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Valentine’s Day is many things to different people- a chance to start new relationships, rekindle old ones, or remind that special someone how wonderful they really are. Others feel it is just another “Hallmark” holiday where they are expected to do something for unknown reasons. Regardless of your hopes, expectations, or reservations about Valentine’s Day, chocolate has long been a favorite gift for lovers.

Since the days of the Aztecs chocolate has been used as a gift. Today a box of luxurious quality chocolate says a thousand “thank you’s”, “good luck”, or “I love you”. Chocolate can be given as a way of saying “congratulations”, “I am sorry” or “get well soon”. On Valentine’s Day chocolate clearly says “I LOVE YOU!” Chocolate is more than food, it not only fills your belly but also makes you feel soooo good. Elaine Sherman wrote “Chocolate is heavenly, mellow, sensual, deep, dark, sumptuous, gratifying, potent, dense, creamy, seductive, suggestive, rich, excessive, silky, smooth, luxurious, celestial. Chocolate is downfall, happiness, pleasure, love, ecstasy, fantasy … chocolate makes us wicked, guilty, sinful, healthy, chic, happy.” What more could you want to say to your lover on Valentines Day? Even the scientific name for the tree from which chocolate is derived, Theobroma cacao, translated from Greek, means “food of the gods”.

Why does chocolate evoke so many feelings and emotions for us? Chocolate has long been associated with passion, romance and love. This association may go all the way back to the Aztecs. They believed chocolate was a source of spiritual wisdom, incredible energy and elevated sexual power. Chocolate was widely used as a nuptial aid and was widely served at wedding ceremonies. The Aztecs did not know chocolate as we do today; they consumed the cocoa as a drink. Reports indicate that the Emperor Montezuma consumed large quantities of the drink every day and always fortified himself with a cup before entertaining his harem. The explorer Cortes reported to Carlos I of Spain that chocolate is “… the divine drink which builds up resistance and fights fatigue. A cup of this precious drink enables a man to walk for a whole day without food.” From the earliest times, chocolate was considered a substance of power and a source of vitality.

Chocolate has been a subject of study since the first shipment from Veracruz arrived in Spain in 1585. But modern science has made some interesting findings that may help explain our lust for quality chocolate. Chocolate contains organic substances known as alkaloids. The most important of these substances is theobromine, which works as a stimulant to the kidneys. Stimulants in chocolate also affect the central nervous system, with effects similar to caffeine, which is also present in chocolate. A chocolate bar may contain as much as 200 mg of theobromine but only about 25 mg of caffeine. Another important substance found in chocolate is phenylethylamine, which is part of a group of chemicals known as endorphins. Endorphins have an effect similar to amphetamine and are found naturally in the human body. When endorphins are released into the bloodstream, the mood is lifted and feelings of positive energy are reached. The sensation known as “runners high” is caused by endorphins released during exercise. Phenylethylamine levels in the brain have also been linked to “falling in love”. One more chemical found in chocolate is seratonin. Seratonin is known for its calming properties. The presence of these chemicals may explain the multitude of feelings chocolate evokes.

Debra Waterhouse, author of Why Women Need Chocolate, conducted a survey and found: 97% of women reported cravings, 68% of which are for chocolate, 50% would choose chocolate over sex, and 22% were more likely than men to choose chocolate as a mood elevator. These findings could easily be interpreted as a result of how chocolate makes us feel. I don’t know why more women choose chocolate than men, for I am a man and I love chocolate.

Critics would say that the benefits of eating chocolate are small when compared to the sugar and fat contained in a chocolate bar. The best chocolate, dark chocolate with high cacao butter content has no added fat, as well as a high percentage of cacao solids and correspondingly less sugar. Although chocolate will never be considered a health food based on its nutritional value, it is still good for you! Good for your heart and soul-anything that helps relieve stress and makes you feel so good must be.

