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If you are not tied in to a meal plan at a resort while staying in Aruba, there are a lot of places to go and enjoy a nice dinner. This year, the wife and I have set out to catalog many of the things to enjoy while on the island and this of course includes the dining scene. During our week in Aruba we have selected a mix of restaurants to take a sample of and review for our readers.

We arrived on the island Saturday and after unpacking we went with our friends to a restaurant near the timeshare we were staying at (La Cabana and the topic of another article) called Tulip. The restaurant is located along Eagle Beach (J.E. Irausquin Boulevard 240 Oranjestad, Aruba) and features Caribbean, Dutch and International dishes.

The dining is outside, as many places in the Caribbean and Aruba are, and although it was slightly muggy the evening that we visited, it was not too uncomfortable. The dinner menu features a variety of beef, chicken and fish for main courses and is very reasonably priced for the amount of food you receive. $15 to $20 will get you a plate of food big enough to satisfy your average appetite and then some.

Upon arriving there was a slight wait for a table and reservations, like many places on the island, are suggested but not required. Personally I thought that there was a little too long of a wait for a table and the service was a little slow at taking the orders.

My wife gives them a 3 out of 5 stars for service and promptness and I gave them the same rating which means they are about average.

The ambiance and decor are typical of a Caribbean sidewalk dining experience; outdoors and open air. It was nothing special so again the ratings by myself and my wife were average (3.5 and 3 out of five stars respectively).

When it comes to the menu, Tulip offers a variety, but nothing too out of the ordinary. Entrees included:

Grilled Sirloin Steak

Filet Mignon

Tenderloin Dutch Style

Mixed Grill

Spareribs

Chicken Sate

Keshi Yena

Breaded Chicken Breast

Chicken Cordon Blue

“Catch of the Day”

Red Snapper

Fillet of Salmon

and ranged in price from just over $15 to just over $22 each.

The pretty typical menu selection resulted in pretty much average ratings from both of us as well. I gave them 3 stars and my wife rated it only two and a half.

Where Tulip is better than average however is with the quality of food and the price. The quality of food is definitely above average based on what we sampled. My wife had the Lasagna which she gave 3.5 (out of five) stars and I had the mixed grill which I thought was outstanding and gave it 4/5 in the rating. Really what made the mixed grill stand out was the spicey sausage which I admit I did not eat until Monday morning for breakfast because I was full after eating everything else. The beef was superbly tender and the ribs were crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside which is how I like them.

The portions are definately above average for the price which got the highest ratings from both myself and my wife – 4.5/5 and 4/5 respectively.

It certainly is not a high end dining experience, but the Tulip Restaurant is definately a good place to stop while on the island for reasonable food at a good price and is located near quite a few restorts like La Cabana, The Aruban Resort and Casino, Amsterdam Manor and Paradise Beach Villas and just a short bus or taxi ride (or even walk) from many more.

When it comes to the best diet foods, it is important to remember that a healthy, balanced diet is the best way to lose weight. Through portion and calorie control, you can lose weight without feeling hungry:

1. Non-fatty fish-This is a good source of protein and Omega 3 fatty acids that is high in nutrients and has no carbohydrates or fat. Grilled or broiled salmon, cod and perch are great tasting and good for you but low calorie and highly nutritious, which makes them some of the best diet foods.

2. Low Carbohydrate Fruits-Since fruit includes natural sugar, which can also convert to fat, some fruits are not as high in natural sugars as others are. Citrus fruit, such as grapefruit halves can be eaten with artificial sweetener, lemons can be baked with fish or added to artificially sweetened tea. Avoid bananas and fruit juices since they are higher in calories.

3. Green Vegetables-Broccoli, Cabbage, Kale, Lettuce, and Green Beans are high in Vitamins A & C, and high in fiber, yet low in calories and carbohydrates. A lettuce salad is always good with low calorie dressing, and cooked or raw broccoli, kale, and cabbage are good in soups and green beans are especially tasty with mushrooms and onions, which bring us to the next best diet foods.

4. Mushrooms, Onions, Celery, Carrots and Green Peppers-These are low calorie, contain vitamins and minerals, great for snacks or flavoring in soups, salads, or as a topping for fish, chicken and low fat beef.

5. Poultry, such as chicken or turkey-Great protein, low fat, and carbohydrates, baked, broiled, boiled, or grilled. You can slice and add to a salad or add to vegetables for a hearty stew.

6. Eggs-A good source of protein and low in carbohydrates. You can make omelets or a frittata by adding chicken breast, vegetables and serving with salsa. Boiled eggs are a great low calorie snack and one of the best diet foods.

7. Cheeses-While these are higher in fat, they are nutritious, flavorful and low in carbohydrates. Great to add to eggs or make a lettuce wrap with sliced broiled chicken or salmon.

8. Brown Rice-Brown rice is lower in carbohydrates than white rice and adds fiber, which is filling. Make a stir-fry with vegetables and chicken or turkey, add to vegetable soups, or stuff peppers with rice, egg, ground turkey and top with cheese.

9. Non-fatty Beef-While beef has a higher fat content than fish and chicken, it is a good source of protein, iron and flavorful, especially when topped with onions, mushrooms, and green peppers. Avoid fatty beef like hamburger. Grill a steak and serve with eggs, or make a vegetable beef stew, lettuce wrap, add to stir-fry or slice and top a salad.

10. Jell-O, especially sugar free-This has been one of the best diet foods forever, and it is high in protein, good for your hair and nails, and you can add fruit for a great dessert. You can top it with Lite Cool Whip for a sinfully tasting and low calorie treat that you can have everyday!

The 10 best diet foods can be used in combination to keep your diet from being boring, yet still give you a tasty and filling low calorie meal.

