Facial Procedures And Its Contribution To Skin Regimes

The external surface gets deteriorated every day due to the immense harsh conditions in the atmosphere. This is prevalent on the exterior of the body. The regular wear and tear that the surface is subjected to makes it susceptible to gradual aging with the progress of time during the lifespan of a person. This makes a proper care regime extremely essential to maintain the balance of the surface. The external surface should be induced to a regime comprising of exfoliation, cleansing and moisturisation. Fine lines and wrinkles start to emerge on the external layer which might become irreversible due to loss of elastin. At an approximate age of 30, the surface starts to display visible signs of aging. This however can commence before time which is known to be premature aging.

The exterior surface commonly features crows legs, fine lines and creases with age. Some people even opt for chemical treatments like glycolic peels. The procedure is harsh on the surface and burns the external skin. The process is extremely traumatic and causes immense ill effects on the surface. It however produces collagen during the process.

Treatments like facials are however extremely suitable to maintain the surface texture. These replenish the skin surface that is natural and safe to implement.

Facial treatments

The most extensive yet efficient technique is the facial therapy. These work well to provide the inner fibroblast layer with nourishment. This makes the surface rejuvenated and replenished. The treatment is natural and safe and is suitable for the health of the skin.

Deficit of Harsh Chemicals
The tough treatments are harmful for the skin and deplete the surface extensively. Harsh chemicals and ingredients are extremely harmful and cause the exterior to become prone to deterioration. Tough ingredients like paraben, sodium lauryl sulphate are harmful for the surface. Hence, it is essential to avoid using products containing such formulations.

Cleansing / Exfoliation
The most effective cleanser that removes any dead cells is like sea grains, oatmeal and wheat germ. These are not harsh but are essentially mild on the external surface. Gently cleansing the upper layer with such components is suitable to abate the formation of dry cells on the exterior.
In fact proper cleansing and exfoliation stimulates blood flow extensively. This gives rise to radiant and vibrant skin surface.

Detoxification
Volcanic ash clay is extremely useful to cleanse the exterior layers. It essentially wipes off any blockage caused by the accumulation of dirt, dust and grit. A therapeutic mask is great to remove any bacterial deposition that might be infectious to the dermal surface. It causes cell regeneration and formation of elastin.
A natural detoxification is suitable to reinvigorate the external surface. Improper detoxification does not allow essential nutrients that are active on the skin surface to seep in easily. The dermal layer within the system however remains devoid of such natural replenishers.

Hydration
After the exfoliation, cleansing and toning process it is required to moisturize the skin surface. During these extensive regimes, the suppleness and the balance of the surface get disturbed. Hence to restore the natural sheen and texture, it is required to moisturize the upper layer of the exterior.

Facial Regimes

The process of exfoliation, cleansing and moisturisation requires realization of the texture of the surface. There are several products in the line that are used to reduce the development of acne, pimples and blemishes in addition to nourishing the skin surface. These penetrate and reach deep within into the dermis to sooth the surface texture.

Natural facial regimes are great to provide optimum skin care. These are suitable to provide cell stimulation that aids in regrowth of healthy dermal layers. This increases the blood circulation and provides optimum nourishment to the inner dermal cell layers extensively.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michaelau_Mc

Profollica Results - Get You Hair Back

While other hair loss products comes either in the type of pills or topical answer, Profollica employs both methods. The initial 1 is the shampoo, the second 1 is the gel and the 3rd 1 is the nutritional supplement. These three elements work collectively to turn out great Profollica results. Profollica results would be the bona fide examples for its effectiveness. Nevertheless it's important to make use of frequently to acquire fullest and rapid Profollica results. Profollica results strengthen and replenish the hair follicles and promotes the development of new hairs. All these three components bestow denser and healthier hair.

Profollica guarantees certain Profollica results and it is totally free of any unwanted side effects.

The all new hair loss product, designed to match each men and ladies, is Profollica. Profollica minimizes the DHT level more than the scalp thereby preventing hair loss and promoting hair re-growth. Profollica surpasses all of the other items inside a way it is completely natural and Profollica results are visible in couple of weeks time.

Profollica results are the outcome of 3 magical elements namely a shampoo, an efficient gel and pills that provide sufficient nutrition. Moreover Profollica augments the blood movement within the follicles and encourages growth of healthy hairs.

Profollica's popularity lies chiefly on its 3 elements firstly a shampoo that gets rid of excess oily substance secreted through the sebaceous glands known as sebum. This helps the hair follicles to create without any hindrance. The second one is a re-activator gel that boosts up the hair follicles and stimulates healthy and fast growth of hair.

The gels together with the shampoo lessen the DHT degree thereby permitting the hair roots to develop thicker and dense hairs. Aside from energizing the hair follicles and increasing the blood circulation these nutrients also enhance the overall well being of the individual. About 90 % with the customers experienced reduction within the chance of gray hair.

Several tests carried out on Profollica for about 2 months shows the effect of Profollica on individuals with severe hair loss is truly miraculous and Profollica results has kindled numerous budding customers to attempt and advantage from Profollica- an greatest hair loss item that employs three stage program. Hair loss might be because of numerous reasons beginning from poor hair upkeep, improper nutritional diet plan, heredity, environmental pollution, tension and numerous other people.

Profollica is a best alternative to temporary wigs and surgeries. Profollica acts straightforwardly around the main trigger for hair loss particularly the higher levels DHT and upholds the situation required for healthy and dense hair development. Utilizing Profollica can wind up hair loss and also the hair follicles become stronger so as encouraging the growth of thicker hairs. Profollica includes an offer of 2 months cash back assurance.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Damon_K_Mathew

Treatment of Vitiligo

Vitiligo is a pigmentation disorder in which whole skin or different parts of body is affected by appearance of white patches. Through pigmentation disorder, hair on the affected area may turn white. As medical science shows progress day by day through the advancement of technology, Number of treatments of Vitiligo is discovered. The main focus of treatment of Vitiligo is not only the removal of this disease but to provide emotional security to patients.

As every patient have its own individuality, so physician should take in to account the history of patient whether the patient is effected by environmental changes, or he/she get this disease in heredity, or due to the auto antibodies. As the main cause of Vitiligo is depigmentation in skin. Melanocytes cells that produced melanin, if decrease in body, loss of pigmentation occurs. Transplantation is a method by which it possible to transplant Melanocytes cells from some other part of body to the affected skin area. So there is one of the treatments used by physician to cure Vitiligo. By taking effective precaution and using sensibly therapeutic measures, many pigmentation disorders can be managed. Below there are some important steps of conservative treatment.

Psychotherapy is a treatment which is preferable for both a patient and their relatives. When a person knows that he/she suffers in Vitiligo disease, he easily loses his/her confidence. He starts thinking that he is inferior to others, which become cause of stress, anxiety, tension. Unfortunately people around them, including their blood relations also show misery for him by isolating him. If we go to backwards, then in ancient time people consider there is no particular treatment of Vitiligo. So they ignore the patient, in result patient become so depressed that he did not even take proper diet and medicine. So in struggle to give people accurate awareness, now medical science discovered a lot of different treatments to ensure the patient that the cure of Vitiligo is possible.

It is common in our society that when we feel some illness, without checking to any physician we take anti biotic by self. Similarly many Vitiligo patients take this step, which is wrong. Because anti-biotic can be helpful to overcome a disease for a particular time period, but it can't be effective for a longer period of time. So patient should be stop to take different anti-biotics for this disease.

