Chinese Green Tea as the Drink to Health

Many studies suggest that fresh-brewed tea can benefit health and fight disease.

Tea is cosy, comforting, easy to brew, and can be enjoyed anywhere at any time. Chinese green has more varieties than any other tea in China as well as any other country in the world.

Tasty and Healthy

Chinese tea is healthy in a lot of ways. It lowers blood pressure, protects the heart, helps to prevent obesity, prevents tooth decay and increases immunity, etc. Sounds like a TV commercial but it has been working on more than billions of Chinese people over thousands of years.

Grean Tea is like jewelry in china agriculture food; It's announced in November, 2001 that research has found scientific evidence that Chinese tea can actually help to prevent cancer. It's more than just empty talk now. As a fellow Chinese tea drinker puts it "when I am home after a busy day, I make myself a cup of tea while sitting slanted on the sofa. A sip of hot tea down the throat, the whole world loosens up. The feeling is soooo ... you know... ". Yes, as a Chinese tea drinker, Kam knows. Chinese tea's impact on one's psychological health is immediate. In summer or warm climate, tea seems to dispel the heat and bring on instant cool together with a feeling of relaxation. For this reason, tea-houses abound in towns and market villages in South China and provide elderly retirees with the locales to meet.

The above, however, does not go to say that the stronger the tea, the more advantages it will yield. Too much tannic acid will affect the secretion of the gastric juice, irritate the membrane of the stomach and cause indigestion or constipation. Strong tea taken just before bedtime will give rise to occasional insomnia. Constant drinking of over-strong tea may induce heart and blood-pressure disorders in some people, reduce the milk of a breast-feeding mother, and put a brown color on the teeth of young people. But it is not difficult to ward off these undesirable effects: just don't make your tea too strong.

Green Tea Ingredient May Promote Healthy Weight Loss

Most teas contain large amounts of polyphenols, which are plant-based substances that have been shown to have antioxidant, anticancer, and antiviral properties.

However, green tea is particularly rich in a type of polyphenols called catechins. These substances have also been shown to have anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties, but recent research in animals show that catechins may also affect body fat accumulation and cholesterol levels.

Handpicked Yield High Quality Tea

In China, most leaves are still handpicked, which yields a higher quality crop. Many of the top grade teas are still handmade, allowing tea masters to finetune their process to optimise the quality of the individual leaves.

Knowledgeable tea drinkers can find the best of the finest in the Land of the Dragon. The low cost of living in China often results in affordable prices for many teas.
Unlike black tea, Chinese green tea is made with minimal processing. A process - called firing - applies heat to kill the enzymes and arrest the oxidation, or fermentation.

Traditionally, the Chinese uses three firing process: steaming, pan-frying and baking. Japanese tea only uses steaming.

Pan-frying was the most popular method in China. It was preferred over steaming for two reasons: it is quicker to pan-fry than to steam, and it stimulates an intense chestnuty aroma and flavor.

Baking can be done using either charcoal or electric oven. It is preferred over pan-frying when it is important to preserve the shape and texture, such as when making floral infused green tea. For the tea making tools, you could check more in kitchenware info site.

Many Chinese green tea are produced using combination of pan-frying and baking, allowing the advantages of each method to be exploited.
Chinese Tea is A Way of Life

A cup of tea in the morning sets the pace of the day. Sitting and chatting with a few good friends over a couple rounds of tea makes life worth living. Brewing Chinese tea calms me down.
Chinese tea is more than just something to drink. It has in fact become a way of life for many

Chinese Diet Green Tea and Longevity
It’s better than health medicine sometimes if you drink it for a long time.
The role of Chinese diet green tea in promoting longevity has been investigated upon by many researchers. They found the premise of their study on observing that Japanese women who are greater-than-average Chinese diet green tea drinkers; have lower mortality rates compared to others. This led the researchers to believe that Chinese diet green tea has "a protective factor against premature death."

The polyphenols found in Chinese diet green tea may be held accountable. With its high amount of polyphenols, Chinese diet green tea seems to have a stimulating effect on the immune system. Stronger immune system as a result of drinking Chinese diet green tea helps reduce risks of acquiring any illnesses.

Author: Janey Yang

Chef Shell P's Pasta Carbonara

Ingredients list: 1 lb of bacon if you are going to prepare the US version, 1/4- 1/2 lb of pancetta or prosciutto, they both have a very strong flavor so use sparingly depending on your tastes. 1 lb of linguine, 2-3 eggs, 1/4-1/3 cup of Italian parsley fresh if available, a really good parmesan cheese grated, salt and fresh ground pepper to taste...

1. Cut your pork products into lard-on strips, or 1/4" strips and then saute/render your pork product that you desire in you dish. You want to get the pieces crisp but not too done. Remove the cooked pork with a slotted spoon and pat dry and hold for later.

2. You will get your water going for your pasta. Follow the instructions on the box for your pasta. Just remember to salt your water. Stir in the pasta and make sure it is fully covered with the water. Cook until done but not overcooked. You will still want some bite to the pasta or al dente- firm to the bite. You can bite into the pasta, look at the center and you will see whether it is done or not by noticing the center. If it is not the same color all the way through then it is still not done. Practice makes perfect on this step. But you will definitely now if it is overcooked, it will be mushy and will fall apart on you.

