Gourmet Food

If you have watched the film Julie & Julia (starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams) or read the book, you'll then know that it is Julia Child who introduced French cooking to Americans. She is the author of the book Mastering the Art of French Cooking, which has more than a hundred French recipes. Among the famous ones are Boeuf Bourguignon and Coq au Vin. For a typical American, it might be hard to pronounce these two gourmet recipes, but once you've tasted them, it would be hard to forget these names.

Boeuf Bourguignon

One of the highlighted recipes in the movie is Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon. Just as described, you'll then say that this French recipe is worth every minute of the tedious preparation. Perhaps the real secret to the gastronomic delight of this dish is how the flavors meld perfectly when chilled overnight. There are different stages to the preparation of this rich and flavorful dish. The first would be the braising in the oven, which would take you 2 1/2 to 3 hours. You then have to refrigerate it. You then have to prepare the pearl onions and mushrooms, which should also be refrigerated. Take out the beef and veggies from its mixture, and let the sauce thicken on its own. After which, you can include the beef and vegetables to heat them all up.

Coq au Vin

Julia Child was once a guest in Good Morning America (in 1995), where she introduced her own Coq au Vin (along with Ragout of Chicken). Coq au Vin is a chicken recipe that uses red wine, small braised onions, lardons of pork, and mushrooms as its key ingredients. Lardons of bacon create a special flavor to the sauce, while braised onions and sauteed mushrooms are used as garnish. This dish is a must-try for foodies and lovers of French cooking.

There are different recipes for Boeuf Bourguignon and Coq au Vin. If you want to try Julia Child's, you can grab a copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking or look for her recipes that are published online.

If you have money to back your adventurous stomach, you may be interested in sampling weird gourmet foods. It seems that high society continues to define what should be considered as the trendiest must-eat dishes. You wonder if these high society gentlemen and dames really enjoy the concoctions or they just want to show off the fact they can afford the dish.

Weird gourmet dishes: Canard à la Rouennaise (Duck in Blood Sauce)

Violently presented, duck in blood sauce is not recommended to squeamish diners. The price tag can also leave you nauseated, at $1000 a plate. It seems some chefs and patrons cannot get enough out of a duck that even the carcass gets pressed to the limit to get at the bloody juices. For this dish to actually exist there must be some people who actually found it tasty as with weird gourmet dishes.

Weird gourmet delicacies: Bird nest soup

The very name suggests it a member of weird gourmet delicacies. The dish is made up of a bird’s nest, the swift’s in particular. This is because the bird is known for making its own nest out of its own saliva. The bird nest soup is jelly-like. The result should be downright disgusting but a soup actually sells from $300 to $1000.

So, the above are just a couple of many weird gourmet delicacies. There are still many foods that you may not even want to be near to but are being enjoyed by others.

Many members of the elite and privileged consider caviar as part of their meals. Just watch any film scene in a luxurious mansion or hotel and caviar will surely be mentioned. Caviar definitely sounds classy but what exactly is it? What flavor does it bring out when added to a recipe?

What exactly is caviar?

Caviar is made up of salted, non-fertilized, and processed sturgeon roe. The cheaper versions are made of pasteurized roe. Caviar’s four types are starlet, sevruga, osetra, and beluga. Beluga is the most expensive since it is only found in the Caspian Sea. The starlet is the next most expensive and once had the honor of only being served to Austrian emperors, Iranian shahs, and Russian Czars. If the caviar is pasteurized, this means it was partially cooked. The partial cooking gives it a different texture. Pressed caviar, on the other hand, is made of damaged eggs and are mixed with different roe types.

Popular gourmet dishes with caviar

Caviar aficionados would recommend Iranian and Russian caviar, considering they are the rarest of them all. American caviar is also popular among caviar lovers. Caviar is usually eaten as a side dish and match with most gourmet meals.

Caviar is a tasty and classy experience that everyone should try at least once in their lives. Although it may seem a bit too pricey, the taste is unique and worth remembering. It’s only once that you’ll be able to say that you’ve tasted something from the Caspian Sea. Its source and one-of-a-kind preparation make the price worth it.

Now there's this circulating idea that starving yourself to near death would eventually get rid of those excess flabs. Plus, it is known that skipping breakfast would even lower the cholesterol levels of your body. In this modern information age, some of us are just too damn gullible that not eating at all would be more of a better option to take than going through healthy exercising schemes. I bet you don't even know that having healthy gourmet breakfast meals is better than skipping the damn meal altogether!

