, pasta sauces and stews.

Oatmeal: Oatmeal is high in the fiber beta-glucan, which lowers your, LDL cholesterol and the best food to start your day with. Furthermore, this is an ideal food group to eat directly after exercising, as the energy-producing vitamin B and carbohydrates feed your muscles and allow your body to recover faster. All you need to do is add water or milk and cook on the stove or in the microwave. Add walnuts and cinnamon for extra flavour, nutrients and crunch.

Spinach: Spinach is packed with nutrients, including Vitamin A, Calcium and Iron, which will help keep the skin and eyes healthy. Furthermore, spinach is loaded with folate, which helps for healthy red blood cells and lowers the risk of birth defects during pregnancy. Toss some spinach into your omelettes, stew, salad or sandwiches for the extra nutrients and minerals your body requires.

Ensure that you add these six ‘healthy food’ items to your daily diet. These ‘superfoods’ will help lower your blood pressure, lower your risk of heart disease, improve your vision, improve your exercise recovery period and lower your cholesterol levels.


About The Author:


I am Greg Jones: an adventurer, gym nut and food fundi. I live a healthy lifestyle and I ensure that my family eats only the best quality foods. Therefore, I only buy foods from wholesale food distributors who focus on providing fresh produce on a daily basis.

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DeusXFlorida

As the sun scorches overhead your senses are muted and all you can think of is something cold to guzzle. Water is an essential part of body. If a sufficient amount of water is not provided to the body then it will become dehydrated which can be fatal. Water is the most natural drink for the body, but it is tasteless and dull. Unless you are really thirsty, when plain water is often the best thing, you may want something more flavoursome to satisfy your taste buds.


Some of the latest cold drinks have become very popular - health and taste wise. Aerated cold drinks, juices, coconut water, buttermilk, lemon water, chilled coffees, iced teas, mocktails, smoothies, floats, etc. are always in demand in the hotter summer weather.

The top favourite summer drinks and their recipes are listed below.

1. Melon Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 cup of chopped melon
1/3 cup chopped kiwi
½ sliced ripe banana
¼ cup of grape juice
½ tsp ginger juice
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup Lemon Sorbet
½ cup of Ice

Preparation:

Put all ingredients in the blender and mix until smooth. You will get a fruity and cool drink ready to be gulped in one go.

2. Kokum Sherbet

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped kokum fruit
2 cups of water
5 crushed cardamom
2 cups of sugar
1 tsp of cumin powder
Black rock salt to taste (Pinch)

Preparation:

• Remove the seeds of the kokum and chop it. Put it in the blender and make a puree.
• Strain this mixture.
• Boil sugar and water in a pan until the mixture becomes thick.
• When this syrup cools down, add strained kokum puree to it.
• Now add cardamom powder, cumin powder and black rock salt to it. Mix it properly.
• For each serving mix one tablespoon of this sherbet in a glass of water and put ice cubes in it.

A cool, refreshing and healthy summer drink is ready to be served.

3. Mango Buttermilk

Ingredients:

1 cup of peeled and chopped ripe alphonso mango
½ cup of yogurt
Sugar to taste
¼ teaspoon cardamom

Preparation:

Mix all the ingredients in a blender. Serve in a wide brimmed glass with enough ice cubes to chill your taste buds properly!

4. Raspberry Lemonade Punch

Ingredients:

1 bottle frozen raspberry lemonade concentrate
3 cups of water
¾ tsp. lemon juice
1 can lime flavored aerated beverage
1 cup of ice (crushed)
To garnish 1 cup of fresh raspberries and 18 mint leaves.

Preparation:

Mix raspberry lemonade concentrate, water and lime juice in a large punch bowl. Add lime soda and crushed ice. Garnish with fresh raspberries and mint leaves.

5. Chocolate Mint Milkshake

Ingredients:

4 scoops of ice-cream (vanilla or butterscotch)
¼ cup of milk
¼ cup chocolate syrup
1 drop of peppermint extract

Preparation:

Put ice cream, chocolate syrup and peppermint extract in a mixer blender. Blend until fluffy and smooth. Serve in a glass with ice cubes.

