As a Chef or a wine lover, the very first thing you begin to learn about kosher wines – is how to pair them against certain foods. As with regular Italian or French wines, each kosher wine is going to have its own distinct flavors, elements and tannins. The actual tannins in these kosher wines along with the type of grapes used as well as the barrels they are stored in all compliment the kosher wines into a whirlwind of their own flavors. Some of the best brands of Kosher wines are Manischewitz wine, Kedem wine and Alfasi – all of these come in an array of reds and whites as well as sweets and dry’s. Here, listed below, are a few of the fundamental attributes in each brand of wine mentioned above, along with what foods they are best paired with!
Manischewitz Wine – Malaga: This is actually a red US wine, with a fairly fruity and sweet flavor. Since this is made with Concord grapes, which are the sweetest grapes, you can expect this to go great with either salty foods like herring, corned beef, or Gefilte fish. This wine also goes well with sweet things too such as after dinner desserts. If you would serve a Manischewitz Wine with… something like pickled herring, the flavors just wouldn’t mix as graciously. But again, you can try different things and see which pairings you like the best!
Kedem Wine – Chablis: Most wine connoisseurs will tell you to ONLY serve dry white wines with fish and chicken, and red wines with beef. However, the rules have changed over the last few years. Now it’s a free for all for whatever YOU like and whatever YOU think tastes good. So if you want to go with the old rules you can – chicken and fish along with things like bisques and chowders would go great with this wine. However, if you want to go with the more dated rules you would simply eat this with whatever you darn well want. Eh, I never liked rules anyway! Chablis is naturally a very dry wine, somewhat like Cabernet in the reds.
Byblos Wine – Cabernet Sauvignon: As aforementioned, since this is a dry red wine, it’s going to go incredible with ANY kind of red meat – have it be pork, beef, lamb or duck the dryness of the wine versus the darkness of the meat simply goes so well together! Red wines are also really nice with a pungent, buttery, or strong cheese such as Jarlesberg, Stilton or even something as deep as goat cheese.
Alfasi Wines – Special Reserve Pinot Noir: This is actually one of my favorite types of wines as far as reds go. It’s not as dry as the Cabernet, but it’s also not sweet either. This would go good with meats that have a fair amount of fattiness like that of lamb or duck, but since it is such a versatile wine, it goes well with certain desserts (particularly ones with cheese as an ingredient), as well as other cheese products, chicken, certain kinds of fish like sockeye salmon, etc. Most people would say that this is the Wine Of All Wines – while I think there are better wines out there, I also think that this one in particular is pretty darn close to being a so-called master wine.
Of course all of these kosher wine pairings are also going to depend on when the grapes were matured, where the grapes were located at the time, and as mentioned above – what types of barrels and elements the winery infuses into the wine. Just like with infused vodkas or liquors, whatever you place into the barrel or whatever wood you have the barrel made out of – is ultimately going to carry through the flavor of the wine. The other really nice thing about the wines above, is that not only do you NOT have to be an expert on Kosher wines, but you can also save a dime as well because these are all quite inexpensive as far as table wines go. Try them out, try one, try them all – see which wines go with what foods according to YOUR palate (not someone else’s). Enjoy!
http://www.OnlyKosherWine.com is the premier online outlet for Kosher Wine from top regions like France, Italy, and Spain, as well as products from New York and California. We also stock classic kosher drinks like Manischewitz and Kedem wine, so go ahead and order an old favorite to go with your new favorites today!
Author: Mark Etinger
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Thu, April 19 2012 » Cooking » No Comments
Did you realize that it’s actually costing you to work? I’m talking about work related expenses, such as childcare, work clothing etc. If you’re a working mom who would like to stay at home with her kids, then you have to figure out just how much money is left over after you deduct all work related expenses. That amount (and not your net salary) is what you are really contributing to the household each month. And if you wish to work at home, then you need to know just how much your home based business must bring in each month in order to break even.
The most obvious work related expense is daycare. It’s often the biggest expense to come out of the second income of a dual-income family. After-school care also falls into this category.
Transportation costs probably also take a big chunk of your income. Traveling to and from work and daycare can add up to a pretty penny. What are your work-related transportation costs for the month?
Clothing. Unless you wear some sort of ‘uniform’ to work, you will probably be spending a fair amount of money on work clothes each month. After all, you can’t turn up to a meeting with CEO’s in a faded 3 year old suit, now can you?
In addition to these obvious costs, there are also many hidden costs associated with working. Here are some of them.
