by: Alyssa Nair
Wine making is one of the fastest-growing hobbies in the United States. It is a skill passed down from generation to generation and each successful generation likes to add some special touches to give there wine a unique taste. Wine making is like anything else, the more you practice, the better you will become. There are five basic components to making wine: harvesting, crushing and pressing, fermentation, clarification, aging and bottling. This hobby is remarkably easy to learn and, compared to other hobbies, amazingly cheap plus it is fun and makes great gifts for that special occasion.
The First Step is the Grapes
The first real step in wine making is definitely growing the grapes and believe it or not this is not that hard to do right at home in your own backyard. For red wines the grape preparation includes mashing the grapes, sometimes with the stems, in a machine or by stomping with your feet which is still practiced in some parts of the world today. Grape preparation for white wines is a more involved process. The complete contact between the juice and the skins after crushing grapes gives red wines their color but to maintain the white wine’s clarity the contact between the skins and the juice is dramatically reduced or you can let the crushed grapes naturally drain producing a lighter white wine. You can use any organic fruit or vegetable to make wine with and this helps to give your wine a unique and extraordinary taste that is all your own.
There are several things to think about when making wine at home, like the sterilization of the equipment, the grapes themselves, the skins, the process used (there are a few different ones), temperatures etc. Harvesting or picking the right grapes is certainly the first step in the actual wine making process. Traditionally the next step is crushing the entire cluster of fresh ripe grapes with either a machine or by foot. Next is the fermentation process which turns the juice into wine and it is one of the most important steps in wine making. The trick is make sure your fermented fruit does not turn to vinegar by processing it to long, just allow it to ferment and become wine, not vinegar. Once fermentation is completed, the clarification process begins and the final stage of the wine making process involves the aging and bottling of wine.
The Fermentation
The fermentation process will slow as the sugar is consumed and in two or three weeks will be essentially complete but depending on the temperature at which the fermentation takes place, the lower temperature the longer to process which means it can take up to a month for the fermentation to finish. You can also stop the progress too soon, known as "stuck fermentation", leaving residual sugar in the wine.
Here is a list of thing to make sure you have before the fermentation process begins:
Campden Tablets: These tablets are added before fermentation and again before bottling.
Pectic Enzyme: This is added to help break down the fruit during fermentation.
The Hydrometer: This allows you to determine the alcohol level of your wine and it will help you to track the progress of your wine's fermentation.
Yeast Energizer: Provides essential minerals, trace nutrients and vitamins for yeast growth and metabolism during fermentation.
Yeast Nutrient: Add to fermentation to increase yeast activity. Juice will begin fermenting naturally within 6-12 hours with the aid of wild yeasts in the air.
The process of creating wine at home is considered a passion and an art form shared by serious wine enthusiasts from around the world. You can learn so much by making wine in your home and it gives you a sense of accomplishment. Home wine making is inexpensive, takes very little time, and the results are good quality wine at a fraction of the prices you would pay in a store.
Sabtu, 21 Juni 2008
Recipe For Ginger Beer, A Wonderful Non Alcoholic Beverage
by: Drew Brown
Ginger beer has a completely different recipe than regular beer, its completely non alcoholic and easy to make, the confusion that people have probably lays in the term beer, its just a common mistake. Ginger beer may be mixed with beer (usually a British ale of some sort) to make one type of shandy. Anyone can make this ginger beer recipe and everyone can drink it, even children.
The process involved of making home made ginger beer is quite simple and quick, it is a lot of fun to make even with your (grand)children. really anyone can make this refreshing recipe. There are a lot of ginger beer recipes you can find online but the one we will give you is especially popular
What do you need for your own Home Made Ginger Beer
Ingredients and Tools:
When you plan to make your own home made ginger beer you need the proper tools and ingredients. For our ginger beer recipe you will need eight pint (plastic) bottles or four quart (plastic) bottles, and bowls where you can make the mixture in.
Basic Ginger Beer Recipe
For this most basic home made ginger beer recipe, the required ingredients are as follows:
- 2 oz. fresh ginger
- 1 tsp. cream of tartar
- 2 lemons
- 1 lb. sugar
- 1 oz. yeast.
- 1 gallon boiling water
The preparation is easy, You need to wash the lemons and slice them in thick rings, after that the ginger root should be roughly crushed. Mix the ginger, lemon, sugar and cream of tartar in a large bowl.
Pour the boiling water over the top, stir the mixture and let it cool to lukewarm temperature. After that you need to stir in the yeast. You'll need to leave it for 24-48 hours to let the yeast go to work. Once the plastic bottle is very hard, and can't be squeezed, the ginger beer is done. At that time you need to skim off the yeast and the mixture strained. After that your ginger beer can be bottled. Place the bottle in the fridge overnight. This halts the yeast and stops the bottle exploding. Once the ginger beer is chilled, pour it into a glass and enjoy. When you just follow this simple ginger beer recipe you can't go wrong.
Exploding bottles
Because of the yeast, ginger beer can be a very aggressive fermenter, it produces high pressure very rapidly. So it is better not to bottle ginger beer in glass bottles. You also should not leave the finished ginger beer in a closed up warm place, because this can result in generating enough pressure to explode the lid of.
This is just one, although very popular, recipe for ginger beer. On the internet or at your favorite brewing supply store you can find many more.
Have fun in making this delicious Ginger Beer recipe, and enjoy making it together with your children or grandchildren. Together you can make little changes to make it your personal Ginger Beer recipe.
Ginger beer has a completely different recipe than regular beer, its completely non alcoholic and easy to make, the confusion that people have probably lays in the term beer, its just a common mistake. Ginger beer may be mixed with beer (usually a British ale of some sort) to make one type of shandy. Anyone can make this ginger beer recipe and everyone can drink it, even children.
The process involved of making home made ginger beer is quite simple and quick, it is a lot of fun to make even with your (grand)children. really anyone can make this refreshing recipe. There are a lot of ginger beer recipes you can find online but the one we will give you is especially popular
What do you need for your own Home Made Ginger Beer
Ingredients and Tools:
When you plan to make your own home made ginger beer you need the proper tools and ingredients. For our ginger beer recipe you will need eight pint (plastic) bottles or four quart (plastic) bottles, and bowls where you can make the mixture in.
Basic Ginger Beer Recipe
For this most basic home made ginger beer recipe, the required ingredients are as follows:
- 2 oz. fresh ginger
- 1 tsp. cream of tartar
- 2 lemons
- 1 lb. sugar
- 1 oz. yeast.
- 1 gallon boiling water
The preparation is easy, You need to wash the lemons and slice them in thick rings, after that the ginger root should be roughly crushed. Mix the ginger, lemon, sugar and cream of tartar in a large bowl.
Pour the boiling water over the top, stir the mixture and let it cool to lukewarm temperature. After that you need to stir in the yeast. You'll need to leave it for 24-48 hours to let the yeast go to work. Once the plastic bottle is very hard, and can't be squeezed, the ginger beer is done. At that time you need to skim off the yeast and the mixture strained. After that your ginger beer can be bottled. Place the bottle in the fridge overnight. This halts the yeast and stops the bottle exploding. Once the ginger beer is chilled, pour it into a glass and enjoy. When you just follow this simple ginger beer recipe you can't go wrong.
Exploding bottles
Because of the yeast, ginger beer can be a very aggressive fermenter, it produces high pressure very rapidly. So it is better not to bottle ginger beer in glass bottles. You also should not leave the finished ginger beer in a closed up warm place, because this can result in generating enough pressure to explode the lid of.
This is just one, although very popular, recipe for ginger beer. On the internet or at your favorite brewing supply store you can find many more.
Have fun in making this delicious Ginger Beer recipe, and enjoy making it together with your children or grandchildren. Together you can make little changes to make it your personal Ginger Beer recipe.
Choosing the Right Bean to Cup Coffee Machine
by: Fenton Wayne
Bean to cup coffee machines enable the caterer to serve superb tasting fresh espresso coffee drinks and speciality coffee variations at the touch of the button with the minimum of fuss.
Customers demand quality and choice. Gone are the days of offering a choice of a black or white coffee. Nowadays it is important to offer the very best coffee and coffee variations in different cup sizes together with a decaffeinated option.
The most convenient way of supplying this insatiable demand is with a bean to cup machine.
Bean to cup machine capacity (usage) is usually divided into three criteria.
Light volume - serving between to 30-80 cups a day
Medium volume - serving 100-200 cups a day
High volume - serving 250+ cups a day
If your expected number of cups per day is close to the overlap of volume then we recommend that you go for the next model up.
Perhaps the most important thing to consider when choosing a machine is whether to go for a model with a 'built in' milk frother'.
Cheaper models will not have a built in milk frother, but may have the option of an 'add on' unit that froths the milk. The more expensive models have a fully automatic milk frother built into the machine which is also refrigerated to keep the milk cool.
Since a high percentage of drinks served will likely contain frothed milk it only really makes sense to go for the fully automatic built in versions unless your budget is very restrictive. Add-on milk frothers can be clumsy and not function to a consistent basis. There is nothing more frustrating to a busy caterer than a shop full of customers and milk that won't froth!
If your budget is tight it is best to compromise on some other features rather than the fully automatic frother option. If you are happy for you or your staff to froth milk by hand then you might as well go for the more traditional espresso machine instead and froth the milk whilst waiting for the coffee to come through the group head.
Recently there have appeared on the market bean to cup machines which incorporate a canister of powdered milk for those who do not want the inconvenience of fresh milk, although this is a trade off with sacrificing overall drink quality.
Bean to cup machines are big business. There are now a large number of manufacturers of bean to cup machines and the number is growing all the time.
It is best to choose a model from a manufacture that they have been producing for a number of years so that any initial problems have long since been ironed out. Now is not the time to be a guinea pig with a brand new model however fantastic it may seem.
Most manufacturers produce a series of models with different functions and features suitable for low, medium and high volume coffee production.
This is where you pays your money and takes your choice!
Machines are available with one, two, three or even four bean hoppers. This gives extra capacity for busy periods and / or the option of a decaffeinated coffee.
Auditing facilities are also available on the top models where information about the drinks served over any given period can be obtained and maybe downloaded onto a computer for later analysis.
Digital displays, visual looks should also be considered before making your final choice. Note that many of the top models are available in a choice of colours to match the decor of the establishment.
However as already mentioned the two most important things to establish are that the machine can cope with expected demand and that it has a built in milk frother. All other features can be considered secondary.
Before contacting a potential supplier make sure you have decided which size and what features you would like from your machine with reference to this report. That way you will not be persuaded to upgrade or pay for things you do not really require.
Don't forget to pay particular attention to the servicing costs and water treatment systems.
Remember that without a built-in milk frother you will have to froth the milk by hand and that may cause problems.
However a reliable and well maintained bean to cup machine should give many years of profitable service and provide excellent quality delicious drinks to your customers.
Bean to cup coffee machines enable the caterer to serve superb tasting fresh espresso coffee drinks and speciality coffee variations at the touch of the button with the minimum of fuss.
Customers demand quality and choice. Gone are the days of offering a choice of a black or white coffee. Nowadays it is important to offer the very best coffee and coffee variations in different cup sizes together with a decaffeinated option.
The most convenient way of supplying this insatiable demand is with a bean to cup machine.
Bean to cup machine capacity (usage) is usually divided into three criteria.
Light volume - serving between to 30-80 cups a day
Medium volume - serving 100-200 cups a day
High volume - serving 250+ cups a day
If your expected number of cups per day is close to the overlap of volume then we recommend that you go for the next model up.
Perhaps the most important thing to consider when choosing a machine is whether to go for a model with a 'built in' milk frother'.
Cheaper models will not have a built in milk frother, but may have the option of an 'add on' unit that froths the milk. The more expensive models have a fully automatic milk frother built into the machine which is also refrigerated to keep the milk cool.
Since a high percentage of drinks served will likely contain frothed milk it only really makes sense to go for the fully automatic built in versions unless your budget is very restrictive. Add-on milk frothers can be clumsy and not function to a consistent basis. There is nothing more frustrating to a busy caterer than a shop full of customers and milk that won't froth!
If your budget is tight it is best to compromise on some other features rather than the fully automatic frother option. If you are happy for you or your staff to froth milk by hand then you might as well go for the more traditional espresso machine instead and froth the milk whilst waiting for the coffee to come through the group head.
Recently there have appeared on the market bean to cup machines which incorporate a canister of powdered milk for those who do not want the inconvenience of fresh milk, although this is a trade off with sacrificing overall drink quality.
Bean to cup machines are big business. There are now a large number of manufacturers of bean to cup machines and the number is growing all the time.
It is best to choose a model from a manufacture that they have been producing for a number of years so that any initial problems have long since been ironed out. Now is not the time to be a guinea pig with a brand new model however fantastic it may seem.
Most manufacturers produce a series of models with different functions and features suitable for low, medium and high volume coffee production.
This is where you pays your money and takes your choice!
Machines are available with one, two, three or even four bean hoppers. This gives extra capacity for busy periods and / or the option of a decaffeinated coffee.
Auditing facilities are also available on the top models where information about the drinks served over any given period can be obtained and maybe downloaded onto a computer for later analysis.
Digital displays, visual looks should also be considered before making your final choice. Note that many of the top models are available in a choice of colours to match the decor of the establishment.
However as already mentioned the two most important things to establish are that the machine can cope with expected demand and that it has a built in milk frother. All other features can be considered secondary.
Before contacting a potential supplier make sure you have decided which size and what features you would like from your machine with reference to this report. That way you will not be persuaded to upgrade or pay for things you do not really require.
Don't forget to pay particular attention to the servicing costs and water treatment systems.
Remember that without a built-in milk frother you will have to froth the milk by hand and that may cause problems.
However a reliable and well maintained bean to cup machine should give many years of profitable service and provide excellent quality delicious drinks to your customers.
Gourmet Coffee And Charity
by: George Moore
Charity starts at home. Most people start their day drinking a cup of coffee. What a great way to start the day - knowing you are helping to make the world a better place.
Let's start with Fair Trade. Fair Trade is a viable solution to this crisis, assuring consumers that the coffee we drink was purchased under fair conditions. To become Fair Trade certified, an importer must meet stringent international criteria and pay an American company an astronimical fee to use the label; paying a minimum price per pound of a dollar.26, providing much needed credit to farmers, and providing technical assistance such as help transitioning to organic farming. Fair Trade for coffee farmers means community development, health, education, and environmental stewardship. The beauty of Fair Trade is it helps farmers in third world countries - so instead of getting $.50 per pound they get $1.50 per pound. A noble concept and should be at the basic of every purchase as a minimum. If given the choice choose Fair Trade over non Fair Trade.
But this is settling -when you can do so much more. There are now coffee companies that use their profits to help so many worthy causes.
There are a few great gourmet coffee companies that give all their profits to help so many worthy causes. For example two companies come to mind:Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee and Coffee for Children give all their profits to helping children. And best of all they are Fair Trade so they are helping support the small farmers on the back end. But more importantly instead of helping a Starbucks fill their coffers with more profits you are helping impoverished children with the retail profits.
We believe in a total transformation of the coffee industry, so that all coffee sold in this country should be as a minimum a Fair Trade Certified, or if produced on a plantation, that workers' rights should be guaranteed and independently monitored. Our view includes social justice and environmental sustainability: all coffee should be certified organic and shade grown where applicable. And all these coffees should also be Shade Grown and Bird certified coffee.
But more importantly the coffee should be used to help children or the elderly. Can you imagine the help that would come from the $5 billion coffee industry helping homeless children? So next time you are Sipping on that $6 cup of coffee and on that next time you sit inside your Starbucks and try to figure out how you can make the world a better place.
Charity starts at home. Most people start their day drinking a cup of coffee. What a great way to start the day - knowing you are helping to make the world a better place.
Let's start with Fair Trade. Fair Trade is a viable solution to this crisis, assuring consumers that the coffee we drink was purchased under fair conditions. To become Fair Trade certified, an importer must meet stringent international criteria and pay an American company an astronimical fee to use the label; paying a minimum price per pound of a dollar.26, providing much needed credit to farmers, and providing technical assistance such as help transitioning to organic farming. Fair Trade for coffee farmers means community development, health, education, and environmental stewardship. The beauty of Fair Trade is it helps farmers in third world countries - so instead of getting $.50 per pound they get $1.50 per pound. A noble concept and should be at the basic of every purchase as a minimum. If given the choice choose Fair Trade over non Fair Trade.
But this is settling -when you can do so much more. There are now coffee companies that use their profits to help so many worthy causes.
There are a few great gourmet coffee companies that give all their profits to help so many worthy causes. For example two companies come to mind:Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee and Coffee for Children give all their profits to helping children. And best of all they are Fair Trade so they are helping support the small farmers on the back end. But more importantly instead of helping a Starbucks fill their coffers with more profits you are helping impoverished children with the retail profits.
We believe in a total transformation of the coffee industry, so that all coffee sold in this country should be as a minimum a Fair Trade Certified, or if produced on a plantation, that workers' rights should be guaranteed and independently monitored. Our view includes social justice and environmental sustainability: all coffee should be certified organic and shade grown where applicable. And all these coffees should also be Shade Grown and Bird certified coffee.
But more importantly the coffee should be used to help children or the elderly. Can you imagine the help that would come from the $5 billion coffee industry helping homeless children? So next time you are Sipping on that $6 cup of coffee and on that next time you sit inside your Starbucks and try to figure out how you can make the world a better place.
Mexican Food Started Here
by: Jane Butel
Most do not know the important role New Mexico has played in culinary history. Researchers and archeologists agree that New Mexico was one of the earliest settlements of the Mongolians and Tibetans when they came over the Bering strait to settle the Americas. The area has attracted visitors from before recorded history, who in turn created the pure, often spicy flavors known in New Mexico's foods.
Primarily chiles are both king and queen. Chiles themselves have been more developed in New Mexico than anywhere—especially since World War II, when Dr. Jim Nakiyami, a Professor at New Mexico State University gave his leadership to developing many, many new varieties of chiles.
And, most do not know that the first American wines were made in New Mexico. The priests, Jesuits and Monks brought the first cuttings of grapes here in the 1620's from Spain, thus predating the California wine industry by 140 years.
With Prohibition in the 1920's the wine making died out, not to get started again until 50 years later in the late 1970's. Now there are over 50 wine makers throughout the state making world class, award winning wines. The wines go very well with the chile laden traditional dishes as well as any kind of food or enjoyed alone. New Mexico is often credited with being the fountainhead of the Mexican taste. For it is there that the earliest settlers from Asia; who were the root population of the Western areas of the Americas, first settled and lent their primitive cooking methods and simple, straight forward ingredients to create a simple, frontier cuisine that continues to win the hearts and souls of all who try it.
>From New Mexico, the earliest settlers went south to populate Central and South America, taking their culinary customs with them. So there are similarities in the native cuisines of all the Americas.
No matter whether the chiles are the unripe green ones or the ripe red ones, they both provide the great benefits of capsaicin which is so amazing as an antioxidant.—often cited as the world's greatest anti-oxidant. And anti-oxidants basically are good for us as an inhibitor of cancer cell development among other claims.
