Wine Article

When having a dinner party
a large aspect of its success is determined by the cocktails that you make available. You can really turn your party into a night to remember if you can expose your guests to some delicious drinks that they'll never forget. In this article
we'll relay some cocktail recipes that can surprise and impress your guests.

A commonly-used twist on a classic drink is known as the "Purple Haze". Based off of the Long Island Iced Tea recipe
the drink gets its name from the famous Jimi Hendrix song since it is purple in color. While the drink shares many of the same ingredients as a Long Island
it features a distinct taste that provides a good dose of alcohol while still tasting delicious. To make a Purple Haze
you're going to need the basic liquors that go into a Long Island - tequila
rum
vodka
and gin. In addition
you're going to need the secret ingredient that gives the Purple Haze it's color - Chambord
which is a raspberry-flavored cordial. You'll also need a lemon-lime flavored soda and sweet and sour mix.

To make a single Purple Haze
mix ฝ oz of the four Long Island liquors with ฝ oz of Chambord. Add in an ounce of sour mix
and top it off with a splash of lemon-lime soda for a little carbonation. That's all you have to do! The result is a drink that packs a punch while still being very delicious.

Are you looking for an adventurous cocktail that can really add some flair to the evening? The Flaming Dr. Pepper can be a great addition to an evening
especially for a Tiki-themed party. Be forewarned - the drink involves lighting a liquor on fire. The end result will shock you and your guests
however - it tastes almost exactly like Dr. Pepper!

To make a Flaming Dr. Pepper
you're going to need a bottle of 151 proof rum as well as a bottle of amaretto and plenty of light beer. The preparation of the drink can be easily ruined
so take heed for the following directions:

Take a shot glass and fill it พ full with amaretto. Top the shot with 151 - it should end up layered on top. Fill a pint glass halfway full with light beer. Now comes the showmanship part - using a lighter
carefully light the top of the shot on fire. The 151 will burn off the top of the shot
and once it's lit
you need to drop it into the pint glass. The concoction will fizz up
and you need to down it as soon as you can. By some act of God
the drink actually tastes amazingly like Dr. Pepper - shocking
considering there isn't a single non-alcoholic ingredient in the mix!

These two drinks can add a delicious and exciting aspect to your next get together. Exercise caution when making the Flaming Dr. Peppers
and be sure to take the keys of anyone who has been drinking too much. Enjoy!

Dehydrated potatoes are actually the same as instant potatoes, and this latter term is probably more familiar to you. If you are like thousands of other Americans, you buy dehydrated potatoes on a regular basis and frequently use them in your cooking.

Think about how many times you have gone to the local grocery store to buy dehydrated potatoes. Once a week? Twice a month? In those times that you have picked up a pack that says
Instant Potatoes
have you ever checked the package for the list of ingredients contained in the pack? The next time you go out to buy your favorite brand of dehydrated potatoes, you should try taking a look at the list of ingredients. You might be in for a shock.

Actually, we have done that to one of the cheaper brands of dehydrated products – check out its ingredients, that is. We went to our local Aldi's and grabbed a box of
Great Value Instant Potatoes." You would expect the package to contain potatoes
and nothing else right? After all
it's just instant potatoes
so what else should be in there?

Here is a list of the ingredients that are actually included in the pack of dehydrated potatoes:

- potato (you would really be shocked if this was not included)
- monocerides (these are fats)
- diglycerides (another kind of fats)
- sodium acid pyrophosphate (this is actually a chemical used in electroplating)
- sodium metabisulfate (this chemical is used with antioxidants)
- citric acid (a weak acid used for flavoring)
- BHT or butylated hydroxytoluene (a fat and oil antioxidant that has been quite controversial in the food-processing industry)

Out of all these listed ingredients
the only one that actually has business being in a pack of dehydrated potatoes is the potato itself. So what are all the other stuff doing in there? Just seeing the amount of chemicals involved in making dehydrated potatoes will make you want to think twice about buying them again.

