The accolades tell it all: “I had a terrific and very inspiring time in Oaxaca. Your knowledge of the culture and region introduced us to so many interesting people, all willing to share their passion, whether it was for pottery, wood carving, frothy chocolate, the best moles or natural dyes” [Elizabeth Baird].

Elizabeth Baird, one of the foremost Canadian culinary icons of our time, was a participant in the May, 2010, Oaxaca Culinary Tour. So was prolific cookbook author and columnist Rose Murray, who endorsed a copy of her seminal work, A Taste of Canada, A Culinary Journey, with similar praise: “Thank you for sharing your vast knowledge of Oaxaca with us. We know it through your eyes.”

If the foregoing is any indication of the success of this most recent tour, then the thought of what’s in store for participants in future, similarly organized Oaxaca culinary events, should titillate anyone interested in Mexican gastronomy – chefs and foodies alike.

While numbers were small (May is when most Americans and Canadians are content to stay close to home, stow their winter attire, and begin gardening), organizers provided the 8 – 10 participants in each of the week’s daily activities with all that the tour promised, and more: cooking classes with Pilar Cabrera and Susana Trilling, dining at renowned Oaxacan restaurants Casa Oaxaca, Los Danzantes, La Olla and La Catrina de Alcalá, and what impressed the most, getting out into the villages and learning the secrets of local recipes through hands-on instruction from indigenous natives – in their kitchens and over their open hearths and comals.

Background to the Oaxaca Culinary Tour

Internationally acclaimed native Oaxacan chef Pilar Cabrera Arroyo spent the month of September, 2009, working her magic in Toronto, both as guest chef at several restaurants and invited instructor at a prominent cooking school. It had been arranged through the efforts of Toronto food writer and researcher Mary Luz Mejia of Sizzling Communications, and several others willing to dedicate their time and effort to ensure a successful month-long event.

Once the framework of the tour had been decided, Chef Pilar was invited by the Government of Mexico to represent Oaxacan cuisine at the Toronto Harbourfront Centre Hot & Spicy Food Festival’s Iron Chef competition (as it turned out, she also agreed to judge the festival’s Emerging Chef event) which took place around the same time as the tour.

In Toronto Chef Pilar met the likes of Elizabeth Baird (who judged the iron chef event and adjudicated alongside Pilar at the emerging chef competition), Chef Vanessa Yeung (who cooked with Pilar at the cooking school and dined with her at one of the private dinner parties), and a host of prominent food writers and critics, as well as chefs (including Chef de Cuisine Jason Bangerter of Auberge du Pommier) – most of whom had no previous exposure to Oaxacan cuisine.

In true Oaxacan fashion Pilar warmly and sincerely invited virtually everyone she met to come visit Oaxaca. But who would have ever thought that tour organizers would immediately begin receiving inquiries from diners at the various venues, chefs, and media personnel, about traveling to Oaxaca to gain more in-depth knowledge about Oaxaca’s longstanding reputation for culinary greatness. After all, the tour was intended to merely provide an introduction to Oaxacan cuisine. It succeeded in whetting the appetites of Canadians, for much more.

Those who ultimately participated in the Oaxaca tour included aficionados of Mexican cuisine, food writers, chefs and restauranteurs. Some booked the entire tour well in advance, while others only caught wind of the week’s events after they had planned their Oaxacan vacation, and accordingly were permitted to take part in cooking lessons, day tours and evening dining.

Oaxaca Culinary Tour Showcased a Variety of Food Venues and Other Dimensions of Culture

While a theme tour has its raison d’etre, it should not be overly restrictive in its events so as to blind participants to what else a region has to offer – and in this case the impact of other dimensions of culture upon a people’s cuisine. In Oaxaca there is certainly a broad enough diversity of restaurants, food markets, cooking styles and levels of sophistication, to keep foodies thoroughly enthralled for weeks. But it’s the unique and varied cultures, and the melding of New World and Old World ingredients and cooking methods, to which these tour operators also sought to expose their clients.

For this culinary tour, participants learned as much about availability of and regional variation in meats, cheeses and produce (and their cultural significance), as they did about staples such as moles, tlayudas, chocolate, tamales and mezcal. It was all achieved through imparting an in-depth understanding of traditions, through chatting and learning from people at all stations of life. At one end of the continuum were the most humble of villagers who welcomed the group into their homes, to make chocolate by pureeing roasted cacao beans, cinnamon and almonds using a primitive grinding stone (metate), and to make tamales by folding corn leaves over masa, mole amarillo and chicken. And at the other end were the European-trained chefs who explained each dish upon its arrival table from their modernly equipped kitchens.

Oaxaca Culinary Tour Daily Events

One chef arrived in Oaxaca a day early, enabling her to meet with organizers in an informal setting, learning about and indulging at a Oaxaca culinary institution, Tlayudas on Libres, where locals gather between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. for their favorite snacks grilled directly on and over charcoal: a folded, oversized tortilla stuffed with melted Oaxacan string cheese (quesillo), bean purée, lettuce, tomato, depending on one’s sensibilities a thin layer of asiento (pork fat); and choice of chorizo (sausage), tasajo (beef) or cecina (pork). For ardent foodies, a tiny sample of marinated pig’s feet is required. And for the rest, a hot, corn-based drink of atole or champurrado is non-negotiable, especially during the wee hours of the morning.

An American doing his Masters in Nutrition arrived two days earlier, using the time to explore Oaxaca’s centro histórico (downtown historic center) including its quaint colonial buildings and food and craft markets.

