Basil and lemon plain syrup

There are many health benefits to the herb Basil, but it also provides an additional delicious flavor to many dishes and beverages. Use the following recipe to sweeten Basil-infused Lemonade, or as a sweetener to a favorite tea or other beverage of selection.

Ingredients for syrup: 8 - 10 large sprigs of fresh Basil, chopped, Lemon zest from 1 whole lemon, 4 cups water and 2 cups sugar.

Combine all ingredients in saucepan and get to a boil, stirring until all the sugar is dissolved. Turn off heat, cover pan, and let place for at least 1 hour. Strain liquid into bottle or seal-able container, and keep cold for use up to 3 weeks.

Sour cherry creams

Traditionally, cherries have been used as an effective treatment for gout so they have medicinal property as well. Most people appreciate cherries for the flavors they impart to pies, jams and for us here at Leatherwood Vinegary, wine and vinegar.

Sour Cherry Soup is a refreshing cold soup served as an initial course or a dessert. It doesn’t have any herbs in it but you could try sweetening it with stevia instead of the sugar.

Clean and pit a pound of sour cherries. Place the cherries in a four-quart saucepan along with six cups of water and ¾ of a cup of sugar. Get to a boil and simmer for about ten minutes or until the cherries are cooked through.

Stir 1 teaspoon of powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of flour and ¼ teaspoon of salt into 1 cup of sour cream. Add a few of the cooked juice to this and whisk together. Then add it to the cherries in the pan. It won't thicker much. Cool by immerse the pan half way in a container of water and ice cubes. Then transfer to a bowl and cool in the refrigerator. Serve as a first course or put in a dollop of fresh whipped cream and serve as a dessert.

Few ideas about apricot sweets

The first and most important thing is to purchase tree-ripened apricots. By definition, this means local ones, since ripe apricots are soft and flexible to touch and do not travel well.

If you plan to eat them fresh, they should be soft, but not stained or bruised. The riper they are, the more flavorful/tasty they are.

If you are using them for cooking, the riper the better and you could even get by with blemishes as long as they are not rotten-looking. As a common rule, the softer the sweeter.

You will regularly see crates of extra-ripe apricots discounted in farmers markets. Look them over, and if there are not too many black or rotting ones, they are really the best for cooking purposes, especially for jams, cakes and sauces.

The basic formula is 900 grams/2 lbs of sugar for each 2 kilograms/4 1/2 lbs of fruit used. These hold the true for apricots, apples, cherries, nectarines and plums. If you like your jam really flavorful, you can put equal weights of fruit and sugar.

Apple and with Honey Marinated pork Chops

Many pork products sold at grocery stores are improved with a solution that's supposed to keep them moist during cooking. But you also have brine chops or marinate them yourself.

Another useful method is to sear the chops on both sides over a medium-high heat to seal in the juices. Then turn the heat down to low-medium or shift the chops to a cooler part of the grill to continue cooking.

Depending on the thickness, chops can take 18 to 25 minutes to grill. The internal temperature must be about 145 to 150 degrees. Let the chops break before serving.

For some fruit, think nectarines and peaches, which pair well with today's pork dish, papaya and large pieces of mango. Choose fruits that are hard and not overly ripe, and leave the skin on. If the fruit is too soft, there is a chance the pieces will fall apart on the grill or fall through the grates.

Water waste is a lake of oil to bring our bottled water

The energy and petroleum used to make and deliver the millions of disposable plastic water bottles B.C. residents drink and toss each year is corresponding to 64,000 barrels of oil.

That estimate is one of the findings in a new report that paints has damning portrait of the waste flowing from the manufacture, transportation and disposal of plastic water bottles.

Researchers used market to share estimates and to tabulate how many of each firm’s bottles comes here and the resulting fuel burned shipping them.

Their report results:
• Between 44,000 and 58,000 barrels of oil has used manufacturing the bottles sold in B.C.

• Energy equivalent to 200 to 300 barrels of oil has used to treat the water and fill, label and seal the bottles.

• Another 4,850 to 6,300 barrels of oil were burn transporting the bottles to Vancouver.

