Category: DRINK

Champagne

Champagne is a celebratory drink used to toast newlyweds or commemorate milestones. It can be an aperitif, it can be served during a meal, or it can be served with dessert. Vintage Champagne, the product of a single harvest, is preferred as it is bottled only in years when conditions in the vineyard have been favorable; non-vintage Champagne is released at regular intervals. Champagne cocktails like Bellini (with fresh peach puree and juice), Black Velvet (with stout), Mimosa (with orange juice), and Poinsettia (with cranberry juice) are quite popular at chic bars as they are more genteel than Martinis.

Champagne originates from vineyards in the French region of Champagne. Hence, if you see a bottle with “Champagne” on the label, it is an assurance that this wine has been produced in the northern French region. Sparkling wine made anywhere else in the world, even if the traditional “methode champenois” is used, is just sparkling wine. Therefore, Champagne is always spelled with a capital C. The “champenois” (producers) are protective of the name “Champagne” and take legal action against anyone who uses it improperly.

There are three grapes (Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay) used to make Champagne although manufacturers often legally include small quantities of other grape varieties. The first two are black grapes, while the latter is white. The label specifies the contents: “Blancs de Blancs” is Champagne produced from white grapes and is a very delicate wine. “Blanc de Noirs” is Champagne produced from black grapes; it is concentrated, with a strong fruit flavor and bouquet. If neither description appears on the label, chances are that the wine is a blend of the three grapes.

A large part of its appeal is due to the bubbles that spill forth when a bottle of Champagne is uncorked. These bubbles are caused by tiny drops of liquid disturbed by the escaping carbon dioxide or carbonic acid gas that is a natural spin-off of the double fermentation procedure exclusive to Champagne. Cheers!

Champagne Racks

Riddling racks are central to the process of manufacturing Champagne. After the sparkling wine has aged on the lees, it is ready for the concluding stages. Riddling, or remuage, is the process designed to collect the sediment in a bottle and deposit it near the mouth of the bottle.

The bottles are inclined at a 45-degree angle on a riddling rack, comprising two simple rectangular boards hinged at the top. Each side is bored with six bottleneck-size holes, along ten rows. Thus each riddling rack can hold 120 bottles although there are special models for large containers. The riddler places the neck of a bottle of Champagne into each of the holes. A painted line on the bottom of each bottle acts as a marker, with all markers pointing in the same direction.

Daily, over the next few weeks, the riddler twists every bottle a few degrees. Simultaneously, he raises the bottle bottom indiscernibly, lowering the neck only a centimeter or two each week. In the beginning, all the bottles seem to be almost horizontal. After a few weeks, however, the bottles are slanted to a 60-degree angle and are neck-down in their holes.

After the wine has been riddled, the bottles are placed in a freezing solution for several minutes. Once an ice plug has formed in the necks, they are placed vertically on the conveyor line, and continue to the disgorging machine, which removes the crown caps from the bottles. As a result, the pressure within the bottles shoots out (disgorges) the ice plug (with the frozen sediment trapped in it).

What You Need To Know About Fruit

What do you reach for when you want a snack or something sweet? Is it fruit? If not, you should consider it. Fruit has a score of health benefits. It provides water, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Eating a good variety of fruits can help keep your body healthy and strong. Here is a list of some of the most common fruits including some of their benefits.

Apples

As far as fruit goes, apples are a classic favorite. Whether included in an apple pie, made into apple sauce, or eaten raw, it just wouldn’t be autumn without this fruit. Apple is rich in potassium, pectin (fruit fiber), and other vitamins and minerals. The potassium is beneficial to those who experience water loss such as athletes and those with a stomach virus.

Oranges

The aromatic nature of this fruit gives it a lot of appeal. Many start their day with a cup of orange juice. Its claim to fame is its sunny flavor and vitamin C content. It seems to be the fruit people reach for when they want to boost their immune system. Try including fresh oranges slices on your salads or in your smoothies.

Bananas

This fruit is rich in potassium and B vitamins, making it a great food for athletes. The high fiber content also promotes regularity. Bananas also make a wonderful addition to smoothies, especially when mixed with strawberries and mangoes. You can also slice them and put them on top of cereal or yogurt.

Strawberries

Strawberries are at their peak flavor in the spring and early summer. This fruit needs to be picked when it is ripe and no sooner. Though strawberries turn red if they are picked while not quite ripe, they don’t get any sweeter unless they are still on the vine. Strawberries are great raw, in smoothies, in jams, tarts, and can even be made into wine.

Give yourself variety

To get the most from the health benefits of fruit, include lots of variety. Eating both the standard fruits and other more exotic options can really enhance your health.

Fruit Cake

The fruit cake with all its fruits and nuts has been around for centuries. Making a rich fruit cake is a very laborious process. They are made well in advance and stored in a cool dry place in order to preserve its traditional great taste and flavor.

