The Best Steak Outs in Aruba

Aruba has some of the best restaurants in the world hailing from every corner of the globe- from Cuban to Argentinian, Greek to authentic Aruban cuisine there is something for everyone when you spend a few nights enjoying the culinary delights that island life has to offer. If you are craving steak the next time you visit Aruba look no further than these five stunning steak houses, which will have your mouth watering before you even walk through the door!

1. Amazonia Churrascaria. Brazilian beef is known around the world for being tender, succulent, and downright delicious. Amazonia Churrascaria’s talented chefs have created a masterful menu with over 15 different varieties of meat and Brazilian inspired dishes. Vegetarians are also welcome at this restaurant which maintains an extensive salad bar in addition to appetizers and sides that are sure to please every member of your group. Desserts can’t be forgotten, either! Continue reading “The Best Steak Outs in Aruba”

Have You Ever Eaten Lotus Fruit?

For the modern Greeks, the lotus fruit is the Japanese persimmon, which looks a lot like a large, smooth, hairless peach. I’ve seen it growing in gardens in the province of Lakonia in the Peloponnese, Greece. Personally, I’m not a fan of this particular lotus fruit, it’s dry and leaves your mouth feeling as though it really needs water. It tastes a little like vanilla.

Having tasted this fruit it is hard to believe that it was this that so enthralled Odysseus and his crew of adventurers. Of course, it is reasonable to suppose that the ancient Greek hero stayed close to his homeland, but it is unlikely, given the number of years it apparently took him to get home after the Trojan war.

It is much more likely that he travelled to Asia and encountered the sacred lotus. The sacred lotus, so Homer wrote in Book 9 of the Odyssey, caused Odysseus and his followers to forget the purpose of their journey, which is why some commentators have suggested that the lotus eaters partook of the opium poppy. Continue reading “Have You Ever Eaten Lotus Fruit?”

5 Best Brain Foods Toddlers and Young Kids

Children are constantly developing, whether they’re sleeping or playing. What they eat is highly important, because it impacts their growth, including brain development. It affects how quickly they pick up and learn simple things as toddlers. When your little one has started to go to school, what he eats affects his focus and cognitive skills.

Make it a point to cook and serve only healthy, balanced meals to your child. Here are some of the best brain foods for toddlers and young kids that are critical for their overall development:

Greens

Leafy greens are among the world’s most nutritious food. They’re loaded with essential vitamins and minerals that all play a part in healthy development, including the brain. It would not be easy to serve leafy greens plain (like in a salad) to most kids, but there are many ways to incorporate them into meals to make them kid-approved.

Continue reading “5 Best Brain Foods Toddlers and Young Kids”

A Culinary Guide to Cyprus

Like Cyprus itself, Cypriot food has a long history and many influences. It is similar in many ways to Greek and Turkish food, although there are some specifically Cypriot dishes. Many Cypriots still grow their own food and keep animals: eating fresh, home-made dishes is part of the way of life on the island.

The locals are fiercely proud of their culinary heritage, and you’ll often find local dishes alongside the pizzas and sandwiches in international tourist restaurants. Of course, the best places to sample Cypriot food are small village tavernas, off the tourist trail.

Cyprus produces a wide range of foods. Olives can be seen growing all over the island, as they can elsewhere in the Mediterranean, and are a staple crop. Fresh vegetables, fish and shellfish, and meats of all kinds are all common on Cypriot tables. Here are some of the best local dishes:

Meze Continue reading “A Culinary Guide to Cyprus”

Why Chocolate for Valentine’s Day?

Valentine’s Day is many things to different people- a chance to start new relationships, rekindle old ones, or remind that special someone how wonderful they really are. Others feel it is just another “Hallmark” holiday where they are expected to do something for unknown reasons. Regardless of your hopes, expectations, or reservations about Valentine’s Day, chocolate has long been a favorite gift for lovers.

Since the days of the Aztecs chocolate has been used as a gift. Today a box of luxurious quality chocolate says a thousand “thank you’s”, “good luck”, or “I love you”. Chocolate can be given as a way of saying “congratulations”, “I am sorry” or “get well soon”. On Valentine’s Day chocolate clearly says “I LOVE YOU!” Chocolate is more than food, it not only fills your belly but also makes you feel soooo good. Elaine Sherman wrote “Chocolate is heavenly, mellow, sensual, deep, dark, sumptuous, gratifying, potent, dense, creamy, seductive, suggestive, rich, excessive, silky, smooth, luxurious, celestial. Chocolate is downfall, happiness, pleasure, love, ecstasy, fantasy … chocolate makes us wicked, guilty, sinful, healthy, chic, happy.” What more could you want to say to your lover on Valentines Day? Even the scientific name for the tree from which chocolate is derived, Theobroma cacao, translated from Greek, means “food of the gods”. Continue reading “Why Chocolate for Valentine’s Day?”

