Learning to Cook and Other Things

I was supposed to write this in Feb 26 after applying for membership to Post Mama hoping I'd be able to take advantage of 100 Entrecard credits. However, I forgot all about it till tonight. Anyway, I'd still want to quote the invitation from their message board as follows: "A message to all members of Posh Mama Posh Mama is an online magazine and a social network exclusively for women from all around the world. The network is a supportive, interactive, and highly engaged community of Posh Mamas who share information on fashion, beauty, style, home interiors, art, book reviews, author interviews, fitness, nutrition, unique products for women, cool gadgets, high-tech toys and important product recalls". "You don't have to be a "Mother" to be a 'Posh Mama'. " So if you think this community is for you "come hang out with" us at www.poshmama.com .

“Cloned-animal products aren't on store shelves yet — the industry won't begin selling them for at least a few months, after a government-recommended "transition period" — but when they finally do appear in supermarkets you may not even notice, because they won't be labeled. "The FDA does not require labeling if there [are] no food safety issues," said Dr. Stephen Sundlof, director of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, at a January press conference. That's where Dr. Patrick Cunningham, the former director of the Animal Production and Health Division of the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization, and Ireland 's current chief scientific advisor, comes in. Cunningham's 12-year-old company, IdentiGEN, specializes in DNA tracing of meat products — a process that can save valuable time during industry recalls, like the massive one on Sunday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) involving 143 million lbs. of...

ASIAGO d'ALLEVO The name Asiago was previously classified as a trade name, in December 1978 but was recognized as a name of origin. This cheese is ewe's milk cheese made in the foothills of the Dolomites although now it is made almost entirely from cow's milk in the provinces of Vincenza and Trento and parts of Padua and Treviso . Asiago is a pressed cooked cheese that produces a firm,strong table cheese after two to six months. Cheeses ripened for longer periods are used purely for grating and Asiago d'Allevo is renowned as an extra strong cheese and used as table cheese. BEL PAESE (Beautiful Country) A mild, white creamy cheese made from cow's milk and one of the most popular cheeses in modern day history. Made in Melzo in Lombardi, the Northern part of Italy . Bel Paese is matured and ripened for about 50 days and contains 48%-50% fat in dry matter. It can be used to replace mozzarella in cooking. BURRINI A specialty cheese from Puglia and Calabr...

I can only dream of these cheeses from my dream country, Italy. In the first place, my illness does not allow me to eat a lot of cheese. Aaargghh. But I can cheat can't I? I relish and salivate just thinking about it and even without the accompanying wines. STRACCHINO A fresh, cow's-milk cheese from Italy's Lombardy region. Stracchino contains about 50 percent milk fat. Its flavor is mild and delicate - similar to but slightly more acidic than CREAM CHEESE. Stracchino Crescenza has a somewhat higher milk fat content, which results in a slightly creamier texture. TALEGGIO Hails from Italy's Lombardy region. It is rich (48 percent fat), semisoft cheese made from whole cow's m ilk. Its flavor can range from mild to pungent, depending on its age. When young, Taleggio's color is pale yellow and its texture semisoft. As it ages it darkens to deep yellow and becomes rather runny. Taleggio is sold in flat blocks or cylinders and is covered either with a wax coating or...

Greek Wines MACEDONIA produces the most well-loved Greek brusco wine (robust red). Naoussa is the best example AmYndeon made from the same grape is a light red and can also be a pleasant still or sparkling rose. XinOmavro combined with the NegOska variety-another Macedonian native - makes GoumEnissa , a meaty red. NegOska produces a soft red . Chalkidiki of the central peninsula produce the Cotes de Meliton wines, both white and red, from a combination of French (Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc) and Greek varieties. The secluded monastic community of Mount Athos , the monks, have been producing wines since the Byzantine times, and still cultivate both white and red wine-producing grapes. Visitors can explore Macedonia , a wonderful and less known area, following the Wine Roads . EPIRUS in Northwestern Greece is on this most isolated mountainous region ZItsa , a lively, fresh fruity sparkling white is produced from the DebIna variety. In the same region, KatOi ...

Some of the best Greek cheeses “Greek cheeses are generally made from sheep's or goat's milk. If cow's milk is used in industrial production it must be mixed with one of these other two milks, since the substitution of cow's milk does not fulfill the time-honoured requirements of flavour and colour.“Among these cheeses are: FETA which means “slice”, has been produced since the time of Hippocrates. Ancient production methods are still followed with the milk stored in leather bags until it curds. Feta is traditionally made from goat or sheep's milk and is stored in barrels of brine. Most feta comes from mountainous areas. Greeks eat feta in different ways. It is used in salads (greek salad - horiatiki), baked in pies, crumbled on omelettes or even stuffed into fish. Probably the most favourite way to eat feta is to lay a thick slab on a plate, pour some olive oil and a pinch of oregano on top. How Made: once the milk forms, it is heated over fire and then...

I have always been curious about the various cheeses produced the world over. For starter, I found the following on some of the best Cheeses from France . Watch out for my other research finds on cheeses from Italy, Switzerland, Greece, and the rest of other cheese producers of the world. AISY CENDRE’ was created by the same people who saved the Epoisses cheese from oblivion after World War Two: Fromagerie Berthaut. They discovered that cheese buried in ashes had nutty flavor. How Made: Usually, a young Epoisses cheese is sued. The cheese is salted and washed with Marc de Bourgogne then buried in oak ashes for one month. The result is the Aisy Cendré. Strong in taste and has hazelnut and walnut flavor. Great with: Bourgogne Red wine BEAUFORT was already known during the time of the Romans and was named after a small rural town in the French Alps. Beaufort cheeses come in three versions, Beaufort, Beaufort d’été (summer Beaufort) and Beaufort d’Alpage (in the Alps mount...