The adventures of burgers

For safety reasons, the USDA and the Food and Safety Inspection Services recommend that ground beef should be cooked to an inner temperature of 160 degrees, which is considered "medium-well" to "well-done." This temperature has been confirmed to kill harmful and potentially life-threatening bacteria like e-coli. However, many burger connoisseurs prefer their burgers pink, and acclaimed local burger combines and pubs serve their burgers medium rare to medium to maximize juiciness and meat flavor, The choice is up to you, so here’s a guide of the terms you need to know.

“Blue Rare” - Less than rare, the meat is quick seared on the outside and very red in the middle.

“Rare” – Pink towards the outer area, and bright red in the middle.
“Medium Rare” – Some brown on the outside, and red in the middle.
“Medium” – Fully brown on the outer region, bright pink and hot in the center.
“Medium Well” – Fully brown on the outside, and light pink to brown in the hot center.
“Well done” – Fully brown on the outside, fully brown and hot in the middle.

Flavor makes a good Gourmet Iced coffee

Instant coffee is convenient and fast, however, we suggest brewing some strong coffee in a standard drip or percolator pot. Remove it from the heat, and put it in a bottle in the refrigerator. To really make the individual glass of gourmet iced coffee, fill a large glass with ice. For the regular “vanilla mocha” sort of flavor, pour about ¾ full of coffee, then add sweetener to taste and a few drops of vanilla. If you are going to use flavored or chocolate syrups such as capella flavor then you may want to sweeten it partially with an alternative sweetener, then finish it with the flavored or chocolate syrup. Stir sweetener, ice and coffee briefly to blend. Pour in milk or half & half to fill glasses, stir again. Top with a spoon of whipped cream, sprinkle with cinnamon and a drizzle of chocolate or caramel syrup, and serve with a straw.

Strawberries flavor remain region's top crop despite decline

With both land and prices down in 2008, the value of Santa Cruz County's strawberry crop plunged $36 million, or nearly 37 percent, compared to 2007. Raspberries, more and more popular crop among growers and consumers, made up most of the difference, posting a gain of $35 million, a 50 percent increase over 2007.

But strawberries still reign as the top crop, accounting for $160 million of last year's $485 million total agricultural production, according to the recently released 2008 Santa Cruz County Crop Report. No one believes raspberries to grab the crown.

Raspberry growers, on the other hand, saw prices increase to record levels at nearly $5,500 a ton.

The crop report, formed annually by the county agriculture commissioner, noted a slight dip in overall crop value in 2008, but several crops produced more dollars, including raspberries; apples, up 20 percent thanks to higher production on fewer acres; and broccoli, where higher prices tripled the worth of the crop.

Varieties of italian sandwich

Italian sandwiches are inexpensive fast food for the gods, constructed with equal concern for flavor and aesthetics.

Get the selection at Pizza e Mortadella at 279 Via Cavour in Rome. These babies are stuffed with all the delicacies of the Italian kitchen: prosciutto, salami, mozzarella, tomatoes, grilled eggplant, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, tuna, salmon, even chicken salad -- although the thought of mayo makes some Italians gag.

You can also get fresh pizza rossa at Roscioli, which is basically pizza by the slice topped with such accompaniments as zucchini flowers. Like most Roman cafes, Camerino serves tramezzini. These are artistically filled sandwiches made on crustless triangles of spongy white bread.

Guidelines for freezing to get you started

Cool all foods and syrup before covering. This speeds up freezing and help to retain the natural color, flavor and texture of food. Pack foods in quantity that will be used for a single meal. Pack foods tightly, leaving as little air as potential. Most foods need head space between the packed food and closure to allow for expansion of the food as it freezes.

Scalding vegetables in boiling water or steam for a short time is a necessity for almost all vegetables to be frozen. This blanching process stops enzyme actions that can cause loss of flavor, color and texture. Blanching time vary with the vegetable and size. Overblanching causes loss of flavor, vitamins, color and minerals.

After blanching, immediately chill the foodstuff to stop the cooking process. Change water frequently or make use of cold running water or ice to bring temperature below 60 degrees. Purchase packaging materials designed for freezing to keep flavor, color, moisture content and nutritive value.

Australian town be the world's first to ban bottled water

An Australian town has become the world's first to ban bottled water and restore it with bottles than can be filled from a tap.

The 2,500 residents of Bundanoon had the possibility to vote and more than 350 attended a town meeting on Wednesday (8 July). Only one person has voted yes to the ban, according to Bloomberg.

