VirtualeFood

Caramel Apples the Perfect Gift for Any Occasions. by: Frushippable


Are you wondering what to give that someone that has every thing? Caramel apples are the perfect gift, especially given the low cost and the delicious taste that leave you licking your lips. Caramel apples can be made in your kitchen or if you don’t have time to take on the task, then they can be purchased on the internet or at your local caramel apple shop. Caramel apples are most often made with granny smith apples; however many people are now using Delicious, Cameo, Fuji and many other varieties to create their favorite treat. If you decide to make your apples, make sure you use premium ingredients, do not buy imitation chocolate, or flowing caramel because you will be asking for a DISASTER. If you absolutely must make the apples, then purchase caramel in the confectionary store and ask the store clerk for suggestions for which chocolate to use. If you want to purchase caramel apples, look for apples that are firm and are packaged for gift giving. Caramel apples often come with a variety of nuts, chocolate and other toppings to suit the customers taste. Ask the store clerk if they can provide a ribbon and gift card for the apple. The last thing you want to do is create an impression that you just threw something together, just to say you gave a gift. Apples are great gifts for wedding guest, Christmas, and any occasion where you want to great a great impression.
About The Author
Frushippable http://www.frushippable.com is a leading provider of original healthy fresh and unique Caramel Apples and other fruit wedges. They are perfect for any occasion from gifts, expressions of sympathy, congratulations, thank you and client gratitude, to personal and business events. We specialized in chocolate caramel apple, Gourmet Boxed strawberries and Fruit wedges.

Type Recipe: Plain, Chicken Est. Cooking Time: 10-12 Hrs Servings: 4


2 Cups Chicken Broth 2 Large Chicken Breasts 1 Cup pre-cooked frozen Lima Beans(thaw them out) 1/2 cup raw almonds 1 cup baby carrots 4 peaches and cream corn on the cob (silver queen will do) 2 Slices Provalone cheese
Seasonings: Salt, Pepper, Thyme and Garlic powder

1. Pour chicken broth into crockpot(how to avoid cleaning-tip: look for crockpot cooking bags at your grocer) and place chicken breasts in crockpot, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
2. Shave corn from the cob making sure to keep the hull material(shave close) because that is where the flavor is.
3. Add lima beans, almonds, carrots and corn. Cover and continue cooking for 2-3 hours. Finally, add seasonings to taste and top chicken breasts with provalone cheese. Cover and cook until chicken is tender(~2 to 3 hours for larger breasts).

Stolen Cooking-Tip: Most restaurants don't get fresh vegetables or use canned. Frozen vegetables are both tastier than canned and more cost effective than fresh. Fresh is great if available, but frozen always beats canned. I know this because a friend of mine is a chef and he told me this in confidence, so just keep it to yourself..ok.