Another participant stayed on a day later, after the rest has departed. A local organizer graciously offered to chauffer her to one of Oaxaca’s richest sights known as the San Agustín Center for The Arts, to see a modern ceramics exhibit housed in a spectacular lush mountain setting. And then for last minute gift purchases he drove her to Atzompa, a village specializing in traditional Oaxacan green glazed pottery.

Wednesday

Most participants had arrived by Wednesday, late afternoon, in time for Pilar Cabrera’s walking tour of downtown sights. This enabled group members to gain some perspective on the magic of Oaxaca and to begin planning to how they might want to spend the leisure hours built into the tour.

Dinner was at Oaxacan institution La Olla, Pilar’s own restaurant. The large candlelit table on the roof of the restaurant provided a special view of Oaxaca at night.

[For analysis and critique of the food served at these more upscale establishments, I'll leave it to the food writers and critics on the tour who are better note-takers and possess greater objectivity and a much more refined palate than this writer.]

Thursday

The morning began with a visit to Tlapanochestli, the research station, museum and teaching facility devoted to understanding cochineal (cochinilla), the tiny insect which has played an integral part in the history of Oaxaca because of its unique quality; when dried and crushed it yields a strong red dye, which with the addition of lime juice and or baking soda changes to tones of orange, pink and purple. Of particular interest for tour participants was its application as a natural colorant for restaurant foods. While sampling a refreshing gelatin / water / sugar based dessert colored with cochineal, our foodies had an opportunity to see familiar grocery store products dyed with the insect (Campari, Danone Yoghurt, Campbell and Knorr soups, make-up and lipstick) and briefly discussed the sensitive issue of adequacy of ingredient labeling.

Then off to San Bartolo Coyotepec in the comfy 18-seater van equipped with bucket seats and A/C. Don Valente Nieto, son of the famed ceramicist Doña Rosa, provided an upbeat, informative and entertaining demonstration of the methods used by his parents and his family members today, in fashioning the well-known folk art form known as barro negro (black pottery). Tour members can now rightly claim that they saw the same demo that Don Valente provided to Jimmy Carter and Nelson Rockefeller, who’s photos alongside Doña Rosa and Don Valente grace the showroom walls.

The humble abode and workshop of Armando Lozano, sculptor and master jeweler of hand-made bronze necklaces, earrings and bracelets, provided the first opportunity for the group to see how most Oaxacans live, and eke out a modest existence. The contrast between the quality workmanship of the family, and its lifestyle, was remarkable, overshadowed only by the welcoming nature of the Maestro’s daughter-in-law who offered the jewelry for sale.

The final two touring stops of the day were directly devoted to food and drink. Lunch was at the unique roadside eatery, Caldo de Piedra, where chef César prepared a tomato and herb based broth which he then poured into a large half gourd for each diner. To each he then added one’s choice of either fresh red snapper, a healthy compliment of jumbo shrimp, or a combination of the two. Red hot rocks from an open flame were then placed in each gourd, and individual meals were thusly cooked, the rocks causing the broth to boil and fish to poach. Only large, hand-made tortillas from the comal and quesadillas amply filled with mushrooms and squash blossoms were needed to compliment the meal, of course along with large pitchers of freshly squeezed orange juice spiked with soda water (naranjadas).

Oaxaca is known for its mezcal (mescal), so what better way to have an introduction to the spirit than to head to Matatlán, World Capital of Mezcal, and learn from a producer with from a five generation pedigree of palenqueros (mezcal producers). Enrique Jiménez welcomed the tour into his parents’ traditional family compound where all witnessed the quaint and primitive production methods, and then imbibed several varieties of mezcal with chasers of lime and orange wedges, and sal de gusano (the salt, chile and ground up gusano worm mixture), together with quesillo and ricotta-like queso. Then to the family’s brand new state-of-the-art facility where Enrique explained his new method of mezcal production. The process dramatically improves quality control while retaining the richest qualities of mezcal produced the traditional way – only smoother.

Dinner at La Catrina de Alcalá provided a nice contrast to earlier events and tastings in the day, with classy Chef Juan Carlos on hand to introduce each dish. Tour participants were so taken with the selection that towards the end of the evening when asked if they wanted to move on to dessert, or perhaps try a venison dish, almost in unison each opted for the latter.

Friday

Cooking classes by Pilar Cabrera are always highly enjoyable and educational, beginning with a visit to Mercado de La Merced for buying fresh produce, through the cooking phase, and finally indulging in the fruits of one’s labor. The entirely of the class has been described elsewhere by me, so no more will be noted.

Each tour participant thereafter had a free afternoon to explore more of downtown, rest, and then dine at a recommended restaurant.

Saturday

After a relatively relaxing Friday it was back on the road for another day of touring. At the handmade knife and cutlery workshop of Apolinar Aguilar, the group watched the master work his wonders, heating recycled metals with the aid of a primitive yet effective stone and clay oven, then forging with only a mallet striking the red-hot metal over an anvil, and finally the all-so-critical tempering stage.

Knife blades are polished to a brilliant shine without lacquer or nickel. Purchasers on this day had an opportunity to have inscriptions engraved on the blades of knives they purchased. In anticipation of the culinary tour, Apolinar had prepared a selection of paring knives, a turkey carving set, a cake cutting ensemble, and bread knives. In addition to the more traditional Bowie hunting knives, swords and machetes, he also had on hand more unusual collector pieces such as knives with deer antler handles and letter openers with blade undulations of the Indonesian genre.

In the tiny village of San Antonino participants were provided with an opportunity to select from the finest imaginable hand-embroidered blouses and dresses – cotton, silk, and blends.