Receiving a nicely wrapped box of chocolates causes a sense of anticipation. The pleasure of unwrapping the box, the sensual smell, lifting the soft seductive papers, the look of the smooth dark chocolates. When it finally passes your lips and starts to instantly melt filling your mouth with exquisite pleasure. The taste and smell flood your senses with overwhelming ecstasy. Eating it slowly, taking time to enjoy and savor every bit. What better way to start off an evening of love?

David Eisen is owner of Euphoric Chocolate, come visit us at http://www.euphoricchocolate.com
Our large variety of novelty chocolates, chocolate truffles, and elegant gift boxes are the perfect touch to add to any occasion. We can help you creat the perfict wedding favor, bridal shower favor or baby shower favor for your special event.

Food manufacturing in the US has always been about convenience, product availability, taste and price. The more society ventured away from the family garden and kitchen, the more food manufacturers developed a market or niche for their products at home in the cupboards. Processed foods no longer are limited to flour and sugar on the country store shelf, but have evolved to include the variety of foods eaten daily and taken from restaurants, grocery stores, super markets and convenience stores.

As the commonality of quick processed foods increases throughout the world, health problems such as obesity, diabetes and cancer have also become common and inevitable to the point that *”1 in 3 American adults have Insulin Resistance, a pre-diabetic condition”, and this will only be the beginning.

The philosophy behind Functional Food is to create food additives and ingredients that will enhance the bodies health by making manufactured foods more beneficial to the consumer with out losing quality or taste.

It is the intention to not only create additives and ingredients that will benefit todays market but will benefits today’s generation as they age.

By using products such as “SugarBlendtm”,and “FlourBlendtm,, in drinks, cakes, cookies, candies, breads, pastries, and snacks, today’s children will have increased mineral uptake, aiding in the prevention of Osteoporosis as they age, increasing bowel function, reducing the chance of colon cancer and by aiding in the control of blood sugar swings that may cause diabetes later in life. These “Functional” properties are accomplished without side effects that may cause consumers to reject manufactured products. These side effects include sweeteners that cause a laxative effect, gas, bloating, aftertaste and degrading sweetness in high heat. Styrofoam-like textures, no taste, distasteful smell and color in cooking flour substitutes.

We see that parents today are becoming more aware and educated in the direction of nutrition, especially with regards to growing children. If foods are eaten that increase calcium in the bones today, twenty years from now, it is possible that this generation won’t suffer from Osteoporosis or Colon Cancer. If foods are eaten today that keep the blood sugar steady and absorb slowly in the gut, not only will the child have protection from disease, but they will have a lessor chance of developing diabetes twenty years from now also.

The main objective of Home Blend Gourmet and others that manufacture functional food is “The Health of Humanity”. Manufactures using these products today can influence the health of future generation and secure their markets for tomorrow. We create first rate ingredients and additives by being on the cutting edge of research. The demands of fast paced lives and lifestyles shouldn’t cost the health of the human race. We can help food manufactures become more health conscious and competitive with marketing strategies that will put them above the rest of the pack.

Today, the education of the general public on nutrition is vastly brought about through mass media, by informational commercials, through news media, T.V. talk shows, magazine articles and newspaper articles.

High protein, low-carb, low-fat diets have gained popularity through media blitzes on celebrity books, university studies, restaurant menus and nutritional labels. These diet plans have also gained popularity by the prove results, some of the newest diets include Glycemic Indexing, or the blood glucose response to the manufactured products. We check our food formula’s for impact to blood sugar response by doing in vivo oral tolerance tests. Each formula is created to not only aid in control of nutritional conditions, but that the side-effects of that formula is beneficial to the human body. We offer In Vivo testing for any of our manufacturing clients that would like to use Glycemic Indexing guidelines for marketing their products. We are South Pacific Health Enterprises, and we license our food formulas only to Home Blend Gourmet.