So as the weather warms up why not keep your cool and make your own refreshing and mouth-watering chilled drinks.


About The Author:

Richard Woods is a writer for KLIX, the drinks vending division of Mars Inc.


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combust

You probably know one or two people in your life who don’t really need a reason to eat food. If they are awake, it is probably a good sign that they are willing to stuff themselves with food that is delicious. Then you have others who have specific cravings for specific type of food. One such food that seems to generate this craving is pizza. This makes one wonder as to what is it that makes pizza so awesome. Thanks to spending so much time on eating and thinking about pizzas, we have a few theories about this.


Availability

There is probably not a single city, place or village in the entire country where pizza is not available. You could be traveling to a strange place as part of a vacation or you had to go somewhere for business. Whatever may be the case, you can always expect at least one outlet in the new region you find yourself having some kind of pizza offering.

Granted that the pizza place that is locally available may not have all the flavours you love and enjoy eating. However, if your job or lifestyle involves a lot of traveling, then you can think of pizza as that common friend who seems to live everywhere. It’s like seeing a familiar face in strange wilderness. Sometimes, that is all the comfort that you will need to put a smile on your face. Adding to that effect is the fact that no matter where you are, you can always count on one food source which will never let you down.

Flavours

By now you probably know that at its core, pizza equals crust plus toppings. That’s it!

Technically speaking, this simplicity should have meant the death of pizza as a food right after it was invented. As it turns out, pizza is far from being dead. It is the most popular food in the entire world sold by local restaurants and multinational food chains alike. The reason for this across the borders popularity is that the toppings that make the pizza can be very varied.

Anything that can be cut and spread across a surface is a topping for the pizza. Mushrooms? Check. Chicken? Check. Pork? Check. Cheese? Check. We can keep adding any food item to this list and it will still be a ‘check’ because that is what makes the concept of toppings amazing. We are most certain that almost no one hates wheat flour that goes into the making of the crust. It is a tasty and healthy source of food.

You get crust and you get topping of your choice. What’s there not to like about pizza!

Delivery Options

Personally, this is the one thing that makes pizza better than most food items.

No matter how much of a well-managed life you have going with your daily routine, there will be always be times when you will time starved and food starved. You and your family need something that has to be delivered in a box. At the same time, you want something that is tasty and is palatable to the entire family, ranging from kids to old people.

Pizza fits this bill perfectly. You can eat it at the pizza place, opt for takeaway or get it delivered. The power of choice is pretty much a given with pizza.

Price

Pizza can be prepared at home but very few actually opt for that. Primarily pizza remains a food choice which is purchased from the local pizza outlet. Combining the plain facts that pizza is popular and everybody likes it, there is no dearth of choices. More choices equate to more variety in prices as well, sometimes even from the same store.

Whatever is your food budget, be rest assured that there is a pizza for you and your family. It’s like buying a car. Even if you were to trust a single brand like Ford, you have entry level cars and then you have business class sedans. There is literally something for everyone. Same thing with pizza!

Party Food

This may not be the most essential expectation for most people. Unless you have young kids in your home, in which case, you are bound to thrown in a kid’s party every now and then. Kid parties usually mean a lot of screaming young boys, girls and their parents.

If you don’t specifically enjoy cooking, then pizza can be your safety net. Pizza is loved by most kids and their guardians. More importantly, it can be ordered in large quantities in quick time. From a more practical perspective, it gets easy to clean your home, if the food is pizza, once the party is over.


About The Author:

The author, a huge fan of pizza, has a lot of faith in pizza as a take away Edinburgh food. His personal choice of destination is http://bit.ly/12j4D9b

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rob_rob2001

Ever wonder how a simple vineyard of grapes is transformed into a delicious bottle of wine? The truth is that most people are clueless when it comes to the wine making process. While learning the process of wine making isn’t required to enjoy a glass, it does allow you to appreciate the beverage just a little bit more. Whether you consider yourself an enthusiast or just an occasional drinker, you should familiarize yourself with the process. If you are interested in learning more, keep reading for a more in-depth look at how wine is made.


