Resep Membuat Bika Ambon Makin Lembut dan Berserat

Resep Membuat Bika Ambon Makin Lembut & Berserat
kiriman: Ny. Setiawan, Bangkinang
Yang namanya Bika Ambon, tampilan pori – porinya selalu lembut dan berserat banyak seperti sarang lebah. Nah, untuk membuat itu diperlukan trik tersendiri. Bagaimana caranya ?

Kepopuleran kue bika ambon sebagai jajanan tradisional khas kota Medan begitu terpatri. Meskipun embel Ambon, Anda jangan keliru jika bisa menjumpai kue bika Ambon ini di kota Ambon.

Konon kue ini ada karena adanya seorang Nyong Ambon yang tersesat di Medan karena perantauannya. Karena kehabisan uang untuk kembali ke tanah kelahirannya, Nyong Ambon berinisiatif untuk menyambung hidup dengan berjualan kue bika hasil kreasinya. Begitu kue bikanya laris dan terkenal, akhirnya Nyong Ambon bisa menyisihkan penghasilannya untuk ongkos pulang. Sebelum kembali ke Ambon, Si Nyong mewariskan resepnya pada seorang sahabatnya yang juga hobi masak. Hingga kini kreasi si Nyong Ambon telah di kenal dan menjadi kue andalan kota Medan.

Resep membuat bika Ambon memang gampang – gampang susah bila menginginkan hasil yang lembut dan berserat. Sebenarnya resep kue bika Ambon dibuat dari bahan yang mudah dan tidak memerlukan peralatan khusus. Hanya saja, anda harus memperhatikan ukuran teknik pembuatan dan banyak berlatih sehingga bisa mahir. Berikut tip dan trik yang bisa anda coba.

Perhatikan resep bahan dasar yang digunakan :
a. Sebagian resep kue bika Ambon dibuat dari bahan dasar tepung terigu berprotein sedang, lalu dikombinasikan dengan tepung ketan ataupun tepung tapioka. Pemilihan bahan dasar yang baik tentunya mempengaruhi kualitas kue ini. Usahakan tepung yang digunakan harus baru, bisa ditandai dari aromanya yang khas (tidak apek), jangan lupa memperhatikan tanggal kadaluarsa pada kemasan agar tetap terjamin. Sebelum digunakan sebaiknya tepung diayak terlebih dahulu untuk memisahkan benda asing dari tepung. Mengayak juga membuat tepung lebih mudah tercampur dengan bahan lain.

b. Resep bahan cair yang digunakan adalah santan. Pengunaan bahan ini sangat berpengaruh. Untuk Bika Ambon, gunakan selalu santan kanil atau kental yang direbus hingga berminyak. Selain membuat kue lebih harum dan lezat, resep santan kanil memperbaiki tekstur kue agar lebih lembab dan tidak kaku. Untuk menghasilkan santan yang baik, pilih kelapa yang tua. Agar warna santan putih bersih, kupas kulit kelapa sebelum di parut. Peras dengan air hangat agar santan lebih banyak keluar. Santan kanil diperoleh dari santan kental (perasan pertama) yang dimasak dengan api kecil dan diaduk terus hingga sedikit berminyak dan mengental.

c. Gula, fungsi utamanya untuk memberi rasa manis dan warna pada resep dasar. Pilih gula pasir yang butirannya halus dan berwarna putih bersih. Warna gula yang kekuning – kuningan bisa mempengaruhi warna kue.

d. Garam yang fungsinya untuk menambah rasa gurih, pilih garam halus karena mudah larut dan tercampur di dalam adonan. Jangan meletakkan garam berdekatan dengan ragi, karena ragi akan mati dan tidak bisa berfungsi sebagai pengembang.

e. Tidak bisa dipungkiri, resep kue bika Ambon memerlukan jumlah telur yang banyak. Fungsinya, memberikan volume dan juga meningkatkan rasa menjadi lebih gurih, dan bergizi. Pilih telur ayam yang baru, tidak retak dan tidak kotor, Jangan menuangkan telur lansung ke dalam adonan, lebih baik pecahkan satu per satu di wadah terpisah untuk menghindari telur yang ternyata bau busuk.