Enchilada – A Simple Yet Delicious Mexican Delicacy by: Chris McCarthy
Enchilada is the traditional Mexican dish meaning 'seasoned with chilies'. It is simply dried red chili peppers soaked and ground into sauce flavored with some seasonings. The dish is very simple. It is a family staple. This Mexican invaded the American food market in the mid sixties and since then it has experienced soaring popularity. Many kinds of enchiladas are made depending on the ingredients. The red enchilada sauce is tomato based with red chilies and the green enchilada is made of tomatoes and green chilies. Mole may be used in the preparation too. A typical enchilada may be made with corn tortilla. Fry tortilla in oil to soften it and dip it in your favorite enchilada sauce. Fill tortillas with chicken, meat or cheese fillings or vegetables, seafood, eggs, banana or even potato with white cheese and roll it, then place it in a casserole. Layer it with sauce, cheese and chopped onions. Fried eggs or salted cooked meat strips will add special touch to the side dish. Follow the simple steps to preparing an Enchilada: • Pre-heat the oven at 350 degree F. • Add oil and cook a tortilla for 2-3 seconds in a heated large pan. Lift it and add another tortilla under it. Cook for 2-3 seconds. This way brown and soften the tortillas. • Saute up onion and garlic and then turn off the heat. Add 1 cup salsa, 3 tablespoon tomato paste in 1 cup of water, crushed fire roasted canned tomatoes and prepare the sauce a bit sweet and not vinegary. • Grease a casserole. Take the tortillas and cover it two third with shredded cheese. Roll it and place in the casserole. Cover the tortillas with sauce and the grated cheese. Put the casserole in the oven for 10 minutes till cheese melts. It is basically tortillas stuffed with various fillings. This term is a Spanish-American name, which first came into print in 1885 and later in 1949 given the credit to be a Mexican dish for tourists. Now it is a staple for Mexican-American restaurants. It is easy and simple to prepare. Heat oil, add onion and garlic to cook till tender. Stir some flour and mix till it is smooth. Add chicken broth, water and enchilada sauce. Cook till smooth. Stir in chilli powder and salt, cook over medium heat. Keep stirring till thick and add cheese with chicken and olives. Dip the corn tortillas in prepared sauce for 5 seconds. Spread 3 tablespoons chicken filling in the center. Roll up and keep in a shallow dish. Pour remaining sauce over tortillas. Bake at 350 degree F for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for further 10 minutes. Garnish with sliced ripe olives and serve immediately. The artistic and cooling garnish of lettuce beholds an enchilada. As you know, Tex-Mex cuisine originated hundreds of years ago when Spanish / Mexican recipes combined with Anglo fare. Enchilada is also derived from Mexican traditions.
About The Author
Chris McCarthy is the owner of InsaneChicken's Hot Sauce and BBQ Sauce Catalog. If you are looking to for unique Hot Sauce or BBQ Sauce check out http://www.insanechicken.com/.

Quick and Easy Sour Cream Crescent Rolls by: LeAnn R. Ralph
To find a good book to read or for more free recipes, visit http://ruralroute2.com/ If you would like to serve fresh homemade crescent rolls for a special dinner or family get-together, this recipe takes only 2 hours from start to finish. ~ 2 packages of dry yeast (or 4 teaspoons bulk yeast) ~ 1 cup warm water ~ 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice added) ~ 1/2 cup sour cream (use light sour cream, if you like) ~ 1 stick butter (or margarine) softened (if you want a lighter version of dinner rolls, use a half stick) ~ 1/3 cup sugar ~ 1 teaspoon salt ~ 6-7 cups flour Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add buttermilk, sour cream, butter (or margarine), sugar, salt and 2 cups of flour. Use an electric mixer or a wire wisk and blend for several minutes. Add the remaining flour. Knead for several minutes. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes. To make the crescent rolls: divide the dough in half. Roll each half into a 12-inch circle (mine usually ends up being more of rectangle than a circle, but it works, so who cares?). Spread soft butter onto the circle of dough. Cut the circle in half. Cut each half into quarters. Then cut each quarter into three pieces (as if you are cutting a pie). Roll up each piece of dough, beginning with the wide end. Place on a greased cookie sheet with the "point" underneath. Let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes before baking. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and remove from the cookie sheet. This recipe makes 2 dozen crescent rolls. Total time (including time to bake) is about 2 hours. © 2007 LeAnn R. Ralph
About The Author
LeAnn R. Ralph is a newspaper reporter in Wisconsin. She also is the author of books about growing up on a small family dairy farm 40 years ago. The Midwest Book Review calls this series of books “Highly recommended reading!” You are invited to sign up for the twice-monthly newsletter from Rural Route 2 -- http://ruralroute2.com/ Books about life in the country 40 years ago -- http://ruralroute2.com/

