The Strings of Bliss – Different Harmonies, the Variations of Chow Mein

Chow mein is generally made of soft noodles; however Hong Kong-style chow mein is made from thin crispy noodles.

American Chinese cuisine
In American Chinese cuisine, it is a stir-fried dish consisting of noodles, meat (usually chicken, although beef, shrimp, or pork may also be used), and cabbage and other vegetables. It is often served as a specific dish at westernized Chinese restaurants with soy sauce and vegetables such as celery, bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts.
Chow mein is mentioned as early as 1920, in the novel Main Street by Sinclair Lewis.
There are two kinds of chow meins available in the market: 1) Steamed chow mein, and 2) Crispy chow mein, also known as Hong Kong style chow mein. The steamed chow mein has a softer texture while crispy chow mein is crispier and dryer.

Canadian Chinese cuisine
Canadian westernized Chinese restaurants may offer up to three different types of chow mein, none of which are identical to American chow mein. Cantonese style chow mein contains deep-fried crunchy golden egg noodles, green peppers, pea pods, bok choy, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, shrimp, Chinese roast pork (char siu), chicken, and beef, and is served in a thick sauce. Plain chow mein is similar to Western chow mein but contains far more mung bean sprouts; some recipes may be up to one-half bean sprouts. Hong Kong style chow mein is similar to plain chow mein but is always served on a bed of deep-fried crunchy golden egg noodles.

Caribbean style
Many West Indian people include chow mein in their cuisine, especially peoples from islands like Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica which include a significant ethnic Chinese population. As well, in the South American country Guyana the culture and cuisine is similar to Trinidad's. This chow mein is cooked in a similar manner, with green beans, carrots, peas, onions and sometimes other vegetables. Meat used is mostly chicken and sometimes pork and/or shrimp. The main difference is that local spices are added, and the dish is often served with hot Scotch bonnet peppers and/or pepper sauce.
In Cuba, aside from the foreign owned tourist hotels which often serve Western-style Chinese food, local Chinese restaurants can be found in Havana that offer a distinct Cuban style.

The Strings of Bliss

Do you at times feel like letting go and allow yourself to be pulled by strings that do not actually bind but set you free? Then you must have tasted the stringy Chinese delight that the world reveres and savors by the name of Chow mein. Chinese invented the noodles and changed the way we eat, that's not an overstatement. Chinese noodles are used a lot in everyday cooking. Chinese noodles are versatile and there are so many ways to prepare them–stir-fry, pan-fry, boil, blanch, soup, gravy, or dry. In short nobody could ever get bored of noodles. It's one of the easiest foods to prepare at home, and the end results are always satisfying.

One of the most popular Chinese noodles in the US is chow mein or literally "fried noodles" in Cantonese dialect. Chow mein is also a favorite Chinese take-out item. Some shredded vegetables; some protein–chicken, pork, beef, seafood, or combination–and you will have a perfect chow mein that is cheap, filling, and sinfully gratifying.

Chow mein is truly speaking the Indian version of the Chinese noodles and was originally developed by the Chinese population of Kolkata in India. Chow mein falls under the genre of Indian-Chinese cuisine and is flavored with coriander, cumin sometimes uncharacteristically with turmeric. These spices are not used in traditional Chinese cuisine and but have now been incorporated into the chow mein. It is a popular dish in India and is often sold by local fast food joints. The Indian-Chinese community in North America is also familiar with the chow
mein recipe which includes fired and shredded vegetables like carrots, beans, onions and peas along with the noodles.
It is usually offered Hakka or with gravy. Catering to vegetarian diets, there is an Indian variant, vegetable chow mein, which consists of noodles with cabbage, bamboo shoots, pea pods, green peppers, and carrots. In the New Delhi area, chow mein can sometimes include cottage cheese with the mixture of noodles and vegetables.

 

 
 

 

Wrapped in Caring in so many ways – the variations

 
 

Though dosa normally refers to the version made with rice and lentils, many other adaptations of dosa exist and are popular in varying degrees. This is sometimes specific to a region in India. Other types of dosa include:

•    Egg dosa - a dosa spread with an omelet.

•    Chilli dosa - chilli powder is spread on the dosa.

•    Onion dosa - chopped and sautéed onions are spread on the dosa.

•    Ghee (thuppa/neyyi) dosa - ghee is used instead of oil while frying the dosa.

•    Butter dosa - butter is used instead of oil while frying dosa and topped off with a small amount.

•    Roast - the dosa is spread thinly and fried until crisp.

•    Family roast - a long dosa which can be spread over 2 or 3 feet.

•    Paper dosa - a long and very thin delicate dosa which can be spread over 2 feet.

•    Green dosa - a dosa stuffed with fresh vegetables and mint chutney.

•    Chow-chow dosa - a dosa stuffed with (Indian flavored) Chinese noodles.

•    Cheese dosa - a dosa stuffed with cheese.

•    Masala dosa - a dosa stuffed with spiced potatoes (famous in South India)

•    Rava dosa - made with rava or semolina, which doesn't need fermentation.

•    Wheat dosa - made with wheat flour, and served with coconut chutney,mysore masala dosa

•    Vella dosa - a sweet dosa made of jaggery with ghee/neyyi.

•    Ragi dosa - made of ragi or millet flour, usually considered "a poor man's fare".

•    Muttai dosa - eggs are added to the regular batter; the word muttai in Tamil means "egg".

•    Set dose - a popular type of dosa in Karnataka, which is cooked only on one side and is served in a set of two, hence the name.

•    Benne dose - similar to masala or set dosa but smaller in size.