Patients of Vitiligo should be conscious about the diet they take. Diet plays a key role to cure the disease. A patient of Vitiligo is suffering from lack of protein, calcium, copper. So he should take those foods in his meal that are enriching with all these, like butter, milk, beans etc.

Now let's talk about therapeutic part of the treatment of Vitiligo. Many physicians consider that ARS SULPH FLAVOS is very helpful to cure pigmenting disorders in a skin. But again, it is the one of treatment of pool of treatments. It can be suitable for some patients, and not for others, as mentioned above, every patient have its own individuality.

Another treatment is AYURVEDIC, in which much importance is given to the diet along with medicines. Babchi, ami majus plants are used in this treatment. One of the most allopathic treatments for Vitiligo is psoralen therapy. People who have light skinned, by taking this treatment can increase their pigmentation to get normal skin. More on there are number of multivitamin injections are available in market to get cure for Vitiligo.

There are number of patients who prefer home remedies to get cure for Vitiligo. Using number of herbs in home can leave unpleasant side effect, so before try anything in home, it is recommended to check you to a physician.

Through the ultra violet treatment (UVB), this is conducted through irradiation with short wave of ultraviolet radiations. A cure of Vitiligo disease is also possible. Tattooing although is not a traditional treatment but it is done with artificial pigments, by the help of surgical techniques. Artificial pigments are produced according to the skin color of a person.

Although there are number of treatments of Vitiligo are, but it takes several months to show positive result.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vitiligo_Skin

Beauty Secrets Where You Would Never Expect Them

You've heard of off label uses for drugs, haven't you? (It's where a doctor successfully uses a drug to cure a disease in a way the drug company never intended). Have you though heard of off-label beauty uses for stuff you might have around in your home - anything from kitchen ingredients to what you might have stocked in your medicine cabinet? You usually come to hear about these inventive uses for household stuff from a friend, from a family member, someone at the office who goes, "I'm sure this is going to sound silly to you, but have you ever tried using Benadryl on that?" Or something on those lines. There are beauty secrets out there that people just chance upon, and there is no explaining them. Here are a bunch of useful little tips for things you can do with just stuff you can expect to have around your home.

You always wanted to keep the fragrance of your perfume all through the day. You would spritz yourself at the office to freshen yourself up, but sometimes, there just isn't enough time. How do you keep your perfume from fading away a couple of hours into your workday? There is that standup comedy scene in Seinfeld where Jerry makes fun of how women dab perfume on in all the wrong places - on their wrists, behind their ears - "Places they think we're going". Have you ever considered using your perfume on your hair? No, you don't need to spray your hair; what you do is, you spritz a little perfume on a brush, and then right away, run it through a little part of your hair right from the roots to the ends. Your be surprised how well hair retains perfume through the day.

There is a scene in the Demi Moore movie Striptease, where the sleazy politician played by Burt Reynolds says he likes slathering Vaseline on his feet to feel his toes squishing up into Vaseline inside his shoes. Who would have thought that Burt Reynolds would have any sensible beauty secrets? That's actually a great way to treat your calluses. If you have calluses on your feet and they won't go away, you just need to dab on the Vaseline, put on a pair of socks in bed to keep the Vaseline from staining your bed sheets, and then go to sleep. Do this a couple of days, and the Vaseline will soften up those calluses right away.

What was that about the Benadryl, you are sure to be wondering. Some people when they exercise, get a healthy flush on their faces. It looks really pretty too; but when that flush won't go away for hours, it can get a little annoying. What do you do about it? All you need is a shot of the Benadryl right after you exercise. Like many beauty secrets, there's just no explaining why this helps. It just does.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Melain_Earcher

Hair Removal for Men: How and Why

Thinking of taking off your body hair? Why?

Did your partner recommend trimmed army of hair? Or was the request made to clear them out all together? Perhaps it is weather related and you are going on a trip to that beach side resort soon!

Whatever the motivation, there is nothing wrong with hair removal for men. In modern day world, it is quite a normal thing to do, and most men do it. Men of all ages, sizes, sexual orientations, professions and ethnic backgrounds are switching to shaving, waxing, electrolysis, tweezing and trimming to remove their hair, temporarily and permanently. If it is your first time, it is recommended to remove your hair temporarily, and once you are happy with it, you can go down the permanent route.

That covers why, but let us look a little deeper into how? There are several ways for hair removal for men. Waxing involves spreading hot wax onto the desired area, applying a strip of muslin or cloth onto the wax, and ripping it off in one swoop. This removes the wax, hair, root and all. USA Today claims that men are resorting to waxing their back as well as their bikini lines, simply for increased sex appeal and a cleaner feeling! Most men who wax go for eyebrow waxing to give shape.

If it is your first time, it is recommended to get it done by a professional. Later on, you can switch to DIY at home! Waxing is perfect if you want to lessen the hair that grows on your body.

Electrolysis and Laser treatments are also good way of removing unwanted hair. Electrolysis offers permanent solutions, so best to leave it till later, once you are sure about exactly what you want. This completely eliminates growth!

Laser treatments also offer a permanent reduction in quality and quantity of hair and are quite expensive, but best recommended if you are sure of what you want.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Neeraj_Sachdeva

Best Severe Acne Treatment: Effective Acne Treatments Are Aplenty

Having acne is no laughing matter. If not resolved quickly, bacteria influence the rapid development of even more papules and pustules, until they conceal a face's attractive features. Sometimes normal treatments fail to provide relief, for severe cases. Such a predicament calls for securing the best severe acne treatment, and you have a wide selection to choose from.

Skin Antibiotics

Topical medication provides quick relief from pimples and skin inflammation. Their formulations, spanning a variety of chemicals, are hardwired to eradicate acne. Some of the most effective active ingredients are:

•Erythromycin
•Benzoyl Peroxide
•Azelaic Acid
•Sodium sulfacetamide
•Tetracycline

Apart from these substances, medical researchers have created other strains that zero in on acne and its causes. The drawback in using chemical-based products, however, is some of them have harmful side effects. Your dermatologist or some Internet research should point you to the best severe acne treatment.

Natural Treatments for Acne

Natural medication for pimples and the like are a dime a dozen. Picking out the best ones for your skin condition is critical.

Tea tree oil, when diluted in water, makes inflammation subside, even for severe cases. Milk and nutmeg mixed with water is among the best natural treatments for acne, particularly for those who have dry and combination skin. The healing solution unclog the pores and provides necessary moisture to the skin. Pimples from oily skin, on the other hand, can be removed through aloe vera, tomato and lemon juice.

Natural treatments for acne have varying effects, so consider switching from one remedy to another, if the desired results don't materialize in a few days. Don't expect them to remove acne in a day or two, since the healing process is gradual. However, if there are noticeable effects after a week of using one or a combination of the remedies, it's time to seek therapy from your dermatologist.

The Dermatologist

Natural treatments for acne as well as acne medication can only do so much for the severest of cases. Sometimes only the dermatologist can remove the deepest pustules and the worst cases of skin discoloration. Dermatological therapies and surgical procedures, in truth, are the best severe acne treatment. They may be expensive, but your acne will be no more after a medical procedure.

Steve Winton is an author, blogger and an authority on acne solutions. Check out his blog at Best Severe Acne Treatment and discover how he completely eliminated acne quick and naturally.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Winton

Scalp Pimples - What You Can Do About Them

Scalp pimples can be a frustrating and sometimes painful problem to deal with. Pimples usually stay on the face, chest or back, but more often than most people realize, they do appear on the scalp.

