Posted on

Breakfast Goes Global

Breakfast is a global experience.

Breakfast has always been a passion of mine and discovering new cultures sounds like an adventure to me especially when it involves travel. Whenever I visit a new place, I always try and eat what the locals do.  Eating food that you love is important, but so is continuing with traditions and cultural norms.  What I learned through this research process is that no matter how modernized we become, there are still foods that reminds us of home.

Mexico

A great way to start a long day

One of the most popular breakfast options in Mexico is Chilaquiles.  A combination of Corn tortillas are cut up, sprinkled with cheese, chilies, salsa and an egg is just something special. If I had to explain it to someone, I would say it is an enchilada with eggs.  It is popular because it includes all the traditional flavors connected to Mexico.

Columbia

In Columbia you can find a variety of flavors. Between the sweet and salty dishes, it can be hard to choose one option. Colombians are passionate about their culture and would waste no time in feeding you their traditional meals. The most traditional breakfast inn this region is Changua. This dish is a milk soup that consists of milk, eggs, coriander and scallions. It is traditionally eaten with a piece of bread called “calado”.  This dish is synonymous with the Chibcha people, who were an indigenous group in the Cundinamarca region

Italy

An Italian classic cafè and cornetto

When it comes to food in Italy, there is no doubt that some of the best dishes are created here. There is something about Italy that inspires me to cook better and enjoy the meals I prepare. I have learned to slow down and give the flavors a chance to tell me their stories. Moving away from the world, Italy is not really into having savory breakfasts. You can commonly find a sweet treat as breakfast options here. A Cornetto, which is a croissant that is much smaller than the huge French croissant.  This of course must be enjoyed with an espresso.

Spain

The Catalan region in Spain is famous for a lot of delicious and traditional dishes.  A common breakfast options here is called Pan a la Catalina.  Bread rubbed with garlic and topped with tomato relish and olive oil.  The flavors go well together and it has been standing the test of time as one of the best breakfasts to have in Spain.

United States

America enjoy French toast, pancakes but one stands out. Bring on the bacon, eggs and hash browns. This is what a typical American breakfast is, but a lot of people are becoming more health conscious. There is nothing wrong with this breakfast option, but Americans are coming up with healthier options day by day. This country is diverse, so what might seem typical for one family is not always the same for the next.

Germany

Often a breakfast in Germany does not require any time spent in front of the stove. A meat and cheese platter with some delicious break would be more of an option here. The platter also includes jams and various spreads. It’s like a breakfast buffet that you can easily grab on your way out the door.

Australia

One of the most controversial ingredients in the world has to be vegemite. Well, Australians seem to love it so much that they slather it on a slice of toast for breakfast. Some people from other countries who have tried vegemite does not understand the popularity of it, but it has been around since 1923, so it is here to stay.

Conclusion

Vegemite has been an Australian favorite since 1923

Our taste buds crave different meals based on location. Of course, this can have to do with what we grow up eating as kids, but I believe it goes deeper than that. There are days when I miss the simple meals my mom would make, even when I have an extravagant dish as an option. Food creates memories and it is those memories that often times define our taste buds and cravings. What are some of your favorite cuisines from around the world?

 

Semone NoelSemone Noel, a transplant New Yorker, born and raised in Brooklyn by Caribbean parents. After moving to Italy and discovering the Italian Sweet Life for herself. She created the food & wine blog www.Gastronomer.co, named one of the top 50 gastronomy blogs in summer 2017 by Facebook. Inc.

Posted on

5 Top Italian Wines for Less Than Starbucks

Italian Wine
Italian Biodynamic wines are increasingly become more popular both inside Italy and outside of Italy

Outside of Italy it is not always easy to fine top Italian wines that cost under 10. For some reason, we have associated the cost of wine with the enjoyment thereof. Just because you paid over 90 for a bottle of wine, does not necessarily mean that it is to your taste. I enjoy pairing wine with food as many of you might know and the price is not really something I focus on. If the wine tastes good and can be paired with the dish I have in mind, then I buy it.  Usually I attend as many wine tasting as possible to sample what is not only good but also affordable.

Some would have everyone believe that French wines are of a higher quality than almost any other country.  However if you were to compare to the wine produced in Italy to that of almost any other country you would find that Italian wines are amazing especially when compared in price to their French counterpart. Out of the 50 most expensive wines in the world, 38 are produced in France. Just because something costs more, does not necessarily mean it is of a higher quality. There are some expensive wines that I enjoy, but then there are those that cost less than $10 dollars and taste just as delicious, if not more. I have decided to share some of my favorite low budget Italian wines with you.