Breakfast gourmet meals are a healthier option than skipping the meal when it comes to reducing heart failure risks and other diseases connected with high-cholesterol levels. This is because a healthy gourmet meal consists mainly of fruits and vegetables. If it has fruits and vegetables, then it must be a diet worth a lot of fibers and stuff, you know. These gibers are needed by the human body so as to cleanse itself from the impurities of everyday living. Yes, even cholesterol! Plus, having one at this time of the day is just good for your body.

Pure fruit juices, when taken during mornings, can reduce the risks of heart diseases, as well as even reduce cholesterol levels of the body. Now downing a good breakfast gourmet meal with fresh and 100% natural fruit juices would even be healthier for you! Add a little fruit and vegetable breakfast diet, mix it in with your gourmet breakfast meal, and top it off with a glass, or maybe even two, of natural fruit juice, and you have a body that is both fit to do work for the rest of the day, and a heart that could beat itself up for more years to come!

I have seen both on TV and those damn flicks how much our French friends value taste and presentation over nutritional content with their food. I thought this was how those sophisticated French women manage to stay slim even in this modern age of burgers, french fries, and other greasy fast food. I also knew that some of their recipes involve basic stuff which I wouldn't even know how to spell, let alone read and pronounce! But I think their new idea of French cuisine in this modern digital age has taken a turn for the damn worst!

They now have this addiction to cigarettes and black gourmet coffee. I do hope those cigarettes and coffee are the Cuban type. For if not, then I wouldn't even think these are real French people! Maybe the world has suddenly been trapped in some sort of warped space, and all our distinct cultures seem to be in topsy-turvy! I see Americans knowing that there's the damn rest of the planet to worry about, our Brit friends knowing what poverty means, and the French having no damn taste whatsoever when it comes to a good and tasty diet! Well, I don't even think they still give importance to staying fit and healthy in what they drink and eat! I think they would even prefer a cold beer over a glass of fine wine!

Have you ever tasted a Malassada? Hmmm, if I am not mistaken, you have never heard of this gourmet food before. Basically, malassada means badly baked or cooked. It has a Portuguese origin and has reached the beautiful Hawaiian islands via immigrants from Lisbon immigrants.

So, it was in Hawaii that I learned of malassada. Ironically, this badly baked doughnut is beautifully presented in a local bakeshop in Hawaii. The owner of the Pink bakery had in his stands the most popular malassadas in town. Make that the only malassadas in Hawaii. No fancy, Leonard is the pioneer and only malassada baker in town. His bakeshop in Oahu is visited by holiday travelers all over the world. Every one wants to have a bite of the doughnut. The malassadas he makes are filled with fruit-flavored creams.

Originally, the malassadas began as malformed pretzels of flat breads with no distinctive shapes. Most of these breads are as big as a culinary plate. Wow! How can one possibly devour that? Some malassadas really look half cooked with the addition of artificial bubbles. Really, they look like malformed soaps. Anyway, malassadas these days have creamy centers and usually shaped like doughnut. Now that makes them look edible enough.

No matter how busy we are in our lives, there is definitely one thing that we will always find time for, and that is food. But today's busy life has led to us into taking for granted what we eat. Especially in busy cities such New York, people most often do not find the time anymore to enjoy what they eat - or to eat something that they would enjoy. Fastfoods, and take-out food are now more common among these places, and very few people nowadays really enjoy a nicely balanced healthy meal.

Heart attack is one of the frequent killers in the United States and it is estimated that around 250,000 people die of a heart attack without ever reaching the hospital each year. Although it has been known for years now that if we eat certain kinds of food and include them in our regular diet, we could lower our risk of suffering a heart attack significantly. Among these are of course, fish that are rich in omega 3 such as tuna and salmon, broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, whole grains and cereals, soy, and berries that are rich in antioxidants. These are actually very common types of food which are regularly accessible. The task now is for us to simply make the choice of including them in our regular diet for our own sake, as well as the security of our loved ones.

I can't help but admit that I have a soft spot for Asian cuisines. During our family gatherings, the table would not be complete without these delectable dishes. Among the bestsellers is the Vietnamese Fondue - meat cooked in a pot served with salad, rice wrappers, and dipping sauce. Here is a simple recipe for fondue fanatics like me. Just a friendly reminder: this dish may be a little addictive. Monitoring your diet is highly recommended.





