Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Kitchens And Their Importance In The Home

By Matthew Kerridge

Nowadays, no home is complete without the presence of at least a rudimentary kitchen. These versatile and very utilitarian and functional rooms have a history of extreme length and they got their start when the first humans set aside an area for a campfire and the cooking for food over that open fire. Since then, the vital nature of kitchens in the home today is more widely known than ever.

Most historians and scholars who have studied the development of home technologies trace the advent of the kitchen to the concurrent development of the cook stove or range. Additionally, kitchens became far more available when sufficient plumbing capabilities existed to bring running water to the home came into widespread use. Still, food was cooked over an open fire at least until the'th century.

It was in the'th and'th centuries in the West that people began to look at the open fire over which most food was heated and prepared as less than adequate. As a result, engineers and others began to study the problem and also started applying solutions to the need to improve the cook stove and range. This allowed the stove to be brought into the home along with plumbing to create the modern kitchen.

Even though we look at kitchens today as almost an afterthought when thinking about where they came from, history reveals that even the ancient Greeks had areas in their homes that they considered to be kitchens. Wealthy Greeks of the day actually had a separate room where food was prepared. They were usually located next to a water closet or bathroom so that both could share a common fire.

The Romans, as efficient as ever, arranged for large public kitchens to be built so that their common citizenry could take advantage of food heating technologies of the day. Wealthy Romans, just like wealthy Greeks, often had a very well-equipped kitchen. Roman villas often featured separate rooms where a fireplace was kept constantly lit and food heated up and prepared over it.

Pioneers in colonial America often would mark off a separate area in their cabins that they would refer to as the dining room or kitchen. Normally, the area was close to the fireplace where an open fire was kept burning to cook food and heat the cabin itself. It was some time before the classic kitchen developed and was placed into its own separate area of the home.

In the West, the rise of the kitchen can be directly attributed to the Industrial Revolution. This exciting era of invention and innovation impacted stoves and ranges in a positive way such that these new and modernized home appliances could actually be located in the home itself, often in a separate room that was equipped with running water and other conveniences.

In the modern day that we live in, there seems to be a limitless variation in the ways and methods that kitchens can be built. Nowadays, they range in size from very small and equipped with a basic stove, refrigerator and sink all the way up to rooms in the home that often are larger than the total living area of a colonial American cabin or home itself.

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Tuesday, December 1, 2009

What Is A Coffee Pod Machine?

By Calleigh McCoy

If you want to make coffee using a coffee pod, then you will need to use a coffee pod machine. Although the idea is new, the pieces are not, and coffee pods are actually just a small filter wrapped around just the right amount of coffee to make one cup.

Why Use A Coffee Pod Machine At Home?

There are a lot of people nowadays that live alone. Those people have no need whatsoever of coffee makers that make four cups of coffee every single time it's turned on. Not only does this end up being wasteful but, with gourmet coffee, it can be very expensive. This is even more true for those who work at home and may brew multiple batches every day, at different parts of the day, trying to keep their supply of caffeine fresh. No one likes stale coffee, after all. Even families can benefit from utilizing a coffee pod machine as opposed to your traditional coffee maker if there are multiple people that like coffee, but at various times, in the same house. If you make yourself a cup before leaving for your night shift, it'll hardly be good when your spouse gets up in the morning to take the kids to school.

So Would A Coffee Pod Machine Make Sense In The Office?

Most people assume that making a single cup wouldn't be useful at all in the office. When coffee is made there, people tend to want it when they smell it, so it just makes sense to make a lot, right? Therefore, most figure that the only efficient method to making coffee in the office is using a normal coffee maker. That's not necessarily true, though. What if the entire office doesn't want to drink coffee at once, for instance? Ever wonder how much gets tossed into the sink at the office in order to brew a fresh pot? Although a lot depends on the office's size, single servings might actually be far more efficient.

A Coffee Pod Machine Provides Flavor Options To Each Individual Person

Almost everyone has a specific preference when it comes to coffee. It doesn't matter if there is a pot of perfectly good brew sitting a few cubes over; you'll still have people running up three flights of stairs to get to the machine that has the coffee that they want to drink, be it french vanilla or amaretto, or whatever. A coffee pod machine that can handle all of that just might save the company and the individual some time.

Coffee Pod Machines Are Not As Expensive As You Might Think

Since they're seen as a more gourmet option, coffee pod machines are generally thought of as expensive. That, however, is not really true. In general, a coffee pod machine costs about as much as a regular coffee maker and, in many cases, they pay for themselves in saving waste. Even if money is not saved, sometimes it's worth paying a little more to have fresh coffee all the time.

