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How to Make Your Own Pizza at Home

Mar 12

Posted by in American, Books and Information, Pizza, Recipes | No Comments

I love pizza. I am an admitted pizza whore. I could eat pizza a couple times a week. But with the horrendous economy it has taken its tole on my wallet. I can’t eat out as much as I’d like to.

But I still love eating good food. And I wanted to find a way to enjoy good foods at home.  That’s why I was glad to find this product. Secrets from Inside the Pizzeria teaches you how to make NY style pizza and is instructed by someone who worked at a pizza making company for years.

The thing I like about this video guide is that it teaches you the basics of making great pizza, but it also gives you the flexibility to adjust to personal taste. So, if you like more garlic, oregano, fennel, etc you can adjust it to your preference. The other great thing about Secrets from Inside the Pizzeria is that they don’t try to force you to buy a bunch of things that you don’t need. For example, Deb, the instructor says that while a pizza screen is absolutely necessary, you don’t have to have a pizza stone, you could just use tiles instead.

Get Access to the Videos Now


Highlights

  • If you don’t want to buy a pizza stone, you can just use tiles
  • The videos show you how to make the dough by hand OR with a mixer
  • Gives you online sources to buy information no matter where you live
  • Give you guidance on adjusting the amount of yeast depending on when you want the dough to be ready for baking
  • Videos show you how to make dough using a food processor

You’ll learn answers to questions like:

  • Should dough be stored in an air-tight container?
  • What cheese will be more greasy than others?
  • What is the best flour, oil, yeast, salt to use?
  • How should I chop and add toppings for best cooking?
  • What to do so I don’t have a hole in my pizza center?

I am so glad I found this video series that shows you how to make pizza like a professional.

Click here for more information

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Sushi for Newbies: Tips on Sushi Eating and Etiquette

Feb 8

Posted by in Books and Information, Sushi | No Comments

Janet Murray recently posted an article entitled “50 Sushi Tips for Beginners” and I picked some of the top items I thought were most interesting. To read the full article, click here.

Japanese food has garnered a considerable amount of attention in recent years due to its amazingly healthy properties and clean, balanced flavors. Though Americans have grown familiar with sushi and other cornerstones of Japanese cuisine, many still find it difficult to break through all the barriers, protocols, and – yes – cases of mistaken identity that continue to surround the dishes to this day. With these quick tips, those interested in learning more about sushi have a solid place to start before moving on to the advanced courses.

5. Want raw fish with no rice? Order the sashimi instead.
Many people unfamiliar with Japanese cuisine usually think of sashimi when the subject of sushi gets brought up. Anyone curious about the simple taste of raw fish without the vinegared rice that qualifies a dish as sushi should order slices of sashimi.

8. Order sake with sashimi. Sushi tastes best with beer or tea.
Because sake is made from fermented rice, most sushi connoisseurs consider drinking it with sushi a redundancy. It complements sashimi fine, but those hoping for a beverage best suited to accompany nigiri, maki, or other sushi dishes would do best to drink hot tea or beer instead. Try to avoid rice beers, of course.

18. Sit at the sushi bar.
Any newcomer to the sushi scene must sit at the bar itself. This allows for a firsthand glimpse of the chef at work, familiarizing them with the process and facilitating conversation with the itamae (chef) when he or she has a moment to talk.

25. Never stick chopsticks straight up in a rice bowl.
Instead, place them over the shallow shoyu dish or a provided chopstick rest. Making them stand upright in a bowl of rice recalls the incense sticks burned at funerals.

28. Fish flesh must be firm.
This can be tested by pressing it with a finger. If the flesh feels mushy or does not spring back (as it were) from denting, then it is not fresh and should not be eaten. The only exception to this rule is sea urchin, which has a naturally soft, buttery texture.

29. Do not eat raw fish if pregnant.
In spite of all the health benefits of raw fish, pregnant women are discouraged from indulging. Slices of sashimi, nigiri topped with sake or toro, and other dishes still pose a risk – however slight – of causing damage to unborn children.

35. Both hot and cold sake complement sashimi.
When ordering sake, diners have the option of enjoying it either hot or cold. Neither temperature particularly affects the flavor of the accompanying food in a positive or negative manner – it is purely a matter of preference. Those new to Japanese food ought to try both temperatures to figure out which they like more.

47. Order pieces of nigiri in pairs.
The tradition of serving sushi two at once comes from a time when diners would have to cut their pieces in half to eat them without choking. Beyond that, ordering one piece of nigiri or ordering four of something have unfortunate etymologies attached to them in Japanese. It is generally recommended to order in pairs to avoid awkwardness.

Still not ready to eat raw fish? How about a method of making sushi that uses no raw fish? Download the videos now. To get started, click on the link below.

Get Started Making Sushi Now!

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Scenes from Alton Brown’s Cooking Demo at the Gourmet Show, Atlanta, GA

Jan 13

Posted by in Books and Information, atlanta | 1 Comment

Alton Brown, Food Network darling, including Host of Good Eats! and Iron Chef, made an appearance at the Gourmet Show here in Atlanta. This is a rare occurrence to have a celebrity as big as Brown do a free demo. The demo was called Science: It’s What’s for Dinner. I was completely stoked that I got to attend. I’ve never seen Alton Brown live and it was a real treat as expected.

