wine tip

Buffalo was once the chief source of meat for many Native Americans before the animal nearly became instinct over two centuries ago. However
because of its many health benefits and other factors
buffalo meat is rapidly making a comeback to plates and palates today.

Private ranches are now raising buffalos in a bid to fill the growing demand for buffalo meat but the supply remains miniscule compared to the supply of beef
making it presently relatively expensive. Despite the costs however
buffalo meat has many advantages over beef which makes it an ideal meat alternative for the health conscious.

For one
buffalo meat has 70% to 90% less fat than beef and half the cholesterol. Further
because they are stronger than domestic animals
they don’t require growth hormones and artificial substances to get them to size. In appearance
buffalo meat is similar to beef except that it has a darker reddish color. Connoisseurs however say that buffalo meat has more flavor than beef and is just as tender.

Buffalo is also as versatile as beef and has similar cuts. It can be used in any beef recipe but has to be prepared and cooked differently because it cooks faster than beef due to the absence of fat within the muscle. Fat acts as an insulator which tends to slow down cooking time so with less fat content
the meat will cook faster.

To prepare a buffalo steak
experts advise putting olive oil on each side before cooking in order to keep the meat moist. The key is to go “low and slow”. One should turn the buffalo steak over often and cook at a lower heat than steak. Also use slower cooking times but avoid overcooking the buffalo as this could dry the meat out. If you are using a gas grill
experts also advise keeping the lid closed to keep the moisture in. If you are cooking buffalo meat in the broiler meantime
it is advised to move the oven rack a notch lower than what you would use to broil beef. Chefs however advise against using a broiler to cook buffalo meat. If you are using the stove
the stove should be turned to medium. Ground buffalo meat can also be used as a substitute for ground beef but it is well to remember that buffalo does not shrink in size when cooked.

In general
an 8 ounce buffalo steak will take about 10 minutes to prepare medium. Studies show that buffalo cooked at a medium temperature produces the tastiest results but if you want your buffalo steak well done
you may want to consider cooking at a very low temperature (180 – 200F) and for at least 10 hours. When cooking buffalo steak
the basic guidelines to remember are to use lower heat and to retain the moisture. One way of sealing in buffalo’s natural juices is to sear the meat on both sides. Because
buffalo cooks faster
you should expect that compared to beef cooked to the same degree of doneness
buffalo steaks or burgers will be ready faster.

Paired with onions
mushrooms or your favorite seasoning; buffalo is offering meat lovers a variety of natural and healthy ways to enjoy their meals.

Taste

The perception of gourmet coffee is characteristically rich and luxurious. But if you are a true coffee lover
fresh gourmet coffee has a flavor that can't be beat. It's rich
full-bodied Taste is a daily necessity to millions of people. But everyone's taste in coffee is uniquely there own. Find other articles on coffee at http://www.fmcoffee.com.

Coffee perceptions great by themselves
but for an extra special flavor sensation
try gourmet flavored coffee. Not all these flavors are everyone's "cup of tea"
but the taste sensations of gourmet flavored coffee give you a new outlook on your cup of joe. You can taste the sweet caramel just as you can smell the aroma of the freshly ground coffee nearby.

The differentiation may seem miniscule
but the gourmet coffee or tea you beverage will Taste completely divers. More importantly
all the variances affect the flavor and aroma. Many coffee drinkers are not aware of how gourmet coffee should taste since their senses have been desensitized with below-par coffees.

Beans

The gourmet coffee bean is considered to be among the finest coffee beans in the world. Out of these varieties
fine gourmet coffee beans are obtained mainly from the species Coffee Arabica. The gourmet coffee beans are offered in a variety of dissimilar serving sizes.

When brewing your own gourmet coffee blend in your kitchen
you have a choice of fresh ground coffee beans from fine Italian Espressos to the rare and exotic Indonesian Kopi Luwak. You want the best cup of coffee you can get
right? If so it pays to do some research and ask questions about what you're buying.

When doing your legwork for the perfect gourmet coffee
there are a number of things to be cautious about. One thing you should know is whether the beans are fresh Arabian beans blended with stale French Roast. Are the coffee beans roasted in house or locally
or are they shipped from across the country to sit on a shelf waiting for orders. If possible
get coffee beans that have been roasted less than 1 week before.

Quality

The dictionary defines gourmet nourishment like this
Gourmet foodstuff is that which is of the highest quality, perfectly prepared and artfully presented
. Commuters can consider making gourmet coffee beverages at home or the office before departing and enjoy it at home or work while spending quality time with the family and coworkers or take it along in a commuter coffee mug. Gourmet coffee beans go through a rigorous process of certification that is stricter to help keep the quality high.

