Sous-Vide cooking was originally developed by George Pralus and Bruno Goussault in nineteen seventy four and literally means ‘under vacuum’. Their first application was a terrine of foie gras, but today this technique is used to create exciting textures and flavours by sealing ingredients in a plastic bag under vacuum and then cooking slowly at temperatures well below those at atmospheric pressure.

This method has been proven to produce consistent, high quality results while retaining vitamins, nutrients, micronutrients and mineral salts. Fat compositions are not altered – resulting in a noticeably better taste and texture.

Sous-Vide storage – or cook and chill – is becoming more widely used to cook gourmet meals and then to rapidly cool them. Before serving, the food is heated in its original bag, the clear benefits being a significantly increased shelf life of a gourmet meal without any loss of texture or taste.

A range of products are available including heating immersion circulators, water baths and open heating bath circulators.

Heating immersion circulators are available for vessels and cooking pots with a volume of up to fifty litres. The units are supplied with an attachment clamp for a wall thickness up to twenty six millimetres. The clamp allows convenient fitting to vessels, such as stainless steel vessels used in kitchens for example. All wetted parts are made of high-quality stainless steel or plastic. The immersion depth is sixteen and a half centimetres. The integrated pump system allows an optimum bath circulation to ensure constant temperatures.

Water baths with microprocessor technology offer a temperature stability of 0.2 +/-)degrees celsius. The working temperature range of up to +99.9 degrees celsius allows Sous Vide and Cook and Chill cooking techniques. The units have a splash-proof keypad as well as an LED temperature display for easy operation. Dry-running protection as well as optical and audible warning/cut-off functions offer a maximum of safety. Lift-up bath covers are available as option accessories.

Open heating bath circulators come with stainless steel bath tanks and are available in different sizes. The basic models ED and ME are mounted on a bridge that is placed on the bath tank. The bath tanks are available with a range of filling volumes including nineteen, twenty seven, thirty three and thirty nine litres.

Sous-Vide cooking has a range of benefits including:

The natural flavor of the food is preserved
Freshness, color and appearance remain unchanged until serving
Concentration of the natural flavour
No loss in nutrient content
No shrinkage or moisture loss
Extended shelf life
Cost savings on food due to minimal cooking and storage losses

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Tuscany is one of the most well known regions in Italy and it has perhaps more unique Italian food dishes than any other region.

People love the simplicity of Tuscan Italian food and the region has it’s own distinct style of cuisine. Tuscany is a treasure trove of Italian food but the real Italian food gem in Tuscany is not the unique entrees, but the unique breads. There are specific breads for specific holidays and seasons in Tuscany, specifically a bread known as Maremma used for the famed T-bone steak known as Florentine Steak.

Usually Italian food makes one think of different forms of pasta, but in Tuscany the Italian food of variety is the bread. The wines of Tuscany are superb and they have to be to go with the wonderful Tuscan style of cooking. All of this means that many Italian food lovers find many of their favorite dishes in Tuscany.

There are many different varieties of olives that are grown in the area and used extensively in the cooking. Olive oil is made from the Moraiolo, Leccino, Frantoio, and Pendolino olives. An important issue which is often not realized in countries that do not produce olive oil is that the freshness makes a big difference. A very fresh oil, as available in an oil producing region, tastes noticeably different from the older oils available elsewhere. Visiting Tuscany will give you the chance to try this and see.

Of course the area also has the cheeses that are a signature of Italian food. The most famous Tuscan cheese is Pecorino, made from sheep’s milk, from the Siena area, eaten at the end of a good meal.

In October and November the people are up for a real treat because this is when the famous white truffles appear. White truffles from San Miniato are a speciality.

There are many other foods specific to the area and one of the most common is polenta. Polenta was originally a peasant food and is made from ground yellow or white cornmeal (maize). It can be ground coarsely or finely depending on the texture desired. Polenta is often cooked in a large copper pot known in Italian as paiolo. It is traditionally a slow cooked dish as it can take an hour or more and constant stirring is required.”Polentone” meaning polenta eater (big polenta) is a derogatory term sometimes used by Southern Italians to refer to Norther Italians.

