Today, the plating and presenting of food has become an integral part of a fine dining experience, and an inescapable skill that every chef needs to aspire to – from a small bistro on a sidewalk to a swanky five star hotel. The saying that we first eat with our eyes has never been truer than it is nowadays, with people across the globe focusing more and more on their diet.

From historical extravaganzas such as live birds that fly from a pie, to modern day garnishes with unexpected twists, food presentation has become an art form. More and more restaurants are focusing on the art of eating, on the presentation of food and on the whole experience of dining rather than just the basic functionality of eating. We’re no longer as keen on fast food and we don’t want to eat for the sake of it. We have evolved from the cocooning culture of the 80s where we simply stayed home enjoying our own facilities.

Fine-dining restaurants are packed, simply by word of mouth. Sometimes the wait for a table is as long as a month. And some of the regular, run-of-the-mill restaurants are struggling to survive. This is a sign of the times, where eating is becoming a destination and not purely a function. In Europe, it’s a time honoured tradition. With limited space and many people living in apartments, city-dwellers are on the streets, watching the passers-by and enjoying public, open spaces.

But our culture is changing. Rapidly. And now, like our European counterparts, we are discovering the quality of fresh produce, the joys of organic markets, and most especially the art of fine dining. We are in a place where we need to visually stimulate our taste-buds, before tangibly enjoying the flavours of a scrumptious meal.

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The Art of Dining

Qatar’s population is a fascinating fusion of nationalities ensuring that every culinary taste and desire is catered for in the eclectic mix of restaurants and eateries that are liberally sprinkled all over Doha. Whatever the occasion, be it breakfast, a quick snack, elegant high tea or a luxuriously lingering evening meal you will find a marvellous variety of dining establishments ready to tantalise your taste buds with their own unique styles of cuisine.

Enjoy a Luxury Dining Experience

Internationally acclaimed signature restaurants await you behind the shimmering façades of the many hotels illuminating Doha’s skyline. For an evening of pure decadence head to the Ritz Carlton Doha, or to La Maison du Caviar at the W Doha and experience their wide-ranging menu including the world’s finest caviars. Or visit Maxim at the Ramada Plaza and sample the exquisite French cuisine. Meanwhile, Wok Mee Noodle House at the Mövenpick Tower and Suites offers some of the finest Asian cuisine in Doha.

The Friday Brunch experience is a well-loved institution which the whole family can enjoy. Many of Doha’s hotels offer sumptuous buffets crammed full of international dishes with entertainment to keep the children

happy.Smaller hotels have excellent restaurants

for an enjoyable evening out. So spice up your life at the Qatar Palace Hotel Maharaja restaurant which offers a superb range of Indian, Chinese and continental cuisine. Experience exotic Arabian delicacies at the Al Mourouj Inn Hotel Dine More restaurant or head to Bon Appetit at Le Grand Hotel for a selection of regional and international fare.

Cuisines around Town

Coffee shops, restaurants and food courts are to be found in shopping malls and as well as across the city. Biella, located in The Mall and City Centre-Doha offers a wonderful selection of salads, pasta, soups and authentic Italian pizzas. At Villaggio try Dunia, an innovative restaurant serving a trendy fusion of Persian and Oriental cuisine or Asha’s for delectable Indian cuisine. Head to The One at Landmark and indulge in a variety of light lunches as well as hearty main courses.

For those in a hurry the fast food available in Doha is varied and interesting. Try Sbarro at various locations which prepares authentic Italian dishes. Sample a selection of Indian fast food and Chaats from Bombay Chowpatty, again at various locations or Pita Fresh at Salwa Road and Abu Hammour Almana petrol stations for healthy Mediterranean fare on-the-go.

of

healthy Mediterranean fare on the go.

The Pearl-Qatar Island, just outside the city, offers an enviable location with magnificent views. Overlooking the Porto Arabia Marina, Bice Restaurant guarantees a memorable Italian dining experience and the newly-opened Burj Al Hammam serves delectable Lebanese fare from an extensive menu. Spend an evening in Souq Waqif near Al Koot fort, and enjoy age-old Iranian recipes at Isfahan Garden or try Sri Kebaya for authentic Malaysian cuisine.

