Archive for the ‘Food’ Category

Get Heart Healthy with These Heart Tips

Friday, December 9th, 2011

Are you conscious of your heart health? An estimated 1 million Americans have heart attacks each and every year, causing permanent damage to the heart. It’s never too early to start thinking about your heart health, and work toward avoiding heart attacks and heart disease.

Lowering the risk factors associated with heart attacks and heart disease are certainly one way to look out for your heart. Smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, diet, and high blood sugar are often risk factors associated with heart attacks. These are all risk factors that you can control. While age, family history and preeclampsia are risk factors you can’t avoid, the others are.

Maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system is the best thing you can do to avoid heart attacks and heart disease. In addition, losing weight, watching what you eat, & quitting smoking are all ways to address the risk factors, but in addition there are certain supplements you can take for optimum heart health. Some studies have found that supplementing your body with a natural substance found in human tissue, Coenzyme Q10, may decrease the severity of heart disease, high blood pressure and chest pain.

Coenzyme Q10 was originally discovered by Professor Fredrick L. Crane in 1957. It wasn’t until 1972 that Gian Paolo Littarru and Karl Folkers discovered that deficiency of Coenzyme Q10 may be related to heart disease.

Coenzyme Q10 is contained in many foods with various levels of concentration. Some of the highest concentrations can be found in soybean oil, olive oil, pork/beef/chicken heart as well as liver. Cooking by frying can reduce the levels of Coenzyme Q10 in certain foods by as much as 32%. That’s why some experts suggest taking a supplement instead. Heart supplements like Coenzyme Q10 are available online from retailers who choose the very best natural ingredients.

Have you taken heart supplements before? Tell us about your experiences with them in the comments below.

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Culinary Diversions in Vegas

Wednesday, April 27th, 2011

One of the best ways to consider the dining potentials in any city is to look at the make up of the local populations. It’s no coincidence that New York and Los Angeles are perhaps each at the center of the country’s culinary offerings, and they also offer the most diversity in terms of population. It’s an obvious connection, and one that’s more apparent in global culture, that diversity in population does indeed mean diversity in food. In the early days of contemporary cities, cuisine comes from the traditions of the people who live there, and Las Vegas reflects all of these considerations.

While its claims to fame for dining may once have been based on the amount of food on the plate rather than the quality, today’s Las Vegas restaurants represent the best of modern dining. There is a tremendous variety, and very high quality of meals available in fine establishments throughout the city. Its population today, which has steady rises in Asian and Latin cultures, also serves to continually contribute to the ever-expanding range of available cooking traditions in the city. There is something for everyone here, and because of the nature of people moving around the planet, there is something of every place as well.

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How to find the Best Restaurants in Boca Raton

Tuesday, March 30th, 2010

I found three superb restaurants during my stay in Boca Raton. Three that thrilled me beyond expectations. I don’t know about you, but travelling to places that I’m not familiar with always makes me leery about finding the best restaurants by what’s listed on the Internet. I always prefer to ask the staff of the hotel where I stay and, for me it never fails to be the best way to find the best restaurants where the locals eat, not where the Internet sites want the visitors to eat.

Big City Tavern, was my favorite of all the recommendations, it’s a popular venue located in the ‘Shops of Boca Center’ and after talking with the wait staff, I found out it was just revamped by new owners, which apparently has only done wonders for its popularity. They recreated an American Tavern classic establishment, which is reflected by the wood and leather setting and the menu. Like Kobe Beef Sliders, or what was my favorite the Spago-style pizza with Portobell mushrooms, goat cheese, spinach and pinenuts. But, I could tell it was the fish dishes to be the more popular with the other guests. After dinner, I hung around the bar area, which had a lively crowd. I really recommend this restaurant as being your first stop.

Arturo’s Restorante was recommended by the reservation staff at my hotel, this place is what I would call the Italian Grand-Daddy of fine dinning. Vincenzo and Rosario Gismondi are the owners, and as any good Italian restaurant should have, their children also have a hand in running the establishment. The restaurant is old-school classic Italian, and the waitstaff is clad in tuxedo’s and are veteran pros. I really enjoyed the Antipasti trolley that goes beyond the ordinary. I had the Costoletta di Vitello alla Griglia (grilled veal chop loin). All I can say is bellissimo! Cooked to perfection. Their wine list is outstanding and the building is reminiscent of a Tuscan villa.

The last restaurant I had the privilege to have dinner at, and was recommended by the valet parking attendant, was Cafe Joley. The owner, John Suley has created a charming bistro serving contemporary French cuisine with a touch of Mediterranean influence, and tosses in a touch of southern comfort. This very intimate, personal setting creates a waiting time to be seated. While I was waiting, I looked over the menu, which changes often I was told. The smells coming from the kitchen were tantalizing as I drank a nice red wine and making me very, very hungry. I ordered the Crispy Kataffi with encrusted Prawns and served with collard greens and sweet potatoes (the southern comfort touch). The wait was worth it, every bite was a new taste sensation, the collard greens would put any southern restaurant to shame. Very delightful and refreshingly light.