NB: The over reliance on polenta as a staple food caused outbreaks of pellagra (a vitamin deficiency disease) throughout much of Europe until the 20th century.

So it seems that Tuscan food is not to be missed. Beef of the highest quality comes from the Chiana Valley and a while array of dishes are produced right from the simple T-bone steak to Tuscan beef stew with polenta. The pork in the area is spicy which may come as a surprise to foreigners not familiar with this brand of Italian food.

But don’t forge that one appeal of Tuscan Italian food is that it is generally healthy.

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Sicilian food is an earthy and exotic mix of European and Arab influences. Their food reflects the geographical location of the Island with Italian, African and eastern European influences seeping into many dishes. Sicilian food combined with increasingly sophisticated (although still inexpensive) local wine is reason enough to dine out in Sicily. However, we should not forget that Sicilian food is basically simple in it’s origin, with it’s roots drawn from peasant cooking. The islands cuisine reflects the different cultural influences that have shaped Sicily over the centuries

Sicily was first inhabited about ten thousand years ago. I’s coasts are gold with orange and lemon groves and it is the largest island in the Mediterranean. It offers the visitor a huge variety of experiences.

Sicily’s olive varieties trace their origin on this island from time immemorial and Sicilian Olive oil is one of the wold’s most fragrant and appetizing.

The seas around Sicily are bountiful and favorites include tuna, sardines and swordfish.

Sicily is famous for desserts including frozen treats made form the snow on Mount Etna.

Sicily is home to more than three dozen major and secondary grape varieties (more white than red) and it has taken the lead in the modern south of Italy as produces seem increasingly determined to live up to the promise that was so well known to the ancient Greeks.

Sicilian cuisine shows traces of all the cultures which established themselves on the island over the last two millennia

Sicilians have perfected the art of food presentation where even the simplest dish becomes a work of art. Sicilian vegetable dishes are usually elaborate preparations, often with many ingredients added to the main vegetable to create complex flavors.

You will find that Sicilian bread is usually of a very high quality because of the wonderful nutty flavor of the famous Sicilian wheat. However, the zingiest flavors are fresh local lemons or the Sicilian oranges which can also be enjoyed as a freshly squeezed juice.

Finally, you will find that the sun and the soil both contribute to the excellence of Sicilian food and wine. The vivid colors and tastes they give to the local vegetables such as tomatoes, egg plants, peppers, zucchini, olives, oranges, and capers is a kaleidoscope for the senses.

Sicilian food melds an incredible variety of styles and historic ingredients while remaining uniquely Italian and ultimately fantastic.

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Gourmet French foods, especially French chocolates and candies, make delicious gifts that remind us of the allure of French cuisine that makes it popular worldwide. Furthermore, each time that we eat a decadent French truffle or chocolate bar, we also eat a lot of history. French gourmet chocolates and candies have enjoyed one very sweet history that makes them more than just a yummy treat. Here is a brief history of how French gourmet chocolates and candies came to be one of the most popular sweets in the world.

The origin of gourmet French chocolates and candies can be reasonably attributed to King Louis XV in 1643. King Louis XV absolutely loved chocolate. So much so in fact that he appointed Sieur David Illou to manufacture and sell chocolates. This allowed members of his Royal Court to enjoy a bitter tasting concoction that was thought to have powerful aphrodisiac properties. This concoction was usually drunk or made into huge bars that could be pried apart into pieces.

Because chocolate had so many alleged aphrodisiac properties, the Royal Court eventually could not keep this wonderful mixture all to themselves. The chocolate mania soon spread by the 1650’s-1660’s to Paris where gourmet chocolates became a mainstay that remains with them to this day. During this time, chocolate candy pieces were introduced to the public. This happened because people soon learned that chocolate and other sweet treats could be sold more profitably if they were sold in bite-sized pieces. As a result, people of all ranks of society who lived in Paris became hooked on gourmet chocolates.