Top Five Wines For less than a steak dinner

  • Capezzana, Conti Contini Sangiovese Toscana 2005 – €9

The dark vine (Sangiovese) is usually synonymous when it comes to Tuscany’s red wines. This vine goes back for generations and is the core ingredient in some of Italy’s top wines. The slow ripening provides a stronger wine and is richer than those produced from earlier ripening vines. Having a wine that is 100% made from the Sangiovese blend provides a clean and fruity taste with a light spice tone. This wine is great for pairing with red meat or a vegetarian dish with legumes as the base.

  •  Monte degli Angeli, Monferrato Pinot Noir – 2007 – €9

A great wine to have with any dinner has to be Monderreto Pinot Noir. It’s medium bodied with a smoky and fruity undertone. There is a hint of cinnamon and plum sauce hidden in there, which softens the taste just a little.  If you are not a red wine person, the taste of this wine is easy to get used to and enjoy.

  • Feudo Arancio, Nero d’Avola – 2007 €9

    Italy uses over 3,000 grapes officially to produces it vast assortment of high quality wines.

When you are looking for an uncomplicated wine with medium intensity, this one might be a good option for you. It’s dry with fruity tones and a bitter finish that is not unpleasant. This is one of those wines where price does not determine taste. If compared to some of its more expensive counterparts, this wine does not make the competition easy.

  • Bricco dei Tati, Barbera Piemonte – 2007 €7

Barbera wines are usually full bodied, but this one I would place more in the medium category. Besides the prune and cinnamon tones, you can also experience some earthy tones like mushroom, sage and leather. As sinful as it might be to pair a red wine with white meat, this works surprisingly well. If I had to guess, I’d say it has to do with the light fruity tones of blueberry and cherry.

  • Cupcake Prosecco, Veneto – €8

Sparkling wines are fun and creates an atmosphere of celebration, even if there isn’t one. Just the name Cupcake Prosecco sounds delicious and it does not disappoint. It’s light and airy with an undeniable taste of cupcakes. The tones of citrus is prominent and although seen as a desert wine, it’s also great to sip on without any pairing. For me, in the battle of Italian Prosecco versus French Champagne, Prosecco wins of quality for price.

There is an excellent Italian Wine for every budget

At the end of the day no matter what the occasion may be, there is just something special about opening a bottle of wine. It might be your reward for winning in the boardroom or simply in celebration of making it through a tough time. At the end of the day, even strangers can have a few things in common.

Semone NoelSemone Noel, a transplant New Yorker, born and raised in Brooklyn by Caribbean parents. After moving to Italy and discovering the Italian Sweet Life for herself. She created the food & wine blog www.Gastronomer.co, named one of the top 50 gastronomy blogs in summer 2017 by Facebook. Inc.

Posted on

East Asian Secrets to Staying Slim

yoga indian yoga guy meditation symbol body health asian zen exercise spiritual yogi peace meditating relaxation spirituality energy harmony fitness people balance person pose young concentration nature relax calm vitality wellbeing wellness exercising yoga yoga yoga yoga yoga meditation health health health health exercise exercise exercise balance wellness wellness
YogawithAmit (CC0), Pixabay

Could Oolong tea be the key to achieving lasting weight loss?

Most of us are all too familiar with the cycles of fluctuating weight which seems to be a never lasting battle against getting rid of those annoying pounds. Once they’ve been taken off a few months later and they’re back again.

But, what if there was a way to keep the weight off altogether?

Most of the main reasons behind these diet failures are crash diets that no one can stick to for obvious reasons. Such as the allowed food of that current diet plan just not tasting very good and who can forget daily calorie counting?

Wouldn’t it be great to eat what we want and keep the pounds at bay?

Perhaps the answer could be hiding in plain sight

One of the most eye-opening cultural differences between western and eastern cultures particularly that of China and Japan is that they seem to be eating dishes most of us would consider unhealthy. In terms of carbs through rice and noodles practically 3 times a day or more as well as high-calorie foods. After all one of the first things that come to mind when people think of Chinese cuisine is something indulgent that just isn’t healthy.

This perception of Asian cuisine has been immersed in western society so much so that it’s been second nature to approach these food choices in that mindset. Wouldn’t it be great to find out that these take away dishes so many of us are fond of could actually be beneficial to health?

No expensive supplements or work out routines will be found here

That statement is far from a catchy phrase. On the contrary, it’s the essence of the East Asian healthy diet. After all, people were thin before gyms. There’s no reason we should believe that access to expensive exercise equipment is the only way to get healthy. Sometimes, all that’s needed is a good walk in the park.

But, as it is with everything else in order to achieve not only a lean physique and be healthy on the inside as well there has to be a key component. That’s precisely where Oolong tea comes in to play.