f. Pengembang, dengan penambahan resep bahan pengembang, bisa tercipta kue dengan tekstur dan cita rasa yang diinginkan. Bika Ambon memerlukan bahan pengembang ragi, fermifan atau ragi instan Penggunaan ragi yang terlalu banyak mengakibatkan adonan kue cepat mengembang, tetapi rasanya menjadi asam. Sebaliknya jika resep ragi terlalu sedikit menyebabkan adonan lebih lama mengembang dan terjadi kegagalan fermentasi.

g. Resep bahan pengharum & pewarna, untuk menambah aroma dan mempercantik penampilan kue. Gunakan selalu warna alami, namun untuk lebih praktis yang sering digunakan adalah yang sintesis, karena lebih stabil dan tahan lama. ***

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image: http://wb4.indo-work.com/pdimage/49/298949_bikaambonmix.jpg

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17 Popular Quotes about Chocolate

1. "Chocolate causes certain endocrine glands to secrete hormones that affect your feelings and behavior by making you happy. Therefore, it counteracts depression, in turn reducing the stress of depression. Your stress-free life helps you maintain a youthful disposition, both physically and mentally. So, eat lots of chocolate!" - Elaine Sherman, Book of Divine Indulgences

2. "Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar in four pieces with your bare hands--and then just eating one piece" - Judith Viorst

3. "Self-discipline implies some unpleasant things to me, including staying away from chocolate and keeping my hands out of women's pants." - Oleg Kiselev

4. "It's not that chocolates are a substitute for love. Love is a substitute for chocolate. Chocolate is, let's face it, far more reliable than a man." - Miranda Ingram

5. "Life is like a box of chocolates...You never know what you're gonna get." - Forrest Gump in Forrest Gump

6. "The superiority of chocolate, both for health and nourishment, will soon give it the same preference over tea and coffee in America which it has in Spain." - Thomas Jefferson

7. "Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate." - Sandra Boynton

8. "If one swallows a cup of chocolate only three hours after a copious lunch, everything will be perfectly digested and there will still be room for dinner." - Brillat-Savarin

9. "It has been shown as proof positive that carefully prepared chocolate is as healthful a food as it is pleasant; that it is nourishing and easily digested... that it is above all helpful to people who must do a great deal of mental work." - Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

10. "If you are not feeling well, if you have not slept, chocolate will revive you. But you have no chocolate! I think of that again and again! My dear, how will you ever manage?" - Marquise de S vign

11. "Chocolate is a perfect food, as wholesome as it is delicious, a beneficent restorer of exhausted power. It is the best friend of those engaged in literary pursuits." - Baron Justus von Liebig

12. "Nine out of ten people like chocolate. The tenth person always lies." - John Q. Tullius

13. "There are two kinds of people in the world: those who love chocolate, and communists." - Leslie Moak Murray

14. "Forget love... I'd rather fall in chocolate!" - Author Unknown

15. "There are four basic food groups: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate and chocolate truffles." - Author Unknown

16. "My favorite thing in the world is a box of fine European chocolates which is, for sure, better than sex." - Alicia Silverstone

17. "After about 20 years of marriage, I'm finally starting to scratch the surface of that one. And I think the answer lies somewhere between conversation and chocolate." - Mel Gibson in What Women Want. ***

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by Bridget Mwape
About the author: Copyright 2005. Bridget Mwape writes for Chocolate Gift Basket website at: http://www.chocolate-gift-basket.org.uk/ which features gift ideas, chocolates and more. He also writes for http://www.sweets-and-chocolate.org.uk/ which offer

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How to Start Your Day with the Best Espresso

Starting the day with well made espresso can make the difference between a nice and successful day or a boring and sleepy one. While making a good espresso is not a form of art, there are a few tips and tricks you can use to make your espressos even better than before. If you are using a super automatic espresso machine, you should try to adjust the settings for fine grinding. The trick is not to go for the lowest grinding number because you want the grinder to still keep slightly larger pieces of coffee, which will add more flavor.