By the end of Louis XV’s long reign in 1715, the chocolate craze had spread throughout France. Furthermore, by the end of the 18th century, chocolate became a world-wide phenomenon that to this day is still celebrated by people.

Once chocolate became a popular fixture with the French, it soon became apparent that French chocolates and candies were the best in the world. This reputation grew in the 17th and 18th and early 19th centuries as chefs of all backgrounds were beginning to realize what one could do with the versatility of French cuisine.

This had a positive impact on chocolate makers around the world because they were able to see for themselves the painstaking techniques and the high-quality ingredients that were used to produce French candy and chocolate. As the mania spread for gourmet French foods, chocolate makers were consistently updating and passing their knowledge of making fine French chocolate and candy to new generations of chocolate makers. As a result, this knowledge influenced chocolate makers around the world so much that its influence remains with us today. This is the case because many of the techniques and ingredients that are used today to make gourmet chocolates are the original techniques and ingredients the French promoted in the 17th and 18th centuries.

For these reasons, whenever you taste a French chocolate you also taste an amazing history that still influences fine chocolate makers around the world.

http://www.touchoffrance.com/ Read more about gourmet French foods, French chocolate and candy, wines, cheeses, mustards, spices, jams & jellies.

People love to sit down for dinner especially when they know they’re having a piece of goodness from a tender juicy steak. However, achieving such a mouthwatering masterpiece is not easy as pie since there are a lot to consider. You have to know the right cut, temperature, thickness, and method of cooking. And nailing all of these is the best way to cook a steak.

Which is the best cut?

The best way to cook a steak involves choosing the right steak cut. This means that you have to know what kind of steak would be appropriate for the meal that you’re going to prepare. For instance the steak cut for a sandwich is different from a dinner steak. If you’re still not sure which one to choose, you can always the butcher at the market for guidance.

What are the beef grades?

Knowing the best way to cook a steak involves being familiar with the different grades of beef: Prime, Choice, and Select. The USDA grades beef according to the amount of marbling that it has. Prime has the most marbling which makes it the highest grade and the most expensive type of beef. The one most commonly available in butcher shops is the Choice. Although it has lesser marbling, it is the best option when you’re just learning how to cook. Finally, having the least amount of marbling and the lowest grade is the Select.

What are the different cuts?

You might notice that there’s simply so much to choose from when it comes to steak cuts. Each of them has its unique taste, specific cooking method, and price. For instance, Filet Mignon is expensive due to its tenderness. Meanwhile, the cheapest would be the top sirloin since it is the least tender.

In addition, they also have to consider whether it is dry aged or wet aged. Dry aged meats are more expensive since they take a lot of time to process. Knowing these cuts simply allows one to use the best way to cook a steak.

How to Season the Steak

Whether or not to use seasoning is a matter of personal choice. People usually only salt and pepper while other go for more complex and rich marinade. If you’re not sure which one to use, you can simply go to the supermarket and choose from the ready-made steak marinades. However, don’t hesitate to experiment since it’s a part of the best way to cook a steak.

How to Cook the Steak

Basic cuts are often grilled, pan seared or broiled. The difference now depends on the temperature appropriate for the kind of steak that you want. If you want your steak rare, use 120 F. You can achieve a medium rare with a 125 F temperature, medium at 130 F and well done at 135 F. The best way to cook a steak also involves varying cooking techniques and hot dry heat.

The best way to cook a steak is not as simple as one-two-three. There are various things that need to be considered. You have to know the right cut, the right grade, seasoning and the right way to cook it. Only after knowing all these can you truly make a hearty steak dinner that would make you and your family ask for second servings.

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Follow these tips in achieving the ultimate best tasting marinated grilled shrimps.

A lot of people usually ask “How am I supposed to marinate the shrimp?” Actually it’s really simple and quite easy. First look for any grilled shrimp marinade recipe that best fits your personal taste. Choose from among the many interesting recipes out there.