Lunch was in the rustic homestead of the Navarro family, the sisters and mother known for their fine work on the back strap loom, and brother Gerardo for his watercolors. But the main reason for stopping in Santo Tomás Jalieza was to dine with the family in their Eden-like surroundings, and witness their preparation of tasajo on a small hibachi-style grill, and all the steps required to make sopa de guias, a broth made of all the parts of the zucchini plant, and a small piece of corn for added starch. The welcoming nature and all-round hospitality of the family was as impressive as their simple yet immaculately kept rural home and grounds.

The tour day concluded with a visit to the workshop of Jacobo Angeles, master carver and painter of alebrijes, for a demonstration (the particulars and details of which are once again available online as part of a lengthy dissertation about woodcarving in Oaxaca). However what tourists to the region never get to experience, and what Jacobo had arranged for the group, was a lesson in making aguas frescas of limón and jamaica (hibiscus flower), and the pre-Hispanic drink tejate, known as the “drink-of-the-gods.”

After a late afternoon rest back at Las Bugambilias Bed & Breakfast, the group welcomed the leisurely evening walk to Casa Oaxaca, purportedly the best high end restaurant in Oaxaca. Unfortunately on this night chef / owner Alejandro Ruíz was somewhat preoccupied entertaining a group of visiting chefs from diverse Latin American cities, so in this writer’s opinion the experience was somewhat disappointing. Word has it that for the next culinary tour the organizers might pass on Casa Oaxaca unless an acknowledgement of the shortcomings and an assurance of better next time are both forthcoming. Each and every participant in a culinary tour of Oaxaca should expect and receive nothing but the best, of course subject to unforeseen circumstances.

Sunday

The penultimate day of the Oaxaca Culinary Tour provided the broadest diversity of experiences imaginable. The group began at the rug making village of Teotitlán del Valle, but not merely for a weaving and dying demonstration. Rocio Mendoza, one of the daughters-in-law of Casa Santiago owners Don Porfirio and Doña Gloria, with her unwavering warmth and comforting smile welcomed the tour group into the extended family household for a lesson in the traditional methods of making both hot chocolate and tamales de amarillo, the ritual dish served at certain town fiestas.

Both the women and men of the household were present to answer questions and help out. Tour group members to a number were made to feel more welcomed than one could think possible. Each had a chance to take over the task of grinding toasted cacao beans into a hot velvety paste. Matriarch Gloria gave a hands-on lesson on all the steps required to prepare her special tamales, assisting each participant in learning how to place and fold ingredients into a corn leaf, and then ever so carefully stack the batch of tamales into a steaming hot clay container (tamalero) heated over firewood. Once all was cooked, and after a traditional “salud” over small glasses of mezcal, each indulged in the fruits of his or her labor with members of the Santiago family: hot chocolate with sweet rolls on the side for dipping, and a plateful of piping hot tangy tamales de amarillo. Goodbyes were particularly difficult after the establishment of relationships based upon a commonality of purpose – the mentoring and learning about culinary traditions in Teotitlán del Valle.

Two hours in the Sunday Tlacolula market is pretty well required when a group of food enthusiasts is involved; especially when organizers have special relationships with vendors so as to enable tourists to ask questions and take photographs at will. What Pilar did not cover in her Oaxaca market tour leading up to her class, the organizers ensured was explained in detail in the course of the visit to Tlacolula. Traditional market drinks of chilacayota and pulque were sampled. Members purchased decorative gourds, wooden spoons, embroidered aprons and colorful table coverings, and of course chiles to take back home. The aroma of chicken grilling on open flames and steaming caldrons of barbequed mutton and goat filled the air. The pageantry of Zapotec women in their native village dress going about their business buying, selling and trading, impressed all. And the ability of group members to have all their questions answered, sample foodstuffs and drinks without trepidation, take their fill of photos, and wander freely while soaking it all up, provided one of many trip highlights.

The quaint open-air eatery known as El Tigre was a stark contrast to the earlier market scene, but just as welcome, in the nature of a well deserved respite. Each member of the group was able to question comedor owner Sara about salsa preparation, the disinfecting of fresh produce, and cooking techniques and challenges where every menu item is prepared fresh, over a flame on the grill or comal. Once again, a review of El Tigre is available online. The eatery was selected so as to advance one of the organizers’ goals of ensuring as diverse a culinary experience as possible.

The tour day concluded with a visit to the picturesque mountain setting known as Hierve el Agua. The site consists of mineral deposit “water falls,” and bubbling calcium and magnesium-rich springs feeding two pools of water suitable for a safe, refreshing swim. Most took the opportunity to cool off – and perhaps reap the benefit of the legendary curative properties of the water – while others were content to sit in the shade, chat about the day’s events, and of course take photos.

After the filling breakfast at Las Bugambilias, then hot chocolate with sweet rolls and tamales at Casa Santiago, followed by drink samplings in Tlacolula, and lunch at El Tigre, botanas (appetizer plates) and drinks were the order of the evening, at Los Danzantes, without any doubt the Oaxaca restaurant with the best ambiance by a long shot.

Monday

No visit to Oaxaca, be it for a culinary tour or otherwise, would be complete without a guided tour of the most important and magestic pre-Hispanic ruin in all of the State of Oaxaca, the 2,000-year-old Zapotec site known as Monte Albán. After a brief sit-down and opportunity to quench the thirst, tour participants were shuttled to Susana Trilling’s cooking school to make mole chichilo. Once again, Ms. Trilling’s class has been noted elsewhere by the writer.

