Green, Attractive and Sweet Peas

Pea is a spherical seed of the legume Pisum sativum. Each seed pod contains many peas.

In botanical terms peapods are fruits as they contain seeds that develop from the ovary of the flower. They are considered as vegetable most popularly used in cooking. It is member of family Fabaceae and the name pea is also added to other members of the family like cowpea, pigeon pea and seeds from several species of Lathyrus. The word pea has been originated from a Latin word.

It is an annual plant with a life cycle of one year. It is grown in all parts of the globe and is a cool season crop.planting of pea takes place in winter to early summer depending upon the location. The average weight of pea varies from 0.1-0.36 grams. It is used as a vegetable and can be eaten fresh, frozen, can or dried to be used as split pea. These varieties are typically known as field peas. Wild pea cultivation is mainly restricted to Mediterranean basin and the Near East. Archeological evidence suggests that cultivation of pea began in 4800-4400 BC in the Nile Delta.

Pea is a green coloured, pod-shaped vegetable widely grown in the cooler months. The seeds may be planted in the soil when the temperature reaches 10?C but the plants thrive well at a temperature of 13?C to 18?C. The plants fail to survive in the summer heat of warmer temperate as well as the lowland tropical climates. They grow well in the cooler high altitude tropical areas. Many cultivated varieties attain maturity in about 60 days. They grow well in slightly acidic and well drained soils. Peas have both slow growing and vining varieties. The vining varieties can be characterized by the presence of thin tendrils that twine around anything for support and attain a height of about 1-2 m. they undergo self pollination. There are many varieties of garden pea known under cultivation.

Pea weevil is an insect that damages peas and other legumes. This insect is native to Europe but has also spread to Canada and Alberta. They are 3.5-5.5 mm long and can be distinguished by the presence of three dark coloured lines running across the thorax. The larvae of the weevil feed on the root nodules which supply essential nitrogen to the plant for proper growth of stem. Adult weevils feed on leaves and make a c-shaped mark on the outside of leaves. In early times peas were grown for their dry seeds. In the modern world peas are boiled or steamed which breaks down the cell walls and makes them sweet in taste as well as makes the nutrients bio-available. Along with lentils and broad beans they form an important part of the diet of people of Middle East, North Africa and Europe during the Middle Ages. In India fresh peas are used in a number of dishes but the fresh ones can be substituted by the frozen ones also. They are also eaten raw as they are sweet in taste. Dried peas are also used in soups. They are even roasted and salted in Thailand and Malaysia as snacks. Pea soup is also eaten in northern Europe, parts of middle Europe, Russia, Iran, Iraq and India. Processed peas are mature peas that are dried, soaked and heat treated. Pea starch is used in making bioplastics.

Peas are rich source of vitamin A, vitamin C, B vitamins and lutein. In the mid 19th century Austrian scientist Gregor Mendel's observations of pea pods led to the principles of Mendelian genetics, the foundation of modern genetics. Some individuals are allergic to peas as well as to lentils.

Healthy Grilling Options Can Be Tasty

Just like in the winter, most of us enjoy comfort foods like big bowls of chili with all of our favorite ingredients and toppings, or a warm bowl of mashed potatoes and chicken and noodles. While there is comfort food in the winter, we enjoy the relaxing and enticing smell of the family grill. There's nothing better than the aromas of burgers, pork or even chicken cooking on a charcoal grill. If you happen to be on a special diet, or need to watch your calories, there's no reason why you still can't enjoy your favorite summer dinners. By making just a few small changes, you can still relax in the summer at your family picnic or BBQ.

If you are a sucker for grilled hot-dogs, you can choose those with less sodium or made without pork. Look for hot-dogs that have turkey and are nitrate free. Should you want to add a hamburger to go with your hot-dog, choose lean meat, turkey burgers, or even the vegetarian kind. Another vegetarian option is to grill a portabello mushroom on the grill, add a little bit of seasoning, and then place it on a bun. You still get to enjoy the juicy flavors of the grill-except its a healthier option!

To add some veggies to your summer plate of summer cook-out goodies, try some vegetable kabobs. Purchase some kabob grilling sticks and place some of your favorite vegetables to them. Add some pieces of fruit for some sweetness too. Add green peppers, onions, tomatoes, red peppers or even some pineapple. Grilled veggie kabobs can make a perfect side-dish or an appetizer.

There are other ways to keep your cook-out healthy besides changing up the menu as well. Cut off any additional fat that is found on the meat before cooking it. Before starting your grill, be sure that it is clean and free of any debris and leftover charcoal. Instead of using salt to add to meats, try other herbal seasonings such as Basil, Sage, Oregano, or Rosemary.

Grilling outside doesn't always have to mean extra calories. It can actually be quite healthy if you choose options with less fat and sodium. Even if you are dieting, you can still enjoy the juicy flavors that come along with cooking out on the grill, and relax with your friends and family. There''s nothing better than a great day of outdoor grilling with those that you care about the most.

