Come Dine In

Just before Ramadan started, my dear friend based in Dubai visited us and among the many pasalubongs she gave us, only this pack of dates is left for me to capture. All the chocolates were gone in no time. Thanks Mareng Jo!

She said that Muslims take dates while fasting. I thought they are not allowed to take in anything until sunset, but I learned that their beloved Prophet used to break his fast with dates, that is why many Muslims eat dates during Ramadan. I haven’t tried them yet, though. Now I’ll go and grab a piece.

Although Italians are far from the oldest group of immigrants to the U.S., Italian food has long been an American mainstay. Still, the spaghetti, coffee, tiramisu and even the ubiquitous pizza Americans love are not exactly the same dishes first created in the old world. American Italian food is a unique spin on highly traditional dishes.

The mainstays of Italian cooking – garlic, olive oil, pasta, lemon, butter and white wine, are typically all intact in American Italian food. However, many spices common in, say, Sardina, such as saffron, are hard to come by in the states. Americans are also more likely to enjoy Italian-inspired cooking in settings other than pure Italian restaurants. For instance, fast-food joints sling pizzas bearing only a vague resemblance to their Italian counterparts, and sometimes a steakhouse may serve beefy cuts alongside delicate Italian sauces.

Many American dishes with Italian names share little with their authentic counterparts. For instance, in America, “Panini” has come to mean virtually any bread served with an Italian style meal.

Italian tradition dictates strict adherence to certain ingredients and cooking regulations. Sometimes, cultural traditions regarding the preparation of food are enforced by law in Italy! It’s hard to imagine a restaurant owner in the U.S. being arrested over an improperly prepared hamburger. Then again, Italians do consume significantly less fast food from cheap, greasy places, so there may be something to their seemingly bizarre food laws. It’s a shame that all Italian imports in the U.S. are not made to the same exacting standards.

Food is an essential part of Italian culture, revered and respected. To this day, Italians look with disdain at tourists who dare walk and eat at the same time. While there’s much to be said for Americanized Italian food, perhaps such cuisine is still best enjoyed the Italian way – in a relaxed setting, with many friends, family and much wine.

When you own a restaurant, food safety should be your number one priority. If you don’t keep your food safe for your patrons, you could cause someone’s death. Salmonella poisoning, E. coli, and other bacteria that causes food poisoning is dangerous business that can’t be taken lightly. Here are some basics for keeping you safe.

Food Suppliers

The first is having a food supplier that you can trust. If the food you receive at your restaurant is already contaminated, you can’t do anything to make it safe to eat.

Keep the Food Cold

When you receive food from your supplier, be sure that cold food stays cold and frozen food stays frozen. This involves using commercial refrigeration that is kept below 41 degrees Fahrenheit for all refrigerated foods and 0 degrees or below for frozen. If any refrigerated food is left out for more than two hours, it should be tossed rather than taking any chances.

Cook Food Thoroughly

This is essential for meat that is more likely to contain harmful bacteria that is not killed if it’s not cooked at the right temperature. Each meat has an optimal temperature: For roasts, fish, and steaks, it’s 145 degrees. For poultry, the meat must reach at least 165 in the innermost part of the cut. For ground meat, it must reach 155 degrees.

Avoid Cross-Contamination

Cross contamination most likely occurs when cooked meat or fresh foods are prepared in the same location as uncooked meats. The bacteria from the uncooked meat is contaminated on the other food that either already has been cooked or will not be cooked.

Food Handling Safety

Be sure that all your employees have been educated by a government food handling course and have received his or her food handling permit. Most states require this, but even if yours doesn’t, require it of all employees who will be preparing food or handling food.

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Here I go again… Because I started looking for some home-made beauty tips, I can’t stop myself and now wanting for more! Apple and honey??? Yum!!! But applying them to face? eeekk!!! That’s sweet! haha!!! Well if you’re afraid of going to the derma (I am! ) then why not try doing some yummylicious home-made facial masks? It is said that this facial mask and the oatmeal facial mask I just posted earlier help treat acne. I don’t have pimples, but clearing my face with those white and black creatures is what I badly wanted.

Now how do you do it? Simple. If you have a blender or food processor, blend the peeled and cored apples and mix with 3-4 tablespoons of honey until you make a paste-like mixture. Apply to your face, relax and rinse off with warm water after 20 minutes. Done. Enjoy the refreshing feeling of the yummy apple shake you just dumped into your face.