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Dinner Ideas That Are Simple

By Lee Reid

Man people don't have a lot of time to cook. That's right, they live full lives. Often they don't have time to think about home cooking. Quick, healthy, inexpensive meals aren't easy to plan, that's the problem. People who have trouble with this, however, must not be paying much attention. With the Internet, cooking shows, and food demonstrations daily at supermarkets, it's easier than ever to plan a whole week of meals. Here are a few good dinner ideas for delicious meals the whole family can enjoy.

Corn dogs are an all American tradition, usually served at state fairs and by street vendors. It's delicious and easy, even though not exactly healthy. Coat the hot dogs with batter made of flour, corn meal, milk, salt, sugar and baking powder, then fry them until golden. Put the dog on a stick for an authentic feel.

Way back when, in colonial times, dinner was a lighter snack followed by supper later in the day. As time went by this changed based on social class and schedule. People who performed manual labor continued with the tradition of dinner to keep up their energy. As times change and we move away from regular meals at home, dinner has become the anchor that keeps families together and signals the end of the out of the home portion of the day and the beginning of at home leisure time. The meaning of supper and dinner have merged. That doesn't mean the meal has to be large, especially for people watching their waist lines. Try a roast chicken salad.

Crock pots were made for busy schedules. Set it, forget it, then return home to a well cooked meal. The crock pot can handle the entire meal. Add some meat and some potatoes cut into quarters for a terrific pot roast. Serve it with a fresh baked loaf of bread picked up on the way home from the local supermarket. Or, skip the bread to avoid the extra calories.

It's not that hard to cook well, for example grilled steak and baked potatoes. Use Google to find more great dinner ideas. The Internet has more than you can handle.

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Breadman tr875 2 Pound Breadmaker

By Gary Deavers

Close your eyes and imagine the smell of fresh baked bread wafting through your house in the morning. Imagine that lovely smell any time that you wanted it. With a bread make in your house, that dream can become a reality.

With your own bread maker you can be sure of what goes into the bread you bake. No more having to read the labels on the packages on the store shelf. You can have fresh baked bread when you want without having to leave the convenience of your own home. You can have what you want when you want.

If you are gluten intolerant, or have celiac disease, this bread machine is the one for you. The Breadman TR875 is one of the only bread makers on the market that has a gluten free cycle as a standard feature. Just put in your baking mix, yeast, and water; set the machine; and let the machine do all the work. Your freshly baked gluten free bread will be ready soon. And if you have ever eaten store bought gluten free bread, this will be a treat compared to that.

When it comes to features, the TR875 is packed with them. It has beep to let you know when the time has come to add in any extra ingredients such as fruits or nuts. The LCD screen is easy to read. This bread machine cleans up very easily with just soap and water. The lid can be removed to facilitate cleanup and removal of the freshly baked bread.

The Breadman TR875 2 Pound breadmaker stainless steel makes a great gift for yourself or others. If you dream of fresh baked, home made bread, this is the bread machine you really want. Also, if you have celiac disease or are gluten intolerant, this bread machine, the Breadman TR875, gets rave reviews for its gluten free bread baking ability.

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Renowned Italian Cheeses And Their Characteristics

By Chris Perry

Every country has something in its past which it is proud of and in case of Italy it is the continuing tradition of cultural and culinary heritage, particularly the Italian cheeses, which have been a constant source of pride and worldwide fame. Although Italy is a European country, the Italian cheeses have evolved into global products which have successfully carried the heritage of their parent country to the far and wide corners of the world.

Mozzarella is one of the most popular Italian cheeses due to its incorporation in preparations of pizzas and different types of lasagna. This variety of cheese is a by-product of buffalo milk which is unique only to Italy, and its characteristics are that it is white in color and possesses a soft but chewy texture.

The region of Lombardy in Italy boasts of having given the world its only blue cheese named gorgonzola in form of two main varieties namely gorgonzola mountain and gorgonzola dolce. While the former serves as an accompaniment for white wines, soups and stews due to its sharp flavor, the latter is served with fruits and desserts because it is comparatively sweeter. The special feature of this cheese is that it is mild when it is young and becomes progressively sharper in taste as it becomes older.

Mascarpone is a rich, creamy and mild-flavored Italian cheese which is often used as a replacement for whipped cream in many dessert preparations likes cake, rolls and pastries not only in Italy but throughout the world.

Parmesan is counted among the full flavored Italian cheeses and can be consumed in form of slivers or after being grated although both forms are incomparable in taste to the fresh piece of this cheese. This variety of cheese is distinct due to the presence of a hard rind and should be subjected to maturation for a couple of years before being considered fit for consumption.