Southern Cooking - Spice Up Your Southern Dishes by: Ken Miller
Southern Cooking - Add Some Spice With This New Recipe Being born and raised in the deep South, I do not know where my recently developed taste for spicy food came from. I do not remember much spicy food being served at the dinner table when I was growing up. Although life has taken me far from the South, my love for the Southern cuisine has never diminished. And, this new love for adding “spicy” to my Southern dishes has me a little pleasantly surprised. I was unaware that my taste for spicy food or additives had blended into my daily diet of Southern dishes. But, recently I recognized that I was on to something. Maybe, the rest of the world has been eating like this forever, but it was new to me. And, as I searched the internet to see if anyone was suggesting adding spicy flavor to Southern recipes, I could not find any. You may argue that cajun food has always been spicy. Some may consider that Southern food, since it originated in Louisiana. And, yes, I agree cajun food is spicy. However, to me Cajun food is a breed of it's own. It's not what I would call traditional Southern food. I'm talking about green beans, fried okra, black eyed peas, cornbread and turnip greens. And, Southern fried chicken, hushpuppies and home made biscuits and gravy. So, when I realized I was enjoying spicy additives with my favorite traditional Southern dishes , I had to step back and ask myself, “where did this come from?” I have found that adding a small slice of jalapeno pepper to turnip greens and a touch of crushed red pepper to fried okra really enhances the flavor. And, a splash of hot sauce on “everything” Southern is delightful. Try dipping your chicken in a mild hot sauce before coating with flour for a great Southern fried chicken. Of course, some may call this simply “hot wings...but not the way I cook it. Hot wings are not cooked Southern style like I cook my fried chicken (free recipe on my website). I have tried many of the store brand hot sauces, and they are pretty good, but most are too hot or too mild and lacking in flavor. And, I was satisfied until I recently ran across a home made hot sauce recipe that blows all the others out of the water. It is fantastic! It's called “Butt-Kicking” Spicy Lime Sauce (my name for it). And, I want to share the recipe with you. Here's how to make your own. Ingredients: 6 large jalapeno peppers (fresh is better, but you can use bottled) 6 garlic cloves 1 small onion 2 cups apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup chopped cilantro 2 teaspoons salt juice of 2 limes 1 teaspoon black pepper Remove the seeds and ribs from the peppers and cut into medium chunks. Roughly chop the onion and garlic and put all the chopped ingredients into a small saucepan. Pour in the vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Roughly chop the cilantro and put into a blender with the salt, pepper and lime juice. When the jalapeno mixture is cooked, allow to cool 10 minutes, then add to the blender. Turn the blender on low for 10 seconds, then increase to highest setting and puree for 3 minutes. If you want a pure liquid sauce, strain through a medium hole strainer, however, I prefer not to strain. I like the fine pulp in the sauce. Pour into sterilized jars and refrigerate. The sauce will keep about a month under refrigeration. Makes about a pint. Note: Sterilize jars by placing jars and lids in boiling water for 15 minutes. This sauce is very unique tasting due to the cilantro and lime juice. I doubt you will find anything like it in your market. And, this is better because it's fresh. And, you made it yourself. I put a bottle of this sauce on the table for every meal, including breakfast (it's great on an omelette). Actually, it's good on everything. I haven't tried ice cream yet, but ...hummmm.
About The Author
Ken Miller is a freelance writer and webmaster for http://www.itzalgud.com/, where you may find free recipes for the most favorite Southern, traditional recipes, including Southern fried chicken.

