Archive for November, 2010
Multi-level marketing companies came under a lot of fire in the 1990’s and early 2000’s for allowing its distributors to claim cure-all properties for noni. Governmental organizations such as the Food and Drug Administration in the United States, the National Food Administration in Finland, and others have issued warnings to those distributors, forcing them to publish disclaimers about their products. Since then, the market for noni fruit products has shaped up as more people become educated about the truths and falsehoods surrounding the fruit.
Some marketers have claimed that the only real noni fruit, in all of its health benefit glory, is that which comes form the Polynesian Islands. In fact, all noni fruit is the same, wherever in the world it grows. Noni is the Polynesian name for the tree. Its scientific name is Morinda citrifolia, but it is also widely known as Indian mulberry, among other names.
Another noni fruit scam, still in use by various private promoters, is to pollute Internet search engines by directing such phrases as “noni fruit scam” to unrelated websites. Various “warning” sites have cropped up as a result, exposing the scams to consumers.
Unfortunately, the backlash against the noni fruit scam has been too extreme. Many people are going out of their way to prove that noni fruit is actually bad for you. While there are some potential side effects, including diarrhea, noni fruit is a generally nutritious and valuable food overall.
Creating the perfect Bloody Mary cocktail is a lot like nurturing a fine wine. It takes time, creativity and experimentation until the ingredients are just right. But once those elements come together, it’s pure bliss for the creator and those lucky enough to share a sip of their secret concoction.
There are countless Bloody Mary recipes, which is what makes this cocktail one of the most celebrated around the world. Depending on where your travels lead, you will find everything from horseradish and hot sauce to wasabi, jalapeno peppers and prawns in the mix. The only common ingredient in every recipe (besides vodka) is passion from those who create and consume this time-tested cocktail.
“The recipes for a Bloody Mary cocktail are like snowflakes – no two are alike,” said Jennie Meador, a spokesperson for Finlandia Vodka and judge for the brand’s annual Bloody Mary recipe contest. “Everyone thinks their recipe is the best, which is why we bring people together once a year and learn about the different approaches being taken to the cocktail.”
Finlandia Vodka is now accepting recipes for its annual Bloody Mary recipe contest. This year, Finlandia is looking for recipes that have unique ingredients that make your Bloody Mary a one-of-a-kind cocktail. The grand-prize winner will receive $1,000 and special recognition when Finlandia attempts to create the world’s largest Bloody Mary cocktail.
“What better way to celebrate the Bloody Mary than by creating the world’s largest glass of it?” Meador said. “Whoever wins this year’s contest may get to work with our mixologists to calculate their recipe into the world’s largest Bloody Mary. And then, of course, we’ll all have to help drink it.”
The Bloody Mary cocktail has experienced a resurgence in recent years. Once thought of as only for brunch, it is now served throughout the day at bars, restaurants and in people’s homes.
The Bloody Mary was first created in 1930 and became a true classic cocktail among Americans. It’s the second-most consumed drink besides beer at tailgates and sports gatherings today, making vodka a popular spirit for entertaining or celebrating.
Thank goodness for the lowly blue crab.
What would our epicurean lives be without this deliciously savory crustacean. Yet often they do not get the respect they deserve.
These small bluish crustaceans are harvested from the mid Atlantic region crab fishery in Chesapeake Bay to Florida and along the Gulf states as far west as Texas. In its scientific name, calli is Greek for “beautiful”, nectes for “swimmer”, and sapidus is Latin for “savory”.
Most crabs, except the luxurious King Crab, live out their meek and humble lives in the shadow of the lobster, the king of seafood. Yet for those in the know, that is ok because that just means more for us, right? Seriously, where would ‘imperial’ be without blue crab meat and delicious ‘Maryland Style’ be without tender and tasty blue crabs? Ah yes, many nights spent in bittersweet joy, after having your fill at the dinner table with those lowly crustaceans. Slurping, picking and dipping those juicy morsels through butter, old bay, or whatever seasonings you prefer, all the while feeling so sorry for those pitiful crabs that get no respect.
Let’s pick on the blue crab some more shall we? All puns intended and accepted.
Some will say that they hate to pick out the meat because it is so much work for very little crab meat. Well in a way their complaint is justified. Typically the blue crab will yield only 10% to 15% of it’s body weight in crab meat. The crabs grow by molting or shedding their shell and growing back a larger one. Just prior to molting, the crab will be encased in both the soft, new shell which is forming underneath the hard old shell. The formation of a new shell is evident along the margins of the swimming paddles of a crab. The crab is referred to as a “peeler” or “shedder”. Immediately after the molt, the crab’s new shell is soft, pliable and easily stretched. At this time the crab would be referred to as a ” soft shelled crab”. Many crab lovers will only eat a soft shell, which is simply a delightful dish when lightly tossed in flour and pan fried.
Types of Crabmeat:
• Lump is from the largest pieces of meat from the body, adjacent to the backfin and is the most expensive form of crabmeat.
• Backfin is the white body meat including lump and large flakes and is used for crab cakes and crab imperial.
• Special are flakes of white body meat other than lump and is used for crab cakes, soups, dips and casseroles.
• Claw meat is brownish meat from the claws and is best for dips and soups.
Some more Blue Crab facts:
• Callinectes sapidus means “Beautiful swimmer that is savory”.
• Crabs reach maturity in 12 to 18 months.
• Few crabs live longer than 3 years.
• The largest crab recorded from Maryland was a male measuring 9 inches; however bigger crabs (10-11 inches) have been captured.
• The annual harvest of hard crabs from Chesapeake Bay accounts for over 50% of total U.S. landings.
• Cannibalism of young blue crabs by larger crabs is common and may regulate population abundance.
• A spring-spawned crab can reach a size of 2½ inches by their first winter.
Serve and enjoy blue crabs at your next party or cook-out and guarantee yourself the adoration of an appreciative group of seafood lovers. Finally, don’t feel sorry for the blue crab, they get more respect than they know.