gourmet food

The Szechuan style of cuisine arose from a culturally distinct area in the central western of part of China
a province known as Sichuan. This area of China came into its own culturally towards the end of the Shang Dynasty
during the 15th century. However
it was also the climate of the area that helped to shape the culinary traditions that were to arise from Sichuan province and make their way into the realm of international cuisine.

The province from which the cuisine that the world knows as Szechuan evolved is often hot and humid
and this contributed to this necessity of preparing foods in ways that differ significantly from other regions of China. Szechuan cuisine is primarily known for its hot and spicy dishes
though naturally there is more to Szechuan food than spice and sauces rich and strong in flavor.

A general overview of culinary history and trends reveals that
for the most part
areas that tended to spice heavily were areas in which the fresh food supply was not as reliable as in places that traditionally used a lighter hand in their use of spices. The climate of Sichuan is conducive to faster food spoilage. This
particularly in the past
made necessary food preservation techniques that themselves left behind a strong flavor
such as salting
pickling
drying
and smoking. Thus
spices served to mask the flavors of less than fresh foods and those that have been preserved by methods that affect their natural flavors. In addition to masking certain flavors
the use of hot spices
such as chili peppers
tends to be more common to hot climates
as the sweat that they can produce is thought to cool the body.

Much of the spicing of regional Chinese cooking is based upon bringing together five fundamental taste sensations – sweet
sour
pungent
salty and bitter. The balance of these particular elements in any one dish or regional cuisine can vary
according to need and desire
especially as influenced by climate
culture and food availability.

In Szechuan cuisine
there are a variety of ingredients and spices used to create these basic taste sensations. These include a variety of chili peppers
peppercorns over various types
Sichuan peppers
which are in reality a type of fruit
not pepper
and produce a numbing effect in addition to their warm flavor. Sichuan peppers
also called flower pepper and mountain pepper
are a traditional part of the Chinese five spice powder
or at least of those that are modeled upon the most authentic versions of the spice combinations common to regional Chinese cooking.

Other ingredients used commonly in Szechuan cuisine to create the five fundamental taste sensations include different types of sugars
such as beet root sugar and cane sugar
as well as local fruits for sweetness. The sour comes from pickled vegetables and different varieties of vinegar. A special bitter melon is added to many dishes to offer the touch of bitterness that complements other flavors. Other spices and flavors include dried orange peel
garlic
ginger
sesame oil and bean paste. Salt is important to Szechuan cuisine
and the area produces uniquely flavored salts that help to distinguish authentic Szechuan cuisine from the other regional cuisines from China.

Szechuan cuisine is marked by its rich traditional flavors
which stem from a culture of hundreds of years and are in part shaped by the natural forces of climate. Authentic Szechuan cuisine offers a unique dining experience made up of adventurous and creative taste sensations.

Lemon
vanilla and the more elaborate concoctions such as pumpkin
chocolate chip
cranberry and blueberry are just a few of my favorite cheesecakes. The delight you experience when you take that first bite of your favorite cheesecake can be exhilarating and soothing at the same time.

And remembering loved ones at gift-giving time brings to mind even more exciting flavors that are available like raspberry
Neapolitan
bing cherry and key lime
another of my favorite cheesecakes
and one sure to be your favorite as well once you give it a try. There are times when nothing but the best will do
and that's the time to decide to give a freshly baked cheesecake instead of flowers and chocolates.

There are many sources from which to buy your favorite cheesecakes. There's the frozen section at your supermarket
specialty retail shops
and now the Internet is a reliable source as well. Ordering online is an experience in itself as you browse through the pages looking at luscious Gourmet Cheesecakes that are sure to please everyone on your gift list. Once you make a selection
the cheesecake is packed in a special container and can be delivered as soon as the next day for your convenience.

You are certain to find a cheesecake to please even the most discriminating palate when you view the selections and discover a world of delicacies that can be yours at the click of a button. Cheesecakes are usually available with a crumb crust or a more traditional crust that has been rolled thin.

And don't forget the wonderful selections of a unique personalized cheesecake for special occasions such as anniversaries
birthdays
holidays
Secretaries Day
Mother's Day
Father's Day and other occasions to make cheesecake a favorite with everyone.

Send a Cheesecake to someone special today.

Another award comes to Midsummer House this year in the guise of the BMW Square Meal Award for Best Out-of-Town Restaurant 2005. Midsummer House is in good company
the previous winners of this award being Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons (2001)
The Waterside Inn (2002)
The Vineyard at Stockcross (2003) and The Fat Duck (2004). This award is particularly special as it's decided not only by the Square Meal team of reviewers
but also by their readers
who provide Square Meal with their own verdicts on restaurants around the country.

