Catering Melbourne Blog

One of the basic tools that a kitchen should not be without is a good knife and a cutlery set. There are may processes in food preparation and these include among others the slicing, chopping and cutting of food ingredients. As one may think one sturdy kitchen knife can handle all the cutting tasks, think again. There are more to knives than meets the eye and the types of kitchen knives available in the market today are quite a handful. Here are a few of them.

Chef’s knife

The chef’s knife as its name suggest leads the pack of blades used in the kitchen. This knife can go through all the functions of chopping, slicing, mincing and dicing food elements. A chef’s knife usually measures at 6 to 12 inches. On the average this knife is about 8 inches. The main bonus of this knife is on the blade. The latter is curved to allow for a more accurate and defined cut.

Bread knife

The bread knife is definitely for cutting bread. Sizes measure from 6 to 10 inches and still 8 inches on the average. Bread knives have a jagged saw-like blade that permits them to slice through breads and pastries with ease.

Paring knife

Ranging from between 2 to 4 inches, the paring knife epitomizes the expression “small but terrible.” This knife can work for a lot of purposes same as the chef’s knife albeit its petite size. Ideally paring knifes are used for peeling and tricky cutting tasks such as making garnishes or pare sea foods.

Steak knifes

Sometimes cutting through meat is tough. This is the reason why steak knives came to be. Usually placed near the steak on the dining table setting, the steak knife typically supports a saw-toothed blade. It measures from 4 to 6 inches long.

Carving knife

With a thin blade, a carving knife has the aptitude to slice more precise cuts on cooked meat, poultry, hams and even roasts. A size of a typical carving knife measures between 8 to 15 inches.

Slicing knife

Slicing knives are usually present during barbeques as they slice better through these grilled beef and pork cuts. The blade in a slicing knife may or may not have a serrated blade. Generally, they are longer and narrower than a carving knife and are known to sport a rounded or blunted edge.

Boning knife

Bones can never be too far when there is a boning knife in the picture. Designed to aid in taking out the bones from meat, these knives are flexible enough to get through small spaces. Measurements are usually at 5 to 6 inches.

Fillet knife

Fillet knife is a kind of boning knife that serves to work with fish. The blades of a fillet are longer at 6 to 11 inches.

Peeling knife

As its name entails, the peeling knife is tasked to remove the skin off fruits, vegetables and other foodstuffs. This knife is generally small and its blade has a downward pointed tip.

Decorating knife

If you are preparing something fancy then you need a decorating knife. The ornamental and lavish cuts and patterns in fruits and vegetables on your salad may very well have been conjured with the help of a decorating knife.

This time of year the question always comes up; what wine pairs well with Turkey? If you’ve been asked to bring the wine or have people coming to your house for Holiday dinner, no need to stress about what to serve. The good news is there is no correct answer. Turkey pairs well with red wine or white wine depending on what you and your guests like. Turkey is adaptable and the way it’s prepared as well as other dishes to the meal really dictate what wine to pair it with.

If you are a red wine drinker, try a Pinot Noir. It’s a nice flavored red wine that will pair well with turkey. Pinot Noir has very little tannins which means it won’t overwhelm the meal. Even though gathering around the table and sharing in a holiday meal seems like a great time to pull out a special Cabernet Sauvignon you’ve been saving, don’t. They over power the meal. You could try a Zinfindel but save the “in your face” Zins for after dinner.

There are many good brands of Pinot Noir from California, Burgundy (France) and from Oregon. Find a known name brand in your price range and enjoy the meal. Serve Pinot Noir very lightly chilled. Putting the Pinot Noir in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes before serving it will bring out the fruit and will take away the ‘bite’ that alcohol can give when served at room temperature. A couple of good brands

If you like white wines, try a Chardonnay or even a Pinot Gris. This is where the turkey is really adapatable. Almost any good white will work, but stay away from the sweet dessert style whites. Light and crisp Chardonnay’s along with most Sauvignon Blanc’s will work.. If you want to be a little more adventurous, include a Viognier. It has a floral, peach, apricot, pear, fruity flavor and is m edium in body.

Sparkling Wine also works as well, and brings a festive note to the meal. There are some powerful, yet affordable brut Champagnes that have sufficient weight and structure to stand up to a rich meal. Again, stay away from the sweeter Champagnes.