Greek Coffee – How to Make Greek Coffee Properly

Greek coffee (“Ellinikos Kafes”) is one of the simplest ways to make coffee. It is also known as Turkish coffee. Coffee has a very old history…

It traveled to Turkey from Yemen and from Turkey it became known in Greece. It became so popular that people started calling it “Greek coffee” instead of Turkish (or Arabic) coffee.

Differences

Usually Greek coffee gets roasted lighter than traditional Turkish coffee.

Another difference is that Greeks rarely add spices to their coffee. Continue reading “Greek Coffee – How to Make Greek Coffee Properly”

The 7 Best Things to Have For Breakfast

Many people say that breakfast is your most important meal. And it’s probably true because you need to have a good start after sleeping all night. Breakfast helps get you going for the day.

But it’s essential not only to make sure you eat breakfast but also to eat the best breakfast possible. So here is a list of, in my opinion, the seven best things to have for breakfast.

1. Fruit. For example, bananas, grapefruit, oranges, apples, even watermelons. Fruits contain lots of fiber and help with weight loss.

2. Vegetables. Though most people don’t think of veggies as a true breakfast food, they are really very nutritious and contain lots of fiber. Veggies like carrots, cucumbers, and beets can be made into smoothies to have for breakfast.

3. Eggs. Over the years, eggs have gotten a bad rap about cholesterol issues. But really, eggs are very healthy for you. They contain the “good” kind of cholesterol that doesn’t raise people’s cholesterol as feared by many. They have protein and are pretty filling. Plus, there are many ways to prepare eggs, as you probably know. Continue reading “The 7 Best Things to Have For Breakfast”

Spice Blends Provide New Answers to What’s For Dinner

Most people are reluctant to try something new. You may not know half the ingredients in the recipes talked about on your favorite cooking show or recommended by your friends. And you don’t have the time to look for those ingredients in the grocery store. Time is so precious that you find yourself rushing through the store and grabbing the same standard ingredients on your way home from work. You know how long the meal will take to prepare, and it has become easy and automatic.

Easy is good and there is nothing wrong with your standard recipes. But what if, instead of having to buy all sorts of new foods, you could get by with just a few new spices? Who knows? You may have been collecting spices and already have a drawer full of things you don’t know how to use. Why not try sprinkling a mix of new spices over your chicken or burgers instead of that basic salt and pepper routine?

If you have a favorite pasta dish, feel free to be generous with the Italian spices. Because most of them are herbs, their flavor cooks out quickly. So even if you overdo it, continue cooking to ease out the flavor. Garlic can become bitter if overcooked, so add it moderately. These spices probably are not new to you, and you know that an Italian blend is always handy to keep on hand. Try your own blend with 2 teaspoons each of basil and marjoram, 1 teaspoon each of garlic powder and oregano, and ½ teaspoon each of rosemary, sage and thyme. Adjust to your own likes and dislikes or add more of any individual spice that you like. Continue reading “Spice Blends Provide New Answers to What’s For Dinner”

History of Baking

Baking has been many cultures’ favorite technique for creating snacks, desserts, and accompaniments to meals for many years. Now, it is very well-known as the method for creating sweets and all sorts of wondrous mouthwatering pastries. In ancient history, the first evidence of baking occurred when humans took wild grass grains, soaked it in water, and mixed everything together, mashing it into a kind of broth-like paste. Then, the paste was cooked by pouring it onto a flat, hot rock, resulting in a bread-like substance. Later, this paste was roasted on hot embers, which made bread-making easier, as it could now be made anytime fire was created. Around 2500 B.C., records show that the Egyptians already had bread, and may have actually learned the process from the Babylonians. The Greek Aristophanes, around 400 B.C., also recorded information that showed that tortes with patterns and honey flans existed in Greek cuisine. Dispyrus was also created by the Greeks around that time and widely popular; was a donut-like bread made from flour and honey and shaped in a ring; soaked in wine, it was eaten when hot. Continue reading “History of Baking”

Cooking Classes With Peloponnesian Pasta

Peloponnesian Pasta

Greece and its sun-kissed isles offer a tantalizing cuisine that is fresh and fragrant, served with warmth and vitality. The Greeks’ zest for the good life and love of simple, well-seasoned foods are reflected at the table. Theirs is an unpretentious cuisine that makes the most of their surroundings.

It is a cuisine bathed in history and enhanced by the cultures of its neighbors for centuries: Turkey, the Middle East, and the Balkans.

This land of blue skies and sparkling seas offers a variety of fresh ingredients close at hand. Olive trees flourish, providing a flavor-packed oil to bathe other foods. Vineyards thread the rolling hills, and the grape crush and ferment produce excellent wines. Fragrant lemon trees produce the tang that pervades Greek cuisine. Continue reading “Cooking Classes With Peloponnesian Pasta”