An effective way of making espresso is with a pump espresso machine. Here is what you should do: grind the coffee so that it becomes fine (but not too fine) and in the meantime your machine should reach the optimal temperature. After ensuring that your filter is as clean as possible, put in one tablespoon of coffee for each cup. The trick is to push the coffee evenly and not to apply too much pressure, as the espresso might become to strong. On the other hand, if you do not apply enough pressure it will be weak. The final result should be a creamy and dense espresso. Sprinkle granulated sugar instead of pouring sugar straight in, so that the creamy surface remains intact.

How about some great tasting Italian cappuccino? If you keep your coffee fresh and you wrap it each time after use, you will get a better tasting cappuccino. After opening your coffee bag and using it partially, use plastic foil and tape to seal it as best as you can. Store it in the refrigerator for best results. Let's get back to our cappuccino: use a single espresso portion but make sure it has enough concentration and will be strong enough to really influence the taste. The next move is to use about a third of a cup of frothy milk and mix it all in.

Making the perfect espresso is a combination of a few elements that we will have a look at below. The espresso machine, for example, should heat water to temperatures of around 190' F (about 90' C). It should also have a pressure of about 9 or 10 atmospheres. An adjustable grinder is another important piece in the process. You should extract around 7 grams of coffee for each espresso cup - not more, not less! In general, the extraction time should be somewhere around 20 seconds. Last but not least, the blend of the coffee is also essential. Here, personal taste rules, so use whatever coffee styles you enjoy the most. In general, however, blends of coffee coming from the same categories provide a more harmonious and balanced taste. ***

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by George Anderson
About the author: George Anderson has seen how the right understanding combined with the perfect espresso maker can get your day off to a great start.

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4 Reasons To Grocery Shop Online

1- Convenient

-It s convenient for people who may find it time consuming to do a weekly grocery shop or for people who have difficulty in making it to the grocery store. -The following groups of people may fall into these categories; working parents, busy singles, seniors, students, the disabled, people without transportation.

2- Fast and easy

-With many of the online grocery stores you are able to schedule your deliveries to work with your schedule. -You re able to order groceries anywhere you have access to the internet whether that be home, school or work. -To make it even easier your shopping history is recorded on your account to make your reordering a breeze.

3- Cheaper

-Save time & money on gas and wear and tear on your car, not to mention checkout line ups, trying to find parking and traffic to and from the store. -Take advantage of extra savings with online promotions and coupons. -Your club card discounts are still in affect when shopping online. -You ll find they offer very reasonable delivery costs, if not free.

4- Safe and secure

-Feel comfortable ordering from well established grocery stores knowing you ll have the guarantee of groceries delivered with care. -Privacy and security precautions are taken when ordering from well established grocery stores. -Helpful and courteous customer service is generally available through toll free numbers. -Groceries are delivered to your door step by friendly and reliable drivers. ***

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by Stacy F
For further information regarding online grocery shopping and much more please visit www.easy-free-online-recipes.com.
About the author: www.easy-free-online-recipes.com is a webpage focusing on recipes, online grocery shopping and fulfilling the publics cooking and kitchen requests.

Resep Tim Macaroni

Resep Tim Makaroni
TIM MACARONI

Bahan Resep:
25 gr makaroni, rebus sampai lunak lalu tiriskan.
150 ml kaldu.
25 gr daging ayam giling.
30 gr tahu di cincang.
1 sdm tomat potong kecil – kecil.
15 gr daun bayam , iris halus.
1 sdm keju, parut halus.

Cara membuat resep:
Masak makaroni, kaldu, daging ayam giling dan tahu aduk sampai kuah tinggal sedikit.
Masukan tomat dan daun bayam, masak sampai sayuran matang dan kuah mengental
Masukan keju parut.
angkat dan hidangkan selagi hangat.
4. Resep tim makaroni siap dihidangkan.

Selamat menikmati resep ini, semoga membahagiakan Anda.***

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image: www.graciocafe.blogspot.com
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French is Back

French food is back with a vengeance. French cuisine has evolved into a less pretentious version of its older self. The new French cuisine, or Nouvelle Cuisine, is more accessible and comes in many varieties, including bistro food, brasserie style and the ultimate in luxury food, haute cuisine.

French cuisine is fresh and creative, and a lot more simple than it was in the past. French cuisine is often experimental, but the of the food continues to skyrocket. Basically, the French have gone back to their regional roots and brought a modern version of traditional French cooking. Unlike the sophisticated plates of the past, French food now fits into the public's desire for "real food". But real food is not just about traditional mum's-cooking type of dishes. People want traditional foods and flavors with a distinct contemporary feel. People want the old packaged and presented in a new way. The new French cuisine is exactly this.