3. You will first want to have a separate pot of simmering or close to boiling water. You will want to add the eggs to this water only for about 20-30 seconds to kill any bacteria such as salmonella. Remove from the water and rinse and then immediately break into bowl. Beat the eggs very well or thoroughly in a mixing bowl that you can serve this dish in.

4. When the pasta is fully cooked, drain it and try to remove all excess water. Do not rinse!

5. Put the drained pasta into the serving dish with the eggs and toss the pasta into the egg mixture. The heat from the pasta will cook the egg mixture. Just make sure you stir well, but be careful not to cut your pasta.

6. Add your pork products, parsley and cheese at this point and give it another toss. Plate it up, pour yourself and guest some wine, and break bread together.

This is a very classical Italian dish as I stated before. Just take precautions when preparing the egg mixture. And I hope that you enjoy this dish, if you like you can use bacon or sausage and eat for a breakfast meal served with danish or some type of bread. Ciao!

Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and research and development chef for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelley_Pogue

Chocolate Bavarian Cream

For one large mould of cream, use half a package of gelatine, one gill of milk, two quarts of whipped cream, one gill of sugar, and two and a half ounces of Walter Baker & Co.'s Chocolate.

Soak the gelatine in cold water for two hours. Whip and drain the cream, scrape the chocolate, and put the milk on to boil.

Put the chocolate, two tablespoonfuls of sugar and one of hot water in a small saucepan, and stir on a hot fire until smooth and glossy. Stir this into the hot milk.

Now add the soaked gelatine and the remainder of the sugar. Strain this mixture into a basin that will hold two quarts or more. Place the basin in a pan of ice-water, and stir until cold, when it will begin to thicken.

Instantly begin to stir in the whipped cream, adding half the amount at first. When all the cream has been added, dip the mould in cold water and turn the cream into it.

Place in the ice-chest for an hour or more. At serving-time dip the mould in tepid water. See that the cream will come from the sides of the mould, and turn out on a flat dish.

Article Source: http://www.art...hocolate-bavarian-cream-391762.html

Homemade Light Creamy Salad Dressing

Salads are always touted as diet food but the dressing can quickly sink the whole ship. Many of us prefer the creamy dressings but are warned they aren't a good option for those of us who are diabetic, dieting or having to watch our diets for other health reasons. Following is a quick and easy homemade creamy salad dressing. This should not wreck your diet. But always remember to use salad dressings lightly. There is no need to drown your salad in dressing. The dressing should complement the salad greens, not overpower them. It is also a good idea to take your salad dressings on the side. Dip your fork in the dressing then into the greens. This will keep you from eating too much dressing. Here is a great recipe for you to try:

CREAMY GARLIC SALAD DRESSING

1. 1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2. 1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise
3. 1/3 cup skim milk
4. 2 tsp SPLENDA
5. 2 green onions, finely chopped
6. 2 cloves garlic, minced
7. 1/4 tsp salt
8. 1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, milk and SPLENDA. Stir in the onions, garlic, salt and pepper. Cover and place in refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.

For a change of flavor, try roasting the garlic before adding to the mixture. Yum!

If the garlic flavor is a little too much for you, use 1 garlic clove instead of two.

You can take this basic recipe and come up with a delicious dressing to suit your taste. Try replacing the salt with paprika or chili powder for a spicier dressing. Let your imagination run wild!

For more of Linda's recipes writings and diabetic information go to http://www.diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com

All About Pizza

The term pizza covers a lot of territory. If you want to learn all about pizzas, then you should have a bit of a background on pizzas: specifically the history of pizza, pizza origin, pizza facts, and even pizza trivia such as who invented pizza. The subject also delves into the different types and styles of pizzas.

The varieties currently existing defy any attempts at enumeration. Thus, most people who attempt such a task stop at a broad categorization of pizza types according to certain attributes such as crust thickness, crust elasticity, crust baking and cooking procedures, toppings, etc....

Aside from general, historical or trivial information, other things are of interest to the pizza lovers. For instance, homemade pizza enthusiasts would like to know certain tips and tricks for making pizza. This includes pizza making techniques, the best pizza crust recipes, pizza toppings, homemade pizza sauce, etc. Some other interesting topics will be frozen pizza dough and where best to attain them, what are the criteria for choosing the, what are the methods for preparing them, etc.

It must be obvious that this article is a mite ambitious for wishing to tackle something entitled "all about pizza." However, an attempt is definitely warranted, so here goes.

Some pizza facts and trivia

Accounts of pizza history always begin with the origin of pizza. This one might as well follow the same tack. We have to thank any civilization or race that baked flat bread on hot stones or stone ovens for pizza, for almost certainly, bread like the focaccia was the "mother of the pizza crust." However, the invention of the pizza is more properly attributed to the Neapolitans - the people of Naples, Italy who were baking and making pizza crust topped with tomatoes, oil, and Italian herbs, and spices. This rudimentary and traditional Italian pizza was common peasant fare in Naples. If you want an individual originator and inventor of pizzas, however, then you won't be wrong if you cite Rafaelle Esposito - a native of Naples; he modified the basic Neapolitan pizza recipe and came up with three variants that added mozzarella cheese to the rudimentary Italian pizza toppings.