Harvesting

The process of wine making begins at the vineyards. When the grapes have ripened to ideal levels, workers begin harvesting them. It’s important to note that there’s a fine line between ripe grapes and overly ripe grapes. Using grapes that are left on the vine for too long will result in poor quality production that could even end up ruining the wine. The bottom line is that grapes need to be just right before they are harvested.

Grapes can either be harvested by machine or by hand. The primary advantage to using a machine is its ability to remove a greater amount of grapes in less time. The disadvantage, however, is the fact that machines aren’t able to distinguish between spoiled and non-spoiled grapes; therefore, some bad ones will likely get thrown into the mix.

Crushing and Pressing

Once the grapes are harvested, they are placed into a large container where they are crushed down to a pulp. In the past, this was performed by workers stomping on the grapes using only their bare feet. Today, there are now large metal machines that press the grapes with extreme pressure to release the maximum amount of liquid possible.
If red wine is being produced, the skins will remain during the fermentation process. If white wine is being produced, the skins will be filtered out before moving to the next step. This is essentially the primary difference between red and white wines.

Fermentation

Fermentation is the process where basic sugars are turned into alcohol; and as you can expect, this is a key step during the wine making process. Fermentation can occur naturally because grapes have both sugars and yeast. Allowing the crushed grapes to sit out in the open for a given period of time will result in alcohol production. Although, some wineries choose to add granulated sugar to their crushed grapes for a more sweeter taste.

Storing

Now that the wine is complete, it’s ready to be stored for later use. Depending on the size and reach of the winery, this is usually done by pouring the newly created beverage into large oak barrels where it remains until bottling. Oak is an ideal material used to store wine because it doesn’t alter the flavors or chemical makeup of the product. Smaller wineries may skip this step and choose to store their wine directly in bottles instead.


About The Author:

Crystal is a content contributor for Wine Refrigerator Now. Crystal likes to write about fun wine tastings, new restaurants, and much more. She visits WineRefrigeratorNow.com to order the best wine chillers available.

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Crystal

When you’re hungering for the exotic, but also just plain hungry, a slice of sashimi just won’t cut it. You need big flavours, a big bowlful and big value. But then, so do millions of people eating on a budget the world over. If you were still wondering just how important the topic was, check out finance website Saving Advice, who are sharing a staggering “50 Ways to Save Money on Food”.


Knowledge required

Feeding the appetite of a greedy guts on the budget of a waif, demands a solid knowledge of the cuisines of the world and a keen sense of who dishes up the biggest and most filling meals. A post-lunch nap is not possible for most of us, and a carb-heavy feed can leave you sluggish – as a recent discussion on the forum of renowned Dr McDougall once again proved . The solution? Avoid starchy meals at lunch time, and instead opt for the vegetable-laden menus of Lebanese, Turkish and Indian cuisines. Humungous dollops of hummus atop a few fine falafel is surprisingly satisfying, and a big thick steaming bowl of spicy dal fills tummies and fires the taste buds. However, the former is most usually pepped up with a bit of pita and the latter comes into its nutritious, delicious own when served forth with rice or roti. The best part of these exotic cuisines is their value for money, you can feed your face and avoid carb-loading without having to load up your prepaid card.

Deceptively filling: The genius of snacking

A Chinese steamed bun or three, packs sufficient stodgy punch, yet the rice-based dough doesn’t weigh as heavy on the tum as some meals, leaving room for a filling, balanced one-plate special like a heap of sticky rice, with some plainly roasted meat and a few heads of pak choi. Those strange pyramids of lotus-wrapped rice are worth a punt. They’re packed with a myriad of meats, fish and veggies. While dim-sum can get pricey in a fancy city restaurant, you can find the same quality food at street stalls in China Town or in the smaller, dumpling and noodle houses.

