Falafel

Food Guide to Israel

Israel is a fabulous country to visit. You can see all of your favourite sights from the Bible and Quoran, and then go for a relaxing float in the Dead Sea. After feasting your eyes on the birthplace of the world’s major religions, and gaping at the juxtaposition of rabbis heading to prayer followed by a group of gun toting police, you’ll probably be feeling peckish.

Forget all of your preconceptions about Israel: they don’t call it the land of milk and honey for nothing. There has been a lot of turmoil in the Promised Land for as long as anyone can care to remember, but by all accounts you shouldn’t let it put you off visiting. I mean, London has high crime rates: but that doesn’t stop people going to Luton Airport.

And hey, when it comes to food, Israel’s chefs can perform real miracles. Of course there are a number of scholarly debates about whether or not Israel actually does have its own cuisine: the country has passed through so many hands and been at civil war for so long that it’s difficult to know.

That doesn’t detract from the fact that there’s a lot of interesting stuff going on there: a combination of Jewish dietary laws, European diaspora influence, and fine Middle Eastern produce all combine to make the food served in Israel unique and intriguing.

Middle Eastern favourite falafel (crispy balls of spiced chickpea served in a pitta bread with hummus) features on Israeli menus. The Israeli salad (chopped tomato and cucumber) is very Middle Eastern both in taste and texture. The magic starts with the addition of new European flavours: Eastern European sour cream and borscht, for example, are popular in Israel.

During the winter expect to see lots of avocado, chopped into a simple salad with lemon juice or decadently smeared on a slice of bread. Avocados were first planted by farmers in the 1920s and are now an integral part of the winter diet.

Stuffed veggies (memula’im) are very popular with all ethnic backgrounds in Israel: and originally made it onto the dinner table as a way to make cheap ingredients go further. Zucchini, aubergine, and vine leaves (an introduction from the Ottoman Turks) are all stuffed with herbs, spices and meat. Keep an eye out for artichoke bottoms stuffed with meat: a wonderful delicacy of the Jerusalem style.

Kosher laws mean that you are unlikely to see pork or shellfish on any menus, and as for cheeseburgers? Forget about it: Jewish diet forbids combining meat and milk. You’re unlikely to miss it, though. Chicken, turkey and lamb are all abundant: on Israel Independence Day each year you’ll find barbeques in the park.

Dairy farming has been part of Israeli agriculture since the state was founded, and as such milk is abundant. When you’re in Israel be sure to try some of the local cheeses; most are soft and curd based. Cottage cheese is popular, as well as tzfat cheese (similar to feta). Again, you won’t be allowed to add the cheese to a kebab, but you can enjoy it smeared on the local challa (braided) bread.
As a new country, Israel is still figuring out its own traditions. But in the meantime, Israeli food is a great example of when West and East collide.

James writes for Skyscanner.net, a flight comparison company who compare flights to Israel, Egypt and hundreds of other destinations throughout the Middle East and worldwide.

The benefit of drinking a nice cup of tea or coffee in the morning is definitely well documented! Ask everyone in your office and each person will probably tell you that they rely on one or the other for their morning energy burst. Can you even imagine a world without tea and coffee? We’d probably all be zombies walking around unhinged until around 11am, when we eventually get our fix and continue the day in a spritely fashion. But tea and coffee isn’t just good for the one thing (that being, waking us up). It’s also great for our health! Some scientists claim that coffee and tea can actually help prevent illnesses such as cancer and Alzheimer’s. So, as if you needed an excuse to drink more of the good stuff; here are a couple more slightly valid reasons. Have a read through this awesome infographic and learn about all the other benefits that can come from your morning cuppa.

This infographic was produced by Policy Expert house insurance specialists.

Coffee vs Tea

A Beginners Guide to Wine.

WHITE WINE

White wine is a type of wine that is usually made from white grapes. As we all know white wine has less body than red wine, that is red wine is heavier than white wine. White wine is very refreshing because of its lightness and is best served with light meals. White wine is best served in narrow glasses. Because of its refreshing nature, this kind of wine is nice to have during the summer. The best type of white wine (in my opinion) is Chardonnay, though there are other types.