Ingredients:
Rice vinegar
600 g (1 1/3 lb.) sirloin or round steak
200 g (7 oz.) fresh shrimp, shelled
6 lettuce leaves
150 g (5 oz.) bean sprouts
150 g (5 oz.) white mushrooms
2 medium carrots
5 green onions
5 sprigs of parsley

Preparation:

1. Slice the mushrooms, cut the carrots into julienne and the green onions into strips about 5 cm (2") long; shred the lettuce leaves.
2. Break the rice sheets into 4 pieces.
3. Cook the shrimp in water or steam them for 3 minutes.
4. Place each ingredient into a small dish.
5. Bring a fondue pot containing some rice vinegar to a boil over the heat source - it is better to add more during the cooking time rather than filling it full at the beginning.

Several wine jars were excavated in Jiahu, Henan in China that contains the oldest wine in the world. The excavation was conducted by scientists from America, China, and Germany. The announcement was officially made just recently. Wine connoisseurs around the world were anxious to confirm this discovery. The scientists announced that after a series of tests of the wine or liquid samples found in the ancient jars, they discovered that these were, in actuality, wine made from a mixture of fermented rice, fruits, and honey. The most astonishing finding is that the wine is almost nine thousand years old.

The discovery explained how the wines were made during ancient Chinese era. First, molds are added to the rice to break them down. This is followed by the mixing them with various herbs that further increase the fermenting of the wine.

Suspicion on ancient wine industry in China has long been tackled by the researchers. Their discovery proves that China started wine making almost four centuries ago, thus making it the world record holder for the oldest wine. The city of Henan is located near the Wall of China. Henan is the Mesopotamia of China where traces of early civilization were discovered.

Whenever there's a posh party for the elite society in movies, caviar is always served. You can't miss it; there will be always one character that will mention the name caviar, perhaps to connote the host’s social stature. Caviar is nothing more than salted eggs of various groups of large fishes, particularly sturgeons. Due to expensive cost of the caviar, it is synonymous to wealth and luxury in the Western culture. In other countries such as Russia, it is a commonly served in important celebrations such as holiday feasts.

Caviar ranges in color from black to gray. The most expensive caviar comes from a type of sturgeon called Beluga. Other prized caviars come from the Osetra and Sevruga sturgeons. In the past, the golden Sterlet caviar was the favorite of nobilities and monarchs, but the species is now near extinction. A cheaper alternative to Beluga eggs are pressed caviars. These are flavorful and less expensive products made from broken or crushed sturgeon eggs. The eggs of other fishes like lumpfish, salmon, and whitefish are sometimes marketed as caviar in stores. Caviar is usually used as a garnish or spread.

One of the most highly prized ingredients in gourmet cooking is the truffle. It is held in high regards in French, Italian and in international haute cuisine and some people say it is a potent aphrodisiac. Truffles are quite expensive, so they are used in moderation. White truffles are usually served raw and shaved over pasta or salad. Black truffles, as well its white cousin, are sliced thinly and used as stuffing for roasted fowls and in foei gras preparations.

The reason why truffles are so expensive is because these are very hard to find. In Europe, most truffles can be found in France or Italy and in the United States, it is found on Oregon and Washington. Pigs and mixed-breed dogs are used to sniff truffles. Most truffle hunters prefer using dogs than pigs because pigs sometimes eat the truffles. If you plan to purchase truffles, don’t put them in sealed plastic bags because they will mold and get all slimy. A final word of warning though: do not eat truffles that have not been examined and approved by experts. Sometimes people confuse the button stage of a poisonous mushroom with a truffle so be very careful.

I find it funny how dramatic people’s opinion changes once you call something in a different name. When someone asks you what you’ve had for lunch and you said liver, you can clearly see the look of disgust in their faces. When you say that you had foie gras for lunch, the reply you’re most likely to get is “wow!” Foie gras is the fattened liver of an overfed duck or goose. Those fortunate enough to sample this exquisite delicacy say that it doesn’t taste like regular goose or duck liver; foie gras is buttery and rich.

Along with truffles, foie gras is one of the most famous delicacies in French cuisine. Historians traced the popularity of foie gras as far back ask 2500 BC in ancient Egypt. At first Egyptians went after migratory birds, but when they learned that birds can be fattened in captivity, they began overfeeding domestic geese. Duck foie gras is more common then goose foie gras, so it is the cheaper of the two. Several animal rights organization heavily opposes the modern process of fattening up ducks and geese claiming that it is cruel and illegal.

The Smoked Salmon fish is one of the most delicious foods I have ever tasted in my life. Aside from its taste, it has also been found out to be one of the most nutritious foods today. The reason for this is the high content of fat it contains. Upon saying this, I do not mean the fat which can give you a few extra pounds. What I mean is the fatty acids that cane be referred as Omega 3. This is important in the body because it can lower your blood pressure. As such, it can greatly reduce your chances of having heart attacks or cardiac arrests. It can also lessen the fats in your blood level and decrease your chances of having various types of cancer.