Chiles enhance your entire body's functions—making your heart healthier, also your entire vascular system, enhancing your digestion, your skin and your waistline. They excite your endorphins more than any other food and on a scale of "runner's high".
So you gotta try them. Don't let the spiciness or hotness scare you—the hotter the healthier, however to begin with start mild and work up to hotter. You will be glad you did—but get ready, they are habit forming—nearly an addiction, so you will more than likely get hooked on the wonderfully exciting flavors.
However, if you do get uncomfortably hot and spicy chiles, just remember that you can tame them down quickly by eating or drinking anything sweet, dairy or acid such as lime juice or wine.
In this simplistic cuisine, created out of less than 10 major ingredients, corn is the real staple with the chiles being the personality. Beans are very important as are various members of the gourd and lily families to the cuisine.
Actually the combination of chiles, corn and beans is considered one of the three most healthy cuisines in the world. The other two are Eastern and Western Mediterranean.
Perhaps the New Mexican native's favorite traditional dish is Red Chile Enchiladas while most visitor's to our state prefer the Green Chile ones. In New Mexico, when an enchilada (which by the way means "in chile") is served as a main course, it is served flat, not rolled.
What most people think of as Mexican food elsewhere in the world, really is New Mexican food. And now, it is the most popular taste in America, outselling all other cuisines nationally. Tortillas outsell bread and margaritas are the most popular cocktail. Amazing, from such simple roots.
The flavors are purer, simpler and more robust by far in New Mexico than in Old Mexico, where the European influence was stronger in the development of their cuisine.
Some popular traditional New Mexican dishes are Carne Adovado, which was developed originally by the Spanish as a way to preserve pork after butchering. Red chile being the world's best anti-oxidant retards spoilage—a hint the Spanish learned from the Indians. The dish is a simple preparation of slow roasted pork that has marinated in a red chile and herb marinade. Amazingly good, if well prepared.
A truly native dish is posole, the bowl of many blessings--a dish made from lime (as in agricultural ground lime) soaked corn kernels. It is stewed with well browned pork bits, chiles and herbs. It is quite flavorful. Posole is a reverant dish due to the fact that posole is the Mother process for preserving corn and corn in the Native religions is the Giver of Life—their Eve so to speak.
New Mexico style chile rellenos are another native treat. They are traditionally stuffed with cheese and crusted with a meringue or corn crust and fried. They are quite good as a main dish or side dish.
A truly native ingredient is the blue corn, which was developed by the Ancients. It is smoked with pinon wood as they did not have access to agricultural lime for preserving the corn.
Sopaipillas were first made in 1620 in the courtyard in front of the San Francisco de Neri church in Old Town Albuquerque. They were first made as a treat for the Indians who attended church.
Most do not know the important role New Mexico has played in culinary history. Researchers and archeologists agree that New Mexico was one of the earliest settlements of the Mongolians and Tibetans when they came over the Bering strait to settle the Americas. The area has attracted visitors from before recorded history, who in turn created the pure, often spicy flavors known in New Mexico's foods.
Primarily chiles are both king and queen. Chiles themselves have been more developed in New Mexico than anywhere—especially since World War II, when Dr. Jim Nakiyami, a Professor at New Mexico State University gave his leadership to developing many, many new varieties of chiles.
And, most do not know that the first American wines were made in New Mexico. The priests, Jesuits and Monks brought the first cuttings of grapes here in the 1620's from Spain, thus predating the California wine industry by 140 years.
With Prohibition in the 1920's the wine making died out, not to get started again until 50 years later in the late 1970's. Now there are over 50 wine makers throughout the state making world class, award winning wines. The wines go very well with the chile laden traditional dishes as well as any kind of food or enjoyed alone. New Mexico is often credited with being the fountainhead of the Mexican taste. For it is there that the earliest settlers from Asia; who were the root population of the Western areas of the Americas, first settled and lent their primitive cooking methods and simple, straight forward ingredients to create a simple, frontier cuisine that continues to win the hearts and souls of all who try it.
>From New Mexico, the earliest settlers went south to populate Central and South America, taking their culinary customs with them. So there are similarities in the native cuisines of all the Americas.
No matter whether the chiles are the unripe green ones or the ripe red ones, they both provide the great benefits of capsaicin which is so amazing as an antioxidant.—often cited as the world's greatest anti-oxidant. And anti-oxidants basically are good for us as an inhibitor of cancer cell development among other claims.
Chiles enhance your entire body's functions—making your heart healthier, also your entire vascular system, enhancing your digestion, your skin and your waistline. They excite your endorphins more than any other food and on a scale of "runner's high".
So you gotta try them. Don't let the spiciness or hotness scare you—the hotter the healthier, however to begin with start mild and work up to hotter. You will be glad you did—but get ready, they are habit forming—nearly an addiction, so you will more than likely get hooked on the wonderfully exciting flavors.
However, if you do get uncomfortably hot and spicy chiles, just remember that you can tame them down quickly by eating or drinking anything sweet, dairy or acid such as lime juice or wine.
In this simplistic cuisine, created out of less than 10 major ingredients, corn is the real staple with the chiles being the personality. Beans are very important as are various members of the gourd and lily families to the cuisine.
Actually the combination of chiles, corn and beans is considered one of the three most healthy cuisines in the world. The other two are Eastern and Western Mediterranean.
Perhaps the New Mexican native's favorite traditional dish is Red Chile Enchiladas while most visitor's to our state prefer the Green Chile ones. In New Mexico, when an enchilada (which by the way means "in chile") is served as a main course, it is served flat, not rolled.
What most people think of as Mexican food elsewhere in the world, really is New Mexican food. And now, it is the most popular taste in America, outselling all other cuisines nationally. Tortillas outsell bread and margaritas are the most popular cocktail. Amazing, from such simple roots.
The flavors are purer, simpler and more robust by far in New Mexico than in Old Mexico, where the European influence was stronger in the development of their cuisine.
Some popular traditional New Mexican dishes are Carne Adovado, which was developed originally by the Spanish as a way to preserve pork after butchering. Red chile being the world's best anti-oxidant retards spoilage—a hint the Spanish learned from the Indians. The dish is a simple preparation of slow roasted pork that has marinated in a red chile and herb marinade. Amazingly good, if well prepared.
A truly native dish is posole, the bowl of many blessings--a dish made from lime (as in agricultural ground lime) soaked corn kernels. It is stewed with well browned pork bits, chiles and herbs. It is quite flavorful. Posole is a reverant dish due to the fact that posole is the Mother process for preserving corn and corn in the Native religions is the Giver of Life—their Eve so to speak.
New Mexico style chile rellenos are another native treat. They are traditionally stuffed with cheese and crusted with a meringue or corn crust and fried. They are quite good as a main dish or side dish.
A truly native ingredient is the blue corn, which was developed by the Ancients. It is smoked with pinon wood as they did not have access to agricultural lime for preserving the corn.
Sopaipillas were first made in 1620 in the courtyard in front of the San Francisco de Neri church in Old Town Albuquerque. They were first made as a treat for the Indians who attended church.
Baking Versus Cooking
by: Jeff Gustafson
We're all different. No two individuals are exactly alike; however, there are some general categories that seem to hold true. For instance, there are the Morning People and the Night People. I am definitely of the latter variety. About 9:00 p.m. something kicks into gear—a burst of energy, creativity, and feeling totally alive—and I could work until daylight, and have done so many times. Mornings are an entirely different story—for the first 30 minutes of the day I hardly know which planet I'm on. There are some Morning People in my family. They awake with the birds, happy, cheerful, and ready to meet the day with a smile—it's disgusting! Suffice it to say, we just don't understand each other.
In the culinary category there are also two basic classes of people as I see it: the Bakers and the Cooks. Baking is a very precise science. Flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, soda, milk, buttermilk, flavorings, shortening, oil, butter or other ingredients are used in a variety of ways in baked goods recipes, but they interact with each other in very specific ways. Measurements have to be precise or it's disasterville in the kitchen. Commercial bakers even weigh their ingredients to assure they're using just the right amount. Cookbooks have recipes that are tested and re-tested until the directions shown, if followed, will result in a tasty dish. There is very little room for personal variations unless the baker has a great deal of experience. When we see a famous chef on TV appearing to simply mix in this and that in a somewhat carefree manner, it's just because he or she has put in a great deal of time learning basic measurements and techniques that yield that mouth-watering masterpiece.
Although I can turn out a good cake or pie when I have to, it's not what I enjoy most. A few of my baking experiments have yielded some "interesting" results, like the time I thought I'd vary a mini-chocolate cupcake recipe. I added some extra chocolate, filled the cupcakes with raspberry jam to which I had added raspberry liqueur, and just knew I had created little masterpieces. What I took out of the oven was a pan full of mini-disasters that resembled lumps of coal! So much for baking innovation.
Apart from my creative baking experiments, there's the whole other category of baking blunders. Recently, I prepared a batch of cranberry-orange muffins to thank a friend for his help with a computer problem. When he took the first bite, I knew something was definitely amiss by the scrunched up look on this face. He ran for the kitchen garbage can, spit out the offending mouthful and said, "Sorry, but that tasted terrible!" As I looked at the recipe again it dawned on me that in my haste to get the muffins in the oven before he arrived I had forgotten one very vital ingredient—sugar! This was another reminder to me that baking is a precise science that requires careful attention. If one ingredient isn't measured correctly or, in this case ignored, the result can be completely inedible.
On the other hand, there's COOKING, which I love! I'm fascinated with creating new recipes, varying others to make them look and taste just a bit different, or using ingredients in new ways.
For instance, take that good old American standby, potato salad. Most of us have our favorite recipe, but have you ever thought of some ways to vary your version? Take potatoes, the main ingredient. Do you go with Russet, Yukon Gold, White Rose, Baby Reds, or some of the more than 40 other less known varieties that are grown? And what about the onion family? We have lots of choices there too: white, sweet, and red onions, scallions, chives, or shallots, to name a few. Dressings are another story. Some people prefer mayonnaise; others, salad dressing, a creamy sour cream mixture, French dressing or a light vinaigrette. Then there are the add-ins, which can vary greatly. Some people don't consider it a real potato salad without the addition of chopped, hard-cooked eggs. Others prefer crumbled bacon bits, chopped pickles, sweet relish, or a variety of crisp vegetables. You get the idea—with cooking, there's room for innovation, and that sparks the creative side of me.
I am definitely a Cook as opposed to the esteemed title of Baker. My motto is, "a pinch of this, a smidge of that, a little bit of that spice to kick up the flavor, and don't forget the lemon zest."
Which kind of culinary aficionado are you—a Baker or a Cook?
We're all different. No two individuals are exactly alike; however, there are some general categories that seem to hold true. For instance, there are the Morning People and the Night People. I am definitely of the latter variety. About 9:00 p.m. something kicks into gear—a burst of energy, creativity, and feeling totally alive—and I could work until daylight, and have done so many times. Mornings are an entirely different story—for the first 30 minutes of the day I hardly know which planet I'm on. There are some Morning People in my family. They awake with the birds, happy, cheerful, and ready to meet the day with a smile—it's disgusting! Suffice it to say, we just don't understand each other.
In the culinary category there are also two basic classes of people as I see it: the Bakers and the Cooks. Baking is a very precise science. Flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, soda, milk, buttermilk, flavorings, shortening, oil, butter or other ingredients are used in a variety of ways in baked goods recipes, but they interact with each other in very specific ways. Measurements have to be precise or it's disasterville in the kitchen. Commercial bakers even weigh their ingredients to assure they're using just the right amount. Cookbooks have recipes that are tested and re-tested until the directions shown, if followed, will result in a tasty dish. There is very little room for personal variations unless the baker has a great deal of experience. When we see a famous chef on TV appearing to simply mix in this and that in a somewhat carefree manner, it's just because he or she has put in a great deal of time learning basic measurements and techniques that yield that mouth-watering masterpiece.
Although I can turn out a good cake or pie when I have to, it's not what I enjoy most. A few of my baking experiments have yielded some "interesting" results, like the time I thought I'd vary a mini-chocolate cupcake recipe. I added some extra chocolate, filled the cupcakes with raspberry jam to which I had added raspberry liqueur, and just knew I had created little masterpieces. What I took out of the oven was a pan full of mini-disasters that resembled lumps of coal! So much for baking innovation.
Apart from my creative baking experiments, there's the whole other category of baking blunders. Recently, I prepared a batch of cranberry-orange muffins to thank a friend for his help with a computer problem. When he took the first bite, I knew something was definitely amiss by the scrunched up look on this face. He ran for the kitchen garbage can, spit out the offending mouthful and said, "Sorry, but that tasted terrible!" As I looked at the recipe again it dawned on me that in my haste to get the muffins in the oven before he arrived I had forgotten one very vital ingredient—sugar! This was another reminder to me that baking is a precise science that requires careful attention. If one ingredient isn't measured correctly or, in this case ignored, the result can be completely inedible.
On the other hand, there's COOKING, which I love! I'm fascinated with creating new recipes, varying others to make them look and taste just a bit different, or using ingredients in new ways.
For instance, take that good old American standby, potato salad. Most of us have our favorite recipe, but have you ever thought of some ways to vary your version? Take potatoes, the main ingredient. Do you go with Russet, Yukon Gold, White Rose, Baby Reds, or some of the more than 40 other less known varieties that are grown? And what about the onion family? We have lots of choices there too: white, sweet, and red onions, scallions, chives, or shallots, to name a few. Dressings are another story. Some people prefer mayonnaise; others, salad dressing, a creamy sour cream mixture, French dressing or a light vinaigrette. Then there are the add-ins, which can vary greatly. Some people don't consider it a real potato salad without the addition of chopped, hard-cooked eggs. Others prefer crumbled bacon bits, chopped pickles, sweet relish, or a variety of crisp vegetables. You get the idea—with cooking, there's room for innovation, and that sparks the creative side of me.
I am definitely a Cook as opposed to the esteemed title of Baker. My motto is, "a pinch of this, a smidge of that, a little bit of that spice to kick up the flavor, and don't forget the lemon zest."
Which kind of culinary aficionado are you—a Baker or a Cook?
Tips To Making Your Crockpot Cooking Better
by: Jeff Jones
The crockpot may be the perfect cooking appliance for a new cook. It's no wonder it's become so popular in so many American Kitchens. You add the ingredients and turn it on. Let the slow cooker do the rest! Plus, it's really hard to mess up a crockpot recipe.
Here are some tips to make your slow-cooking better.
The best crockpots have a removable liner. The crockpots that have built-in liners are very difficult to clean. You will enjoy cooking in an appliance that is easy to care for. There are many inexpensive models of crockpots available now.
Try to buy a crockpot that's big enough to hold more than the normal amount of food you will need. That way, you'll have extra capacity available when you need it unexpectedly.
Make sure not to over-fill the pot when you are adding ingredients. The experts recommend filling it between one-half to two-thirds full maximum. This will facilitate even cooking and avoid the mess when it bubbles over.
Many crockpot recipes call for some sort of meat. Some of the best pot roasts and chicken dishes I've had have come from a crockpot! Remember when slow cooking meat to trim off excess fat. Due to the prolonged cooking in a slow cooker, that excess fat can really get cooked in giving your dish an odd taste.
No matter how good the meal starts to smell resist the temptation to open the lid. Each time you do, heat escapes, and the cooker will take longer to finish your meal. The ingredients at the bottom will cook faster than those on top, but it is not necessary to stir as often as you would a stove-top recipe. Keep that lid on except when it is absolutely necessary to stir your recipe.
As for cooking time as directed by recipes - keep in mind that one hour on high in a crockpot is equal to about 2 hours on low. If your slow cooker recipe calls for a four-hour cook time on high, but you want to eat in eight hours, cook your dish on low.
Crockpot cooking can be easy, fun and really tasty. Check out our assortment of crockpot cookers at http://www.searchkitchenappliances.com/Small-Kitchen-Appliances/Cookers-Steamers
The crockpot may be the perfect cooking appliance for a new cook. It's no wonder it's become so popular in so many American Kitchens. You add the ingredients and turn it on. Let the slow cooker do the rest! Plus, it's really hard to mess up a crockpot recipe.
Here are some tips to make your slow-cooking better.
The best crockpots have a removable liner. The crockpots that have built-in liners are very difficult to clean. You will enjoy cooking in an appliance that is easy to care for. There are many inexpensive models of crockpots available now.
Try to buy a crockpot that's big enough to hold more than the normal amount of food you will need. That way, you'll have extra capacity available when you need it unexpectedly.
Make sure not to over-fill the pot when you are adding ingredients. The experts recommend filling it between one-half to two-thirds full maximum. This will facilitate even cooking and avoid the mess when it bubbles over.
Many crockpot recipes call for some sort of meat. Some of the best pot roasts and chicken dishes I've had have come from a crockpot! Remember when slow cooking meat to trim off excess fat. Due to the prolonged cooking in a slow cooker, that excess fat can really get cooked in giving your dish an odd taste.
No matter how good the meal starts to smell resist the temptation to open the lid. Each time you do, heat escapes, and the cooker will take longer to finish your meal. The ingredients at the bottom will cook faster than those on top, but it is not necessary to stir as often as you would a stove-top recipe. Keep that lid on except when it is absolutely necessary to stir your recipe.
As for cooking time as directed by recipes - keep in mind that one hour on high in a crockpot is equal to about 2 hours on low. If your slow cooker recipe calls for a four-hour cook time on high, but you want to eat in eight hours, cook your dish on low.
Crockpot cooking can be easy, fun and really tasty. Check out our assortment of crockpot cookers at http://www.searchkitchenappliances.com/Small-Kitchen-Appliances/Cookers-Steamers
Can Fresh Juice Prevent Varicose Veins?
by: Wilson Sager
Can Fresh Juice Prevent Varicose Veins?
What’s Varicose Veins
Swollen, elongated veins usually visible on your limbs are called varicose veins. These veins may cause aches, fatigue, or a burning sensation in the affected limbs. Generally more women than men are afflicted by this condition. Varicose veins are often unsightly and they can be more visible when an impacted person is standing because of increased blood pressure in the affected limbs. One of the first signs of varicose veins is when swelling occurs along a course of veins. If the impacted vein is in the leg, muscular cramps may occur with a feeling of general tiredness of the legs. In some cases, the normal flow of blood towards your heart may be reversed when you are in an upright position. This could lead to blood collecting in the lower part of your legs with the skin becoming purplish, and this may lead to other complications such as ulcers on the leg.
Juice in Diet Treats Varicose Veins
Regular fruit juice intake helps you to maintain proper weight. And along with a balanced diet of raw food and vegetables will give you nutrients that may help prevent varicose veins. Vitamin C and protein are components of collagen, part of the tissue in the veins and valves. If your collagen is in good shape, the tissues are likely to be more resistant a varicose condition. Organic raw vegetable juice like carrot juice in combination with spinach juice, have proven to be beneficial in treating varicose ailments. The juice formula proportions considered helpful is a mix of 1 ¼ cup of carrot juice and 1 cup of spinach juice. Also dark-colored berries like cherries, blueberries and blackberries have anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins: these are the pigments that tone & strengthen the walls of your veins. And pineapples are rich in bromelain enzyme that helps prevent blood clots. Clots are an uncommon but serious complication of many varicose veins patients.