While this report will cover the basics, soup making is a creative experience and the number 1 key is that if it tastes very good to you, it will probably taste good for everybody else, so in this report I will be using the term “to taste” quite often. Remember that you should add your seasonings gradually, and sample, because while you can always add more seasonings, you cannot take them back out. After adjusting your seasoning give your creation a chance to simmer to release the true flavor. (A note to smokers, take it easy on the salt because smoking numbs the taste-buds.) A tip from finer restaurants is to use white pepper. White pepper is similar in taste to black pepper, but it is very finely ground so that children and picky adults cannot see it. Be creative, and have some fun, I think the people in your life will love a gourmet soup!

Soup Making Basics:

This subject will be covered over the next several chapters and includes:

1) Mirepoix

2) Stock vs. Jar of Base or Bullion Cubes

3) Roux vs. Cornstarch

4) Seasonings

5) Creating a Cream Base

While I fully encourage you to use the resources available to you, and this most certainly includes leftovers. You cannot take a week old roast from the refrigerator and make an earth shattering soup, it will simply taste a week old. The fresher the ingredients, the better the soup!

Mirepoix:

Mirepoix is a term most commonly used to describe soup vegetables that include even parts carrots, onions and celery. Most hotels use a mirepoix in almost all of their soup. While these three vegetables give restaurant soups a rich character, if your family doesn’t care for one of these vegetables, onions for instance, then leave onions out. Use your own discretion, some people would never eat these vegetables raw, but love them in soup.

There are three common sizes of diced vegetables fine, medium, and stew size. Fine dice would be used in such applications as garnishing a consommé and are cut 1/8 inch by 1/8 inch or smaller. Medium dice is most commonly used in soups and are square between 1/4 inch and 3/8 inch. Stew size are cut in squares of between 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch, and are used in some soups and stew.

Stock vs. Base:

For home use a good jar of base, or bullion cubs are the best options. Look at the ingredient list for actual animal content, and if you are sensitive to MSG, there are quite a few good bases that are MSG free. If using a salt based base, don’t add salt. Judge the beef or chicken flavor by the salt content, if you need more salt simply add more base. Remember when judging the amount of salt that not everybody has the same tastes, so better less than more. So if I write salt and pepper to taste, this is based on using a stock.

Chicken Stock:

You can use raw or cooked chicken, cover the chicken with water; add celery, onion, carrots, and a bay leaf; boil with a slow rolling boil for at least a couple of hours and strain. While most of the flavor will remain in the stock, if you wish you can de-bone the chicken and add it to the soup, but this is a matter of taste.

Beef Stock:

A good beef stock requires soup bones and needs to boil for a long time. Caramelize soup bone (bake until deep brown). Cover with water add; celery, onion, carrots, and some type of tomato product; and boil at a slow boil until the bone has had a chance to release all of the bone marrow. While in restaurants we cooked beef stock for 2 days, it takes at least several hours.

Properly handling stock is important, either boiling a stock to fast, or cooling it to fast can make it bitter. When refrigerating a stock leave the edge of the cover open until it is cool. You should mostly cover the stock so that it doesn’t attract refrigerator flavors, but if it cannot breathe it may get bitter. If your stock is just a little bit bitter, use sugar much like any other spice, just a pinch to take the edge off. Before using chicken or beef stock either ladle away the fat (grease), or after the stock is cool remove the fat from the stock.

Consommé:

Consommé is just a very clear stock and can be achieved by taking a cool refrigerated stock, peel away or ladle away any fat, stir in a couple of egg whites, bring mixture to a boil, and ladle impurities off the top. When no more egg whites come to the surface strain mixture through a colander lined with cheese cloth.

Roux vs. Cornstarch:

While most, not all, restaurants use a roux to thicken their soups, for home use I prefer using a mixture of cornstarch and water. A roux is a mixture of even parts drawn butter and flour. To make a roux heat drawn butter then add flour until it is thick, cook on medium heat stirring often until the mixture smells like a fine pastry. This mixture can be added to a boiling soup, while stirring, until the proper thickness is achieved. Unless you are familiar with using a roux you may get lumps. Sometimes if you boil the soup for a while, and if the roux is properly prepared, these lumps will dissipate. You can also make a finger roux which is one part stick butter mixed with one part flour. Add ingredients together and mix with fingers, again add this mixture to a boiling soup until the proper thickness is desired. While roux takes experience to use properly, you gain a small richness in flavor.

I think you probably have used cornstarch and water, but just in case pour some cornstarch in a bowl and cover it with just enough water so that the mixture is easy to mix (I use my fingers). Add the mixture slowly to your boiling soup, while stirring, until the proper thickness is achieved. Note: it takes about a minute to know the exact thickness when using cornstarch so start a little thin. This process is very forgiving and if you need to add more cornstarch later that’s fine. Sometimes I’ll add this mixture, not only to cream soups, but maybe just a little to chicken noodle soup for instance, just to make the goodies float.

Seasonings:

Salt, pepper, and garlic (I prefer minced garlic in oil, but you can use any type of garlic) are the seasonings most used in soups. Some people will add 1 bay leaf to soup, and to release the flavor break the leaf in half, but if you’re not familiar with the flavor of bay leaf try using only half a leaf first. Other seasonings you may like in any soup depending on your tastes include a blend of Italian seasonings, thyme, rosemary, or basil. Try different things sparingly, but remember that the flavor of these herbs will be released gradually so don’t add too much.

Creating a Cream Base:

For the majority of cream soups you want to start with a chicken stock (interchangeable with water and chicken base, or bullion cubes to taste). There are several ways to whiten a cream soup, for a family try 1 pint of half and half. Alternate ways to whiten the soup are with 1 cup heavy cream, milk, or if you want a particularly rich soup combine non-dairy creamer along with any of the other whiteners. Bring your mixture to a boil and then thicken, while stirring, until it is the consistency that you desire, or until it sticks to a spoon. One spice that will really change the richness of the cream soup is a small amount of garlic. Add other ingredients.

Cream of Chicken Wild Rice:

Preparation:

Buy a 4 or 8 ounce package of wild rice and cook it according to the directions on the package. If you prepare the 8 ounce package there are many ways to use the leftovers in other dishes. Cook and dice one large or two medium boneless skinless chicken breasts, and dice a cup of medium mirepoix.