Frog's legs are still being served in abundance, but the new French cuisine is also influenced by what is going on outside of France. French food is now transformed by influences from the South American, Asian, Italian and American cuisines. Chefs creating the new French cuisine are incorporating ideas picked up from their travels around the world. These days chefs are knowledgeable of the characteristics of cuisines around the world and can use elements of various cultures in creating their own new cuisine.

The result? The new French cuisine is creative and classical. The new French cuisine is both traditional and contemporary. ***

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by Dylan Miles
About the author: Dylan Miles, journalist, and website builder, lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of http://www.foodgarden.info on which you will find a longer, more detailed version of this article.

Kelor, Resep Terlupakan Tapi Menjanjikan

KELOR TERLUPAKAN TAPI MENJANJIKAN
Ungkapan “dunia tidak selebar daun kelor” sudah kerap kita dengar. Namun, seperti apa sosok tanaman kelor, barangkali tidak sedikit diantara kita yang belum pernah mengenalnya. Apalagi menyinggung manfaat dan khasiat yang tersembunyi di balik daun kelor itu.

Di mata kita, kelor atau kilor memang belum dimasukkan dalam deretan tanaman bernilai ekonomi tinggi yang dibudidayakan secara massal. Walau kabarnya, ada pengusaha Jepang berencana mengebunkan kelor di lahan seluas puluhan hektar di Sumatra Selatan. Kalau benar, kelor bakal naik derajat dan makin bernilai ekonomi. Daun dan bijinya dibutuhkan untuk bahan baku kosmetik, obat-obatan sampai minyak pelumas.

Sesungguhnya tanaman bernama latin Molinga Oliefera ini tergolong tanaman tahunan yang biasanya tumbuh liar. Tumbuhan ini diduga asli dari kawasan barat Pegunungan Himalaya dan India, kemudian menyebar hingga ke Benua Afrika dan Asia-Barat. Di Jawa, Kelor biasa dijumpai sampai pada ketinggian 300 meter, diatas permukaan laut. Ia sanggup tumbuh dengan baik di kawasan tropik yang lembab juga di daerah panas. Bahkan, tanah kering kerontang sekalipun tak ditampiknya. Karena tidak rakus “makan” pupuk (unsur hara), kelor cocok sebagai tanaman “pioner” untuk penghijauan dan pemulihan tanah gersang.

Di lahan kebun, tanaman kelor biasa digunakan sebagai pagar hidup. Sosok batang pokoknya tidak lurus betul, melainkan sedikit membengkok dan bercabang-cabang justru bermanfaat sebagai pohon pendukung untuk tanaman merambat, seperti sirih atau lada. Acap kali juga sebagai rambatan tanaman gadung, uwi, atau brotowali.

Bongsor Tapi Getas
Hanya dengan menancapkan setekan batang atau menyemai bijinya yang sudah tua, akan tumbuh tanaman baru. Kelor tergolong cepat besar alias bongsor. Dalam tempo sepuluh bulan, biji yang disemai bisa berkembang menjadi pohon kelor setinggi tiga meter. Kalau ia dibiarkan bisa mencapai 8-12 meter. Sayangnya tanaman ini berbatang lunak dan getas sering pula dijumpai batang pohon kelor keropos karena digerogoti larva serangga yang bersarang didalamnya. Getah yang keluar dari batang pohon yang digerogoti serangga mual-mula berwarna putih, lalu berubah kecoklatan setelah terkena udara.

Umur enam bulan, tanaman kelor sudah mulai belajar berbunga, sebelum berlanjut menjadi buah. Malai bunganya sepanjang 10 – 30 cm, bewarna putih kekuningan. Tidak seperti tanaman lain, bunga kelor bisa muncul sepanjang tahun, nyaris tidak mengenal musim.