Regular juicing provides required nutrients in much higher concentrations than people can get by just eating fruit. For better benefits have eight ounces of fresh berry or pineapple juice, alone or diluted with another fruit juice. Having one or two glasses daily of fresh fruit or vegetable juice a day (especially any combination of apple, beet, carrot, celery, citrus, parsley, or pineapple) and dietary supplements may be helpful in preventing and treating varicose veins.
Champion Juicer – Your Health Buddy
Fresh juice provides a healthy option, and the best juice is fresh homemade juice! In fact juice from a masticating juicer is a great choice. This juice provides maximum nutrients and is tastier too! For your best nutrition don’t get lazy and have packaged or chemically enhanced fast food. Other juicers, such as centrifugal juicers may make less effective juice since they can discard some fiber and micronutrients.
The Champion juicer, built since 1955, is one of the best masticating juicers available. This popular masticating juicer is powerful and famous for its durability, reliability and real integrity. Manufactured by Plastaket Manufacturing Co. in California, this juicer is backed-up with a 10 year limited warranty.
You can use lots of different juice recipes with a Champion Juicer to make your juice blend. Or just make up your own juice recipe. Champion juicers chew the fibers and break up the cells of vegetables and fruits. What you get is a great health drink that gives you more fiber, enzymes, vitamins and trace minerals. Your health benefits from this sweet dark, rich colored juice with a full-bodied flavor. To obtain more information about Champion Juicers go to http://www.AChampionJuicer.com.
Can Fresh Juice Prevent Varicose Veins?
What’s Varicose Veins
Swollen, elongated veins usually visible on your limbs are called varicose veins. These veins may cause aches, fatigue, or a burning sensation in the affected limbs. Generally more women than men are afflicted by this condition. Varicose veins are often unsightly and they can be more visible when an impacted person is standing because of increased blood pressure in the affected limbs. One of the first signs of varicose veins is when swelling occurs along a course of veins. If the impacted vein is in the leg, muscular cramps may occur with a feeling of general tiredness of the legs. In some cases, the normal flow of blood towards your heart may be reversed when you are in an upright position. This could lead to blood collecting in the lower part of your legs with the skin becoming purplish, and this may lead to other complications such as ulcers on the leg.
Juice in Diet Treats Varicose Veins
Regular fruit juice intake helps you to maintain proper weight. And along with a balanced diet of raw food and vegetables will give you nutrients that may help prevent varicose veins. Vitamin C and protein are components of collagen, part of the tissue in the veins and valves. If your collagen is in good shape, the tissues are likely to be more resistant a varicose condition. Organic raw vegetable juice like carrot juice in combination with spinach juice, have proven to be beneficial in treating varicose ailments. The juice formula proportions considered helpful is a mix of 1 ¼ cup of carrot juice and 1 cup of spinach juice. Also dark-colored berries like cherries, blueberries and blackberries have anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins: these are the pigments that tone & strengthen the walls of your veins. And pineapples are rich in bromelain enzyme that helps prevent blood clots. Clots are an uncommon but serious complication of many varicose veins patients.
Regular juicing provides required nutrients in much higher concentrations than people can get by just eating fruit. For better benefits have eight ounces of fresh berry or pineapple juice, alone or diluted with another fruit juice. Having one or two glasses daily of fresh fruit or vegetable juice a day (especially any combination of apple, beet, carrot, celery, citrus, parsley, or pineapple) and dietary supplements may be helpful in preventing and treating varicose veins.
Champion Juicer – Your Health Buddy
Fresh juice provides a healthy option, and the best juice is fresh homemade juice! In fact juice from a masticating juicer is a great choice. This juice provides maximum nutrients and is tastier too! For your best nutrition don’t get lazy and have packaged or chemically enhanced fast food. Other juicers, such as centrifugal juicers may make less effective juice since they can discard some fiber and micronutrients.
The Champion juicer, built since 1955, is one of the best masticating juicers available. This popular masticating juicer is powerful and famous for its durability, reliability and real integrity. Manufactured by Plastaket Manufacturing Co. in California, this juicer is backed-up with a 10 year limited warranty.
You can use lots of different juice recipes with a Champion Juicer to make your juice blend. Or just make up your own juice recipe. Champion juicers chew the fibers and break up the cells of vegetables and fruits. What you get is a great health drink that gives you more fiber, enzymes, vitamins and trace minerals. Your health benefits from this sweet dark, rich colored juice with a full-bodied flavor. To obtain more information about Champion Juicers go to http://www.AChampionJuicer.com.
Caramel Apples the Perfect Gift for Any Occasions.
by: Frushippable
Are you wondering what to give that someone that has every thing? Caramel apples are the perfect gift, especially given the low cost and the delicious taste that leave you licking your lips. Caramel apples can be made in your kitchen or if you don’t have time to take on the task, then they can be purchased on the internet or at your local caramel apple shop. Caramel apples are most often made with granny smith apples; however many people are now using Delicious, Cameo, Fuji and many other varieties to create their favorite treat.
If you decide to make your apples, make sure you use premium ingredients, do not buy imitation chocolate, or flowing caramel because you will be asking for a DISASTER. If you absolutely must make the apples, then purchase caramel in the confectionary store and ask the store clerk for suggestions for which chocolate to use.
If you want to purchase caramel apples, look for apples that are firm and are packaged for gift giving. Caramel apples often come with a variety of nuts, chocolate and other toppings to suit the customers taste. Ask the store clerk if they can provide a ribbon and gift card for the apple. The last thing you want to do is create an impression that you just threw something together, just to say you gave a gift. Apples are great gifts for wedding guest, Christmas, and any occasion where you want to great a great impression.
Are you wondering what to give that someone that has every thing? Caramel apples are the perfect gift, especially given the low cost and the delicious taste that leave you licking your lips. Caramel apples can be made in your kitchen or if you don’t have time to take on the task, then they can be purchased on the internet or at your local caramel apple shop. Caramel apples are most often made with granny smith apples; however many people are now using Delicious, Cameo, Fuji and many other varieties to create their favorite treat.
If you decide to make your apples, make sure you use premium ingredients, do not buy imitation chocolate, or flowing caramel because you will be asking for a DISASTER. If you absolutely must make the apples, then purchase caramel in the confectionary store and ask the store clerk for suggestions for which chocolate to use.
If you want to purchase caramel apples, look for apples that are firm and are packaged for gift giving. Caramel apples often come with a variety of nuts, chocolate and other toppings to suit the customers taste. Ask the store clerk if they can provide a ribbon and gift card for the apple. The last thing you want to do is create an impression that you just threw something together, just to say you gave a gift. Apples are great gifts for wedding guest, Christmas, and any occasion where you want to great a great impression.
How to Sample A New Gourmet Coffee
by: George Moore
The Basics of Gourmet Coffee Tasting: Experienced tasters follow a very strict routine ritual when tasting a new gourmet coffee for the first time: much like the wine advocate tasting a new port.
They burn their mouths from letting the hot gourmet coffee linger for so long in their mouths. They want to obtain the full experience of the taste, the unique combination of sensations in the nose and on the tongue. Note to Readers: The taste profiles and characteristics discussed in this article apply to drip gourmet coffee. Flavor characteristics and descriptions will change with alternate brewing processes.
For all intents and purposes, our sense of smell and sense of taste are inseparable. Without our sense of smell, our taste sensations are limited. The tongue detects 4 basic sensations: sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. Most of what we experience as taste depends upon our sense of smell.
The tasting experience begins before you brew - with the grinding. When you inhale the aroma of ground gourmet coffee, you experience the first impression of its flavor - its Fragrance which alos comes out as you brew it. Aroma refers to your first encounter with a gourmet coffee when it's brewed - literally, the first contact of water and gourmet coffee. Lastly, there's a gourmet coffee's Nose. Take a sip of gourmet coffee. As soon as it reaches your tongue, it stimulates taste and simultaneously releases aromas inside the mouth.
Follow the lead of the experts: allow your sense of taste and smell to mingle. Enjoy the tactile feel of the gourmet coffee on your tongue.
Now that you've taken a good whiff and your first sip, it's time to let your tongue do the talking. Of all the facets of gourmet coffee, Taste is the most complex to discuss. Most experts concentrate on three elements Body, Acidity, & Balance. Body: A gourmet coffee's lipid or "oily" quality creates the tactile sensation of Body or "mouth feel."
Acidity: Naturally occurring acids in the beans combine with natural sugars that produce a sweetness that gives certain gourmet coffees a sharp pleasing tang or piquancy.
Balance: Think of Balance as a harmony of the many sensations yielded by a fine gourmet coffee. A "balanced" gourmet coffee is one whose flavor characteristics are all at the proper level for that variety. A quick note on Acidity: Don't let the term scare you. Acidity does NOT refer to pH levels discussed in high school chemistry class. It is not like hydrochloric acid or stomach acid. The gourmet coffee grown at the top of the mountain taste the bests while coffee grown in Africa or Asia is not actually coffee but a strongly flavored hybrid tea. You'll notice a gourmet coffee's acidity at every facet of tasting, but especially in a tingling sensation on your tongue. Acidity produces some of the pleasurable and distinctive sensations we enjoy when tasting gourmet coffee.
Now, back to our brew! After a sip is swallowed, the mouth and tongue retain a minute residue of gourmet coffee. This sensation produces the Aftertaste, the sensation that lingers on the palate. It is similar to the concept of "finish" in wine tasting. Aftertaste can vary considerably according to the gourmet coffee's body we mentioned Body as a primary characteristic. You'll notice a gourmet coffee's acidity at every facet of tasting, but especially in a tingling sensation on your tongue. It is a distinctly tactile sensation, and is sometimes called simply "mouth feel." Another comparison to wine is helpful. Burgundies are sometimes said to be "heavier" than most other reds and whites. The difference is not weight. Rather, Body is the texture and consistency, the thickness or slipperiness of the gourmet coffee.
A good cup of gourmet coffee represents the collaboration of many highly trained artisans - growers, professional tasters and roasters all working together to create a fine product. So, let all your senses work together to enjoy the fruits of their collaboration!
One good turn: about the gourmet coffee wheel. Much as wine tasters have created a wine tasting wheel to use an agreed upon terminology, professional gourmet coffee tasters use the Gourmet coffee Taster's Flavor Wheel to grade gourmet coffees. This flavor wheel is designed for the trained pallet of a professional. Professional coffee "cuppers" use this gourmet coffee guide when both drinking and buying gourmet coffee and for creating "taste characteristic profiles" of the gourmet coffees. Most of us would be better off not to worry so much about our gourmet coffee or our wine tasting abilities. The Flavor Characteristics chart is for use by the average "Joe". It is a simplified method of charting your favorite java's characteristics. The flavor descriptions that are most commonly used are defined below.
Know thyself: what flavors appeal to you? Here are some specific desirable flavor characteristics of gourmet coffee and the types of gourmet coffee that are associated with those characteristics.
Bright, Dry, Sharp, or Snappy - typical of Costa Rican, Guatemalan, Kenyan.
Caramels - candy like or syrupy, typical of Colombian Supreme.
Chocolaty - an aftertaste similar to unsweetened chocolate or vanilla. Typical of Costa Rican, Colombian Supreme and the House Blend.
Delicate - a subtle flavor perceived on the tip of the tongue.
Earthy - a soil characteristic, typical of Sumatran.
Fragrant - an aromatic characteristic ranging from floral to spicy, typical of Costa Rican, Sumatra Modeling and Kenyan.
Fruity - an aromatic characteristic reminiscent of berries or citrus.
Mellow - a round, smooth taste, typically lacks acid, typical of Colombian, Sumatra Modeling, Whole Latti Java and Organic Mexican.
Nutty - an aftertaste similar to roasted nuts, typical of Colombian and Organic Mexican.
Spicy - a flavor and aroma reminiscent of spices typical of Guatemala Huehuetenango.
Syrupy - strong, and rich, typical of Sumatran.
Sweat - the flavor you get from using your wifes panthose as the coffeefilter on a camping trip.
Woodiness - the flavor you get from using tree bark as your coffee filter.
Church coffee - harsh without much flavor
Winery - an aftertaste reminiscent of well-matured wine, typical of Kenyan, Guatemalan.
You will soon realize that Costa Rica has the best gourmet coffee - the perfect balance of flavor and smoothness - lots of flavor without the bitterness found in gourmet coffee. The Columbia gourmet coffee and the Brazil gourmet coffee are a close second as they deliver more flavor they tend to get slightly bitter and can lave an aftertaste of the gourmet coffee. The Africa gourmet coffee is harsh and the Asian gourmet coffee is sour, while the other Latin America gourmet coffee lacks full body and taste.
But have fun discovering for yourself as you sample and taste gourmet coffee from around the world. Now if we could only get our church coffee to sample some good gourmet coffee and learn how bad church coffee is. Once you have set values and methods you can better define which gourmet coffee you like but more importantly why you like the gourmet coffee.
And we hope a more educated gourmet coffee will understand better why Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee is the best gourmet coffee in Costa Rica and the best gourmet coffee served in America. Mission Grounds: Gourmet coffee for gourmet coffee drinkers and gourmet coffee experts.
The Basics of Gourmet Coffee Tasting: Experienced tasters follow a very strict routine ritual when tasting a new gourmet coffee for the first time: much like the wine advocate tasting a new port.
They burn their mouths from letting the hot gourmet coffee linger for so long in their mouths. They want to obtain the full experience of the taste, the unique combination of sensations in the nose and on the tongue. Note to Readers: The taste profiles and characteristics discussed in this article apply to drip gourmet coffee. Flavor characteristics and descriptions will change with alternate brewing processes.
For all intents and purposes, our sense of smell and sense of taste are inseparable. Without our sense of smell, our taste sensations are limited. The tongue detects 4 basic sensations: sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. Most of what we experience as taste depends upon our sense of smell.
The tasting experience begins before you brew - with the grinding. When you inhale the aroma of ground gourmet coffee, you experience the first impression of its flavor - its Fragrance which alos comes out as you brew it. Aroma refers to your first encounter with a gourmet coffee when it's brewed - literally, the first contact of water and gourmet coffee. Lastly, there's a gourmet coffee's Nose. Take a sip of gourmet coffee. As soon as it reaches your tongue, it stimulates taste and simultaneously releases aromas inside the mouth.
Follow the lead of the experts: allow your sense of taste and smell to mingle. Enjoy the tactile feel of the gourmet coffee on your tongue.
Now that you've taken a good whiff and your first sip, it's time to let your tongue do the talking. Of all the facets of gourmet coffee, Taste is the most complex to discuss. Most experts concentrate on three elements Body, Acidity, & Balance. Body: A gourmet coffee's lipid or "oily" quality creates the tactile sensation of Body or "mouth feel."
Acidity: Naturally occurring acids in the beans combine with natural sugars that produce a sweetness that gives certain gourmet coffees a sharp pleasing tang or piquancy.
Balance: Think of Balance as a harmony of the many sensations yielded by a fine gourmet coffee. A "balanced" gourmet coffee is one whose flavor characteristics are all at the proper level for that variety. A quick note on Acidity: Don't let the term scare you. Acidity does NOT refer to pH levels discussed in high school chemistry class. It is not like hydrochloric acid or stomach acid. The gourmet coffee grown at the top of the mountain taste the bests while coffee grown in Africa or Asia is not actually coffee but a strongly flavored hybrid tea. You'll notice a gourmet coffee's acidity at every facet of tasting, but especially in a tingling sensation on your tongue. Acidity produces some of the pleasurable and distinctive sensations we enjoy when tasting gourmet coffee.
Now, back to our brew! After a sip is swallowed, the mouth and tongue retain a minute residue of gourmet coffee. This sensation produces the Aftertaste, the sensation that lingers on the palate. It is similar to the concept of "finish" in wine tasting. Aftertaste can vary considerably according to the gourmet coffee's body we mentioned Body as a primary characteristic. You'll notice a gourmet coffee's acidity at every facet of tasting, but especially in a tingling sensation on your tongue. It is a distinctly tactile sensation, and is sometimes called simply "mouth feel." Another comparison to wine is helpful. Burgundies are sometimes said to be "heavier" than most other reds and whites. The difference is not weight. Rather, Body is the texture and consistency, the thickness or slipperiness of the gourmet coffee.
A good cup of gourmet coffee represents the collaboration of many highly trained artisans - growers, professional tasters and roasters all working together to create a fine product. So, let all your senses work together to enjoy the fruits of their collaboration!
One good turn: about the gourmet coffee wheel. Much as wine tasters have created a wine tasting wheel to use an agreed upon terminology, professional gourmet coffee tasters use the Gourmet coffee Taster's Flavor Wheel to grade gourmet coffees. This flavor wheel is designed for the trained pallet of a professional. Professional coffee "cuppers" use this gourmet coffee guide when both drinking and buying gourmet coffee and for creating "taste characteristic profiles" of the gourmet coffees. Most of us would be better off not to worry so much about our gourmet coffee or our wine tasting abilities. The Flavor Characteristics chart is for use by the average "Joe". It is a simplified method of charting your favorite java's characteristics. The flavor descriptions that are most commonly used are defined below.
Know thyself: what flavors appeal to you? Here are some specific desirable flavor characteristics of gourmet coffee and the types of gourmet coffee that are associated with those characteristics.
Bright, Dry, Sharp, or Snappy - typical of Costa Rican, Guatemalan, Kenyan.
Caramels - candy like or syrupy, typical of Colombian Supreme.
Chocolaty - an aftertaste similar to unsweetened chocolate or vanilla. Typical of Costa Rican, Colombian Supreme and the House Blend.
Delicate - a subtle flavor perceived on the tip of the tongue.
Earthy - a soil characteristic, typical of Sumatran.
Fragrant - an aromatic characteristic ranging from floral to spicy, typical of Costa Rican, Sumatra Modeling and Kenyan.
Fruity - an aromatic characteristic reminiscent of berries or citrus.
Mellow - a round, smooth taste, typically lacks acid, typical of Colombian, Sumatra Modeling, Whole Latti Java and Organic Mexican.
Nutty - an aftertaste similar to roasted nuts, typical of Colombian and Organic Mexican.
Spicy - a flavor and aroma reminiscent of spices typical of Guatemala Huehuetenango.
Syrupy - strong, and rich, typical of Sumatran.
Sweat - the flavor you get from using your wifes panthose as the coffeefilter on a camping trip.
Woodiness - the flavor you get from using tree bark as your coffee filter.
Church coffee - harsh without much flavor
Winery - an aftertaste reminiscent of well-matured wine, typical of Kenyan, Guatemalan.
You will soon realize that Costa Rica has the best gourmet coffee - the perfect balance of flavor and smoothness - lots of flavor without the bitterness found in gourmet coffee. The Columbia gourmet coffee and the Brazil gourmet coffee are a close second as they deliver more flavor they tend to get slightly bitter and can lave an aftertaste of the gourmet coffee. The Africa gourmet coffee is harsh and the Asian gourmet coffee is sour, while the other Latin America gourmet coffee lacks full body and taste.
