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Watermelons - fruits that entice one and all when they dig a bite into them are a hot favorite in the summer. So far, I had seen round and at the most, an oval shaped water melon. You know, what a great problem these round ones are when you have to refrigerate them.

Now, give it to the Japanese (Who else!) to come up with a solution and you have water melons in all shapes - square ones sit in your fridge perfectly and you just can’t resist buying the human faced ones even if you hate water melons.

No, square shaped or cubic water melons are not a new phenomenon, they were produced by an innovative Japanese farmer from Kagawa about 25 years ago. These exotic shaped water melons don’t come cheap of course. You have to shell out around 12,000 yen, which is about $98 to take this one home. But, as much as you can feast your eyes with a cubic water melon, the same can’t be said about the effect it has on your taste buds!

Farmers from Hokkoida next came up pyramid watermelons that are triangular in shape. These are difficult to grow when compared to the cubic shaped ones and are grown in an acrylic shaped box to get that triangular shape. Naturally, they cost you a fortune - a whopping 80,000 yen, which is about $650. The taste as usual disappoints!

Of course, the next one has to get better than its predecessors. So, here come watermelons that are shaped like human face with eyes, nose and a killing smile that would stop your knife from even getting near it! Again costs the same as pyramid watermelons, about 80,000 yen.

Well, anything that’s odd is sure to grab attention, but what’s the use if they don’t feast your taste buds after paying through your nose and literally burning a hole in your pockets. I’d rather enjoy the good ol’ round ones at home and feast my eyes on the odd ones in the shop!

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Little tea-time treats not only need to be delicious and light but also very attractive. And, if they are easy-to-make, they are welcome even more.

Macroons are a regular for a tea party, not only because they are light and fluffy, but also due to a certain international appeal about it , and also it goes well with people of all ages. Macroons can be prepared with a variety of ingredients with egg whites as a ‘must’ ingredient.

Here is a unique variation of macroon which has a rich-royal taste due to the pistachio nuts.

For about 30 mini macaroons

150g shelled, unsalted pistachios, plus
1 tbsp for the topping
1 large egg white
115g caster sugar
A tiny pinch of salt
1/2 tsp distilled rosewater (optional)
Icing sugar

Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper. Grind the 150g of pistachios into a fine meal. Set aside.

Place the egg white in a bowl and whisk until it forms stiff peaks, then gradually add the caster sugar, whisking until it forms a thick, glossy meringue. Add the ground pistachios, salt and rosewater and stir until the mixture forms a stiff paste.

Tip some icing sugar into a small bowl. Liberally dust the palms of your hands with the icing sugar and pull off a grape-sized lump of pistachio paste. Roll it into a ball, slightly flatten and place on the paper-lined tray. Repeat until the mixture is finished.

Take the remaining pistachios and split them with a knife. Press a shard into each macaroon. Leave to dry out for a minimum of 8 hours.

Preheat the oven to 160C/140C. Cook the macaroons for 10 minutes or until they are lightly coloured and slightly cracked. Remove and serve once cold.

Simple and very delicious.

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Breakfast is the most significant meal of the day. We often here of the advice that no matter what happens breakfast should never be skipped. Indeed this advice should be followed; after all, you have to gear up for a day full of grind. A quick, easy and yummy breakfast is just the need of the hour. To help those out with time constraints the following breakfast recipes will come handy as they are easy to make and do not take up much of your time. So now make no excuses for avoiding a much needed breakfast.

The recipes will help you prepare a scrumptious breakfast not only for yourself but also your loved ones.

I] FRENCH TOAST
Ingredients:
Brown/white bread slices - 10 nos.
Eggs (beaten) - 3 large
Milk - 2 tbsp
Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp
Green cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Butter - 1 tsp per slice

Method:
1.) In a large mixing bowl, take beaten eggs, milk, essence, cardamom powder and mix well.
2.) Heat a non-stick frying pan. Turn the heat to low and add the butter.
3.) Now dip one slice of bread into mixture at a time and fry in the pan until it is crisp and golden in color. Repeat the procedure for all slices.
(Servings: 4)

