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(Helpful Cooking Tips)

Why Slow Cooking

In this era of fast, easy cooking, we eat often and quickly, but not always well, and seldom memorably. It is not uncommon for people to forget what they ate last evening, much less last week. For too many of us, mealtime has become one more chore to complete, and the pleasure of relaxed dining is now more typically a rare event than the norm.

In food, and in life, many of the best things are worth our time and effort. Yes, it is easy to like fast foods and fast cooking; they give instant gratification and a certain level of predictable satisfaction. It is like dating a good looking person who lacks character. It may be fun for an evening, but it is not going to be a long lasting love affair. Cooking is like that, too. When I am in a rush, my repertoire of fast and easy dishes serves me well. I can whip up a quick pasta or sauté vegetables in record time. But the foods I love to cook – the tastes and aromas that I remember most vividly – are the slowly simmered soups, stews, vegetables, and pasta sauces.

Fast food temporarily fills us up, but it will never replace the deep satisfaction and sense of well being that come from taking time to relax and savor the food and the company. Many of us are nostalgic for old fashioned family dinners when everyone did not have an obligation or appointment afterward, or those evenings with friends when we sat for hours, eating slowly, enjoying food and conversation. We remember those meals, those unforgettable tastes, those aromas that, even today, can summon up a face, a date, an occasion. Those meals enriched our lives.

How Slow Is Slow?

Cooking time is relative, so no specific amount of time qualifies a dish to be labeled slow. We expect stews to cook in an hour and a half to three hours, so they are definitely slow. Making bean soups take at least an hour, maybe longer. That's slow, too. However, you can cook green beans and about five minutes, so when I find a recipe that calls for cooking them in 30 minutes, that's all so slow. Most fish presents a similar situation. They usually cook in 6 to 10 minutes, so if I discover a fish recipe that takes 30 to 60 minutes, I mark it slow. In other words, recipes made with ingredients that might ordinarily be prepared quickly, but are slowed down in order to coax another flavor or texture from them, typically qualify for inclusion.

Preparation time is not a criterion. Some recipes take a great deal of time to assemble, but cook quickly. They are not included here. Some recipes code together quickly, but then cook slowly. Others need extensive preparation time and also cook slowly. Both are candidates for slow and savory. The pasta sauce that takes time to simmer to reach perfection is included, even though cooking the pasta itself is fast. So, again, slow is a relative concept.

Measurements & Charts

Need a little help with understanding measurements or need a Reference between different measurements check out easy to read Charts

Olive Oil - Its Benefits And Uses

Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fatty acids (mainly oleic acid), which, unlike saturated fats, do not adversely affect blood cholestrol levels and may even help to lower them slightly. For those suffering from constipation, take more olive oil often as it helps to lubricate the intestines and eliminate waste from our bodies, thereby curing your constipation. Read More

Save Time Cooking

Does the idea that good food has to take a long time to make keep you from spending time cooking? There are many ways to help speed and efficiency in the kitchen. The arrangement of your kitchen, as well as the tools you use, make all the difference. Don't give up on trying to expand your skills and abilities. Try these suggestions to make gourmet cooking well within your time constraints. Read More

(Beverages)

A Cup of Good Tea

A cup of good tea is one that best suits your taste and is brewed to bring out the full leaf flavor. Try different kinds and brands of tea and select those you like best. The different types of tea are black tea which is grown in India, owes its full flavor to the fermenting process it goes through before leaves are heated and dried. Green tea comes from China and Japan. Leaves are not fermented. Oolong tea from Formosa is fermented only a short time. Orange Pekoe indicates a particular size type of leaf and not a kind or quality of tea.

Helpful Hints

Add flavor to tea by dissolving old-fashioned lemon drops or hard mint candies in it. They melt quickly and keep the tea brisk.

Make your own spiced tea or cider. Place orange peels, whole cloves, and cinnamon sticks and a 6 inch square piece of cheesecloth. Gather the corners and tie with a string. Steep in hot cider or tea for 10 minutes; steep longer if you want a stronger flavor.

Growing Quality Tea for Flavored Teas

Tea comes in many varieties. And, flavored teas, which are some of the most popular teas, are made from every variety of tea that can be produced. The most important aspect in obtaining a delicious flavored tea is the quality of the tea base. Read More

Tea Tree - 3 Amazing Variations of This Venerable Tree

A tee tree, which is also well-known as a ti tree, is commonly used to refer to all related or possibly even unrelated series of trees which grow the leaves that are used to create this species of trees that may or may not contain the leaves from which conventional tea is even derived. Read More

Teapot - Amazing Chinese Vessels for Drinking Tea That Later Came to Europe

If people were to go by accounts of Chou Kao-ch'i who was the author of the Yang Hsien ming hu hsi, an historical account that dealt with Ishing teapots, it was teapots such as these that were the creations of the potters at Ishing that were later made very popular to Europeans and were known to them by the Portuguese term, bocarro, which essentially means largemouth. Read More

The Health Benefits of Drinking Wine... Loving Your Body

There are numerous benefits to drinking wine every day, in moderation. When the medical studies first came out with this news, not surprisingly people were somewhat sceptical. Drinking alcohol everyday was not something that was normally recommended by doctors or health care providers. However, when drunk in moderation wine can provide benefits to the heart in addition to many other health advantages. Read More

Home Winemaking - Is Degassing Wine Important?

There seems to be some controversy about whether degassing your homemade wine is necessary. In one camp are those that say that it is vital to creating a wonderful wine that you'll enjoy in the months and years to follow. In the other camp are those that suggest that degassing is not that important, that the amount of carbon dioxide that remains when you bottle your wine is negligible. They assume however that you will be bulk aging your wine for a few months, which will supposedly allow the carbon dioxide gases to dissipate. Read More

Pairing Wine with Food

Pairing wine with food can heighten enjoyment of both the wine and the meal individually as well as enhance the overall experience. While not an exact science, there is a method to pairing wine with food that extends beyond red wine with red meat and white wine with chicken and fish. Read More

Enjoying the Aroma of Homemade Coffee

Coffee. It’s a delectable word. It makes you follow the aroma especially with the great tasting roasted coffee beans. Coffee is a popular drink at home, in the office, or just about anywhere. Tastes may vary depending on how the drinker wants the brew of the coffee and the type of coffee beans. Most drinkers, who are so picky about the flavor of their coffee, would consider home coffee bean roasting. We may think of home coffee bean roasting as a complicated process, but it is not. In fact, it does not require a special machine or equipment and any tools to produce the same professional tasting roasted coffee. What is even marvelous about coffee bean roasting is that you could do that with your popcorn popper or stove top pan, and you still get the same roasted coffee beans. But you could also use the help of coffee roasters. Read More

To make a good cup of Joe

Coffee hints

Never boil coffee; it brings out acids and causes a bitter taste. Store ground coffee in the refrigerator or freezer to keep it fresh.

Always use cold water for electric drip coffee makers. Use 1 to 2 tablespoons ground coffee for each cup of water.

I am pleased to inform you that I have published new recipes -- where you can find more easy recipes and money saving tips, especially for people who spend a lot time on the road -- on the Food and Recipes page of Truck-Drivers-Money-Saving-Tips.com

If you have any Comments & Questions please let us know. We would love to hear from you and know what you think to make cooking easy, fun and enjoyable.

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