Office Food.
Eating lunch out, that morning cup of coffee at Starbucks and anything else you buy to eat at work all fall into this category. For one month jot down whatever you spend on food during the course of your workday. You’ll be surprised at the amount.
Office Socializing.
Buying gifts for co-workers who are getting married, having babies, leaving, transferring to another department, retiring and so on are all part of being a caring, friendly co-worker. So are chats over coffee and occasional drinks after work. How much are you spending each month on office socializing?
Convenience Items
Frozen, microwaveable meals, prepared foods from the Deli and pre-packaged mixes are all wonderful time savers that many working moms rely heavily on. But that convenience comes at a price. In addition to these convenience meals, you are probably also even cooking take-out meals a few times a week because you’re simply too exhausted to cook.
Last minute birthday gifts, expensive cookies from the bakery for the school play and so on all fall into this category.
Shopping.
Shopping during lunch breaks or because you feel guilty about not spending enough time with your kids can also blow your budget.
School Lunches.
Preparing homemade lunches is often just an additional chore that working moms have no time for. How much are you paying each month for the convenience of prepared lunches?
Then there are other minor expenses that you probably never even thought of including, such as fund raisers, mlm products bought from a co-worker, or betting on who will win the latest football game.
For one month, make note of how much you spend in each of these areas. Add up all your work realted expenses and subtract that from your income. That total is how much you are contributing to the family income. Divide that by the amount of hours you worked and you will arrive at your hourly wage.
Armed with these figures you will now be able to decide if you want to continue working or not. If you want to start a home based business you will know exactly how much you need to bring in each month in order to break even. Or if you’re a stay at home mom, you’ll know by how much you need to reduce your expenses in order to make ends meet.
For More Advice and Inspiration For Your Journey Through Motherhood Visit For Moms Only & Don’t forget to sign up for the Mom’s Minute Newsletter while you’re there
Author: Kelly Aveiro
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Tue, April 17 2012 » Random » No Comments
There are many different types of crockpot recipes you can find and use today when you want to make something good to eat in the slow cooker. You can make a delicious and great tasting dish such as crockpot white chicken chili to serve at home or you might want to make a sweet and mouthwatering dessert such as this crockpot cinnamon raisin bread pudding. That is one of the best things about using your slow cooker, you can make just about anything you want to while using it. Using one offers you a means of cooking those things that you and your family crave and enjoy.
A little Cinnamon Bread Pudding History
People in various regions have been making some form or raisin bread or another for hundreds of years. It is one of the most popular types of homemade breads you can make and serve in the United States as well as in Northern Europe. It is a type of sweet bread that is also a type of yeast bread. There are special days in the United States that are set apart especially for celebrating the making and eating of cinnamon and raisin bread. For instance, the week of May 1 to May 7 is National Raisin Week. September 16 of every year is considered National Cinnamon Raisin Bread Day. National Raisin Bread Month is in November.
Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding is Easy to make in the Crockpot
Of course, many of those who have come before you may have stood over a hot oven for too long to prepare such delicious dishes and desserts. Today you can make a delicious bread pudding recipe such as this while using your own crockpot at home. Thrill the children and the adults in your family by serving this delicious and well loved type of comfort food. This recipe only uses a few ingredients and you can whip one up in just a few minutes and then other things while it cooks.
Recipe for Crockpot Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding
What You Need
- 10 sliced cubed cinnamon raisin bread
- 4 beaten eggs
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 14 ounce
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
- Vanilla ice cream
How to Make It
Lightly coat the inside of a 4 ½ to 5 quart crockpot by spraying it with cooking spray.
Cut the 10 slices of cinnamon raisin bread into cubes of about an inch in size. Place the bread cubes in the bottom of the crockpot.
Add the eggs to a medium to large size mixing bowl and then beat well. Add the milk, water, and vanilla flavoring and then beat to combine.
Pour this mixture over the bread cubes in the bottom of the crockpot. Stir and then press the bread cubes into the liquid mixture to absorb the liquid.
Cover with lid and then cook for about 2 ½ to 3 hours on low heat until the bread pudding is set.
Remove and serve with vanilla ice cream or you may want to serve this dessert as it is or with whipped topping.
Crockpot recipes can be fun to make and serve whether you want to make a bread pudding dessert or a crockpot white chicken chili dish. You can find even more delicious recipe ideas today by visiting our website.
