Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

Chinese Dining Etiquette

At Chinese meal times, Chinese people use a round or square table. Person of the most importance would usually take the seat the farthest away from the door whilst the youngest or the person of the least importance would take the seat closest to the door.However, if you are the host, usually you would take the seat which is closest to the walkway since it allows the most convenient movement by . . .

Champagne and Appetizers: Let the Celebration Begin

Are you preparing a romantic dinner? A party? Want to feel great eating alone? Whatever the reason, champagne is a definitely must. What to serve it with before the main meal, though?There are some appetizers that suit with champagne better than with any other beverage or alcoholic drink: caviar, as an example, is so well known it doesn't even require presentation.What more?Foie grasOK, liver. . . .

Give Me French Fries with that Shake

What goes better with a juicy hamburger and a delicious milkshake than a plate of crispy French fries?Nothing, that’s what. I bet you’ve had countless meals, especially hamburgers, with a side of fries. Now you’re looking to find some recipes that show’s you exactly how to make those tasty diner and fast food restaurant style French fries.Well, you’re in luck because you can easily find out onl. . .

Hong Kong Street Food

If you have visited Hong Kong in the past, you should have tried the typical HK street food stalls and had a taste of the famous curry fish balls there. If you haven't, then you must make sure you will try it the next time you are there.What is so special about it? Standing in front of a food stall like this, you will be able to see a wide selection of food choices. My favourite would be the cu. . .

Making Chinese Tea

Chinese TeaChinese tea - water qualityThe quality of tea is controlled by the quality of the water. It was said in ancient China that water is the mother of tea. There are three categories of water: best is water from a hill, average is water from the river, bottom is water from a well. The best water from a hill is on a hilltop; the best water from a river is in the middle of a river; the best. . .

Blended and Varietal Wines

Novice wine lovers soon come across the concept of blended and varietal wines. The two questions that spring to mind are, “what does it mean?” and “does it matter?” At the basic level, the difference is quite simple. Varietal wines are made from a single grape variety, while blended wines are made using two or more. The most obvious example is the difference between the two great red wine sty. . .

Coffee Club Membership is a Joy For Coffee Lovers

Coffee club membership is a joy for coffee lovers The coffee club concept is relatively new but is taking the world by storm. Reward yourself or your friends and relatives with coffee clubs by joining up and saving loads. Each month, you will get a shipment of coffee delivered direct to your door. This is a great way to taste new coffees, sample different varieties, find a brew that you really . . .

Making Hamburger Recipes is Easy and Fun

When I was a kid Wimpy from the old Popeye cartoon show was one of my favorite characters because he expressed a deep love and obsession with hamburgers on a bun. Wimpy was always looking for hamburgers and wasn’t happy unless his plate was piled high with steaming hot hamburgers.Even though I could only eat one, I easily related to Wimpy’s love of hamburgers, especially cheeseburgers. As I gre. . .

How to Change Your Conditioned Responses to Certain Foods

When trying to lose weight, there are certain foods that each person is more attracted to than other foods. Some find the morning cup of coffee quite addictive. To others it is bread. Many cannot have dinner in a restaurant without having an alcoholic beverage. With me it was always something sweet.TallyA good first step is to tally the number of times you consume each category of food in a sev. . .

George Foreman Grill Producer vs. George Foreman Foods Inc.

Salton, Inc., the producer of George Foreman Grill filed a complaint against George Foreman Foods Inc. regarding the use of the domain name . The complaint was denied.Beyond the fame gained as a heavyweight boxer, becoming world champion in 1973 and 1994, George Foreman has become a renown brand for quite a wide range of quality products. In fact, the name has become so famous as a product bran. . .

Indoor Grills Featured in Steven Raichlen's Newest Book

With a great number of city people living in condos, with no possibility to grill outside, Raichlen's latest book, "Indoor! Grilling" covers a topic of large interest, especially that grilling is a tradition in America, some sort of a national custom. So, this theme surely relieves a lot of frustration for the part of audience that had been previously left out!Steven Raichlen is a cooking teach. . .

Four Stages of Breaking an Addiction

Nowhere do the Four Stages of Addiction come into play more powerfully than they do when you resist changing a habit relating to the foods with which you self-medicate. For most of us those foods are the instant, and easily available – Bread, Beverage, Dessert, or Alcohol. For others they are the fatty foods, and plenty of them. You might choose huge portions of steak, hamburger, and French fr. . .

Best Ever Apple Pie Recipes

What’s the best ever apple pie recipe?That’s easy. It’s whatever apple pie that brings back favorite memories and creates new ones. Everyone seems to know what their favorite apple pie tastes like, however when it comes to recreating that same flavor, many find that you have to make an apple pie from scratch to recreate that Mom’s apple pie experience.Fortunately, if you’re looking to make a ho. . .