The weight loss benefits of Oolong tea have proved to be such a valid claim that health care practitioners have gone so far to say that the effects are not just far highly possible in fact they’re guaranteed. Before competitors voice objections to this claim by saying it just can’t be done. Perhaps we should look to results demonstrated across entire populations.

What exactly is Oolong tea?

A semi-fermented Chinese tea which because of its oxidation process has enabled it to combine is unique components with those found in green tea as well. The result is a brew that practically zeros in on weight loss.

By consuming just two cups per day as part of one’s regular routine will help to prevent the proliferation of fat cells. In addition, an increase in metabolism will occur. Thus, it plays a key role in the prevention as well as turning the clock back on obesity.

The lack of negative side effects makes Oolong tea suitable for adults and children since the caffeine contained in each cup is minimal, to say the least. Each of the health benefits contained in Oolong tea is so potent that even individuals who typically indulge in high-fat sugary foods see noticeable benefits in how they look and feel.

The benefits just keep getting better

As a result of the anti-obesity benefits of Oolong tea, it is also a key component in the prevention of high cholesterol and heart disease. Just when it couldn’t get any better regular consumption is also linked to combatting ovarian cancer. Other well-known benefits are increasing bone strength, clarifying skin allergies and mental sharpness.

Why wait?

Certainly, Oolong tea is well known for improving health. But, why wait for illness and weight gain to occur. Unlike most supplements who if taken too early can be harmful. Oolong tea is safe enough to consume even before health problems occur.

It’s hardly complicated, just brew for 3 minutes and there you go. So give it a try there is literally nothing to lose.

 

 

Mary Thompson

 

 

 

Posted on

Ultra Easy No-Cook Homemade Habanero Sauce

Habanero Hot Sauce

So my sister & brother-in-law gave me this habaneros from their garden that are so potent, they could sell em as weapons! I’m not kidding, they taste amazingly fresh but are SO MUCH HOTTER than store bought habaneros I couldn’t really figure out the best way to use them.  Let’s face it, even store bought habaneros are off the charts on the heat level.  They’re no Ghost Pepper, but the only reason to have ghost pepper in your kitchen is if you’re on some sort of “frat-boy bro challenge” to see who can handle the heat without peeing their pants.  [BTW If you are interested in such a challenge, I have just the EXTREME hot sauce for you here: https://www.hotsaucedepot.com/anand-bhatt-extreme-ghost-pepper-sauce-5oz/ ]

Now you’ve probably seen me on YouTube or Amazon Prime Video turning a batch of Bob’s habaneros (Crom rest his soul, and no it wasn’t the habaneros that killed him) into homemade hot sauce the old fashioned way where I showed you how to boil them on the stove.  This process was time consuming and made my house smell like vinegar for weeks so I wanted to do something that was super easy (and didn’t require rubber gloves).  Then it hit me: ICED TEA!

When I was a kid, our neighbor used to make iced-tea by putting it in a jar and sticking it out the backyard for a day or more and let the sun do all the work for him.   AWESOME, hence the no-cook habanero sauce is born!

 

You’ll Need:

A few habaneros

Some apple cider vinegar

Some yellow mustard

(option) some honey [manuka honey rocks for this].

FIRST, so you don’t have to wear gloves, move the habaneros around to your cutting board by stabbing them with a knife.  And with that same knife stab slits in them.

SECOND, move them into a jar.  Then fill that jar up with apple cider vinegar.  That’s IT for now!

THIRD STEP – Put that jar outside and let nature do all the work for you!! Come back anywhere between 6 to 8 hours.  4 hours will work too I’m guessing.  Alternatively if it gets dark quickly where you are after a few hours you can move the jar to the fridge overnight.

STEP FOUR, remove your habaneros (that are now pseudo-pickled.  If you like that sort of thing go ahead and eat them or slice up and use like crazy potent hab-pepperoncinis).   Or toss em, bugs won’t even go near them – habaneros may as well be erupting volcanoes to them.   What’s left over is perfectly spicy habanero flavored vinegar juice.  It is hot, but tolerably hot.  Still if you touch it, wash your hands – especially before rubbing your eyes or something.

STEP FIVE, squirt as much yellow mustard as you want into the jar.  Based on your taste, you’re going to want to do it slowly and keep tasting.

[OPTIONAL] Add honey to taste.

This stuff is perfect on everything!

 

 

P.S. Like this post? Then show your support by grabbing a bottle (or more) of Anand Bhatt Signature Hot Sauce here: https://www.hotsaucedepot.com/brands/Anand-Bhatt.html

And feel free to grab a copy of the book ROCK STAR RECIPES here! On Sale at: https://smarturl.it/rockstarrecipes