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken stock

2 cups half and half

1 cup powdered non-dairy coffee creamer

2 cups prepared wild rice

1 cup mirepoix medium diced

1 large boneless skinless chicken breast cooked and diced (substitute with any cooked chicken)

2-3 Tbls. Cornstarch + water (add to preferred thickness)

salt, pepper, garlic to taste

Put 4 cups of chicken stock into a kettle and bring to a boil, mix whitening agent into stock, I prefer a pint of half and half, along with a ½ cup of non-dairy coffee creamer for this recipe, and bring back to boil. Thicken your mixture, while stirring, until the desired thickness is achieved, it should stick to a spoon. Then add the ingredients listed in Preparation. Boil until the vegetables are aldante (not completely soft), and then add garlic, salt, and pepper to taste. When you add the wild rice, the rice may absorb liquid so if the soup gets to thick add a touch of milk or water.

Experiment with the ideas on this report, and find out what your family truly likes, and have a little fun, have the kids help or whatever it takes to have a positive day.

Soup of the Week Newsletter

I’m in the process of creating a “Soup of the Week” newsletter on a subscription basis. If you like the information I’ve provided here, I truly hope you will subscribe and please share this report with all your friends. This newsletter will also contain an “Ask Loren” section to answer any cooking questions you may have. Some of these questions will be published in the newsletter. This will provide you an opportunity to share your own personal cooking website.

Grilling Tip:

A personal note about charcoal BBQ Grills. I prefer to use non fluid types of charcoal lighting. I use a device where you place the charcoal in the top and newspaper underneath to light the charcoal. You can get one at Wal-Mart or Target. You can also get electric lighters. (Tip: cut the bottom out of a 3lb coffee can place it in your grill. Put the electric lighter in the can and fill it up with charcoal.) This prevents getting that lighter fluid taste into your food!!

This site will also include helpful cooking tips such as the following marinate for a summer barbeque.

Teriyaki Marinate

This marinate is good for chicken or steak.

1 cup soy sauce (8 ounces)

1 cup pineapple juice

½ cup brown sugar (packed)

1 tsp. Minced garlic (packed in oil), to taste

Optional: ½ tsp. red pepper flake (the kind for pizza), to taste, if you like spicy foods

Mix ingredients in bowl until sugar is dissolved, pour over meat in a plastic container and cover (or you can use a sturdy ziplock bag), soak overnight or 2 nights in the refrigerator, and grill. This mixture will taste strong, but not all of the flavor will impregnate the meat, and it will be wonderful!! If you have a large family, or you are serving a party, make enough sauce to cover the meat. Discard any leftover marinate because it is contaminated with the blood from the meat.

This is great for grilled boneless skinless teriyaki chicken breast and can be served with rice pilaf, with or without melted Swiss cheese, and sometimes I like to add chopped cashews to the rice because it compliments the chicken nicely. I also really like grilled boneless skinless teriyaki chicken breast sandwiches with melted Swiss cheese, bacon, mayonnaise, and shredded lettuce on a nice sesame roll.

Loren Ackerman

Loren@fastmoneyemergengy.com

P.S. Please visit our website and share the link with all your friends.

http://fastmoneyemergency.com/products2.html

Every person likes their steak cooked a different way, so throughout this article I will make sure that I cover each possible different way so that you will always get the best result for yourself or whoever you cook for.

There are several different cuts of beef that will make a great steak, and there are also many grades of beef to consider, depending on what the cow was fed on the farm, so your first step is to choose which one you would prefer. The choices include rump, scotch fillet, porterhouse, eye fillet and T-bone as the main premium cuts generally eaten. The beef’s grading will come down largely to marbling and maturity of the meat. There is a debate as to which is better out of grain-fed and grass-fed cattle, and really the answer is grass-fed beef is healthier for you as it is the most natural form of the cattle, while grain-fed beef will have a lot more marbling and flavour, so I will leave that choice up to you which way you want to go. As for maturity, I recommend finding a butcher that will hang your meat for quite a long time in their meat locker before carving it, I have found that 27 days is ideal. This will help tenderize the meat by having it stretched out and relaxing the muscles, to give you the best possible final result.

The rump and porterhouse are firmer cuts, and the rump in particular can be a bit tougher and chewier than the rest, and you will find a strip of fat at the top of each of these steaks, which will help flavour and tenderize the steak during the cooking process. Both these cuts I would recommend eating rare to medium-rare (I will discuss steak doneness a little later).

Meanwhile the scotch fillet will come very nicely marbled with fat throughout, and can usually be distinguished by a C-shaped piece of fat close to one side. Due to the marbling it will be very tender and full of flavour (however if you’re on a diet it may be one to avoid for now), and I recommend eating it medium-rare to medium.

The eye fillet is the most tender cut of beef, and will normally be free of fat, although this also means you may need to do something extra to add some flavour to it, the most popular way being to wrap bacon around it during cooking, so the fatty flavours of the bacon are absorbed by the steak. This is my personal favourite steak, and is best eaten medium-rare to medium.

Lastly we come to the T-bone, which has both the eye fillet and porterhouse on either side of the bone, and will get its flavour from the strip of fat on the outside of the porterhouse. I recommend eating the T-bone rare to medium-rare, though it can be tricky to cook evenly due to the bone in the middle.

Once you’ve decided which cut of steak you will be eating, you need to work out how big a piece of meat you want. A normal-sized steak is generally around 300g for a good-sized meal, however it could range anywhere from 150g up to 1kg and even more! The size of your steak will become important later when you want to cook it to a particular doneness. For example, two different rump steaks could quite easily weigh the same amount, yet be completely different shapes, sometimes they can be wide and flat, and sometimes short and thick, depending on what part of the rump the steak was cut from. Choosing the size of your steak and the shape go hand-in-hand, it’s best to have a thicker steak for a rare or medium-rare steak, and when you want a medium-well or above thinner is better. This is so it doesn’t take a long time for you to cook, and you can still have a juicy steak without burning the outside.