In a nutshell, the restaurants in Doha present a tantalising array of regional cuisines, traditions and trends. Within the city you can feast your palate on American-Continental, Asian, Barbecue, Grilling, Brazilian, Breakfast Brunch, Southern Cuisine, Chinese, Cuban, Eastern European, Fondue, French, Greek, Indian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mediterranean, Mexican, Russian, Seafood South American, Spanish, Tapas, Thai, Turkish and Vietnamese. Bon appetite!

If you’re running late, you may feel tempted to skip breakfast. But even if you’ve only got a few minutes to spare, you can create a nutritious breakfast that helps you stay full and satisfied until lunchtime. Choose some protein and fibre for your breakfast and it’s a good time to eat some fresh fruit:

One serving of oatmealOne-half cup strawberriesA tablespoon or two chopped nutsGlass of orange juice

Eat HealthyAn Optimal Diet for

Breakfast, Lunch and DinnerPlanning a daily menu isn’t difficult as long as each meal and

snack has some protein, fibre, a little bit of healthy fat and some complex carbohydrates. Here is an example of how to prepare a healthy menu for a whole day that includes three meals and three snacks.

Breakfast

A mid-morning snack is totally optional. If you ate a larger breakfast you may not feel hungry until lunchtime. However, if you’re feeling a bit hungry and lunch is still two or three hours away, a light mid-morning snack will tide you over without adding a lot of calories:

One serving of plain yogurt mixed with one-half cup blueberries and a little honey

Water or diet soda

Mid-Morning Snack

Lunch is often something you eat at work or school, so here is an idea for a portable lunch you can pack and take with you:

A sandwich made with two slices of 100% whole grain bread, two or three ounces of lean turkey breast, a little mayonnaise or mustard, a tomato slice and lettuceOne-half to one cup raw baby carrotsOne can or bottle of sparkling water

Or if you eat at a restaurant:Order a vegetable salad with the dressing served on the sideCup of soup

Lunch

Dinner is a time when it’s easy to over-eat, especially if you haven’t eaten much during the day, so watch your portion sizes. Mentally divide your plate into four quarters. One quarter is for your meat or protein source, one quarter is for a starch and the last two quarters are for green and colourful vegetables and/or a green salad:

One serving of baked or roasted chicken breastOne small baked potato with salsa or low-fat sour creamLarge portion of steamed asparagusOne small 100% whole-grain rollSmall glass of white wine (optional)

A light complex carbohydrate-rich evening snack

may help you sleep, but avoid heavy, greasy foods or

foods high in refined sugars.

Six whole grain crackers

Two ounces sliced cheese

Piece of fresh fruit

Dinner

Evening Snack

Fast Food Nutrition: Junk food’s effect on your body

Fast food nutrition should make up a minimal part of a healthy diet. Fast foods and junk foods are high in fat, sodium and sugar, which can lead to obesity and a range of attendant health problems, i n c l u d i n g diabetes, heart disease and arthritis. Here are the facts about how excessive junk food consumption affects your body.

Junk food contributes to poor performance and obesity

Junk food contains large amounts of fat, and as fat accumulates in your body, you’ll gain weight and could become obese. The more weight you gain, the more you’ll be at risk for serious chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and arthritis. You could even have a heart attack.

In the short term, high levels of dietary fat lead to poor cognitive performance. You’ll feel tired and have trouble concentrating because your body might not be getting enough oxygen.

Junk food can damage your liver and heart

The high levels of fat and sodium in junk food and fast food can contribute to heart disease by raising blood cholesterol levels and contributing to arterial plaque build-up. The high levels of trans fatty acids found in many

junk foods and fast foods can lead to fatty liver deposits, which,

over time, can cause liver dysfunction and disease.

Junk food can lead to diabetes and lowers energy levels

Junk food doesn’t contain the nutrients

your body needs to stay healthy. As

a result, you may feel chronically fatigued and

lack the energy you need to complete daily tasks. Over

time, the high levels of sugar and simple carbohydrates in junk food can

lead to type 2 diabetes. This occurs because eating too much sugar puts your metabolism under stress; when you eat a lot of refined white sugar and simple carbohydrates, your body has to pump up insulin production to prevent a dangerous spike in blood sugar levels.

