Food and Beverage

March 9, 2009

Burgandy, France – Famous For Its Wines

Filed under: 1 — Tags: , , , — pongchan @ 10:01 am

The terroir is a group of vineyards or vines from the same area which have a common soil and climate. And nowhere else, other than Burgundy in France, is it held so fondly.

Burgundy is a region situated in central east France, which experiences bitter cold winters matched with beautiful warm summers. It is the home of 1.6 million inhabitants.

Burgundy (Bourgogne) is famous throughout the world for its wines. Spanning over 31,500 square kilometers (over 12,000 square miles), with a 360 km (225 mi) strip stretching 100km (60 mi) south of Paris, down from south of Dijon to north of Rho๔ne, houses 99 different wine appellations.

Ranging from the vibrant red Pommard and Corton to the medium Beaune — to the sparkling whites, the dry Chablis or Chassagne Montrachet, over 180 million bottles of some of the fines wines are made in this region.

As an aftermath of the French revolution the vineyards belonging to the monasteries were broken down to smaller plots – which exist even today.

The finest quality wine, designated as “Premier Cru” – is available from 600 of the vineyards in the region while 33 of them is credit to produce the even more classy “Grand Cru” wines. Among these the most renowned are Montrachet, Chambertin and Clos Vougeot.

Made from the pinot noir grapes, the burgundy red wines taste best with Boeuf Bourguignon or pheasant. On the other hand a Chablis or their sparkling white wines go best with anything from shrimps to goat cheese.

The famous white wine called Chablis derives its name from a village of the same name. These are dry whites with an acidity that refreshes. The special Chardonnay grapes thrive in limestone that has been made richer with remains of fossils.

As an accompaniment to lamb or grilled chicken, the best choice is the fruity-flavored, world famous Beaujolais made from the Gamay grape. These grapes grow in granite limestone.

The ever-popular and delicious red is grown in Volnay for the last 8 centuries. The grapes are Pinot Noir grown across 600 acres which is responsible in producing 1.3 million bottles of this amazing wine which has the flavors of raspberries and violets.

And then there is Meursault, located close by, famous for its Premier Cru labels of finest white wines. 2.5 million bottles of the finest wine, Chardonnay, aged anywhere between 3 to 15 years is grown in just over 1000 acres. Fish in white sauce go extremely well with this fine wine with its almond and apple flavors.

But what still makes the headlines is the red Pommard with its tannic and manly flavor, staging a comeback after many years of decline. From just 780 acres of Pinot Noir grown in limestone and red clay are produced 1.8 million bottles of this wine with the flavors of black cherry and black currant. Goes excellent with game venison and roasted red meat with Livarot cheese, these can age from 5 to 15 years.

Whatever your taste buds need, there is very little chance of returning home disappointed with a Burgundy.

White Barbecue Sauce – Sweet, Sour, Tickling and Tangy

Filed under: Gourmet — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — pongchan @ 9:57 am

BBQ sauce is generally a basic mixture of tomatoes, sugar and vinegar. Tomatoes used can be in various forms such as tomato sauce, paste, puree and even ketchup. Sugar adds sweetness to the barbecue sauce and can either be corn syrup, honey or molasses. The addition of vinegar, on the other hand, lends a sour flavor to the bbq sauce and can be in the form of beer, white or flavored vinegar, wine or citrus juices. In general, bbq sauces can be used throughout the barbecue process from preparation to cooking.

Bechamel sauce or White Barbecue Sauce has a long and illustrious history. It has been a pet of the French food connoisseurs, since 1651. One of the mother sauces of French cuisine, the white sauce is nowadays made by whisking scalded milk gradually into a white flour-butter roux. However, it can also be made by whisking a kneaded flour-butter beurre mani้ into scalded milk. The thickness of the final sauce depends on the proportions of milk and flour. White Barbecue sauce, unquestionably adds a delicate flavoring to your meat dishes.

White Barbecue Sauces of Alabama are different from most other barbecue sauces in the use of their bases. These sauces are predominantly mayonnaise based, unlike the traditional and ubiquitous tomato. Chicken, turkey or pork – these white sauces are taste uppers beyond imagination. Like its tomato- and mustard-based cousins, white barbecue sauce comes in shades ranging from porcelain to putty. There are also differences in consistency. Some sauces flow like fat free milk, while others are more reminiscent of a creamy dressing. As for the ingredients, well, purists such as Myra Grissom, owner of Miss Myra’s Pit Bar-B-Q in Birmingham, insists there are only four items who play the role: mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, and coarsely ground pepper. Perking up salads or topping pulled pork sandwiches or grilled fish whatever you are up to these sauces are great.

Smuggler’s Run White Grilling Sauce and Big Bob Gibson White BBQ sauce are sauces that can be recommended, without any hesitation. Mayonnaise, Egg Yolks, Water, Corn Syrup, Vinegar, Salt, Spices, Calcium Disodium, Cider Vinegar, Onion, Garlic, White Pepper, Salt and Xanthium Gum are what goes into the making of this taste bud rocker.

Big Bob Gibson White BBQ sauce comprises distilled vinegar, sugar, salt, spices, egg yolks, mustard flour, paprika and garlic. Poultry, pork, seafood, and wild game-Big Bob, goes with them comfortably enough.

November 28, 2008

Omaha Steaks – Possibly The World’s Finest Steaks

Filed under: General — Tags: , , , , — pongchan @ 3:10 am

Among the finest sources for steaks available, Omaha Steaks is renowned for providing high quality beef and gourmet products to customers across the country and around the world. Their name is well-known among cooks and grillmasters thanks to their continued commitment to providing the best food available. And Omaha Steaks works to make sure that they deliver on that commitment.

Starting in 1917, Omaha Steaks built its reputation on supplying high quality Midwestern steaks to people and businesses looking for choice cuts of excellent beef. This family owned business started out in Omaha, Nebraska and has kept its headquarters there throughout its history and expansion. And this expansion has seen the business stretch into areas including food service, mail order, incentive marketing, telesales, retail and even online sales. And with each successive step, Omaha Steaks further cements its reputation as the place to turn to when looking for quality beef.

However, despite their name, beef is not the only thing on offer from Omaha Steaks. In fact, they also provide very good selections of poultry, veal, pork and lamb and have even moved into offerings of pastas, side dishes and desserts for their customers. And as Omaha Steaks continues to grow, they will undoubtedly expand into new areas of food offerings, giving their customers even more options when they look to Omaha Steaks. And with this wide selection, customers can put something on the menu for those people who want something tasty, but don’t want it to be as heavy as steak.

In order to serve their customers better, Omaha Steaks provides a few ways to shop. The most common method for purchasing Omaha Steaks’ products is through their mail order and online business. Their steaks are shipped to ensure delivery within seven days of going out, so they will still be fresh when they arrive. Omaha Steaks takes every precaution to ensure that their food is just as good when it arrives as the day it was packed. Which means that your purchases will be consistently excellent.

However, some areas have access to Omaha Steaks through their retail stores. This growing portion of the business is not as large as their mail order and online services, but it is expanding as the company moves into new markets. This not only allows people to have a more personal experience while they are choosing just the right steak, but also gives people the opportunity to take their selections home immediately and get them on the grill in no time. And, as you would expect, their retail stores provide the same level of quality and commitment to excellence as every other portion of their business.

By taking pride in their service and the quality of their products, Omaha Steaks has moved from a small business in Nebraska to a multinational company providing its customers with a wide selection of foods that have them coming back again and again. And by taking care to take care of their customers, Omaha Steaks is making sure that they are always worth coming back to.

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