Let me know if you’ve also tried this, I will as soon as I buy honey this weekend. I only have golden syrup here and I know it’ll be a disaster if I use that. haha!!!

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I am not vain when it comes to my skin, but I won’t hesitate to try natural acne treatments when I really needed to. I believe it won’t hurt and because there are no chemicals added, I would feel much safer. During my curious years, I try whatever I feel like trying. I am not a natural kikay that’s why I’m not cosistent to whatever it is that’s about beauty.

I remember myself trying the wonders of egg white, yogurt and tomatoes. Of course, as I said I am not consistent so what effects am I wanting to see in just one application? haha! Silly me! Now, I’ve learned that oatmeal is a good natural treatment for acne and that oatmeal on its own can do the tricks.

How? Just add some water to oatmeal just enough to make a thick paste and apply as a facial mask. Leave for 20 minutes then rinse. It has exfoliating properties that remove dead skin cells and relieve the discomfort associated with acne. That’s it for now – plain oatmeal facial mask. There are however a lot more oatmeal masks that can be done, but I’ll tackle those on future posts.

Coconut tree is known to be the tree of life since every part of it can be used in so many ways, not to mention the really delicious fruit it produces.

There are a varied choices of branded hair growth shampoo, but did you know that hair loss can be well treated by just a very natural product which is called coconut oil? I can still remember how my grandmother turned the coconut milk into oil and use it to rub to my skin and scalp every time she massages me. The smell is relaxing and invigorating without me noticing the benefits it is giving my skin and scalp.

If you’ve been suffering from hair thinning, I would suggest you try applying coconut oil or the widely available VCO (Virgin Coconut Oil) now. It’s been tried and tested that coconut oil stimulates hair follicles which makes the scalp nourished producing a more stronger and shinier hair.

Here in UK, every family is encouraged to have a complete intake of 5 portions of fruits and vegetables everyday and I guess every country is doing the same since it is based on the advice of World Health Organization. This is not 5 portions of each, but 5 portions all together.

Taking this 5 portions a day is a good practice to a healthier body, skin and lifestyle. As a mom, I make sure that my family gets a serving of fuits and veggies everyday. I don’t literally count, but serving them in every meal makes me feel comfortable that at least I have been serving my family about 5 portions of fruits and veggies a day since I became their cook and kitchen slave. This for sure will make me, my daughter and of course my lovely hubby free from finding the best acne medicine because we take the right kinds of foods.

I know… I know… I’m too late! England’s game came to an end a week ago already yet I am just sharing with you something about it. I was just so suprised to see that my daughter’s school prepared a 2-week lunch menu with varieties from different worldcup participating countries.

Here’s their 1st week “World Cup Lunch Menu” and I believe this is really helpful for my struggling meal planner.

One reason why I like Alyssa to have school-served meals than packed lunch is because I know the school makes sure that foods served are always nutritionally balanced. It’s really good that kids are able to get used to nutritious and completely balanced foods so they can spare themselves from reading some prevera reviews, just like what I am doing now. They are more likely to develop healthy skin and bodies which I’m sure she won’t regret when she is already consious about them.

COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) is a serious lung disease that prevents a person from breathing normally. These is the result of irritation of the airways that may be caused by cigarette smoking or air pollution. This may occur to thos in the age of 40 and older and it may also be hereditary.

The first thing that everyone needs to know is the fact that, the damage to our lungs cannot be reversed. We can find ease, but not cure so we must always remember that prevention is so much better. Take foods that are rich in Vitamin E, like vegetable oils, nuts, meats, eggs, poultry, legumes, blueberries, and broccoli. Of course, observing a proper diet like eating small meals 6 times a day fights not only COPD, but many diseases.

For COPD patients, breathing may be made with bronchodilator medication which can be in a form of pill, liquid or inhalers. There is an inogen oxygen concentrator that is more convenient as it can be brought anywhere which helps the patient get more active.

Yes, you read it right. I just stumbled upon freakingnews.com and found myself in awe in these diamond foods and I tell you, they are incredible! Please, read the last word of my second sentence, it’s incredible and NOT edible, ok? Just making myself clear in here.

It’s actually an Advanced Photoshop Pictures Contest held last 2006 where participants are asked to include diamonds as part of food products or meals.

Brace yourself because I’m now about to reveal some of the entries where whole and loose diamonds became food.

Guess what??? I don’t know who won the competition. I will have to dig in a bit more to find out.