One advantage of having pimples on the scalp is that they are usually hidden by your hair. But the very fact that they are hidden by your hair makes them harder to deal with. If there are a lot or they are big, the simple chore of washing or combing your hair can turn into a painful job.

There are a number of causes for scalp pimples. Yeast, bacteria, mites and simple improper scalp care can all cause the problem or make it worse, but like all pimple problems, your body is probably trying to tell you something. It is trying to tell you that there is something wrong on the inside.

Acne, no matter where on the body it is found, is almost never just a surface problem. Some people may tell you that the reason you have scalp pimples is that you are not washing your hair enough or your hygiene is not good. That can be a factor, but most likely you are doing a good job keeping yourself clean and your hair washed. There are many other things that cause pimples and most of them do not have anything to do with poor hygiene.

There are some external things that can cause scalp acne, and you might want to just check these out to make sure that they are not the problem.

1. Washing your hair to often can strip your scalp of the natural oils your body produces. As a result, your scalp can be dry and itchy and become a breeding ground for pimples because of a lack of the natural oil which helps protect your scalp. Your body may also respond by over producing oils to try to compensate. Your hair will be more oily than ever and because it is being produced excessively your pores can become blocked. You should not wash your hair more than once a day.

2. Not washing your hair often enough can be a problem. Oil can build up and cause trouble, but this is usually not the reason you have pimples. If you are washing your hair every 2 or 3 days then, not washing your hair, is almost certainly not the problem.

3. There is a chance your shampoo or hair conditioner has something in it that your scalp is reacting to. Make sure you are using a gentle shampoo and if you want to check to see if your shampoo is the problem, just switch to a completely different brand for a while and see if it makes a difference.

4. Excessive scratching of the scalp (especially if you are scratching hard) can create small openings for bacteria to grow in and can also damage the skin cells and cause them to be unable to cleanse themselves properly.

As I said before, pimples are usually your body's way of telling you there is something wrong on the inside; some imbalance that is causing trouble. It could be something as simple as sleep deprivation which stresses the body and causes all kinds of trouble. There can be hormonal or dietary problems that your body is dealing with and pimples are just the external indicators. All of these and many other internal problems are things that you would hardly call a disease, but they stress your body and when you take care of them, you will not only get rid of your pimples, you will also feel better all around.

Whatever is causing your pimples can be taken care of naturally. Our bodies are the most wonderful healing machines there are. They want to be healthy. They continuously works to repair damage and make everything work smoothly, but sometimes we unknowingly deprive them of the nutrition they need to do that job. Sometimes we do things that cause more damage than they can keep up with the repairs on. Sometimes we just stress our bodies to the point where it is impossible for them to do the job they were meant to do and we suffer the consequences without realizing there are simple things we can do to help our bodies out.

Smearing on some cream or taking a medication might give a little temporary relief from the symptoms, but to really remove your acne permanently, you need to address the internal problems your body is trying to tell you about.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ken_L_Caudill

Natural Remedies to Get Rid of Acne Quickly

It is an important query to find a way that can help to remove severe acne, pimples and cystic acne. People suffering from acne will be able to find some natural remedies through this article to clear away their skin from acne that does not include any creams and chemicals.

Selection of diet

Sometimes food may be a cause of acne. Any type of food that may cause hormonal imbalance are main and serious stimulator for the spread of acne. Acne and other skin problems are the result of excess intake of such food items e.g. vegetable oil can aggravate this problem seriously. It can even cause cholesterol and heart disease in future because it contains some harmful non friendly fats.

It is very important to see the ingredients of the processed food like chips, biscuits, chocolates etc because these all contain these oils and simply avoiding it in cooking at home can not serve the purpose. An acne patient has to be very careful to select low fat food as well as healthy one.

Selection of supplements to clear acne

Omega 6 is the fat kind that is found in vegetable oils and make it unhealthy thus can be a cause of acne. Since our diet mostly contains these fats, it becomes a problem. These fats can be less problematic when taken in reasonable amounts along with Omega 3 fats. Omega 3 supplements have to be taken as an important solution to solve this problem. This is a very healthy type of fat that not only reduces cholesterol but are generally very healthy and anti inflammatory.

As we have discussed, a reasonable amount of healthy fats and avoiding unhealthy ones play an important role to get rid of acne, one shall follow these suggestions to see the difference and get clearer skin.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Shephard

Get Rid Of Acne Scars Once And For All

Acne will leave permanent scarring on your face, neck, back or any other areas on the body. Acne breakouts will not just give rise to pimples, but is also a medical condition which requires professional treatment. You can start by consulting a Dermatologist, who might suggest some of the following treatment options to get rid acne scars.

Dermabrasion: This should not be mixed up with micro-dermabrasion that will eliminate the top layer surface of the dead skin cells from the facial area. Dermabrasion is actually a coarser procedure, which takes away much more layers. This will work pretty much like if you were rubbing sandpaper over your face, not recommended of course. However the sandpaper comparison will give the basic idea of exactly what this procedure will involve. The dermatologist is going to numb your facial area first and after that start getting rid of layers using the sanding method.

Laser Resurfacing: This will be a different way to remove pimples and ultimately get rid of acne scarring. This is actually a fairly new method and it must be noted that not many tests have been carried out on its long-term results. The procedure involves a laser that is used to eliminate acne scars. As of this moment the two laser treatment being used would be the YAG and CO2 laser. The two will accomplish the same things, plus your doctor might have an inclination over the one that he or she wants to use. However you should know about each procedure and eventually select the one to use. The laser will work in a similar way as the dermabrasion. This eliminates the top layers of your skin which might have been damaged to give you fresh healthy looking skin. Recovery period is several weeks.

Chemical peel: This will be a good procedure for really light acne scars. Several types of acid will be placed on the skin surface and then removed after around 15 minutes. Once more this will eliminate the top impaired layers of the skin area exposing the smooth skin.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Colin_Scott

Acne Treatments For Adults Skin Care - Cure The Problem Within To Get Rid Of Acne

The best acne treatments for adults skin care are the one's that can target the real problems inside your body. The acne industry has us convinced that we have to pile a ton of chemicals on our skin in a vain effort to curb the bacteria problem. Then we need to pile on even more moisturizer because their products dry out our skin.

What they don't tell you is that by drying your skin out with their products, you're stripping it of essential and vital oils that keep your skin healthy and protect it. By doing this, you actually cause even more breakouts because your body will make even more oil to make up for the lack of it, and more dead skin will be produced that will clog your pores.

Even worse is they don't tell you those external problems are caused by other problems within the body. For example, hormones such as insulin and androgens have a direct link to your breakouts. When there is too many of these hormones present in your blood stream, they cause your skin cells to make to much oil. On top of this, they cause your skin to age prematurely; it dies off faster than it should leading to more breakouts.

These hormones occur naturally in our bodies and regulate things like blood sugar levels and well as provide energy for the body. The problem stems from the fact that our diets cause wild swings in our hormonal levels. Our typical western diets of our lead to progressively wilder and wilder swings, which overwhelm the system and prevent it from flushing everything out in a timely manner.

So why are typical acne treatments for adults and skin care products focused on our skin? Because it's a booming industry; it really is as simple as that. A cured customer never comes back and can't be enrolled in an auto-renewal program. But since we now know better, we can take the proper steps to treating our skin from within.