Having also been awarded it’s second Michelin Star this year
Midsummer House has firmly established itself on the culinary map.
Midsummer House is the only additional two-star restaurant in this year’s guide and remains the only Michelin star restaurant in East Anglia. Midsummer received its first Michelin Star in 2002 and the team has been working towards receiving this second star ever since. Having recently undergone a major refurbishment and having new menus created
Midsummer House certainly deserves this prestigious accolade.

Clifford’s cooking is based upon a sound grounding in French technique and he constantly seeks to improve and innovate: low temperature cooking
jellies
foams and unexpected contrasts of taste
texture and temperature. A research kitchen has recently been added to the building in which Clifford experiments with new ingredients
processes and dishes. A plasma screen has also been installed in the private dining room so guests can watch their choice of dishes being prepared
a rare opportunity to watch the ‘man of genius’ at work.

Chef/Patron Clifford
who started his career as a kitchen assistant at Canterbury College comments
“I have worked towards this award for many years and am delighted that along with my team all our efforts have been recognised.”

For more information please view the Venue Reservations website at:

www.venuereservations.co.uk

By now we’ve all heard of green tea and probably even read about the health benefits that it has and lots of other information. I want to take amount and put all of this nonsense aside and tell you about a tea that is something to get excited about: Market Spice Tea.

Market Spice originated from Seattle’s Historic Pike Place market in 1911. Market spice is made from sweet huckleberries
which is what gives Market Spice it’s “unlike anything else” taste. Don’t be confused with Huckleberry Finn how ever I’m sure if Tom Sawyer was to drink tea it would be Market Spice. Only Market Spice packs the type of punch that an adventurer like Tom Sawyer would be satisfied with. I’ve heard it compared to Orange on Steroids. How ever you look at the Tea
The taste is something else and leads to a simply unforgettable experience.

Market spice has been converting Green tea drinkers for almost 100 years. Why Market Spice? Words can't do any more justice: If there is an adventurer in you: Try it and find out for yourself!

Feel free to reprint this article as long as you keep the following caption and author biography in tact with all hyperlinks.

Although gastronomy has always been deeply rooted in Lime๑os' idiosyncrasy
the last few years have seen a huge leap in Lima's dining scene. Not only Peru's capital has become tapped with restaurants
both stylish and unpretentious
but many of them seem to be at full capacity all week long.

One possible explanation for the boom
besides obvious food quality
is international recognition. The Economist magazine
for example
reported in 2004 that Peru could "lay claim to one of the world's dozen or so great cuisines". Norman Van Aken
one of Florida's most gifted chefs
acknowledged that Peruvian cuisine was possibly the most enticing of those he had studied. And Patrick Martin
academic director of Le Cordon Blue
said that one of the reasons for having a branch of the school in Lima was the excellent quality of local cuisine.

"Better late than never"
believe most Lime๑os
increasingly proud of the exceptionality of their gastronomic heritage. However
notwithstanding general contentment
they are still demanding and hard-to-please
and expect the best from their favourite restaurants and chefs. This
too
contributes to gastronomic excellence. Indeed Peruvian cuisine
though hardly noticed abroad until most recently
is one of the World's most varied and delicious.

Two aspects converge to give Peruvian cuisine an uniqueness that few other enjoy. The first is Peru's huge biodiversity. The country is home to 80 of the world's 104 different biological zones
which assures a remarkable assortment of fresh ingredients. Potatoes and hot peppers from the Andes
fish and seafood from the Pacific Ocean
mangoes and limes from the coastal valleys
bananas and manioc from the Amazon jungle: a chef's only problem is abundance of choice.

Second
Peruvian cuisine is the quintessence of cultural fusion. Ever since the first blending between Inca and Spanish traditions
local cooks have skilfully incorporated the flavours and techniques of the many immigrants that disembarked in Peru's ports
such as Italian and French. However
the strongest influences didn't arrive from Europe
but from Africa
China
and Japan.

Although the restaurant offer in Lima is most varied and covers a wide range of cuisines
Ceviche -diced raw fish marinated in lime juice and hot peppers- is surely number one on the list of dishes you must taste. There is at least one cevicherํa in every neighbourhood
so it won't be hard to find one. Our suggestion goes to superb Pescados Capitales
a lunch-only cevicheria in Miraflores.