II] CHEESE TOAST
Ingredients:
Brown/white bread slices - 6 large
Potato (boiled, peeled & grated) - 3 tbsp
Fresh green coriander (finely chopped) - 1/2 tbsp
Cottage cheese (grated) - 1 cup
Red chilly flakes - 1/2 tsp
Garlic clove (crushed) - 1 small
Salt to taste
Butter as per will to apply on the slices

Method:
1.) In a mixing bowl, mix all ingredients except bread slices and butter. Keep aside.
2.) Now apply butter to all slices on both sides as per your will.
3.) Preheat oven to 180C.
4.) Place equal amounts of the cheese mixture on all slices.
5.) Bake in oven for 5-7 minutes or until toasts are crisp and done.
6.) Serve piping hot with ketchup or chutney.
(Servings: 4)

III] SCRAMBLED EGGS
Ingredients:
Eggs (beaten) - 6 large
Milk - 2 tbsp
Butter - 2 tbsp
Salt and pepper - 1/2 tsp each
Tomato (chopped) - 1 large
Spring onion (finely chopped) - 1 tbsp

Method:
1.) In a mixing bowl, add beaten eggs, salt and pepper. Mix well.
2.) In a frying pan melt butter over medium heat. Stir fry the tomatoes nd spring onions for 2 minutes
3.) To this add the egg batter. As the egg batter begins to set, start stirring continuously to get scrambled eggs.
4.) Serve hot.
(Servings: 4)

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Source: Cooks.com, Southernfood, Bawarchi

Once when I was dining at a Bengali friends residence, I was overjoyed when they served delicious rasgullas for dessert. Chomping on the small, spongy balls dipped in sugar syrup I decided that I would dig into the history of this much-loved dessert as soon as possible. Many months passed since then until I could find time for my passion for food history. Nevertheless, I went ahead after months of hiatus, tried to accumulate all tit bits I could from the net, friends, and anywhere I could get information about this famous dessert.

I was astonished with what I found out. The rasgulla considered a popular Bengali sweet by scores of people actually has its origins in the town of Puri in Orissa. Yes, unbelievable as it may sound but it is the truth. Rasagolla, the name by which rasgulla in known in Orissa has been relished by the Oriya folks for centuries. Infact it is said that the most scrumptious rasagollas in Orissa are those churned out by Bikalananda Kar in the town of Salepur and the ones prepared in the village of Pahala. Prepared from chenna (cottage cheese) that is then held together by semolina/suji and flavored with cardamom, the balls of this dough mixture are tossed into sugar syrup and cooked. This Oriya version of cream-colored rasagollas rivals and dominates the most famous Bengali versions.

Then how is it that the rasagollas came to be known as the Bengali rôshogollas? The amalgamation of this much-loved Oriya dessert into the cuisine of Bengal took place when the Ude Thakurs (Oriya brahmin cooks) came to be employed by the elite Bengali households. The Bengalis fell in love with this yummy dessert at once but were saddened by its short shelf life. In 1868, Nobin Das, a confectioner in the town of Kolkata started using arrowroot and chenna impurities in the preparation of the chenna balls. This extended the shelf life but with loss of some deliciousness as compared to the original versions. Nevertheless, the Bengalis enjoyed their rôshogollas and do so even today.

With the passage of time, K. C. Das, son of Nobin Das devised a technique to can and sell them. From then on, the dessert became more popular and reached many other regions of India. Today, the dessert holds position as the national sweet of India. However, there are some who would claim that Haradhan Moira and not Nobin Das was the one to introduce rôshogollas in Bengal.

Well, even if the issue of who introduced rasagollas in Bengal remains debatable, young and old waste no time in enjoying this succulent sweet treat time and again.

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Source: Wikipedia

For those looking for success with their seduction plans in these romantic months of monsoon, can try their hand to get what they wish by using food as their weapon. Well, I suggest the combination of pasta and wild mushrooms can just do the work for you. So, go ahead and try the recipe for pasta with wild mushrooms created by Diane Brown, author of The Seduction Cookbook: Culinary Creations for Lovers. Diane says,

“Along with their alluring earthy sensuality, mushrooms contain phosphorus and potassium, both said to invigorate the libido.”

Now, hurry and dish out this exceptional recipe.