*AACE, AC of Endo. Conference, 08-25-26, 2003

About The Author

D.S. Epperson is the top formulator for Home Blend Gourmet / South Pacific Health, a leader in the functional food industry in the U.S.. With 20 years of experience in Nutritional Biochemistry, she has written reference books on botanicals and manufacturing of medicines from botanicals, and published articles on health, fitness and foods. She has formulated over 240 formulas and inventions for health, the environment and agricultural uses, and continues to research and study microbial advantages in nutraceuticals and functional foods. For more information or to view the articles that she has written: http://www.sugarblend.com.

online@sugarblend.com

Mushrooms belong to the Fungi group. They are fleshy plants that grow from decaying materials. They need the nutrients that they get from the decay because they do not have chlorophyll. This means that they cannot produce their own food. They usually grow in the more temperate regions of the world and during the seasons when the weather is warm and moist. Mushrooms can most likely be found in pastures, meadows and woodlands. There is a wide variety of mushrooms and they have many different colors. Some mushrooms are brown or white while others are red, orange, or in shiny pastel colors. They also differ in shape and sizes. The most common mushrooms are short with thick stems and caps that look like umbrellas.

Inside these umbrella-like caps are thin sheets of flesh called gills. The gills grow between the cap lining and the stem. These gills house the tiny spores that grow as the mushroom ages. Eventually, these spores are blown away by the wind and settle on the ground. In time, these spores grow into new sets of mushrooms just like the seeds of other plants do.

Some varieties of mushrooms are delicious to eat. However, there are other kinds of mushrooms, like those commonly called “toadstools”, that are poisonous when consumed. Also others may not be poisonous but are still inedible because they are either too tough to chew or simply do not taste good enough to be served. For mushrooms that grow in the wild, there is no rule or completely safe way to distinguish which is edible or not. This is because the poisonous ones look very similar to those that are edible. To be safe, leave the wild mushrooms alone and buy them from the grocery stores and markets. There are markets in some European countries that sell wild but safe mushrooms. The more popular kind of wild mushrooms are the “morels” which have unusually pitted sponge-like heads. Also popular are the “horse mushroom” which looks a lot like the common mushroom but has an added collar around its neck and the ones called “puffballs”. These puffballs are perfectly round mushrooms that have no stems or gills. They could be very small or reach until 3 feet in diameter. These mushrooms are only good when the flesh is all white because if a dried puffball is squeezed, its spores will burst out like a puff of smoke.

The edible varieties of mushrooms can either be cooked with other ingredients or eaten by themselves. They are often paired with meat, combined with other vegetables, or made into soups or sauces. Mushrooms are easy to prepare because they don’t need peeling and both the stem and the cap can be used. However, they should be used only when fresh because they spoil easily. But nowadays, there are mushrooms that are grown and then canned, frozen, or dried that have longer shelf-lives.

Raising mushrooms is usually done in caves or indoor containers that always kept cool and moist. These mushrooms are filled with partly decaying flesh of animals or plants. On these decaying materials, mushroom spawn or root growth are planted. The mushroom grows rapidly and would soon fill the whole bed with tiny threadlike rootlets. The stems and caps of the mushrooms do not sprout unless these rootlets are well grown. The main type of mushroom grown is the “common mushroom” or the “field mushroom”.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Food

In may just be in human nature to barbecue. Well,
we have been doing it as far back as time can
denote. In the Stone Age, man hunted for food and
cooked it over an open flame. And while we still
cook over flame today, there are actually two
different types. True barbecue requires a sauce.
If not, you are just grilling. While both are
good, barbecue involves slowly cooking the meat
with low temperature for hours.

When you think about going to a barbecue, you
probably think of yummy, juicy food such as
hamburgers and steak or even a good hot dog with
all the fixins’. The term barbecue does not only
refer to the food but also to the event itself.
The act of gathering together with friends and
family to enjoy good food, drinks and a great time
has been an honored tradition for generations. It
doesn’t matter where you live or where you are
from, the barbecue is a popular get-together.

