Archive for the ‘Online Recipes’ Category
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.
As a self-declared gourmet from the womb, I’m always going out and trying the latest restaurants and culinary creations wherever I find myself. But sometimes, its nice to have a night in and be the one making the meals, rather than just eating them. Because I’m not the type to stick to a one-pan-easy-casserole-type-of-concoction, nor am I adept enough to combine flavors like the experts in my favorite restaurants, I turn to food sites for help with all my culinary questions.
If you’re like me, and can’t always follow a recipe without visual instructions, check out www.Gourmandia.com. The site includes not only written instructions, but also videos of chefs preparing the recipes. Recipes are divided into categories of the most popular videos, as well as by restaurants, which are predominantly French or French-inspired, as well as healthy recipes. You can also search by chef and see their Michelin ratings, which is fun as they are all European. Also take advantage of the site’s special touches, like napkin-folding instructions as well as a store where you can purchase a selection of quality gourmet goods.
If you’re not in the mood for French but feel like trying out a new recipe, and can’t decide whether to go exotic or traditional; direct your browser to www.ifood.tv, where you can watch people who love to cook make recipes in their home kitchens. You can watch your dish being made and then print the recipe for your own time spent in the kitchen. If you’re really inspired, you can join iFood.tv and share some of your own recipes with the cooking world.
At www.VideoRecipesOnline.com, you can find video instructions on cooking meals that are quick and easy. Each video demonstration gives instructions on how to turn packaged food -products and flavorings into a whole meal. This site is good for families with little time to cook, but who want to make home-cooked meals. However, if you’re into making elaborate meals from scratch, you can skip it.
Have you noticed how popular the Food Network has become in the last few years? The chefs are just as celebrated as their famous clientèle! If you are a fan of the famous foodies, watch your favorite Food Network stars make the recipes you forgot to TiVo anytime you want at www.FoodNetwork.com. You can search videos by popular chefs or by recipe categories and make yummy noises right along with Rachel or Giada.
One of my favorite sites, and the one I probably use the most can be found at http://AllRecipes.com. I like allrecipes.com because it really does seem to have every recipe imaginable. Not only does the site include recipes, it also has instructional videos on those tricky techniques real chefs seem to perform with such ease; like pitting an avocado or cutting and serving cake without all the layers falling apart. The range of recipes and levels of expertise are also extensive, so no matter what you’re cooking up, allrecipes.com can probably help you out.
These sites are easy to navigate and can provide a lot of help for those who like to eat and want to try making fabulous food for themselves.
Have you secretly longed to be recognized for your daily hard work in the kitchen? Do you imagine yourself a gifted cook a la Martha Stewart (without the ankle bracelet)? Well, guess what? There is a quick and easy way to showcase your culinary skills and display your special recipes.
Although some people claim it is a piece of cake to make meals every day, the truth is, it can be exhausting and boring work. For example, after a long day at the office, sometimes you are too tired to decide on a TV show to watch, let alone choose what kind of meal to prepare. What is more, not everyone is naturally talented in culinary arts; for some, cooking a roast might as well be rocket science. But here is the good news–with modern high tech communication systems (namely, home computers), you do not need to be a master chef! Those who need a nudge and a few creative ideas to get the pots simmering can access thousands of recipes and cooking tips online. Even a beginner can find what she needs to get started in the kitchen.
There is no time like the present to upload your family recipes and write down your tricks of the cooking trade. The reason for doing this is two fold. First, you can stop worrying about losing a recipe because they will all be safely stored in your computer’s memory. Second, you will be doing a great service to the online community of “foodies” who are always eager for fresh dishes and new techniques to try.
Putting your family recipes online is a terrific way to organize your recipes, too. On your site you will be able to divide the types of food into different categories such as:
- Breakfast foods
- Lunch foods
- Dinners
- Snacks
- Cocktail party food
- Barbeque food
- Vegetarian meals
- Diabetic meals
- Summer treats
- Holiday food
- Rich desserts and low-cal versions
Your viewers will be able to pick and choose from these categories and within seconds they will be armed with a detailed recipe. You can take it a few steps further and offer a shopping list for each meal and helpful cooking tips to make sure the preparation goes as smoothly as possible.
For beginner and expert cooks alike, you can have a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) and also encourage viewers to email you directly with unusual queries. Perhaps you will even want to have an online forum where your viewers and you can conduct lively conversations about a variety of topics, ranging from where to get fresh produce, to what to look for when buying fresh fish, and the best kind of spices to use in a gumbo.
Posting your family recipes online and establishing an interactive web site makes a lot of sense. You will be creating an electronic legacy for your own family members to enjoy, and you will also be reaching out to the wider internet community. In today’s harried world where multi-tasking is pretty much par for the course and people tend to eat on the fly, your thoughtful recipes may be giving another family exactly what they need to come closer together.