Ingredients:
Penne pasta (boiled) - 250 gms
Mixture of wild Mushrooms like chanterelle and oyster (cleaned, stemmed, and cut into thick slices) - 250 gms
Butter - 1 tbsp
Olive oil - 1 tbsp
Garlic cloves (crushed) - 2 large
Fresh rosemary (finely chopped) - 1 tsp
Basil (coarsely chopped) - 1 tbsp
Fennel seeds (toasted) - 1/2 tsp
Black pepper powder and salt to taste
Parmesan cheese (freshly grated) - 3 tbsp

Method:
1.) In a pan heat the olive oil on medium heat. When heated add butter to it.
2.) Once butter melts, add the garlic and fry until it develops a golden color.
3.) Now toss in the mushrooms, rosemary and fennel seeds. Season with pepper and salt.
4.) Cook for 10-15 minutes or until mushrooms are done.
5.) Now add the pasta, basil and 2 tablespoons of cheese. Mix gently.
6.) Serve the pasta hot in two plates. Garnish with remaining cheese.

May the recipe grant you success with your plans to spice up the evening with your sweetheart!
Buon appetito!

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Source: Reluctantgourmet

The preparation of any kind of food or drink is nothing short of an art. It demands patience, knowledge and exemplary prowess to win the hearts of people with your culinary preparations.

Realizing the endeavor that goes into churning out even a simple cup of coffee to match up to countless palates around the world, the World Barista Championship (WBC) has been created. The championship brings together best barista talent from around the world. Those contending for the title of ‘barista’ or supreme coffee maker are required to prepare twelve coffee brews. These include four espresso, four cappuccino and four signature drinks to be judged by a panel of four judges. The judges base their decision on attributes such as taste, aroma and presentation of each of the brews. The championship is divided into two rounds. The first or preliminary round is followed by a second round, which will feature only the top six competitors.

Scandinavian countries have, often dominated this competition that was created in Norway. Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) and the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) are the owners and organizers of this exceptional competition.

The 2007 World Barista Championship was held in Tokyo over a period of three days. James Hoffman, a Briton excelled over 44 participants from six nations to win the prestigious championship. Further, he won the award for the best signature drink of the 2007 at the competition. His signature drink comprised a biscotti flavored concoction and a tobacco mix blended with his superb espresso.

In addition, at the 2007 WBC, Heather Perry from the United States of America secured 2nd place and his espresso preparation was recognized as the best among the top six competitors. Carl Sara from New Zealand had to be happy with a 3rd place at the contest. The 4th place was claimed by Japanese barista Miyuki Miyamae who bagged an award for coming up with the best cappuccino at the contest. Anna Kaeppeli of Switzerland secured 5th place at the competition. Brazilian barista Silvia Magalhaes had to settle for the 6th place at the 2007 WBC.

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Source: Spluch, Wikipedia

Salads are no more considered to be a mundane side-dish which you can afford to leave out if you do not have time. They are gradually acquiring a fan-following of their own. More so, because everyone has become conscious of what they eat and how it will affect their health.

This variation of potato salad preparation soaks the potato in an unique dressing giving it a royal flavour. The dish not only looks good on your table spread, but, is also very filling.

Serves 2-4
750g new potatoes
2 fresh eggs
1 shallot
2 dsp white wine vinegar
6 dsp olive oil
3 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp finely sliced chives
1 tbsp finely chopped mint
50g watercress

Scrub the potatoes to remove the skin and boil in salted water until tender. Drain.

Boil the eggs in a small pan of water for 9 minutes.
Crack the eggs all over, hold under cold water and peel while still hot.
While the potatoes and eggs cook, peel, halve and finely chop the shallot. Place the vinegar in a salad bowl, season with salt and pepper and when the salt has dissolved, whisk in the oil to make a thick emulsion.

Stir the shallots into the vinaigrette. Slice the hot potatoes directly into the dressing and stir well. Leave for a few minutes for the dressing to soak into and flavour the potatoes, then grate the eggs directly over the top.
Season with black pepper and a little salt and pile on the chopped herbs. Gently stir everything together. Now pile the watercress on top. Serve immediately while the potato is still warm.