Bunga yang tidak terlanjur rontok oleh angin atau hujan akan terus berkembang menjadi buah. Buahnya yang mirip kacang polong, oleh sebagian masyarakat Jawa disebut klenthang, memiliki panjang 20-45 cm. Dibalik kulit buah yang keras, setiap polong buah kelor menyimpan 10-15 butir biji kelor. Berat setiap biji tanpa kulit ari rata-rata 2,5 gr.
Daunnya berupa daun majemuk. Setiap tangkai daun sepanjang antara 20-60 cm terdapat sirip-sirip daun yang terdiri atas 8-10 pasang anak daun. Anehnya masing-masing anak daun juga punya tangkai. Setiap lembar daun kelor berukuran kecil, panjang 1-3 cm. Maka, tepat kalau ada pepatah berbunyi “Dunia tak seluas daun kelor” karena daun kelor memang amat sangat sempit! Daun berbentuk bulat telur kecil itu akan semakin kecil dan tipis saat tiba musim kering. Yang menjadi ciri khasnya bila daun itu diremas-remas segera menimbulkan bau langu.

Tanaman Multi Guna
Meskipun tidak terkenal, tanaman kelor masih menyimpan pamor dikalangan tertentu. Hampir setiap bagian dari tanaman itu dapat dimanfaatkan, termasuk akarnya. Antara lain, bisa sebagai bahan kertas, bahan kosmetik, bahan minyak pelumas, resep obat tradisional dan sebagai sumber pangan.

Bunga kelorpun dapat dimasak selain menyediakan nektar bagi lebah madu. Oleh sebagian masyarakat kita, daun, bunga, dan buah kelor muda biasanya sedap sebagai resep sayur bobor. Meski kurang populer, menurut yang pernah mencicipi, rasanya sedap seperti asparagus. Namun, ada sedikit rasa pahitnya. Bahkan, di India, buah kelor dimasak kari dan diawetkan dalam kaleng untuk dijual di supermarket.

Apalagi kalau menilik nilai gizinya, tanaman kelor tidak bisa dipandang sebelah mata. Soalnya, daun kelor memiliki kadar vitamin A dan C cukup tinggi. Demikian yang pernah dilaporkan Michael D. Benge, dari Badan Ilmu Pengetahuan dan Teknoloogi AS, di Washington DC, pada tahun 1987.

Selain itu, daun kelor juga dikenal kaya Kalsium (Ca) dan zat besi (Fe).Juga sebagai sumber fosfor yang baik. Begitu pula buah mudanya bersifat sukulen (berkadar air tinggi) dan tinggi kandungan proteinnya. Sementara, biji buahnya yang tua dan kering menyimpan kadar minyak (lemak) nabati 35-40 %. Komposisi asam lemaknya meliputi asam oleat, asam linoleat, asam palmitat, asam stearat, asam arakhidat, dan lainnya.

Kalau daun dan buah mudanya dapat langsung disayur, biji kelor tua bisa untuk resep bahan baku pembuatan obat dan kosmetika. Begitupun minyak pelumas yang bisa digunakan oleh tukang arloji, juga bisa diproduksi dari biji kelor.
Pemanfaatannya sebagai tanaman obat pun bukan hal yang baru. Daun kelor ditumbuk halus bisa ditorehkan pada luka untuk mempercepat penyembuhan. Hal ini masuk akal karena daun kelor memiliki semacam zat antibiotik yang di kenal sebagai zat pencegah infeksi. Demikian juga ketika digunakan sebagai obat kompres dapat menurunkan panas badan akibat demam.

Sebagai tanaman berkhasiat obat, bila dicampur bersama kulit akar pepaya dan kemudian dihaluskan, bisa untuk resep obat luar (bobok), penyakit beri-beri dan pembengkakan. Daunnya ditambah kapur sirih, bisa untuk resep obat kulit, seperti kurap dan sejenisnya.

Sedangkan sebagai obat dalam, air rebusan akarnya konon sebagai resep untuk menyembuhkan rematik, epilepsi, antiskorbut, diuretikum, hingga obat kencing nanah. Masih kabarnya juga, akarnya bagus untuk obat malaria, mengurangi rasa sakit, dan juga menurunkan tekanan darah tinggi. Demikian pula daunnya untuk penurunan tekanan darah tinggi, diare, kencing manis dan penyakit jantung.