For instance, drinking plenty of water is of vital importance. Water helps hydrate our skin as well as helps flush out the build up in our blood stream. Carry a bottle of water around with you throughout the day and you'll be surprised at how thirsty you actually are. Also, avoid processed foods as much as possible while eating only whole, natural items. This helps keep down the wild insulin swings and will make you healthier on a whole. Another simple tip is to avoid dairy like the plague; dairy has insulin like growth factor which only contributes to the acne problems within.

Acne treatments for adults skin care, if they are ever to work, must take care of and get rid of the problems inside your body. If you only focus on your skin, you are dooming yourself to a lifetime of acne.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Felix_Schmieder

How to Use Your New French Press

If you want to experience the best tasting coffee, then consider using a French Press.

The use of a French Press lets you create a cup of coffee that's filled with a more intense flavor. Not only is it produced and made with the best use of flavors, it also offers you a drink that has quality in mind.

But for a more step-by-step process, read through the list below:

1. Only use coffee grounds that are coarse in texture, as using finely crushed ones will only slip through the filter. You wouldn't want this to happen unless you wanted small coffee bits in your cup while sipping your drink.

2. With your coffeemaker, make sure that you take out its top and filter first. As soon as you're done with this, start filling your coffeemaker with your coffee grounds. For starter's, you can fill it up with about 5-tablespoons of coffee grounds, provided that you also balance these out with about 6-cups of water. You can still adjust the flavor should it turn out to be bland or too strong in taste.

3. Now, the next step is to measure the water that you'll be pouring into the French Press (make sure that the water fits well inside it) and have this poured in. After this, proceed to boiling the contents (the water temperature should only range to about 195-205 degrees Fahrenheit). A word of advice though, you can pour the water all at once, or pour in portions of it while stirring the drink (either way can work).

4. You can also lightly mix the brew using only wood or plastic materials. But should you choose to use a metal stirrer, make sure that you don't hit the glass casing of your French Press (as this can be damaging).

5. Now, get the top piece of your French Press and have this covered with it. Also make sure that the filter's raised to the topmost part of the coffeemaker.

6. After step 5, leave the contents to brew for about four minutes. Also consider the time that you'll be setting for you brew, as some grounds that are blended for a longer time might leave out a bitter taste to it.

7. After step 7, give your brew another stir before compressing the coffeemaker's plunger. Then give the filter a light push downwards (securing that the filter spout is also facing the opening).

8. You're almost done! You'll be able to drink your coffee as soon as the grounds come to a rest (a good 30 seconds will do).

Now, you're almost done! Start pouring the freshly brewed coffee into your cup; and have your coffee settle-in your cup first before drinking it.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mya_Diaz

Coffee Bean Origins

Almost all of us drink coffee and it is something of an institution across the world. We drink coffee first thing in the morning to wake us up, we drink it on the side of the road when travelling on large journeys to avoid having crashes and we drink it when we first get in to work in order to feel as awake and alert as possible and to get on with our work. At the same time many of us will also regularly pop into coffee shops on our lunch break in order to get an espresso to help us through our day, or we'll go in with some work and work it through over a cuppa. Some businesses even conduct interviews and business meetings in the humble coffee shop. At home likewise the first thing we do when someone comes round tends to be to offer them a coffee and it might well be the first thing we do when we get home ourselves too. We tend to drink them over books, in front of the television and to make everything we do more relaxing while keeping us alert and focused.

So we all love coffee, and it plays an important role in our way of life. Yet we know hardly anything about it - most of us don't know where it comes from, how it is made or anything about its history. Thus we will look into it here - though it might surprise you to learn that no one in fact is completely sure as to its origins.

The history of the coffee bean spans many generations and goes at least as far as the 13th century. It was believed here that the ancestors of the Oromo People in Ethiopia were the first people to discover the coffee bean and to recognise it's incredible qualities. It is not known however where in Africa the bean was used or which natives grew or used it prior to the 17th century.

A famous tale of the discovery of coffee focuses on a goat-herder called Kaldi who it is claimed discovered coffee in the 9th century when his goats began to act unusual, demonstrating just how much uncertainty there is surrounding its origins. Suffice to say that the story was not told until 1671AD in writing, suggesting that it may have been invented later on (or otherwise was passed by word of mouth across many generations).

It is known that it started in Ethiopia however, and that from here it spread further to Yemen and Egypt. The first evidence of coffee being a drink as it is today comes from Yemen where it may have been drunk by those in the Sufi monasteries. However it was in Arabia where the beans were first roasted and brewed as they are today and by the 16th century it had spread to Italy and from here to the rest of Europe. Since then it has continued to have an exciting history and has been an important part of both Western and Eastern culture.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Diacik

Coffee Mugs - 10 Crazy Coffee Cups

The special bond between coffee mugs and coffee lovers the world over, is a sacred one. Coffee cups enhance the drinking experience and lets you enjoy your cup of hot energizing coffee in peace. There are so many interesting designs to choose from, each having their own special features. Below is a small list of some of the most interesting and unique mugs you can find.

1. The On/Off Mug

These coffee cups appear to be like every other coffee mug, but they are in fact very unique. These cups change color when you pour hot coffee into them. They are black in color and have the word "Off" written on it when the cup is empty but when you pour hot coffee into it, the color will change to white. The "Off" wording will slowly change to "On" too.

2. Dunk Cups

These are another type of unique coffee mugs available in the market today. They have small compartments near the bottom with enough space to keep a couple of biscuits. So anytime you feel like having biscuits with coffee, you have a convenient place to keep them.

3. Gun Mugs

If you like action movies and like heroes who say "Asta la vista baby" or "Get Down", then you will find these coffee mugs pretty interesting. The arm of the mug looks like the trigger of a gun and while these mugs don't come with any practical features, they are just plain out awesome to look at.

4. The Pessimist Mug

These are extremely cool looking coffee cups. They have the message "this glass is now half empty" to remind you of the futility of pessimism. The subtle humor conveys the powerful message extremely well.

5. Lockable Coffee Mugs

These coffee mugs come with a special key. The key is used to plug a small hole in the mug. SO if you don't want others to use your coffee mug, you can just remove the key and keep it with you. You can then hide somewhere and watch as people try to fill coffee into your cup only to fail miserably. Ha! No coffee for them.

6. Drink Selector Mug

These mugs come with unique rings around them that you can adjust to show the various wordings like coffee, tea, black, milk etc behind them. You can adjust the rings to show off the beverage you're having and your personal milk and sugar preferences.

7. Ceramic Wine Mug

These coffee mugs are shaped like wine glasses and serve as a humorous reminder for all those wild drinking nights. The humorous play of irony itself can give you a good boost in the morning.

8. Antonio Murado Salome Coffee Set

This coffee set is aimed at all those who have a special liking to macabre and horror. The coffee cups are white in color and are stained with red paint to resemble blood splatter. They look extremely creepy and cool. Having friends for dinner will never be the same again.

9. Brass Knuckles Coffee Mug

These arms of these coffee mugs are shaped like brass knuckles. Who wants to extend the pinky when drinking coffee? Coffee is strong and should be drunk from a vessel that showcases its strength. Of course if you overdo the whole macho thing, you come off as a fool, but in moderation it looks pretty cool.

10. Zero Gravity Coffee Cup

This particular coffee cup is used in space missions. They can successfully hold the liquids in place in zero gravity environments. By effectively using surface tension, the cup is able to successfully hold the coffee in. It also has a deep grove which transfers the liquid from the bottom to the top and into your mouth. Chill out, watch the moon and take a sip of your favorite coffee.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=TP_Vinod_Kumar

What Is Robusta Coffee?

Why Not Robusta coffee?

