Blog Archives

The Home Made Bar

A while ago I wrote about an alternative bar set where everyday household items substitute professional barware. However it did occur to me, that I had never had a post about the regular barware items you must have in a home bar. One of the very first post on the gadgets section of the blog was about that, but back then I was just starting. Since then I did optimize my bar set. I should mention also that I am not a professional bartender but I do enjoy the fine art of mixed drinks. It is a very inexpensive way to have fun, and at the same time with the popularity of the cocktails, it is a focal point at every party. You don't have to be a professional level bartender to make a great Martini or a good Moscow mule. All you need is a the right gear and some basic critical thinking for improvising or judging equipment. This post is meant to be more of a guide to help you start a home bar, which based on your needs you can adjust the tools and the spirits to fit your liking.

Read More

Live thin or die trying – Part II: Diet Showdown

In the previous post we saw a brief history of the diets and the evolution of the dietary habits. The important questions answered were the ideal weight and the concept of calories. At the end what we saw was a comparative study of the various diets according to the US News articles. From the discussion that preceded the ranking it became evident that there are two trends in dieting: restricting calories, or restricting certain foods, primarily carbohydrates. And we were left right there, hanging from a few more important questions. If the calorie intake is so crucial to the weight loss how can we see how much we need and you much we must take to maintain or lose weight? What diet is right for you? It is time to answer these questions. Please note however, that I am not a dietitian nor a lawyer, I just know math and moth usually never lie. Always before starting a diet or a serious dietary habit talk to your doctor.

Read More

Live Thin or Die Trying – Part I: The History of Dieting

That's an awful title for a post. Especially at a cooking blog where the daily activities include a large number of indulgences with decadent deserts and rich dishes. However, it seems that it is the motto that society seems to like. I am not going to be cynical and discuss how the super thin models is the image for men and women projected by the media, I think that this blog has already made it clear that this is not what we care about. But it is true that there is an overwhelming pressure of people to look thin not by their peers but mainly by themselves. And that need, as every need that has to do with the self-esteem, has given rise to millions of solutions. From magical pills, to magical work out equipment and the grant jewel of them all; the diets. In this post we will see the history of dieting, some of the different diets and learn the fundamental mechanism that make us lose (or gain) weight.

Read More

Smokey Bandit!

When I think if America I think of Cowboys. I know America is so much more than just cowboys, but the cowboys are the poster boys of America. Maybe it is the cigaret commercials, maybe it is because of the hundreds of cowboy movies, maybe it is the iconic cowboy hat. As kid a used to imagine the cowboys not as the people that manage herds of cattle, but as people that were roaming the country looking for a saloon to get some whiskey and if possible pick up some trouble, pick up a gun fight and even steal a kiss. Yeah. To my childish eyes that was what a cowboy was. A guy with tough looks, soul piercing eyes, rough hands and the smell of smoke, gunpowder and whiskey follow him around. So this cocktail is just a tribute to my childhood heroes.

Read More

Site Upgrade

The site for me is not just about the food. It represented another hobby of mine, the website development. I am hobbyist with small knowledge of programming, but the site gives me the opportunity to be up-to-date with all the new trends. I recently had some time to jump in the wagon of recipe-ing my blog. Making an easy to print, easy to read recipe condensed in a small recipe card. I am also very pleased to announce another great addition to my website: the integration of the amazing features of kitchen bug. What is kitchenbug? Watch the following video for the introduction.

Read More

Lavender Rosemary Lemon cookies

In this blog I don't usually make deserts. But when we do, they are amazing. Today I chose to make a simple cookie with big character. Cookies are not just a baked good that we eat. Making cookies is just a part of the process that makes a house a home. The moment the air is filled with the amazing aroma of the baked goods that is based on butter herbs and spices it becomes so much more homey, familiar and inviting. In this attempt I am making a somewhat odd, but familiar combination. I am inspired from the spring that finally decided to dawn up on us after a long and cold winter. I blend the aroma of spring herbs like rosemary, lavender and lemon to a cookie that has a mould texture and crumbly appearance.

Read More

Ice Baby Ice – Part II: Ice Evaluation Experiment

In the Previous post, we discussed the process of making ice, the tools and the techniques. However, we were left at the most interesting point. What is the best ice and for what application? General purpose ice, cocktail making/shaking, cocktail serving, whiskey tasting etc. This is what we are addressing now. We will see what are the evaluation criteria, and how we can pick the best ice type for each application.

Read More

Ice Baby Ice – Part I: Cold Talk

The famous by now hit,"Ice Ice Baby" is a hip hop song written by American rapper Vanilla Ice and DJ Earthquake. Here we will not hip-hop. We will focus to the ice. Ice. The essential part of every cocktail. It is the one item that can ruin a party. Every time I am making cocktails I buy fresh ice since the one left in the freezer can pick up smells like nothing in the world. Ice is water. Water gets a long with many molecules. Some of them smell funky. So when the solid water gets in contact with this molecules even in the harsh freezer environment, it will immediately absorb them. In many cases even the ice-cube trays can pick up smells.

Read More

Quinoa Salad

The last few years there is a growing number of grains that have hit the market. Many of them have been around for a while (a few thousand years) but their nutritional value was hardly been recognized. In their majority they emerged as an alternative to the existing grains that recently have been under the gun for not being as healthy as we though they were. A major concern is gluten. Gluten is a form of tough network of proteins that is created by the cross-linking of gliadin and a gluten with the help of water. Both gliadin and a glutenin are in abundance in many grains, primarily in wheat, rye and barley. Several people have a immunogenic response to it, in which the body recognizes several molecules (gliadin in this case) as an intruder. This is causing a cascade of effects that can lead to unpredictable results. This is considered part of the Celiac Disease and is not recognized as an allergy due to the unusual response of the body ranging from stomach cramps to joint pains.

Read More

The World of Spirits & Cocktails: The Ultimate Bar Book

Alcoholic beverages have been a passion of mine. And so are books. I have already reviewed a book before by David A. Embury entitled “The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks”. Embury describes in great detail the various spirits and many of the cocktails that were popular that era. And although that is a great book it is not up to date. And that's not really a problem regarding the material that is already included in the book; that is still the same. It is a problem because the number the spirits you can now access has grown a lot. I am not only talking about the varieties of whiskey for example, but the variety of the distilled spirits you can find. Back then spirits from Argentina and Brazil were not even heard. Now they are sold next to the rum.

Read More