The other thing that was great was the fact that this was a small cooking stage with only about 50 seats in the audience. So, we got to see Alton up close. Mr. Brown, an Atlanta resident, made 3 dishes. The first was braised short ribs, and we got to see his fancy doodle cooking accoutrement: an instrument for braising beef. He also made red bull ice cream using Nitrous Oxide as well as aerosol cheese.

Some questions he answered from the audience where:

What is your favorite multi-purpose cooking tool?
He said right now, it is his panini press. He said he cooks all sorts of things on it, none of which has been an actual pannini so far.

If you could eat anything for the rest of your life what it would be?
Beer and chocolate

Favorite meal / method of cooking?
Cooking a steak directly on coal

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What you Don’t Know About Cutting Boards

Dec 30

Posted by in Books and Information | No Comments

For cutting boards, I’ve always had a plastic one in my kitchen. It is easily stored and dishwasher safe. And in my mind, it just seems more sanitary. However, I recently read an article to the contrary. Here’s what I found out about wooden cutting boards vs. plastic cutting boards.

When you use a plastic cutting board, knife marks are likely to be deeper than a wooden cutting board which makes it harder to disinfect. This can leave bacteria in those cuts, thus making plastic cutting boards more unsanitary than those wooden boards.

Wooden cutting boards, on the contrary, are porous and allow bacteria to retreat into the grain where it is trapped and dies.The other benefit of a wooden cutting board? It won’t dull your knives as quickly as a plastic cutting board.

Cleaning solutions:
• Sanitize with a mixture of 1 tablespoon bleach to 1 quart of water (best for plastic boards only as this will be very harsh on a wooden board). Let sit several minutes, and then wipe. Let air dry.

• Apply straight white vinegar (if using a plastic board), or a mixture of 1 part vinegar to 5 parts water (wooden board as this will be less harsh). Let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse and pat dry.

Wooden Board Care:

Dry the board immediately after (hand) washing
Once a month, rub the board with oil, to keep it water-repellent and warp-free (find food-safe oil in the kitchenware department).

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3 Foodie iPhone Must-Have Apps

Dec 23

Posted by in American, Books and Information | No Comments

Everyone has the Urbanspoon and Yelp apps on their iPhones, but what about these less known apps than can be quite useful. Enjoy!

1. Ask the Butcher – $1.99
A handy tool to help with cooking and impress friends. This has over 30 recipes from one of the top chefs today. Help identify different cuts of beef. Just log onto iTunes and search for “Ask the Butcher”

2. Frommage – $3.99
Another foodie app that is a definite must-have. Detailed information on over 650 cheeses, including images, history, flavor profile and suggested wine matches.

3. Herbs – $3.99
Herbs offers cooking ideas for different herbs and even medicinal use. Want to start an herb garden? You can use this app for that too. You can even link to Wikipedia without leaving the app.

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Meet Nigella Lawson in Atlanta

Dec 8

Posted by in Books and Information, Recipes, atlanta | No Comments

Yep, that’s right. Nigella Lawson, author of seven books, host of cooking programs on the Food Network and the BBC will be in Atlanta later this week. You have 2 chances to meet her. She is on a book tour for her new book, Nigella Christmas.

Your first chance is the this Thursday, December 10th at the Atlanta History Center.
Reception begins at 6 PM. Tickets are $40 for Atlanta History Center members and $45 for nonmembers. Price includes sample appetizers, signature cocktails and an autographed copy of Nigella Christmas. For tickets, call 404.814.4150.

Nigella Lawson will also be at the Borders in Buckhead this Friday, December 11th at 12:30 PM.

Nigella Christmas comprises reliable, practical, easy-to-follow recipes and inspiring and reassuring advice.

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Food Network Star Hosts Cooking Event in Dalton, GA

Nov 2

Posted by in Atlanta visiting, Books and Information, Prix Fixe, Recipes, Romantic, Taste of, cook like a professional chef | No Comments

If you are a fan of the Food Network show Chopped and Chef James Briscione then you won’t want to miss this. Chef Briscione, Food Network star and winner of the show Chopped, has teamed up with the city of Dalton to host 2 cooking classes; the first was in October and was a huge hit! The second in November. Although this is a cooking class, Dalton has made a culinary event out of it and it will be offered as a weekend package for guests. See highlights below. For a detailed itinerary, click here.

In addition to the class and dinner with Chef James Briscione, highlights of the culinary weekend escapes include:

    · Wild Game Dinner and cooking classes
    · A four-course dinner at Planet of the Grapes, Dalton’s local gourmet restaurant and wine bar
    · Visit the newly restored Historic Freight Depot for a catered lunch by Oakwood Cafe
    · Wine tasting at Dalton’s Downtown Wine Festival

Class size is limited to 20 couples and the first will be held the weekend of November 6-7. Tickets are available for couples or singles.  Packages start at $325, including hotel accommodations, classes, meals, events and on-site transportation.  Discounts apply for booking two tickets. For reservations and ticket information go here.