The move is division of the "Bundy on tap" campaign to urge locals to drink tap water that was launched after drinks firm Norlex Holdings to ship local water to Sydney for bottling.

Fire it up for fruits and cakes

Summer makes us to think about desserts that take on a new personality with at least some outdoor cooking. Grilling wedges of citrus-infused bundt cake, accompanied by slices of grilled nectarines is easier way to salute the season.

Grilling slices of the cake adds two pleasant characteristics: a subtle smoky, toasted flavor and a sophisticated look. If the rest of your meal will be grilled, reserve an area of the barbecue that will not be used for meat or savory foods to avoid any unnecessary flavors.

A dollop of vanilla ice cream, whipped mascarpone or whipped cream or a spoonful of buttermilk make a luscious finale. Top servings with a chiffonade of basil leaves, sprigs of lavender or bright hibiscus blossoms.

Summertime is really when the living, and boiling, is easy.

Flavor of tomatillo(little tomoto) add kick to a salsa

A member of the prolific nightshade family that include potatoes, peppers and eggplants, tomatillo means "little tomato."

It resembles a small, green tomato, but similar to its cousin, the cape gooseberry, it's enclosed in a papery husk. Other names include jamberry, Mexican husk tomatoes, tamates and tomate verde.
The tomatillo (tohm-ah-TEE-oh) hails from Mesoamerica, was widely refined by the Aztecs and still grows wild from southern Texas to the highlands of Guatemala. Today, it also is grown in India, Australia and South Africa.

Mexican food authority Rick Bayless recommend the variety with a purplish blush, but to get them, you might have to grow them yourself.

To use, take away husks and wash off the sticky residue. A little dishwashing soap helps, but you'll need to clean thoroughly. Tomatillos can be used raw, but roasting intensify flavor.

Inspires mojito flavors

Mojitos have come a lengthy way from their history of pirates, writers and slaves and are now one of the top 10 most popular cocktails in the US. Over time, this Cuban import has been modified and blended to further increase its appeal with added fresh fruit, purees and flavored liquors.

The fresh, clear flavors of mint and lime have become favorites and have shown up in varied forms such as mojito flavored green tea, Bacardi’s mojito flavored malt beverage and even chewing gum. The latest in mojito flavored goodies is a lip moisturizer by the original forces behind Malin+Goetz, a family owned and operated apothecary in New York.

For every flavor, follow the same method:

In a pint glass, add the quartered lime, sugar, mint leaves and fresh fruit, if any. Top with ice and muddle strongly until the mint and fruit are pulverized. Add the lime juice, fruit puree, alcohol, if any, and more ice. Mix up in a shaker. Pour into glass and the top with Sprite.

Chocolate cupcakes classic recipe

Classic items, antiques, classics are special. They explain us a glimpse of our history, of times past; bring back memories or wishful fantasies. Classic recipes are no different.

This one is from the 1930s, during the Great Depression, so it uses vanilla flavoring and shortening, and doesn't suggest double chocolate. It's careful, so if today's economy has us pinching pennies, it's perfect, but if we are seeing better times, it's easy to add a second square of chocolate, use real vanilla or substitute the shortening with real butter.

Melt chocolate in excess of hot water. Cream limitation and sugar. Put it in egg, chocolate, and flavoring. Beat carefully. Sift flour, determine, and sift with salt and baking powder. Add alternately with milk to first combination. Fill up well-oiled muffin tins 2/3 full. Cook in the oven (375° F.) about 35 minutes.

A fresh get on asparagus

Asparagus is enjoyable to cook. You can steam it, grill it, boil it or roast it. For this recipe, heat medium-size asparagus spears that have been peeled and trimmed. You can't beat the wealthy, slightly caramelized flavor of roasted asparagus.

For a French accent, these bright green stalks are dressed with hazelnut oil vinaigrette and garnish with toasted hazelnuts. The rich, flavored hazelnut oil has a unique flavor. It is used mostly as a condiment or in salad dressing because it has a strong flavor. Pair it with a lighter olive or vegetable oil to rich the taste. Remember to store the hazelnut oil in the refrigerator and make use of it within 4 months.

If you can't find hazelnuts or the oil, try a plain citrus or red pepper vinaigrette instead. Serve up this dish warm as a first course or as a side dish with a grilled entree.