RED WINE

This kind of wine is made or processed from a variety of dark coloured grapes. Most red wines are delicious and i would say, most of them are stronger when it comes to the alcohol effect compared to white wine. I say that with experience. Red wine comes in different flavours, strawberry flavour, cherry, mocha, raisin, raspberry, currant and many others. The different flavours depend on the grapes that were used to make the wine. The red colour is from the skin of the grapes. The process of making wine is the same but when it comes to red wine the major process involves other minor but very necessary processes like the extraction of colour and the flavour of the wine. Most red wines are balanced so to speak and this is because most of them go through the process of fining. There are also different types of red wine types of red wine, these include sweet red wines, dry red wines and semi sweet red wines. Red wine is best presented in a round or oval shaped wine glass that usually narrows at the top of the glass. Red wine, other than drinking is also used in some food recipes and goes exceptionally well with spaghetti bolognese and red meat in general.

DESSERT WINE

Dessert wine is a very sweet type of wine. Its sweetness is mainly because the grapes used to make this kind of wine does not fully ferment. Some wine makers add brandy to stop the fermentation process. Dessert wine is not often taken during the main course because of its sweet character. Some people say that it is too sweet to accompany a main course. Dessert wines have very sweet aromas and usually have a great finish when it comes to the taste. The best dessert wine is the ice wine which is commonly produced in Germany.

FORTIFIED WINE

This is the wine that usually has a high content of alcohol compared to other wines. The high alcohol content is due to the distillation process of the grapes. There are four common types of fortified wine, these are; the marsala wine, sherry wine, port wine and Madeira wine. Fortified wines are also known as desert wines.

SPARKLING WINE

Sparkling wine is a type of wine that has a frizzy taste and usually has bubbles. The common type of sparkling wine is champagne. Sparkling wines usually undergo more than one fermentation process to give the wine its distinctive fizz.

About the author: Vim runs 12×75.com a wine blog with a twist.

Whether you are celebrating an engagement, birthday, graduation, or just taking advantage of the season’s warm weather, a cookout is the perfect choice for a summer party. From formal outdoor fetes to casual barbecues, hosting an awesome summer cookout is a matter of creative planning, detailed preparation and thoughtful consideration. Follow these five tips to host a cookout your guests will remember all summer long.

1. Prepare Your Party Space

Just as you wouldn’t have friends over to a house party without doing the dishes or vacuuming the rugs, take care to clean and organize your garden or patio before you host a cookout. Mow the lawn, wash down the pavement and stairs, weed flower beds and clean the grill and furniture. Be sure to store tools and toys for safety and neatness. If hosting the cookout at a public space, arrive early to make sure that the picnic tables are clean and the is area is free of broken glass and trash. Bring a broom and plenty of trash bags to clean up before and after the party.

2. Plan the Perfect Menu

Decide what type of food you will serve at your cookout. You can choose to provide all the meat and main courses while your guests bring side dishes or drinks. Choose a theme, such as Mexican food, and assign a side dish, dessert or appetizer to each guest. Another option is a “grill your own” gathering where each guest brings their own meat to grill while you provide everything else. The fun and delicious options are many, but the important thing is to inform your guests ahead of time so that you don’t end up with fifteen versions of potato salad. It is also important to consider dietary restrictions and preferences. Provide a few gluten-free, nut-free and vegan options to ensure that everyone will enjoy the meal.

3. Pay Attention to Ambiance

Even the most informal summer cookout will be more enjoyable if a little thought goes into the party atmosphere. Arrange tables and chairs into conversation areas. Create food and drink stations at different locations around the yard so that your guests don’t all crowd around one area. Use small chalkboards or colorful note cards to label unfamiliar dishes or to designate non-alcoholic drinks and items containing nuts. String lights in the trees and along fences for a little sparkle in the evening, and use citronella candles for atmosphere as well as to repel bugs. Don’t forget the music!

4. Consider Your Guests’ Comfort

Make the cookout enjoyable for all your guests by taking everyone’s comfort needs into consideration. Be sure to provide plenty of areas of shade and comfortable seating. Parents will appreciate a “kids’ table,” complete with water-squirting toys, sidewalk chalk, bubbles and crafts. Designate a table for first aid supplies, sunscreen and hand sanitizer. Toilets should be clean and easily accessible to everyone.

5. Don’t Forget “Plan B”

Unfortunately, you can’t always count on summer weather for a summer cookout. If you’re prepared with a back-up plan a little foul weather might slow the party down, but shouldn’t stop it altogether. Be prepared to quickly cover and store food and supplies in the event of a surprise rain shower. Make sure you have access to a sheltered spot where the festivities can continue until the sun comes out again.

Shawn Evans writes for ER UK (www.equityrelease.net – click here to visit) covering a wide range of retirement and household topics.