Over thirty five percent of the coffee consumed in the world is from the Robusta coffee bean. However, all we ever hear about is the Arabica bean. There is a very good reason for this. Arabica beans have a balanced acidity and a more moderate amount of caffeine which creates a far superior taste. Robusta, on the other hand, has noticeably more acidity and almost twice the caffeine. Robusta is grown at low altitudes, mainly in Africa and Asia. Brazil is the only significant producer in the Americas.

Recently some Robusta producers have been employing different processing techniques such as steam to improve the taste of their beans. Robusta, however, with its low cost and inherent harshness, is still best used as inexpensive filler. Most "supermarket" brand coffees, "the usual suspects", blend Robusta and Arabica so they can provide acceptable taste for less money. Popular coffee destinations are also able to employ these less expensive blends for favored coffees, expressos and other coffee concoctions that contain ample amounts of sugar. Cappuccinos, cafe' lattes and mochaccinos are good examples of these. Darker roasts are used to mask some of the harshness and slightly reduce the amount of caffeine.

Another part of the problem with Robusta beans is there is no incentive to grow them organically. They are almost without exception grown with chemicals. Not only are you possibly consuming chemical residues, but the unsustainably grown beans have a negative impact on the environment. The very best way to assure yourself of the very best taste and the best quality is to buy 100% Arabica organic coffee beans. You will certainly notice the difference, and organic coffee beans are sustainably grown.

Rhonda Keen is the owner of a boutique coffee farm in the mountains of Costa Rica. Rhonda is committed to the environment and utilizes organic growing and roasting techniques to craft the finest organic Costa Rican coffee bean.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rhonda_Keen

Senseo Supreme: A Coffee Maker With Many Benefits

I have decided to finally change my conventional coffee maker after using it for a few years. I have thought of finding one that could give me more convenience and can save me time whenever I feel like getting myself a cup.

I did a little research online and stumbled upon this Senseo coffee maker. It was an amazing invention since it is a single-serve gourmet coffeemaker. With just a press of a button, you are able to get yourself a freshly-brewed coffee in less than a minute. This company features a few coffeemaker models but I was swept away with the Senseo Supreme 7832. It has an LCD display that is so interactive, which will let you choose multiple serving sizes, may it be 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10-ounce mugs. It even has a distinctive modern design with a curved cylinder shape complimenting my kitchen counter.

You will have the flexibility to select a milder or even a stronger mix. And speaking of mix, it offers a wide variation of flavors: adding Paris Vanilla Bistro, Breakfast Blend, Vienna Hazelnut Waltz, Brazil Blend, Espresso Kenya Blend, Sumatra Blend, Senseo Cappuccino, and Senseo Espressoto the list, in addition to their original blends Medium, Dark and Decaffeinated.I always have a few friends coming over to my place and I find this so helpful. Not everybody wants their coffee that way you do and that just works so great for me, pleasing every visitor I have. And after coffee time, since all parts are adjustable and dishwasher-safe, I just pop it inside the washer and get it cleaned in no time. Who would have thought that I can serve quality gourmet coffee without the hassle! All my friends were also amazed and one by one, they started to get one for themselves as well!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Evan_Freeman_Lee

The Secret of Great Flavoured Coffee and Fruit Milkshakes

Why is it that your favourite coffee shop can produce a great tasting coffee or a luxuriously thick milkshake - and you cannot replicate it when you get home? Is it some fancy special procedure or the expensive catering equipment used to create the drink? Or the expertise of the well-trained staff? Well, I can let you into a secret! You too can create great tasting coffee and milkshake drinks at home. Quickly, easily and at little cost. You just need to know the professional's tricks of the trade.....

Milkshakes

Have you tried adding fresh strawberries to your milkshake and found that no matter how many strawberries you add, the taste and colour is just not the same as when you buy a shake from your local coffee shop? Unless you stew your fruit before adding it to your shake, the sweet juice of the fruit is locked up in the flesh and no matter how much you blend it, the taste and colour just will not be released. But, do you have time to stew fruit before you make a shake? For most of us, time is of the essence... and speaking of essence, most caterers do not have the time or budget to stew fruit for the shakes they serve to you. So how do they do it? You have to get a shot of strong flavour into your shake, quickly! The best way we know is to use Sweetbird syrups. Sweetbird syrups are available in a vast range of flavours. They are easy to use and more importantly, really deliver flavour. The Sweetbird range is approved by the Vegetarian Society and they have no GMOs, artificial flavourings or colourings.

Coffee

Well, you can imagine what is coming next! Caterers always use Sweetbird Syrups to deliver the best clean tasting flavoured coffee too. You can adjust the strength of the flavour by adding more or less syrup to your coffee. Try different blends of coffee to subtly alter the end result.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Colin_Pettit

3 Basic Methods of Cooking Food on a Barbecue

There are three basic methods of cooking food on a barbecue; they vary according to how much patience is required from you, the chef, but the one thing they have in common is that when done right, the results are excellent.

Direct Grilling

This is the simplest and most commonly-used way of barbecuing in the UK and involves the direct application of heat to food. Once the charcoal has stopped flaming and turned white (about 20-30 minutes after lighting), it is spread evenly beneath the grill, giving a consistent heat to all areas. The food is placed on the grill and, to avoid any burning, will probably be turned several times during the cooking process. Here's a hint: use tongs rather than a fork to turn your burgers and so on. With tongs you can turn the meat without piercing it and that means, a) the food with be moist and tender, and b) you avoid flare-ups as the hot fat ignites on contact with the coals.

Once the food is cooked you could serve immediately but if you need to keep it warm, you've got two choices. You could keep an area beneath the grill free of charcoal or you could place a few layers of aluminium foil at the edge of the grill and use it to 'park' the cooked food and keep it warm.

Indirect Grilling

This method is still grilling in the sense that it's dry and relatively high heat, but as the food isn't placed directly above the heat source the cooking time is longer and larger cuts of meat can be barbecued. For this, you'll need a barbecue with a lid.

Once the charcoal is ready, don't spread it around evenly but keep it to one side of the grill and place a metal dish to act as a drip tray under the main part of the grill area. Put the food on the grill above the tray and close the lid. This method approximates the working of a kitchen oven. It takes more time but the pay-off is that the meat will be tender and have cooked more evenly (although in order to ensure that, you should turn the meat once during cooking. Either that or arrange the charcoal in a ring, surrounding the cooking area). Another advantage of this method is that once proceedings are under way you can chill out and join the party for a while, unlike direct grilling which requires your constant supervision.

Another hint: although this way of cooking obviously lends itself to large joints of meat or whole chickens (not so much a Sunday roast as the Sunday barbecue) it also works well for sausages which, because of the fat content, can be problematic when direct grilling.

Finally, if you really have to have that slightly blackened, 'barbecued' look, you can always put the food directly over the coals for a few minutes once it's cooked.

Smoking

OK, getting even slower now. Smoking is the traditional barbecuing method in the Southern US states and involves no direct heat to the food at all. In fact, in most smoker barbecues the fire is actually contained in a separate box to the side of the main, enclosed cooking chamber. The temperature around the food is relatively low (about two-thirds that of a conventional grill) and the cooking is done by exposing the food to hot smoke passing through the chamber rather than flame or direct heat. The smoke comes from damp wood pellets or chips which are added to the fire box once the charcoal is ready for cooking (covered in that white ash). The knack is twofold. First, you must keep the smoke passing through because if it is trapped inside the cooking chamber the food will acquire a bitter, creosote-y taste; keep the air vents open for that free flow. Second, you need to maintain the temperature at the right level; many specialist smokers have a gauge on the lid allowing easy monitoring.