Now let’s just get away from the steak for a minute and think about what you’re actually going to cook it on. Ideally you should have a chargrill, one that sits on an angle, and has enough space underneath the flame to have a tray that you can put a small piece of wood on. What I personally prefer is mesquite wood, which comes from the USA, and the best thing to do is to soak it in water for a couple of hours before cooking. This will help the wood give off its smoky flavour rather than just burn away, and it will also last longer, usually for at least a couple of hours.

I mentioned earlier that if possible your grill should be built on an angle, sloping up towards the back. As you know, heat rises, so naturally you should find the hottest part of your grill at the back, and get slightly cooler closer to the front. Most grills and hotplates in general will have certain “hotspots” that you will need to find for each one to work out the bests places to position your food when cooking. Once you’ve used a particular grill a couple of times you should find it quite easy to figure out your favourite spots to cook on. The combination of knowing where your “hotspots” are and using an angled grill will make it easier to find the best position to cook your steak. If you don’t have a chargrill to use and you have a flatgrill or a hotplate instead, I would recommend not cooking your steak entirely through on the hotplate, particularly for medium or above, seal it on both sides then place your steak on a tray and finish it off in an oven. Otherwise all you will do is burn the outside and lose all the moisture and juiciness from your meat.

The other element to consider is how you would like your steak cooked. In general, a well-done steak should be placed at the back, a medium steak in the middle of the grill, and a rare steak at the front. Obviously, this leaves medium-rare between the front and middle, and the medium-well between the middle and the back. In some situations you will need to adjust this slightly depending on the size and shape of your steak, a big, thick rump may need to be pushed a bit further up the grill to cook properly, while a thin and flat porterhouse might be best kept a little closer to the front to avoid overcooking. Your steak positioning will come down largely to personal preference and a bit of practice and experience with your grill.

Now that you should have worked out where on the grill you will place your steak, you’re almost ready to start cooking! What you need to consider now is how you will season your steak. You may not want any seasoning, that’s fine, go right ahead and start cooking. If you wish to use salt and pepper, I would suggest waiting until one side of your steak has been sealed before sprinkling any on, as salt has the tendency to leech out some of the moisture from your meat. My preferred method of seasoning is to get a really good steak seasoning spice and generously cover both sides before placing your steak on the grill. When you do place your steak on the grill, if you are going to have a rump or a porterhouse, make sure you place the strip of fat at the top, so as it cooks the fat will melt and drip through the steak, adding extra flavour to your meat.

The process of actually cooking your steak is quite simple, but there are a few key things you need to know to get the best result. Firstly, the advantage of using the chargrill means you can have nice cross-markings on your steak when it’s finished, which looks fantastic for presentation. To achieve this, your steak will need to be turned three times, the first time straight over itself, then on the second turn spin it around 90 degrees so the lines from the grill will cross over each other and make little brown squares all over the steak, and then the third and final turn will be straight over itself again. When you’re finished the steak should have cross-markings on both sides, and you can choose whichever side looks best to serve facing up.

What you should find if you have got the grill positioning right for your preferred doneness, 3-4 minutes in between each turn should have your steak turn out just the way you like it! (If you are cooking your steak bleu, you only need to cook it for 3 minutes on each side in total, just enough to seal each side basically).

This is just a guide to work by only, as each grill will produce slightly different results, but definitely the most important stage of cooking your steak is knowing when it is at the exact doneness you would like. This can sometimes be a little tricky, but there are a couple of methods for testing your steak without needing to cut into it. The best method to use when you’re just starting to learn would be what I call the “thumb test”. Hold your left hand out open and relaxed, and press the flesh of your left thumb with your right index finger. It should feel quite soft, and this is how a rare steak should feel when you press it with your finger.

Now lightly touch your left thumb to your left index finger, and press the flesh of your thumb with your right index finger. This is how a medium-rare steak should feel when it’s ready. Next, lightly touch your left thumb to your left middle finger, and pressing the flesh of your left thumb will feel like a medium steak when it’s ready. Touching your left thumb to your left ring finger will make the flesh of your left thumb feel like a medium-well steak, and touching the left thumb to your left little finger will make the flesh of your thumb feel like a well-done steak. Try this out as a guide to get you started, and as with all things, practice and experience will help you hone your ability and instincts to know just when your steak is cooked to perfection! And just as importantly, make sure you get feedback from every person that you cook a steak for, this will make your progress go much faster. As they say, “feedback is the breakfast of champions!”

Another method to use, which can be a little bit sneaky, is if you can see into the middle of the steak at the edges to see what colour the middle looks like. This works really well for a scotch fillet, as you can gently pull away part of the meat right where the C-shaped piece of fat is without damaging your steak, and see if the inside is red, pink or grey.

Now I will explain to you each doneness, so you can work out how you would like to cook it and so you know what to look for when it is finished.

I will start with bleu, which is basically just sealed, is still very red in the middle, quite mushy to the touch, and will feel a little cool inside, only slightly warmed.

Rare is red in the middle from edge to edge, a little mushy, and will just feel warm inside. Medium-rare is red in the middle and pink at the edges, and will feel warm inside. Medium is pink in the middle from edge to edge, feels tender to the touch, and will be warm to hot inside. Medium-well still has a quarter in the middle that is pink, and will be grey at the edges, feels quite firm and is hot inside. If you plan to cook your steak medium-well or above, I would suggest you could speed up the cooking time by using a steak weight to place on top of your steak. It should be shiny silver and kept clean, and what will happen is the heat coming up from the flames below will be reflected down on to the top of the steak so it cooks on both sides. Make sure if you use a steak weight that you only place it on your steak after sealing one side so there is no chance of cross-contamination. Well-done steaks are grey throughout, no pink at all, quite firm, although can still be juicy, and is very hot inside. Very well-done steaks are grey throughout with no pink at all, very firm, very hot, and no juices whatsoever. You can also get your steak cooked Pittsburgh, which basically means charring the outside so it is burnt while the inside doesn’t need to be completely cooked. For example, if you want to have your steak Pittsburgh-Rare, you could char the outside, and the inside would be red in the middle from edge to edge. To do this you will need some oil or butter, I personally use lemon butter just for the flavouring, and drizzle some over the steak until it drips onto the flames underneath. Your goal here is to build the flames up so they are licking at the steak and will cook the outside much faster than the inside.