Scamorza belongs to the category of Italian cheeses which are served with fruits and prepared from unpasteurized cow%u2019s milk. They can be easily distinguished due to the shape which they acquire due to the process of maturation when the milk is hung by a string and left for a considerable period of time.

Pecorino is probably an exception among the Italian cheeses because it is prepared from ewe%u2019s milk and is available in four main varieties namely Pecorino Romano, Pecorino Toscano, Pecorino Sardo and Pecorino Siciliano. This variety of Italian cheese is salty to taste and is subjected to maturation after which it is normally served as an accompaniment to desserts.

One of the traditional Italian cheeses which have been a part of the Italian culture since the ancient Roman civilization is the Grana Padano which is also prepared from un-pasteurized milk and has a smooth, hard and thick natural rind. This cheese is marked by its pale yellow interior as well as its fruity flavor which would remind one of a pineapple.

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Kitchen Renovations Is The Most Important Investment In Your Home

By Matthew Kerridge

If you are thinking of selling your home or simply improving it, kitchen renovations can drastically increase the value of your home. It isn't necessary to demolish the entire room and begin with a clean slate, as there a small improvements that will beautify the room and increase the value all at once.

Demolishing and beginning from scratch will probably give you a gorgeous room that you can admire, but it will be an expensive renovation. The good news is that you don't have to go all the way. You can improve some things and still end up with an impressive room.

For example, you can leave the existing cupboards in place and replace the doors. Refacing the cupboards will change the entire room's appearance and look brand new. But, for some people, even that can be too costly. So, perhaps painting the existing cupboard doors and change the hardware.

You may be surprised at the results: it will look like a new room! For an even bigger change, take the painting a step further on to the backsplash. The ceramic backsplash can be changed by either replacing it or sanding it to a dull finish, applying a coat of primer and then painting it.

It is recommended to change the counter top. This is not as pricey as you may believe it to be. Of course, there are so many choices to pick from, like laminate or marble, granite, concrete and ceramics. If you are a do-it-yourselfer, you can even install a granite-tile counter on your own. The look is outstanding and is only a fraction of the cost of a solid granite counter.

Changes like those above are recommended to bring your room up to date. But, you can also change and upgrade your floor. A ceramic floor is always sought after in a room with so much traffic. Again, if you are handy, you can save a lot of money by doing it on your own. And, you may want to consider radiant heating for the ceramics. It is always comfortable to have heated floors.

You can also consider hardwood as a floor. Not only is it beautiful and extremely stylish it can increase the value of your home as many home buyers like them.

No matter what type of renovating and improving you do to your kitchen, there is a very good chance that you will make all your money back, especially if you do it wisely.

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Yes, this is My Kitchen

By Matthew Kerridge

I do not know what it is. It may be one or two things. It may be everything put together. But, I will try to share with you the blessings of my little kitchen. I am sure there are more women who feel as I do.

One thing I have having to do in the kitchen, cooking. Oh my god, that makes me dizzy! I have invited friends over who refuse to do anything besides lift a fork to their mouths. All the gunk which gets on the dishes where you need a blow torch to remove food residue! It makes me so angry! This makes me hate this room the least in my house! I sometimes would love to set it on fire!

Roasts, turkeys, pickles, casseroles and stuffing. Oh my god, how terrific the smells which make people drool! I enjoy that I can persuade my loved ones to do most anything with the magic I perform in my little kitchen. My grandchild squeal with delight every time their tongues taste a new cookie!

From the nifty gadgets people have gifted me, over the years, I create masterpieces. Cakes, pies, breads, soups, stews, salsas! Blenders, toasters, shredders, shavers (for ice and chocolate) and juice makers. My kitchen is equipped with everything I need to put smiles upon faces. I do, once in a while, put a special smile on my face!

But, there are days I simply want to enjoy my kitchen all by myself. I make a large cup of hot cocoa and put miniature marshmallows in it. I sit by the window and see nature pass by. Even though I do have a minor kitchen, I have so much space outside I never feel smothered. I do appreciate this so much. I feel safe within the confines of these walls.

It is difficult to convey the way I feel when the warmth of the cider hits my tummy. I love my little "mess hall." It is quaint, pleasant and lovely. I feel I would be lost without the sweetness of this little room.

Nothing gets me more upset than to think about a kitchen. Too many of the people I know simply can not see my view. They think I am silly and just a moody individual. That is just not the truth! I just do not think it is a necessity to have that room in a house. I also hate a bathroom in a house. That does not make me moody, it just makes me honest about my feelings.

My tiny kitchen has all the amenities I could possibly want. I do not want one more thing inside it's walls. It gives me peace. It gives me strength. I could not love it more.

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