Now, if you are looking for some topics for small conversation, then you must remember the following trivia. One note of caution, though; you shouldn't blurt these out just to anybody or you'll sound decidedly corny and geeky. Make sure you're talking to someone interested in pizzas before you use the following trivia as conversational gambits.

" Most people in the United States love pepperoni; the least liked toppings are anchovies.

" Pizza was called (and is still called) tomato pie and pizza pie in certain parts of the States.

" The first pizzeria in the United States was opened in New York.

" The pizza industry is worth more than 30 billion dollars in the United States alone and Americans consume around three billion units of pizza every year.

" New York pizza is traditionally plain. Supposedly, New York pizza is unique because of the acidity and hardness of the water in New York. New Yorkers therefore claim that only in New York can you make real New York Pizza.

(New Yorkers must admit, however, that if water is the unique characteristic of New York pizzas, one who uses water adjusted for hardness and acidity to reflect New York water conditions, adds all the usual New York pizza ingredients and toppings, follows all the procedures strictly but makes the pizza in New Jersey can conceivably make an authentic, New York style pizza. But such an assertion, some would say, is just plain cheek.)

Pizza types and pizza styles

The first step to a great homemade pizza is determining what type of pizza you wish to make. After all, different types of pizza have different attributes and thus call for different types of pizza base, pizza toppings and cooking techniques. Would you like to make an authentic Italian pizza, a New York style pizza, a California style pizza, or a Chicago style pizza?

Italian pizza is generally lean, although when you add cheese, its fat level generally rises in proportion. There are various kinds of Italian pizza, too. There are Neapolitan pizzas, of which there are two general types: the marinara and the Margherita. There are various combinations of these as well. Authentic Italian pizza, moreover, is supposedly baked on wood-fired or even coal-fired, stone ovens.

New York pizza, as abovementioned, is generally plain. The mainstay of New York pizza is mozzarella cheese - fresh mozzarella cheese to be precise. One can add garlic, different types of cheeses, anchovies, shrimp, etc but these are usually optional. The pizza dough recipe for traditional New York pizza, on the other hand, calls for high-gluten flour. The result is firm, usually thin, chewy pizza.

The California style pizza is generally known for gourmet flavors. You can say the California pizza has countless variations. The pizza crust, in this case, is light, crisp and generally well risen. The toppings can be out of this world - generally California pizza makers experiment a lot with all kinds of meat, sea food, breakfast dishes, and vegetable for the toppings.

The Chicago style pizza, on the other hand, is generally crusty and very filling. They are characterized by their raised edges; imagine a pre-baked apple pie crust where you can place the fillings on top. Chicago pizza is usually meaty (some variants come stuffed with cheeses and meat layers) and it is eaten with a knife and fork.

You can also start by deciding on the flavor you want. Do you want to make a cheese pizza, a vegetarian pizza or a fruit pizza? Perhaps you want to make a low fat pizza, a low carb pizza, a healthy pizza? Sourdough pizza is also another variant.

Take your pick among your many options. Once you have decided, choosing the recipe would be much easier. If you have decided on an Italian pizza, for instance, then find your Italian pizza crust recipe, your Italian pizza sauce recipe and the overall Italian pizza recipe that will give you a list of toppings and pizza preparation procedures for making an authentic Italian pizza. For an easier time of it, you can opt to use Italian-style frozen pizza dough then just follow the Italian pizza recipe that you've found.

Some pizza making tips and techniques

Hand tossing will help you minimize the lumps in your pizza dough. However, this should be done only after sufficient pizza dough kneading. This process lets your pizza dough develop into the right kind of consistency - that which is suitable for stretching and hand tossing. Hand tossing, however, is not advisable for thick pizza crust varieties.

If you want a crisp and firm pizza that retains its structure even when the moist toppings are added, you can bake the pizza crust before you add the toppings and the pizza sauce. However, for thin pizza crusts, baking the crust after the toppings and sauce have been added is sufficient. For uniform baking and crisping of the crust, use a pizza stone or a pizza screen.

Finally, remember that the protein content of your flour will influence the end product. High-gluten flour will lead to a crisp but chewy crust. Gluten-free flour, however, may lead to very soft dough; additives may have to be used to give the pizza dough strength.

Quick pizza crust recipes and easy homemade pizza recipes of all kinds and style are easily available online. There are tips for baking and preparing frozen pizza dough, making your own pizza dough, preparing the ingredients for the best pizza crust recipe, etc. All you need to start making your very own pizza recipe is an internet connection, a good source of basic pizza recipe, great pizza equipment, your imagination, and lots of time and resources for experimentation.

About The Author

Sean Lannin

With more than 10 years experience both working and owning pizza restaurants. When he tried to find information about making pizza at home, he noticed that the information was either non-existent or lacked the information he felt was important. He now shares his passion for making pizza with readers of his website.

http://www.homemade-pizza-made-easy.com/