If you want to enjoy something special, try a Beaujolais. Every year in November, Beaujolais Nouveau (”new Beaujolais”) is the first wine to be harvested in the Beaujolais region of France. Made from the Gamay grape, this wine is fresh, fruity, light-bodied and has hints of cherry and plums with peppery finish. It complements holiday fare well, and as it can be enjoyed slightly chilled, it can be enjoyed by those who favor a white wine.

Try one and tell me what you think! I suggest doing a trio of wines; red, white and sparkling. And let the fun and memories begin.

When thinking of healthy foods does brown rice or rice bran come to mind? It is common for us to have a list of favored healthy foods; our favorite fruits and vegetables; skinless white meat chicken; yogurt and low fat cheese.
Then there is that list of foods that brown rice may be on. The list of foods one knows is healthy like brown rice or rice bran and maybe they’ll try it one day; or not. Healthy grains like brown rice or rice bran are usually on this list.

Consciously, the choice is made for white rice instead of brown rice; processed baked goods instead of something with perhaps a healthy grain like rice bran on the ingredient list.

We opt out of the chewy texture and nutty flavor of a natural whole grain item like brown rice; or the unexpected sweetness of a rice bran product? If you had a choice and were ordering take out, would you look on the menu for brown rice? Would you go out of your way to inquire if brown rice were available at your local Asian restaurant?

I’m not talking about the fried rice that just happens to be brown from the cooking and seasoning process; I’m talking about unadulterated brown rice.

Hopefully we haven’t lost something in the low-carb revolution; the part of the message about needing grains like brown rice in our diets to aid in digestion; fight constipation; control blood pressure; and perhaps lower LDL cholesterol in the fight against heart disease.

In addition brown rice provides our bodies with healthy nutrients like magnesium, phosphorus, copper, thiamin, niacin, fiber, iron and vitamin B-6. Brown rice is a staple with other healthy grains in vegetarian and macrobiotic diets for these nutrients. It also has three quarters more dietary fiber than white rice.

The benefits of whole grains may not mean that every individual on the planet needs to follow the recommended guidelines.

Individuals seeking medical attention for diabetes or allergies may receive special nutritional advice from professionals regarding their diet. However adding the right mix of vegetables and healthy grains to your diet is smart eating.

No doubt your taste buds will need some time to adjust. Make your brown rice selection with care. Check labels to ensure a freshness packing date. Since brown rice hasn’t been through the same processes as white rice the expiration date may not be as lengthy. Stale brown rice will taste rancid and shouldn’t be eaten.

Make the transition of adding brown rice or rice bran to your diet a slow process. Gradually swap out processed foods for a smart food like brown rice and rice bran. Read ingredient labels; find whole grain breads that list rice bran in the first few ingredients.

Ask your favorite Asian restaurant if they serve brown rice in place of white rice. Mix it with white rice in a favorite recipe like stuffed peppers until you’re used to the nutty whole grain goodness of the brown rice on its own. In no time your taste buds will be thanking you.

Hong Kong truffle enthusiasts have paid $227,000 for a 750gm white truffle from the town of Alba in Italy’s Piedmont region. Bids also came in from truffle fans in New York and Berlin during the auction, held on November 11. A tartufo bianco from the same region achieved the previous record price of $198,000 at auction last year. Italian truffle markets have seen a peak in prices for the delicacy after a dry summer. Sunday’s truffle auction raised a total of $578,000.

A newly published scientific study shows the incidence of eczema in infants fed on organic dairy products, and whose mothers also consumed organic dairy products, is 36 per cent lower than in children who consume conventional dairy products. While there is a significant body of evidence showing organic food contains higher levels of beneficial nutrients than non-organic foods, this is the first example of a definite health impact (i.e. isolated from other potential beneficial factors) of organic food consumption being published in a peer reviewed journal. While the study confirms it is organic dairy consumption that protects against the development of eczema, the scientists could only hypothesise as to the mechanism which delivered this protection. Their hypothesis follows the established facts of increased levels of the beneficial conjugated linoleic acid isomers found in milk from organically managed cows. A separate recent study confirms that higher levels of conjugated linoleic acids are not only found in cows’ milk but also in the breast milk of women consuming organic milk. This therefore underpins the hypothesis that the higher levels of CLAs in the breast milk of organic milk drinking mothers are a key mechanism in reducing eczema, as well as the organic dairy diet of the infants themselves.