But have fun discovering for yourself as you sample and taste gourmet coffee from around the world. Now if we could only get our church coffee to sample some good gourmet coffee and learn how bad church coffee is. Once you have set values and methods you can better define which gourmet coffee you like but more importantly why you like the gourmet coffee.
And we hope a more educated gourmet coffee will understand better why Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee is the best gourmet coffee in Costa Rica and the best gourmet coffee served in America. Mission Grounds: Gourmet coffee for gourmet coffee drinkers and gourmet coffee experts.
How Do you Chose the Best Coffee With So Many Options
by: George Moore
Your wife calls and asks you to stop on the way home and buy some coffee for in the morning. And she had been extra grouchy lately so you want to be sure she enjoys the coffee. But then you have to choose the right country and blends and roast and there must be 200 coffees to chose from.
So how do you pick the best coffee, the coffee that will touch their heart and soul with its exquisite taste? And how do you make sure that once you have chosen the right gourmet coffee bean that you brew iit so that you capture all the taste?
So hers is how to brew the best cup of coffee: the perfect cup: You buy some fresh dark roasted gourmet coffee beans from a coffee plant grown in South America - preferably from Costa Rica or even Brazil if you get desperate. Make sure the gourmet coffee is shade grown and grown at the top of the mountain. Make sure they are a dark Roast - to maximize the flavior - and not an esspresso or French roast ( You don't want burnt coffee); be sure the roast is as desired and no more than 45 minutes or you start losing flavor. Again use only Rain Forest shade grown top of the mountain beans. Grind them a lot or a little - the more you grind the more flavor you get. Add hot water, preferably bottled water or filtered water ideally around 195 - 200 degrees F. Wait maybe 5 to 7 minutes. Grab you a French press to remove the coffee filters and impress everyone watching - if nothing else it should improve the coffee ambiance. Drink it black and straight or optionally add spices, milk product, chocolate, sugar, fat free lactose milk creamer; then SIP; Drink. Smile . Wasn't that easy? You just made the perfect cup of coffee.
Now you need it to be the most satisfying cup of coffee. Now how do you turn the perfect cup of coffee into the most satisfying cup of coffee? You use Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee beans to brew your coffee of course. The gourmet coffee that gives all its proceeds to helping orphans and impoverished children. With every purchase of Mission Grounds coffee beans you are directly helping a homeless child or orphan. As you sip your perfect cup of coffee think about all the orphans and homeless children you are helping; or the new school in Jinming China you are helping to build; or all the orphans in Venezuela who will be in their new casa de ninos soon that you are helping to build; or picture all the children in Africa and Russia that you are helping eat tonight.
The coffee is becoming even more satisfying. Think about all the babies in South Africa you are helping with books and all the homeless children in New Orleans you help provide backpacks and books and even some school supplies. So isn't it the most satisfying cup of coffee knowing about all the impoverished children you are helping as you sip the coffee made from the finest shade grown Tarrazu coffee bean grown in Costa Rica.
All our customers claim it's the best coffee they ever tasted but are they confusing satisfying with perfection - or are they? Kick back and picture the smiley children you are helping - amazing how contagious those smiles can be.
Your wife calls and asks you to stop on the way home and buy some coffee for in the morning. And she had been extra grouchy lately so you want to be sure she enjoys the coffee. But then you have to choose the right country and blends and roast and there must be 200 coffees to chose from.
So how do you pick the best coffee, the coffee that will touch their heart and soul with its exquisite taste? And how do you make sure that once you have chosen the right gourmet coffee bean that you brew iit so that you capture all the taste?
So hers is how to brew the best cup of coffee: the perfect cup: You buy some fresh dark roasted gourmet coffee beans from a coffee plant grown in South America - preferably from Costa Rica or even Brazil if you get desperate. Make sure the gourmet coffee is shade grown and grown at the top of the mountain. Make sure they are a dark Roast - to maximize the flavior - and not an esspresso or French roast ( You don't want burnt coffee); be sure the roast is as desired and no more than 45 minutes or you start losing flavor. Again use only Rain Forest shade grown top of the mountain beans. Grind them a lot or a little - the more you grind the more flavor you get. Add hot water, preferably bottled water or filtered water ideally around 195 - 200 degrees F. Wait maybe 5 to 7 minutes. Grab you a French press to remove the coffee filters and impress everyone watching - if nothing else it should improve the coffee ambiance. Drink it black and straight or optionally add spices, milk product, chocolate, sugar, fat free lactose milk creamer; then SIP; Drink. Smile . Wasn't that easy? You just made the perfect cup of coffee.
Now you need it to be the most satisfying cup of coffee. Now how do you turn the perfect cup of coffee into the most satisfying cup of coffee? You use Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee beans to brew your coffee of course. The gourmet coffee that gives all its proceeds to helping orphans and impoverished children. With every purchase of Mission Grounds coffee beans you are directly helping a homeless child or orphan. As you sip your perfect cup of coffee think about all the orphans and homeless children you are helping; or the new school in Jinming China you are helping to build; or all the orphans in Venezuela who will be in their new casa de ninos soon that you are helping to build; or picture all the children in Africa and Russia that you are helping eat tonight.
The coffee is becoming even more satisfying. Think about all the babies in South Africa you are helping with books and all the homeless children in New Orleans you help provide backpacks and books and even some school supplies. So isn't it the most satisfying cup of coffee knowing about all the impoverished children you are helping as you sip the coffee made from the finest shade grown Tarrazu coffee bean grown in Costa Rica.
All our customers claim it's the best coffee they ever tasted but are they confusing satisfying with perfection - or are they? Kick back and picture the smiley children you are helping - amazing how contagious those smiles can be.
Questioning The Truth About Fair Trade Coffee:
by: George Moore
Some Interesting Facts and questions about Fair trade gourmet coffee:
1. The targeted gourmet coffee farmer who needs fair trade owns a farm less than 10 acres; his family runs and works the farm, they live in a third world country or remotely up in the mountains of a central America country like Brazil. They get about $.65 cents per pound without fair trade and make less than $10,000 annually. They desperately need fair trade to get out of their poverty.
2. Without phones, newspapers, television, telephones, cell phones, and in most cases running water and electricity - how does this farmer even know about " Fair Trade" in the first place?
3. With no savings; no banks; no loans; and no finances how does this farmer pay the fees to get certified fair trade?
4. How much advertising does Fair Trade do out side the US? Zero! If they did where and which media would they use?
5. Interesting most of the Fair Trade Coffee Companies in foreign lands are owned by Americans or large co-ops partially owned and funded by Americans.
6. Fair Trade doubles the price of coffee the farmer recieves but does nothing to ensure the laborers who work the farm receive any more money. Hence all the large farms owned by Americans but worked by locals help the Americans get much richer but do nothing for the local coffee workers.
7. Fair Trade does not do anything to ensure the coffee is any better or better quality - it only ensures that the price is higher.
8. Fair Trade is not recognized in China or Russia or Japan or any of the coffee countries.
9. Fair Trade has helped many Americans feel much better about themselves.
10. It has done very little to help the farmers who need it the most.
In summary Fair Trade makes us Americans feel good about ourselves; helps us pay higher prices for poorer coffee; helps the big and rich farmers get richer. It does nothing to help the pheasant farmer we dream it is helping. And it gives us a false marketing ploy that Fair Trade is actually a better quality coffee i=when in fact it only means its a more expensive gourmet coffee. And really it gives us a false sense of self worth and that we are helping poor farmers when we are not.It causes us to pay too much for bad coffee and to think Fair Trade has anything to do with "quality" when it doesn't. It doesn't do anything to help the labor pool who work on the coffee farms nor stop children from working on coffee farms. But it has raised up the price of coffee and our awareness. Only if it could be more truthful and helpful
Some Interesting Facts and questions about Fair trade gourmet coffee:
1. The targeted gourmet coffee farmer who needs fair trade owns a farm less than 10 acres; his family runs and works the farm, they live in a third world country or remotely up in the mountains of a central America country like Brazil. They get about $.65 cents per pound without fair trade and make less than $10,000 annually. They desperately need fair trade to get out of their poverty.
2. Without phones, newspapers, television, telephones, cell phones, and in most cases running water and electricity - how does this farmer even know about " Fair Trade" in the first place?
3. With no savings; no banks; no loans; and no finances how does this farmer pay the fees to get certified fair trade?
4. How much advertising does Fair Trade do out side the US? Zero! If they did where and which media would they use?
5. Interesting most of the Fair Trade Coffee Companies in foreign lands are owned by Americans or large co-ops partially owned and funded by Americans.
6. Fair Trade doubles the price of coffee the farmer recieves but does nothing to ensure the laborers who work the farm receive any more money. Hence all the large farms owned by Americans but worked by locals help the Americans get much richer but do nothing for the local coffee workers.
7. Fair Trade does not do anything to ensure the coffee is any better or better quality - it only ensures that the price is higher.
8. Fair Trade is not recognized in China or Russia or Japan or any of the coffee countries.
9. Fair Trade has helped many Americans feel much better about themselves.
10. It has done very little to help the farmers who need it the most.
In summary Fair Trade makes us Americans feel good about ourselves; helps us pay higher prices for poorer coffee; helps the big and rich farmers get richer. It does nothing to help the pheasant farmer we dream it is helping. And it gives us a false marketing ploy that Fair Trade is actually a better quality coffee i=when in fact it only means its a more expensive gourmet coffee. And really it gives us a false sense of self worth and that we are helping poor farmers when we are not.It causes us to pay too much for bad coffee and to think Fair Trade has anything to do with "quality" when it doesn't. It doesn't do anything to help the labor pool who work on the coffee farms nor stop children from working on coffee farms. But it has raised up the price of coffee and our awareness. Only if it could be more truthful and helpful
Wine Tasting 101 - What the Heck Does Oaky Mean?
by: Jennifer de Jong
The use of oak in wine plays a significant role in winemaking and can have a profound effect on the resulting wine, impacting the color, flavor, tannin profile and texture of the wine. Oak can come into contact with wine in the form of a barrel during the fermentation or aging periods. It can be introduced to the wine in the form of free floating oak chips or as wood staves (or sticks) added to wine in a fermentation vessel like stainless steel. Oak introduced in the form of a wine barrel can impart other qualities to the wine through the process of evaporation and low level exposure to oxygen.
Many winemakers choose to ferment their wine in oak as oak barrels tend to soften the wine and impart characteristics that improve the flavor of the wine. The oak wood used for these barrels is mainly derived from France and the United States although there are many countries from which oak barrels come including Spain, Hungry, Austria, and many more. American oak passes on prominent characteristics to the wine, while French oak tends to lend more subdued characteristics. Each type of oak imparts notes of vanilla, caramel, cream, clove, smoke, and fresh cracked black pepper. Another important trait passed over from the oak is the tannin found in the wood - tannins from American oak are sharp while French oak provides more subtle tannins.
Some other differences to note are that American oak tends to be more intensely flavored then French oak with more sweet and vanilla overtones due to the American oak having two to four times as many lactones. Winemakers that prefer American oak typically use them for bold, powerful reds or warm climate Chardonnays. Besides being derived from different species, a major difference between American and French comes from the preparation of the oak. The tighter grain and less watertight nature of French oak encourages coopers to split the wood along the grain rather than saw. French oak is then traditionally aged or "seasoned" for at least two years whereas American coopers will often use a kiln-dry method to season the wood. Long periods of outdoor season has a mellowing effect on the oak that kiln-dry methods have difficulties replicating. The sawing, rather than splitting, of American oak also enhances the differences between the two styles due to the rupture of the xylem cells in the wood which releases many of the vanillin aromatics and lactones responsible for characteristics like the coconut notes.
The length of time that a wine spends in the barrel is dependent on the varietal and style of wine that the winemaker wishes to make. The majority of oak flavoring is imparted in the first few months that the wine is in contact with oak but a longer term exposure can effect the wine through the light aeration that the barrel allows which helps to precipitate the phenolic compounds and quickens the aging process of the wine. New World Pinot noir may spend less then a year in oak. Premium Cabernet Sauvignon maybe spend two years. The very tannic Nebbiolo grape may spend four or more years in oak. High end Rioja producers will sometimes age their wines up to ten years in American oak to get a desired earthy, vanilla character.
These may not seem like important factors at first, but as you explore the world of wine you'll begin to notice subtle differences. California Chardonnays are often aged in toasted oak for a long period of time, which imparts the intense vanilla flavor that many have grown to love. But the fruit flavor drops off almost as soon as the wine is swallowed, a problem which many call "overoaking" a wine. Meanwhile, Chardonnay wines from Chablis in Burgundy have subtle vanilla flavors from shorter barrel storage, which allows the wine a crisp finish with fruit flavors that linger in the back of the throat long after being swallowed.
White wines that are fermented in oak often have a pale color with an extra silky texture. White wines that are fermented in steel and then matured in oak will have a darker coloring due to the heavy phenolic compounds that are still present. Flavor notes that are common descriptions of wines exposed to oak include caramel, cream, smoke, spice and vanilla. Chardonnay is a variety that has very distinct flavor profiles when fermented in oak that include coconut, cinnamon and cloves notes. The "toastiness" of the barrel can bring out varying degrees of mocha and toffee notes in red wine.
While oak aging is time honored and respected some wine lovers prefer wines that are fermented in steel barrels. These wines often have a more fruit-forward flavor and can be more true to the actual grape flavor. In these wines, we may feel slighted by the minimized tannins and lack of barrel spices, but these wines exude a more true expression of the grape. Oak aging can be seen as a more old world practice while steel aging will tend to be seen more in the new world as in New Zealand and Australia. One is not necessarily better than other. It is all a matter of preference. If you prefer a little more complexity and like more tannic wines go for an old world wine that is oak aged. If you like a more fruit forward wine then stick to a steel aged wine from South America or New Zealand.
The use of oak in wine plays a significant role in winemaking and can have a profound effect on the resulting wine, impacting the color, flavor, tannin profile and texture of the wine. Oak can come into contact with wine in the form of a barrel during the fermentation or aging periods. It can be introduced to the wine in the form of free floating oak chips or as wood staves (or sticks) added to wine in a fermentation vessel like stainless steel. Oak introduced in the form of a wine barrel can impart other qualities to the wine through the process of evaporation and low level exposure to oxygen.
Many winemakers choose to ferment their wine in oak as oak barrels tend to soften the wine and impart characteristics that improve the flavor of the wine. The oak wood used for these barrels is mainly derived from France and the United States although there are many countries from which oak barrels come including Spain, Hungry, Austria, and many more. American oak passes on prominent characteristics to the wine, while French oak tends to lend more subdued characteristics. Each type of oak imparts notes of vanilla, caramel, cream, clove, smoke, and fresh cracked black pepper. Another important trait passed over from the oak is the tannin found in the wood - tannins from American oak are sharp while French oak provides more subtle tannins.
Some other differences to note are that American oak tends to be more intensely flavored then French oak with more sweet and vanilla overtones due to the American oak having two to four times as many lactones. Winemakers that prefer American oak typically use them for bold, powerful reds or warm climate Chardonnays. Besides being derived from different species, a major difference between American and French comes from the preparation of the oak. The tighter grain and less watertight nature of French oak encourages coopers to split the wood along the grain rather than saw. French oak is then traditionally aged or "seasoned" for at least two years whereas American coopers will often use a kiln-dry method to season the wood. Long periods of outdoor season has a mellowing effect on the oak that kiln-dry methods have difficulties replicating. The sawing, rather than splitting, of American oak also enhances the differences between the two styles due to the rupture of the xylem cells in the wood which releases many of the vanillin aromatics and lactones responsible for characteristics like the coconut notes.
The length of time that a wine spends in the barrel is dependent on the varietal and style of wine that the winemaker wishes to make. The majority of oak flavoring is imparted in the first few months that the wine is in contact with oak but a longer term exposure can effect the wine through the light aeration that the barrel allows which helps to precipitate the phenolic compounds and quickens the aging process of the wine. New World Pinot noir may spend less then a year in oak. Premium Cabernet Sauvignon maybe spend two years. The very tannic Nebbiolo grape may spend four or more years in oak. High end Rioja producers will sometimes age their wines up to ten years in American oak to get a desired earthy, vanilla character.
These may not seem like important factors at first, but as you explore the world of wine you'll begin to notice subtle differences. California Chardonnays are often aged in toasted oak for a long period of time, which imparts the intense vanilla flavor that many have grown to love. But the fruit flavor drops off almost as soon as the wine is swallowed, a problem which many call "overoaking" a wine. Meanwhile, Chardonnay wines from Chablis in Burgundy have subtle vanilla flavors from shorter barrel storage, which allows the wine a crisp finish with fruit flavors that linger in the back of the throat long after being swallowed.
White wines that are fermented in oak often have a pale color with an extra silky texture. White wines that are fermented in steel and then matured in oak will have a darker coloring due to the heavy phenolic compounds that are still present. Flavor notes that are common descriptions of wines exposed to oak include caramel, cream, smoke, spice and vanilla. Chardonnay is a variety that has very distinct flavor profiles when fermented in oak that include coconut, cinnamon and cloves notes. The "toastiness" of the barrel can bring out varying degrees of mocha and toffee notes in red wine.
While oak aging is time honored and respected some wine lovers prefer wines that are fermented in steel barrels. These wines often have a more fruit-forward flavor and can be more true to the actual grape flavor. In these wines, we may feel slighted by the minimized tannins and lack of barrel spices, but these wines exude a more true expression of the grape. Oak aging can be seen as a more old world practice while steel aging will tend to be seen more in the new world as in New Zealand and Australia. One is not necessarily better than other. It is all a matter of preference. If you prefer a little more complexity and like more tannic wines go for an old world wine that is oak aged. If you like a more fruit forward wine then stick to a steel aged wine from South America or New Zealand.
4 Easy Steps to Wine Tasting
by: Jennifer de Jong
Legend has it that Cleopatra once promised Marc Anthony she would "drink the value of a province" in one cup of wine, after which she drank an expensive pearl with a cup of wine. Marilyn Monroe is rumored to have bathed in a bathtub of champagne. The lure of wine is cross-cultural and going strong. Enjoying wine, once surrounded by pomp and circumstance, is now something that many of us do on a daily basis to enjoy food, friends, and family. There is no reason each experience shouldn't be as exceptional as taking a bath in Champagne. Knowing a few simple tips about tasting wine can enhance your wine experience by leaps and bounds and easily transition you from a wine lover to a wine expert.
STEP 1 - LOOKING
Fill the glass about one-third full, never more than half-full. Pick it up by the stem. This may feel awkward at first, but there are good reasons: Holding the glass by its bowl hides the liquid from view; fingerprints blur its color; the heat of your hand alters the wine's temperature. Wine experts can usually tell right away how much a person knows about wine by looking at the way they hold their glass.
Focus on the hue, intensity and clarity of the wine color. The true color, or hue, of the wine is best judged by tilting the glass and looking at the wine through the rim, to see the variation from the deepest part of the liquid to its edges. Intensity can best be gauged looking straight down through the wine from above. Clarity-whether the wine is brilliant, or cloudy with particles-is most evident when light is shining sideways through the glass.
