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November 17, 2006
Paper Scraps Vol 6 : Ricotta 101
* Ricotta is a fresh unripened Italian cheese made from whey (the watery residue left over from making other cheeses such as mozzarella)
* The name ricotta is derived from the Italian word recocta, which means "recooked". This refers to the second stage of making ricotta, where the leftover whey is cooked again to get the final product.
* Ricotta is a smooth cheese with a creamy mild taste and a thick texture. Its light flavour and low salt content make it perfect for using in sweet or savoury dishes. It can also be air-cured or dried in the oven to make it into a harder, sharper tasting cheese that can be grated.
* A great source of calcium and magnesium, ricotta is the ideal cheese for people watching their weight, it's fat content of around 10 per cent is quite low compared to the 34 per cent in regular cheeses.
* Ricotta is vailable fresh all year round in most delis and supermarkets. Packaged ricotta has a higher moisture content. Use fresh ricotta while baking to avoid soggy cakes and pastries.
Posted by Gel at 4:59 PM | | Comments (0)
November 15, 2006
Paper Scraps Vol 5 : Tea Brewing Wisdom
One of the nicest traditions that we have started in recent times is a pot of hot herbal tea, brewed lovingly and shared on virtually all evenings in little chinese teacups. It is extremely relaxing and a great way to just hang out and chitter chatter.
Here are seven steps to brewing the perfect cup
1. Pre-warm the teapot, so when hot water is added to the leaf, the change in temperature is subtle.
2. When adding tea, use 1 heaped teaspoon for each cup and 1 for the pot.
3. Boil the water, then let it cool slightly before pouring it over the leaves. [Black tea needs hotter water than green tea to extract the flavour]
4. Steep [or brew] the tea for about four minutes. Any less and you won't get the full flavour of the tea, any more and it will taste harsh and extra caffeinated.
5. Always place a lid on the teapot to contain the steam. Give the tea a stir after two minutes, about halfway through the brewing process.
6. The tea is ready when it looks cloudy and there isn't too much desiment at the bottom of the pot.
7. Green teas should be drunk without milk, but you can add sugar to taste.
Posted by Gel at 4:23 PM | | Comments (0)
November 2, 2006
Paper Scraps Vol 4 : Good Mood Foods
I like to have a small printout of this list stuck to my fridge so I can look at it day in and day out, so much that it becomes a mantra. Practicing good food habits is not only beneficial for your body, your mind will thank you for it too!
* Healthy snacks such as fresh fruit, yoghurt and nuts.
* Quality carbs like wholegrain breads, breakfast cereals and pasta.
* Low-fat milk
* Oily fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel and tuna
* A cup of coffee or tea and a whole bucketful of chitter chatter with a friend.
* Protein foods - lean meat, poultry, eggs.
* Your favourite indulgence food enjoyed occasionally as a treat.
Posted by Gel at 1:40 PM | | Comments (0)
November 1, 2006
Paper Scraps Vol 3 : Mushrooms 101
* Never peel mushrooms because their flavour and goodness lies in their skin.
* Wipe mushrooms with damp paper towel when eating raw. If cooking, use a pastry brush o brush away dirt and trim the stalks if they are dry.
* Store mushrooms, unwashed, in brown paper bags in the lowest shelf of the fridge. Mushrooms sweat in plastic bags and spoil very quickly.
* When buying mushrooms, select the button variety with tightly-closed caps. The gills become exposed with age. The more the gills are visible, the older the produce is.
Posted by Gel at 5:02 PM | | Comments (0)