The procedure for making a fruitcake takes a few days. First, the fruits and nuts need to be prepared. They are soaked for 2 or 3 days in alcohol, preferably brandy or rum. If you don’t want to use alcohol, fruit juice can be substituted. The cake recipe should be followed strictly to obtain the desired result of a wonderful tasty cake. For those who do not like a particular fruit or nut, they can be substituted according to individual tastes. The only thing to remember is that the weight specified in the recipe for the fruits and nuts should be maintained.

After the fruits and nuts are prepared, the batter is made. All the fruits and nuts are mixed in the batter and baked. Fruit cakes are baked at a low temperature for a long time until they are done. It should be tested with a cake tester to see if it is fully done. One point to remember when baking these cakes is to keep a container of water in the oven. This prevents the cake from becoming dry. They should be cooled before taking out from the container.

All the effort put in to making fruitcakes is worth it, as they make an excellent, great tasting treat any time of the day.

Champagne Racks

Riddling racks are central to the process of manufacturing Champagne. After the sparkling wine has aged on the lees, it is ready for the concluding stages. Riddling, or remuage, is the process designed to collect the sediment in a bottle and deposit it near the mouth of the bottle.

The bottles are inclined at a 45-degree angle on a riddling rack, comprising two simple rectangular boards hinged at the top. Each side is bored with six bottleneck-size holes, along ten rows. Thus each riddling rack can hold 120 bottles although there are special models for large containers. The riddler places the neck of a bottle of Champagne into each of the holes. A painted line on the bottom of each bottle acts as a marker, with all markers pointing in the same direction.

Daily, over the next few weeks, the riddler twists every bottle a few degrees. Simultaneously, he raises the bottle bottom indiscernibly, lowering the neck only a centimeter or two each week. In the beginning, all the bottles seem to be almost horizontal. After a few weeks, however, the bottles are slanted to a 60-degree angle and are neck-down in their holes.

After the wine has been riddled, the bottles are placed in a freezing solution for several minutes. Once an ice plug has formed in the necks, they are placed vertically on the conveyor line, and continue to the disgorging machine, which removes the crown caps from the bottles. As a result, the pressure within the bottles shoots out (disgorges) the ice plug (with the frozen sediment trapped in it).

Organic Tea

Tea is the perfect way to replenish the mind and body and enjoys the status of being the most popular drink in the world. Individuals can choose different types of teas according to their tastes. An organic tea is a lovely concoction for most tea lovers.

Tea drinkers are always on the lookout for a blend that is environment friendly and has no ill effects. An organic tea fulfills this demand of tea lovers. There are many kinds of organic teas available such as Organic Green tea, Organic Earl Grey tea, Organic Breakfast tea, and Organic Passion Plum tea. These organic teas are available loosely or in tea bags. Organic Sencha, Organic Darjeeling, Organic Peppermint and Organic Assam are also some example of organic teas that are available as loose tea only.

As organic tea is in demand, many tea manufacturing companies have developed a line of teas that are certified as grown and processed with artificial fertilizers and pesticides. China is number one in growing teas organically and imports quality organic teas. Different types of organic tea are also being imported with the help of many dedicated tea websites. These websites help tea lovers get various kinds of organic tea from all parts of the world.

Organic tea acts as an antioxidant that fights cancer, heart attacks and a whole myriad of illnesses. But the most important reason to drink tea is that it tastes great and makes one feel relaxed and alert.

For both health and taste reasons, organic teas are among the very best. People can find several choices of organic tea at most teashops or restaurants. It is advisable look at the ratings of organic teas when purchasing. They are printed on the tea container.

Coffee Shops

For most harried career individuals, a visit to their coffee shops for a nightcap with friends and business associates is their idea of a relaxing evening. But have you ever wondered when the first coffee shop started?

The first coffee shop opened in Istanbul, Turkey, in 1554, while the first coffeehouse opened in Cornhill, London, in 1652. Boston welcomed its own version of this haven for coffee lovers in 1670, while Paris opened the doors of its first-ever coffee shop in 1671. It quickly grew in popularity, and by 1675, three thousand coffeehouses were born in England.

As the legend goes, the first coffeehouse was believed to have opened in Vienna in 1683, after the Battle of Vienna. The coffeehouse was started using supplies left behind by the losing Turks. A more credible version asserts that the first coffee shop opened in Krakow, in the sixteenth or seventeenth century, owing to its close trade ties with the Turks. The first coffee plantation in modern times was started in Brazil, in 1727, using slave laborers from Africa. Its success was akin to that of tobacco in seventeenth-century Europe.

The term “Café” is synonymous with a place where coffee and meals are served together. The Dutch people associate the word with bars and thus relate it more to alcohol. In the Netherlands, the term coffee shop is used to refer to places where marijuana is sold, since one needs fewer permits to open a coffee shop. For the French, Spanish, and German people, a café is a place where a wide variety of beverages are served, ranging from different types of coffee, tea, and alcoholic beverages.

In addition to those blended commercially, a lot of coffeehouses have their own signature house blends. What are you waiting for? Visit your favorite coffee shop and take your pick from among these wonderful concoctions, sure to warm your hearts and lift your spirits.