CAUTION! Be very mindful of how much butter you use, make sure you have fire safety equipment, and if necessary that you have adult supervision. Do not do this if you do not feel comfortable working with large flames, it can be very dangerous if something nearby catches fire, so please be very careful if this is how you would like to have your steak cooked.

Everybody has different preferences when it comes to their beef, but I would urge you to try each different way so you can work out for yourself what’s best for you. Many people fear the sight of blood coming out of their steak, if you can work up the courage to try something new for yourself, who know, you might find you really like it! I personally eat my steaks medium-rare, and would like to take this opportunity to mention that once your steak starts getting to medium-well and above, you really lose a lot of the nutritional benefits of eating beef, so I would recommend not cooking your steak any more than medium, but obviously that is a choice that is entirely up to you.

Now all that’s left to do is to serve up your perfectly cooked steak, there are many choices of sides and sauces, far too many to list here. I always love it with a creamy mashed potato and seasonal steamed vegetables, and my favourite sauce is mushroom sauce. If you have the time the best sauce is made using beef bones, cooked off with a little tomato paste, then make a stock by boiling the bones in water with some celery, carrots, onion, leeks, bay leaves and peppercorns. Simmer it for a couple of hours until it reduces about three-quarters, and then remove the bones and vegetables. Add some red wine and port, and reduce it down to about half of where it is now, until it starts to thicken with a nice consistency. From here you can add some sliced mushrooms, or peppercorns if you prefer, and even add a little cream if you like as well. This is very time consuming to make the jus (rich beef gravy), but if you can do it you will find it well worthwhile. One other little tip I have for you is to brush a small amount of lemon butter over your steak before saucing it, this will keep your steak very juicy and tender.

I hope you enjoy cooking and eating many steaks in the future, and make sure you go out and impress your friends with your newfound cooking skills!

Probably the first scientific studies on digestion were done by Ivan Pavlov who became famous for his ’salivating dogs’. Pavlov showed that the digestive enzymes released and the amount of acid secreted depends on the type of food.

His experiments with rats showed that starches are digested in about two hours, proteins are digested in about four hours but a protein-starch mixture could still be digesting 13 hours later. With dogs, again the protein-starch mixture took over twice as long compared to the same food consumed separately.

Pavlov also showed that food taken on top (i.e. before digestion has completed) can lead to fermentation. This happens when you eat fruit after a meal; many people say that it gives them gas.

What could account for Pavlov’s results?

The enzymes essential for digestion only function at specific pH levels; proteins and carbohydrate enzymes require opposite pH levels. If you mix them together in the same bag, you won’t be able to digest either food properly.

“Most fruits go straight through the stomach into the duodenum for digestion, which means if you put fresh fruit on top of a big meal, it has to sit and wait in the top of the stomach until the other food is digested, during which delay bacteria attack the fruit and ferment it, gobbling up all the nutrients and leaving you with gas and metabolic wastes.”
Daneil Reid, Trophology: The Science of Food Combining, “The Tao of Health”.

In 1908 Dr Howard Hay after practicing medicine for 16 years developed High Blood Pressure, Brights Disease and a dilated heart. As there was no treatment available, Dr Hay decided to find a cure for his own symptoms. He looked at his food intake and the chemical process of digestion, the enzymes that are essential for this process and whether the food has an overall acidifying or alkalizing effect on the body.

To the amazement of his colleagues, he had a complete remission of his symptoms in 3 months of changing his diet. He also reduced his weight by 20kg’s. In 1911 he introduced his Food Combining guidelines and gave lectures till his death about the need to combine foods properly and reducing acidifying foods from the diet.

If you think there’s nothing to acid-alkaline food combining, try this: one day for lunch eat a steak with chips, and monitor how you feel after an hour or so. Next day eat the same steak, but with a large vegetable salad. Which day did you feel more tired, drowsy?

Try feeding your dog meat and biscuits for a while, see how he feels!

Try an acidifying McDonald’s diet for a month.

If you’re still alive, try an alkaline diet of alkaline water, fruits, vegetables, juices and super greens for a month. You’re guaranteed to lose weight from this diet – it’s over 95% water!

Some doctors maintain that all food is acid in the stomach and becomes alkaline in the intestines from the pancreas secretions. The blood pH range is so narrow that any measurable change would cause death. Even a bottle of ant-acids won’t affect the acidity of the stomach for long.

These scientific facts don’t mean that an alkaline diet is useless or that the body can magically process food in any old combination!

Remember Pavlov’s results? Why are so many people that eat at McDonald’s fat and why did Spurlock nearly die? The fat content is not that high – a Big Mac apparently is 100% grilled beef, the chips are fried in vegetable oil and there’s no fat in the cola! Could it be the acid, the high glycemic load and the bad combinations?

Such foods play havoc on our blood sugar and pH levels. As Daniel Reid explains the sugary ’soft drink’ is an ‘acid bomb’:
“A 350 ml serving of Coke, Pepsi or similar drink delivers a sugar fix equivalent to about 9 teaspoons of sugar straight into the blood stream. This instantly acidifies the bloodstream to the extreme point that without an immediate emergency response from the body, it would kill you in a mater of minutes…you’d have to drink 32 glasses of alkaline water to neutralize the blood pH…to prevent death by acidosis, the body reacts swiftly by drawing huge amounts of organic calcium from the bones and teeth and pouring it into the bloodstream to neutralize the excess acid and quickly restore alkaline balance. Calcium is the body’s most potent alkalizing agent”

Are there any clinical studies to settle this issue?