So we all know that the barbecue is an honored
American tradition but just where did it originate
anyway? Well, there are several different states
that each has their own claim to fame when it
comes to the barbecue. Texas, Virginia, Georgia
and the Carolinas all have stories about how the
barbecue originated. If you look into the history
of barbecues you will see that each of these
states has a slightly different method of
barbecuing so they very well could have all come
up with it. Wherever the idea came from, it took
off really fast.

If you love barbecue, then you know a staple of
the successful barbecue is a great barbecue sauce.
There are different types of sauces but the
original Texas BBQ is famous for it’s thick sweet
tomato flavor. In Texas, they also enjoy using a
dry-rub seasoning on the beef before it is
barbecued.

Southeast barbecue sauce is slightly different. If
you get BBQ sauce in Georgia it will likely be
thinner and with more vinegar. Another difference
in the barbecue is that instead of beef, they use
more pork. You will also see barbecue pits used
often. This method “smokes” the meat giving it a
great smoked in flavor. Pit barbecues are very
popular and leave you with great tasting meat.

Your family likely has their own barbecue secrets
and they might be passed down from generation to
generation. You might have your own secret BBQ
sauce recipe. Your family may have a slow cook
method for beef or pork or maybe you enjoy both.
Whatever type of barbecue you like, there is no
doubt that families and friends love it and it
will stick around for many more years to come.

Laura Kjer is the webmaster of Shop Barbecue which is a
premier source of information about Barbecue. For more
information, go to: http://shopbarbecue.com

The easiest way to make rice well every time is to use a rice cooker. If you don’t have one, or don’t want one, though, here’s a no-fail recipe
for rice that one of my grandmothers taught my mother, who taught me. This one, I use mainly for seasoned rice dishes because things can be
added to it before boiling, or broth (a plain soup) can be used in place of water.

This is for 4 substantial servings (4 rice bowls).

You will need:

1 large saucepan, or a short pot.

2 cups of white rice, preferably persian, glutinous, or converted, depending on how sticky you like it.

2 tablespoons of butter, margarine, rendered fat, or vegetable oil.

water or broth as needed (usually 3 to 3.5 cups)

salt to taste

Directions:

1.Put the rice in the bottom of the saucepan, and wash it thoroughly by rinsing, and then pouring off the cloudy water. Repeat until you

can recognize grains of rice through the water, and then pour this last rinse out.

2.Put your middle finger in the saucepan until it touches the bottom, and put in water or broth until the level reaches the second line of

your finger.

3.Add your salt and oil.

4.Place on the stove, and cover loosely, which means there should be a centimeter of space between the side of the cover and the edge

of the pot or saucepan.

5.Turn on the stove at medium/low heat, and leave it alone for about 20 minutes.

6.Check to see if it’s done, and if not, come back every 5 minutes.

7.If you need to check, and can’t tell from looking at the top, stick a spoon in the middle, and push gently to the side to see if there is any

water left. If there is, then move the rice back to cover the hole. Try not to touch it too much.

8.If you run out of water before the rice is the level of softness you want, in the well you make in it for checking, just pour a quarter cup

of hot water to the middle, and move the rice back over to cover the water.

9.When it’s done, turn off the heat, and cover the rice completely, and let it sit for 5 minutes.

10.Stir, and then serve.

Then, there is the other absolute sure-fire way that my other grandmother taught me. This is how I cook rice when I want it somewhat plain.

You will need:

However much rice you want up to 5 cups.

A pot of water, salted, with about a tablespoon of oil

A strainer

A large bowl

Directions:

1.Set the pot of oiled and salted water on high heat.

2.In a large bowl, rinse the rice repeatedly, until the water is somewhat clear.

3.Drain as much water as you can from the rice, and then wait ’til your water on the stove boils.

4.When the water reaches a fast, rolling boil, gently pour in the rice.

5.Stir to make sure the rice doesn’t stick together, and then wait.