As a coffee aficionado
you know that there is some extra work to making excellent coffee than simply brewing it. You need to choose the highest quality beans to get the highest quality coffee. Today you can buy quality wholesale gourmet coffee and the right coffee machine to get the coffee you deserve. In addition
only Arabic beans contain the high quality needed for gourmet coffee beans. The quality of a coffee bean depends vastly on where and how that particular coffee bean is grown.

Grind

By grinding your own coffee beans
you'll be able to only grind what you need
meaning that you will have complete freshness in your coffee. The best way to do this is to buy the whole bean in batches and grind them with yur own grinding machine as you need it. But be careful: The type of coffee grind that you use is critical in order to properly match the type of brewing method you will be using. Be sure to ask your coffee merchant which grind is best for you.

When you have no time to cook your own food
what do you do? The answer is obvious
of course. You go out to your local fast food outlet (in deference to your kids’ preferences)
you go out to the food strip at the mall
or you order take out. It is convenient and you can eat your fill at these joints. What’s not so obvious
however
is what such a practice is doing to you and your children’s health.

Healthy eating habits are crucial to achieving a healthy mind and body. Healthy eating habits refer to eating meals regularly
eating well-balanced meals
and eating only what’s necessary. Healthy eating habits do not involve eating burgers and fries for lunch.

The Fast Food Culture

Unfortunately
some people do think that it is healthy to have burgers and fries for lunch. Advertising spiels have a lot to answer for this. In a world filled with fast food and restaurants
it is but natural that the companies serving up this food have to undermine people’s preference for home-cooked meals or they will become redundant and not make any profit.

As such
big food corporations put millions of dollars into TV commercials that assert in not so many words that a meal eaten at a fast food is special while eating at home with your family the meal your mother cooked is nothing but ordinary.

Such a reversal of values was helped along by the faster pace of life
where people have no more time to devote to preparing home-cooked meals. People are always driving or commuting to work
attending business meetings
or maybe holding one or two jobs. You cannot expect someone who has already been working 12 hours straight to come home and prepare a lengthy meal. It makes more sense to buy some take-out or bring the family out for a meal.

People are aware that they need to eat healthy food. However
what do you do if you are misled into thinking that restaurant fare and fast food taste better than home-cooked food? Sadly
there’s also an underlying effort to make people think that food in restaurant and fast foods are all healthy
that there’s really not much difference when you eat in or out. It’s all the same
but eating out is more convenient.

As people continue to be bombarded with mass media advertisements advocating the value of fast food and eating out
and as people become even more busy trying to hold on to their jobs
more and more people stop cooking and begin taking these commercials to heart. People have deserted home-cooked and nutritious meals that need hours of preparation for big servings of calorie- and fat-rich food that gets served up within minutes.

The Diseased Nation

The success of the fast food industry in establishing a culture that thrives in fast food and meals eaten out
our people’s health has been placed on the balance. Thus
America is now an ailing nation. Incidence of heart disease
diabetes and high blood pressure continues to rise as obesity becomes even more prevalent.

I am not saying that fast food is to be avoided at all costs. What I am saying is that a trip to the fast food should be made only very infrequently
not three times a week as most people now are wont to do. A change should be instituted to bring back the days when there’s no doubt about what healthy food is and where to find it. This is all I ask.

One of the finest cuisines that satiate the gastronomic desires of people worldwide is Mexican food. Mexican food refers to a style of food that originated from Mexico. You will love Mexican cuisine due to its varied flavours
grand decoration and its enticing spicy taste.

The history of Mexican food can be traced back to pre-Hispanic traditions. The Aztecs and the Spanish colonists contributed handsomely to the evolution of the cuisine. Beef
chicken
pork etc. are some of the chief non-vegetarian ingredients. Pepper
broccoli
cauliflower
radish etc. are some of the vegetarian ingredients that are used in abundance. It is said that Mexican gastronomy is also to some extent influenced by the Caribbean and the French.

Mexican food varies in taste and style from region to region in the country. Climatic conditions
and ethnic differences have cast their impact on Mexican gastronomy. In northern Mexico
you will find beef and meat items aplenty. To the contrary
the south-eastern part of the country is famous for its spicy vegetable and chicken items. Now let us taste virtually a few well-known Mexican delicacies.

“Aquas frescas” is a refreshing beverage formed of fruits
cereals or seeds
sugar and water. The beverage is not only popular in Mexico
but also in Central America and the Caribbean islands. Aquas frescas has some highly sought-after flavours. Aagua de tamarindo is a popular variety of Aquas frescas that includes tamarind pods. Agua de jamaica is prepared with Roselle and agua de horchata includes rice. You can easily obtain the beverage from street vendors.

Another popular Mexican cuisine that will tickle your taste buds is “Arroz con Pollo”. This is a dish comprising rice and chicken in Spanish. This item is considered to be a traditional delicacy. The highly luscious dish is prepared from rice
sofrito - a mixture of vegetables and fresh herbs
saffron and off course – chicken.