•    Cabbage dosa - a dosa made out of cabbage. Paste is prepared with rice, red chillies, Asafetida and Turmeric. Once the batter is ready, chopped cabbage is added to the paste and left for about 30 minutes.

•    Neer dosa - a dosa prepared from rice unique to Dakshina Kannada and Uttara Kannada districts.

•    Pesarattu - a dosa prepared from moong dal; Andhra special and are usually served with chutney made from Ginger and Tamarind.

•    Adai - a dosa made from a mixture of dals namely Urad, Channa & Moong dal.

•    70 MM Dosa - Similar to Masala Dosa, but it is bigger in size, about 60 cm in diameter.

 

Wrapped with Caring Filled with Fun – Masala dosa

 

Though sometimes considered a breakfast dish, dosas are also eaten at other times of day. Those with wheat allergies or gluten intolerance will find the dosa a nice addition to their diets. They can be stuffed with vegetables, meats and sauces to create a quickly prepared meal.

The ubiquitous Indian dish masala dosa has its origins in Udupi, Karnataka. A masala dosa is made by stuffing a dosa with a lightly cooked filling of potatoes, fried onions and spices. It wraps the dosa around an onion and potato curry or sabji.

Dosa is supposed to have had its roots in the Temple Streets of Udupi, Karnataka.

Before it was invented, plain dosa was served with potato curry (batata bhaji) without onions in a separate cup. During a shortage of potatoes, method was created where potato was mashed and sauteed with onions together with other spices. This was then placed inside the dosa instead of a separate cup. This was done to hide the onions which are not eaten by orthodox Hindus and Jains. People accepted this new version of the dosa with delight. So "Masala Dosa", from the sautéeing of spices (masala) during the preparation of the bhaji, was born to conquer the gourmet world.

 

Dosas of all kinds are typically served with a variety of side dish which changes according to regional and personal preferences. More common side items include:

    • Sambar – A lentil curry preparation.

    • Wet chutneys, often coconut chutney — a semi-solid paste usually made of coconut, dal, green chilies, and mint or coriander (cilantro)

    • Dry chutney pudi or powder of spices and desiccated coconut

    • Milagai podi, fry dry chillies, lentils, asafoetida, salt and grind coarsely

    • Muddha Pappu(dal) with large amount of ghee (the traditional way of eating dosa in many parts of Andhra Pradesh)

• Curd with chilli powder topping

• Indian pickle

• Chicken or mutton curry (commonly served in non-vegetarian households in Tamil Nadu and Kerala)

        

Wrapped with Caring – Dosas

What is light on the pocket, full of nutrition and taste, exotic, and versatile yet simple to make? Well, the dosa is as near to perfection as a food as can be. The Dosa or Dosay is a crispy savory pancake or Indian style wraps. It is a south Indian delicacy originated in Karnataka. Dosa is made from rice and black lentils. It is a typical South Indian food, eaten for breakfast or dinner, and is rich in carbohydrates and protein. It can be had alone with a few accompaniments or can be wrapped around a vegetarian or non vegetarian filling of your choice making it as light or heavy a meal as you want. You can even dip it into some kind of sweet syrup to make a different kind of dessert.

Regular Dosa batter is made from rice and split, skinned black lentil bean (urad) blended with water and left to ferment overnight. A modified form of the same batter can be used to make idlis.

Characteristically the rice is very finely ground; more so than in idli batter. Furthermore, the rice to lentil ratio varies in both. The rice can be uncooked and/or parboiled. The urad bean and rice can be replaced with highly refined wheat flour to make a maida dosa or semolina for a rava dosa.

The batter is then ladled in small amounts onto a hot greased flat girdle, where it is spread out into a thin circle and fried with oil or ghee until golden brown. This is the case in a very short time. The dosa may then be folded in half and served or rolled as in a wrap, but in both cases it is cooked on a single side. Alternatively, it may be flipped to cook on the other side and then served.

Dumplings of Love

 

Are you really unsure if the world is actually a global village where most of humanity lives under more or less the same conditions everywhere with similarities in culture and more importantly in food habits? Look no further than the innocuous Momo. Momo also known as momo-cha, is a type of Tibetan, Ladakhi and Nepali dumpling, similar to the Mongolian buuz, Chinese jiaozi, or Central Asian manti and is very closely related to the Russian pelmeni or Italian ravioli. Its one of the most healthy filling foods available.

Momos are made with a simple flour-and-water dough—white flour is generally preferred—and sometimes a little yeast or baking soda is added to give a more 'doughy' texture to the finished product. The filling may be one of several mixtures described below:

    • Meat: Diverse kinds of meat filling are accepted in different regions. In Tibet, Nepal and North East India, goat, buffalo, chicken, yak meat, and pork are the most accepted, in Ladakh lamb and yak are common, while in other Indian cities (e.g., Kolkata), goat and chicken would be the most popular meats used in momos. Minced meat is mixed with any or all of the following: onions, shallots, garlic, and cilantro/coriander. The mixture is seasoned with salt, pepper, and often ground cumin. Some people also add finely puréed tomatoes, and many variations are possible.

    • Vegetarian or mixed momos are becoming increasingly popular in India and Nepal.

    • Potato, similar to Indian samosas, with small dice of firm potato in a tomato based sauce.

    • Cheese, usually a fresh cheese, this variety is common in Bhutan and Sikkim.

The dough is fashioned into small circular flat pieces. The filling is then enclosed either in a round pocket or in a half moon shape or crescent. The dumplings are then cooked by steaming over a soup (either a stock based on bones or tomato-based), which is served with the dumplings, as well as chili sauce. The dumplings may also be pan-fried or deep-fried after being steamed. They may be accompanied by an Indian pickle depending upon individual tastes.