Fitting Your Kitchen

Fitting Your Kitchen Tools
All kitchens are different and so it is very difficult to pinpoint a group of tools that everyone who is fitting a kitchen will need. Here is a breakdown of the top 10 tools that are most likely to be used when fitting a kitchen.
Kitchen fitting tool number 1: Hammer
Whether you have bought a readymade assembly kitchen, or you have built your cabinets and worktops from scratch, the humble hammer is definitely a tool you will need to hammer in various nails and pegs into your worktops.
 Kitchen fitting tool number 2:  Handheld Electric Screwdriver
Almost every part of the your kitchen wall units will require some form of screwing to hold them together, attach them to the wall and also to affix doors and handles to draws and cabinets.  Cabinets have quite a few hard to reach areas, and you will find yourself reaching in, around and behind them in hard to reach places.
 Kitchen fitting tool number 3: Drill
Often when fitting a kitchen you will find the need to make holes, widen holes or loosen holes to fit screws and other parts to the kitchen.
 Kitchen fitting tool number 4: Jigsaw
A jigsaw is a type of saw that is used to trim cabinets and other softer, non stone worktop materials, and are designed to cut straight lines in wood.  They come with a variety of settings to help you cut to a finish that you need. Pick a jigsaw that ad a variable speed limit to give you options to cut metals, and woods.  Jigsaws are available from UK tool hire shops.

 
Kitchen fitting tool number 5: Handsaw
You will need a handsaw to trim off any excess materials in tight locations such as bits of wood that jut out.
Kitchen fitting tool number 6: Grinder
If you are fitting granite or stone worktops into your kitchen, you will need a grinder to smooth edges or to adjust the fit of granite or marble.
Kitchen fitting tool number 7: Hole Saw
If you cabinets need to have pipes or wires fitted through them, to make space for plumbing or a washing machine, you will need a hole saw to cut holes into the backs and sides of cabinet walls. The hole saw cutter comes with a standard wood saw often in different sizes and is used for cutting holes that are bigger than what can be achieved with a drill bit. All you need to do is apply some pressure to the area you need a hole in, and the hole saw will drill the hole for you.
Kitchen fitting tool number 8: Crow bar and Crow hammer
These will make pulling of existing shelves and cabinets significantly easier.
Kitchen fitting tool number 9: Tile cutter
A decent tile cutter is a must if you are planning to apply tiles to your kitchen walls. Renting a good tile cutter will save wasted tiles and look nicer.
Kitchen fitting tool number 10: Safety Equipment
Goggles and gloves.

Author Bio:

Ben is a DIY enthusiast who writes for multiple tool hire companies, offering everything from drill hire to scaffold tower hire

Design Your Dream Kitchen

Thinking of designing your dream kitchen?

This e-book is a step-by-step kitchen design book on how to research, design and build the Kitchen of your dreams.

Immediate access to this electronic book by a simple download.  Download a free chapter now.

Click Here!

No Alarm Chili

Even though summer is quickly approaching, don’t discount all of your favorite warm-weather meals, especially if they are quick and easy like this one. Chili is one of my all-time favorite go-tos when thinking of a quick weeknight meal to satisfy my entire family. Although chili is usually served in the cold seasons to cure the winter blues, this recipe is too good to overlook. Because this recipe is fast there is no need to worry about your house heating up as it tends to when cooking traditional chili recipes for hours. So set aside 15 minutes this summer and try this delicious chili.

First Steps Towards Teaching Kids to Cook

Teaching Kids to Cook

Cooking with your child can provide a fun and educational experience that you can enjoy together – while also allowing them to learn important life lessons. Teaching a child to cook can help them to only learn how to make great meals, but also to follow directions and to complete successful tasks.

In working their way through the steps provided in the recipes they will use, children will be able to obtain skills that will help them in a number of different ways in life. For example, they will learn processes and how to follow the steps in creating a finished product from scratch.
What You Will Need
Before getting started, you will need a few things for your cooking endeavor. These include:

Mixing Bowls

Measuring Cups

Measuring Spoons

Spatula

Electric or Hand Mixer (if applicable)

Pots and Pans

Once you have all of your props, you will be ready to begin. At this point, you may want to ask your child what it is that they would like to cook. This way, they will likely have even more of an interest in creating it.

If you do not have all of the necessary ingredients, this may be a good time to go to the grocery store and show your child how to pick out the various items that will be needed. In addition to gathering the items, this will also show your child how to shop and how to compare prices when purchasing.
Remember Important Kitchen Safety Tips
If the item that you are cooking will require the oven or stove, as well as any type of electric mixer or grinder, it is essential to show your child the importance of being safe. It can help if you keep oven mitts and other safety related items nearby.