Next
let’s have a taste of “Barbacoa”. From historical times till date
Barbacoa is perceived to the original barbecue. Barbacoa refers to meat slowly cooked over an open fire. Barbacoa de cabeza
a North Mexican delicacy
is slowly cooked cow head. Barbacoa percolated into Texan cuisine where it was gradually transformed to the highly admired barbeque.

After Barbacoa
let’s introduce “Pico de gallo” to our taste buds. The name is derived from Spanish meaning rooster’s beak. Pico de gallo is actually a fruit salad with limejuice spread all over. Salty white chilli powder is sprinkled before serving.

Our last Mexican platter of the day is “Taco”. Taco is a traditional Mexican offering comprising rolled maize tortilla with meat feelings. Generally grilled beef
picadillo
fish
pork or chicken is used for the filling. Taco tastes even yummier with chopped onion
chilli salsa
and other garnishes. In Mexico
you will find several varieties of Taco. The serving of a Taco is quite interesting. It is traditionally served flat on a tortilla and the tortilla itself is being warmed up on a comal. The tortilla being soft
it can be folded into a U-shape for ease of consumption. Cheese
lettuce and beef- all contribute to make Taco a mouth-watering dish.

Mexican gastronomy relate to rich variety of tastes. The food is considered to provide you a handsome dose of proteins
vitamins and minerals. However to some
Mexican food appears greasy and too much spicy.

Most people hear the word beef and they automatically think about steaks
especially the big four: filet mignon
NY Strip
rib eyes and even top sirloins all pop onto the grill at a great rate. And of course
beef also means hamburger
be it patties
meatloaf or hamburger helper.

However
the movement to artisan and natural foods leave most ranchers in the dust. Many ranchers trying to meet the demand for source verified
locally produced and of course
all natural beef have been smacked hard when he finds the consumer only wants steaks.

Let's take a quick view what a rancher sees when he slaughters a steer. He gets about 450 lbs of beef. Only about 100 lbs is actual steaks (if he is lucky). Yeah
ouch for him and for his consumers. So he has to figure out a way to market the rest of the beef.

The easiest way is to grind it into hamburger. And actually
350
pounds of hamburger doesn't seem all that much
but it really is. While it will easily fit into a large chest freezer
this amount of hamburger will feed 1050 individuals a 1/3 lb burger
which is a generous size. That is a lot of people. A family of three would get pretty sick of eating this much burger over the course of the year.

Let's look at other cuts. Recently
and especially in the restaurant circle
you may have heard about some other steaks such as flank
skirt
hanger and especially flatiron. The last one is the second most tender steak to filet mignon. All of these steaks are incredibly delicious
but there is not much of them. All together
maybe 15-20 lbs per animal. A couple of those steaks such as hanger and skirt
well there are only two per animal.

Those butcher steaks as they are often called don't really help much. Now we are down to about 330 lbs of beef. Unfortunately
we are now into the cuts that require a bit of time and very small amount of cooking skills. However
in many ways these cuts fill the house with delightful aromas and of course eating enjoyment.

I wouldn't touch a grocery store roast or hamburger for that matter. But artisan or locally raised beef roasts
wow. Some awesome roasts can really wow your family and friends. Artisan roasts are well marbled
almost self-marinating. I'm used to dry-aged beef and so my roasts are essentially fork tender when cooked.

Roasts
bones and some off cuts make up about 150 to 200 pounds. One of my favorite roasts is the old fashion chuck roast. There is close to 50 pounds of this mouth watering cut. The best way to cook this cut is with a simple crockpot. Yup
it will take 8 hours or so to cook and the last few
you might even nibble a bit here and there. But
you don't have to stand there for 8 hours. Put it in the morning and go have fun.

Rump roasts are also good when properly cooked and especially from quality beef. They are a bit dryer than chuck and with a tighter grain
but sliced thin and served with a mushroom gravy
just incredible.

Then we have the odd cuts
London broils
sirloin tip roasts (luxury)
fresh brisket (barbecue beef)
eye of round (poor mans tenderloin)
and a few other steaks such as bottom round.

A few of the odd cuts that even chefs like are short ribs. Braised short ribs are almost sinful for how good they can be. You would be amazed how many 5-star restaurants serve this simple but elegant treat.

While we continue to whittle the cuts down
at the end of the day
you will have about 150-200 pounds of hamburger to eat. And you thought we would eliminate it all. Sorry
can't do it. But a good meatloaf is a pretty tough dish to turn down.

The best way to help an artisan rancher including ourselves is to buy a eighth or a quarter of beef. It is also cost effective way as well and includes some steaks
some roasts and of course some hamburger.

Here is a simple and elegant dish using chuck roasts that your family will beg for more.