Momos are a traditional delicacy in Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, and Ladakh. They are the most popular fast food in Kathmandu valley, Nepal. They are also common in places with noticeable Tibetan population, such as Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh, and West Bengal (particularly in Darjeeling). Over the last decade momos have seen their popularity as street- food rise in many Indian cities.

There are different varieties of momos. Most common are C-momo, Kothey momo, and fried momo. C-momo is momos in a hot and spicy sauce consisting of onions, capsicums, etc., usually served in a bowl. Fried momos are prepared by deep frying the steamed momos, and Kothey momos are pan-fried. These are some of the most common items served in Tibetan and Nepalese restaurants.

Vada Pav, wrapped with love - from Mumbai!

 

In Mumbai do as the Mumbaikars do. And what is the secret of the energy of the financial capital of India? What keeps the city that never sleeps up and running at all hours of the day? Well, the answer is possibly a little too modest for so bombastic a question - it is the unassuming yet very charismatic "Vada Pav"!

 

Straight out of the heart of Maharashtra in Western Indian, Vada Pav has iconic status in India. It used to be "poor man's food", but these days even the rich and famous can be spotted eating it at Bombay's (Mumbai) numerous roadside food-stalls!

 

Vada pav is a vegetarian fast food dish native to Indian state of Maharashtra and is one of the most popular and cheapest fast foods of Mumbai. It consists of a Batata (Marathi for potato) Vada a deep-fried potato mash patty served in a salted bun (pav) with savory condiments.

 

The potatoes are mashed or diced, made into patties, coated and mixed with green chilies, ginger and a phodani that is tempering of mustard seeds and turmeric. These balls are then dipped in an herb-seasoned batter made with gram flour, and then it is deep-fried. The finished vada is then placed between the halves of a small bun called a pav, a word borrowed for a bun borrowed by Marathi from the Portuguese pão (lit., "bread") and served with condiments such as various chutneys, red chili powder or green chilis (sometimes fried and salted). The chutneys are often made of coconut, tamarind pulp or garlic. Often just the vada can become a very good snack but then again that doesn't make it an "authentic" vada pav, does it? For the true blue Mumbaikars only the real Mc Coy would do.

The Vada Pav is considered staple teatime snack in Maharashtra, particularly in Mumbai, where it has been popularized as street food. Vada Pav is available on hand carts, popularly known as Vada Pav chi gadi. They are seen everywhere in Maharashtra and also served at tea time in many of the state's small eateries and on long distance trains.

Chat and Lick – the Chaats of India

Chaat is plate of savory snacks, typically served at road-side tracks from stalls or carts in India, Pakistan and the rest of South Asia. the name originates from the licking of fingers that ensues after the consumption of this mouth watering dish - as the word chaat in Hindi means "to lick". The chaat variants are all based on fried dough, with various other ingredients. The original chaat is a mixture of potato pieces, crispy fried bread, gram bean and spices, but other popular variants included Aloo Tikkis (garnished with onion, coriander, hot spices and a dash of curd), bhel puri, dahi puri, panipuri, dahi vada, papdi chaat, and sev puri. There are common elements among these variants including dahi, or yogurt; chopped onions and coriander; sev (small dried yellow noodles); and chaat masala. This is a masala, or spice mix, typically consisting of amchoor (dried mango powder), cumin, black salt, coriander, dried ginger, salt, black pepper, and red pepper. The ingredients are combined and served on a small metal plate or a banana leaf, dried and formed into a bowl.

 

One of the special kinds of Chaats is the very admired Papri Chaat/ Paapri Chaat / Papdi Chaat which is mostly popular with the north Indians. Papri refers to crispy fried dough wafers made from refined white flour and oil. In Papri Chaat, the papris are served with boiled potatoes, boiled chick peas, chilies, and yoghurt and tamarind chutney and topped with chaat masala and 'sev'. The popular dish is often eaten from travelling food vendor stalls.

The other more healthy homemade versions of the chaats also exist. Particularly the boiled potato chaat called the Aloo chaat or the Aloo kabli. But the popularity of the chaat remains due its position as a street food.

On a Roll

 

 

Are you in a hurry and yet so hungry that you feel you could eat the Earth and its Mother all at the same time? Well then, if you are in Kolkata, the capital of the state of West Bengal in India, you're in for a treat! For this is the birthplace of the world famous Kati Roll.

 

Kati roll is a street-available fast food popular in Kolkata. In Kolkata, it is thought to be introduced by Nizam's, a restaurant in the city noted for its Mughlai food. In Mumbai, it is similar to a Frankie.

It is said that the Kati roll was the result of a huge brain wave on a busy day, when the number of customers purchasing kebab and parathas (fried Indian flat bread) outstripped the rate at which plates could be washed, so the chef decided to wrap some of the kebabs in parathas rather than serve them on plates. And Hey Presto! The original Kati Roll was born! By now it has conquered the world enough for it to be known in the western world as a delicacy on the move. The word Kati is actually originated from the rod on which the kebabs are speared for roasting and the word Roll is obvious in its etymology as it is clearly a reference to the action of rolling the paratha around the kebabs.

The basic kati roll begins with paratha toasted on a frying pan. Whipped egg is poured in the center of the frying pan and topped with the bread. Fried vegetables are roasted in butter and stuffed inside. Spices, red onion slivers and lime are sprinkled on top. Spicy potatoes, cottage cheese, chicken tikka or mutton can also be stuffed inside. At certain outlets, the roll comes wrapped around a non-greasy Rumali Roti (another Indian bread, this one is not fried).