Group members were welcomed to conclude their visit to Oaxaca by gathering at an event hall that evening to view a folkloric celebration of Oaxaca’s diversity of dance and music traditions known as the Guelaguetza. But to a number each decided to pass on the idea after such a full itinerary. Instead, they welcomed the chance to finish the tour in a much more casual and relaxed setting, over drinks and conversation at the hillside home of one of the tour organizers, sitting on the open terrace and reliving the week’s events with the fond memories.

Future Culinary Tours in Oaxaca

Culinary vacations in Oaxaca have been done before, and will no doubt continue into the distant future. This tour format, however, was unique for its diversity of experiences and the care taken by organizers to ensure that the expectations of all participants – seasoned chefs, media personnel specializing in the culinary arts and gastronomy, and aficionados of Mexican cuisine – were met, or better yet exceeded.

If the current spate of commentaries regarding the success of the tour and level of participant satisfaction is an accurate gauge, then no doubt there will be future tours, perhaps on a bi-annual basis, with each succeeding Oaxaca Culinary Tour improving on the performance of the previous.

Information on future culinary tours in Oaxaca can be obtained by contacting Mary Luz Mejia of Sizzling Communications, or this writer.

Have you discovered the breakfast alternatives at Downtown Disney? If you have ended visiting the Disney parks or just not an early riser and would like to taste a savory high-quality breakfast, Downtown Disney has what you are looking for.

Downtown Disney’s Marketplace, offers two very worthy breakfast selections that will make your trip worthwhile. If you are thinking that McDonald’s is the only breakfast option available there, you need to go back and visit these two undiscovered gems.

Here is a short list on two of the best breakfast options in Downtown Disney.

1. Wolfgang Puck Express

Wolfgang Puck Express, located near the Disney’s Days of Christmas store, combines the world-renowned chef’s distinctive flavors with a stylish yet casual setting. Between the mouth-watering Three Cheese and Tomato Fontina Omelet and the enormous Belgian Waffles, your palate will be graced by the eclectic combination of the Asian and California cuisine. I was very impressed with the simplicity but powerful combinations in the other eye-catching sandwiches and wood stone pizzas that are listed on the menu.

I was there some time ago for breakfast and saw how a young woman recommended the restaurant to a couple that was browsing at the menu items. Long story short, the couple went in after listening to stunning descriptions of her experience. Try it. You will thank me.

2. Earl of Sandwich

The Earl of Sandwich brags about inventing the sandwich approximately 250 years ago. From their made-to-order breakfast sandwiches on their famous artisan bread to the freshly baked blueberry muffins, this affordable counter service restaurant offers tremendous quality and value for your money. If you like a fancy coffee to start your day, try the Kona brand they proudly serve.

This overlooked restaurant offers several inexpensive combinations on the menu including their Bacon, Egg ‘n’ Cheddar – which was out of this world! Whether you go for the hot signature sandwiches, the fruit yogurt parfaits or a delicious “Sandwich Island Smoothie”, Earl of Sandwich will make you want to tell a friend and come back for seconds. A word of advice: Don’t leave without picking up the best lemonade in miles. You will love it by itself or as a delicious concoction with Earl Grey Tea. Hands down another great find when having breakfast at Downtown Disney.

Disney offers numerous breakfast alternatives within the parks, but if you are craving for something different, Downtown Disney will deliver above and beyond. If you are looking for a high-quality breakfast combined with the magic of Disney at your fingertips, then Downtown Disney is the way to go.

Taking time out from the everyday stresses and strives of life to visit an exquisite place is something that everybody looks forward to. Bali, with its famous Balinese residents and their Hindu custom, is an island known more for its art and workmanship and as well as a holiday destination. Each year increasingly tourists from abroad are coming to Bali, enchanted by its natural beauty and its loving and welcoming people. Tourism in Bali is presently at an all time high.

Bali is one of the island that makes Indonesia settled between java and Lombok island and is populated by people with majority in Hindu religion and also blended race of other Indonesian people and heritage. It has a contrasting landscape ranging from exquisite and attractive beaches to extended and craggy mountain chains. Green color on sides of a hill loom over the fields of rice fields, supplying a sensational beautiful view. The natural beauty of Bali and its heritage has shaped the island of Gods to what it is today. This is the only island with Hindu majority faith in Indonesia.

Like several of the Indonesian islands, Bali’s primary source of tourism is the civilization of it’s people. The island is fortunate with temples to worship Gods, a lot of ceremonials related to Hinduism and also recently reaching popularity are hundreds of miles of sprawling sandy beaches, with fine white sand and crystal like blue water. Tourists visiting Bali expect a large number of choices for the location of their beach vacation. The major resorts of Kuta, Sanur and Nusa Dua are the most famed and here you’ll find numerous 5 star hotels and resorts. Despite this, there are also a lot of smaller, quieter beach villas where you can truly get away from it all.

Apart from stunning beaches, Bali also offers a lot of rural towns and cities overflowing of affluent civilization and heritage. A vacation to Bali isn’t complete without inspecting at least one of the Bali’s towns or cities and meeting the local people. In the middle of the island a bit north from Denpasar city you’ll discover the city of Ubud, Ubud – the hub of everything that is Balinese. When you stroll around Ubud you’ll feel the affection of the Balinese old heritage – an ample legacy exhaling from the old Bali traditional architecture that beholds the city.