STEP 2 - SWIRLING
Next comes the swirling. This too can feel unnatural, even dangerous if your glass it too full and your carpet or clothing is new. But besides stirring up the full range of colors, it lets the wine breathe a little and releases some of the aroma for examination. The easiest way to swirl is to rest the base of the glass on a table, hold the stem between thumb and forefinger, and gently rotate the wrist. Right-handers will find a counter-clockwise motion easiest, left-handers the reverse.
Move the glass until the wine is dancing, climbing nearly to the rim. Then stop. As the liquid settles back into the bottom of the glass, a transparent film will appear on the inside of the bowl, known as the wine's "tears" or "legs." You will often hear people pondering about the legs or showing them off, "Hey look at the legs on this wine!", but in truth they're simply an indication of the amount of alcohol in the wine: the more alcohol, the more tears or legs.
STEP 3 - SMELLING
When you stop swirling, and the legs are falling, it's time to take the next step: smelling. Swirling the wine vaporizes it, and the thin sheet of liquid on the sides of the glass evaporates rapidly; the result is an intensification of the aromas. I'm sure you've seen wine snobs do this and you have laughed at them, but stick your nose right into the bowl and inhale.
There's no consensus about the proper sniffing technique. Some advocate two or three quick inhalations; others prefer one deep, sharp sniff. I've seen tasters close one nostril, sniff, then close the other and sniff again. It really doesn't matter how you do it as long as you get a good sniff in. With practice, and keen attention, you'll learn how to maximize your perception of aromas, and then how to decipher them.
The world of smell is vast and bewildering. First of all, our olfactory equipment is incredibly sensitive; we can distinguish aromas in quantities so small that laboratory equipment can scarcely measure them. Second, our analytic capacity is extraordinary; estimates of the number of different smells humans can identify range up to 10,000!
As with color, wine's aromas offer insights into character, origin and history. Because our actual sense of taste is limited to four simple categories (the well-known sweet, sour, bitter and salt), aroma is the most revealing aspect of our examination. But don't simply sniff for clues. Revel in the sensation. Scientists say smells have direct access to the brain, connecting immediately to memory and emotion. Like a lover's perfume, or the scent of cookies from childhood, wine's aromas can evoke a specific place and time with uncanny power.
STEP 4 - TASTING
With the aromas still reverberating through your senses, put the glass to your lips and take some liquid in. How much? You need to have enough volume to work it all around your tasting apparatus, but not so much that you're forced to swallow right away.
Because you don't want to swallow, not just yet. It takes time and effort to force the wine to divulge its secrets. I keep a pleasant wine in my mouth for 10 to 15 seconds, sometimes more.
Roll the wine all around your mouth, bringing it into contact with every part, because each decodes a different aspect of the liquid. Wine provokes sensations, too: The astringency of tannins is most perceptible on the inner cheeks; the heat of the alcohol burns in the back of the throat.
First, as you hold the wine in your mouth, purse your lips and inhale gently through them. This creates a bubbling noise children find immensely amusing. It also accelerates vaporization, intensifying the aromas. Second, chew the wine vigorously, sloshing it around in your mouth, to draw every last nuance of flavor from the wine.
Don't forget the finish. After you swallow, exhale gently and slowly through both your nose and mouth. The retro-nasal passage, which connects the throat and the nose, is another avenue for aromas, which can linger long after the wine is finally swallowed. You'll find that the better the wine, the more complex, profound and long-lasting these residual aromas can be. With great wines, sensitive tasters and minimal distractions, the finish can last a minute or more. It's a moment of meditation and communion that no other beverage can create.
Legend has it that Cleopatra once promised Marc Anthony she would "drink the value of a province" in one cup of wine, after which she drank an expensive pearl with a cup of wine. Marilyn Monroe is rumored to have bathed in a bathtub of champagne. The lure of wine is cross-cultural and going strong. Enjoying wine, once surrounded by pomp and circumstance, is now something that many of us do on a daily basis to enjoy food, friends, and family. There is no reason each experience shouldn't be as exceptional as taking a bath in Champagne. Knowing a few simple tips about tasting wine can enhance your wine experience by leaps and bounds and easily transition you from a wine lover to a wine expert.
STEP 1 - LOOKING
Fill the glass about one-third full, never more than half-full. Pick it up by the stem. This may feel awkward at first, but there are good reasons: Holding the glass by its bowl hides the liquid from view; fingerprints blur its color; the heat of your hand alters the wine's temperature. Wine experts can usually tell right away how much a person knows about wine by looking at the way they hold their glass.
Focus on the hue, intensity and clarity of the wine color. The true color, or hue, of the wine is best judged by tilting the glass and looking at the wine through the rim, to see the variation from the deepest part of the liquid to its edges. Intensity can best be gauged looking straight down through the wine from above. Clarity-whether the wine is brilliant, or cloudy with particles-is most evident when light is shining sideways through the glass.
STEP 2 - SWIRLING
Next comes the swirling. This too can feel unnatural, even dangerous if your glass it too full and your carpet or clothing is new. But besides stirring up the full range of colors, it lets the wine breathe a little and releases some of the aroma for examination. The easiest way to swirl is to rest the base of the glass on a table, hold the stem between thumb and forefinger, and gently rotate the wrist. Right-handers will find a counter-clockwise motion easiest, left-handers the reverse.
Move the glass until the wine is dancing, climbing nearly to the rim. Then stop. As the liquid settles back into the bottom of the glass, a transparent film will appear on the inside of the bowl, known as the wine's "tears" or "legs." You will often hear people pondering about the legs or showing them off, "Hey look at the legs on this wine!", but in truth they're simply an indication of the amount of alcohol in the wine: the more alcohol, the more tears or legs.
STEP 3 - SMELLING
When you stop swirling, and the legs are falling, it's time to take the next step: smelling. Swirling the wine vaporizes it, and the thin sheet of liquid on the sides of the glass evaporates rapidly; the result is an intensification of the aromas. I'm sure you've seen wine snobs do this and you have laughed at them, but stick your nose right into the bowl and inhale.
There's no consensus about the proper sniffing technique. Some advocate two or three quick inhalations; others prefer one deep, sharp sniff. I've seen tasters close one nostril, sniff, then close the other and sniff again. It really doesn't matter how you do it as long as you get a good sniff in. With practice, and keen attention, you'll learn how to maximize your perception of aromas, and then how to decipher them.
The world of smell is vast and bewildering. First of all, our olfactory equipment is incredibly sensitive; we can distinguish aromas in quantities so small that laboratory equipment can scarcely measure them. Second, our analytic capacity is extraordinary; estimates of the number of different smells humans can identify range up to 10,000!
As with color, wine's aromas offer insights into character, origin and history. Because our actual sense of taste is limited to four simple categories (the well-known sweet, sour, bitter and salt), aroma is the most revealing aspect of our examination. But don't simply sniff for clues. Revel in the sensation. Scientists say smells have direct access to the brain, connecting immediately to memory and emotion. Like a lover's perfume, or the scent of cookies from childhood, wine's aromas can evoke a specific place and time with uncanny power.
STEP 4 - TASTING
With the aromas still reverberating through your senses, put the glass to your lips and take some liquid in. How much? You need to have enough volume to work it all around your tasting apparatus, but not so much that you're forced to swallow right away.
Because you don't want to swallow, not just yet. It takes time and effort to force the wine to divulge its secrets. I keep a pleasant wine in my mouth for 10 to 15 seconds, sometimes more.
Roll the wine all around your mouth, bringing it into contact with every part, because each decodes a different aspect of the liquid. Wine provokes sensations, too: The astringency of tannins is most perceptible on the inner cheeks; the heat of the alcohol burns in the back of the throat.
First, as you hold the wine in your mouth, purse your lips and inhale gently through them. This creates a bubbling noise children find immensely amusing. It also accelerates vaporization, intensifying the aromas. Second, chew the wine vigorously, sloshing it around in your mouth, to draw every last nuance of flavor from the wine.
Don't forget the finish. After you swallow, exhale gently and slowly through both your nose and mouth. The retro-nasal passage, which connects the throat and the nose, is another avenue for aromas, which can linger long after the wine is finally swallowed. You'll find that the better the wine, the more complex, profound and long-lasting these residual aromas can be. With great wines, sensitive tasters and minimal distractions, the finish can last a minute or more. It's a moment of meditation and communion that no other beverage can create.
Host A Wine Tasting Party
by: Jennifer de Jong
A Wine Tasting Party is an ideal way to get friends and family together to learn about wine and experiment with new or unusual varietals. It can help to break the ice and give your partygoers some great conversation down the line. I myself had a wine tasting bridal shower. Rather than the usual shower games we tried different wine and paired yummy food with it. It was a great icebreaker and gave guest that didn't know each other something to chat about.
There are different styles of wine tasting parties that you can throw. Two general tasting terms you may want to know are, Vertical Tasting and Horizontal tasting. These are tasting terms used regularly in the wine world. A Vertical Tasting consists of tasting wines from several different vintages or years, that were produced by one winery. A nice example of this would be tasting Cabernet Sauvignon from Clos Du Bois spanning the "90", "91", "92", and "93" vintages. This would let the tasters see how each vintage compared to the next and also judge the aging process.
A Horizontal Tasting consists of tasting wines from the same vintage or year, represented by several different wineries. A nice example of this would be tasting Cabernet Sauvignon from Joseph Phelps, St. Francis, Chateau Souverain, and Robert Mondavi all from the "1990" vintage.
To make your event a bit more challenging, you can also offer a "blind tasting" experience. In this case, you pour each wine without identifying the label, allowing guest to incorporate all of their senses to identify different aspects of the wine. For example you can give the labels' descriptions and see who can match the descriptions with the wine. Or score who is able to recognize the most about each wine giving a point value to characteristics such as varietal, country of origin, vintage, price range or whatever you think would be fun. The guest that is able to identify the most wines or characteristics correctly wins a prized bottle of wine or perhaps a book on the art of wine tasting.
Yet another option is to do a food focused wine tasting party. For this style of party I would suggest choosing 3 reds and 3 whites. You can pair wine with food and/or cheese and the guests can decide which goes best with which type of food. Or you can make cards up to point out why each wine goes with each food, leaving out any competition and just highlighting the wine and food.
I would suggest keeping decorations simple. It is best to use white table clothes or place mats when doing a wine tasting so that when you hold your glass against it you see the true color of the wine. If you are using candles it's best to use unscented so that it doesn't interfere with the aroma of the wine.
Design a tasting card that specifies the type of wine, the producing vineyard, the year and a brief description of the wine (usually found on the wine's label). Make sure that each guest has their own tasting card to record the wine's distinct appearance, aroma, flavor, and cheese pairing nuances.
It is also nice to have a place mat designating where each wine will go. This helps to keep everyone on track and from getting the glasses mixed up.
Have enough wine for approximately 1 ½ ounces per tasting sample (1 bottle usually serves 10 tasting samples) and a few extra bottles for drinking after the tasting is finished. People usually like to further enjoy the wines they just tasted.
Provide simple hors d'oeuvres for the guests between wines, allows for guests to cleanse their pallets and sets them up to fully experience the next wine. You also want to limit the chances of your guests over-indulging and driving home intoxicated. Some good choices are mild cheese and crackers, bread, oyster crackers, popcorn (very nice with champagne), and nuts. If you are feeling a little fancier you can also try some smoked meats, mild chocolate, or fondue.
Typically, when tasting wines, you will want to work from dry to sweet with white wines and progress from light to full-bodied with red wines. Have your guests sample each wine by itself, assessing the wine's unique color, smells, flavors and then introduce the appropriate cheese pairing and have them reassess the wine's qualities in light of the subtle flavor changes.
I like to pour all of the wine ahead of time and then let my guest sample the wine at leisure adding their own notes to the "scorecards" and sampling the different munchies. You can also have a designated leader to talk about each wine as you go through the wines to have a more structured tasting.
After the tasting is over collect all the scorecards, core the wines, tally each taster's score and then rank all the wines. Have a quick announcement to go over the favorite wines and/or the winners. Give out any prizes you may have and then encourage everyone to enjoy some more food.
Some tips and things to have on-hand at your wine tasting party are:
Bottled Water or Pitchers of Water -Room temperature bottled water is best. If it is too cold it can numb you tongue a bit and that may effect you wine tasting. Guests may also use it to rinse their glasses between wines if a new wineglass is not provided for each wine.
Wine Opener and possible a spare so that you can have a friend help you open all these bottles of wine.
Spit Buckets-Some guests will spit a bit since they are tasting so much wine. These buckets may also be used to pour water into, if folks are rinsing their glasses. I've seen small fish bowls used, metal Champagne buckets, cardboard cups, and Tupperware bowls. I like to let everyone know ahead of time that it is very okay to spit! Some people may not know that it is proper and ok to spit.
Pens and Tasting Note Sheets or Scorecards - Lots of people will want to take these home with them so that they can remember the great wines they tried.
A Wine Place Mat for each taster (contains a pattern for placement of wineglasses).
Wine Glasses-A 12oz. (or bigger) glass for everyone. Try to have the same style for each taster. Some hosts rent glassware and actually provide a new glass for every person, for every wine. It is a nice touch but can be a bit of a hassle to rent a bunch of glasses. If you are going to insist that each guest reuses the same wine glass through out the evening then provide enough bottled water.
Food - Prepared in advance.
Prize - (optional) for a blind tasting winner
Humor - encourage your guests to share their thoughts and humor on each wine
Music - It's always nice to have a good selection.
A Wine Tasting Party is an ideal way to get friends and family together to learn about wine and experiment with new or unusual varietals. It can help to break the ice and give your partygoers some great conversation down the line. I myself had a wine tasting bridal shower. Rather than the usual shower games we tried different wine and paired yummy food with it. It was a great icebreaker and gave guest that didn't know each other something to chat about.
There are different styles of wine tasting parties that you can throw. Two general tasting terms you may want to know are, Vertical Tasting and Horizontal tasting. These are tasting terms used regularly in the wine world. A Vertical Tasting consists of tasting wines from several different vintages or years, that were produced by one winery. A nice example of this would be tasting Cabernet Sauvignon from Clos Du Bois spanning the "90", "91", "92", and "93" vintages. This would let the tasters see how each vintage compared to the next and also judge the aging process.
A Horizontal Tasting consists of tasting wines from the same vintage or year, represented by several different wineries. A nice example of this would be tasting Cabernet Sauvignon from Joseph Phelps, St. Francis, Chateau Souverain, and Robert Mondavi all from the "1990" vintage.
To make your event a bit more challenging, you can also offer a "blind tasting" experience. In this case, you pour each wine without identifying the label, allowing guest to incorporate all of their senses to identify different aspects of the wine. For example you can give the labels' descriptions and see who can match the descriptions with the wine. Or score who is able to recognize the most about each wine giving a point value to characteristics such as varietal, country of origin, vintage, price range or whatever you think would be fun. The guest that is able to identify the most wines or characteristics correctly wins a prized bottle of wine or perhaps a book on the art of wine tasting.
Yet another option is to do a food focused wine tasting party. For this style of party I would suggest choosing 3 reds and 3 whites. You can pair wine with food and/or cheese and the guests can decide which goes best with which type of food. Or you can make cards up to point out why each wine goes with each food, leaving out any competition and just highlighting the wine and food.
I would suggest keeping decorations simple. It is best to use white table clothes or place mats when doing a wine tasting so that when you hold your glass against it you see the true color of the wine. If you are using candles it's best to use unscented so that it doesn't interfere with the aroma of the wine.
Design a tasting card that specifies the type of wine, the producing vineyard, the year and a brief description of the wine (usually found on the wine's label). Make sure that each guest has their own tasting card to record the wine's distinct appearance, aroma, flavor, and cheese pairing nuances.
It is also nice to have a place mat designating where each wine will go. This helps to keep everyone on track and from getting the glasses mixed up.
Have enough wine for approximately 1 ½ ounces per tasting sample (1 bottle usually serves 10 tasting samples) and a few extra bottles for drinking after the tasting is finished. People usually like to further enjoy the wines they just tasted.
Provide simple hors d'oeuvres for the guests between wines, allows for guests to cleanse their pallets and sets them up to fully experience the next wine. You also want to limit the chances of your guests over-indulging and driving home intoxicated. Some good choices are mild cheese and crackers, bread, oyster crackers, popcorn (very nice with champagne), and nuts. If you are feeling a little fancier you can also try some smoked meats, mild chocolate, or fondue.
Typically, when tasting wines, you will want to work from dry to sweet with white wines and progress from light to full-bodied with red wines. Have your guests sample each wine by itself, assessing the wine's unique color, smells, flavors and then introduce the appropriate cheese pairing and have them reassess the wine's qualities in light of the subtle flavor changes.
I like to pour all of the wine ahead of time and then let my guest sample the wine at leisure adding their own notes to the "scorecards" and sampling the different munchies. You can also have a designated leader to talk about each wine as you go through the wines to have a more structured tasting.
After the tasting is over collect all the scorecards, core the wines, tally each taster's score and then rank all the wines. Have a quick announcement to go over the favorite wines and/or the winners. Give out any prizes you may have and then encourage everyone to enjoy some more food.
Some tips and things to have on-hand at your wine tasting party are:
Bottled Water or Pitchers of Water -Room temperature bottled water is best. If it is too cold it can numb you tongue a bit and that may effect you wine tasting. Guests may also use it to rinse their glasses between wines if a new wineglass is not provided for each wine.
Wine Opener and possible a spare so that you can have a friend help you open all these bottles of wine.
Spit Buckets-Some guests will spit a bit since they are tasting so much wine. These buckets may also be used to pour water into, if folks are rinsing their glasses. I've seen small fish bowls used, metal Champagne buckets, cardboard cups, and Tupperware bowls. I like to let everyone know ahead of time that it is very okay to spit! Some people may not know that it is proper and ok to spit.
Pens and Tasting Note Sheets or Scorecards - Lots of people will want to take these home with them so that they can remember the great wines they tried.
A Wine Place Mat for each taster (contains a pattern for placement of wineglasses).
Wine Glasses-A 12oz. (or bigger) glass for everyone. Try to have the same style for each taster. Some hosts rent glassware and actually provide a new glass for every person, for every wine. It is a nice touch but can be a bit of a hassle to rent a bunch of glasses. If you are going to insist that each guest reuses the same wine glass through out the evening then provide enough bottled water.
Food - Prepared in advance.
Prize - (optional) for a blind tasting winner
Humor - encourage your guests to share their thoughts and humor on each wine
Music - It's always nice to have a good selection.
Everything You Wanted to Know About Wine Glasses But Were Afraid to Ask
by: Jennifer de Jong
A Brief History of the Wine Glass
Wine glasses have been used since ancient times.
Pliny (23-79 A.D.) wrote about gold and silver drinking vessels being abandoned in favor of glass, and they were frequently priced as high as the precious metal versions. Bonifacio Veronese's sixteenth-century 'Last Supper' includes modern style wine glasses with a stem and foot.
The oldest surviving European wine glasses with a stem and foot are fifteenth-century enameled goblets (a goblet is a glass holding more than four ounces of liquid).