You do have the option of making your own dehydrated potatoes. You can be sure that there are no harmful chemicals added
and you can even have a good time making them. The process is fairly simple
and you can turn it into a fun activity for the whole family
especially if you have kids around. For more info see http://www.dehydratedfoodguide.com/Articles/Dehydrated_Mushroom.php on Dehydrated Mushroom.

When making dehydrated potatoes at home
just follow these simple steps:

1
Cut your potatoes into thin slices.
2
Place them in a warm oven.
3
Keep turning them until they become crispy and dry.
4
Mash them into powder and store them in airtight containers.

You can ask your kids to help you in this last part. Just make sure that everything is orderly so you won't have to clean up too much afterwards.

Dehydrated bananas are available in any supermarket in the country. Many people like them because of their sweet flavor and delightful texture. But if more people knew how the manufacturers of commercially dehydrated bananas come up with their product
the popularity of this dried fruit would decrease dramatically.

Many people are already very conscious of their health these days
and when they learn how dehydrated bananas are made
they would probably be shocked. This is the usual procedure for making commercially dried bananas: first
they are deep-fried in coconut oil
then they are dipped in sugar water.

This is hardly the most nutritious way of making dehydrated bananas. That is why health-conscious people who know of this process have tried making dehydrated bananas in their own kitchens.

They dry up the bananas by subjecting them to 135 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 hours. This works well in drying up the bananas
but it also dries up the nutrients of the fruit and leaves it quite tasteless.

If you have tried making dehydrated bananas and have constantly failed
we now have the answer for you. Just follow these easy steps and you will have your own dehydrated bananas that taste just as good as the commercial version
but a million times more nutritious. For more info see http://www.dehydratedfoodguide.com/Articles/Dehydrated_Refried_Beans.php on Dehydrated Refried Beans

1
Soak your bananas for 5 minutes in a bowl of fresh lemon juice. If you don’t have lemon juice
you can use unsweetened juice.

2
Slice up the bananas into equally-sized thin pieces. Place the slices on a mesh sheet to let some of the liquid drip off.

3
Slow down the dehydration process. Instead of 15 hours
do it for 18 hours at 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not heat them until they are crunchy. Turn off the heat when the pieces are pliable.

4
Let them cool down...and start eating.

For an even more distinct flavor
you can try sprinkling your bananas with some cinnamon or coconut before dehydrating. There you go! You now have created your own home-made dehydrated bananas that are both delicious and very nutritious.

When I first started baking and decorating my kids birthday cakes
the variety of decorating tools I could buy seemed endless. And there was so much advice out there on cake decorating! It was a whole new world to me. Still
I reined in my impulsive nature to buy everything I thought I needed
and purchased some basic tools. It is these basics which have 'stood by me' in my quest for decorating those colourful creations my kids ask for each year on their birthdays.

In addition to these ideas
I've added some helpful suggestions for decorating your child's next birthday cake - some of which were given to me freely from others whilst a few goodies were borne from my own mistakes...

Cake Decorating Equipment:

You don't necessarily need elaborate equipment but you will need some basic supplies. You can purchase most of the following supplies at specialty baking shops or even your local supermarket. They are indispensable for baking and decorating any birthday cake your child might dream up.

Rubber Spatulas:

It's good to have a set of assorted sizes that are made of flexible rubber. They're the best tool for scraping frosting from the sides of bowls.

Metal Spatulas:

Have at least one large and one small angled spatula for spreading and smoothing frosting. Avoid your cake crumbling by using a small metal spatula to gently ice the cake with a very thin layer of frosting before adding the 'real' layer. This process is called 'crumb coating'.

Piping Bags:

Reusable 8"
12
and 18" bags with plastic coating on the inside for easy cleaning. Clear plastic disposable zip-lock bags are great for small jobs.

Coupling Nozzles:

These nozzles are essential because they allow you to change your tips according to the design. They can also act as a very large round writing tip for piping figures.

Gel
Powder or Paste Food colouring:

These are preferable to liquid food colouring because they are more concentrated and will not thin down the frosting.