Dim sum is deceptively filling. You think you’ve only nibbled a few delicate dumplings when suddenly- you’ve hit the food wall, hard. The same is true of Spanish tapas, Indian tiffin, Russian zakuski, Italian antipasti and any other cuisine that favours snack-based scoffing. The cumulative effect of these dense dishes is always far more than the seemingly skinny sum of their parts, as anyone who’s ordered a mixed grill to follow a ‘few mezze’ will attest.

The gut-busting genius of snacking lies in the lack of filler. Small plates are generally all killer and none of the distractions, bells or whistles involved with a larger main course dish. So if you can see past their supposedly slim-line silhouettes, go large by ordering three starters instead of a main. Your ‘trim’ triumvirate will trump your fellow diner’s meat and three veg every time. Ordering a few starters will deliver more variety than one large main, will generally not cost any more than a main meal. So while your stomach might feel the sting, your wallet will not.

When it comes to eating on the run, the glutton’s highway code is to slow down, stop, look and think. It’s a bit like learning to cross the road. The immediate response to an immediate hunger is to grab and gobble, which can lead to great gustatory dissatisfaction, not to mention onsets of an undesirable attack of indigestion. The trick? Let your brain talk louder than your grumbling belly. Take your time to enjoy each mouthful and dedicate time away from work or your desk to eat your meal.

Eating on the run:  Slow down, stop, look and think

When it comes to snacking on the run, instead of opting for an overpriced pot of pre-prepped pomegranate seeds, go off-piste and take a gamble on the pound-a-bowl of fruit and vegetables that can often be found in corner shops and High St markets. Then simply spend a happy afternoon popping punnets of cherry tomatoes, feasting on perfectly-ripe avocados or barely-blemished bananas. You’ll probably have enough left over to bake a brilliantly tropical, Caribbean-style banana bread and can rest assured in the knowledge that you’ve eaten well.

The gluttonous gourmet’s creed: Avoid high-end

Once you’ve managed to bypass the MacDonald’s Poundsaver Menu and eschew the chain bakery’s savoury slice, snack-y street food options abound. Chinese bakeries offer a wealth of off-the-wall oddities both sweet and savoury; shabby Indian snack kiosks dispense samosas, pakoras and far more besides; and if you fancy a custard tart, then please seek out your nearest Portuguese cafe post-haste.

High-end eateries are not the glutton’s best friend. There you’ll end up with your food refined down to pretty but paltry platters that will cost you anything but a paltry price. That’s not the gluttonous gourmet’s creed. Instead, gourmands should seek global grazers, run by the people for their people, where you can feed your face without emptying your wallet. An excellent point of departure for your journey are the cheap recipes from the BBC’s “Good Food” website – which helps you “unch your way through the credit crunch with our low-cost meals”.



About The Author:

Gavin Whittaker is a writer with years of experience. Inspired by his travels and interest in foreign cultures, Gavin loves writing about everything from financial markets to tourism, food and lifestyle trends. Whittaker recommends Tuxedo, a leader in the field of financial solutions aimed at balancing people’s budgets and reducing currency risks – both their currency card and their prepaid card are considered among the best in the country. You can find more of Gavin’s insight on these issues at a wide variety of blogs, online- and print-magazines.

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Royalty Free or iStock

One of the best parts of any trip to Denver is sampling the wide variety of restaurants that are available. Denver is a city that loves its food. It is a town that is home to restaurants showcasing many different cuisines from around the world. If you are in Denver, it can be hard to choose from all the great restaurants in the city. Here is a look at five of the very best restaurants in Denver.

1. Steuben’s Food Service

This is one of the hidden gems on the Denver food scene. This is a place that locals who have been there rave about. Steuben’s Food Service is all about providing diners with comfort foods that fill them up and give them a warm feeling inside. The décor has a lot of art deco touches that pay homage to the diner foods that inspire the chefs here. You must try the fried chicken, but everything on the menu is delicious.