Though most recipes specify marinated grilled shrimps, you can just use any kind of shrimp marinade recipe then just decide on your desired mode of cooking (whether baked, fried or grilled).

You may even use different indoor electric grills like ‘George Forman’ grill or put them inside your oven and bake away. Cooking them via pan frying after they’re marinated is also another way to go especially when it’s raining.

Easy and Simple Steps in achieving that Best Grilled Marinated Shrimp:

1. Buy shrimps that are either frozen or very fresh. When grilling, choose extra large/large shrimps. Buying them pre cooked is not a good idea since you’ll be cooking them again using your grill. Besides, shrimps are easily cooked. For great tasting results, always use fresh raw shrimps when grilling so that they’ll taste better.

2. Devein and clean the shrimps perform this when shrimps are inside shells and those black veins found within the shrimps are still inside. Put the shrimps under moderately cold and running water, and then remove its outer legs and shells, leaving its tail-intact.

Then create a tiny slice just along its center-back part using your knife’s tip to gently take the black-vein off. Rinse the shrimps then put aside inside a bowl. Do the same process until shrimps are already cleaned and deveined.

3. Next, drain water out from your bowl of already cleaned shrimps then pat them with some paper towels to dry them thoroughly.

4. Refrigerate and cover your shrimps till you’re ready to marinate them.

5. Pick out any Grilled Marinated Shrimp recipe.

6. Follow instructions in the preparation of your marinade.

7. Get your shrimps out of your fridge then add in your marinade and toss everything well and make sure that you coat your shrimps thoroughly. Cover tightly then place back inside your refrigerator.

8. Next, marinate your shrimps for about an hour or as per its recipe directions.

9. When your marinating time finishes, preheat your grill up to medium high flame.

10. Finally skewer your shrimps & simply place them on top the ‘grilling basket’, then grill shrimps as per recipe directions.

Below are a couple of easy and simple Grilled Shrimps Marinade recipes:

1/4 cup of olive oil
1 tablespoon of dry-onion, minced
1/2 teaspoon of rosemary (dried)
1/4 cup of wine (dry, white)
1/2 teaspoon of basil (dried)/1 teaspoon fresh
1/4 teaspoon of pepper

Put about a pound of raw shelled-shrimps inside a resalable plastic-bag or a very tight-lid container, then add your marinade. Securely close the bag then refrigerate them for about two to four hours.

Once done drain the marinade, set shrimps aside. Place shrimps into pre soaked skewers. Then grill them over hot- coals for about six to ten minutes. Constantly brush the shrimps using the marinade that was reserved.

1 cup wine (dry, white)
1 cup of olive oil
1 tablespoon of black pepper, coarse
1/2 teaspoon of basil; chopped
1/2 teaspoon of ‘Cajun spice’ which is optional
1 lb. of large raw-shrimps, deveined, peeled with tails intact
Thin slices of lemon

Mix ingredients in a bowl to create a marinade, then add the shrimps. Cover it then put them inside the fridge for about three hours, while occasionally turning them. Set your grill settings to high-heat. Skewer the shrimps and some thin slices of lemon unto the bamboo-skewers, alternating shrimps & lemon so on and so forth.

Grill the shrimps till they turn opaque. Occasionally baste the shrimps using the rest of your marinade. Approximately 3 mins. per side is needed to achieve doneness.

When you really want easy and quick shrimp marinades, just buy any kind of bottled pre-mixed seafood-marinade. My all time favorite includes ‘Lawry’s Tequila Line’ or ‘Caribbean Jerk’. You may find any of these in your grocery stores. Marinate raw shrimps for 1 hr. prior to grilling.

Jeff is a food fanatic! You can check out his very popular Best Recipes on http://www.quickbestrecipes.com

Crab cakes usually are popular dishes in areas near the US coastal lines since crabs are readily available. People coming in this area favor eating crab cakes but as you move from one state and into the other, you’d be able to taste very distinct crab cake dishes and this usually tells you a lot about what kind of culture a particular state has.