The results will have a distinct smoky flavour and potentially be very, very tender because of the long cooking time. Different types of wood chips give different-tasting smokes and can be chosen to suit the food, for example, applewood chips to go with pork. Another possibility, if you're in the mood for an experiment, is that instead of soaking the wood chips in water beforehand, you could try beer or wine.

Although the market is full of specialist smoker barbecues, as long as your regular barbecue has a lid, you can try smoking.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anthony_P_Langston

What Health Risks Are Imposed By Barbecues?

Barbecuing is a popular way to cook and is enjoyed the world over. But, along with the fantastic simplicity and back to nature feel of cooking over a flame, there are a number of health risks to consider. Knowing what they are and how to avoid them means that these risks shouldn't spoil your fun...

Food Poisoning

Food poisoning tends to be mild and most people will get over it within a few days. But sometimes it can be severe and you'll need to take precautions in order to avoid it. Bugs such as E.coli 0157, salmonella and campylobacter can cause serious illness.

The biggest risk of food poisoning is from raw and undercooked meat, and spreading germs from raw meat onto food that's ready to eat. Those most at risk are children, older people and those with weakened immune systems.

Cooking barbecue meat properly without turning it into charcoal is the difficulty faced by all barbecuers. But, there are some simple steps you can take to ensure you serve up safe, tasty food.

According to the Food Standard's Agency, "the safest option is to cook food indoors using your oven. You can then put the cooked food outside on the barbecue for flavour."

This can be a very useful way of catering for lots of people and will nip those nasty germs in the bud.

Once outside, follow these tips:

Preparing the Food

• Wash your hands thoroughly and regularly. This is common sense but is absolutely essential when handling raw meat
• Make sure frozen meat is properly thawed before you begin to cook it
• Take precautions to avoid cross-contamination

Avoiding Cross-Contamination

Cross-contamination occurs when raw meat germs get onto your hands and are then passed onto food that is cooked or ready to eat. It can happen when raw meat comes into contact with plates, tongs, cutlery, chopping boards and so on, that are then used for cooked foods. If raw meat touches or the juices drip onto food that is already cooked, bugs can be spread onto that food.

The best ways to avoid cross-contamination are:

• Wash your hands after touching raw meat. If you are outside, you may not want to keep going inside to wash them, so take anti-bacterial soap and some water out with you, or use an outside tap

• Always use separate plates and utensils for cooked and raw meat

• Don't put raw meat beside cooked or even partly-cooked meats on plates or on the barbecue

• Keep raw meat away from other food such as bread, salads, relishes etc. Sealed tubs are useful for this

Preparing the Barbecue

• Make sure the coals are glowing red with a powdery grey surface before you start cooking

Checking that Food is Cooked

• Move the meat around the barbecue and turn it regularly to make sure it is cooked evenly

• Cut the meat in the thickest part to ensure that it is not pink inside

• Some meat, such as steaks and lamb, can be served slightly pink but make sure they're properly cooked on the outside. Meats such as burgers and sausages that are made from minced meat must not be pink inside

• Make sure the meat juices run clear

• Check the meat is piping hot in the middle

Cold Food Items

Barbecues are usually held when it is gloriously sunny, but this can also lead to the risk of food poisoning from foods that need to be kept cool. Items such as yoghurt, cream, dips, salads, ham, rice and sandwiches should all be kept cool.

• Don't leave cool food items in direct sunshine

• Don't leave them out of the fridge for more than 2 hours

Fire safety

Aside from the risk of food poisoning, barbecues can throw up the question of fire safety. Guidance from the Fire Service suggests the following precautions:

• Make sure your barbecue is steady on a level surface, away from plants and trees

• Cover the bottom of your barbecue with coal to a depth of no more than 5cm (2in)

• Use only recognised firelighters or starter fuel, and then only on cold coals

• Never use petrol on a barbecue

Food Poisoning

Food poisoning tends to be mild and most people will get over it within a few days. But sometimes it can be severe and you'll need to take precautions in order to avoid it. Bugs such as E.coli 0157, salmonella and campylobacter can cause serious illness.

The biggest risk of food poisoning is from raw and undercooked meat, and spreading germs from raw meat onto food that's ready to eat. Those most at risk are children, older people and those with weakened immune systems.

Cooking barbecue meat properly without turning it into charcoal is the difficulty faced by all barbecuers. But, there are some simple steps you can take to ensure you serve up safe, tasty food.

According to the Food Standard's Agency, "the safest option is to cook food indoors using your oven. You can then put the cooked food outside on the barbecue for flavour. "

This can be a very useful way of catering for lots of people and will nip those nasty germs in the bud.

Barbecues and Carcinogens

There has been some research regarding barbecues and their link to cancer-causing properties. Evidence has been produced that suggests that when meat is cooked at high temperatures, amino acids react with creatine to form heterocyclic amines, which can cause cancer.

In light of these findings, the Harvard Health Letter, along with other recognized health professionals, released some guidelines to help make barbecuing safer:

• Choose leaner cuts of meat

• Precook meat in the microwave - pre-cooking for two minutes decreases the amines

• Cook smaller pieces - they'll cook more quickly and reduce risk

• Turn the meat regularly

• Remove charred meat before eating

• Marinade the meat - some research suggests that marinades can act as a shield against the carcinogenic properties

And Finally...

Despite the health risks outlined above, a barbecue is a terrific way to serve your food, it is hugely popular around the world and has been enjoyed since man first discovered cooking over fire. Follow the precautions and have a great time...

2011 is expected to be one of the hottest years on record (don't take my word for it) but whatever the weather you will still find time for a few barbecues
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anthony_P_Langston

Barbecuing for Family and Friends? Make the Food Yourself!

Barbecuing is probably one the most fun ways of cooking for friends and family, and one of the most sociable as well. There's something about standing around a smoking charcoal barbecue that makes the gathering a real occasion, yet the atmosphere is always relaxed and laid-back, particularly if the weather is fine.

One of the best things about a barbecue is that you can call one at the last minute; pop down to your local supermarket for supplies, and in no time at all you've got a delicious feast on the go. However if you'd like to plan ahead and take a chance that the weather will hold out, there's nothing quite like homemade food at a barbecue to make it something really special. By making your own burgers, salads, side dishes and even breads for your barbecue, you can really add some flavour to proceedings and impress your friends with the effort you've made. After all, frozen burgers, no matter how tasty, just can't compete with the juicy treat that is a homemade burger fresh off the grill.

Burgers can be a simple case of combining minced beef with some salt and pepper, or you can spice them up a bit by adding some Cajun seasoning or lots of mixed herbs. Whatever you decide to do, make sure you choose good quality low fat mince as the more fat that drips onto your barbecue the more difficult it will be to control the flames. Allow about 1lb of mince for six or so burgers and blend the mince with an egg yolk, a medium onion finely chopped, a tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper and your choice of coriander or Cajun spices to season. Combine all the ingredients together in a large bowl then leave the mixture in the fridge for an hour or so before shaping into 6 burger patties. Cook them on your barbecue for about fifteen minutes, turning them a couple of times each, then serve them in a large flowery bap with tomato and crisp lettuce to balance out the flavour of the meat.