A study called “Cola beverage consumption induces bone mineralization reduction in ovariectomized rats” (the rats were fed cola – acid, pH 2.5 – and the effects on bone density measured) suggests that “heavy intake of cola soft drinks has the potential of reducing femoral mineral density”.

Dr L. Frassetto’s team at the University of California discovered that as we age, starting around age 45, we lose the alkaline buffer bicarbonates in our blood:

“Our group has shown that contemporary net acid-producing diets do indeed characteristically produce a low-grade systemic metabolic acidosis in otherwise healthy adult subjects, and that the degree of acidosis increases with age, in relation to the normally occurring age-related decline in renal functional capacity.”

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that alkalizing diets improve bone density and serum growth hormone concentrations; the acidosis resulting from acidic diets contributes to bone and muscle loss.

Sang Whang in his book “Reverse Aging” proposed a Theory of Aging: we age because we gradually accumulate organic acid wastes. These wastes show up as uric acid, urate, sulfate, phosphate, kidney stones and other organic wastes often surrounded by cholesterol. Cellulite is a gel-like substance made up of fat in which are trapped acid wastes in pockets below the skin.

Dr Robert Young, author of “The pH Miracle” has been saying this for years – “Obesity is an acid problem, the fat is saving our lives.”

Should I eat alkaline foods and stop eating acidifying things like red meats?

Yes eat plenty of water-rich alkaline foods; but there’s no need to avoid any food that contains good nutrients in it like my favorites lamb kebabs and sashimi. As Patrick Holford, author of ‘The Optimum Nutrition Bible’ says “moderation in everything, including moderation”‘!

Acid-alkaline diet food charts come from the pH of the ash that results from burning food; it’s caused by the unburned minerals. However, just as burning petrol creates exhausts, over 97% of any food metabolized creates acid wastes. At less than 1%, alkaline minerals are a fraction of the nutritional content of food and the overall acidity produced.

Clinical studies show that alkaline mineral water is the best way to obtain alkaline minerals and acid waters like colas are the best way to quickly deplete them!

The most nourishing alkaline foods are nature’s super greens – spirulina, barley and wheat grass powders. Mix half a tea spoon in alkaline water daily. This will give you more nutrients then a basket full of vegetables. Other super foods are EFA oils and bee pollen.

So eat a nutritionally balanced diet of natural whole foods and combine them sensibly. Most of all drink lots of alkaline mineral water.

Your weight will take care of itself.

June 29, 2006
It was an early day today, I got up at 4:30 am, and my husband dropped me off at 5:45 am at Toronto’s historic Union Station. Several buses of young students were already unloading their luggage and ready to enter the train station. At about 6 am the Via Rail counters were opening up and since I had a first class ticket (called Via 1), I was directed to Via’s Panorama Lounge, a special section with comfortable armchairs, free newspapers and soft drinks. This was my first time on a Canadian train and I was very excited about experiencing train travel and not having to fight my way through traffic driving to Montreal.
Via 1 passengers received their own special priority boarding announcements and off we went to the first coach behind the locomotive. I made myself comfortable in the seats and stretched my legs. The seats recline very far back so a tired traveler will have a chance to get a good rest. Shortly after I was joined by a gentleman, a businessman from Edmonton who had some appointments in Toronto and was now heading to Montreal for other business duties. Ray kept me entertained with his family stories and humorous tales of growing up in Montreal and time passed quickly as we started rolling through the suburbs of Toronto.
We stopped at the Guildwood Station and then headed off into the green farmlands of Ontario farm. My ticket also included meal service and in a short while we received breakfast, starting with a fruit plate. For our main breakfast dish we had a choice between a Ranchman’s Breakfast (a Cheddar cheese omelette and grilled beef steak served with mini rösti potatoes, sautéed mushrooms and cherry tomato), the second choice were buttermilk pancakes filled with apple cinnamon and cranberry compote served with Canadian back bacon and Quebec maple syrup. Giving in to my sweet tooth I opted for the pancakes.
Mid-morning I got a bit tired and apologized to Ray and said I had to sit back, relax and close my eyes a little since I had had such an early morning. We both fell asleep for a while and Ray was soon entertaining us the whole compartment with a very talented lumberjack impression. I think he cut down an entire old growth forest in the hour and a half during our last stretch to Montreal. When he woke up just outside of Dorion, he told me he never has a problem falling asleep in a train or a plane, and believeme, I could certainly attest to that.
But all in all, I really enjoyed the ride, especially once we started rolling into the suburbs of Montreal. We passed through some of the old industrial areas, some still in their original state, and some beautifully renovated and refunctioned as condos. Montreal, a historic shipping and railroad centre, is one of the cradles of the industrial revolution in Canada and its industrial history includes tanneries, wordworking factories, breweries, shoemaking, textile milles, tobacco and rubber factories, all on display during our train ride through the southern outskirts of downtown Montreal.
Downtown Montreal and its skyscrapers came into view and I was excited to embark on my explorations of this exciting city. Just about 5 hours after we had left Toronto our Via Rail train rolled into the subterranean Gare Central (Central Railway Station), dating back to 1938, at 12 noon. I caught a taxi and was astounded at the congestion in the street in mid-day. The taxi driver himself commented on how busy the city was today. It seemed everyone was getting ready to do their last errands before the long weekend.
I arrived at the Holiday Inn Downtown, located at 90 Viger Street and realized that I was in a perfect location, right in the heart of Montreal’s Chinatown. I was literally only 5 minutes away from Montreal’s biggest and most impressive church: the Basilica of Notre Dame, Montreal’s City Hall was about 7 minutes away and right across the street is the Place d’Armes subway station. I could not have had a more convenient location. Finding a hotel room on this Canada Day long weekend, which incidentially coincides with the July 4 long weekend in the United States is certainly a precarious proposition, and I was very fortunate that the Holiday Inn Downtown had a room available for me. I dropped my luggage with the concierge since the room was not ready yet and I was ready for my first real adventure in Montreal: a personally guided driving tour through the centre of the city which would give me a great lay of the land.
For the entire article including photos please visit
http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/montreal_arrival.htm

It’s been more than forty years since Weight Watchers came on the scene and started helping people live healthier lives. Weight Watchers helps members create a foundation to introduce healthier choices and physical activity into their lives.