2. Cherry Creek

If you are looking for the best burger in Denver, then look no further than Cherry Creek. This Denver institution has a bit of a dive feeling, but that is part of its charm. This is the best place to go for late-night eats in the city. They make a fantastic burger that is made with the highest quality beef. They are juicy and delicious, and the taste of the beef shines through with their simple garnishes. Beer fans will also love to spend some time sampling the wide variety of quality craft beers that Cherry Creek has on tap. If you want to avoid the crowds here, try to go earlier in the evening before the bar crowd fills this place up to the rafters.

3. Sushi Den

As hard as it may be to believe for visitors to Denver, you can get some of the most delicious sushi in the world at Sushi Den. Unlike most other sushi restaurants around the city, Sushi Den always uses the freshest quality seafood to make the highest end sushi. The sushi chefs here do a fantastic job of creating some very beautiful presentations that are pleasing to the eye. The sushi tastes as good as it looks. Also, wine fans will enjoy the fact that Sushi Den has a very good wine list at quite reasonable prices.

4. Yak & Yeti Restaurant and Brew Pub

This is a very unique restaurant in Denver that specializes in serving the cuisines of India, Nepal and Tibet. There are so many ways in which this restaurant shines. It all starts with the food. The cooks come from the countries they are cooking the cuisine for, which means they have a great understanding of how the cuisine should taste. Everything is made with fresh ingredients and is full of flavor. They brew their own beers on-site, and they are very tasty. They also offer a buffet that is very reasonably priced and has a great selection.

5. Snooze

This is the best breakfast spot in Denver. They use fresh, local ingredients to create some amazing breakfast dishes. The OMG French Toast and their various versions of Eggs Benedict are extremely delicious, but everything else on the menu is as well. Nobody leaves Snooze without feeling at peace with the world.The food is not only some of the best breakfast food in Denver, but it is also some of the best food, period. The only thing bad about coming here is that it is so good that you have to wait for a table if you get here late. It is best to try to arrive early in the morning if you don’t want to wait in line.


About The Author:

Kevin Caldwell is a writer for denver.airporthotelguide.com, which specializes in helping people easily find hotels near the Denver airport. Kevin enjoys writing about this experiences and giving tips and advice to others.

Confused by the traditions associated with wine? We’ll separate the fact from the fiction…
Holding up the bottle the waiter asked, “Shall I pour the wine or would you prefer to let it breathe for a while?” In many restaurants; such a question is an accepted part of the ritual. But let’s stop and examine the rationale behind it.


Breathing means exposure to air, and all wine, except very old vintages that have become fragile, will benefit from a bit of air, becoming softer and more flavoursome. The easiest way to aerate wine is to have it poured into the waiting glasses. Obviously, more air can mix with the wine both during the act of pouring and when it rests in the glass than if it remains in the bottle. One can reasonably wonder at the nonsense of the question.

There is an etiquette of wine service that is admirable and sensible, even in these days of informality. There are also some traditions, once slavishly followed, that are either unnecessarily pretentious or downright incorrect. Any wine ritual that does not stand up to the test of logic deserves to be discarded.

When I worked in a leading Sydney hotel 25 years ago, red wine served in the restaurant came to the table in an attractive, wicker wine basket. It lay horizontally on the table, taking up too much space, and the wine sloshed to and fro as the waiter poured it into the glasses. Thus, if there were any sediment in the bottle, it was certain to find its way to the customer. The last glassful was often the consistency of soup - potage, not consomme.

Decanting is an option rarely offered in a restaurant, for there is no point in pulling a bottle from a wine rack and decanting it if the sediment hasn’t been given a chance to settle. Before a wine is decanted, it should be stood upright for at least 24 hours, so that the sediment that isn’t permanently stuck to the sides will slide to the bottom of the bottle. The wine then will be clear and ready for pouring off. If there is no sediment, it is unnecessary to decant the wine, except for the secondary purpose of aerating it.

Old and expensive wines should not be purchased in restaurants on impulse, as these wines need time and care to be readied for drinking. They cannot be at their best at an hour’s notice. If you must drink fine wine in a restaurant, order it a few days before. The place for enjoying really great wines is at home. Need to compare the Nutritional values of food and drink? Use the Nutrition Comparison Calculator Tool.