How to Prepare and Cook the Perfect Chicken and Turkey by: Kevin McCarthy
People want to eat healthy foods today, and a good way to accomplish that is through poultry. There are some chicken cooking tips that can help you in the kitchen and protect your family as well. Here are a few of the best chicken cooking tips available. • You must take care to always wash your hands, knife, and cutting board in hot soapy water after preparing raw poultry. • You should never use the same utensils and cutting board for other ingredients without thoroughly washing them first and after use. This prevents cross contamination. • You should always marinate poultry in the refrigerator. Never leave it out in the open. • Do not use the poultry marinade for basting. • If the marinade is to be used for the basis of a sauce, bring it to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. • Never put cooked poultry on the same plate that was used to transport raw poultry. Again, this prevents cross contamination. Here are some chicken cooking tips for storing your poultry: • Fresh poultry is a very perishable food. You should not leave it out in the open air. Instead, wrap it in plastic as soon as you get it home from the store and always store it in the coldest part of your refrigerator. You should use it within two days; if this is not possible, place it in a freezer bag and freeze for up to three months. You should always freeze giblets and livers separately from the whole bird. • Cooked poultry dishes can be frozen. However, you should not freeze poultry dishes that contain mayonnaise or hard-boiled eggs. • Allow small poultry dishes to cool completely before wrapping and freezing them. Allow larger items to cool in the refrigerator and then wrap airtight and freeze. • You should never freeze stuffed poultry. Some of the most important chicken cooking tips involve proper thawing of the bird. It is especially important that the poultry be properly thawed before cooking. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator while it is in the original wrapper. You can place it on a tray to catch any drips that may fall as it thaws. When thawing in the refrigerator is not possible because there is not enough time, there are two other alternatives. For rapid thawing, you can put the bird in watertight wrapping and then submerge in cold water. You should change the water frequently as this will help quicken the process. Smaller birds require about one to two hours. The other alternative is to leave the bird in its wrapper and put it into a heavy paper grocery bag. Close up the bag and put it into a cool room. You will need to check it frequently, and once the bird is thawed, you must cook it immediately. Now for the Turkey! Turkey is a long time favorite of many families and now there are some great cooking tips tricks that anyone can learn and use to better prepare these wonderful birds. Selecting the proper size: You should plan on about 3/4 pound per person for generous servings. You should understand that this will not leave much in leftovers. If you like to have more leftovers, plan on 1 to 1 1/2 pounds per person. Hens or Toms: It may surprise you but the only real difference between a hen and tom is the size. Hens are classified under 16 pounds and toms are over 16 lbs. A somewhat secret cooking tips tricks is that both will be a young turkey, just a few weeks old at the time of processing. They will be equally tender and moist. Roasting your bird: Remove the neck and giblets from the neck and body cavities. Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water. If you want to stuff the bird, you should loosely stuff the body and neck cavities and then fasten the leg clamp back onto the legs. Cooking tips tricks: Place the turkey in a roasting pan with the plastic timer unobstructed. Cover with a lid, or fashion your own cover with a loose tent of foil. Remember to remove the cover for the last hour for browning. Cooking tips tricks for Roasting Times: Roast in a preheated, 325 degree Fahrenheit oven. Roasting will take about 15 minutes per pound if the turkey is not stuffed. Stuffed turkeys require an additional 1/2 to 1 hour cooking time. However, it is always best to follow the instructions that come with the stuffing and the turkey. You oven temperature may vary as well which will require you to adjust your time, either upward or downward. Cooking tips tricks for Basting: One of the most useful tools you can have is a suction basting tube. These inexpensive tools can make basting your turkey a snap and they can also help decrease the time that the oven door is open, which leads to losing oven heat. Baste your bird about every hour or so. This will help make it brown and tender.
About The Author
Kevin McCarthy If you enjoyed this article then have a look at =>http://www.heavencooking.com/ for more cooking articles, information, tips & tricks. There’s even a free report on Master Chef insider tips for saving money on your cooking utensils and equipment.

Learn How To Bake Like A Pro by: Nancy Batson
Baking can be complicated if an individual does not know what they are doing. Here are some cooking tips and guidelines to assist these individuals. Before an individual gets started, there are a few steps that should be followed first. These cooking tips will prevent most disasters from happening. Always read through the entire recipe before beginning. This ensures that all necessary ingredients are on hand before starting. Check expiration dates on all non perishable supplies, so that running to the store happens in the middle of baking. Preheat the oven and check with an oven thermometer. Most ovens can run anywhere from twenty five degrees to cooler to twenty five degrees warmer. This ensures that the proper temperature is obtained for the recipe. Follow directions on adjusting oven racks, prepping baking sheets, and using the right baking pan. Measure ingredients accurately this means holding it up to eye level especially with liquids. To measure dry ingredients over fill then level off with flat edge of knife. Finally bake with love, if an individual is angry or rushed the recipe may not turn out right. These next cooking tips are about ingredients. There are many different kinds of flour, and they are not all the same. Wheat flour is important for all yeast breads. Bread flour works for yeast loaves, however put it in yeast bread and it will turn into a heavy cake. Cake flour is very fine. All purpose flour can be used for most any baking. Bleached and unbleached flours can be used interchangeably. Make sure to store flour in an airtight container, in a spot that cool and dry for up to six months. Baking powder and baking soda are not interchangeable. Baking powder is a combination of baking soda and an acid. Its leavening power works when mixed with wet ingredients and then baked into the oven. Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. When it mixes with an acid ingredient like buttermilk, yogurt or molasses, it makes carbon dioxide bubbles that make baked goods light and airy. Cooking tips for handling chocolate are important. First there are different types of chocolate. Unsweetened chocolate is chocolate liquor that has at least fifty percent cocoa butter and no added sugar. Various amounts of sugar added create bittersweet, semisweet, and dark chocolate. Milk chocolate is dried milk powder, cocoa butter and added sugar. White chocolate is made with cocoa butter instead of chocolate liquor. Unsweetened cocoa is made from chocolate liquor with seventy five percent cocoa butter removed and then dried and ground into a paste. When melting chocolate it is easy to burn, so always melt it over very low heat. Individuals can choose the double boiler method, the direct heat method, or the microwave oven method. Using these cooking tips will make almost any baked goodie turn out great.
About The Author
Still looking for information on Cooking? Check out http://mycookingcoach.com/ a website specializing in free cooking information!