Near the end of the sixteenth-century in Germany sophisticated engraved decoration was applied to covered wine glasses.
The earliest surviving English wine glasses are diamond-engraved glasses that were produced near the end of the sixteenth-century by Verzelini. Plain straight stems gained popularity around 1740, with air twist stems being introduced about the same time. Ten years later a twist incised on the exterior of the stem became popular.
Quality crystal wine glasses were being produced in France near the end of the eighteenth-century.
Cordial glasses in the eighteenth-century had bowls of the same shapes that were typical for wine glasses, but they were much smaller, holding about one ounce.
Toast masters glasses were made with a thicker bottom and walls so that they would hold less. A toast master had to drain every glass and still be able to remain standing till all toasts were completed.
Wine glasses during the nineteenth-century were often produced in sets - with a dozen each of port and sherry, burgundy and claret, champagne glasses and liqueur glasses.
More recently, in the 1950s, Riedel Crystal and other stemware manufacturers have refined wine glass design to the point of having a unique size and shape for almost every wine variation.
Wine glasses are made for drinking wine, of course, but people are creative and have found other uses ranging from combining several wine glasses to construct a glass harp to using stemware in a similar manner to provide sound education.
Choosing Wine Glasses
There really is no right or wrong glass for wine tasting - or for drinking wine for that matter. However, there are some glasses that are better than others for evaluating wines. First of all, we like to suggest using glasses that you are comfortable using. Aesthetics aside, there are really only two things to remember when considering a wine tasting glass: the size of the glass and the overall shape of the glass.
The more universally used tasting glass is called a chimney shape. Broader on the bottom of the bowl, it tapers upward to a smaller opening. The broader bottom will enable you to hold enough wine and give you plenty of room to swirl the wine, while the smaller opening at the top will help to trap and focus the aromas, allowing you enough of a scent to assess the wine.
Size Doesn't Matter
For the most part, if your glass is of this shape, the actual size of the glass is not important other than it needs to be big enough and have a big enough opening for you to be able to get your nose inside to really smell the wine. Some people swear by large "Burgundy" style glasses that allow as much of the wine to come in contact with the air as possible, therefore releasing as many of the aromas and flavors as possible. Others like the convenience and ease of use of a smaller glass. Other considerations that will enhance your tasting experience include glassware that is clear (no colors) and free of cuts or engravings within the glass.
Many glass manufacturers have designed specific glasses for specific wine types or varietals, taking in to account different aspects of the individual wine type. While this is wonderful, it is not a necessary purchase for a complete wine tasting. The top producer of these specialized wine glasses is an Austrian crystal company named Riedel (pronounced REE-dle). They are exquisite and expensive.
Cleaning Wine Glasses
When it comes time to clean your glassware, try to avoid using soap. Instead use hot water and rinse thoroughly. Soap can become trapped within the glass release soapy odors the next time you use it. Although you may become quite proficient at identifying various brands of dish soap, this ability and the soapy glasses that taught you will not add to the enjoyment of a good glass of wine.
To summarize, it's important that you find good glassware for your wine tasting experiences, but "good" does not necessarily mean "expensive." Find glassware that you are comfortable with and adequately serves its purpose: presenting wine for your evaluation and enjoyment.
Tips For Serving Wine
You've probably heard many conflicting and complicated instructions throughout the years on the proper way to get wine from the store to your glass. It doesn't have to be that hard. Here are the basics of serving wine, which are all you really need.
Many customs have accompanied wine drinking through the years. None of them are meant to be intimidating or stuffy. They are just practices intended to enhance the enjoyment of wine.
- "White wine with fish and red wine with meat" is more customary than culinary.
- Red wines are served at room temperature, while white wines, roses, and champagnes are served chilled.
- The stronger the food, the stronger the wine. The lighter the food, the lighter the wine.
- Wine loves air, which revives its sleeping flavors. It is recommended to open the bottle about an hour before consumption and let the wine "breathe". This ages it a year or so, and allows its flavors to mellow.
- A bottle of wine has to be handled carefully, with the minimum movement possible. Remember, wine likes to sleep, only to awaken in your mouth.
- Red wine bottles do not need to be cleaned or dusted before opening. They are opened on a hard surface. White wines, rose, and Champagne bottles are opened in ice buckets.
- Red wines corks are sniffed to make sure the wine has not spoiled, which gives the cork an unpleasant smell. It is not necessary to smell white and rose wine corks since the wine was refrigerated and the cork will not smell.
Ideal Serving Temperatures For Serving Wine
On the subject of temperature - you may have heard that red wine should be served at room temperature and that white wine should be slightly chilled before serving. These recommendations originated at a time when "room temperature" was lower than is typical today.
Full-bodied and tannic red wines are best enjoyed at not more than 64°F (18°C) and clarets, Pinot Noirs (including burgundies), and then the modern reds - soft, light, fruity and relatively tannin-free for drinking young, at progressively cooler temperatures - down to about 54°F (12°C).
White wines are ideally served between 43°F (6°C) to 52°F (11°C). Red wine or white wine, err on the cool side as they will warm quickly on the table and in the glass.
A Brief History of the Wine Glass
Wine glasses have been used since ancient times.
Pliny (23-79 A.D.) wrote about gold and silver drinking vessels being abandoned in favor of glass, and they were frequently priced as high as the precious metal versions. Bonifacio Veronese's sixteenth-century 'Last Supper' includes modern style wine glasses with a stem and foot.
The oldest surviving European wine glasses with a stem and foot are fifteenth-century enameled goblets (a goblet is a glass holding more than four ounces of liquid).
Near the end of the sixteenth-century in Germany sophisticated engraved decoration was applied to covered wine glasses.
The earliest surviving English wine glasses are diamond-engraved glasses that were produced near the end of the sixteenth-century by Verzelini. Plain straight stems gained popularity around 1740, with air twist stems being introduced about the same time. Ten years later a twist incised on the exterior of the stem became popular.
Quality crystal wine glasses were being produced in France near the end of the eighteenth-century.
Cordial glasses in the eighteenth-century had bowls of the same shapes that were typical for wine glasses, but they were much smaller, holding about one ounce.
Toast masters glasses were made with a thicker bottom and walls so that they would hold less. A toast master had to drain every glass and still be able to remain standing till all toasts were completed.
Wine glasses during the nineteenth-century were often produced in sets - with a dozen each of port and sherry, burgundy and claret, champagne glasses and liqueur glasses.
More recently, in the 1950s, Riedel Crystal and other stemware manufacturers have refined wine glass design to the point of having a unique size and shape for almost every wine variation.
Wine glasses are made for drinking wine, of course, but people are creative and have found other uses ranging from combining several wine glasses to construct a glass harp to using stemware in a similar manner to provide sound education.
Choosing Wine Glasses
There really is no right or wrong glass for wine tasting - or for drinking wine for that matter. However, there are some glasses that are better than others for evaluating wines. First of all, we like to suggest using glasses that you are comfortable using. Aesthetics aside, there are really only two things to remember when considering a wine tasting glass: the size of the glass and the overall shape of the glass.
The more universally used tasting glass is called a chimney shape. Broader on the bottom of the bowl, it tapers upward to a smaller opening. The broader bottom will enable you to hold enough wine and give you plenty of room to swirl the wine, while the smaller opening at the top will help to trap and focus the aromas, allowing you enough of a scent to assess the wine.
Size Doesn't Matter
For the most part, if your glass is of this shape, the actual size of the glass is not important other than it needs to be big enough and have a big enough opening for you to be able to get your nose inside to really smell the wine. Some people swear by large "Burgundy" style glasses that allow as much of the wine to come in contact with the air as possible, therefore releasing as many of the aromas and flavors as possible. Others like the convenience and ease of use of a smaller glass. Other considerations that will enhance your tasting experience include glassware that is clear (no colors) and free of cuts or engravings within the glass.
Many glass manufacturers have designed specific glasses for specific wine types or varietals, taking in to account different aspects of the individual wine type. While this is wonderful, it is not a necessary purchase for a complete wine tasting. The top producer of these specialized wine glasses is an Austrian crystal company named Riedel (pronounced REE-dle). They are exquisite and expensive.
Cleaning Wine Glasses
When it comes time to clean your glassware, try to avoid using soap. Instead use hot water and rinse thoroughly. Soap can become trapped within the glass release soapy odors the next time you use it. Although you may become quite proficient at identifying various brands of dish soap, this ability and the soapy glasses that taught you will not add to the enjoyment of a good glass of wine.
To summarize, it's important that you find good glassware for your wine tasting experiences, but "good" does not necessarily mean "expensive." Find glassware that you are comfortable with and adequately serves its purpose: presenting wine for your evaluation and enjoyment.
Tips For Serving Wine
You've probably heard many conflicting and complicated instructions throughout the years on the proper way to get wine from the store to your glass. It doesn't have to be that hard. Here are the basics of serving wine, which are all you really need.
Many customs have accompanied wine drinking through the years. None of them are meant to be intimidating or stuffy. They are just practices intended to enhance the enjoyment of wine.
- "White wine with fish and red wine with meat" is more customary than culinary.
- Red wines are served at room temperature, while white wines, roses, and champagnes are served chilled.
- The stronger the food, the stronger the wine. The lighter the food, the lighter the wine.
- Wine loves air, which revives its sleeping flavors. It is recommended to open the bottle about an hour before consumption and let the wine "breathe". This ages it a year or so, and allows its flavors to mellow.
- A bottle of wine has to be handled carefully, with the minimum movement possible. Remember, wine likes to sleep, only to awaken in your mouth.
- Red wine bottles do not need to be cleaned or dusted before opening. They are opened on a hard surface. White wines, rose, and Champagne bottles are opened in ice buckets.
- Red wines corks are sniffed to make sure the wine has not spoiled, which gives the cork an unpleasant smell. It is not necessary to smell white and rose wine corks since the wine was refrigerated and the cork will not smell.
Ideal Serving Temperatures For Serving Wine
On the subject of temperature - you may have heard that red wine should be served at room temperature and that white wine should be slightly chilled before serving. These recommendations originated at a time when "room temperature" was lower than is typical today.
Full-bodied and tannic red wines are best enjoyed at not more than 64°F (18°C) and clarets, Pinot Noirs (including burgundies), and then the modern reds - soft, light, fruity and relatively tannin-free for drinking young, at progressively cooler temperatures - down to about 54°F (12°C).
White wines are ideally served between 43°F (6°C) to 52°F (11°C). Red wine or white wine, err on the cool side as they will warm quickly on the table and in the glass.
To Decant or Not to Decant...That is the Question
by: Jennifer de Jong
The idea of decanting brings images of blue bloods standing around a cocktail table with dozens of beautiful crystal bottles staring back at them. I used to think that people decanted their wine just to look "fancy". This may be true for some, but the real reason that wine began being decanted is because there was no filtration system in place for wine back in the day. The wine that would be poured from the barrel would contain a considerable amount of sediment and a system needed to be put in place to remove this before drinking. Now most of our wines are filtered to a very clear state and we don't have to decant to remove sediment but do it to enhance flavor prior to drinking.
When to decant wine?
1. Decant if your wine has sediment - Wines deposit sediment as a natural part of aging, some more than others. Decanting the wine can help to separate the clear wine from the sediment. Decanting the wine also introduces air into the wine - letting the wine breathe - releasing the aromas and enhancing flavors, particularly useful for red wines that are a little harsh.
2. If your wine has been aging for a long time - Decanting old wines, just prior to serving, helps to ensure that the wines' clarity and brilliance are not obscured by any deposit that may have developed over time (pour slowly and avoid decanting the last ounce).
3. If your wine if very young - Decant young wines as much as several hours before they are served to give the wine a chance to breath, simulating a stage of development that might normally be acquired after years of aging (pour quickly, even up-ending the bottle - the idea is to expose the wine to air).
4. Just for fun! - I like to decant just to see if mine wine in the decanter tastes different than the wine I poured right out of the bottle. Why not! Decanters are also pretty so if you are having a party why not show them off. Just don't keep them sitting out for too long.
How to Decant Wine?
How to Decant Aged Wine
For old wines with sediment one needs to be very careful when pouring the wine into a decanter. First, stand the bottle up for several hours to allow the sediment to settle at the bottom. Fine sediment will take longer to settle to the bottom of the bottle.
Use a lit candle or lamp if you can't see where the sediment is in the bottle. Hold the bottle of wine so that the area just below the neck of the wine bottle can be seen through the light while pouring. Ever so slowly begin pouring the aged wine into the decanter. Be patient. Hold the bottle as much as possible perpendicular to the candle. As the last one-third of the wine is poured, carefully watch for sediment. Stop pouring when any sediment appears in the neck of the bottle.
How to Decant Young Red Wine
For young red wines, splash the wine into the decanter. The more it splashes into the decanter, the more it comes in contact with oxygen. Let the wine settle and rest for a short time.
How Long to decant?
If you are decanting your wine in order to let it breathe you will usually want it to sit in the decanter 1/2 hour to 1 hour before drinking. Your goal is for the wine to be giving off aromas. If it's not releasing flavors into the air, it's going to taste still and blah. There is however a point where you can let your wine decant too long. You would not want your wine to sit out at room temperature for 8 hours or more. At this point the wine will be come oxidized and begin to taste more like vinegar and/or sherry. Remember, back in the old says wine was kept at about 50 degrees so being at 70+ for a substantial amount of time would be bad for the wine.
What Kind of Decanter?
Wine decanter design varies from the purely function to extravagantly decorated, but sometimes unusual design and functionality can go hand-in-hand as in the Orbital Decanter that, when removed from its base, will sit elegantly on your table while a gentle orbital movement increases the breathing of your wine with minimal disturbance. But the basic point of the decanter is to let air into the wine and to remove the sediment so whichever type you prefer is the one you should chose. There really is no right or wrong decanter.
Of course, you can always let your wine breathe by just taking the cork out of the bottle, but very little air touches the surface and it will take much longer to achieve the desired effect. Some experts prefer to let wine breathe in the wineglass but I personally find it hard to wait patiently once it's been poured.
The idea of decanting brings images of blue bloods standing around a cocktail table with dozens of beautiful crystal bottles staring back at them. I used to think that people decanted their wine just to look "fancy". This may be true for some, but the real reason that wine began being decanted is because there was no filtration system in place for wine back in the day. The wine that would be poured from the barrel would contain a considerable amount of sediment and a system needed to be put in place to remove this before drinking. Now most of our wines are filtered to a very clear state and we don't have to decant to remove sediment but do it to enhance flavor prior to drinking.
When to decant wine?
1. Decant if your wine has sediment - Wines deposit sediment as a natural part of aging, some more than others. Decanting the wine can help to separate the clear wine from the sediment. Decanting the wine also introduces air into the wine - letting the wine breathe - releasing the aromas and enhancing flavors, particularly useful for red wines that are a little harsh.
2. If your wine has been aging for a long time - Decanting old wines, just prior to serving, helps to ensure that the wines' clarity and brilliance are not obscured by any deposit that may have developed over time (pour slowly and avoid decanting the last ounce).
3. If your wine if very young - Decant young wines as much as several hours before they are served to give the wine a chance to breath, simulating a stage of development that might normally be acquired after years of aging (pour quickly, even up-ending the bottle - the idea is to expose the wine to air).
4. Just for fun! - I like to decant just to see if mine wine in the decanter tastes different than the wine I poured right out of the bottle. Why not! Decanters are also pretty so if you are having a party why not show them off. Just don't keep them sitting out for too long.
How to Decant Wine?
How to Decant Aged Wine
For old wines with sediment one needs to be very careful when pouring the wine into a decanter. First, stand the bottle up for several hours to allow the sediment to settle at the bottom. Fine sediment will take longer to settle to the bottom of the bottle.
Use a lit candle or lamp if you can't see where the sediment is in the bottle. Hold the bottle of wine so that the area just below the neck of the wine bottle can be seen through the light while pouring. Ever so slowly begin pouring the aged wine into the decanter. Be patient. Hold the bottle as much as possible perpendicular to the candle. As the last one-third of the wine is poured, carefully watch for sediment. Stop pouring when any sediment appears in the neck of the bottle.
How to Decant Young Red Wine
For young red wines, splash the wine into the decanter. The more it splashes into the decanter, the more it comes in contact with oxygen. Let the wine settle and rest for a short time.
How Long to decant?
If you are decanting your wine in order to let it breathe you will usually want it to sit in the decanter 1/2 hour to 1 hour before drinking. Your goal is for the wine to be giving off aromas. If it's not releasing flavors into the air, it's going to taste still and blah. There is however a point where you can let your wine decant too long. You would not want your wine to sit out at room temperature for 8 hours or more. At this point the wine will be come oxidized and begin to taste more like vinegar and/or sherry. Remember, back in the old says wine was kept at about 50 degrees so being at 70+ for a substantial amount of time would be bad for the wine.
What Kind of Decanter?
Wine decanter design varies from the purely function to extravagantly decorated, but sometimes unusual design and functionality can go hand-in-hand as in the Orbital Decanter that, when removed from its base, will sit elegantly on your table while a gentle orbital movement increases the breathing of your wine with minimal disturbance. But the basic point of the decanter is to let air into the wine and to remove the sediment so whichever type you prefer is the one you should chose. There really is no right or wrong decanter.
Of course, you can always let your wine breathe by just taking the cork out of the bottle, but very little air touches the surface and it will take much longer to achieve the desired effect. Some experts prefer to let wine breathe in the wineglass but I personally find it hard to wait patiently once it's been poured.
Preschool Lunch Ideas-Mimi Pizzas For Kids
by: Marisa Robinson
A yummy quick lunch that is sure to please everyone's tummy is mini pizzas.
What you will need:
English Muffins (pre-sliced) Whole Wheat preferred if available.
Store Bought Tomato Sauce for Pizza
Pepperoni
Mozzarella Cheese (already grated)
Spoon
Baking Sheet
Popsicle Sticks
Ready to Serve Cut up Veggies (carrots, celery, and cucumber-all three, or just one or two kinds.)
Ranch Dressing
This is a lunch that everyone can help prepare. It is fun to make, quick to cook, and everyone can enjoy it.
Split the English muffins in half. Give each child two halves (one whole English muffin). Go around and put one spoonful of sauce on each English muffin half for each child. Allow the children to spread the sauce with the popsicle sticks provided.
Give each child 5-6 pieces of pepperoni and allow them to arrange them however they like on top of the sauce.
Next, give each child a handful of cheese that they can sprinkle on each English muffin halve.
Put the English muffins on a baking sheet and place them in a preheated 350ºF oven until the cheese is melted and just starting to turn golden.
While the pizzas are cooking you can sing some of the preschool children's favorite songs and read a book or two, being aware of how the pizzas are doing at all times though.
When they are ready, with oven mitts, take out the pizzas and allow to cool for 3-5 minutes. Then place the pizzas on plates for the children with some ready to eat cut up veggies and ranch dressing for dipping.
This great preschool lunch idea is great served with milk or juice.
Enjoy!
A yummy quick lunch that is sure to please everyone's tummy is mini pizzas.