Light – on the pocket and stomach - Phuchka

 

If you're Indian, more importantly a Bengali, there is absolutely no need for me to explain to you what a "Phuchka"/"Golgappa"/"panipuri" means. In my travels through the world for newer climes and more varied cuisines I've rarely come across any other food which elicits such emotional reaction as this street food in north, east and west of India!

What is a Phuchka? In the west and in the north of India they call it Golgappa or Panipuri. It also goes by the name of Bataashaa or Gup-chup. They are also quite popular in Pakistan and Bangladesh. It has became pretty common in Bangalore as a result of the migration of people from west and north Indians there in 1970s. Eating a few panipuris generally marks the finale of a chaat-eating session.

In the eastern India particularly in Bengal, Phuchka is the crispy small rounded fried flour balls, that are as light as air, when these are broken in the middle there is a "phuch" like sound. From there comes the name, "Phuchka". It's really yummy. Unlike other places in India where they pour chick peas or channa inside each puri, the Bengalis pour a potato mixture to which all the hot and sour spices as well as channa and coriander are mixed by hand. This potato mixture is simply like a trip to heaven. Then the mixture once put inside the fried balls they are served with a sweet and sour tamarind and cilantro mixture in water that has lots of chilli and cumin dust in it too. Sometimes instead of using water as a serving base, dahi (yogurt) is used. The yogurt is beaten after adding a little date chutney (sauce). Ground spices are sprinkled over it and garnished with a mixture of spicy dry ingredients like puffed rice, savory noodles and peanuts.

On the Taste Streets

 

Let's face it, food is the sole most significant commodity in any of our shopping baskets and street food shapes a major chunk thereof. For instance, studies have found that the poorest section of the society uses up to 40% of their food budget and 25% of their total spending budget on street food.

 

Street food is the creation of crowded cities and signifies different things to different people, be it the schoolchildren on their way to school or the holidaymaker staying in a big city or the vendor selling the food. It is ready-to-eat foods or beverages, which comprises many types of foods ranging from cereal and fruits to cooked meats and beverages. It is generally sold in busy intersections and public areas and is served with the minimum amount of fuss in single portions dished into take-away containers. These containers come in a variety of materials such as disposable plastic, paper and Styrofoam or even clay plates, bowls, cups and utensils. It has become a main food for the commuters, workers, students and schoolchildren, migrants and tourists who find themselves far from home when hunger hits at mealtimes, because it is cheap and sold in flexible quantities. Anywhere you go, you will find street food as an interwoven part of the local economy.

 

People want to know that the food they buy and eat is safe. The test is therefore to develop the safety of street food by working with vendors. Certain simple practices like using potable water for preparing the food and using clean and hygienic utensils for storing and serving the food go a long way in meeting this very just consumer demand.

 

Haute cuisine is an indulgence, but street food is where it's at! It is part of an individuality expressed through culinary terms. It is a natural idiom of culture that cannot be found anywhere else. Enduring consumer fondness reflects this strength of cultural identities articulated in the cuisine and culinary traditions found on the streets.

 

Stay tuned to travel the world with me on a gastronomical journey with a difference! Know the very souls of the countries we visit because the street foods in these lands reflect their culture like nothing else can.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s Chocolate! (part VII)

 

El Rey offers 8 oz. Bags for $10.95 for Roasted Cocoa Nibs and although that may sound like a lot—there isn't any place I can think of in the other parts of the world to get them. Besides, you can be the first person on your block to snack on cacao (if you can handle it, that is) and keep in mind that just a little goes a long way. There is something about getting chocolate from makers that have the beans grown locally but often, countries that produce the beans ship them off to larger, more developed nations for processing. Buying from El Rey supports an entire local economy and although this might not be of primary concern in your quest for good chocolate, it is something to think about.

So now, we'll skip over to the Middle East, not surprising keeping in mind that people everywhere love chocolate. Israel isn't normally someplace you'd remember when you hear "chocolate" but there is a small company called Momentum that makes kosher chocolate that they distribute all over the world. My friend Roxy had some of this chocolate and it was just great—not as high class as some of the companies I've mentioned recently, but many off-the-rack American chocolates couldn't hold a candle to Momentum. Although you may be able to find kosher chocolates where you shop, these Israeli chocolates can be delivered in bright colorful cellophane parcels right to your (or a friend's) door. This company also offers other treats and Jewish eats and it is fun to look at their English-language website.

The only criticism I have of any international chocolate I've tried is the Japanese brand Meiji. I haven't had sufficient familiarity with Chinese or Japanese chocolate to suggest a better product, but Meiji tastes a tad like unrefined sugar doused in molasses. It is appallingly sweet and ignores any of the natural taste of the bean. Even though I am not a admirer of the taste, it is interesting and fun to try the chocolate of other cultures, not only to see if it's tasty or not, but just to take part in the global love of the treat, so it's worth trying, just to pick up the difference in processing and refining. While I am still on the lookout for a quality Asian chocolate, I also continue sampling brands that I haven't mentioned here. I can't tell you what a wonderful idea it is to make gift cases for your friends with chocolates they've never tried before and while it may sometimes make a costly gift, it is always worth it when you see that singular smile that comes over someone's face at the idea of chocolate!

It’s Chocolate! (part VI)

 

The Domori is very alert about that they do and even if you aren't looking to buy any of their creations, they have a grand website that clarifies the ins-and-outs of natural-process chocolate making and you'll come off with a better appreciation of the effort that goes into a bar of chocolate, from the plant to the mold.