6.Occasionally stir the rice, and after 10 minutes, check to see if it’s done.

7.Check every two minutes after that, and when it’s as soft as you like, turn off the heat and then pour the contents of the pot into a

strainer.

8.Shake the strainer a bit, to get out as much excess water as possible, and then return the rice to the now empty pot.

9.Season to taste, and then serve.

Rice cooked this way can also be used for rice balls, unless it is parboiled rice. Parboiled rice should never be used if you prefer it sticky on its own, but is the best to use when making the deep fried breaded rice balls.

More Rice Tips

For golden coloured rice, stir a teaspoon of turmeric into the water before the rice begins to cook.

Seasoning blocks or bouillon give a nice flavor to rice. It will need to be stirred after cooking to evenly distribute it though.

Use leftover rice to make fried rice. It can also be used to add a bit of starch to a meatloaf in place of bread crumbs.

Never let cooked rice sit out for more than a couple of hours without keeping it very hot. Rice turns very quickly. To serve it at parties that may last awhile, but keep it from burning at the bottom, put it in a pan atop a pan of water that is over a tea light or other warmer. To cool it off quickly before it turns after a meal, transfer it from the pot to smaller containers.

If you are on a salt restricted diet but don’t like your rice too sweet, use a couple of dashes of pepper and salt free chicken broth to enhance
the taste.

Niki Singleton
Webmatron of http://www.freerecipeclub.com

October is National Cookbook Month, making now the perfect time
to add to your collection. But with more than 24,000 new
cookbooks published each year, how do you choose one that
doesn’t just sit on the shelf gathering dust?

1. The cookbook works for you. New or busy cooks will be happy
with a variety of family-friendly dishes presented in an
easy-to-follow format. Look for key works in the title like
basic, simple, busy, or quick. Experienced cooks might be
looking for more creative recipes, maybe a specialty book on
pasta, or Chinese cooking, or vegetarian dishes. Ready to whip
up a gourmet meal? Choose a glossy chef-authored book.

2. Recipes arrangement is logical. Are the recipes in defined
sections and arranged according to the main ingredient,
(chicken, pasta) or cooking method (grilled, baked, one-pot) or
type of dishes (entrees, salads, soups)? A book of 800
consecutive recipes may seem like a great deal, but excitement
can quickly turn to frustration when the recipe that piqued your
interest the other day is hidden somewhere in the middle of a
never ending tome.

3. Easy-to-follow directions. Most of us prefer easy-to-follow
numbered directions written in chronological order. Avoid
cookbooks whose directions are in a narrative format or that are
continued on a non-facing page. Any interruption makes it too
easy to miss an important preparation or cooking step.

4. Bonus information. Good cookbooks show the preparation time
and number of servings for each recipe. Really good cookbooks
also give you bonus information; cooking tips, suggestions of
what to serve with each dish, definitions of unusual
ingredients, recipe history, and/or nutrition information.

5. The book lays flat. Is there is anything more annoying than
trying to follow a recipe when the book keeps slapping shut? A
user-friendly cookbook has a plastic comb, wire coil, or
lay-flat binding. How can you tell if the binding is lay-flat?
Hold the book open with both hands and look at the spine. If the
cover is attached to the end pages, but not attached to the
spine, the binding is lay flat. Force the pages open by running
your hand down the length of the open book. You will not damage
the binding.

6. An extensive index. Cookbook indexes should list recipes both
by name and main ingredients. Want to make Florentine rice? You
should be able to find it under “F” for Florentine, “R” for rice
and “S” for spinach. A good index makes the cookbook one you’ll
use again and again.

7. Provide inspiration. A cookbook should inspire you to go
beyond the written recipe and experiment on your own. Some books
do this by suggesting alternative ingredients, others by the
shear creativity of the recipes. Cooking is a creative endeavor
and the best cookbooks will serve as a jumping off point to your
own unique dishes.

Follow these tips and soon you will have a shelf of dust free
cookbooks!