Because junk food doesn’t contain the protein or complex carbohydrates that your body needs to maintain consistent blood sugar levels, your blood sugar levels will drop suddenly soon after eating. You’ll crave sugar and likely end up eating more junk food.

Even in the short term, eating too much junk food can make you feel really uncomfortable. It can lead to mood swings and constipation, and lower your energy levels so that you lack interest in the exercise you need to burn off those extra calories.

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A mid-afternoon snack is also optional. Keep it low in calories and eat just enough to keep you from feeling too hungry - dinner is just a couple of hours away.

One apple and 12 walnuts

Glass of milk

Mid-Afternoon Snack

Take a Spa Break Rejuvenate your Mind, Body and Spirit

Modern life is hectic and stressful. On any given day you make hundreds of decisions and carry out a multitude of tasks and responsibilities. This causes stress, which diminishes quality of life by reducing feelings of contentment and accomplishment, and can impact relationships negatively.

The good news is that you can opt to relax with a spa treatment, suited to your needs. A spa has a host of therapeutic benefits you can enjoy anytime you want, and be rejuvenated in mind, body and spirit.

Relieve Muscle and Joint Pain

General benefits of Spa Therapy

Whether you are an athlete or just aching from every day activities a spa can be used in repairing sore muscles and injuries. Back pain, neck pain and soreness can be eased with just a quick visit to a good spa. A spa can also help in reducing injuries by relaxing the muscles through a massage where your blood vessels dilate. This increases blood flow to the muscles, when you then opt to round of your massage with hydrotherapy, the pulsating water can increase the blood flow even more.

Lose Weight and Reduce Cellulite

Reduce Stress

Luxuriate at the Gentlemen’s Spa Day at the Ritz-Carlton on Tuesdays

Soothe Arthritis Pain

Recent studies have shown that regular use of spas and hot tubs can aid in the reduction of weight and reduce the appearance of cellulite. Hydrotherapy dilates the blood vessels, promoting better circulation as it relaxes the skin and muscles. Spas and hot tubs also raise the heart rate and lower blood pressure. In a recent study, subjects lost over a pound per week just through regular spa visits.

Consistent use of a spa can also reduce the appearance of cellulite. This is done by improving circulation to the areas affected. It also tones the body tissue, reduces fluid retention and relieves swelling

Most illness and disease comes from stress; research has found that approximately 80% of disease is stress related. We can’t avoid stress but we can relieve it. It is proven that spa-use stimulates the release of endorphins which are the body’s natural feel good chemical. A spa visit will enhance your positivity and leave you with a sense of well-being.

Ladies, leave the red carpet to gentlemen as they now enjoy the ultimate in pampering at The Ritz-Carlton, Doha with an exclusive 25% discount applicable for all Spa For Him services every Tuesday. On this day, they will also receive special rates on a 60-minute massage for QAR 360 and 45-minute foot massage for QAR 380.

As a man have you ever considered going yourself to a Spa? If you haven’t, it is about time that you at least considered visiting the Spa at The Ritz-Carlton, Doha. Following last month’s National Sports Day event to inspire a healthier living, The Ritz-Carlton, Doha promotes this one-day a week special to promote the spa a gender-neutral atmosphere for both ladies and gentlemen to rejuvenate their holistic health.

With increasing expectations and stress in society, the demand for sanctuaries for people to take care of their health also rises. The Ritz-Carlton Spa has a dedicated area for men and another for women only, so they can comfortably relax.

In addition to the introduction of this men’s spa day, The Ritz-Carlton Spa simplifies the treatment selection process with a Men’s Zone Package to help men manage stress and experience deep relaxation in micro time. This comprehensive Men’s Zone Package with a combination of The Ritz-Carlton Sports Massage and Gentleman’s Body Polish is available for QAR 650 in the month of March.

Regular sessions at a spa can help keep joints moving. Through hydrotherapy, the buoyancy of the water supports and lessons stress on the joints. Some doctors encourage patients to have a soak in a spa first thing in the morning before activity. Arthritis associations worldwide recommend spas for their members. A spa visit first thing in the morning will help you to enjoy the rest of the day with less pain and more comfort.