Malahan ada kalangan masyarakat yang memanfaatkan daun kelor untuk mengobati mata ayam yang terluka sehabis bertarung. Satu tetes getah daun kelor akan mempercepat penyembuhan luka itu. Bahkan mata kambing yang belekan dan rabun, bisa normal setelah ditetesi getah kelor yang bewarna kuning itu.

Menangkal Guna-guna
Di sebagian kalangan masyarakat di Jawa, tanaman kelor juga sering digunakan sebagai campuran air untuk memandikan jenazah. Walaupun cara memandikannya menyelisihi sunnah Nabi, menurut kepercayaan mereka, campuran tersebut dimaksudkan untuk membuang ajimat yang masih melekat dijasadnya. Ini merupakan suatu kesyirikan dalam Islam.

Manfaat lain dari tanaman kelor, masih menurut kepercayaan tertentu, bisa sebagai penangkal kekuatan magis, ilmu hitam, guna-guna, serta ajimat kesaktian.
Kelor terkadang juga dijuluki “sikayu gaib” terutama galihnya (inti kayu kelor yang keras, coklat tua hingga hitam). Ada kalanya kayu galih kelor yang biasanya langka itu “dipuja-puja”oleh kalangan dukun di Jawa. Konon kekuatan magis yang tersimpan didalamnya mampu menangkis energi (kekuatan) negatif dari ilmu hitam maupun serangan fisik.
Namun ada juga yang memanfaatkan daun galih kelor sebagai bahan suvernir yang laku diperdagangkan. Semisal dibuat kerajinan anting-anting dan bentuk dan ukuran bervariasi.

Konon, bersama bahan-bahan lain, seperti pala, bawang merah, bawang putih, dan lainnya, kelor bisa dibuat bedak pupur untuk sarana mengobati orang yang kurang waras. Mereka yang suka ngomong sendiri, ngomel-ngomel sendiri, melucu sendiri dan tertawa sendiri. Begitu pun orang yang kesurupan akan kembali “waras”.

Menjernihkan Air
Yang sempat diuji adalah manfaat daun kelor sebagai penjernih air. Seperti pernah dipublikasikann New Scientist (Desember 1983), biji kelor digunakan untuk menjernihkan air sungai keruh berlumpur di Sudan dan Peru. Juga dilaporkan, biji kelor memiliki kemampuan anti bakteri.

Pemanfaatan biji kelor juga tidak asing bagi Jurusan Teknik Lingkungan ITB, dan Fakultas Kehutanan Universitas Mulawarman di Samarinda, yakni untuk menjernihkan air permukaan (sungai, danau, kolam). Bahkan biji kelor dimanfaatkan sebagai bahan koagulan(bioflokulan) dalam proses pengolahan limbah cair pabrik tekstil. Sebagai bahan koagulan yang efektif, biji kelor mengandung zat aktif rhamnosyloxi – benzil – isothiocyanate, yang mampu mengadsorbsi dan menetralisir partikel-partikel lumpur serta air logam dalam air limbah atau air keruh.

Sekalipun air keruh kecoklatan penuh partikel lumpur bisa dijernihkan dan layak dikonsumsi berkat biji kelor. Adakalanya, aroma kelor masih terasa. Namun dengan menambahkan butiran arang (sebaiknya dibungkus kain agar tidak bertebaran) kedalam bak penampung air akan menyerap aroma langu kelor.

Pengolahan air dengan biji kelor ini agaknya cocok dengan untuk program pengadaan air bersih di kawasan pesisir. Bahkan, telah pula diterapkan di beberapa desa di DI Yogyakarta. Meski saat ini dicuekin, cepat atau lambat kelor bakal naik daun. Setidaknya memiliki peluang menjadi tanaman industri yang kelak dicari-cari. ***

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image: http://suaramerdeka.com/cybernews/smcsehat/img/200612225422_kelor.jpg

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American Coffee

American coffee? Technically there is no such thing, at least none that is grown in North America. There is such a thing as the American coffee consumer which might as well be an institution all their own for it's their money that drives a substantial portion of the market.

Americans consume more coffee than any other nation on earth. Coffee companies in America revolutionized coffee marketing, packaging, distributing, and even processing and roasting in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. America has sent troops to other countries to protect coffee growers and exporters from civil unrest. Yes, America is in love with coffee.