'Waitress' Bakes Up Pie to Die For by: Hillary Marshak
Waitress is about a woman named Jenna who is depressed from her marriage to a terrible husband, as well as her lifelong loneliness. Again and again, she finds herself trapped in the abusive relationship, partly due to financial struggles. To her further dismay, she finds out she is pregnant with her husband’s child. The only outlet through which she feels comfortable sharing her emotions is by baking pies. She even names pies after her feelings while inventing them. After a series of life-changing events, she eventually finds exactly what she has been looking for in the baby she resented all along. She cuts off ties from everything in her old life and “starts fresh,” keeping only one thing the same: her love and passion for making pies. Here are five of her wonderful pie recipes: Marshmallow Mermaid Pie 9 graham crackers 1/2 C. sweetened, flaked coconut, toasted 5 Tbs. butter or margarine, melted 34 lg. marshmallows (8 oz.) 1/2 C. whole milk 1 1/2 C. heavy or whipping cream 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, grated Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine coconut and graham crackers in food processor until coarse crumbs form. Combine crumbs and butter with fork. Press to bottom and side of 9-inch pie plate. Bake 10 minutes and cool on wire rack. Heat marshmallows and milk in 3-qt. saucepan over low heat until smooth, stirring constantly. Remove saucepan from heat. Cool completely (30 minutes.) In large bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat cream until stiff peaks form. Fold marshmallow mixture into whipped cream with grated chocolate. Spoon filling into cooled crust. Refrigerate pie at least 3 hours or overnight. Top with mini marshmallows, maraschino cherries and rainbow sprinkles. Falling in Love Chocolate Mousse Pie 9-inch baked pastry shell 1 14-oz. can condensed milk (not evaporated) 2/3 C. water 1 (4 serving) pkg. chocolate pudding mix (not instant) 1 1-oz. square unsweetened chocolate 2 C. (1 pt.) whipping cream, stiffly whipped In large saucepan, combine condensed milk, water and pudding mix; mix well. Add chocolate. Over medium heat, cook and stir rapidly until chocolate melts and mixture thickens. Remove from heat; beat until smooth. Cool. Chill thoroughly; stir. Fold in whipped cream. Pour into prepared pastry shell. Chill 4 hours until set. I Don't Want Earl's Baby Pie 1 pie crust 4 Tbs. butter 3 slices ham 8 green onions 1 C. brie cheese 1 C. parmesan cheese, grated 4 eggs 2 C. heavy cream 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover pie crust with foil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove foil and bake 5 minutes more. Remove crust and reduce heat to 325 degrees. Julienne ham. Chop green onions. In skillet, saute ham until brown. Remove and set aside. Saute onion until tender. Remove with slotted spoon and combine with ham. Spread on bottom of pie crust. Spread brie over ham mixture and sprinkle with parmesan. Combine eggs, cream and nutmeg; pour over cheese. Bake 30 minutes or until set. Cool slightly, cut into wedges and serve. Baby Screamin' Its Head Off In The Middle of the Night & Ruinin' My Life Pie 4 8-oz. cream cheese, softened 1 C. unsalted butter, softened 1 1/2 C. sour cream 1/2 C heavy whipping cream 1 3/4 C. white sugar 1/8 . cornstarch 1 fl. oz. amaretto liqueur 1 tsp. vanilla extract 5 eggs 1 egg yolk 1 C. chopped pecans 1/2 tsp. nutmeg Bring all ingredients to room temperature. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wrap outside of 9-inch springform pan with foil. Generously butter inside of pan. In large bowl,beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in sugar and cornstarch. Blend in sour cream and whipping cream. Add amaretto and vanilla. Stir in eggs and egg yolk one at a time, mixing thoroughly between each addition. Pour batter into pan. Place pan in another pan at least 1 inch wider and add water to outside pan (prevents cracks). Bake on center rack for 70 minutes. Turn oven off and let cool with door open for 1 hour. Remove cake from water and chill at least 3 hours before removing cake from pan. Top with crushed pecans and dust with nutmeg. I Can't Have No Affair Because It's Wrong & I Don't Want Earl to Kill Me Pie 2 1/2 C. graham cracker crumbs 1/2 C. brown sugar 1/2 C. melted butter 2 large eggs 1/3 C. granulated sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 2 C. milk, scalded 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon 3 egg whites 1/2 C. white sugar 1. Mix crumbs, brown sugar and butter until well-blended. Press mixture into a 9-inch pan. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 2. Beat eggs slightly in a large bowl. Add sugar and salt. Slowly stir in hot, scalded milk. Add vanilla. Strain mixture into pie crust. Sprinkle top with cinnamon. 3. Bake on lower shelf 25-30 minutes, or until custard is firm. 4. In larger glass mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 1/4 C. white sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. 5. Spread meringue over pie after custard is set, return to oven until meringue is slightly brown. Cool 15 minutes.
About The Author
Hillary Marshak is a writer and editor for Recipe4Living.com, an up and coming recipe sharing Website. For more articles like this, or for a large collection of recipes, visit the site at http://www.Recipe4Living.com.