The Best Crockpot Recipes Start With Our Recipes – BestCrockpotRecipes.net
Author: Christine Szalay Kudra
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Tue, April 17 2012 » Cooking » No Comments
The American market is full of good wines these days. The Verdi wine in particular is offering a great taste and aroma to all the wine lovers all over the world. The quality and the consistence of the Verdi wine has given this wine the popularity in these few years. The American sparkling wine market is seeing a revolution these days and in the forefront is the Verdi Spumante. Some call it a sweet sparkling white wine beverage and some simply call it the white wine. This Verdi wine boasts to be the fastest growing sparkling white wine in US.
Verdi wine falls under the category of spumante and is low in alcohol, delicately sweet and slightly sparkling. If you do not know, a spumante is actually the genetic name for Italian sparkling wine. Some claim the spumante is older than Champagne, also a sparkling wine produced exclusively in the Champagne region of France. However, Verdi wine does not pop off as much as Champagne does. On the plus side, it has a reusable cap and so a Verdi spumante can be sealed tightly and kept in the refrigerator for later use. It will pop off next time you open the bottle, but not as much as it does the first time. The taste remains the same.
Use different Verdi wine with different dishes. Verdi Bosca Verdi Asti spumante for example goes well with what we call junk food as well as cheese and citrus fruits. Bruno Verdi Sangue di Giuda Paradiso on the other hand go well with meat. The last is the hallmark of Bruno Verdi. Although Antonio Verdi started growing grape vines along with corn and wheat on his farm almost seven generation ago, it was the third generation of the Verdi, Luigi who started making wine out of the grapes grown in the family’s farmland. Much later Bruno Verdi started bottling the wine and put his name on the label.
Before you delve into the taste of your favorite wine, make sure to know some thing about the history of the wine. Some wines have a great history and you will definitely like the old stories. So, where do you get to know the history of your favorite wines? Some may just prefer asking the bartender for all the details, whereas some may just browse the internet and get all the information they need. Most wines have a tradition associated with them. Most wine business are legacy businesses which are probably inherited by the fathers and the grand fathers.
The Rombauer family is one family that has dedicated their whole life producing one of the finest wines. To know more about the virtues of the Rombauer family, visit their website at rombauer.com. On this website, you will be introduced to a whole new world of wine making. The Rombauer family is very well known all over the world and their wines have a very good distribution network. One very unique feature of the rombauer.com website is the wine club. This is a very good way of meeting wine lovers from various places.
You will be able to collect more such interesting tit bits if you visit their website. The family focuses on the wine as complement to good food and good friends and hence they have opened up what they call ‘Joy Of Wine’ club. If you become member of the club, you receive complementary tasting in the winery up to four people. There are no membership fees and you can opt out whenever you wish.
As expected the Rombauer has a variety of wine. Some of their finest wines are:
o Chardonnay – Carneros Chardonnay is made from a green skinned grapes also called chardonnay. This wine goes well with grilled salmon, chicken with mango salsa, seafood pasta etc.
o Joy – This wine is made from late harvest of chardonnay grapes. It is perfect dessert wine that goes well with sift cheese or vanilla ice cream
o Zinfandel – These are red grapes grown in California. Rombauer has a variety of wines made from it and they go well with duck, rack of lamb, pork tenderloin etc
o Merlot – Merlots too are a variety of red wine grapes and the wine has a medium body with a hint of berry, plum and currant. The Rombauer has a variety of wine made from merlot grapes.
o Port – It was a typically Portuguese sweet wine, but is now produced all over the world. It is one of the most popular verities of wine produced by the Rombauer.
If you are planning to visit the Rombauer Vineyards, you can be sure of a warm welcome by the elite customer care agents. If you are going to the Rombauer Vineyards in a larger group, which is six or more, then you will have to make a reservation. The scenic beauty of the Rombauer Vineyards is mesmerizing and will enchant you for a very long time even after leaving that place. At Rombauer Vineyards you can select from one or more f the following choices:
o Chardonnay
o Zinfandel
o Merlot
o Joy
o Port
Jade Varnes has had years of experience in the wine industry and she only recommends the best wine there is possible. Some of her all time favorites are rombauer [http://www.wineaccess.com/wine/price/10874485/2005-Rombauer-Vineyards-Merlot-Carneros], malbec, opus one, verdi wine [http://www.wineaccess.com/store/%20totalwine-riveredge/ecommerce/product.html?product_id=10197140] and bogle phantom. For more selections that she recommends, visit wineaccess.com today.
Author: Jade Varnes
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Sat, April 14 2012 » Cooking » No Comments