Another ritual involves the waiter ceremoniously placing the cork beside you as you taste the wine in a restaurant. Why? I asked a number of waiters, and they offered the following reasons:

“Some customers like to smell or squeeze the cork so that they can make sure it is sound.” 

“Diners like to read the name printed on the cork, to check its authenticity.” 

“Customers expect it.”

Surely, tasting the wine is a better way of Judging its condition than squeezing or smelling the cork? If the wine is “corked”, or oxidised, it will become evident from the first sniff or taste. Experts tell me the fungus infection of cork that causes the rare, musty smell in a bottle of wine is usually not discernible by inspection of the cork. And if the experts can’t tell by squeezing or smelling, why should I try? If I examined the cork of an oxidised wine I might find an indented fault line along which the demon air has entered the bottle. But it’s the taste of the wine that is the primary consideration, not the appearance of the cork.

The second reason given for presenting the cork has its basis in the deceptions of all earlier age. In some of the world’s grottier night spots, it has been known for incorrectly labelled wine to be served - but I’m sure those wicked waiters didn’t offer the corks for inspection. If you are ever in a restaurant where you suspect the wine is not true to label, don’t bother to read the cork. Leave immediately - don’t wait to find out what they have done to the food!

I suppose some diners do expect to see the cork, just as they expect an already half-frozen bottle of wine to be plunged into an ostentatious silver bucket of messy ice and water, and to have their sparkling wine served in prawn cocktail glasses. If they want to see, feel or smell the cork, let them ask for it. As for me, if a cork is put in front of me, I quickly consign the ugly thing to the ashtray.
Once we had to learn our wine lore from books; now we have wine appreciation classes in all our capital cities.



About The Author:

Henry Hill is a writer for Wine & Food Magazine and NutritionComparison.org


Image Credit:
Uncalno

What makes breakfast the best meal of the day - that’s easy, it’s dishes like the classic fry up.
And while it’s commonly known in these parts as the “full English breakfast”, there are actually a few regional variations. Today as you travel around Blighty’s great nation you can tuck into the English breakfast, Welsh Breakfast, Ulster Fry and last but not least - the full Scottish breakfast.


And there’s a method behind the madness, too; it’s the quality of the ingredients - rather than the way they are prepared - that take centre stage in the Scottish breakfast. So next time you’re out exploring Scotland’s many hills and castles, don’t forget to fuel up at your hotel in Aberdeen with a full Scottish breakfast.

The starting line up

Eggs - The most common way to get your eggs with a full Scottish breakfast is fried or poached, though a good eatery should prepare them for you any way you like. If you’re making this at home but aren’t necessarily a legend in the kitchen, use this simple tip for making the perfect boiled egg. Drop your egg into simmering hot water and stir occasionally. For the perfect medium boiled egg throw on Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody - when the song is done, so is your snack.

Black pudding - It’s a food that divides families; some love it, some loathe it. At first glance, black pudding might seem an extravagant dish, but it’s actually the opposite - not wanting to waste any part of the pig, in the olden days peasants preserved the blood, mixed it vigorously with cereal, poured it into the intestines, then tied and stored it to be cooked and eaten later. Scots will argue that the best black pudding in the world comes from Stornaway in the north of the country. Try some and you might agree.

Sausage - Unlike our neighbours to the north, the traditional full Scottish breakfast features sliced sausage (called Lorne sausage) rather than sausage links - seasoned pork meat is set into a square and sliced then grilled or fried to perfection. Delicious.

Bacon ­­- No cooked breakfast would be complete without back bacon and the Full Scottish is no exception. Today bacon of different cuts and cures is readily available at both the butcher’s and grocers - but did you know that wasn’t always the case? Until the industrial revolution bacon was typically only prepared once a year at Martinmas - the date that marked the first slaughter of pigs.

Haggis - What Robert Burns called “great chieftan o’ the puddin’ race” is the stuff of legends - literally. Many travellers are lead to believe a haggis is a small animal when they land on the shores of Scotland, but actually, it’s a savoury pudding made with sheep’s pluck (that’s heart, liver and lungs) along with minced onion, oatmeal, suet, spices and salt, all mixed together with stock and then packed into sausage casing.