Coffee even played a role in the birth of America. Early British colonists revolted against Britain taxing tea. They exerted their independence by throwing cases of English tea into Boston Harbor during the famed Boston Tea Party. The early American coffee drinker was seen as patriotic and independent.

American coffee retailers like Starbucks have created huge multi-billion dollar companies. They did this by providing the public not only a good cup of coffee but a relaxing place to socialize and drink their coffee. Starbucks did not invent the coffeehouse by any means. The earliest known coffeehouse opened in 1475 in Constantinople. But Starbucks definitely revolutionized the experience for American coffee drinkers and carried the modern coffeehouse into the 21st century.

Americans have taken coffee with them into every war since the Revolution of 1776. Whether to stay awake in battle or as a comforting, soothing reminder of home in the midst of bleak and frightening conditions or both.

In fact, many wars have been fought over coffee and the lands on which it is grown. From small scale turf wars to full blown civil wars and political revolt. Such as in Nicaragua in the late 1800's and early 1900's.

Coffee has become an integral part of every society it has ever been introduced to from the time it was discovered about 600 A.D. There is definitely something about the dark, mysterious and tantalizing beverage that captivates the spirit and captures the imagination. American coffee drinkers are no different and have adopted the age old addiction with gusto. ***

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by Randy Wilson
About the author: Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.
Randy has more articles on coffees and coffee beans such as Cof fees Enemas. You can also sign up for the Free Coffees Newsletter at Coffees Newsletter. .

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Washington BBQ Restaurant

Looking for a Washington BBQ restaurant that will knock your socks off? The Porch is a Washington BBQ restaurant that will take care of those sweet and smoky BBQ cravings and will top everything off with some sumptuous desserts. Before we introduce the Porch's menu however, let's talk a little about the history of BBQ.

The History of Washington BBQ Well, first of all, BBQ did not originate in Washington, as you can probably guess. After all, man has been cooking his meat over an open fire ever since the caveman days. However, the cavemen were not loading on the A-1 or Teriyaki either--so where did the BBQ traditions that we are familiar (i.e. backyard, sauce, etc.) with begin?

The Origin of BBQ: Where did it begin and what about Washington BBQ? The theories are many and varied when it comes to the origin of BBQ. Some of the theories say that barbecue originated in the west, some say that it was in the southern United States, and some even claim that it originated in Europe. My favorite version1 of the origin of BBQ--and one of the more believable ones--is the western cowboy version. However, before we 'dig in' to the history (or the legend) we should probably define what real and true BBQ is:

BBQ is the process of slowly cooking meat over wood or coal. The wood or coal cannot be too hot (about 200 degrees is perfect) and gas does not count! Those who use gas grills today will have to face the facts and realize that a gas grill....grills.....it does not barbeque, although there are those who insist that it is really the sauce that classifies meat as barbecued meat.

Whatever definition you prefer to accept, here is the Western cowboy origin of BBQ:

The Origin of BBQ: Washington BBQ didn't start in Washington In the late 1800's there were many cattle drives that took place. Those who drove the cattle were cowboys and those who were in charge of the cowboys were the cattle barons. The cattle barons, like so many businessmen, scrimped when it came to paying (or in this case) feeding their employees. The cattle barons would supply the cowboys with the tough meat portions. These tough meat portions were referred to as brisket and were not exactly appetizing. The cowboys found however that if the meat was left to cook very slowly over wood or coal that in 5-7 hours the meat would make a delicious meal. This however, leaves us with the question of where the tradition of sauce came from.

Washington BBQ with Sauce....Did it Originate in the South? As mentioned above, many sources indicate that the tradition of barbecued meat marinated in various sauces originated in the southern United States before the civil war. Pigs were abundant at the time and were one of the staples of the south. Traditional BBQ made it possible to use every part of a pig and with sauces make it taste like a delicacy. Barbecue became an important part of religious, social and political functions. Barbecues also seem to be the kind of meal that both the rich and the poor alike can appreciate.