What you will need:
English Muffins (pre-sliced) Whole Wheat preferred if available.
Store Bought Tomato Sauce for Pizza
Pepperoni
Mozzarella Cheese (already grated)
Spoon
Baking Sheet
Popsicle Sticks
Ready to Serve Cut up Veggies (carrots, celery, and cucumber-all three, or just one or two kinds.)
Ranch Dressing
This is a lunch that everyone can help prepare. It is fun to make, quick to cook, and everyone can enjoy it.
Split the English muffins in half. Give each child two halves (one whole English muffin). Go around and put one spoonful of sauce on each English muffin half for each child. Allow the children to spread the sauce with the popsicle sticks provided.
Give each child 5-6 pieces of pepperoni and allow them to arrange them however they like on top of the sauce.
Next, give each child a handful of cheese that they can sprinkle on each English muffin halve.
Put the English muffins on a baking sheet and place them in a preheated 350ºF oven until the cheese is melted and just starting to turn golden.
While the pizzas are cooking you can sing some of the preschool children's favorite songs and read a book or two, being aware of how the pizzas are doing at all times though.
When they are ready, with oven mitts, take out the pizzas and allow to cool for 3-5 minutes. Then place the pizzas on plates for the children with some ready to eat cut up veggies and ranch dressing for dipping.
This great preschool lunch idea is great served with milk or juice.
Enjoy!
A Little Wine Goes A Long Way
by: Mark Hooson
Changing to a healthier diet needn’t mean you miss out on the good things in life …
A question of balance:
You’ve embarked on a diet – and have even discovered some exciting new recipes – but what about wine? According to doctors, a little bit of what you fancy does you good, so much so that heart attack patients in one Wiltshire hospital were given two glasses a day during their stay. It’s also a great stress reliever, helping you unwind at the end of a busy day. The secret is moderation – but by drinking less you can afford a few special bottles and expand your wine horizons.
A world of choice:
Start by taking a grape variety you know, then work your way through different examples from around the world. Lovers of Aussie Chardonnay, for instance, might ring the changes with rich, barrel-matured white Burgundy. If you’ve already discovered fruit-filled Chilean Cabernet, then you really need to try the aristocratic reds of Bordeaux. Find out for yourself why the wines of New Zealand have become so popular, or experience the everlasting appeal of Burgundy. Just a few rungs up the price ladder, flavours become more intense – making it far easier to stick to a single glass!
When exploring, don’t be afraid to ask questions of waiters or shop staff – if properly trained they will be full of useful advice. The very cheapest wine is rarely the best value for money. Excise duty, VAT, transport and packaging are virtually the same whether it’s a basic vin de table or from a prestigious estate. By paying a little extra – say £5 to £7 – you get a big increase in wine quality.
The easy option:
More people are ordering their wine online thanks to the convenience and range of wines on offer. Online wine merchants invariably provide more information about their wines than you will find on the label when perusing the supermarket shelves. Laithwaites were voted UK Independent Wine Merchant of the Year 2007 and have seen their online orders increase rapidly in recent years. It isn’t hard to see why – a quick look at their website reveals a wide range of wines with helpful descriptions about each bottle. Ordering is simple, each selection is delivered direct to your door and every bottle is covered by a full money-back guarantee.
With expert wine merchants available at your fingertips it has become a whole lot easier to enjoy better wines at very competitive prices. Avoid cheap supermarket wine and you’ll discover a little good wine really does go a long way. You may find that you shed those unwanted pounds and your health, not to mention your palate, improves too! More information can be found at our site.
Changing to a healthier diet needn’t mean you miss out on the good things in life …
A question of balance:
You’ve embarked on a diet – and have even discovered some exciting new recipes – but what about wine? According to doctors, a little bit of what you fancy does you good, so much so that heart attack patients in one Wiltshire hospital were given two glasses a day during their stay. It’s also a great stress reliever, helping you unwind at the end of a busy day. The secret is moderation – but by drinking less you can afford a few special bottles and expand your wine horizons.
A world of choice:
Start by taking a grape variety you know, then work your way through different examples from around the world. Lovers of Aussie Chardonnay, for instance, might ring the changes with rich, barrel-matured white Burgundy. If you’ve already discovered fruit-filled Chilean Cabernet, then you really need to try the aristocratic reds of Bordeaux. Find out for yourself why the wines of New Zealand have become so popular, or experience the everlasting appeal of Burgundy. Just a few rungs up the price ladder, flavours become more intense – making it far easier to stick to a single glass!
When exploring, don’t be afraid to ask questions of waiters or shop staff – if properly trained they will be full of useful advice. The very cheapest wine is rarely the best value for money. Excise duty, VAT, transport and packaging are virtually the same whether it’s a basic vin de table or from a prestigious estate. By paying a little extra – say £5 to £7 – you get a big increase in wine quality.
The easy option:
More people are ordering their wine online thanks to the convenience and range of wines on offer. Online wine merchants invariably provide more information about their wines than you will find on the label when perusing the supermarket shelves. Laithwaites were voted UK Independent Wine Merchant of the Year 2007 and have seen their online orders increase rapidly in recent years. It isn’t hard to see why – a quick look at their website reveals a wide range of wines with helpful descriptions about each bottle. Ordering is simple, each selection is delivered direct to your door and every bottle is covered by a full money-back guarantee.
With expert wine merchants available at your fingertips it has become a whole lot easier to enjoy better wines at very competitive prices. Avoid cheap supermarket wine and you’ll discover a little good wine really does go a long way. You may find that you shed those unwanted pounds and your health, not to mention your palate, improves too! More information can be found at our site.
Irish Food And Wine Pairing
by: Mike Birdsall
I think the Irish are unlucky.
Every St Patrick’s Day I conjure up visions of eating corned beef and cabbage for dinner. Then I wonder “What wine goes with corned beef and cabbage?” The corned beef is too salty and doesn’t work with any wine very well. Someone yells to me that beer is more in order. Maybe a wine from Ireland?
The climate of Ireland isn’t the best for growing grapes. There's only one wine that that comes from Ireland and it's made by Llewellyn's - a farmer in north county Dublin. His normal produce is apples and he makes a lot of apple juice for upscale independent retailers. His wine is more of a novelty item at best. What is interesting about Irish wine is the Irish connection with Bordeaux. Irish names like Lynch, Barton, Phelan adorn the labels on some of the best wines from the Bordeaux region. As for wine making, the Irish are better off sticking to the black stuff, Guinness.
But I’m a wine guy and don’t care for beer so I do some more digging. Guess what? It seems that corned beef and cabbage is more of an American St Patrick’s Day tradition. According to Bridgett Haggerty of the website Irish Cultres and Customs their research shows that most likely a "bacon joint" or a piece of salted pork boiled with cabbage and potatoes would more likely have shown up for an Easter Sunday feast in the rural parts of Ireland. Since the invention of refrigeration, people eat fresh meats. Today corned beef and cabbage is considered a peasant dish and is more popular in the United States than in Ireland. People eat it on St. Patrick's Day as a nostalgic reminder of the Irish heritage.
If you want to try really authentic Irish dishes, Gerry at www.WineOnline.ie says that one of the very traditional Dublin dishes is Coddle which is still served to this day. http://www.matchmywine.com/index.php?mod=match&p=details&id=608. The most famous dish is probably the Irish Stew http://www.matchmywine.com/index.php?mod=match&p=details&id=607.
Many of these dishes had their origins in very basic peasant style food dating back to the pre-famine era (mid 1800's)when potatoes were the staple Irish peasant diet mixed with vegetables and meat, if available - the slow cooking process of the stew allowed for lesser cuts of meat. And man are these two recipes hearty.
But if your heart is set on Corned Beef and Cabbage, food and wine pairing isn’t an exact science. Laurence with The Irish Wine Blog at www.sourgrapes.ie says “I'd go with a fruity red with high acidity to get through the saltiness of the corned beef. I'll put my neck out and suggest a Chianti Classico.”
For St. Patrick’s Day, Guinness and Green may be more American, but In the spirit of food and wine pairing, try a truly Irish dish and pair it with a great wine.
I think the Irish are unlucky.
Every St Patrick’s Day I conjure up visions of eating corned beef and cabbage for dinner. Then I wonder “What wine goes with corned beef and cabbage?” The corned beef is too salty and doesn’t work with any wine very well. Someone yells to me that beer is more in order. Maybe a wine from Ireland?
The climate of Ireland isn’t the best for growing grapes. There's only one wine that that comes from Ireland and it's made by Llewellyn's - a farmer in north county Dublin. His normal produce is apples and he makes a lot of apple juice for upscale independent retailers. His wine is more of a novelty item at best. What is interesting about Irish wine is the Irish connection with Bordeaux. Irish names like Lynch, Barton, Phelan adorn the labels on some of the best wines from the Bordeaux region. As for wine making, the Irish are better off sticking to the black stuff, Guinness.
But I’m a wine guy and don’t care for beer so I do some more digging. Guess what? It seems that corned beef and cabbage is more of an American St Patrick’s Day tradition. According to Bridgett Haggerty of the website Irish Cultres and Customs their research shows that most likely a "bacon joint" or a piece of salted pork boiled with cabbage and potatoes would more likely have shown up for an Easter Sunday feast in the rural parts of Ireland. Since the invention of refrigeration, people eat fresh meats. Today corned beef and cabbage is considered a peasant dish and is more popular in the United States than in Ireland. People eat it on St. Patrick's Day as a nostalgic reminder of the Irish heritage.
If you want to try really authentic Irish dishes, Gerry at www.WineOnline.ie says that one of the very traditional Dublin dishes is Coddle which is still served to this day. http://www.matchmywine.com/index.php?mod=match&p=details&id=608. The most famous dish is probably the Irish Stew http://www.matchmywine.com/index.php?mod=match&p=details&id=607.
Many of these dishes had their origins in very basic peasant style food dating back to the pre-famine era (mid 1800's)when potatoes were the staple Irish peasant diet mixed with vegetables and meat, if available - the slow cooking process of the stew allowed for lesser cuts of meat. And man are these two recipes hearty.
But if your heart is set on Corned Beef and Cabbage, food and wine pairing isn’t an exact science. Laurence with The Irish Wine Blog at www.sourgrapes.ie says “I'd go with a fruity red with high acidity to get through the saltiness of the corned beef. I'll put my neck out and suggest a Chianti Classico.”
For St. Patrick’s Day, Guinness and Green may be more American, but In the spirit of food and wine pairing, try a truly Irish dish and pair it with a great wine.
Best Gourmet Coffee - The Top Ten Ingredients
by: Joachim Oster
Premium arabica coffee is a gift from the sun and the earth, born only under perfect environmental conditions in the mountainous regions between the tropics of Capricorn and Cancer. The best coffee requires light, fertile volcanic soil, abundant rainfall, some cloud cover, warm temperatures, very little wind, sunny mornings, rainy afternoons and the purest air. But where on earth can these ideal conditions be found? How about Kona, Hawaii? At the base of volcanoes Mauna Loa and Hualalai, the view is bounded on one side by mountains of perpetual green and pacific blues on the other. The morning air is soft and balmy, yet pure and refreshing. There is no place more beautiful where one would desire to pass their allotted time on earth, nor is there any other place better suited for growing specialty coffee! This is the Kona Coffee Belt, a 20-mile long by 2-mile wide band, which rests 700 to 2,500 feet above sea level. Spanning between the slopes of two volcanoes, lush green hills are covered by small, family owned plantations made up of trees that are sometimes more than a hundred years old. Here's are the 10 key reasons why Kona coffee, one of (if not THE) worlds top gourmet coffees can come only from Kona, Hawaii.
The Air
There is an island, which is far away from any other land. So far actually, that when the winds finally arrive, the air is cleaner and clearer than anywhere else on earth. Naturally filtered of pollutants and oxygenated by thousands of miles of ocean in each direction, it feels like breathing pure silk. This is Hawai'i, the most isolated archipelago in the Pacific and in the world. Hawaiian weather patterns are affected primarily by high-pressure zones in the north Pacific that send cool, moist trade winds to the island's northeastern slopes. The winds are forced up-slope, where moisture condenses into rain producing clouds - a phenomenon that creates the rich tropical environment for Hawai'i's flowers and vibrant greens.
The Earth
The Big Island is a bit smaller than the state of Connecticut and slightly larger than the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea. It's the largest of the seven Hawai'ian islands though, yet only 130,000 inhabitants call this place home. Due to Hawai'i's remoteness, the islands have been spared many diseases and countless pests have never landed on its shores, which enables the land, the sea, even the air to remain abundant, fertile and pure. The disintegrating volcanic rock on the Big Island is rich in natural minerals and erodes easily. This geologically young, porous and well-drained soil, mixed with decayed vegetation creates nutritious and healthy pastures for Hawaii's flowers, fruits and verdant greens. The Big Islands broad slopes and high peaks obstruct the flow of weather patterns over the Pacific, causing 13 of the world's 16 global climates to be found here: sunny beaches, tropical rain forests, cool alpine regions and stony deserts - each with its own unique weather, plants and animals.
The Water
The year-round warm ocean waters are responsible for the equally balmy air temperature. On their long journey, the trade winds pick up the cleanest ocean water and drop it onto our mountains. Rain is not gloomy here, but nurturing, cleansing, warm and refreshing. Towering cumulus clouds tend to build up over the volcanoes on sunny warm afternoons, resulting in brief, intense and localized showers. One may ask where all the rainwater goes, if not used by vegetation or running back to sea? Accumulated rainwater is filtered through rocks and pools between ancient layers of lava, creating gigantic aquifers of the purest fresh water deep in the earth to be tapped by future generations.
The Fire
The Hawaiian islands were created by a fine crack in the mantle of the earth, which leaked so much lava onto the deep ocean floor that it created the world's highest volcano. And if measured from the ocean floor, it is also the world's highest mountain. Magnificent steam explosions occur where the glowing lava flow enters the ocean and creates new land out of rocks, pebbles and sand. The volcano is believed by Hawaiian's to be an incarnation of the goddess Pelé, who is soothed by sacrifices and offerings of respect. Occasionally one may find stony strands of her 'hair' or pellets like shiny 'tears' on the beach, from when she wanders amongst us mortals in the figure of an old woman.
Sun drenched mornings and misty afternoons are not all Kona needs in order to produce the perfect Hawaiian coffee climate. Large steam plumes on the other side of the island are produced where lava enters the ocean. These clouds contain a mixture of light hydrochloric acid and water droplets, which is created when the intense heat of lava evaporates salty seawater. This hazy mixture we call 'laze'. The constant airborne emissions of the Kilauea crater releases sulfur dioxide gases, which react chemically with sunlight and oxygen. They form a sulfuric acid fog we call 'vog' (volcanic fog). The trade winds dilute these cloud mixtures and send them on a hundred mile journey around the southern tip of the island to Kona. Here in the coffee belt this cloud mixtures serve as a gentle and natural fertilizer for the coffee trees. Volcanic soil is sometimes too alkaline and requires these acids in order to balance the pH value, which in turn creates the perfect growing conditions for coffee arabica trees. This unique combination is yet another reason that Kona coffee beans come from the most productive trees on earth!
The Trade Winds
Throughout most of the year Hawaiian weather patterns are affected primarily by high-pressure zones in the north Pacific that send cool, moist trade winds to the island's northeastern slopes. The strength of these winds build as the heat of the day rises and reach a peak in the afternoon, only to diminish in the evening and start again the next day. The trade winds are forced up-slope by the mountain heights where moisture condenses into rain producing clouds. Most of this rain falls then in the mountains and valleys on the wet, windward (northeastern) side of the island and it is this weather phenomenon that creates the rich tropical environment for Hawaii's flowers and vibrant greens. Shelter on the dry, leeward (southwestern) side from the prevailing trade winds and occasional tropical storms is provided by the 14,000 foot height of the volcano Mauna Loa. But there is enough wind left for the Kona coffee belt for some cooling breezes during tropical nights.
The Shade of Vector Clouds
Coffee trees cannot withstand dryness, heat or frost. For these reasons only the world's premium coffees are grown under shade trees, which protect against the overhead tropical sun. Other commercial or inexpensive coffee varieties require additional fertilizers and pesticides in order to thrive in harsh, sunny terrains. Without a lush tree canopy for protection, the thin tropical soil of these sun-loving varieties is exposed to blazing rays and eroding rains. The sun literally scorches the much-needed microorganisms that exist within the earth. Once destroyed, they must then be replenished artificially. Naturally shade grown Kona coffee maintains a nutrient rich soil, which reduces acidity and produces dense and more flavorful beans. During the course of any given Kona day the land is gently heated by the sun, which draws moist breezes up the slopes to create what's called vector clouds. These clouds not only make shade trees obsolete, but they prompt drizzly convection rains throughout the afternoon. Therefore only in Hawai'i is coffee grown at lower altitudes and naturally irrigated. Each day around 20,000 gallons of pure, fresh Pacific rainwater is poured onto each acre of happy coffee trees. But moments after these periodic rains disappear, one may witness the sun once again pushing its way through at the coast below, creating magnificent rainbows and the most breathtaking Hawaiian sunsets.
The Trees
The coffee tree is one of the few plants that can simultaneously grow a blossom as well as a ripe fruit on the same branch. These trees develop a deep root system in our porous, deep and well-drained soil. Not really huge trees, they appear more like bushes with heavily ridged leaves and long whip like branches that bend toward the ground once heavy with fruit. Members of the gardenia family, they produce amazingly fragrant, brilliantly white flowers that coat the hills many times throughout the year. Over here the folks like to call these blooms 'Hawaiian snow'. Century old coffee trees are handpicked to obtain the best flavor, assuring that only the reddest, ripest and finest cherries make it into your cup. Picking cherries too early or too late in the season will affect the taste of coffee, so only a trained eye knows exactly which fruit is at the right stage. Not many people know this, but the average Kona coffee tree yields about 13 pounds of raw cherry, which results in about 2 pounds of roasted coffee. So when you order 2 lbs from a Kona coffee farm, you're actually buying the yearly fruit of an entire tree! If you want to avoid consuming higher levels of caffeine,make sure to always serve coffea arabica beans, as they have half the caffeine, but double the aroma of the cheaper coffea robusta beans. To know that you got any of the other aforementioned benefits buy only pure Hawaiian Kona coffee (100% Kona Coffee).
The Sun Drying
During the pulping process the harvested red berries are soaked in the freshest and purest rainwater to ferment overnight. This labor-intense 'wet method' is the preferred way of processing high grown arabicas. The soaked skins and pulp are then removed from the beans, which are later washed and spread out to dry on a wooden dry deck. The moist beans are raked many times throughout the day so that the drying happens uniformly. Kona's warm sun and gentle breezes dry the beans slowly to the perfect moisture level. Commercial grades of coffee utilize a mechanical drying method, which forces hot air over the beans to speed up the drying process. This method proves less labor intensive, therefore lowering the price. Sundried coffee maintains more of a delicate, mellow flavor--whereas kiln dried coffee will oftentimes lose some of the aromas Kona coffee is famous for. The only way to safely preserve coffee and its rich aromas for as long as possible is to keep it in its parchment form. Yet most coffee is processed very quickly to its green bean form in their respective country of origin. Once the green beans are exposed to air, light and humidity, the surface oxidizes and bacteria, yeasts and moulds start their deteriorating work. Many months journeys in the stuffy hold of a ship, various cargo trucks and warehouses go by before the green beans get to the roasters and ultimately to your cup. Better to only hull the parchment of the beans right before they are roasted. It's simply healthier and tastier.