The original Weight Watchers plan invites members to weekly meetings where members hold group sessions, helping dieters form a network of support with people sharing similar experiences. Upon arrival, each person checks their weight privately. Meetings are conducted by a trained Meeting Leader who motivates and offers the group support through information about nutrition and fitness.

Weight Watchers was made popular by a points system called Flex Plan. A point value is assigned to each food on the comprehensive list of more than 27,000 foods. The Flex Plan allows you to eat the foods you like. Just stay within your daily points and you can still enjoy fried chicken and Diet Pepsi.

Weight Watchers emphasizes eating more wholesome food through its Core Plan. Members don’t count points; just choose a balanced combination of whole grains, lean meats, fruits and vegetables, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy.

Jenny McCarthy recently appeared in a commercial for Weight Watchers after successfully losing and maintaining her post-pregnancy weight by following the program. Perhaps its most prominent celebrity endorser is Sarah, Duchess of York. Before her, Lynn Red grave appeared in a series of popular television advertisements for the packaged low calorie food division of the H.J. Heinz Company, then the parent of Weight Watchers.

Weight watchers is a great plan and a great program for losing weight and keeping with tasty meal choices. Being able to continue to eat for fun and for weight loss is the corner stone of programs like weight watchers. Other programs that starve the body leave you craving sweet foods, carbohydrates, etc… and ultimately lead to a break down and food binge. Food binging is one of the worst possible things that can happen to new dieters as it not only will erase prior progress but can sometimes set the dieter back even further than before starting the diet.

Members are also welcome and encouraged to join the Weight Watchers community online, at weightwatchers.com. From the comfort of their homes, members can form virtual support groups, monitor progress and access hundreds of approved recipes, like Blue Cheese Muffins, Sweet and Sour Pork, Grilled Beef Fajitas and even delectable treats like Chocolate Mint Brownies.

Finding free diet programs online is not as easy as you would think. Most of the currently popular programs, like the Zone Diet(r), Jenny Craig(r) and Weight Watchers(r), can only be purchased – either as books or by signing up for monthly dues or packaged food plans.
However, not all is lost if you really want to find a diet that works, but you don’t want to break your budget. The new expensive programs are not the only diet programs that work. In fact, some of the healthiest menu plans and dietary programs were first written at the beginning of the 20th century, by the pioneers in the science of nature healing, or naturopathy.
Many modern weight loss programs are direct descendants of the dietary plans created by these healing men and women, who treated many chronic ailments, including obesity, with their simple, well-thought out menu plans. And yes, they still work to help you lose weight and improve your general health.
Back then, bad eating habits were not yet considered “normal,” so doctors who paid attention could easily see there was a difference in health between those who ate good food in moderation, and those who were more careless with their diets and ate too many rich foods.
Obesity was much less common then, too, and it was seen as a symptom of illness, not a cosmetic problem as it is often seen today.
Some doctors, such as William Howard Hay, MD, went far beyond treating mere symptoms of illness, but tried instead to improve the general health of his patients though a regimen of good food and exercise. Dr. Hay wrote extensively about the issues of diet and health, and managed one of the country’s most famous health spas.
As his patients regained their health they also lost any excess weight their previously unhealthy bodies had been carrying, because their digestive organs were now more efficient in ridding the body of it’s toxins, including excess fat.
Unfortunately, his writing style is now so outdated that his excellent ideas are mostly lost to the modern reader, who may not have the patience to read his books on diet and health. In his books, Dr. Hay outlined a full dietary prescription for his patients and their families, and in many ways his recommendations are actually healthier than many popular diets today.
For instance, he seemed to know intuitively that an ultra-low-fat diet would cause his patients to overcompensate by eating other rich foods, such as those high in sugar and simple carbohydrates. Recent studies have shown this to be the case, and it may be one of the reasons why Americans continue to gain weight, and the adult-onset diabetes rate continues to soar, in spite of all the low-fat foods in our diets.
The good doctor also seemed to realize that humans have an instinctive desire for sweet foods, but he knew that refined sugar and flour would promote illness. His diet menus included fruit at almost every meal, and both lunch and dinner included a small sweet dessert.
These desserts were the only foods in which any refined sugar was allowed. He stated that these small treats were acceptable because there were no other rich, heavy foods in his menus, like the noodles and white bread that are so often found on the American table.
His menus included all the nutrients that health requires, with an emphasis on a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, along with grilled beef, lamb and fish. Many meals began with a soup and steamed vegetable, and included a large salad with oil or mayonnaise dressing, broiled fish or meat, and a small dessert. Each meal was carefully planned according to his theories about proper combinations of foods, and his concerns about good digestive health.
So, if you’re looking for a truly free online diet to help you lose weight, look for the books and pamphlets written by the pioneers of natural healing, who wrote extensively in the first quarter of the 20th century. Dr. Hay’s books are no longer in print, but they can be found online, for free.
Much of his writing style may be difficult to read, but his theories are sound and based on solid, scientific dietary principals that still hold up to modern scrutiny. People who choose to follow his recommendations will lose weight if they need to, and will find their general health improving, too.