Chocolate Cake Recipes We Love

If you’re a chocolate cake lover like I am, then you’re already aware that it’s the best and most popular dessert ever created – at least for all of us chocolate lovers.There’s something comforting about a dark, rich, moist piece of chocolate cake with creamy chocolate icing on top. No wonder people perk up when they see that someone’s serving up chocolate cake. Frowns turn into smiles, bad moo. . .

A Chicken Recipe for Every Occasion

It taste just like chicken.That line’s become a part of our culture to describe meat dishes that aren’t made with chicken, but none the less, taste almost exactly like our favorite poultry meat. And why do we think that many of these alternative white meats (including tofu substitutes) taste like chicken?Because most of us have grown up eating chicken in every conceivable way, shape, and form. . . .

One Bird the President Didn’t Pardon

Talking turkeyThe talk around town in November was mostly politics, but after the election, people started talking turkey. The thought of using a self basting or kosher turkey did not appeal to me, I’ve never liked taking too many short cuts, I find it ruins the fun. But I had heard a lot of talk about brining and how it cut cooking time down and made the turkey universally moist. I did a bit o. . .

Low Carb Dieting Tips: When You Reach Your Plateaus

We all get to that place in out weight loss plan where we seem to be getting less results if any. Many of us may feel like it is hopeless and that we have gone as far as we can. A plateau refers to an extended period of time during our weight loss efforts where there is no weight loss according to the scale AND no loss of inches according to the tape measure. This can happen even if you are sti. . .

Coffee: A Historic Beverage And a Great Holiday Gift

Ah, coffee... a fantastic dark beverage that wakes us up in the morning. For some of us, it keeps us up during the day, or for late night study sessions. We drink it out of habit, we drink it for pleasure, we drink it for flavor; whatever the reason, it is surely a popular beverage. So where did this famed drink come from?Coffee, for Americans, is three hundred years old. In the East it was wid. . .

The Annual Life Cycle of California Vineyards

The annual life cycle of California Vineyards is generally considered to begin in the Fall immediately after the previous year's harvest. During this time, vines lose their leaves and begin to go dormant.The vineyard manager's primary concerns are pruning the vines and ensuring that they are protected from cold temperatures. Nature helps with the second objective.Sap from the vine drips towar. . .

Low-Carb Dieting During Pregnancy May Benefit Your Baby!

As low-carb dieters change there eating habits, it is likely that these habits will stay with them. There is no surprise then that more and more pregnant woman are trying to maintain there low-carb routine during the months of pregnancy. There are new studies being done on low-carb dieting that point to the fat that there may be benefits in the long run for children of low-carb dieting.Scientis. . .

Best Recipes: Southwestern Mango Smoothie

Looking for a great mango smoothie? Try a Southwestern Mango Smoothie. The mango goes west for this variation of the popular fruit smoothie drink. Mangoes are becoming more common in the U.S. and other western countries and this is the perfect smoothie for all you mango lovers.This Southwestern Mango Smoothie uses lush tropical fruits. Instead of the mango, you can use either papaya or guava. A. . .

Family Life or Wine for Christmas Dy

For your family and guests,Christmas is a day to spend time together, You expend so much energy planning for the big event that you may forget about the days before and after, when houseguests will still need to eat.If you know what varieties of wine you and your guests enjoy, stock up on them.No matter what food you'll be serving. What kind of wine should you serve with appetizers? Choose some. . .

The Best Way to Use Low-Carb Control

The benefits of low-carb dieting are easy to see and make clear why so many are choosing a low-carb way of life. For example, there isn't any counting of calories or measuring portions. In addition you do not have to cut out all the food you enjoy. You can continue eating burgers, cheese, and bacon. Putting yourself on an eating plan for most people is generally complicated and yet the low-carb. . .

What is Fair Trade Coffee and Why Should We Buy It?

Today's society is very familiar with fair trade coffee, yet it is unclear whether the true meaning behind the economic, environmental and social impact of purchasing and drinking it is understood. In order to comprehend the full impact fair trade coffee has on our society, one must learn what it means. A small number of large corporations around the world control the production, trade, . . .

Learn To Deal With the Wine Steward in Restaurants

Ordering wine in restaurants is an essential step in 'enjoying your dining experience. You will find that there 'are two types of restaurants serving wine: simply, those 'that have a poor wine service and poor wine selections, 'and those that provide a knowledgeable and helpful wine 'staff, and stock favorable wines.'When faced with a restaurant with a poor selection of 'wines or a server with . . .