So you are fresh to a low carb way of dieting are you? If so, there is no doubt that you have many queries about how the low carb plan works, what to eat and not to eat, and about the low carb rules. Well, the best recommendation that I can give you to read on and note every significant thing about the low carb in your head.

The low carb in general is often mistaken as a short term diet fad. The truth holds that low carb is not a short term and a quick fad diet, where you just follow a formula for a few weeks and then lose a few weights then in the end go back to your old eating routines.

With that, it is then necessary to consider that when you deal with low carb, you are dealing about a lifestyle change. In the principle of this one of the latest diet fads, you need to acknowledge how the foods make your body feel and how to feed it properly. Engaging in this diet fad is not just about eliminating sugar and starchy foods. It also means replacing all those carbohydrates that you eliminate with high quality and nutritious proteins as well as quality fats as well.

Essentially, the low carb way of eating is considered to have given several benefits to the dieters? health and thus aid them in losing weight. So in line with such great news that this form of dieting contributes to the conditions of its followers, it is a common knowledge that when dealing with the low carb, a knowledge that many people cannot eat large amounts of carbohydrate foods such as sugar and starches without making and storing body fats is greatly expected.

Speaking of this latest diet fad, it is also interesting to know that under its principle, all the carbohydrates, except for the dietary fiber, are absolutely broken down into simple sugars molecules and is done through the digestive process. Also considered under the low carb principle is that the body will not burn fat for fuel unless a steady supply of easy-to-burn is there.

The low carb dieting also holds the principle that when the blood sugar remains stable after the process for following the low carb diet, the dieters will no longer be able to feel for food longing and the since the ketones are produced through the low carb dieting, the presence of the ketones are then vital for controlling the hunger. Thus the dieter will be able to lose fat and eventually lose weight.

The term empanada simply means breaded-as in breaded chicken or vegetables. However, in South America, the word has grown to refer to a stuffed, semi-circular pastry. Although the empanada has different incarnations in various countries, it always consists of a stuffing-be it a cheese, vegetable or meat-wrapped in dough, and then baked or fried. Fruit filling can be used to create dessert empanadas.

In Argentina, the country that is perhaps most associated with the empanada, empanadas are served frequently as appetizers, and consist primarily of ground beef, sometimes spiced with cumin.

In Bolivia, in addition to beef or chicken, empanadas often contain potatoes, peas, carrots, and either a quail’s egg, olive or raisins. Bolivians also eat fried cheese empanadas, which are brushed with sugar icing.

In Chile, because beef is more expensive, some of the beef filling is replaced with minced onion. Chileans eat empanadas particularly on September 18, during their national celebration.

Ecuadorian and Colombian empanadas are frequently made with corn-seasoning or flour. In both countries, empanadas are often paired with an Aji sauce, which is made of cilantro, scallions, vinegar, salt and lemon juice. In Ecuador, red peppers and sometimes chopped tomato are integrated into the Aji sauce.

A variety of Colombian empanadas is the stuffed potato, which, as the name explains, is made my stuffing a potato (and then breading it), rather than wrapping the stuffing in dough. Stuffed potato empanadas are circular rather than semi-circular.

In Ecuador, some people make empanadas de arroz, rice empanadas, which are deep fried. In Panama and Peru, empanadas are smaller than in other Latin American countries, and in Cuba, Puerto Rico and Mexico, sweet fillings are more common, so that empanadas are as much as breakfast and dessert item as an appetizer.

Uruguayan empanadas are similar to the Argentine varieties, but Uruguay is also known for their particularly tasty sweet empanadas, which combine dulce de leche and chocolate, and are covered with sugar or apple jam.

Once you know how to use a smoker, cookouts will never be the same again. If you have ever been tempted to toss your grill and try smoking your meat but didn’t know how to use a smoker, fear not! Using a smoker is easier than lighting a barbeque and it produces tastier meat.

A smoker is a piece of equipment that cooks food over heat created by burning wood, rather than burning coals. Once you have the know-how to use a smoker you will be able to make terrific food with unbelievable flavor. The secret to knowing how to use a smoker is all in the wood. Each type of wood used in a smoker creates a different flavor to the food. Mesquite wood gives your steak or your salmon a robust flavor, while oak or hickory adds a completely diverse flavor.