If you are looking for a Spanish specialty, search no further than Lopez Echeto. While I am not sure of their authentic bars of chocolate, I am quite fond their "piedras". These Spanish delights have a toasted almond that is covered in a ball of dark chocolate and then rolled in cocoa. They are a little larger than golf balls and are a very rich delicacy that is nearly impossible to eat in one session. Lopez Echeto is the most famous piedras maker in Spain and if you love almonds, this is something you must try.

Since I'm on the topic of Latin delicacies and chocolate, let's cross the ocean and head to Venezuela, where Latin America's supreme chocolate maker El Rey (no connection similar-sounding Del Rey) is based. This company uses locally mature beans and their chocolate has a bitterer, heartier taste than other smoother European varieties. What is most significant about this chocolate is how well you can taste the real raw substance—the beans. While delectable, this is not anything like American or European chocolate as it tastes less refined however this is isn't a negative facet, just a variation in processing. El Rey also offers an inimitable treat that gets down to the heart of chocolate—Roasted Cacao Nibs. These are highly effective snacks that let you savor the natural base of chocolate. While they don't automatically taste like the chocolate we're used to, they do have an interesting zest. Some people chomp this by the teaspoonful for a snack with a kick and it also useful in cooking some dishes and desserts.

 

 

It’s Chocolate! (part V)

 

If you are buying "gifts" for yourself and the love the taste of pure fine chocolate, I have a very straightforward suggestion: buy one (or twelve) of their bars of milk chocolate. Nothing can measure up to this chocolate. It is creamy, melty, and slightly nutty with just the smallest hint of cinnamon and will transport you directly to choco-heaven, I promise it. My second favorite Austrian chocolate maker is Hauswirth. This is the ideal company to buy seasonal treats from and they have great prices and minimal foreign shipping charges. This company puts a lot of time and effort into their festive and elaborate foil wrappers so they are just as fun to look at as to eat. Also, if you are a lover of chocolate and orange combinations, this is the company for you: Hauswirth offers luscious, beautifully wrapped chocolate-covered orange slices, which are the best I've ever had. These are a treat harder to find elsewhere in the world and like I said, ordering from Hauswirth is quite easy. They usually have great deals on bulk chocolates for the holidays and be sure to check with them after the major days to see if you can get an even better deal. For another fine chocolate experience, I would suggest the Domori chocolatiers. This is an Italian company that specializes in organic chocolate. For those who aren't clear on how chocolate can be organic, it's quite simple—it's the same as with organic foods at your local natural foods store: no chemical fertilizers and no pesticides are used. Although I haven't been able to taste a real difference in the organic as opposed to the regular, I feel better knowing that there isn't any unnatural substance mucking up the taste of the chocolate (let alone my insides). Domori takes great pride in their organic status and offers a wide variety of these chocolates using cacao beans from the Dominican Republic and natural cane sugar as well. They call themselves the "Cacao Cult" and are absolutely scientific about their products. While I have tried their organic dark chocolate, I found the acidity to be a bit high for my taste, although for the dark chocolate aficionados, this is some of the finest dark chocolate in the world.

 

It’s Chocolate! (part IV)

 

Although this is another big ticket chocolate alternative, I think you will be satisfied nonetheless—and you'll never be able to look at Whitman's Samplers the same way again. For a less costly Belgian praline, I recommend Guylian's. I must acknowledge that their chocolate isn't as fine and melt-in-your-mouth prefect as Del Rey's, but it is still an admirable company to run a few "praline experiments" with—just to perceive which ones are the best. I highly advise anything from Guylian's that contains their hazelnuts, which feel like they've been baked in cinnamon or cloves, but I can't be sure. Their traditional hazelnut pralines come in a light chocolate mousse-like veneer and are a sure bet for those who have "a thing" for hazelnuts (which aren't quite so common in the U.S.). Aside from Belgium, Austria is home to some amazing chocolate makers as well. My preferred Austrian company, Demel, is what I can only term as the "Tiffany's" of chocolate. This is some of the most elegantly packaged and marketed chocolate in Europe, and also, the richest, most delightful substance I have ever relished. Demel Chocolate has a gorgeous website where you look at the place's beautiful ornate storefronts as well as view some of the past information about the company (which got its start in the late 1700's). Even if you're not out to spend a load of money on chocolate (and it doesn't take long to do that at Demel), I do recommend a look at their webpage. Whenever I do, I feel the way I do when I gaze into the window of a luxury jewelry shop. If you are looking to buy a gift from Demel, I would recommend the "Baton Bambous" which come in a collectible art nouveau styled box. They are a hazelnut sticks that are dipped in their exquisite chocolate—again, a hazelnut-lover's dream. I'm not sure which I like best, the box or the chocolate, but this is one of their offerings that you'll be able to afford ($24.00—a rough conversion from 19.50 Euro).

 

It’s Chocolate! (part III)

 

Another reason I am so in love with Belgian chocolates above all others is because these folk have idealized the art of the pralinen. For those of you who aren't certain what a pralinen (also spelled praline) is, they are nothing like the American creation that includes the sugar glaze and nuts, Belgian pralines are what I can only match up to Whitman's sampler chocolates—molded chocolates with fillings, but this picture doesn't do justice to the distinction between the factory-made chocolate sampler portions and the actual pralines made in Belgium. Belgian pralines are more or less an art form, with elaborate molds and attention to detail. One of the most significant aspects about pralines is that they are not factory made—they are carefully "constructed" by the confectioner who fills them most frequently with light cream, ganache, or my favorite nutty, nougat-like nut-praline. Belgian chocolate makers and confectioners take their pralines very solemnly and Belgian customers are very choosy about whom they buy from and the quality of the delicacy. Praline assortments make excellent gifts since there are varieties to choose from and for such a gift, try the Belgian company, Del Rey. This famous chocolate purchaser offers the widest range of pralines I have come across and their chocolate quality is wonderful. The first Del Rey experience I had was with white chocolate and although it isn't my favorite, I had cause to change my feelings about white chocolate. After that, I ordered a small variety box and was thrilled at the freshness with which it came to my door. Aside from the white chocolate, I haven't had their pure bars of any other type, but I am sure they are of the matching quality as the delicious outer shell of my pralines, thus are likely to be a worthwhile purchase.