Chilean Wine History and Style

The Buddhists say that life is suffering. The capitalists say that life is a struggle. The communists say that life is a team-effort. But the Chileans say that life is beautiful. Why? Because sometimes you are just born with a full deck of cards. Chile is perhaps the only wine making country on Earth that seems to have everything exactly where it wants it.Spanning a formidable length of 2,700 m. . .

The Mystery of Decaffeinated Coffee

Caffeine has become America's most popular drug by far. 90% of Americans consume caffeine in one form or another every single day. Most of it comes from drinking coffee. But if you're a coffee lover who prefers to avoid caffeine, you can still enjoy a cup of coffee that delivers rich flavor with decaffeinated coffee. It's how the caffeine is extracted from coffee beans that is a mystery for mos. . .

Chosing Organic for Health

We come from a society where growing organic and just growing produce and livestock for food was once one and the same. Small, family farms still grow their own food using traditional methods passed down through the generations. As commercial farming became big-business, however, growers and farmers started to investigate methods of increasing crops and building bigger livestock in order to inc. . .

Food Lover's Gift Secrets

Gifts for Food LoversHampers are the perfect gift for people who have everything or those you are unsure about purchasing for. Rather than buying a ready made hamper personalise one for that extra special thought.Top tips for buying a Hamper Who is the Hamper for? Male or Female is it for a Couple, what age are they Young, Middleaged or older? Organic food or normal produce, more people are mo. . .

Bertha, Vacuum Sealers & Frogs

I love kitchen gadgets. Over the years I have scoured the yard sales or scrimped and saved for various items like a curly potato maker, baked potato cooker, rice cooker, food processor, blender, ice cream maker, yogurt maker, snow code maker, well you name it and it has drawn dust in my cabinets. You know the story, get your gadget home and every night your family is eating curly fries and sn. . .

The Mystery of Decanting

Decanting is a strange word to many people. Some do not even know what it means exactly. Taking the sophistication out of it, decanting literally means pouring the wine from the bottle to a special glass container. This is done in order to expose the wine to oxygen and enrich it.What is the meaning of this process? Do all wines benefit from decanting or not?The wine experts are not in agreement. . .

4 Problems You Can Cure With Food

Here are 4 problems that you can cure with food (but, not by eating it).1) Disinfect a WoundPour a dab of honey on a cut before covering it with a bandage. Honey has powerful anti-bacterial properties. One New Zealand study found that honey was capable of destroying almost all strains of the most common wound-infecting bacteria. Another equally good option, turmeric.2) Repair Dry SkinTry rubbin. . .

Making Incredible Sauces at Home

My 5 Step Method for Preparing Professional Quality Brown Sauces As a home cook, one of the hardest things for me to accomplish when first starting out was making a rich velvety brown sauce to serve on steak, lamb, veal, pork, or even chicken. I could put together a pretty good pan sauce using the dripping after sautéing or roasting a piece of meat but it never quite had that incredible int. . .

The Dr. Phil Diet Explained

Dr. Phil McGraw once published a book entitled "The Ultimate Weight Solution: Seven Keys to Weight Loss Freedom" in which he introduced the world to his new diet, the "Shape Up Plan". This popular diet (allegedly top 10 in the USA) is based on 7 main foundations, namely:- Right thinking for self control Healing feelings as the key to emotional control No fail environment Mastery over food and i. . .

Helen's Rustic Mash Potato Recipe

This is a Rustic Mash Potato - makes enough for 4 dinner portions.Take 6 large baked potatosScrub and wash wellTake a baking tray and rub lightly with butter and then put a light dusting of cracked sea salt over the whole trayRoll the baked potatos in the tray, then place in a pre heated oven at 220 degreesHalf way through cooking roll the potatos overThey should take 1hour and 45 minutes and y. . .

Dog Stew

Food is a substance that holds cultures together. Common foods unify and define countries and regions. However, a food that one group considers a delicacy, another group may find offensive. The French have long been called "frogs" because of their taste for the amphibians. The English once were sneered upon as "beefsteak" because of their trend-setting use of cattle, and in the Philippines at l. . .

Flavored Coffee Beans & Coffee Flavoring Syrups

Many a coffee aficionado would turn up their nose at the thought of adding flavorings to their beloved black beverage. But, if you're not an aficionado, and you didn't pay exorbitant amounts of money for single-estate specialty coffee beans, then why not indulge in trying some of the fine coffee flavoring syrups, or flavored coffee beans available today? To help you make the most of coffee flav. . .

Spinach Salad with Strawberries

This Spinach Salad may be prepared before the serving, but the dressing for this Spinach Salad with Strawberries may be prepared few hours before serving.Take a large salad bowl and sprinkle sesame seeds of spinach in the bowl. Add some strawberries to the salad. After you have done this, combine the dressing ingredients provided below and shake well in a screw-top jar and chill.This is a ver. . .