Ubud also has its fair portion of museums, including the Neka Art Museum, the Blanco Renaissance Museum of Painting, Museum Puri Lukisan and Rudana Museum. other city of Bali is Sanur. Sanur is the most popular city in Bali and is settled on the south eastern part of the island. It has a exquisite setting at the beach overlooks a magnificent island of Nusa Penida. Contrary to the other towns and cities in Bali, Sanur features a very extraordinary feel to it. This is as a effect of the influence of the first holidaymakers who comes to Sanur around 1980′s. Bali famed city today is Kuta. Kuta, settled in the south west from capital city is one of the city that famous for its waves among surfboarders. The city is filled with luxury hotels and resorts. Its the city where night live activities are abundant.

An ideal way to spend your holiday is to choose a few days to do some sightseeing in Bali or one of Bali’s other cities and then follow that up with a relaxing week’s stay in one of the Bali villas by the beach.

Scenario 1:

The alarm screams, you torture yourself out of bed, still tired, quickly gulp a cup of coffee and rush off to work. You arrive at work still tired, stressed, grumpy and in urgent need of another cup of coffee, or perhaps a chocolate or candy bar to get your energy kick started.

Sounds familiar? How will you cope with the challenges of the day?

Scenario 2:

You get up in the morning after a good night’s sleep. You’re rested, cheerful and full of energy. What kind of a day will you have? How will you respond to challenges, obstacles or a great work load? How do your children feel with cheerful parents ushering them off to school with firm but friendly authority and NO screaming and shouting?

Is it possible? It certainly is desirable, very desirable. How can we make this happen, though?

Let’s start at the beginning.

You get out of bed. More likely than not you won’t have had anything to drink or eat for 10 to 12 hours. Children won’t have drunk or eaten anything for 12 to 15 hours. The order of the day, apart from washing and getting dressed, calls for breakfast. Rice Krispies or cornflakes with milk or a slice of toast for the kids – if there is time – and a quick drink of sorts, all in a hurry, and then the race to get to school on time starts.

There usually isn’t enough time for a proper breakfast for your, with or without kids. A cup of coffee or a mug of tea, a slice of toast or a donut on the run, and your race is on.

Let’s look at it another way.

Imagine you own a Ferrari, a beautiful high performance car with a very advanced, complex engine. What kind of fuel would you put in? What kind of engine oil would you use? And when?

Would you fill her up every now and then with a mixture suitable barely for 2-stroke engines, that is with junk? Would you fill her up when the fuel gauge hits the bottom and even then try to get an extra mile or two out of her? Would you chuck in any old oil as and when you remember or when the engine begins to sound a little ‘off’? Or would you stick strictly to manufacturer’s specifications and make sure not to run the tank too low so that the engine doesn’t pick up the sludge from the bottom of the tank? Would you use high-grade, high performance engine oil and never allow the level to go below minimum?

But isn’t that what we do in the morning? Quickly chuck in any old thing as and when the time permits before we take our bodies on the racetrack of the day?

We are meticulous in looking after our high performance, expensive car engines. We know we have to because we, humans, have built it, and they cost a lot of money. Yet our own engine, that is so complicated that we are not yet capable of reliably replacing even the most simple, primitive parts; our own engine that we don’t really understand, we allow ourselves to run on empty, fill up knowingly with low grade, even damaging fuel, and think that this is OK.

How far would a Ferrari get on an empty tank? How far would you drive her when the red warning light for the oil starts flashing?

Yet how far can you push yourself on empty? The problem is that we don’t have a red warning light built in that flashes when our body dehydrates or starves. We just carry on as if everything was perfect.

Allow me to stay with the Ferrari a little longer. What would you do if you had a brand new one? Drive off the forecourt, put your foot down and go hell for leather? Or run it in very carefully as instructed? Not care about it or do your very best so that she will be guaranteed to reach max performance later on?

It’s obvious, isn’t it. Yet, as a society as a whole, and therefore individually as well, we don’t give our children the opportunity to run in very carefully. Rather, we let them run down early on. We send them to school with inadequate fuel, encourage them to put junk into their little tanks, and then we are surprised that, for the first time in modern history, life expectancy of our children is actually falling. A frightening thought.

So, let’s do something to get our day off to the start in the morning that the super high performance engine that we are deserves. Let’s give ourselves the fuel we need to function properly.

Fuel for the body

Unlike a car engine, your body is only ever switched off at the very end. This means that we need to refuel all the time.

We certainly tick over when we sleep. We breathe, perspire, our organs work, albeit at a calmer pace. Our brain works digesting the impressions of the previous day. At times our muscles won’t relax properly. They can be clenched, taught, occasionally our legs and arms twitch. Our eyes move. Our skin rejuvenates and repairs itself especially at night.

We are busy at night. But we mostly think that because we sleep our body doesn’t need anything. That certainly is one delusion worth throwing over board right here and now.

Our body needs a whole host of nutrients, all the time. It can do only so much from stored reserves. Most of the fuel needs to be replenished several times a day. No surprise really when we look at the very broad list of essential nutrients (essential means the body cannot do without, at least not for any length of time, and does not produce them itself; they must be obtained from the outside).

Here is what a well functioning body needs: daily optimally balanced nutrition; that is to say the right amount of:

Carbohydrates Protein Vitamins Minerals Fibre Fat Trace elements Amino acids Enzymes Herbs Water

Of course, how much of each of these nutrients we need depends on what we are doing and the level at which we are carrying out our activities. A builder certainly needs more calories – derived from the right food groups – than an office clerk, an athlete will have different requirements than a breast feeding mother. But we all need those nutrients daily if not several times daily.

What does all this have to do with breakfast? Balanced nutrition is obviously the foundation for a healthy breakfast — the foundation of the foundation of the day, as it were.