In a study made in Japan, doctors and scientists found out that it can lessen women's chances of acquiring breast cancer. Aside from that, it also helps them to lose a few extra pounds. If ever they decide to go on a crash diet, they no longer have to starve themselves by only eating crackers and vegetable leaves. They can add to their diet salmon. It will not do anything to harm their healthy bodies. It will only help your body to become healthier and stronger.

There are three basic needs that humans must have to survive and live comfortably. These basic needs are food, clothing and shelter. You may survive without clothing or shelter but you cannot live without food. Food oradequate nourishment is also a basic biological need.

The kind of food you eat is an indicator of your standard of living. Simpler foods indicate unsophisticated lifestyles but gourmet food implies good living. Gourmet foods need not to be very expensive and difficult to prepare. There are dozens of gourmet recipes available for everyday consumption.

Chocolates may be one of your guilty pleasures, but you don't have to suffer at the thought of that extra pound you could gain from every bite of Mocha Almond Fudge and Choco Macadamia Nut. Some gourmet chocolates are actually fat-free and are great toppings for almost anything. At Gourmet Chocolate, you can take your pick and have the best of both worlds. They also offer a wide variety of dessert sauces, body frosting, cookies, molded chocolates and other gourmet chocolate products.

My favorite? The Jamaican Rum. I can get it at $6--along with ideas of gourmet recipes I can top it with. This dark heavenly fudge just tastes so wonderful. Oh, d'ya know that dark chocolate is actually good for your health?

Gourmet delicacies always spice up any occasion. Yet sometimes, many people are hesitant to cook these recipes thinking that they are difficult to make. Besides, buying their special ingredients may cost a lot of money.

There is a way, however, to prepare gourmet food without worrying about your budget. You can simply browse through the internet and find easy recipes of gourmet dishes. There are many sites online that provide good information with regard to gourmet products. Moreover, you can also check some gourmet cookbooks for simple and cheap recipes.

I love shrimps but I am not very much into sweets. How to reconcile the two? I recently spotted a gourmet recipe (apparently imported from Japan) called Shrimp Cake on Chili Lime Cream Sauce.

This recipe needs only an appreciation for the intricacy of a beautifully blended muffin, seafood, and chili. You'll need pinches and dashes of seasonings such as lemon juice, pepper sauce, black pepper, green onion and Dijon mustard You'll also need Japanese crumbs called panko, peanut oil and egg. The cake needs to be refrigerated for 10 minutes before frying them on the skillet. Then you can serve it with Chili Lime Cream Sauce.

One can never go wrong with Caramel Toffee Cake if it's gourmet food that you are looking for. Both the kids and adults love it. It gets way even better. It isn't difficult to bake.

Prepare a German chocolate mix, condensed milk, whipped toppings, caramel sauce, and crushed almond toffee candy bars.

Follow the instructions in the cake mix. The condensed milk may then be poured in the holes on top of the baked cake for some extra sweet treats. Also, the caramel sauce should be heated and then spread entirely over the cake's surface. The top will do well with some whipped cream and pounded almond toffee bars.

Cheese is a great food compliment. Whether you are in a party or simply having your meal, taking a bite of gourmet cheese can spice up your food. Of course, you have to buy the appropriate variety and store it properly in order to preserve and taste its rich flavor.

There is a wide selection of gourmet cheese available. The best place to shop is at a cheese store. There, you can choose the kind that suits the occasion or you can also ask for advice regarding the best products.

Gourmet foods imply skills and artistry as well as taking extra time in quality food preparation. Gourmet restaurants are slowly being gobbled up by fast food joints which offer mostly fat-saturated and salt-rich foods. However, a new trend is arising. The food industry is now responding to the demand for gourmet fast food. Fast food corporations are now opening gourmet fast food restaurants offering gourmet quality food in fast food style. Gourmet food such as salad, steak, brewed beverages, fish dishes and the likes are now integrated in the menu of some fast food restaurants.

For those who are always on the go, the idea of good dining is fast food. However, there are more to life than saturated fats, salts and sugar. Too much fast food combined with stressed and lack of exercise may result to premature aging or early death. It would be a good idea to escape from all these junk food and learn to cook gourmet food on our own. There are many gourmet food recipes available in gourmet magazines, some are easy to prepare while others takes more time but the satisfaction is not only to the palate but also to your health and pride of learning something new. A dinner carefully planned and prepared is always special.