Washington BBQ Restaurants Today Today those who live in Washington and others from around the nation thoroughly enjoy a good old fashioned backyard barbecue. Washington BBQ restaurants have also become a regular part of Washington fine dining and entertainment. After all, not everybody has the time to barbecue, but they still want that sweet, smoky irresistible flavor that people have now enjoyed for decades. ***

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by Marci Crane
http://www.brownielocks.com/bbq.html
About the author: For more information in regards to The Porch, a barbecue restaurant, or to obtain coupons for the Porch please feel free to contact The Porch.

Happy Healthy Hollidays with this Eggnog Recipe

Happy Healthy Hollidays with this Eggnog Recipe
When it is holiday time, only one drink comes to mind: eggnog.
This healthy drink recipe is delicious and it uses soymilk instead of whole milk. It gets a completely new flavor and color with the addition of peppermint oil.

A drink fills up your tummy just before you hit the sack. Serve it warm and you will be on your way to sleepy town.
Now you can dream away while Santa does his magic.

Ingredients:
* 4 eggs, separated
* 2 cups soymilk
* 1 cup granulated white sugar
* 2 tbsp. vanilla extract
* 2 cups heavy cream
* 1 tbsp. peppermint oil
* 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
* 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
* 1 tsp. pumpkin spice

To Make:
First, take your 4 eggs and put the egg whites into a bowl and the egg yolks into a bowl.
Put a half a cup of white sugar into each egg bowl. Beat each egg bowl slightly. Add the heavy cream gradually to the egg whites. Keep whipping this mixture. Add vanilla to this egg bowl. Now in one medium sized bowl, combine both of the egg mixtures.

Slowly add the soymilk. Continue stirring while you are adding the milk. Eggnog would not be complete without using some ground nutmeg. This recipe adds it right into the mix and not just as a garnish on top.

This recipe also uses more spices than just traditional nutmeg. Now add ground cinnamon and pumpkin spice to the mixing bowl. Keep whipping the eggnog. Now time for a special addition to ordinary eggnog. Add one tablespoon of peppermint oil. This gives regular eggnog more of a Christmas flavor.

Chill your eggnog in the refrigerator before serving. After it has chilled, pour the eggnog into a holiday punch bowl. Add a dash of ground nutmeg on top and a dollop of fat free whip cream before serving a glass to one your guests.***

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by Hans Dekker
Hans is author of the healthy recipes section of http://www.steaks-guide.com/
image: http://z.hubpages.com/u/148666_f260.jpg

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A Beginners Guide To Oolong Tea

Over the last few years green tea has become very popular and is available in most stores and caf s. It is also used in all kinds of products such as shampoo, face cream, candles and many other daily items. Oolong tea is produced from the same plant, which is called Camellia Sinensis. The difference is that Oolong is a semi-fermented brew whereas green tea is unfermented.

The fermentation process is carried out by a skilled worker who can ferment the tea to many different levels to create different varieties. The leaves are stimulated until the oxidization process reaches the desired level and then cooked to finish the process.

The leaves are further processed after the fermentation to enhance the smell, texture and the flavor. This is done by rolling and rubbing the tea. It it possible to achieve many different levels of tea, and when the processing is over a knowledgeable master of Oolong will check the leaves and give them a grade.

The history of Oolong tells us that it was first produced in Fujian province in China. Some of the finest tea still comes from this area although it is now also produced in many other places including Taiwan, Vietnam and Thailand.

One of the reasons that green tea has become so popular is that there are believed to many health benefits which can be obtained by regular drinking. These benefits are also reported to exist in Oolong and are retained even after the tea is processed. Some of the common benefits claimed are the stimulation of the metabolism and the ability to enhance the digestion.

If you are interested in trying some Oolong then it is recommended to find a quality supplier. There are many sellers on the Internet who can supply good tea and many who can supply not so good tea. The stuff in the local Chinese store tends to be of very low quality and not worth buying. Look for a specialist tea merchant and try a few different ones to find the best quality.

Some of the more popular varieties include Gao Shan, Tie Guan Yin, Vietnamese Golden Buds and Formosa Oolong which comes from Taiwan. Don't be afraid to get stuck in and try a few varieties. I can tell you that a good Oolong is really a great tea so if you are not impressed with what you buy then shop around for another merchant because the good stuff is out there. ***

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by Rob Jameson
About the author: Rob Jameson is a writer and tea lover. For more information please stop by at this web resource for Chinese Oolong Tea.