Holiday Ham: Tips for Choosing

The holiday ham is the traditional centerpiece for Easter, Christmas, and other holiday gatherings. Almost any special meal warrants a holiday ham. Many options are available in choosing a holiday ham and in the quest to make the choice your holiday ham centerpiece a success. You can not judge the value of your holiday ham by the price per pound; you need to look beyond the price for difference. . .

How to Host a Wine Party

Looking to have some fun with friends while sharing some wine? You should consider hosting a wine tasting party. It's a really neat way to share your wine favorites and to be introduced to a variety of new and interesting wines. You can also add some spice to your fun by using a wine theme ("All About Reds", "Blindfold Tasting", etc.).Party SizeYou don´t need a lot of guests to have a great par. . .

Electric Melons!

Know what one of my favorite summer pastimes is?Eatin’ watermelon.That’s right, just eatin’ some cold, juicy watermelon.People these days don’t really know how to eat one. It‘s been made way too civilized. Back when I was growing up, we enjoyed melons every day, and I learned how to really eat and enjoy one.Back in those days, Ed Jr. would grow a large garden behind our house. We lived on a big. . .

All You Can Stomach

I love eating out. Going to a good restaurant is one of the most pleasurable things imaginable. My favorite restaurants serve anything from fast food to continental cuisine, and everything in between. About the only thing better than restaurants is women, and I know better than to get into that here.It may surprise ya’ll based on what I just said that there’s one particular type of restaurant t. . .

Helen's No Fuss Breakfast

No fuss breakfast - recipe makes one - I would suggest 2 per servingThere are few things better than the traditional 'full english' breakfast. Sometimes, however, it is simply too much trouble. Here's a tasty alternative that will make your guests look at your culinary skills in a new light, and will involve you in minimal work, and less wahing up!Take 1 slice of quality Ham (smoked or honey ro. . .

The Wonderful World Of Peanuts

HISTORYBefore I begin with the history of peanuts you should probably know that the peanut is not a nut. The "pea"nut is actually more closely related to the pea. It is a member of the legumes family. Also, peanuts do not grow in trees like nuts do. They grow on the ground. They start out as flowers, and eventually wind up burrowing underground. Under ground is where they become a delicious pe. . .

Helen's Fantastic Fishcake Recipe

Homemade Fishcakes - simple as simple gets. This makes 8 good sized fish cakesPut 4 large baked potatos in the oven, gas mark 220. Rub sea salt into the skins and then turn the potatoes every 20 mins or so. They will take about 1 hour and 45 minutes.When the potatos are nearly ready, get a baking tray and place foil down - leave enough so you can wrap the fish up!Place 3 salmon fillets and 2. . .

Ode to Chocolate

Chocolate delays reality. When I am eating chocolate, everything is on hold: anxiety, panic, frustrations, and insecurity. Chocolate offers a profound richness, a sweetness of life, a euphoric sensation of luxury. I love chocolate in many forms, from M&M’s, to imported Lindt balls, to dark fudge frosting in a pop-top can, to Hershey’s dark chocolate bite-sized morsels.It is difficult to eat . . .

How To Create a Toast

Chances are you will run into an occasion in life which requires you to give a toast. Perhaps the event is a wedding, or a birthday party, or an event recognizing some achievement. With more formal events, a more formal toast is appropriate, and unless you’re a naturally-gifted and golden-tongued speaker, you’ll need to do some practicing beforehand in order to get it right.But before practic. . .

Aga Cookers

The Aga cooker has emerged as an icon of the UK with its solid performance and cast-iron reputation built over 70 glorious years. It is the undisputed queen of British kitchens that has conquered many a heart across the Atlantic as well.An invention of a Nobel-winning physicist, the Aga is unique because it cooks with radiant heat, locking in the natural juices and tastes of the meals in its ca. . .

Finding the Best Recipes

Trying to find a dynamite recipe to wow guests or cook up a special supper for your special someone? Finding the best recipes is simple. First, perform a careful analysis of the situation for which you are cooking to narrow down the search. Cookbooks are very specific, so whether you are a hometown soup cook, a college student, or a soon-to-be fine cuisine artist, there is a cookbook for you. F. . .

Natural Spring Plastic

What are you paying for when you buy bottled water? The image of pristine glaciers and crystal clear springs comes to mind. But the truth is, bottled water is hardly ever purer, healthier, or safter than tap water. Ironically, bottled water is often just tap water in a bottle. One "spring water" brand with lake and mountains on the label in reality was taken from a well in an industrial parking. . .