Essentials for Successful Food Service

Most publicans, landlords and bar owners will tell you that the hostelry industry has been suffering these past few years. With economic recession, government cuts and the smoking ban, many drinking establishments have had to close the doors.

In the UK, nearly three pubs a day close their doors for the last time and many traditional pubs are disappearing from our town, cities and villages leaving a social gulf with nowhere for local people to congregate and socialise.

The pub or local bar is an important aspect of any local community but even for those struggling in the current times, there are things you can do to ensure you keep your doors open

Serving food is one way of boosting an income and generating enough money to pay the bills and stay open. More and more people now visit pubs for the food rather than the drink so it can be very short-sighted not to want to take advantage of such custom.

One thing that puts people off is the need to buy all those catering accessories and equipment and retrain staff to deal with food. However, the time and investment is often worth it as a pub can make huge leaps in revenue by offering food.

However, quite often pubs fall into the trap of failing to plan their service properly which can lead to blockages in the kitchen, disgruntled customers and all the investment that's gone into serving food becoming a waste.

With any food service a system of four steps needs to be put in place: First menus. Providing a form of menu is essential fo customers to peruse, and not just indoors either, all food establishment need to provide a menu outdoors to entice people in through the doors. The most efficient method for providing a menu, is to use chalkboards or menu-boards which can be altered at will, this does away with the need to get menus printed for each table.

The next step in the food service system is taking the orders. Most pubs do this electronically with the tills behind the bar hooked up to screens in the kitchen, but it can be done manually on appear but it is always best to request food orders at the bars at it reduces the number of service staff required.

The next step is service. Bringing the food to the table and ensuring customers have the relevant cutlery and condiments.

Finally, removal of empty plates needs to be done efficiently, otherwise blockages of washing up can halt the kitchen. It is recommended that you invest in a good selection of trays and a tray stacker or trolley, this will allow empty plates to be stacked neatly and not clutter up the kitchen.

Food Storage 101

Being able to know how to store your food in your kitchen makes your life in the kitchen easy, it ensures that you are able to save money by preventing the food that you have in the kitchen from getting spoilt. It also provides the opportunity to have your kitchen to be more organized and ensure the food can be easily retrieved.

The first thing you need to do is to select the perishable from the non perishable i.e. all the foods that have been stored in the cans should be kept away after confirming the date of expiry of the cans and see if they are leaking from the cans since if they are leaking they are a potential hazard and might make the other foods around it to rot.

If you have food in excess and you know that you can not be able to finish the food in a specified time meaning the food is likely to rot, it's good if you donate the food to a neighbor or the less fortunate so that they can be able to use it before it goes bad.

After doing that it's good if you devise a more comfortable means that you can use so that you can be able to store some of the foods well. For example foods like flour should be kept well in a sealed plastic container.

Plastic manufacturing companies have been able to come up with this containers that enable one to store the food in a more organized manner, you can purchase some of them and see how they will go a great way in ensuring your food is well preserved.

For those people who love to budget for the whole month, it might mean that you have to acquire things in bulk; these plastic containers will enable you to store the foods easily once you are able to remove them from their original containers which will help you in saving of space.

If you are not good in food storage and arrangement of the foods in your cabinet, it would be better if you are able to store the most commonly used food items in a different place. This place should be where you can be able to reach without interfering with the other arrangement of the food.

Last but not least to ensure you have an easy time in the kitchen, by the use of a weekly menu try and gather all the food stuff that you require in one place so that you can cook food more faster and save more time in the kitchen.

Enjoy Fresh Squeezed Juice With The Breville Juice Fountain Plus

Fresh squeezed juices and vegetables are both a pleasure to enjoy and nutritionally healthy. The Breville juice fountains incorporate the latest technology, are user-friendly and allow you to enjoy your favorite juice in a matter of seconds. It is no wonder that they have received high marks from users and are among the bestselling currently.

The Breville company introduced its first appliance from its factory line in 1932. For over 70 years and 30 million satisfied and loyal customers and users, it is still producing and innovating consumer products that make our life simpler and more enjoyable. The company has had a great ability to combine innovation with great design that has brought them to the top of the consumer appliance market.

They have a complete line of juicers to meet all taste, needs and preferences. From the Breville BJE200XL 700-Watt Compact Juice Fountain to the Breville 800JEXL Juice Fountain Elite 1000-Watt Juice Extractor and many models in between. The Breville Juicer technology has enormous capabilities that can accommodate entire fruits for juicing. This is because the Breville Juicer fountains have large chutes that are armed with interior cutters. This ensures that the fruits and vegetables are well chopped prior to compressing. All the juicers are equipped with powerful motors that range from 700 to 1000 watts and speeds that go more than 14,000 rpm. Therefore, nothing comes close their overall performance. In fact, an eight ounce glass of juice can be made in as quick as 5 seconds.