It’s Chocolate! (part II)

 

Belgium's Dolfin Chocolate is by the far the finest, best quality chocolate in Europe (from my experience). Although I am sorry to say this is the lone company I have listed that you will not be able to order online with, it would be worth your while to write them an e-mail about ordering and shipping information. They are renowned for their plain chocolate bars not only because of their delicate quality, but also because of their inimitable ingredients. For example, when I first tried Dolfin chocolates, I only had a small bar of their regular milk chocolate, which is rich, full-bodied, and not without a definite bitter pungency that can be easily smelled, but not felt. After this first regular bar, I built up my nerve to try some of their more unique combines such as "Milk Chocolate with Cinnamon from Ceylon" and my favorite, "Dark Chocolate with Earl Grey Tea". Although these may sound a bit strange, there is nothing odd about the taste and the Earl Grey Tea was ideally poised with the bitterness of their special dark chocolate. Among Europeans, Dolfin's highest demand is for their 88% cocoa bars, which even for me were a little too much to handle. If you love black chocolate with a kick, this is your number one spot for it. I highly suggest Dolfin to any chocolate lover—if for no other reason than to try their unique flavors and blends (others include Milk Chocolate with Ground Coffee and Dark Chocolate with Mint Leaves) With their unique blends and flavors I would recommend putting a few of the interesting bars in a gift basket for your favorite chocolate lover. Aside from the quality of the product, they come in beautifully designed silver and white wrappers and are almost too pretty to unwrap. I will warn you up front that this is by no means a cheap gift, so make sure you have a good grasp on the currency exchange before you buy.

It’s Chocolate!

Chocolate! The very word is almost a comfort to those in need of it! It encourages engaging conversation between perfect strangers often turning them into friends through mutual appreciation of taste and love for this strange concoction of cocoa solids, cocoa butter, sugar and various add-ons like the ubiquitous milk, nuts, liqueur and fruits and sometimes even more exotic additives.
It is only after my recent trip to Europe that I began to value the range of flavor that appears from sampling local varieties of the sweet substance. Since that tour, I have keenly followed my ardor for Foreign and exotic chocolate and by now, it has turned into a pastime. This short write up will assist you in your personal quest to discovering the best chocolate for yourself and also provide a few suggestions for making up a global “sampler” of internationally famous chocolates for a friend. All Americans in this world possibly know the household names in imported brands as Ritter Sport (from Germany) and Toblerone (Switzerland). As a novice, just to get started, if this is your first try of foreign chocolates, you may wish to give these brands a try. You may not believe it; some people only like American chocolate (such as Nestle and Hershey’s) as they think European and foreign chocolate are “funny-tasting”. Especially when it is the smaller foreign chocolate makers, this difference in taste is a result of more watchful mixing of ingredients and frequently the cocoa content is more which, mainly with foreign dark chocolate, gives a unique, bitter taste. Each of the chocolate firms I have cataloged here make both milk and dark chocolate and I have endeavored to provide you personal opinion founded on what I’ve tasted from them. I offer you some well informed advice in choosing chocolate as I enjoy both milk and dark forms equally. Now then, down to the nitty-gritty…Here are my top global picks… I know, most people think of Swiss chocolate as the very best in chocolates, I must beg to differ. My choice for the best chocolate making nation is Belgium, which has French, Austrian, German, and Swiss influences in its methods, making it a more stable and pleasurable treat. While I couldn’t memorize the names of the all the local manufacturers I found in small Belgian towns, I can certainly direct you to some of the brands that are finest and are available online.

World famous dishes you might want to taste III

Kyinkyinga - Mali
Kyinkyinga are a type of kabob sold by street vendors all across West Africa. On the skewers are pieces of green pepper and meat flavored with ginger and peanut sauce.

Okra Stew - Ghana
Okra stew is a popular West Africa vegetable. When cooked and used in soups and stews, it becomes smooth and sticky. In Ghana it is cooked with prawns, fish, meat and vegetables such as eggplants and tomatoes.

Chin Chin - Nigeria
Chin Chin are small pastries flavored with sugar and spices. Green or pink food coloring is sometimes added. They are a popular party snack, enjoyed with palm wine. Chin chin may also be served at weddings and birthday feasts.

Beg Wot - Ethiopia
Beg Wot is a thick stew made with red meat, tomatoes, and chili peppers. It is ringed with aubergine slices and served with green basil leaves on a bed of injera bread. This slightly sour tasting flat bread is used as both a food and a communal plate.

N'Dizi Na Nyama - Tanzania
N'Dizi Na nyama is a tasty stew made from beef, coconut milk, tomatoes, and unripe bananas or plantains. Bananas are widely grown in Tanzania and are often used in cooking.

Every nation has its own unique flavor not only these lesser known dishes from faraway lands but even the most popular cuisines can spring surprises galore. Cuisines like those of France, China and India despite being so well known and so admired the world over has actually shown off only a handful of its beauties. The real delectable dishes with their original local flavors are rarely if ever experienced by people who are alien to those cultures. But the catch is that those who do never forget the experience in a lifetime.