First, the main difference among their tastes would include the kind of crabs that are being used. Areas near Chesapeake Bay especially in Maryland would be using blue-crab meat since its predominantly available and endemic in this specific area and blue-crab is known as truly the tastiest crab there is.

While Northern California and Pacific Northwest areas use ‘Dungeness crab’ for their recipes as this specific crab specie is predominantly available or endemic within the area.

Basic ingredients included in this recipe are as follows: seasonings, eggs, milk, bread-crumbs and ‘crab meat’, some green & red bell peppers and onions. Sometimes recipes for these cakes may need some distinct flavorings embodying typically exotic & slightly traditional features.

Like in Southern states they may use some jalapenos, while some areas may use cream cheese, hot-sauce, Worcestershire and even wild-rice.

The key in creating a flavorful ‘crab cake’ lies with the kind of crab-meat you’re going to use. Usually recipes prefer the lump crab-meat. Determine if the crab meat is really fresh. If they’re packaged inside tubs then they would be. Once you see these kinds of crab-meat purchase them immediately.

When you’re not able to purchase any of these then opt for the canned kind. Usually this kind of meat is precooked, thus helping you shorten the steps in making these crab cakes and makes it a lot easier to do.

The preparation and cooking duration would vary depending on the kind of recipe you prefer & how you’d like each cooked. There are some instructions to store them overnight within a specific amount of duration to enhance better tasting flavors or some would instruct you into mixing in all ingredients & cooking immediately.

If opting to pan fry them using stoves shape them first to that round patty shape and cook per side for 4 mins. Once they turn golden brown in color and appear crispy then they’re already done.

If opting to bake them, initially preheat oven up to 400 degrees then bake them within fifteen to twenty minutes. Baking them would still make your ‘crab cakes’ crispy and baking them will give the cakes a richer flavor.

Crab cakes can still be deep fried, when opting to do so, deep fry them for approximately about 7 minutes. You’ll know when they’re done since they would start floating.

Usually the instructions on the recipe would instruct you into immediately serving your delicious and meaty crab cakes while they’re still hot. The very best and delicious crab cakes would be those that are very moist & very crispy. Feel free to add any ingredients but just maintain the meaty consistency of your dish.

Jeff is a food fanatic! You can check out his very popular Best Recipes on http://www.quickbestrecipes.com

Some things in life are just downright impossible. Can you keep your eyes open when you sneeze, or not pull a face if you suck on a lemon? Try rushing a piece of English toffee – it simply can’t be done. Like sinking into a deep bath at the end of a hard day, lingering over creamy English toffee is a delicious time-out.

So where did this mouth-watering confectionary come from? Nobody really knows, although according to the Oxford English Dictionary, its name first appeared in 1825. Some claim it links to ‘tafia’, a West Indian rum made from molasses, suggesting that the toffee was once made using the treacly syrup from the rum’s distillation.

In the late 1800s sugar and treacle became much less expensive, making the chewy sweet more popular. Many people in the North of England began to hold toffie parties, getting together with friends to make slabs of this great family treat. Closely-guarded recipes have been handed down through the generations. Plenty of these are now used by family-run businesses, as English toffee remains as popular as ever. Its natural habitat is dark, vaguely mysterious places, such as the glovebox or the bottom of a handbag. Perfect for long car journeys, slow, dreamy English toffee is a miniature personal indulgence while you listen to your favourite CD or a great way to keep the kids quiet in the back.

The most delicious English Toffee is made using only the best quality ingredients. Over the years several varieties have come along. Some manufacturers now stir in hazelnuts and brazils, give the toffee a light dusting of almonds or coat it in smooth, silky chocolate. An American style English toffee has evolved and on 8 January the USA celebrate National Toffee Day. The sweet even has its own little tool – the toffee hammer – perfect for breaking a slab of English toffee into tempting glossy chunks. Even the splinters are delicious.

English toffee makes a perfect present for all ages and, whether you give it in a decorative tin or a beautifully gift-wrapped box, it will always make their eyes light up. The only hard part is bringing yourself to hand it over.