To guarantee operational convenience, the Breville juicers have extra-large pulp containers. This allows you to do prepare juices several times without the need of emptying the pulp reservoir. This way, you can enjoy preparing juice in less time and with less effort.

Breville juice fountains are well made and usually are made of stainless steel to last and allow you to prepare your favorite juice for many years. The components are detachable and dishwasher safe for easy cleanup, so you will spend more time enjoying your juice instead of cleaning.

The Breville juice fountains are so versatile that the juices you can prepare are limited by your imagination. Juices are both healthy and refreshing alternative. With the Breville juice fountain you can enjoy fresh juices every day easily and with little effort. That is why the Breville juicer fountains are well worth considering and taking a look at.

Exciting Tastes and Smells Came From Taiwanese Cooking Classes

American Chinese cooking can be likened to the French word potpourri. It comes to us with a blending from many different regions of China. The seasoning ranges from hot and spicy to somewhat bland. However you like it, Chinese food is full of veggies and generally packed with healthful eating.

Taiwan is a small tobacco shaped island, a scant 100 miles from mainland of China. The tiny country wishes to be known as the Republic of China. During the two-years my family and I lived there, we resided in central Taiwan, in the town of Taichung. It was the experience of a lifetime.

My two children attended Morrison Academy, a Baptist missionary school in Taichung. Most of the teachers at Morrison were young American women who came to teach for a year or two before returning home. They arrived eager to experience life in a different culture. Few were disappointed. I was there due to my husband's job assignment, but for me, it was the opportunity to live the pages of National Geographic every day.

Through a friend who was a teacher at Morrison Academy, I was invited to attend a Chinese cooking class that the school's Chinese cultural teacher, a native of Taiwan was offering to the newly arrived staff that fall. My friend asked if I would be interested in joining the group. Would I? You bet I would. Allowing me to join them was like a gift. I felt privileged.

For a small fee to cover the cost of our food and supplies, we attended cooking classes every Saturday afternoon for six-weeks in the Morrison High School home economics classroom. The best part of the course came at the end of each class. We sat down to a gourmet lunch that we helped prepare, sharing the camaraderie of young women living abroad and the exciting experiences each of us was uncovering. Not only new sights and smells, but sharing where to shop and what not to miss seeing during our time living here.

Before dismissing the class, our cooking instructor gave us two different printed versions of each recipe we learned to prepare that day. One version listed fresh foods that could be found in the outdoor markets of Asia. The second version she had adapted the recipes to what we might expect to find in the supper markets when we returned to the United States.

The instructor's adaptation of her recipes offered an excellent primer in the art of Chinese cooking. By sharing her recipe for Egg Rolls, I hope it opens your world to exciting tastes and smells and you too might feel that you are gaining a glimpse into living the pages of National Geographic.

Egg Rolls
? lb. ground meat
6 eggs
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
? tsp. salt
? tsp. salt
1 tsp. cornstarch
Some ginger
a little bit of water

Egg wrappers
1. Mix first 4 ingredients together
2. Break the eggs and add salt. Use chopsticks to beat a little. Then put water (about a tbsp.) with cornstarch and beat a little more.
3. Heat a pan and add a little bit of oil to fry the egg wrapper.
4. place the egg wrapper flat, put some of the first mixture on wrapper. Roll them. Then place on a plate to steam about 5-minutes
5. Take out and cut them on the plate ready to serve.

Filtered Water Vs Tap Water

Water is essential to the human body. It is recommended that 8 ounces of water be consumed daily. Of course, there are several sources: tap water (municipal and well, filtered or unfiltered), and bottled. With the costs of bottled water rising more people are reaching for the tap. So what is better; filtered or unfiltered tap water?

The source needs to be considered first. If the water is coming from a well, there may be more health risks. Water from a municipal supply (also known as "city water") is subject to the "Safe Drinking Water Act". This is a federal statute designed to protect people from unsafe water consumption. Anything that falls under this category is regulated by the government. The treatment for this source of water include: filtration to make sure all particles are removed from the water (dirt, clay, etc), ion exchange to remove chemicals such as nitrates and uranium, and disinfection by using chlorine. These processes keep tap water safe for public consumption (water.epa.gov).

Private wells, on the other hand, are not regulated by the government unless they serve at least 25 people. It is recommended that people with private wells test their water for contaminants at least once a year.

There are several adverse health effects that can come from drinking contaminated tap water. If there is an infant in the household under 6 months of age, high nitrates can cause "Blue Baby Syndrome"; this can inhibit the baby's blood from carrying the proper amount of oxygen and can lead to suffocation.

Another contaminant in unfiltered tap water is lead. Lead can cause delays in mental development in children and babies, if the contamination level is high enough. There is also evidence suggesting lead can cause attention deficits as well as high blood pressure in adults.

Overall, the cleanliness of drinking water is vital to human health. All should be actively making sure their water is safe for intake; especially if there are children or the elderly in the home. A filtration system is a good idea in homes where a private well supplies the water.