I Love German Wine and Food - A Rheinhessen Dornfelder by: Levi Reiss
If you are hankering for some fine German wine and food, you should take a look at the Rheinhessen region of southwestern Germany. Who knows, you may even find a bargain, and I think that you'll enjoy yourself on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local red Dornfelder. Rheinhessen is a relatively small area, sometimes called the land of the thousand hills, nestled between the Rhine and the Nahe Rivers. It already was known for its wines in the days of Charlemagne. To some extent it is famous or infamous for Liebfraumilch, to be reviewed in another article in this series. It is the German region with both the largest area planted in wine grapes and the highest wine production. Rheinhessen alone claims over a quarter of the German wine acreage and wine production. It is also produces the highest percentage of generally low quality table wine, coming in at almost 12%. More than 60% of Rheinhessen wine is middle quality QbA wine, and a bit more than 25% is higher quality QmP wine. About seven of eight bottles contain white wine, but the percentage of red wine is increasing. The most widely grown varieties are the German hybrid Mueller-Thurgau and Silvaner. The usually higher quality Riesling represents about 10% of the total production. Dornfelder is the most widely planted red grape variety. The marketing materials, quoted below, present one viewpoint of this German-bred grape. Mainz has a population of about eighty thousand. It is one of the centers of the German wine trade. It is the state capital of Rheinland-Pfalz which is the only German state government with a wine minister. The city is built on the site of a two thousand year-old Roman citadel. In this part of the world two thousand years is a short time; a local museum contains three hundred thousand year-old artifacts. In season the Marktplatz (Market) and Höfchen (Little Courtyard) buzz with farmers selling their wares on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday. Check the exact dates for the annual Sektfest (Sparkling Wine Festival) held in late May or early June and then Johannisnacht, another wine festival several weeks later. Other sites to see include the Dom (Cathedral of St. Martin and St. Stephan) which broke ground shortly prior to the turn of the first millennium. Because of seven fires most of the Cathedral is newer, dating from the Eleventh to the Thirteenth Centuries. The cloisters contain a museum of religious artifacts. Right near by is the Gutenberg Museum. Other local museums are devoted to the Middle Ages, Roman warships, art, plants, animals, and fossils. If all this touring makes you thirsty for more than knowledge visit the Kupferberg Sektkellerei (sparkling wine cellars), the deepest on earth. There are several concert halls, theaters, night clubs, and wine bars. Not far from the city are the Mainz Sand Dunes, a tiny area home to plants and animals rarely seen in Western Europe. Before reviewing the Rheinhessen wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Zweibelkuchen (Onion Pie). For your second course enjoy Haxen und Bratkartoffeln (Pork Hocks and Home Fries). As a dessert indulge yourself with Frankfurter Kranz (Buttercream Cake). OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price. Wine Reviewed Rappenhof Dornfelder Trocken 2004 13.0% alcohol about $15.50 Let's start by quoting the marketing materials. Dornfelder is a cross, bred in 1956 by August Herold. In its genealogy, the grape claims every important red vine grown in Germany. Fortunately, it has inherited most of the positive attributes and very few of the negative. The wines are deeply coloured, velvety in texture with hints of floral. Slightly off-dry, this example gives good aroma replays on the palate. Serve with Wiener schnitzel. Now for the review. (By the way, I found its color more of a dark rose.) My first pairing was with a barbecued, marinated rib steak with potato patties, potato wedges, and a commercially prepared eggplant and tomato side dish. The wine was very short with moderate fruit when imbibed with the meat and potatoes. It crept back into the woodwork when faced with a fairly powerful eggplant dish. The next tasting involved a cheeseless broccoli, mushroom, and zucchini quiche with mashed potatoes. The Dornfelder tasted sour and I sensed some sort of strange fruit in the background. I finished the glass with beer nuts. The wine was fairly flat but its sourness disappeared. The final meal consisted of meatballs in a tomato sauce with rice and green beans. The wine was somewhat rounder than before but was still ever so short. I thought I was drinking an alcoholic fruit juice. The initial cheese pairing was with a French goat cheese that really resembled a Camembert. While the wine was a bit flat it did taste lightly of black cherries. Then I went to a Swiss Gruyere. The Dornfelder became somewhat more robust but the fruit was less distinctive. I finished the bottle with a local, fairly sharp Asiago cheese that I prefer to its presumably more authentic Italian cousin. Finally a decent pairing; the wine was pleasant. Final verdict. I didn't plan to be reviewing two Dornfelders in such short order. But we don't get many of them in our neck of the woods so I figured why not give it a try. There certainly won't be a third round in the near future. I fail to see why such a grape should cost more than many better grapes from German and other countries. Of course, if I had liked the wine...
About The Author
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, but would rather just drink fine German, Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches computer classes at an Ontario French-language community college. His major wine website is http://www.theworldwidewine.com which links to his other web sites.