Be sure to remind your child the importance of keeping an eye on the oven or stove when turned on as items could overheat or boil over. Should this happen, however, it provides a good time to let your child know that sometimes mistakes are made as well as to show them the proper safety precautions that cooks need to take. Other safe habits practiced by cooks include keeping a clear workspace so that items to not end up on the counter or floor causing a hazard or obstacle to the needed work space.
Once the Food Has Been Cooked
After your food item has been completed, it is important to show your child how to finish up by either washing the dishes that have been used or by placing them in the dishwasher. This will help your child to understand all of the necessary steps that go along with cooking a great item.

In addition, depending on what food item was prepared, now is also a good time to gather the family and enjoy the finished product! Your child will enjoy watching everyone eat and this will likely encourage them to want to cook other items as well. Bon apetite!

Janet Lynch is a writer and fitness enthusiast. She is also a big fan of diet delivery food to help her stay on track.

Source

Beach Wedding Drinks

Getting married on the beach is certainly the most fun and laid back reception you could have, which in turn definitely needs a touch of tropical Cocktails!

Whilst you admire the magnificent sunset and squish your bare feet in the sand, your dream won’t be fully complete without one of those wonderful, I would even say, colourful magic potions.

Make your beach wedding extra special by serving one of my 3 favourite cocktails. You can either suggest these to the barman or even prepare them in advance.

Enter into a journey of colourful beverages!

1.       Green Jade – Creamy & Minty Delight

This lime green cocktail reveals a subtle and unctuous minty smoothness that your guests would sip with style in a martini glass!

What do you need?

To make this cocktail, all you need to do is shake all the ingredients with crushed ice. The ingredients include: 2 shots of Gin, 1 shot of crème de menthe, half a shot of double cream, half a shot of milk, and don’t forget the decisive ingredient, a fresh white egg to get the consistency right. Add a leaf of fresh mint and a fresh cherry for garnish.

2.       Pina Colada – Coconut Enchantment

Here is another creamy cocktail! The sultry Pina Colada is one of those classics that won’t disappoint your guests. The combination of juicy pineapples with the tropical taste of coconut makes this drink a perfect beach cocktail.

What do you need?

Combine the following ingredients in a jug or a blender and pour them into a shaker filled with ice. Simply add 2 oz of pineapple juice, 2 oz of light rum (Bacardi for example), and 1 and half oz of Coconut cream. Blend it, until smooth and pour it in a chilled Collins Glass.

Add a slice of pineapple and a maraschino cherry for a tropical touch! You can even make it a non alcoholic drink by omitting the rum.

3.       Strawberry Champagne – Tangy & Bubbly Joy

This fantastic Jamie Oliver recipe is perfect to start a long night of festivities!

The harmonious match of strawberry purée and vanilla sugar topped up with refreshing prosecco or champagne will be ideal for a beach wedding.

What do you need?

Bring out the flavour of 250g of strawberries by sprinkling vanilla sugar.

Mash the mix until you get a thick purée and add a hint of balsamic vinegar. Pass them through a sieve and fill the champagne glasses with the mixture just a bit over an inch! Then pour the delicious bubbly beverage, stir it all up and serve it with a cranberry garnish.

I know what you are all thinking, they sound absolutely scrumptious!

What are your favourite cocktails?

Have you invented any cocktails yourself, that we could all try?

Elise Lévêque loves organising dinner parties and wedding receptions as she is always full of sparkling ideas! She writes for Wedding and Party Store, who provide a brilliant range of wedding supplies and party accessories.

Long Island Tea

Perfect Drinks for Your Boat

Perfect Drinks for Your Boat

The weather is warming up, the water is sparkling and it’s time to gather up some friends or family slide the boat in the water and get a little tipsy. Before we get into what makes a good boat drink let’s take some time to appreciate what makes them special. A day on your boat means that you and your chosen companions have nothing else to do that day, or evening, or ideally the rest of the week. There’s no waiting for happy hour or checking the clock. There’s no looking over a menu, dealing with a bartender or scavenging for drink specials. Boat drinks mean that you have a whole day to do whatever you want, or do nothing. Hopefully you’ll choose to do nothing but drink, swim and enjoy the sun.

So, now that you’ve entered the proper state of mind, let’s get into the mechanics. What makes a drink good for a day on the boat? First of all it should be strong. You don’t want to be heading back to mix a new drink all the time. You want something that you can sip on for awhile, so throw out all those fancy shot recipes. You want a cool, tasty concoction that will sit by your side on the deck. It should also be fairly easy to make on the back of a boat. You’re already floating, so let’s not try to complicate things with layered drinks or worry about bruising the gin.