Scenic rolling hills and valleys characterize the region of Chianti lying strategically between Florence and Siena. Chianti is naturally delineated by an array of vineyards, olive groves and woods and interspersed with ancient parish churches, farmhouses and villages. The Tuscan town is quite popular for its wines globally. Of particular interest is the Chianti Classico, which is an admixture of white and red grapes. An extensive holiday tour of the region most especially the Tuscany villa would reveal a whole lot of interesting and captivating sceneries. Navigation through the region could be by bicycle or even by foot around the entire area. One could avail the opportunity of staying in one of the Chianti Tuscany villas, thus having a thorough insight into its cultural values. Whether it’s a walking, biking or driving tour, a vacation at Chianti provides an excellent way to discover most of the interesting places in the tourist-friendly region.
The region is a superb option for shopping. It plays host to quality goods most especially leather goods. Those interested in these leather goods would find Greve a hotspot for LGB Italia manufactured fine leather goods. A long vacation at any of the luxury Chianti Villas offers good opportunities for shopping in Tuscany. Italian designers would find Florence a wonderful place to purchase Italian-designed goods. Interestingly lying between two Arezzo and Florence are two retail outlets having a strong traditionalist approach of passing down artisan skills. Dining out during vacation entails a whole lot of Italian cuisines which includes including grilled beef steak, braised boar or rabbit and soup made with extra virgin olive oil. Noteworthy is the Chianti Classico, wine which contributed to the Tuscan region’s popularity in terms of its unique foods and wines. Best of all, they are offered at very cheap and affordable rates.
At the heart of the region forming a triangular shape are three villages namely Greve, Radda and Castellina. Chianti’s the biggest wine fair which normally takes place in September is held at Greve. A typical person on vacation is presented with many chances of buying from its export market coupled with wine shops in every village. Noted for its Knightly nature and black cockerel symbols on its bottles is Rada. A jaunt around Chianti Villa would mean taking ample opportunity of moving round the ancient town of Colle di Val d’Elsa which is Italy’s largest producer of fine glass and crystal. One can also during an excursion to Badia Lake or at Monte San Michele National Park avail oneself of the natural relaxation there. A whole sparking treat of natural relaxation awaits one there at Chianti. To make informed decisions about Chianti Tuscany villas, you might have to have a look at what the web has to offer. An exotic option of Chianti villa holidays awaits you. The hospitality packages are replete with choice of Chianti Tuscany villas coupled with the possibility of booking cheap flights to Tuscany.
Ask any holidaymaker and what readily comes to ones mind is the Olives, wine, house rentals, cypress trees, landscapes, holidays in Chianti. Residing in the Chianti zone somewhat brings about so many possibilities, part of which is agri-tourism. Compared to hotels or pensioners, agri-tourism accommodation here is usually less expensive. It makes provision for facilities for needed to prepare one’s meals. A wide range of traveling companies offers holiday homes in Tuscany as revealed in Chianti Villas and Florence apartments. Preference for selected accommodation in Chianti revolves around picking apartments amongst well known historical centers in Chianti, Castellina, Impruneta, and San Casciano. These also cover residences in other notable places such as villas and residences in the Tuscan countryside. Holidaying at countryside residences provides a whole new feeling different from what obtains at staying a city hotel. This makes it beautiful option for students and professionals in need of apartment either in Chianti or Florence for limited period of time.

Located on the ground floor of San Diego’s luxurious W Hotel sits Rice, the W’s signature contemporary restaurant. With a unique and sexy environment, Rice offers globally contemporary cuisine, with dishes from all around the world brought together in a delicious fusion of gourmet eats.

One of San Diego’s newest, most innovative restaurants, the ambiance is polished and sleek, with soft, minimalist accents set off by plush, private booths divided by billowing gauze curtains. Rich, warm hues of browns and reds nicely complement the candlelit banquette-style seating arrangement.

Eclectic and urban, Rice offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily with brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.
On Wednesdays, swing by Rice for an enchanting evening of jazz that perfectly balances the sumptuous Pacific cuisine the menu boasts. Already the recipient of numerous glowing San Diego restaurant reviews; Rice gracefully complements the W Hotel, the perfect new addition to the W family.

Menu highlights include a variety of options layered with fresh, brilliant flavors. Try the tempura fried calamari, the Caesar salad adorned with Spanish white anchovies or the Cuban sandwich garnished with black Moroccan olive oil. Other typical entrée accompaniments range from baby artichokes to fingerling potatoes.

Noteworthy appetizers included on the menu are delicacies such as Seared Sea Scallops, Twice Baked Cheddar Souffle, Wild Mushroom Potato Risotto, Ahi Tuna with pear compote, Beef Carpaccio, and Potato Gnocchi. After one of these incredible starters, choose from the Organic Baby Greens, Honey Glazed Hamachi, Lemon Marinated Crab Salad, or the Bartlett Pear Salad.

Rice’s scrumptious specialty dishes include: the Kobe Short Ribs cooked in a demi glaze and served with hickory smoked mashed potatoes, shallots, baby carrots, and oyster mushrooms; the pan seared encrusted California Sea Bass served with leeks, bok choy, and a coconut lemongrass marinade, and the Flourless Chocolate Cake with a peanut butter center accented with fresh whipped cream, a chocolate cigar, and a fresh spring of mint.

Enjoy any of these entrees with a glass of wine from Rice’s diverse and intoxicating wine list, offering vintages from Italy, Austria, France, Chile, New Zealand, and of course, the California coastline. If a celebration is in order, select from a spectacular list of bubbles and sparkling wine, including various Brut Roses.

Rice also offers a medley of decadent desserts, not limited to Dulce de Leche Cheesecake, Midnight Seduction Chocolate Cake, Kahlua Bread Pudding, a seasonal sorbet, and artisan homemade ice cream.
With a menu so diverse and savory, Rice easily takes its place on San Diego Restaurant’s list of amazing, highly recommended places to visit to experience an unforgettable meal.

The W Hotel is also home to Magnet, the ideal backdrop for tantalizing cocktails, mellow, modern beats, and an intimate, luxurious bar environment. Enjoy a full service bar as well as an array of delectable appetizers, such as the Baja Style Seafood Cocktail or the Grilled Beef Skewers.

Magnet’s specialty libations include the Blueberry Mojito and the Albino Cosmopolitan-each guaranteed to pair perfectly with the overall indulgent, lush ambiance floating throughout the air.

Rice is happy to take your reservation at (619) 398-3082 and bridge the gap from the ordinary to a delectable, sinful dining experience.