Chilled No Bake Dessert Recipes by: Jill Seader
Cool and refreshing desserts to help you get through the hot summer days. A raspberry dessert recipe and chocolate mint dessert recipe. No baking required for these recipes! Raspberry Revel 8 ounces of vanilla wafers 3/4 cup butter 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 pint frozen raspberries, thawed and drained 8 ounce container of whipped topping Grease a 9 x 11-inch pan. Crush the vanilla wafers. (The easiest way to do this is to put the wafers in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin.) Reserve 1/4 cup of the crushed vanilla wafers and put the rest in the bottom of the greased pan. Beat the butter, powdered sugar, eggs, and vanilla together. Put this mixture on top of the crumbs. Spread the mixture from the edges of the pan inward to help keep the wafer crumbs in place. Spread the drained raspberries on top of that mixture. Add the whipped cream and sprinkle the 1/4 cup cookie crumbs over the top. Refrigerate overnight. Serves 12. Chocolate Mint Dazzle 18 graham crackers 1/2 cup melted butter 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 cup softened butter 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar 3 eggs, slightly beaten 2 (1 ounce) squares chocolate, melted 1 1/2 cup cream 1 package miniature marshmallows 1/4 cup crushed peppermint candy Grease a 9 x 13-inch pan. Crush the graham crackers and mix them with the 1/2 cup of melted butter and the sugar. Press the mixture into the prepared pan. Cream the 1/2 cup softened butter and powdered sugar together in a medium bowl. Add in the eggs and melted chocolate. Beat well and spread the mixture over the top of the graham cracker crust. Beat the cream and marshmallows together and put that over the chocolate layer. Sprinkle the top with the crushed peppermint candy. Refrigerate overnight.
About The Author
Jill Seader enjoys sharing all sorts of free baking recipes, including no bake recipes like the ones above, at her website http://www.yourbakingstory.com/. Come find a baking recipe to make or share your own. Happy Baking!