Wine Baskets

White, red, dessert or sparkling wines, port, mead, rosé or champagne…man’s courtship with this intensely sensory yet cerebral indulgence has stood the long test of time. A symbol of refinement and culture, wine was initially an upper-class predilection until its liquid charms enticed the masses.

A mystical joy uplifts the true oenophile as he sips that rare wine. It refuses to stay quiet. It solicits company. The color, aroma, texture, layer and allure of wine must be analyzed and debated for a total experience. Initiating a greenhorn to its ethereal pleasures is a wine enthusiast’s dream task. Inviting connoisseurs over for an evening of wine can be as sacred a ritual as royal rites of passage.

Modern winemaking techniques have drastically altered wine prices and made it a much more affordable beverage. Choices for wine baskets can be decided by budget, personal preferences or the temperament of the person to whom you are giving it to, or what food you would like the wine to be paired with. Specialty wine boutiques and select liquor stores offer enough guidance and popular combinations for an ideal handpicked wine hamper.

Wines are produced in France, Italy, USA (primarily California, Washington State and Oregon), South America (Argentina, Chile) and regions of Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Israel, New Zealand, Portugal and South Africa. Oxygen can rapidly remove fragrances, flavor and character from wine. Commercial wine usually has a two-year shelf life and must be consumed quickly once opened. Longevity-wise, dry white wines wither quickly, red wines pall in two days and port, Bordeaux or other fortified or sweet wines tend to last more than a week after opening.

Most wineries, retailers or distributors will take a case order and ensure delivery. Orders can be placed online too, especially if you have a wine club membership (usually available at no extra cost). Payment is by credit card. An order is usually dispatched discreetly to offices, because an adult must sign the delivery receipt.

Wine complements food like no other drink. Travel and entertainment has widened awareness of global wine trends. However, many states/countries have regulations on import of foreign wines. Know the hidden costs for tax, packaging and delivery before getting extravagant with that purple passion!

Winemaking is an art that takes the best of creativity and experimentation. A product of the land, wine intimately connects man to nature. The variety of grapes, soil, region, climate, temperature, blending options and storage containers can radically alter wine engineering. Delicate, crisp, refreshing, full-bodied, fruity, oaky or zesty, only wine simultaneously rejuvenates body, mind and soul.

Black Tea

Black tea is one of three varieties of commonly known teas that are black, green and oolong tea. Black tea is a ‘true’ tea and the most common form of the tea. Black tea is also referred to as a cup of a tea without milk. Black tea made from leaves more heavily oxidized than other varieties of tea. Black tea is stronger in taste and contains more caffeine as compared to other oxidized teas.

Black teas are distinctive in flavors and can be sweet, spicy or with a hint of chocolate. Black tea is known for retaining its flavor for several years. As a result, it has also been used as compressed bricks. Black teas are available in bricks and tea bags.

Black tea contains the compounds theaflavins and thearubigens. Both contribute to its distinctive flavor and dark color. Researches have shown that black tea is very beneficial for health. Regular consumption of black tea reduces the risk of strokes. Black tea is rich in antioxidants that prevent cancer, decrease the risk of heart attacks and reduces the cholesterol. Black tea is full of various nutrients such as amino acid theanine, the minerals calcium, magnesium, manganese and potassium, and the vitamins C and K. Black tea is also used in promoting the body’s ability to natural heal itself.

Black tea is famous in all parts of the world and has names in different regions. In America it is known as ‘Black tea,’ but in China it often referred as ‘Red Tea.’ Unblended Black teas are usually named by the country where they are produced. Different regions are known for producing teas with characteristic flavors.

Black teas are taste delicious and have lived up to the potential of being a healthy beverage. Millions of people enjoy black tea as a dietary supplement. Consumers can find several choices of Black tea at most teashops or restaurants. The varieties of black teas are also imported to markets with the help of many dedicated tea websites. Tea lovers can also get their favorite Black tea from all part of the worlds using these websites.

Beware of Noni Fruit Scams

Multi-level marketing companies came under a lot of fire in the 1990’s and early 2000’s for allowing its distributors to claim cure-all properties for noni. Governmental organizations such as the Food and Drug Administration in the United States, the National Food Administration in Finland, and others have issued warnings to those distributors, forcing them to publish disclaimers about their products. Since then, the market for noni fruit products has shaped up as more people become educated about the truths and falsehoods surrounding the fruit.

Some marketers have claimed that the only real noni fruit, in all of its health benefit glory, is that which comes form the Polynesian Islands. In fact, all noni fruit is the same, wherever in the world it grows. Noni is the Polynesian name for the tree. Its scientific name is Morinda citrifolia, but it is also widely known as Indian mulberry, among other names.

Another noni fruit scam, still in use by various private promoters, is to pollute Internet search engines by directing such phrases as “noni fruit scam” to unrelated websites. Various “warning” sites have cropped up as a result, exposing the scams to consumers.

Unfortunately, the backlash against the noni fruit scam has been too extreme. Many people are going out of their way to prove that noni fruit is actually bad for you. While there are some potential side effects, including diarrhea, noni fruit is a generally nutritious and valuable food overall.