Kebabs are another great option for barbecues and are quick and easy to prepare at home. They are also really easy to eat - always good news when people are standing around enjoying a beer and a chat. Here's how to make delicious chicken and grilled vegetable kebabs:

Cut up some chicken breasts into big square chunks and marinade them for about half an hour in some barbecue or sweet chilli sauce. Next dice up your vegetables. The easiest veg to add to a kebab skewer are bell peppers, mushrooms and courgettes. You could also add some whole cloves of garlic, which will be delicious roasted over the barbecue grill. Coat your veg in a little olive oil then start building your skewers. Start with a chunk of chicken then add veg and chicken alternately until you've reached the end of the skewer. Kebabs should only take about ten minutes to cook on the barbecue, depending on the heat. You'll need to keep a careful eye on them as they will burn easily if left unattended; so don't get too deep into conversation with someone until they're all off the barbecue and onto the serving plate. Don't forget to use metal skewers rather than wooden ones, for obvious reasons, and be sure to warn your guests that the skewers will be hot when they first come off the grill.

Though the key feature of any barbecue is obviously the meat, even the heartiest carnivore will probably want a little salad or side dish to go with their burger or kebab, and in the interest of a balanced diet, you should make sure there are lots of side options to choose from. A bean and rice salad is a great accompaniment, and is also really easy to prepare at home. You can even make it the night before your barbecue so you have more time to mingle with your guests on the day. Cook as much rice as you think you'll need, and combine it with some red kidney beans, one red and one yellow pepper chopped, half a cucumber finely chopped and some chopped red onion and celery. Mix all the veg and rice together with some red wine vinegar and then leave it in the fridge for a couple of hours so that all the flavours can blend in well together. Not only will this salad look great and brighten up the plate, it's also super-healthy and a great option if you have vegetarian guests who might want something hearty to go with their veggie sausages or Quorn burgers.

Remember, if you are planning on making most of the food for your barbecue, give yourself plenty of time to prepare everything and marinade your kebabs over night if you can. The last thing you want to do is spend the whole afternoon chopping and mixing to get your food together, when you should be outside in the sun enjoying the company of your friends and family.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anthony_P_Langston

Barbecue Smokers - Top 7 BBQ Woods For Your Barbecue Smokers

Barbecue smokers can be used all year round to produce delicious flavored foods using the smoking process. Smoking and curing are ancient methods of food preservation used for protein rich foods, such as meat and fish, which would otherwise rapidly decompose. There are essentially two types of smoking, hot and cold, although it is possible to combine the two. Nowadays, it is really easy to smoke your own food at home, using barbecue smokers.

Whilst our ancestors used smoking and curing as essential elements for their overall survival, in modern times, barbecue smoked food is considered something of a delicacy. This is in no small part due to the flavor that the smoking process imparts. Also, the range of smoked flavors that can be created, depending upon the selection and mixing of the smoking woods, is endless. This probably explains why home barbecue smokers are now fairly commonplace and rising in popularity.

Nonetheless, selecting smoking wood for barbecue smokers can be rather daunting at first and it is not uncommon for many aspiring "wood smokers" to play safe and buy commercially flavored BBQ wood chunks or chips. As flavorsome as these products may first appear, it is unlikely that you will be able to recreate the authentic smoked taste that real wood chunks emit on the barbecue. Smokers are only as good as the raw materials that are used. So, if you are going to take the time and effort to smoke your own food then you should only use authentic woods in barbecue smokers and not some highly flavored substitute.

There are numerous woods that can be used to smoke food produce. Each will add its own distinct flavor, and sometimes color, to the produce being smoked. Some of the most popular BBQ smoke woods include hickory, mesquite, oak, pecan, apple, alder and cherry. These are all widely available to purchase online. Fruit tree woods can also be used for barbecue smoking. However, not all hardwoods are suitable for all meats or fish and you need to ensure that you match the wood to the food that you plan to smoke in your barbecue smokers.

Softwoods are never used for smoking primarily due to the resin in the woods. In any event, the smoking flavor that softwoods generate is typically bitter or tarry and rarely appetizing. Also, hardwoods are denser than softwoods which means that they burn longer and at higher temperatures. This makes them more suitable than softwoods for smoking. Woods to avoid include soft pine woods such as cedar, cypress, fir and spruce. Pressure treated woods should NEVER be used in barbecue smokers as they usually contain toxic chemicals such as arsenic. For this reason alone, you should always ensure that you purchase woods for barbecue smokers from a reputable source.

Here are the top 7 BBQ woods that you can use on barbecue smokers this summer.

Hickory Wood

Hickory is the most popular smoking wood in the United States. It can be likened to a heavy bacon flavor and is typically used for smoking ribs, pork, brisket, ham, and beef. It is one of the strongest flavored woods and resembles the sweet smoked taste that most of us would associate with everyday barbecue sauce. You can blend hickory with more subtle flavored woods such as apple wood to avoid overpowering your food.

Mesquite Wood

One of the hottest and smokiest woods you can select for barbecue smokers, Mesquite is a strong, sweet flavored smoking wood. However, it is liable to generate a bitter taste, particularly if the wood is green and has not been suitably aged. When smoking with mesquite wood for the first time it may be advisable to blend with a milder flavored smoke wood. Suitable for most red meats, in particular large cuts of beef, but not lamb.

Oak Wood

White oak is a popular smoking wood that is widely used for commercial smoking. Long burning, white oak is a classic smoking wood that is particularly popular in the United Kingdom. It produces a heavy smoky flavor that is good with red meat, especially beef, brisket, pork, fish and heavy game. You can also use red oak in barbecue smokers, which is sweeter in flavor but a good choice when smoking ribs

Pecan Wood

Burns at a lower temperature in barbecue smokers than other smoking woods and thus, is an ideal choice for slow cooking. Subtly sweet, pecan can be blended with mesquite and oak. Suitable for poultry, beef and pork.

Apple Wood

Apple wood produces a mild, slightly fruity and sweet flavor. Good for blending with other woods as it emits less smoke. Typically used for smoking pork, ham and poultry. However, as the flavor is so delicate, it can also be used for smoking fish and seafood.

Alder Wood

Best used with fish, it is commonly the red alder which is used for smoking. Alder produces an extremely light, delicate flavour with a hint of sweetness when used in barbecue smokers. Can also be used to give a lightly smoked taste to poultry and pork.

Cherry Wood

Subtle, smooth, fruity, slightly sweet flavor that is good for smoking beef, poultry and pork. If you're smoking turkey then try blending cherry wood with oak wood. Also suitable for smoking vegetables.

These are just some of the most popular BBQ woods that can be used in barbecue smokers. As you become more experienced, you can begin to experiment with other woods such as almond, ash, walnut and fruit tree wood varieties such as orange, grape pear and plum. Over a period of time, it is undoubtedly possible to create and refine your very own unique blend of woods for barbecue smokers.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tegan_Templeton

Alternative Barbecues - Indoor Cooking

Most people would agree on the definition of barbecuing as an outdoor activity that involves a specially constructed grill, fire or considerable heat, a plentiful supply of tasty meat, and, most importantly, a good crowd of like-minded people. When we hear the word barbecue, it's back gardens and parks that immediately spring to mind, not the kitchen or dining room, no matter how roomy they might be. However, the vagaries and unreliability of the British weather mean that it's not always possible to enjoy a good old-fashioned smoky barbecue in the back garden. And when the rain does come down you're left with only two choices - plough valiantly on with the cooking, tongs in one hand, brolly in the other, or give it up and head inside to cook your food in the oven.