A second must goes to Asian restaurants in Lima
both Chinese and Japanese
which
predictably
have a strong Peruvian influence. Chinese restaurants -known as Chifas-
can be counted by the hundreds. Usually down-to-earth neighbourhood eateries
these offer a fare rich in seafood and chicken. Japanese restaurants and sushi bars
on the contrary
are less widespread
and more upscale and expensive. Their forte is a year-round supply of the freshest and most variegated seafood
which is delightfully transformed into sushi
sashimi
and rolls. Our favourites are Wa Lok for Chinese
and Matsuei (where Nobuyuki Matsuhisa
Nobu's chef and owner
perfected his skills) for Japanese.

A last word for Lima's Criollo restaurants. Their cuisine is a vivid and tasty demonstration of the rich cultural fusion undergone by Peruvian gastronomy over the centuries. Besides the obvious Spanish and Andean fusion (a.k.a. Criollo)
in their menus you'll discover much Africa (tacu-tacu and anticuchos)
China (lomo saltado)
and Japan (ceviches and tiraditos).

Bon app้tit!

Pork is a staple food of the mountain regions of northern Italy
where it's often said that a well butchered pig should leave 'nothing but the oink' behind. As a pig is typically around 30% fat
thrifty locals had to come up with a way to use and preserve this valuable source of protein
and the result is Lardo.

Lardo di Colonnata
to give it its full name
is a delicacy produced from pork fat in and around the Tuscan mountain town of Colonnata. Happily for fans of cured meat
it's not only a frugal way of preserving pork fat over winter - it's delicious too!

It's made in large vats known as conche
fashioned from marble quarried at the nearby 'white mountain' of Cararra
which are first liberally rubbed with garlic. Next
layers of pork fat
salt
and a special mix of herbs and spices are added until the vats are full. The conche are then sealed with a wooden lid and left in cool mountain caves for 6 months or longer to mature in the clean air.

After the maturation time is over
the conche are opened to reveal a silky-smooth
meltingly tender 'meat' which can be eaten in much the same way as Parma Ham or other prosciutto.

While Lardo is often used to keep roasted meats moist by placing a thin layer over the skin
it is also delicious simply sliced thinly and eaten with bread
olives
and a good extra virgin olive oil as part of an antipasto course. It is not at all tough or greasy
and is well worth trying even if the idea of eating pure fat leaves you a little apprehensive!

Despite the long years of making Lardo in the traditional way
most of the examples that you may find in your local deli or store will have been made in a much more industrial setting
mainly as a result of modern hygiene laws taking precedence over customs and heritage. Gone are the marble conche and the mountain air
replaced by stainless steel and air conditioning.

However
visitors to the area around Colonnata may still be lucky and get hold of Lardo made in the old way that has been proven over the centuries - just don't tell the authorities if you do!

When I mention the word “cerviche” to people I am usually questioned
“what the ___is that?” After they taste my recipe for true Mexican cerviche they are begging me to teach them how to make it.

First let me explain why I call it authentic Mexican cerviche. I lived in the Yucatan Peninsula over 20 years ago at the beginning of the birth of Cancun. I worked on boats every day and learned to make Mexican food dishes from the natives I worked with.
One of my favorites has always been cerviche because it is very fast and easy to make and it is very light and cooling on hot days.

So what is it and how do I make it? Well
for starters there are several different types of cerviche. It can be made from Conch
a large shellfish found all over the Caribbean
shrimp
or a white meat fish such as snapper
trout
etc. We used Spanish Mackerel a lot as well when I was in Cancun.

The recipe is the same regardless of the meat you choose so let me begin.

For a refreshing snack that will feed six to eight people you will want about a pound of meat filleted and deboned. You will need a couple of large tomatoes
several limes or a couple bottles of lime concentrate
an onion
and several chili peppers. If you are averse to really spicy foods you can substitute less spicy peppers.

The first thing you do is cut the meat into small fingertip sized chunks and place in a large bowl with a lid so you can shake the mixture up easily later. After you have the meat cut up pour just enough lime juice over it to cover the meat thoroughly
shake it up and put it to the side.

Next cut up your tomatoes into small chunks and scrape them into the mixture
then your onions and peppers and so on. Be sure to cut the peppers extra small.

If you like a little more seasoned taste you can sprinkle a little of your favorite spice on it although most people prefer to eat it as is.

Let the mixture chill in the refrigerator or on ice for at least one hour then serve with tortilla chips or crackers washed down with a good cold beer.