Grilled Veg - It might be difficult to believe, but meat isn’t the only food group that features in the full Scottish breakfast. Like the traditional English fry up, grilled mushroom and tomato also regularly make an appearance on the plate.

Baked beans - Though they’re called ‘baked beans’, believe it or not, despite the name they’re usually stewed in that savoury-sweet sauce that makes them such a favourite with diners of all ages.

Toast - So simple, so essential. No breakfast would be complete without a nice crunchy piece of toast smothered in creamy butter.

So from hotels in Edinburgh all the way up to hotels in Aberdeen make sure to try the full Scottish breakfast to get you going in the morning.

Do you prefer the full English or full Scottish breakfast?


About The Author:

Catherine Halsey writes about a broad range of topics including touring around Scotland. She has found staying at hotels in Aberdeen is a great base to explore the northern reaches of Scotland.

Image Credits:
eisaru

When the weather warms up, one of the most enjoyable experiences in the evening is eating outdoors. Whether you’re on the street and you want to be around people or you want something more intimate as part of a roof top dining location, the experience of outdoor dining can be made all the more exceptional if you can incorporate some of the following key ingredients:

Views

If you have the option of offering a better view of the country side or of your town, be sure to plan your outdoor dining area in order to offer the best views possible. While some restaurant owners will be limited by their space, do what you can to balance a private, intimate experience with a great view of interesting surroundings, such as providing a view of a nearby field or opening up a wall so that customers can see a popular local attraction.

Shade from the Sun

A strong dose of sunlight can ruin an afternoon lunch with too much heat or blind diners in the evening as it sets. By investing in umbrellas, a canopy, shades, or an awning, you will make your outdoor dining area far more enjoyable for customers and will give yourself longer periods of time where it will be useful for dining. For example, a dining area in the blazing sun on a hot day won’t attract very many people, but if you set up some umbrellas or a canopy that will provide enough shade, customers will find your location far more attractive.

Lighting for Evening Diners

Big spotlights will kill the mood and blind diners in your outdoor seating area. Most pictures of the best outdoor eating areas show long strands of light bulbs that disperse light evenly without concentrating it in any one location. This minimizes bugs and adds to the ambiance of your location.

A Barrier from the Street

Whether you use large flower boxes, railings, potted plants, or more creative dividers that you can move as needed, a barrier will help you create a sense of space for diners at your restaurant and give them a better experience. At the very least, a barrier of some sort will keep pedestrians from cutting through your dining area and disrupting meals.

Flowers

Every outdoor restaurant or restaurant with outdoor seating needs flowers or landscaping. This creates a far more pleasant atmosphere for customers and gives them something to enjoy while they wait for their food. You can also use flowers to give greater privacy in between tables or between the patio and the street.

Secure Tables

The materials you use on your patio can go a long way to creating a secure, stable platform for your tables. While bricks may be nice for walk ways, they don’t always make for a good dining room floor since they can chip or break over time, leading to uneven tables that will wobble.

If you have tables on an uneven sidewalk that you are unable to modify, you still have some options. For example, by using something as simple as wobble wedges to steady a table, you’ll save customers from embarrassing and inconvenient spills when a table shifts. These wedges come in clear and black colors so that they’ll remain inconspicuous.

Clean and Dry Seats

When you have outdoor dining, rain and birds can do a number on your seats. By making sure at least one if not all staff members clean and dry the outdoor seats, you’ll save yourself the embarrassment of almost giving a customer a dirty or wet seat. First impressions are extremely important, and you want to give your customers the best impression of your establishment even before they sit down.

The recipe for the best outdoor dining set up isn’t mysterious, but it does take some time and upfront investment. However, these elements will go a long way to giving customers the best experience possible when they eat out and will surely encourage them to return.


About The Author:

This article was written by the established author, Ed Quinn after analyzing his worst and best restaurant experiences.

Image Credit:
Sheraton Hotels and Resorts