The other alternative is to cover all the angles and get yourself an indoor barbecue - that way if it does start to chuck it down, you can still do some grilling in the kitchen. For obvious reasons, using a charcoal barbecue indoors is not a good idea, nor should you drag your gas barbecue inside. Both types of grilling produce carbon monoxide, which isn't so bad when you're out in the open air, but indoors can be very dangerous as even small amounts can kill you. Having said all that, there are plenty of electric barbecues available nowadays that are ideal for grilling meat indoors. They are much more compact than your typical garden barbecue so most will fit nicely on your worktop and won't clutter up the kitchen too much. There are two types of electric indoor grilling machines: open grills, which are similar to a barbecue in that you have to flip the meat to cook it, and contact grills which cook the food from both sides. The George Foreman grilling machine is an example of a contact grill.

One of the first things to bear in mind if you decide to barbecue inside is that you're just not going to get the same flavour from an indoor barbecue as you would from charcoal or gas. This doesn't mean your meat has to be bland, it just means you have to work a little bit harder to make sure it's as tasty as possible. The other thing to remember is that indoor grills will rarely get as hot as a flaming gas or charcoal barbecue so if you're in a hurry and don't want to wait hours for your meat to cook slowly, it's best to go for thinner cuts of meat. Butterfly your chicken breasts and steak and go for chipolatas rather than jumbo sausages as they'll cook in half the time.

In order to get as close as possible to the delicious taste of proper barbecue, try marinating your meat overnight in a homemade barbecue sauce, or even a good quality sauce from your local supermarket. Pour a generous amount into a large bowl then pop your meat in to the bowl and put the whole lot in the fridge. The longer you leave it, the more flavour the meat will absorb from the sauce and the tastier it will be when you cook it. If you don't have time to make a marinade or haven't thought that far ahead then simply sprinkle some Cajun spices or smoked paprika over the meat just before you put it on the grill. You can also buy specially prepared barbecue rubs in the supermarket. These are made from a selection of different spices combined to give an authentic barbecue flavour and are a good alternative to a marinade.

As with outdoor barbecuing it's important to keep an eye on your grill to make sure your meat isn't singeing. While you can just about get away with over-cooking the burgers on a charcoal barbecue, you won't have the benefit of the smoky flavour if you're using an electric grill. So if you burn the meat it will just taste, well, burned! Though you won't want to ignore your guests completely, try not to get too deep into conversation and remember to turn your meat regularly to ensure it's evenly cooked. Most electric barbecues or grills will have a temperature gauge, so you can adjust it according to the type of meat you're cooking. Remember, the quicker you cook steak, the tougher it will be, so try and allow longer cooking times to keep your steaks tender and juicy.

Although all barbecues need to be cleaned properly and looked after, this is even more important with an indoor grilling machine. If you opt for a contact grill with non-stick plates then be careful not to use anything too abrasive to clean them. Similarly with an open grill, use plastic tongs to avoid damaging the non-stick material, always coat the grill with a spray of oil, and don't scrub the grill with a Brillo pad! The nature of non-stick means that a good rub with a damp cloth should be enough to remove fat and other juices that are left behind during cooking.

Remember, before choosing your indoor barbecue, you should think about the size of your kitchen and consider how often you're going to use your grill. If you have a big family, opt for an open grill rather than a closed contact grill, as you'll be able to fit lots more meat on it. And don't forget the marinade!

Article Source: http:// EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anthony_P_Langston

How to Cope With a 100 Person Barbecue

Our colonial American cousins were among the first people outside the Caribbean to really embrace barbecuing on a grand scale, and it became very much a way of life in the southern states of America. Plantation owners would often give their slaves an all too rare protein-rich meal with the leftover pickings of a hog roast, while later on community barbecues became very popular with politicians trying to curry favour with local voters. The key attractions of barbecuing as a way of feeding large numbers are the relative ease of cooking, the simplicity of the ingredients, and the fact that we don't need to sit down at a perfectly laid table in order to enjoy the meal. Paper plates resting on the knee, simple condiments and a little side salad or a baked potato usually do the trick nicely.

If you're planning a big event like a milestone birthday party or a wedding and would like to do something other than a formal sit-down meal, then a barbecue is the perfect option. However with numbers like this it will require a little bit more planning than your typical summer beers and buggers affair! You can of course hire a caterer to do it all for you, but if you'd prefer to do it yourself here is a guide to organising a stress-free feast for large numbers of people.

First of all you'll need to choose a suitable location as you'll need plenty of room to set up your equipment or spit roast. Unless you have a huge back garden or live on a country estate, if you do it at home you may well find yourself in a bit of a tight spot with lots of smoked guests as well as smoked meats, so it might be an idea to see if you can head out into the country somewhere. Most parks and woodlands have by-laws that forbid barbecuing for obvious safety reasons, but with a little investigation you'll find plenty of farmers who would be happy to rent you a field for an afternoon or evening. This will give you and your guests plenty of room to spread out on picnic blankets or fold up stools. You could even create your own mini festival by setting up tents or stalls selling other types of food, and hiring out some proper picnic benches for a more formal seating arrangement.

The next thing to consider is the actual food itself. If you're going to be feeding more than 100 guests, you've got the perfect excuse to go the whole hog, so to speak, and opt for a traditional pig on a spit. Not only does it make for great photos and a real focal point for your barbecue, it will also provide plenty of deliciously tender meat. Make sure you give your butcher plenty of notice and let him know that you want a hog for roasting. This will ensure you get the right type of pig with good quality tender meat. On the day itself you'll need to give yourself at least 3 hours for cooking, depending on the size of the pig and the type of roasting machine you hire. An 80lb pig will need about 3 hours, a 120lb pig will take about 5 hours and a 180lb pig can take up to 7 hours.

Now, not everyone is going to be a fan of pig on a stick so you'll need to provide plenty of alternatives, and when catering for 100 plus people this means getting your hands on a number of large, reliable barbecues. Charcoal barbecues are not ideal for this type of catering as there is a bit too much fiddling around and it's difficult to control the temperature, so in this instance a gas barbecue makes more sense. Make sure you've got two or three seasoned barbecuing experts to man the cooking stations and ensure the food is properly cooked, and provide plenty of entertainment for your guests while the grub is being prepared. The one disadvantage of barbecuing is that it's almost impossible to feed everyone all at once, but as long as the conversation is good and the weather holds out, most people will be more than happy to wait their turn.

If you're offering a selection of food, always remember to start with the meat that takes the longest to cook i.e. steaks and burgers, and add things like chicken and sausages towards the end. Cooking chicken breasts from scratch is usually fine, but if you'd like to have chicken wings and thighs then it's a good idea to cook them in an oven at home first then add them to the barbecue on the day. The final blast of the grill will crisp up the skins nicely and cooking them like this also reduces the risk of food poisoning.

As for accompaniments for your meat, well pretty much all cold dishes and salads are great with barbecued food and they can be prepared at home and brought along on the day in large containers. Favourites the world over include potato salad and coleslaw but dishes like cous cous and rice salads with peas and corn are great alternatives. Big green salads will provide a nice splash of colour to the plate, and tomatoes are great in burgers with a slice of cheese and some relish. Now, slicing cheese for 100 plus people would try the patients of a saint, so to save your sanity, why not buy a load of ready sliced cheese? These days you can get pre-sliced Gouda and Edam as well as the more traditional cheddar. And for a super-quick and practical option there's always Easy Singles!

So then, a quick recap - the key to hosting a successful barbecue for large numbers of people is to find a good location, do lots of preparation in advance and make sure there's plenty going on to keep your guests happy while your meat is cooking. Enjoy!
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