World famous dishes you might want to taste II

Quiche Lorraine - France
Quiche Lorraine is just a shell of crisp pastry, loaded with beaten eggs, cream cheese, flavors, and chopped bacon. The tart is baked for almost an hour in the oven till it turns golden brown. This is a traditional dish from Lorraine, a province in northeastern France. French cuisine is according to many people the finest in the world.
Paella - Spain
Paella is a rice dish made tasty with garlic, saffron and herbs, when it is combined with seafood, chicken or ham, and vegetables. This popular dish is called after the big flattish pan in which it is generally cooked. It originated from southwestern Spain.
Spaghetti Bolognese- Italy
This delicacy from Bologna combines spaghetti with a meat and tomato sauce. Spaghetti is actually a form of pasta. Every area of Italy has its individual preferred kinds of pasta and its very individualistic unique sauces.
Greek Salad - Greece
Greek salad is created with tomatoes, cucumber, black olives, and cubes of feta, a flaky white goats' cheese. It is peppered with herbs and olive oil. Crunchy bread and Greek wine named retsina usually go with this traditional wonder.
Goulash - Hungary
Goulash is Hungary's national dish and is basically a rich stew is created from meat, potatoes, and onions. It is usually served with noodles and pieces of black bread. Goulash is savored with paprika, mushrooms, sour cream, cabbage, or peas may be put in according to the wishes of the cook.
Tagine of Lamb - Morocco
For cooking a tagine, lamb is cooked tenderly with pumpkin, raisins, and chilies. This is served with either rice or couscous (tiny grains of wheat). Heavily seasoned spices, as well as sugar and fruit, are put in to flavor up lots of Moroccan meat dishes.
Couscous - Tunisia
Tunisia is celebrated for its couscous dishes. Couscous is created from wheat that has been grounded into fine grains. It is steamed till it becomes light and airy and is offered with either vegetables or stewed lamb. The Arabic name for it (kuskus) originated from the word kaskasa or “to pulverize”.

World Famous Dishes You Might Want To Taste

Every country has its individual distinctive and well -loved dish. Want to try dishes from other lands? Read on for some of the most delectable delicacies from Africa, Europe, North & South America, Asia and Australia & Oceania.
Jannson's Frestelse - Sweden
Jannson's Frestelse or Jannson's Temptation is an onion and anchovy concoction layered in between thin slices of potato to make this much loved Swedish dish. Fresh cream is added on the top and the pie is baked to turn it golden brown.
Danish Pastries - Denmark
These sweet rolls are rich, crumbly, and frequently frozen. The Danes eat them at all times of the day, but mostly midmorning with cups of strong coffee. Scrumptious Danish pastries are popular in most parts of the world.
Irish Stew - Ireland
Ireland's best recognized dish is a stew from lamb or mutton. It is cooked in hot water with onions, potatoes, leeks, carrots, and pearl barley. Potatoes have been a basic food in Ireland since 1800s. Irish stew is usually dished up with dumplings created from suet.
Wurst - Germany
Wurst is sausage, and Germany is supposed to have above 1,500 different types. Every province has its specialty, frequently sold as snacks on the street with a roll and a huge blob of mustard. Bratwurst is a long sausage and handed out grilled. Weisswurst is boiled and Frankfurters are dubbed after the city they originated from - Frankfurt
Fondue - Switzerland
Fondue, is a famous Swiss dish, made with melted cheese served in a special fondue pot. Fresh bread is dipped into the hot cheese using particular two-pronged forks. Cheeses such as Gruyene and Emmental, created on Swiss dairy farms, are heated in a pot and flavored with garlic, pepper, white wine, and kirsch (cherry liqueur). Nowadays innovations such as chocolate fondues are adding newer dimensions to this ever popular dish.

10 most popular cuisines in the world III

4. Chinese Cuisine
Invented in different parts of China and now stretched right through the world, Chinese cuisine is now enjoyed by one third of the world’s population every day. The cuisine is simple to create, cost-effective and delicious. Most of the food is arranged in bite-sized portions because the Chinese traditions consider knives and forks as weapons. Typically, each diner at the table is provided a bowl of rice although the supplementary dishes are enjoyed by everyone at the table. Some dishes can however be cooked from endangered species, such as facai moss while others from meat you may want to avoid such as dog.

3. Indian Cuisine
One of the worlds’ most highly developed and varied cuisines, only a small part of the Indian cuisine is acknowledged by the world. The Indian food dished up in restaurants internationally is North Indian, also known as Mughlai or Punjabi. There are other three main categories of Indian cuisine: South, East and West. Although mostly vegetarian, but many delicacies include goat, chicken meat, lamb and fish. Indian cuisine is normally very spicy so in order to enjoy the food, start slowly and in a few weeks you’ll get familiarized to the flavors. Meals are usually eaten with hand, while seated on the floor, but these traditions have long been given up in deference to comfort and convenience.

2. Italian Cuisine
Possibly one of the oldest in the world, the Italian cuisine has its roots in the 4th century BC. It took its present form after the discovery of the New World that brought tomatoes, potatoes, pepper and maize on the list of components. Like any other evolved cuisine, an Italian meal is configured into quite a few sections: antipasto (the appetizer), primo (pasta or rice dish), secondo (meat course), dolce (dessert). Italy is also renowned for over 400 kinds of cheese, including the celebrated Parmigianino Reggiano, and 300 types of sausages.

1. French Cuisine
Beginning with the Middle Ages that brought rich feasts to the French Revolution, where improved techniques were used, French Cuisine is often called in the 21st century “haute cuisine”. It is as admired as the poetry or French arts, a meal at a restaurant being compared to “a sort of theatre you can eat”. Pastries are the best part of French cooking. Cheese and wine are also key ingredients of the cuisine.