This Mustard Rabbit recipe dish takes some time to prepare, but it is worth it!

Ingredients

Half a dozen rabbit joints 4 large tablespoons of Dijon mustard Seasoned flour Large knob of unsalted butter (a couple of ounces is about right) 3 or 4 rashers on streaky bacon onion garlic about half a pint of double cream

Method

Wash and dry your rabbit pieces. Put them in a large bowl, cover with salted water and leave to soak for a couple of hours. Drain and dry.

Coat the rabbit joints evenly with the Dijon mustard and leave them in a cool place overnight. (I suggest the fridge). The following day, I said this mustard rabbit recipe takes time. Dust the rabbit joints lightly with seasoned flour, shake off any surplus.

Melt the butter in a flame-proof casserole and lightly brown the rabbit joints on both sides. Lift out the rabbit joints and set them aside. Peel and finely chop one onion and garlic cloves to taste. Remove the rind from the bacon and roughly chop it. Fry the bacon in the butter for three or four minutes add the onion and garlic and cook over a low heat until the onion is soft.

Return the Rabbit joints to the casserole, cover with a close fitting lid and cook over a very low heat for a further thirty minuets. Remove the casserole from the heat and stir in the double cream. Cover again with a close fitting lid and throw the whole lot into an oven preheated to about 180c. Cook for about forty five minuets..you might like to stir the casserole once or twice during the cooking time.

Serve straight from the casserole (mind you don’t burn the table)! Boiled potatoes and the usual green vegetables go well with this dish. You might want to throw a few bread croutons over the top as well. Enjoy.

If everyone adores your cooking and encourage you to pursue a career in cooking, you should learn culinary arts. Culinary is the art of cooking. Here you will learn different topics of culinary arts. For quality cooking right measurements, proper selection and accurate combination of ingredients are mot important.

To be an expert chef, it’s necessary to learn which tool to be used, which are the best methods to prepare a dish and which ingredients to be used. Culinary art is a diverse field because of economic, aesthetic, nutritional, religious and cultural variances. Hence, it is necessary to join a good culinary school is the best place to learn culinary arts.

1. Fire is most important in culinary arts.

Use of fire is closely associated with culinary arts. Heat changes the food’s texture, flavor and nutritional contents and even its appearance. Heating also disinfects the food and makes it softer. On the other hand freezing only slows down the expansion of bacteria.

2. Baking is most popular method in culinary arts

Baking is used for preparation of pastry-based goodies such as pies, tarts and cakes. In baking, food is cooked through applying dry heat evenly through the oven and onto the food.

The dry heat in the oven causes the starch to gelatinize and this causes the browning or charring of the outside of the food. Baking is an art that really need to master through a detailed practice.

3. Boiling creates Varity in Culinary Arts

Blanching, Pressure-cooking, Stewing, braising, steaming, infusion, poaching, double steaming, steeping and vacuum flask cooking are terms associated with boiling of food. Here you will learn the importance of some of this method in cooking. Submerging food initially in boiling water and later in cold water is used for firming of food. This method is called blanching.

Pressure cooking is when food is cooked inside an enclosed cooking tool that would limit the air that’s coming in or going out of that tool – this technique speeds up the pace of cooking. Stewing is the most popular cooking technique amongst the culinary students in a culinary school. In stewing, meats are cut up into smaller pieces and along with some vegetables are simmered into a liquid.

Simmering is another technique where the liquid is barely kept away from its boiling point. Apart from boiling and baking grilling is another popular method in culinary arts.

“There is no spectacle on earth more appealing than that of a beautiful woman in the act of cooking dinner for someone she loves.” Thomas Wolfe (1900-1938), U.S. author. The Web and the Rock, ch. 28 (1939).

These days with so many fast food and take outs everywhere, it seems there is no need for one to learn the art of cooking. Cooking is not just a necessity in life but it is an expression of love. To be able to prepare dinner for your husband after a day’s work and see his eyes lit up would make your grind in the kitchen all worth it. Cooking your child’s favorite food after a hard day in school would make him feel loved at home. As the famous line of Chef Gusteau from the Disney movie Ratatouille says…”Anyone can cook”-so does anyone who is interested to learn will know how to cook. If you are beginner, here are simple tips for you to follow.

1. If you cannot enroll yourself in a cooking class, you can invest in good recipe books or magazines that can be found in the local bookstore or magazine stand. The Internet is also very accessible in looking for easy recipe to cook. Some web sites even show step by step process in preparing and cooking the food that you choose.

2. Start with an easy recipe that you can find. Every lesson is a step by step process. As you go along and develop confidence in cooking you can always try the harder and complicated ones. Prepare the ingredients needed before you start cooking. Familiarize yourself with cooking tools and terminologies used to make it easy for you to understand how the food is done.

3. Boiling: Chicken 15-20 minutes; Pork 20-30 minutes; Beef 45-60 minutes while seafood like fish, shrimps and squid should not be overcooked more than 10 minutes.

4. Frying: Make sure your pan is dry before putting in the cooking oil. Wait until it is hot before frying so that the food will not stick on the pan.

5. Marinating: Chicken is best when marinated the day before. Pork can absorb the marinade in 30-60 minutes.

6. Steaming: Fish 10 minutes-you will know it is done when the eyes popped out.

7. A good cook makes good use the sense of taste and smell. Always taste the food that you cook. Whatever you find that is not enough/or in excess of like the saltiness, spiciness or sweetness, try to make adjustments and note it down beside the recipe.

8. Practice makes perfect. If you need to cook the recipe several times just to get it right-do it. Keep a notebook where you can jot down notes regarding the new recipe you are learning.