Next time you are in Boca Raton, at least visit one of the restaurants mentioned above, you won’t be disappointed. If none of these restaurants appeal to your particular appetite, ask one of your hotel staff for a recommendations, you can’t go wrong.

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Gumbo and Ancestors in New Orleans

Monday, March 15th, 2010

New Orleans is a place that’s constantly hiding and revealing in equal measure, on good days. On bad days these things are out of balance, but there’s a certain grace to the blend of people who make up the city that use all the juju at their command to make things right again. There are lots of adventures to be had in town, and looking for balance is a good place to begin. In New Orleans cheap hotels can introduce a visitor to all the magic of the city in a very precious and hospitable way, where the odd mix of roughness and elegance come shining through.

There are plenty of places to sample gumbo here, and it’s a good idea to try as many as one is able to, because there is so much variation in the recipes, and when it’s done right, it is downright glorious. It’s also become kind of a metaphor for the place itself, because there is a remarkable blend of disparate ingredients that, when taken together, pack a powerful punch that is absolutely delightful, and has the deep sweet taste of life itself. It’s probably a wise idea to keep your opinions to yourself, and listen to the locals talk about it, because there are always strong feelings about gumbo.

The notion of comparing a soup to a city is nothing particularly local, but follows along the lines of many different cultures, especially island cultures, and it’s very common in the Caribbean, to compare their own ethnic mix to soups that have everything. The origins here are rather deep and complex. There are certainly contributions from the French, but the influences are more overwhelmingly West African. The word gumbo comes from the Ki-Kongo word for okra , which is a typical base here. Also, in the versions where greens are a central element, the number of greens is said to signify the number of friends you want, but the numbers are usually 7 or 9, and these are numbers that signify the dead, or the realm of the ancestors. The soup gets deeper, and the gumbo is always funky, and New Orleans has a beat that will not stop.

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Matsuo Sushi in Singapore

Monday, December 28th, 2009

Sushi is a genre of seafood that is a favorite meal and even snack or appetizer for many people across the world. Most sushi lovers have not only their favorite individual item but also their absolute favorite sushi restaurant. There are also those individuals who claim that it is impossible to find good sushi outside of Japan. However, there are just as many or more arguments coming from cities that say theirs is the best. One thing about Singapore is that it is well known you can find delicious cuisine from around the world on this island nation and the sushi in Singapore is one of the great options.

Matsuo Restaurant in one of the most popular and well loved Japanese restaurants in Singapore. It is known for its great sushi among other dishes, though many of the local sushi lovers insist that this is the best. The restaurant itself is very small and only seats approximately thirty people. The sushi bar is always crowded and if you plan on having dinner at this establishment it is strongly advised to either get there at an off hour, that is if there is one, or make reservations in advance.

One of the standard features that many people consider to be representative of great sushi restaurants is the amount of Japanese patrons the restaurant receives. Of course it is extremely popular with people from all over the world including local citizens as well as tourists who are either lucky enough to stumble into it, or are guided there by someone who is already familiar with it. One of the popular menu items is the Matsuzushi Bento, which is recognized as not only great food but also well worth the price. There are also platters that serve various options and one of these is a great way to go if you’re just experimenting with sushi or are eager to explore some fabulous new cuisine.

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Great Pizza Restaurants in New York City

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

One of the first things many people think of when they think of great food in New York is pizza. This was certainly the case for Casper as he was planning a trip there with his girlfriend Chelle. The two of them had been dating for almost two years and had never taken a single trip together. Casper had recently been hearing pressurized comments from family members regarding a marriage and family plans and this not only made him uncomfortable and slightly suffocated feeling, but he also realized for the first time that he and Chelle had been dating for that long.

This was actually pretty astounding to Casper who had never had relationship last more than six months. In addition, it was easy dating Chelle. They actually enjoyed each other’s company and had a great time together. Of course they were also enormously attracted to each other. So, to avoid the comments he was hearing from family members he told them that he and Chelle were taking a trip to New York to see how that went before he could commit to anything else. Chelle laughed when she heard this and wondered how a trip to New York could indicate marriage potential. Casper didn’t care, it worked. They were going to New York and his family was leaving him alone.

Once they arrived in the city they were both famished and wanted some real New York food. The concierge in the hotel recommended a few of the best restaurants New York City though what they were both craving was a simple pizza pie. With that information the concierge directed them to Lombardi’s Pizzeria, which was also considered to be, or at least claimed to be, the oldest true pizzeria in America. This attracted Casper and Chelle who loved the historic feel of the place. It was established in 1905 and this indicated to the two of them that it must be good. It certainly was and they enjoyed a great standard pizza. Later they had a couple of drinks in the club and celebrated their first trip together and the freedom they felt in New York City.

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