The first thing to do is find a location where there will be as little traffic as possible. Usually cooking with a smoker will take some time and occasionally the smoker will be left unattended so it should be in an area where children and pets are not likely to go. Wind conditions should also be taken into consideration so that smoke is not entering the house or interfering with outdoor activities.

A typical smoker has two barrels at the bottom. Build a fire at the base of the barrels with whatever type of wood you choose to cook with. Heat the wood for at least an hour. Those who know how to use a smoker will tell you that the key to making the best meals is to know just how long to heat the wood, and how much wood should be added to the steamer once you start. You want the wood to burn at a nice even temperature. This takes some practice so don’t despair if you don’t get it right the first time. The more you use the smoker the better you will become at deciding when the temperature of the wood is correct.

Once the wood has been thoroughly heated, you can add your food. You will need to monitor the temperature on a regular basis while the food is being smoked. Cooks who know how to use a smoker will tell you to that it takes practice to know when to adjust your flues and your dampers but that keeping the right temperature is the key to turning out delicious smoked food.

You have tons of options when cooking with a smoker. Not only can you pick between lots of different types of wood to give your food flavor, you can also experiment on smoking lots of different types of foods. Cooks who know how to use a smoker to their advantage not only smoke more than one kind of meat at a time (try smoking a turkey and steak at the same time) they also try different foods. Wait till you try chili in your smoker!

Seriously, once you know how to use a smoker, there is a whole new world of cooking experiences waiting for you!

About the Author:

To learn more about outdoor cooking equipment and get information about outdoor cooking visit our site at http://www.thebarbecuesite.com

Read more articles by: Peyton Hines
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Croatia can be roughly divided in 10 different regions. It is a small country with interesting history. Food production is not extraordinary neither in quantities nor in the type of products. Long, turbulent and surprising events through past times shaped Croatian cuisine. Country was always part of the of one empire or another and in the way of many military campaigns. Different people and different ways made it possible to collect and preserve knowledge otherwise forgotten.

Recipes are heavenly from one region to another.

Istria

Famous dish is manestra. Some claim it as a inseparable part of Italian gastronomy but who are we to say that is so. This region is famous for its truffles/particularly Motovun forest/ Pasta called fuzi-small tubes, pljukanci and other types of home made pasta are daily delicacies.

Lika, Gorski kotar and Kvarner

Lika is known for its many dishes made with dry or smoked lamb, sheep, goat (kid) meat. Lamb or kid on the spit are appreciated beyond description. Island of Pag is famous for its lamb meat. It has distinctive taste as a result of climate and specific diet for local sheep. Skripavac and Basa are well known cheeses from Lika. Skripavac literally means ” one that is making squeaky noises”.It does so when you chew on the slice of it.
In Gorski kotar locals prepare most delicious frogs, game and dormice.Dormice are also known for its miraculous fat (used in medicinal purposes) and meat-when roasted. I find this last dish to be overwhelming and to close to eating a pet.

Kvarner is famous for excellent choice of cheeses.They differ from one island to another. Variety of minestre(soups) is impressive as well. Local maroons are picked from very special chestnut trees. They have sweet taste, prominent and rich when you roast them on the real fire.

Dalmatia

Dalmatia can be divided in Northern, Mid and Southern….not to mention the islands.

Brudet is universal dalmatian dish.It is made from fish, crab and shellfish from fishermen net and combined in best order and perfect amounts to achieve divine taste.

Personal favorite is kapulica or ljutika. These are longish, small onions pickled in wine vinegar( close in taste to Balsamic) Small and round onions are different story and they cannot pass for “real” kapulica.
Pasticada is another amazing meat dish. Recipes are numerous and provide you with important and helpful tips. This dish can be studied through various cook books..

Neretva

This river region has very distinctive cuisine. Their own version of brudet consists of eels, frogs and many fresh and sea water fish. Tangerines and fruits from Neretva valley are rear combination of sweet and freshly moist flavors. In one word-amazing.

Dubrovnik

Region around old town offers many surprises. Let s just name a really serious desert-Rozata.Some will call it creme caramel although it is not the same.

Slavonia

this inland region is offering big selection of mushrooms, smoked and cured meats and sausages. Fish paprikash (with spice touch and genuine closeness to tastes of neighboring Hungary) is prepared in many ways and it is hard to find mediocre one.