Tips:

1
Have all ingredients at room temperature.

2
Use an electric mixer when beating the cake mixture. You've more chance of eliminating bumps in the pre-cooked cake mixture.

3
Wire Cake Racks are essential for cooling and inverting cakes.

4
Trim baked cake so it sits flat. Use the smooth base as the top of the finished cake and decorate with icing.

5
To stop crumbling
bake the cake the day before you need to decorate it and put it in the freezer.

6
Decorate while still cold.

7
Cake boards are quite cheap to pick up from cake decorating shops. Or you can cover a large piece of cardboard (cut from a box) with coloured foil.

8
Butter Cream Icing is great for decorating cakes. The only thing I have found with butter cream icing is that when you add colouring
a pastel colour is the only colour it will go to. This is because of the fat in the butter. If you want a darker colour
you have three options: Use plain icing sugar and water then add colouring; replace the butter in the butter cream icing recipe with vegetable shortening or; add black coloured powder to your icing mixture - it will deepen the colour.

9
Cut strips of waxed paper to slip underneath the edges of your unfrosted cake. When finished
you can pull them away and you won't smear the cake board.

A cupper is also a person that is going to judge coffee or be a professional taster. The company buyers share the barista’s goal of seeking out the beans that will make such a great drink. The barista will be the one that stands in the front line of the last consumer each day and will get the actual feedback on the greatness or the actual loss of the efforts.

Do you want to know what a barista thinks about a bean and the product that it makes? I do.

About seventy different countries now grow coffee from the beans that are taken from Africa to the Middle East
out of South American to the Caribbean and clean over to Hawaii. It is all going to be in a distance of about 25 degrees of the equator south and north.

It is no surprise that the differences in the climate
altitude
equipment and so many other differences are going to make the beans range in variety from different countries. Even those with different places of growth will have different tasting items.

Coffee plants will actually come in two different types of categories. This will be arabica and robusta. Arabica is going to have less caffeine from the robust but it is used for the finer coffees. The beans are more flavorful and will have much more great smell than ever.

Coffee is going to grow better in the higher altitudes. This will mean that the Milds from the arabica beans from the plants that are grown at 3000 feet or higher will be chosen the most. Brazil is different from arabica beans that are grown in Brazil however
they are at a lower altitude.

There will be different opinions from consumer to consumer to if they want to roast their own or if they do not. If the beans are not roasted
they will be green
soft and have a vegetable odor to them. This is going to be normal.

Anyone that is looking for the roasted
they will have plenty to pick from. There is going to be a light or cinnamon that is named for the color of spice and is not related to the flavor. These are going to be acidic and have a very high level of caffeine in them.

American roast or the medium is going to be a little darker and very popular since it is the one that is used by all the big coffee vendors all over the world. They are going to include Folgers and Yoban. The quality is not going to meet Barista’s standards by any means.

The Dark or otherwise known as the City roast is usually what is found in many specialty shops. This is where the process has lowered the caffeine and the acid in the taste of it. The result is going to be more pleasing and have a sweeter taste to each cup of coffee. This is going to be used for the normal cup of espresso as well.

The next type is the French roast. It is named because the French prefer their coffee to have more body and taste. The beans are going to look dark brown and have an oily base to them. You should look carefully at them and take in the smell so that you are not confusing these beans with the ones that have been burnt. You can even use these in your cappuccino machines.

The darkest of the coffees is the Italian roast type of coffee
often used by many people and businesses in special espressos. The color and aroma is known for one tasty cup of brew.

As you go down the scale of color
the cups are going to be made from the beans that have a less acid and are sweeter. This is what comes from carmelization or the browning and thickening like syrup. This will occur of the sugars that happen due to the roasting process. Along with this
some of the caffeine
which is bitter
will seem to burn up and will produce a smoother cup of coffee.

When you are out shopping for coffee beans
you should think about the barista who has to do nothing but taste coffee all day. They will have to take in the wonderful aromas of coffee all day long and that person is really going to know what they are talking about. Think about this the next time you are choosing what to use in your makers.