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Cheese, a wonderful dairy product without which many popular recipes around the world would lose their charm. Imagine a pizza without generous topping of cheese and what would become of the countless sandwiches and pasta recipes if there were no cheese? Indeed the flavor and aroma of the cheese is the reason for the uniqueness of this food preparation. Cheese figures in the list of nutritional foods and is packed with probiotics.

Now, recent research has brought to forefront the role of prebiotics in enhancing sensory and nutritional qualities of cheese. For understanding this, we first need to understand certain terms such as prebiotics and probiotics. Well, the beneficial bacteria that naturally inhabit our gastro intestinal (GI) tract offer health benefits and these bacteria are referred to as probiotics. Compounds called prebiotics boost the growth of these probiotics.

A study conducted at University of Sao Paulo in Brazil into ways of enhancing the sensory qualities of cheese suggests the possible role of prebiotic ingredients such as inulin and oligofructose fibres in doing so. In the study conducted at Sao Paulo, researchers developed eight varying pilot-scale batches of the petit-suisse cheeses. These formulations comprised probiotic cultures such as Lactobacilluse acidophilus and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (both from Danisco). In addition varying mix of prebiotic fibres of oligofructose (Beneo P95, Orafti) or oligosaccharides from honey and inulin (Beneo ST, Orafti) were used.

The cheeses so obtained were then put to test to about 560 tasters. The tasters approved of the cheeses that were provided with oligofructose and/or inulin during the time they were stored but disliked cheese comprising the honey oligsaccharides. This study is in print in the journal LWT- Food Science and Technology.

The cheeses with oligofructose and inulin were approved because of their better sensory qualtites. It can be concluded that the prebiotic ingredients served to enhance flavors, mask off-notes, impart smoother texture and superior mouthfeel to the product. In addition, these prebiotics did not partake in Maillard browning thereby working to maintain protein quality that gave a better finished product.

Further, probiotics in the cheese broke down inulin and oligofructose to give short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) that work to promote cell proliferation, maintaining colonic epithelium integrity and suppressing inflammation in gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This enhances the nutritional profile of the product.

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Source: Foodproductiondaily

Kids never have enough of it and the adults too aren’t far behind. The good old traditional doughnuts are almost legendry super-treats for all ages. Though few variations of it have surfaced now and then, the original simple taste remains an all-time favourite.
Here is a no-frills doughnuts recipe which you would just not like to ignore.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp white vinegar
100ml milk
1 tbsp shortening
50g sugar
1/2egg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
150g sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
Pinch salt
oil for deep frying
sugar for dusting

Stir the vinegar into the milk and allow to thicken for a few minutes. Place the shortening, and sugar into a medium bowl and beat until smooth, then add the egg and vanilla, and continue to beat till it blends well. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the sugar mixture alternating with the vinegar and milk, until it forms a sticky dough. Shape into 10 doughnut shapes and allow to stand for 10 minutes.
Heat the oil and fry until golden. Drain on paper towels, and allow to cool a little. Finally dust with the sugar and serve. And, watch them disappear in no time.

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Acai berries are touted to be the No.1 super food around the world as they are known to be the power house of nutrients. These tiny dark purple berries grow on the Acai palm trees in rainforest of Brazil.

Acai berry (pronounced as ah-sigh-ee) was not heard so much until Dr. Perricone proclaimed it to be a super food on Oprah’s talk show.

Why are Acai berries the no.1 super food?

1. The anti-oxidant level of Acai is 10 times that of grapes and twice that of blueberries.

2. The berries have 10-30 times the anthocyanins of red wine.

3. The berries are rich in amino acids and proteins.

4. Acai has amazing 44.2 grams of fiber per 100 grams of Acai.

5. The berries are a great source of vitamins and minerals.

6.They are also rich in Omega fats, ie healthy fat.

What this means is that, a handful of Acai berries is supposed to give you a strong immune system, rejuvenate your mind and body, give you a healthy, glowing skin and hair, and increase your energy, libido and stamina.

Where can you buy them? Unfortunately fresh Acai berries are available only in the Amazon rainforest and these fruits can be consumed within 24 hours of picking them or they perish. But you can enjoy the goodness of Acai in the form of frozen pulp, and freeze dried Acai powder.

Now that the secret is out, why don’t you try some recipes of the Acai berries and enjoy a super duper health?

Thanks

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