Ilok and many other small towns and villages in region are home to some great wines.
Kulen is most praised of all cured meats. It is somewhat like salami although I do not find it a just description. It varies from mild to really spicy.

Central Croatia

It consist of many regions and smaller units. Fresh cheese and cream you can find in Northern parts is precious. In English it is called cottage cheese. False. Not even close. This cheese is not cottage. It comes in molded form and can be “peeled” in many layers. It is watery, fresh, light and moist. It does not have consistence or chewy quality of cottage. Cottage is not close enough in shape and taste for valid comparison. Recognizing that taste is unique and individual it is still a fresh cheese goddess compared with everything else in that category.

Trout, Pike, Carp, Catfish, and Greyling are few of fresh fish favorite choices for the meal.

Gastronomic adventure is always a challenge. It would be truly rewarding to come for a visit and “have a taste” of the place.

Greek souvlaki is found in every corner of Greece today and it is no exaggeration to say that the younger generations have grown up on it.

Although proponents of a healthy diet spurn the humble souvlaki, it’s actually a full, nutritious meal. It contains all our daily nutritional requirements: protein from the meat, carbohydrates from the pitta and chips (if included), fibre and vitamins from the tomato and onion. The oregano and other seasonings are also considered a source of valuable antioxidants and trace elements.

So is souvlaki healthy? Nobody denies it’s tasty, but whether it’s healthy is open to question. The answer is that souvlaki is healthy on certain conditions. Made at home, where we control the ingredients and cooking method, the souvlaki is a healthy and delicious meal.

Buy the pitta bread from the supermarket, baste it lightly with a spoonful of olive oil and put it under the grill. Use lean pork and marinate it in wine and vinegar for a few hours to give it taste. Sprinkle with lots of oregano or other herbs and grill the souvlaki or, better yet, barbecue it. Add a little fresh tomato and as much onion and yoghourt as you want, and your souvlaki is ready to eat. You can also experiment with lettuce instead of - or as well as - tomato, and mustard instead of yoghourt, but avoid adding chips to keep the calories down. You can leave out the chips altogether or replace them with mashed potato or rice. Rice is ideally suited to yoghourt, and the yoghourt itself can be low-fat.

A souvlaki in pitta bread prepared in this way is unlikely to contain more than 300 calories. Even if you’re very hungry and eat two, 600 calories won’t make you fat.

A souvlaki from the souvlaki shop, on the other hand, usually contains lots of fat if the pitta is fried. Chips up the fat and calories even more, to over 500 calories a portion. It may also contain lots of salt, something to be avoided as far as possible.

If you’re worried about your cholesterol, choose chicken souvlaki, which is much leaner meat with fewer calories. You can also make seafood souvlaki with shrimps or fish fillets, or vegetable souvlaki.

Mexican souvlakia are made of alternating prawn and courgette chunks threaded on a skewer. For extra taste they are marinated from three to twelve hours in a spice mix and basted with fresh egg-and-lemon mixed with finely-chopped onion. The souvlakia are cooked when the shrimps and vegetables change colour.

It’s so easy to make souvlakia at home that, with a bit of experimenting, you’ll soon achieve your own personal recipe and impress your friends with your unusual souvlakia.

Greek Pork Souvlaki Recipe for 4

500 grams / 1 lb of pork in cubes
8 bamboo skewers
½ cup of olive oil
1 tablespoon of vinegar (wine vinegar)
1 pinch greek oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 large pita breads
Greek yoghurt or Greek tzatziki
Shreaded salad of lettuce, tomatoes, onion, herbs etc.

Cut the pork into small cubes and carefully thread onto the skewers. In a bowl place the olive oil, the wine vinegar, the oregano, the salt and the black pepper. Place the skewers with the pork in a dish and pour the marinade over them. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or ovenight.

Preheat your grill or barbeque. Place the souvlaki skewers over a medium heat and cook each side. Brush with the marinade and turn to cook evenly.

Brush the pita breads with olive oil and cook them on the grill. When the pita and the souvlaki are ready, pull the meat off one skewer into the pita, add tzatziki or greek yoghurt and the shreaded salad. Roll the pita to form a tight cone and wrap it in kitchen or other suitable paper. Serve hot.