It is a joy to know how to cook especially when it is being appreciated by family and friends. To learn it, like anything else you plan out to do, you should take each step at a time. Be patient. Nowadays with the easy access of internet, cooking has been made easy. If anyone can do it-so can you.

There is no doubt that Canada is a northern country and that our winters here in Toronto can sometimes be a little harsh. But that’s no reason to hold anyone back from getting out there and enjoying the city to the fullest.

To ease the winter blues, the City of Toronto has developed a series of special events dedicated to bringing the city to life in the middle of winter. The WinterCity Festival is a city-wide celebration of Toronto’s culinary offerings (the popular Winterlicious restaurant promotion), a wide variety of free entertainment events and a showcase of Toronto’s vibrant arts scene, featuring live music, dance, theatre, spectacle shows, rink-side concerts and even aerial acrobatic performances. Throw in a number of child-friendly events, and WinterCity has something for everyone in the family.

I had a chance to talk to Grant Ramsey from the City of Toronto who is one of the key people behind WinterCity and he is providing a much more detailed overview of all the special events, artistic and culinary treats on offer.

1. Please give us an overview of Toronto’s WinterCity Festival. When did it come into being? When and where is it held?

This year will be the fourth WinterCity held. Prior to the name change, it was called WinterFest, which took place on one weekend. Since expanding the festival, it now runs for two-weeks and is held primarily at Nathan Phillips Square from, Jan. 27 to Feb. 9

2. Please tell us more about the “Wild on Winter Series”.

The Wild on Winter Series (WOW!) combines some of the best performances in Toronto. Two large outdoor spectacle shows, “Walk the Plank” and “Il Corso”, which take place on Saturday and Sundays of both weekends, feature some of the best pyrotechnic, special effects and sound displays in North America. Other WOW! Series performers include, stellar Canadian talent presenting the best in dance and live music all at Nathan Phillips Square.

3. Please tell us more about the “Warm-up Series”? Where does it take place, what events does it include?

The Warm up series offers great discounted events at some of Toronto’s hottest destinations. For those who just can’t brave the cold, The Warm Up Series offer excellent interactive entertainment at The Toronto Eaton Centre and other venues around the city.

Toronto Eaton Centre Schedule:
- Spin Cycle
Monday, January 30: 12:30 & 5:30 pm
The international vaudevillian duo of Greg Tarlin and Kristi Heath combine their talents as award-winning circus performers, Second City comedy veterans and skilled writers to engage, amaze and entertain with skills that include juggling, unicycling, stilt dancing and more.

- The Silk Road Acrobats
Three Man Acrobats & Hula Hoop Act
Tuesday, January 31: 12:30 & 5:30 pm
This performance combines the grace, delicacy and poise of the Chinese acrobatic tradition with the power and athleticism of Russian acrobatics. Three professional acrobats perform multiple towers, falls and strength poses along with an up-beat performance using a multiple hoop apparatus.

- The Silk Road Acrobats
Seven Man Acrobats & The Female Contortion Duo
Wednesday, February 1: 12:30 & 5:30 pm
Professional acrobats perform an amazing group demonstration of strength, coordination, group dynamic and impeccable timing. While balancing delicate vases on their hands and feet, the acrobatic female duo perform graceful contortions and remarkable poses, creating an effect that is truly enchanting.

- High Strung Aerial Acrobats “Dy-no-mite”
Thursday, February 2 & Saturday, February 4, 12:30 & 5:30 pm
A two-woman high energy aerial show with a sassy disco flair. Performed to hits from the 70s, like Disco Inferno, Ring My Bell and Macho Man, the show features aerial straps, a swinging ladder and trapeze. Throw in some audience participation, acrobatics and a kick-ball change or two, and you have a spectacle like no other.

- High Strung Aerial Acrobats “Impressed”
Friday, February 3 & Sunday, February 5:
12:30 & 5:30 pm
Witness aerial dance artistry, superior and surprising manipulations, and skills that seem to defy gravity. Wonder and marvel as these two breathtaking airborne lovelies perform startling acrobatic feats.
Events & Shows hosted by some of Toronto’s top attractions

Don’t miss this series of special WinterCity events at Toronto’s top urban destinations. For more details, contact each attraction directly.

4. Please tell us about the WinterCity Weekend SeeSaw at the Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People.

WinterCity Weekend SeeSaw at Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People
Meet four ordinary kids coping with the ups and downs of their lives. Paige, the popular yet insecure girl. Adam the tough bully who is also a budding artist, shy Josh who learns magic tricks in order to become invisible and Charla the new girl who wants to be everybody’s friend. (recommended for ages 9-12)

Saturday, January 28 & Sunday, January 29, 2 pm
Kids and adults WinterCity price just $12 each.
Regular price $15-20 each
165 Front Street East
416-862-2222
http://www.lktyp.ca

6. You also have an event planned that involves “Franklin the Turtle”, “Elliot Moose” and the CN Tower. Please tell us more about that.

Franklin the Turtle, Elliot Moose & friends visit the CN Tower
Join Franklin the Turtle, Elliot Moose and their author friends, Elizabeth MacLeod, Irene Luxbacher and Aubrey Davis, at the CN Tower. Enjoy winter crafts, no-bake chocolate recipes, storytelling and more.

This fun filled event is included with your special CN Tower coupon admission of 3 people for $30

Saturday, January 28 & Sunday, January 29
11 am – 4 pm
3 people for $30
301 Front Street West
416-868-6937
For full details on this event please visit, http://www.cntower.ca

6. You also offer special free skating events, beer tastings, a big band event, discounted opera events and theatre performances, please provide an overview of those.