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Is Buying a Guide to FarmVille Worth It?

Oct 24

Posted by in Books and Information | No Comments

I have to admit, I was pretty skeptical when I first started seeing FarmVille guides popping up. I mean, I’d never really played the game, but from the name I assumed there couldn’t be all that much to it. After all, how much strategy could possibly go into building a virtual farm? But once I started seeing these guides, I figured it’d be worth taking a shot at the game to see what all the hubbub could possibly be about.

And I was actually rather surprised. Building my own virtual farm was much more enjoyable than I’d imagined it would be. Part of that was because there really were a lot of options and a lot of decisions to make. The more I played the game, the more I realized that there probably could be a lot of helpful information in a guide because there were just too many ways you could play.

I was doing alright on my own, but I was getting more and more curious about what I might be missing out on. After I reached level 13 and was having a hard time getting farther, I decided to give one of the guides a shot. I bought FarmVille Secrets, a relatively new guide and pretty up to date on the latest additions to the game. I really wasn’t expecting too much, but this guide just blew me away.

In no time, I was the Cream of the Crop, a level 24 farmer with a Big Family Farm and tons of neighbors to visit. Using the tips in this guide helped me way more than I thought they would – even when I read them. There’s a lot more to this farming stuff than meets the eye. I’d recommend picking up a copy of FarmVille Secrets if you’re interested in getting the most out of your FarmVille experience.

FarmVille Secrets Revealed

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Morton’s Steakhouse Launches New Cookbook

Sep 15

Posted by in 5 star restaurants, American, Books and Information, Prix Fixe, Recipes, Wine Selection, Wine Tasting, atlanta, steakhouse | No Comments

Morton’s The Steakhouse is celebrating the launch of their newest cookbook, Morton’s The Cookbook: 100 Steakhouse Recipes for Every Kitchen. Morton’s is celebrating by hosting a series of cookbook tour parties at various locations throughout the country.The Atlanta event takes place at Morton’s The Steakhouse-Buckhead on Monday, September 21, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The evening will include a sampling of recipes from Morton’s The Cookbook paired with a selection of wine and cocktails. Morton’s Vice President of Wine & Spirits Tylor Field will be at the event to talk with guests and sign the cookbook he helped author.

Guests will also be invited to participate in a silent auction that includes a ‘Morton’s Chef Table,’ where six guests will enjoy a personal wine dinner paired with a signature Morton’s menu. 100% of auction proceeds will benefit Feeding America, and locally, the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Tickets to the event are $39 per person and Morton’s The Cookbook will be available for purchase for $20. To purchase tickets to the event, click here.

Morton’s The Steakhouse-Buckhead
3379 Peachtree Road
404-816-6535

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How to Level Up Quickly in Farmville

Aug 29

Posted by in Books and Information | No Comments

There are more and more people joining the ranks of FarmVille every day. No one can get enough of this game and there are plenty of reasons why. In FarmVille, you can get away from the noise and stress of everyday life. Just relax, plant some seeds, harvest some crops – not a bad way to spend an evening. And as you do this, you’ll naturally advance in levels over time.

There may come a time, though, when you want to get a little more out of the game. Every time you move up a level, you unlock new seeds, decorations, and other discretionary items. This means that in order to get the most out of your FarmVille experience, you’ll have to level up quickly to unlock as many items and bonuses as you can.

The Basics

But how do you do this? There are several things to keep in mind if you want to level up quickly in FarmVille. You probably already know that in order to level up, you need to accumulate experience points. For example, each plot of land you plow gets you one experience point. In the early stages of game play, the number of experience points you get by plowing land and planting crops is plenty to allow you to advance at a reasonable pace. Once you get through the initial stages though, you start to need more and more experience points to level up.

Focus on Experience

When you want to build up experience points quickly in FarmVille, you have to supplement what you gain from your normal harvests with other activities. Making improvements to your farm is a good way to gain some quick chunks of experience points. Buildings yield the most, but you can get experience from putting up just about any decoration or structure. You just have to pay close attention to the amounts of experience points each item will deliver.

You should also take experience points into consideration when deciding which crops to plant. Crops that take less than a day to grow only yield 1 experience point, while crops that take longer yield 2. That doesn’t mean you only want to plant crops that offer 2 experience points however. If you can get back and harvest them as soon as they’re ready, crops like strawberries will get you more than 2 experience points a day because you can harvest them every 4 hours.

You have to be on top of your harvesting and planting cycles in order to make progress this way though. Putting up buildings on your farm remains the best way to get big boosts in your experience quickly. Save up your cash for those, and you’ll be well on your way to unlocking all of the available items in FarmVille.

Hopefully you’ve found the information above useful. If you want even more tricks, secrets and tactics to dominate at Farmville, you’ll need the guide available by clicking the link below.

Killer Farmville Secrets Revealed

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