As all toffee coinneusseurs know, when invited to take a piece, choosing that craggy chunk of English toffee is a serious business. Your fingers linger over the box or tin, looking for that perfect sized piece, the one that’s going to make your cheek bulge (the giveaway sign!) You pop the chunk into your mouth, closing your eyes for a second or two and slowly roll it around. Delicious. The rich creaminess begins to melt over your tongue, the luscious flavour pours through. Right to the last dreamy sliver, this is toffee heaven.

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If at one point you may have eaten ’salmon’ that has been grilled in either a restaurant or from home, and may have commented “Now, this here is the ‘best’ grilled-salmon ever!” It may taste really great, but wait until you try this recipe and prove that wrong, because the grilled fish recipe below will truly leave you with wonderment and create explosions within your taste-buds.

While staying in ‘Buenos Aires, Argentina’ for a couple of years, one friend taught me to prepare the ultimately delicious and most tasty grilled fish that I’ve ever tasted. It was cooked using a carbon-grill.

The big salmon I caught was about 22 lbs and was called “el dorado”. I just so happened to have luckily caught it so I then invited about 20 guests over for a light lunch; we definitely enjoyed an afternoon feast. I was able to use the exact same grilled fish recipe and it generated a lot of compliments from the samplers.

So here goes. I cook the salmon using my ‘George Foreman’ Grill, although any regular carbonated or gas-grill should work. The key here is determining if your fish is actually ready for serving. So here are bits of tips in determining if it’s ready. You may also opt to bake the salmon if there is no grill available.

Ingredients:

Suggested fish: Salmon (fresh)
Spices needed: salt, black pepper & “Old Bay” Garlic & Herb
Citrus Juices: I prefer limes (key limes) they’re that small & juicy lines usually green in color or perhaps regular yellow limes would be fine
Some vegetables: white-onions, red & yellow, green, peppers, zucchini
Butter: use this brand (I-Can’t-Believe-It’s-Not-Butter!)
Salad: lettuce (Romaine); avocadoes that are ripe and tomatoes
Some ideas for desserts: ‘French chocolate chiffon-pie’, key-lime pie, mouth watering Haagen Dazs ‘Mango Ice-Cream’

Buy those fresh salmon slabs (approximately 2 or 3 pieces it would depend on how many guests would arrive.). About a seven inch slab is good enough for about two people, but if you’re having over more guests ask your friendly fish grocer for suggestions.

Preparation:

Get salmon out from your fridge, then arrange it in one large-plate. Squeeze your citrus ingredients directly to the fish fillets (about 3 pieces of limes should do). Then generously spread butter on your fish but be careful not to overdo it.

Then, sprinkle some salt, some ‘Old Bay’ and other seasonings you like and freshly ground up peppercorns making sure that all of the fish is seasoned well.

Preheat grill and place a sheet of aluminum-foil over your griller then place fish onto the foil. During cooking, what I usually do is simply put an extra piece of lime-juice or lemon then sprinkle some spices onto your fish to create that added zing.

Grilling fish tends to get a little tricky. Your cook time would be 15-35 mins. Cooking time would depend on what kind of fish you’re grilling & the type of grill as well. But in order to determine if it’s been cooked perfectly, just tap fish meat and try to ascertain if flesh is already firm. If it’s firm then your grilled fish is already done.

Another alternative in checking if it’s ready is simply cutting a little bit of the end your fish using a clean knife; the result should produce a flaky fish consistency. Then, taste your fish & if your fish has that flaky consistency all throughout then its already done. To further ensure doneness, cut your fish in half to check for doneness as well.

Finishing Touch Ups:

Cut your vegetables into strips then stir fry them in your pan using some olive oil and serve this together with your fish.

For your wine choice, feel free to decide which wine you’d prefer, but personally I prefer ‘Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay’ since it’s my all time favorite. Set the mood with some background soothing music also.

Enjoy the night away!

Jeff is a food fanatic! You can check out his very popular Best Recipes on http://www.quickbestrecipes.com