The Small Estates
Family owned plantations produce the finest, estate-grown coffee with superior large, dense and flavorful beans. Kona coffee maintains individual subtleties; much better tasting than pooled, generically sold cheaper alternatives. Kona is comparable to the Champagne region in France, which produces the only legitimately named 'Champagne' product. And like Champagne, 100% Kona coffee is distinguished from commercial blends not only by region and the ideal growing conditions, but also by the enormous amount of care taken throughout each step of the farming, harvesting and roasting processes. Whether it's from the individual pruning of the trees, handpicking only the ripest coffee cherries, carefully sun-drying on large open decks and roasting prior to packaging the coffee in specially sealed bags to ensure freshness--you can be assured that Hawaiian Kona coffee is comparable to no other. Only 14,000 to 16,000 sacks of this precious Kona coffee is produced each year by the few hundred farms dotting the hills of this region, making pure Kona coffee the rare and sought after gourmet coffee in the world.
The 100% Rule
Most likely any coffees you ever drank came from ultra-productive, low-waged labor, machine-picked and pesticide sprayed coffee farms in other parts of the world. Large companies who trade in coffee are interested in buying the cheapest beans available, resell, ship, store it for many months to the point where they have to infuse coffee aromas back into the beans during the roasting process! And you wonder why your stomach rebels against that second cup... Intense hand labor, only ripe beans, a unique climate and soil in Kona combined with natural processing gives this coffee its greatness. Real, fresh 100% Kona coffee is hard to come by outside of Kona, which is why many coffee drinkers are easily duped. Companies all over the world mislead customers and profit on the reputation of the Kona fame by mixing few Kona coffee beans with much, much cheaper inferior Central or South American beans. This combination produces an atypical, cheaper taste, and is commonly referred to as '10% Kona Blend', 'Kona Roast', or 'Kona Style'. Yet this name misleads folks to believe that the bag of coffee they've purchased contains a mix or 'blend' of various Kona coffees. The law of Hawai'i stipulates that a bag of pure Kona coffee must have printed on its label the words 100% KONA COFFEE to guarantee its contents. So watch out for it and check the bag or cross check the coffee websites carefully before you order!
See many pictures and read more of how a small farm produces delicious, affordable 100% Kona coffee: http://www.bluehorsekona.com/ (low end pricing)
Life seen through the eyes of a little Hawaiian girl growing up on a genuine small coffee farm in Kona: http://www.athenaofhawaii.com/ (moderate pricing; celebrity clientele; presented in handcrafted wooden gift boxes and unique tapa cloth pouches)
Premium arabica coffee is a gift from the sun and the earth, born only under perfect environmental conditions in the mountainous regions between the tropics of Capricorn and Cancer. The best coffee requires light, fertile volcanic soil, abundant rainfall, some cloud cover, warm temperatures, very little wind, sunny mornings, rainy afternoons and the purest air. But where on earth can these ideal conditions be found? How about Kona, Hawaii? At the base of volcanoes Mauna Loa and Hualalai, the view is bounded on one side by mountains of perpetual green and pacific blues on the other. The morning air is soft and balmy, yet pure and refreshing. There is no place more beautiful where one would desire to pass their allotted time on earth, nor is there any other place better suited for growing specialty coffee! This is the Kona Coffee Belt, a 20-mile long by 2-mile wide band, which rests 700 to 2,500 feet above sea level. Spanning between the slopes of two volcanoes, lush green hills are covered by small, family owned plantations made up of trees that are sometimes more than a hundred years old. Here's are the 10 key reasons why Kona coffee, one of (if not THE) worlds top gourmet coffees can come only from Kona, Hawaii.
The Air
There is an island, which is far away from any other land. So far actually, that when the winds finally arrive, the air is cleaner and clearer than anywhere else on earth. Naturally filtered of pollutants and oxygenated by thousands of miles of ocean in each direction, it feels like breathing pure silk. This is Hawai'i, the most isolated archipelago in the Pacific and in the world. Hawaiian weather patterns are affected primarily by high-pressure zones in the north Pacific that send cool, moist trade winds to the island's northeastern slopes. The winds are forced up-slope, where moisture condenses into rain producing clouds - a phenomenon that creates the rich tropical environment for Hawai'i's flowers and vibrant greens.
The Earth
The Big Island is a bit smaller than the state of Connecticut and slightly larger than the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea. It's the largest of the seven Hawai'ian islands though, yet only 130,000 inhabitants call this place home. Due to Hawai'i's remoteness, the islands have been spared many diseases and countless pests have never landed on its shores, which enables the land, the sea, even the air to remain abundant, fertile and pure. The disintegrating volcanic rock on the Big Island is rich in natural minerals and erodes easily. This geologically young, porous and well-drained soil, mixed with decayed vegetation creates nutritious and healthy pastures for Hawaii's flowers, fruits and verdant greens. The Big Islands broad slopes and high peaks obstruct the flow of weather patterns over the Pacific, causing 13 of the world's 16 global climates to be found here: sunny beaches, tropical rain forests, cool alpine regions and stony deserts - each with its own unique weather, plants and animals.
The Water
The year-round warm ocean waters are responsible for the equally balmy air temperature. On their long journey, the trade winds pick up the cleanest ocean water and drop it onto our mountains. Rain is not gloomy here, but nurturing, cleansing, warm and refreshing. Towering cumulus clouds tend to build up over the volcanoes on sunny warm afternoons, resulting in brief, intense and localized showers. One may ask where all the rainwater goes, if not used by vegetation or running back to sea? Accumulated rainwater is filtered through rocks and pools between ancient layers of lava, creating gigantic aquifers of the purest fresh water deep in the earth to be tapped by future generations.
The Fire
The Hawaiian islands were created by a fine crack in the mantle of the earth, which leaked so much lava onto the deep ocean floor that it created the world's highest volcano. And if measured from the ocean floor, it is also the world's highest mountain. Magnificent steam explosions occur where the glowing lava flow enters the ocean and creates new land out of rocks, pebbles and sand. The volcano is believed by Hawaiian's to be an incarnation of the goddess Pelé, who is soothed by sacrifices and offerings of respect. Occasionally one may find stony strands of her 'hair' or pellets like shiny 'tears' on the beach, from when she wanders amongst us mortals in the figure of an old woman.
Sun drenched mornings and misty afternoons are not all Kona needs in order to produce the perfect Hawaiian coffee climate. Large steam plumes on the other side of the island are produced where lava enters the ocean. These clouds contain a mixture of light hydrochloric acid and water droplets, which is created when the intense heat of lava evaporates salty seawater. This hazy mixture we call 'laze'. The constant airborne emissions of the Kilauea crater releases sulfur dioxide gases, which react chemically with sunlight and oxygen. They form a sulfuric acid fog we call 'vog' (volcanic fog). The trade winds dilute these cloud mixtures and send them on a hundred mile journey around the southern tip of the island to Kona. Here in the coffee belt this cloud mixtures serve as a gentle and natural fertilizer for the coffee trees. Volcanic soil is sometimes too alkaline and requires these acids in order to balance the pH value, which in turn creates the perfect growing conditions for coffee arabica trees. This unique combination is yet another reason that Kona coffee beans come from the most productive trees on earth!
The Trade Winds
Throughout most of the year Hawaiian weather patterns are affected primarily by high-pressure zones in the north Pacific that send cool, moist trade winds to the island's northeastern slopes. The strength of these winds build as the heat of the day rises and reach a peak in the afternoon, only to diminish in the evening and start again the next day. The trade winds are forced up-slope by the mountain heights where moisture condenses into rain producing clouds. Most of this rain falls then in the mountains and valleys on the wet, windward (northeastern) side of the island and it is this weather phenomenon that creates the rich tropical environment for Hawaii's flowers and vibrant greens. Shelter on the dry, leeward (southwestern) side from the prevailing trade winds and occasional tropical storms is provided by the 14,000 foot height of the volcano Mauna Loa. But there is enough wind left for the Kona coffee belt for some cooling breezes during tropical nights.
The Shade of Vector Clouds
Coffee trees cannot withstand dryness, heat or frost. For these reasons only the world's premium coffees are grown under shade trees, which protect against the overhead tropical sun. Other commercial or inexpensive coffee varieties require additional fertilizers and pesticides in order to thrive in harsh, sunny terrains. Without a lush tree canopy for protection, the thin tropical soil of these sun-loving varieties is exposed to blazing rays and eroding rains. The sun literally scorches the much-needed microorganisms that exist within the earth. Once destroyed, they must then be replenished artificially. Naturally shade grown Kona coffee maintains a nutrient rich soil, which reduces acidity and produces dense and more flavorful beans. During the course of any given Kona day the land is gently heated by the sun, which draws moist breezes up the slopes to create what's called vector clouds. These clouds not only make shade trees obsolete, but they prompt drizzly convection rains throughout the afternoon. Therefore only in Hawai'i is coffee grown at lower altitudes and naturally irrigated. Each day around 20,000 gallons of pure, fresh Pacific rainwater is poured onto each acre of happy coffee trees. But moments after these periodic rains disappear, one may witness the sun once again pushing its way through at the coast below, creating magnificent rainbows and the most breathtaking Hawaiian sunsets.
The Trees
The coffee tree is one of the few plants that can simultaneously grow a blossom as well as a ripe fruit on the same branch. These trees develop a deep root system in our porous, deep and well-drained soil. Not really huge trees, they appear more like bushes with heavily ridged leaves and long whip like branches that bend toward the ground once heavy with fruit. Members of the gardenia family, they produce amazingly fragrant, brilliantly white flowers that coat the hills many times throughout the year. Over here the folks like to call these blooms 'Hawaiian snow'. Century old coffee trees are handpicked to obtain the best flavor, assuring that only the reddest, ripest and finest cherries make it into your cup. Picking cherries too early or too late in the season will affect the taste of coffee, so only a trained eye knows exactly which fruit is at the right stage. Not many people know this, but the average Kona coffee tree yields about 13 pounds of raw cherry, which results in about 2 pounds of roasted coffee. So when you order 2 lbs from a Kona coffee farm, you're actually buying the yearly fruit of an entire tree! If you want to avoid consuming higher levels of caffeine,make sure to always serve coffea arabica beans, as they have half the caffeine, but double the aroma of the cheaper coffea robusta beans. To know that you got any of the other aforementioned benefits buy only pure Hawaiian Kona coffee (100% Kona Coffee).
The Sun Drying
During the pulping process the harvested red berries are soaked in the freshest and purest rainwater to ferment overnight. This labor-intense 'wet method' is the preferred way of processing high grown arabicas. The soaked skins and pulp are then removed from the beans, which are later washed and spread out to dry on a wooden dry deck. The moist beans are raked many times throughout the day so that the drying happens uniformly. Kona's warm sun and gentle breezes dry the beans slowly to the perfect moisture level. Commercial grades of coffee utilize a mechanical drying method, which forces hot air over the beans to speed up the drying process. This method proves less labor intensive, therefore lowering the price. Sundried coffee maintains more of a delicate, mellow flavor--whereas kiln dried coffee will oftentimes lose some of the aromas Kona coffee is famous for. The only way to safely preserve coffee and its rich aromas for as long as possible is to keep it in its parchment form. Yet most coffee is processed very quickly to its green bean form in their respective country of origin. Once the green beans are exposed to air, light and humidity, the surface oxidizes and bacteria, yeasts and moulds start their deteriorating work. Many months journeys in the stuffy hold of a ship, various cargo trucks and warehouses go by before the green beans get to the roasters and ultimately to your cup. Better to only hull the parchment of the beans right before they are roasted. It's simply healthier and tastier.
The Small Estates
Family owned plantations produce the finest, estate-grown coffee with superior large, dense and flavorful beans. Kona coffee maintains individual subtleties; much better tasting than pooled, generically sold cheaper alternatives. Kona is comparable to the Champagne region in France, which produces the only legitimately named 'Champagne' product. And like Champagne, 100% Kona coffee is distinguished from commercial blends not only by region and the ideal growing conditions, but also by the enormous amount of care taken throughout each step of the farming, harvesting and roasting processes. Whether it's from the individual pruning of the trees, handpicking only the ripest coffee cherries, carefully sun-drying on large open decks and roasting prior to packaging the coffee in specially sealed bags to ensure freshness--you can be assured that Hawaiian Kona coffee is comparable to no other. Only 14,000 to 16,000 sacks of this precious Kona coffee is produced each year by the few hundred farms dotting the hills of this region, making pure Kona coffee the rare and sought after gourmet coffee in the world.
The 100% Rule
Most likely any coffees you ever drank came from ultra-productive, low-waged labor, machine-picked and pesticide sprayed coffee farms in other parts of the world. Large companies who trade in coffee are interested in buying the cheapest beans available, resell, ship, store it for many months to the point where they have to infuse coffee aromas back into the beans during the roasting process! And you wonder why your stomach rebels against that second cup... Intense hand labor, only ripe beans, a unique climate and soil in Kona combined with natural processing gives this coffee its greatness. Real, fresh 100% Kona coffee is hard to come by outside of Kona, which is why many coffee drinkers are easily duped. Companies all over the world mislead customers and profit on the reputation of the Kona fame by mixing few Kona coffee beans with much, much cheaper inferior Central or South American beans. This combination produces an atypical, cheaper taste, and is commonly referred to as '10% Kona Blend', 'Kona Roast', or 'Kona Style'. Yet this name misleads folks to believe that the bag of coffee they've purchased contains a mix or 'blend' of various Kona coffees. The law of Hawai'i stipulates that a bag of pure Kona coffee must have printed on its label the words 100% KONA COFFEE to guarantee its contents. So watch out for it and check the bag or cross check the coffee websites carefully before you order!
See many pictures and read more of how a small farm produces delicious, affordable 100% Kona coffee: http://www.bluehorsekona.com/ (low end pricing)
Life seen through the eyes of a little Hawaiian girl growing up on a genuine small coffee farm in Kona: http://www.athenaofhawaii.com/ (moderate pricing; celebrity clientele; presented in handcrafted wooden gift boxes and unique tapa cloth pouches)
The Healthful Benefits of Troll-Caught Albacore Tuna
by: Steven Stallard
If you have been curious about the heathful qualities of tuna, canned tune in particular, one tuna stands above the rest: Troll-Caught Albacore Tuna
Why is Troll-Caught Albacore Different?
Unique Population.
Troll-caught albacore are smaller, younger, and richer in flavor than the older albacore harvested in the tropical waters of the Pacific. Troll-caught albacore come exclusively from cold Pacific waters. These differences in environment and age result in differences in composition. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch calls the troll-caught albacore fishery healthy and sustainable.
Rich in Omega-3s
These are the essential fatty acids, unique to seafood, that boost heart health, reduce the chance of sudden cardiac mortality, improve blood fat levels, are essential for infant brain and neural development, and are linked to improvements in several inflammatory and immune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. Because troll-caught albacore are rich in fat, they contain more omega-3s than any other canned tuna. Fresh troll-caught albacore offer 2-3 times more heart-healthy omega-3s than most other fatty fish. Two servings of fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids is recommended by the American Heart Association (AMA).
Common Albacore vs. Troll-Caught Albacore
Common canned albacore or "white meat" tuna, the kind found on supermarket shelves, comes from tropical Pacific waters. During processing, nearly all the fat is lost. Common canned albacore is almost fat-free, but has very little omega-3 fatty acids. In contrast, Pacific troll-caught albacore are younger fish from colder, northern waters. Troll-caught albacore are handled to retain their fat with all its healthful omega-3s. That's why troll-caught albacore tastes juicy and rich and has all the health benefits of these special omega-3 fatty acids.
The question arises about the standard light/white meat tuna we find on out grocery store shelves?
Light meat tuna comes from different species of tuna, usually skipjack or yellowfin tuna. But no distinction among species appears on the labels of canned light meat tuna. The flesh color is usually slightly darker than albacore. These fish, like tropical albacore, come from warm waters and are rich in protein, but have less fat and omega-3 fatty acids than troll-caught albacore.
Where to Find Troll-Caught Albacore
These delicious fish are available fresh in the Pacific Northwest during the harvest season, July through September. Some frozen troll-caught albacore can be found in food markets. Canned gourmet-style troll-caught albacore is available from specialty markets and at some farmers' markets. Today, troll-caught albacore tune can be purchased online from specialty packers and food stores. It can be identified by the nutrition label with "3 grams fat/serving" in contrast to the usual "1 gram" of fat.
If you have been curious about the heathful qualities of tuna, canned tune in particular, one tuna stands above the rest: Troll-Caught Albacore Tuna
Why is Troll-Caught Albacore Different?
Unique Population.
Troll-caught albacore are smaller, younger, and richer in flavor than the older albacore harvested in the tropical waters of the Pacific. Troll-caught albacore come exclusively from cold Pacific waters. These differences in environment and age result in differences in composition. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch calls the troll-caught albacore fishery healthy and sustainable.
Rich in Omega-3s
These are the essential fatty acids, unique to seafood, that boost heart health, reduce the chance of sudden cardiac mortality, improve blood fat levels, are essential for infant brain and neural development, and are linked to improvements in several inflammatory and immune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. Because troll-caught albacore are rich in fat, they contain more omega-3s than any other canned tuna. Fresh troll-caught albacore offer 2-3 times more heart-healthy omega-3s than most other fatty fish. Two servings of fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids is recommended by the American Heart Association (AMA).
Common Albacore vs. Troll-Caught Albacore
Common canned albacore or "white meat" tuna, the kind found on supermarket shelves, comes from tropical Pacific waters. During processing, nearly all the fat is lost. Common canned albacore is almost fat-free, but has very little omega-3 fatty acids. In contrast, Pacific troll-caught albacore are younger fish from colder, northern waters. Troll-caught albacore are handled to retain their fat with all its healthful omega-3s. That's why troll-caught albacore tastes juicy and rich and has all the health benefits of these special omega-3 fatty acids.
The question arises about the standard light/white meat tuna we find on out grocery store shelves?
Light meat tuna comes from different species of tuna, usually skipjack or yellowfin tuna. But no distinction among species appears on the labels of canned light meat tuna. The flesh color is usually slightly darker than albacore. These fish, like tropical albacore, come from warm waters and are rich in protein, but have less fat and omega-3 fatty acids than troll-caught albacore.
Where to Find Troll-Caught Albacore
These delicious fish are available fresh in the Pacific Northwest during the harvest season, July through September. Some frozen troll-caught albacore can be found in food markets. Canned gourmet-style troll-caught albacore is available from specialty markets and at some farmers' markets. Today, troll-caught albacore tune can be purchased online from specialty packers and food stores. It can be identified by the nutrition label with "3 grams fat/serving" in contrast to the usual "1 gram" of fat.
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