Taste is, as always, a matter of taste, but there is a certain theme to boat drinks. Citrus and rum are both common flavors and a certain tartness and freshness pervades these drink recipes. A certain propensity for fruit slices may also be noticed. Don’t go overboard with the garnish, please. This is definitely not the time for creamy White Russians or boiling Irish coffees. So leave the coffee mug at home, grab your cocktail shaker and give a couple of these a try. It might take a few hangovers, but you’ll find that perfect flavor under the sun soon enough.

Let’s start with a classic:

Long Island Iced Tea

• One fresh lemon half (or juice)
• One fresh lime half (or juice)
• 1/2 oz. Rum
• 1 oz. Vodka
• 1 oz. Whiskey
• 1/2 oz. Gin
• 1/2 oz. Tequila
• 1/2 oz. Maple Syrup

Mix in a pint glass over ice and top off with cola or soda water. In case you weren’t paying too much attention this drink is strong. If mixed properly it will not taste strong. Definitely to be sipped and enjoyed, not gulped. Two or three of these is usually enough to meet your alcohol intake requirements for the day.

Margarita

• 1 oz Gold Tequila
 .5 oz Silver Tequila
 .5 oz Triple Sec
 .5 oz Orange Curacao
 .5 oz Lime juice
 2 Lime Wedges
Please god don’t turn this into slush in your blender. In fact, never turn anything into slush in your blender. That’s no way to treat a drink. Mix this and pour over ice into a salt rimmed glass over ice. Drop in the lime wedges and drink like a human being.

Rum Highball
• 2 oz spiced rum
• Splash of Tonic water
• Lime
This is the essence of simplicity. Pour rum over ice, add tonic water and rim the glass with lime. It’s easy, tasty and smells wonderful. You don’t need a whole liquor cabinet and it’s pretty difficult to get the mix wrong. This is my personal favorite for all of these reasons. It’s also easy to drink at just the right rate to keep you buzzy without having you stumbling onto the docks at the end of your voyage.

Enjoy these drinks in sunshine and health, fellow boaters. And happy Summer!

Renee Varney is a freelance blogger and occasionally writes for delivery.com a site she loves using to find local Food Delivery Online using their Chinese Delivery Local directory.

BBQ

Top 10 Must-Have BBQ Foods

With March throwing out some stunning weather and summer just over the horizon, you can’t be blamed for dusting off your BBQ early and stocking up your freezer with tempting meats.

But when it comes to hosting a BBQ, what foods do you feel are a must-have to making your BBQ a success? Below I have outlined my top 10, which I think you’ll agree with:

1. Beef burgers – the staple food of any BBQ, beef burgers are incredibly easy to put together plus offer you the opportunity to experiment with your fillings.

For instance, once you’ve grilled your burger, why not finish it off by adding a slab of cheese, tomato or salsa? Alternatively your can try mustard, BBQ sauce, chillies or whatever other sauce you can think of.

2. Salad – you cannot complete a burger without a little salad. Good foods to have are: tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce. Alternatively you can whip up a potato salad using coleslaw to make a tasty side.

3. Sausages/hot dogs – with so many types of sausages to choose from – pork, pork and leek, pork and apple, Cumberland and tomato, every one of them can offer you a different experience.

4. Chicken – now if you’re not a fan of red meats, chicken breasts and chicken legs can offer you an appetising alternative. Just remember to cook these all the way through as you don’t want guests leaving with food poisoning.

5. Corn on the cob – quickly grilled before being smothered in butter, these make a crunchy addition to your BBQ.

6. Steak – you might think steaks are only good for Sunday lunches, but cooked on a BBQ, they make a fab alternative to a beef burger.

7. Chips – you might not have to cook these on your BBQ, but chips really help to finish your meal, plus come in handy for cleaning up sauce drippings.

8. Ribs – if you don’t mind getting messy, then I recommend marinating these in spices, before throwing them on your BBQ.

9. Fillings – no burger is complete without some fillings. Now your preferences may be different to mine, and the lettuce and tomato from your salad may be enough. But if you’re looking for a little something extra you can try fried onions, peppers, pineapple, bacon or sliced courgettes.

10. Baked beans – you may think I’m mad for adding these to the top 10 but personally I think baked beans add the finishing touches to a BBQ as you can use them as a filling, dip your burger in them or simply have them as a side.

Like I said at the beginning, you may not agree with all of these, but I’m pretty sure most of these are on your shopping list whenever you plan to throw a BBQ.

And if they are not, why not give them a try and see what your guests and family have to say about your quality BBQ meat, great accompaniments, drinks and entertainment.