Mock Beef Stroganoff

Traditional beef stroganoff is made with diced tenderloin roast. Personally
any beef dish would be incredible with tenderloin
but there are actually better tasting options that take a little longer to make and are touch more economical.

6
tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons minced onion 2 pounds chuck roast
cut thin in 1 x 1 inch cubes ˝ pound mushrooms
sliced salt and pepper to taste 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 1 cup sour cream
at room temperature

1
the oven to 300F. 2.Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy dutch oven with the heat on medium-high
add the beef and quickly sear all sides until the beef is brown. Add a cup of beef stock and place the lid on the dutch oven and cook until fork tender
about 2 hours. Check occasionally to make sure the meat does not dry out during cooking. 3.Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy skillet. Add the onion and cook slowly until transparent. Remove and set aside. 4.Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Stir in the mushrooms
cover and cook 3 minutes. Season with salt
pepper and nutmeg. Whisk the sour cream and add to the pan
but do not allow it to boil. Return the beef and onions to the pan and just heat through. 5.Serve over a bed of egg noodles.

What’s your favorite birthday cake? For me
nothing beats cheesecake. In fact
I can’t imagine what the world was like before cheesecake was created!

Turns out
you’d have to search back pretty far to find a time when the Earth was cheesecake free. In fact
way back in 776 BC
long before the first Cheesecake Factory opened
the Greeks are said to have served cheesecake to the athletes at the first Olympic games. The Romans soon caught on and spread the divine taste of cheesecake throughout Europe. From there it was only a matter of time before European immigrants brought their cherished cheesecake recipes to America.

It seems that every region of the globe has embraced cheesecake in one form or another
adapting the recipe to local tastes and adding local flavors. In America
cheesecakes are typically made with a cream cheese base
but even here we vary the recipe by region. New York cheesecake is famous for its ultra-smooth texture and decadently rich flavor– achieved by adding extra egg yolks and a hint of lemon – and you’ll find other regional variations from Chicago-style to Pennsylvania Dutch. Many American bakers add sour cream for a creamy cheesecake that can be frozen without compromising taste or texture.

Italian cheesecakes generally use ricotta cheese
which makes them drier than their American cousins. The French prefer Neufchatel cheese and often add gelatin for a light and airy consistency. The Greeks might use ricotta
mizithra
farmers
feta
Swiss
or a combination of cheeses
while the Germans typically rely on cottage cheese or quark. The Japanese incorporate cornstarch and whipped egg whites into their cheesecakes for a more custard-like effect
and I’ve even heard you can find cheesecake in vending machines in Japan. Now why didn’t I think of that?

You’d be hard pressed to find a culture that doesn’t – or didn’t – enjoy a good cheesecake. Culinary historians cite cheesecake recipes dating back to the first century AD
with additional recipes floating around from the centuries that followed. You’ll find every imaginable flavor and topping in today’s cheesecake recipes
but the basic premise
baking creamy cheese with wheat and sweetener
has stood the test of time.

And let’s not forget savory cheesecakes featuring blue cheese
garlic
seafood
chiles
and other tasty cheese-friendly flavors
or vegan versions of cheesecake-like desserts made with tofu. With so many varieties
you’d need a lot more than a “Cheesecake of the Month” club to sample them all!

Clearly
cheesecake has lived long and continues to prosper. Whether it’s a birthday cake
anniversary treat
or just a “Make-Everyday-Special” indulgence
cheesecake is an ancient delight that will never go out of style!

Enjoy some of the most spectacular views that Colorado has to offer while you sample gourmet food
sip on fine wines and chug microbrew. Everyone receives a commemorative wine glass or beer pilsner and unlimited samples of food and drink. Even though this should be enough to satisfy most anyone
there is a whole lot more going on at the Rocky Mountain Wine
Beer & Food Festival.

This famous event is held at the base of Winter Park Resort where you can find a 600 mile hiking and mountain biking trail system that spreads throughout the beautiful Fraser Valley. Winter Park is also home of the longest Alpine Slide in Colorado! A 3000 foot long slide
with a 600 foot drop winding through the wilderness. Take a chair lift to the top of Winter Park Mountain and you can find an 18 hole disc golf course
as well as 360 degree views of the Rocky Mountains. Back at the base there is also a miniature golf course that takes you through Fraser Valley history
a climbing wall
Rock N' Roll Gyro
Human Maze
Leaps & Bounds Bungee and a whole lot more.

Proceeds of this event will benefit the National Sports Center for the Disabled
which is one of the most important organizations found at Winter Park Resort.

When: Saturday
August 5
2006
12
Noon - 3pm.

Where: West Portal Station at Winter Park Resort

Admission: $40 in advance / $42 at the door

Stay just a five minute walk from the event: Slope View Bed and Breakfast offers views of the Continental Divide
unique amenities and a knowledgeable staff. 970-531-2386