10 most popular cuisines in the world II

7. Mexican Cuisine
Famed for its various flavors and spices, Mexican Cuisine is a outcome of the Spanish conquistadores’ contact with the Aztec culture. Most of the Mexican food we enjoy now is a delectable blend of old traditions of Aztec, Mayan and Spanish tastes. The French also had their part to play, including baked delicacies such as sweet breads and the bolillo. You can always choose the restaurant you are going to eat in by reputation: restaurants with good food normally draw all the customers. There are quite a few exotic choices for your menu, such as insects, rattlesnake, iguana, deer and even spider monkey.
6. Japanese Cuisine
Known for its seasonal changes in food, feature and quality of components, the Japanese cuisine is quickly becoming fashionable worldwide. White rice and soybeans are the ingredients you can expect to find in almost all dishes. Tokyo is the most delicious city, with 150 top-ranked restaurants, according to Michelin Guide ranking cities throughout the world for their restaurants, in opposition to Paris and London that have 148. Apart from its capital, it is enthralling to discover the local cookery all over Japan.
5. Thai Cuisine
According to many people, Thai food alone, with its poised mix of hot, sour, bitter and sweet, is a good and adequate motive to visit the country. The foods are distinguished by the use of fresh herbs and essences, such as lime juice, lemon grass and fresh coriander. Similar to many Asian cuisines, rice is the staple component in Thai foods as well. Nam pla, a strong fish sauce, shrimp paste and noodles are liberally used. In case you want a kick out of your lunch, you may try the raw beef, fermented fish paste or deep fried insect larvae mostly present in the Northeast, where it is a fairly common practise.

10 Most Loved Cuisines in the World

For all the food lovers in this world, traveling is vital, if you wish to taste all that the world has to offer. Hence I present here the richest symphonies of flavor, the vibrantly colorful dishes and the most appetizing bites. Here is my take on the fascinating, international cuisines.
10. Greek Cuisine
With a considerable influence of the Turkish and Italian cuisine, the Greek cuisine is centered on vegetables and herbs specific to the Mediterranean region and above all olive oil. Eating out in Greece is an experience poles apart from eating at Greek restaurants in other countries - gyros for instance is deemed by Greeks as junk food. Restaurants have begun to offer a genuine eating experience, being in touch with the latest culinary trends and stored up with regional delicacies. The Taverna and Estiatorio are widespread, being the places where you can come across reasonably priced real cuisine.
9. Lebanese cuisine
Lebanese cuisine is the one where you can savor all the goodness the Middle East has to present. Foods are normally Mediterranean, lots of vegetables, little meat and full of taste. Perhaps the most celebrated dish globally is the entrée mezze - an assortment of dips, salads, pickles and nibbles with Arabic bread. It also incorporates a large quantity of fresh fish, seafood and fruit and slight animal fat. The country is also well-known for the Arabic sweets, Tripoli being called as the “Sweet Capital” of Lebanon.
8. Spanish Cuisine
The Spanish cuisine, containing a variety of meat and fish, as well as vegetables offers a different take on foods. It is also very dependant on the seafood found in the surrounding waters. Spanish cuisine uses the largest amount of oil among all Western and Central European cuisines. Sangria, a drink made of wine and fruits, is one of the most well-liked drinks in Spain that blends perfectly with its national dishes.

Rich Foods II

Now let’s take a look at some fast foods, beverages, drinks etc that rock the celebrity world of glitz, glamour, and if I may say so, a certain megalomania.

11. The most expensive omelet in the world can be savored at the Le Parker Meridien restaurant of New York. The $1,000 omelet is prepared from sevruga caviar, an entire lobster, and half a dozen eggs. Want to have it homemade? The cost will be only $700.

12. The world’s supreme and costliest coffee is Kopi Luwak. The coffee comes from Sumatra in Indonesia and only around 500 pounds of beans is totally produced annually. And the price of a pound is $300 or more.

13. The recent record for the dearest tea is held by a uncommon Chinese green tea called Tieguanyin, which rates at 1,700 Yuan ($3,000) per kilo (per 2 lb 3 oz) approximately $15 for a single cup.

14. The world’s most classy tea bag for the PG Company was created to celebrate their 75th anniversary. It is manually embellished with 280 diamonds and is worth £7,500.

15. The world’s most expensive champagne is the Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque Blanc de Blanc, made from especially picked grapes, sold in hand painted containers and with a worth of around $1,500.

16. The priciest whisky in the world is said to be the Macallan Fine Rare Vintage. Only 85 bottles being made public world-wide, tasting this 30 year old is a rare treat. Price of a single bottle is $38,000!

17. Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum is just the most popular high strength rum in the world, bottled in 1940. Only four bottles exist of this precious liquor, each fetching approximately $53,000.

18. “Diamonds-Are-Forever” is the most expensive cocktail in the world, although it has no special components. The only justification for having the €11,000 price tag is that the olive is substituted by a 1.6 carat diamond. Served in the hotel Ritz-Carlton in Tokyo.

19. The most expensive beer in the world is priced around $1,000 a bottle and is called Vielle Bon Secours and can only be tasted in a bar known as the Bierdrome in London.

20. The most expensive drinks list will finally come to vodka. Diva Vodka, made by the Blackwood Distillery of Scotland is the world’s costliest vodka. Judging on your option of “crystal decoration” the price of a single bottle deviates from £35 to a mind-blowing £540,000!

21. Kona Nigari water, takes the crown for the world’s most expensive water. The desalinized water filled with minerals from the bottomless seas off Hawaii, is priced at $16.75 per ounce.