DJ Skating Night @ Harbourfront
Slide down to Harbourfront’s beautiful rink and skate to music including house, progressive and breaks with DJs Phantasm, Simon Jain and Tommy Gunners!

Free hot chocolate! Skate rentals, sharpening, lockers, snacks and drinks all available.

Friday, February 3, 2006
8-11 pm
FREE
235 Queens Quay West, South of York Quay Centre
416-973-4000
http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com

A Bite before Twilight
Under 30? Join the Canadian Opera Company for a feast of traditional Bavarian fare at the exciting Bier Markt Esplanade and a quick update of “the story so far” before gorging on the dramatic final installment of Wagner’s epic Ring Cycle – The Twilight of the Gods (G

Presenting: Toronto’s WinterCity Festival – Culinary Treats, Arts and Entertainment is a post from: Gourmet Culinaire and Cuisine

]]> http://www.sugar-bliss.com/culinary-event/presenting-torontos-wintercity-festival-culinary-treats-arts-and-entertainment.html/feed/ 0 http://www.sugar-bliss.com/cooking-tips/cooking-lentils-top-tips-and-recipe-ideas.html http://www.sugar-bliss.com/cooking-tips/cooking-lentils-top-tips-and-recipe-ideas.html#comments Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:28:44 +0000 http://www.sugar-bliss.com/cooking-tips/cooking-lentils-top-tips-and-recipe-ideas.html Cooking Lentils – Top Tips and Recipe Ideas is a post from: Gourmet Culinaire and Cuisine

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Cooking lentils is really very straightforward. Lentils cook quickly and, in contrast to most dried beans, you don’t need to soak them. There are so many benefits of lentils, it is definitely worth making them a more regular part of your diet. Lentils are a highly nutritious food; a great source of protein, fibre, iron and B vitamins. They are tasty and satisfying but low calorie and low fat, making them a great addition to your diet too if you are trying to lose weight.

Cooking Different Types Of Lentils

There are a huge number of varieties of lentil so when it comes to cooking lentils, there are a few variables too. For example, split varieties will cook much quicker than whole varieties. Batches that have been stored for a long time will be tougher and will take longer to cook. For this reason, it is best not to take any cooking times as 100% exact. When cooking lentils, it is essential to taste and check as you go.

Red Lentils

Split red lentils are one of the most popular varieties and they are the quickest to cook. They should be covered with about twice their volume of cold water. Bring them to the boil and simmer very gently for 10 to 20 minutes. They love to stick to the bottom of the pan, so keep an eye on them. They will absorb water and become a thick yellow puree when cooked. Because of their texture, these lentils are very popular in soups but they can also be turned into wonderful savoury dishes like burgers, savory loaf or pie. If you are planning on making a loaf or burgers, cut down on the water a little when cooking. Herbs, spices, or cheeses can be used to transform this simple lentil into to a tasty feast.

Green Or Brown Lentils

One of the other most popular types of lentils is the whole green or brown lentil. These take about 30 – 40 minutes to cook. These lentils will hold their shape when cooked so just cover them in plenty of water and boil them vigorously until they are tender. They are a great addition to a hearty stew or soup and make a fantastic ingredient in a vegetarian shepherds pie or moussaka. They also make an excellent salad.

Once you get the hang of it, try experimenting with other varieties. These tasty little legumes are very versatile and you will be amazed at the number of completely different and delicious dishes you can create with them.

Super Bowl is here! And you are on a diet. And you need a great snack to bring that everyone will love. And you don’t want to feel left out. I have the perfect solution for you! Not only does this wonderful low fat snack, Stuffed Shrimp Appetizer delicious to eat and full of flavor, but it’s presentation makes it especially appetizing.

What you’ll need:
- 2 eggs (lightly beaten)
- 1 cup of soft breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise (light or low fat)
- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice (fresh)
- 1/4 teaspoon of oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon of Mrs. Dash seasoning (or anything similar)
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper (fresh, if possible)
- 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
- 1/2 pound of lump crab meat (fresh is always best, but canned works as well)
- 1 pound of shrimp (large and uncooked)
- 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese (grated)

What to do:Please preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

First, peel the shrimp, but leave the tails on. Next, de-vein and butterfly the shrimp by making a little slit down the back of each one all the way from the large end to the tail. You’ll be making a cut – but make sure you don’t cut all the way through to the inside curve of the shrimp.

Then, lay each shrimp on a greased cookie sheet to form a circle with the tail pointing up. The tail fans out to form a handle.

Next, mix the first 7 ingredients and fold into the crab meat. You’ll then place a spoonful of crab meat mixture on top of the circle. With freshly grated Parmesan top the mixture and bake for 15 minutes. After cooking your delicious Stuffed Shrimp Appetizer, gently remove with tongs to your favorite serving tray and serve right away. Awesome, awesome, awesome!

A couple of great tips:
You can double the stuffing and use the excess for stuffing little button mushrooms and bake them right along side of the shrimp. 2 easy appetizers in one fell swoop! They will bake up beautifully in 10-15 minutes, same temperature.

And if you are preparing for a party, simply make up the appetizers ahead of time, store in your refrigerator and then bake them 15 minutes before you need to serve. How easy is that?

Nutrition Information per Serving
46 Calories
1g Fat (28.0% calories from fat)
7g Protein
1g Carbohydrate
trace Dietary Fiber
53mg Cholesterol
92mg Sodium

Exchanges: 0 Grain (Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 0 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.