Spa massage aids in increasing the flexibility of the joints. This is so because it reduces the thickening caused in the connective tissues and assists in releasing facia restrictions.Massaging tones up the body muscles and reduces any stress resulted either by the joints and bones.It is effective in promoting the regeneration of tissues, reducing stretch marks and scar tissues. Massaging also aids in relieving the muscle spasms and cramps.Massage enhances circulation of the blood and brings more nutrients and oxygen to the muscles, thereby reduces muscle soreness and fatigue completely.It is very beneficial in removing waste products and toxins from the muscles.Spa massage aids in lowering the blood pressure as it dilates capillaries.An individual who often opts for spa therapy has less chances of suffering from ischaemia. This is a condition where it lowers the blood flow to parts of the body that causes tissue dysfunction and pain.Spa therapy aids in strengthening the immune system and thereby increases white blood cells count.This stimulates lymphatic system and reduces oedema. Hence, increases lymphatic drainage and removes body’s waste products.Massage eases emotional trauma by relaxing and promoting the enhanced body image.Spa therapy enhances the skin suppleness and resistance to infections. Also, it improves the skin elasticity.

Delicious Destinations for the Gourmet Traveller

No matter how you tip the gastronomic scale, one thing is sure: “Eating and traveling go hand-in-hand.”

Irrespective of whether you’re a full-out foodie or a shy supper guest, meals shape memories. So instead of

picking a travel spot and then figuring out where to eat, why not plan an extraordinary holiday experience

that revolves around food?

Not all culinary trips have to involve slicing and dicing. Whether a traveller’s preference is fine

dining and white-table-cloth establishments or charming hidden-gem eateries, it’s possible to pick

epicurean destinations that give an intimate glimpse into a new gourmet world.

From relishing delicacies prepared by world-famous chefs to eating like a local at off-the-

beaten-track restaurants, here are ten culinary experiences worth planning a trip around.

Whether you’re a foodie or a traveller who just loves to eat, you’ll find much to savour and

sample in these top 10 foodie destinations that has luxuriated over the decades to offer you

a valuable and genuine blend of delicatessen to enjoy!

Perched on a peninsula in the Pacific, Vancouver dishes out some of the finest seafood on the west coast. The highlights of the menu are fresh oysters, salmon, and halibut, paired with the stellar vintage from British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley. Reserve a table at C for ground-breaking takes on seafood or Raincity Grill for a showcase of the region’s bounty of fresh fish and ingredients. Asian flavours are another high spot here, like the Chinese favourite Sun Sui Wah and Tojo’s for Japanese.

New Orleans is appealing to your appetite with Creole cuisine and flavours from France, Spain, Italy, Africa, Caribbean, and Asia (added by innovative chefs to the city’s eclectic stew). Traditional specialties like creamy crawfish etouffee or spicy gumbo in French Quarter dining rooms like Arnaud’s or Brennan’s; a muffaletta sandwich stuffed with ham, salami, lettuce, and marinated olives at Napoleon House; or an icy plate of freshly-shucked oysters at Acme Oyster Bar, are a must have. Don’t miss a trip to Commander’s Palace for first-class treatment.

London is a hot-spot for foodies. It’s the best place if you are looking for a global culinary palette. From Thai and Malaysian to Turkish and North African, you’ll find every cuisine imaginable here. Star chefs like Clare Smyth, Marcus Wareing, and Hélène Darroze rule their five-star temples of haute cuisine, while new pot-houses, trendy cafes, and tapas bars continue to light up the East End. For cheap chows, Indian curry continues to be a local favourite.

Basque cuisine is famous throughout Spain, and one of the best places to taste its unique sauce-and-seafood based dishes is San Sebastian. Here you’ll find plenty of Michelin-starred restaurants from which to please your palate. Traditional dishes which are a favourite include chuleta de buey (garlicky beefsteak grilled over coals), flaky besugo a la parrilla (grilled sea bream) covered with garlic, and marmitako, a bonito stew. Fresh seafood, too, is a treat, especially in the quaint boozers along the harbour.

Full of ethnic restaurants, celebrity chefs and boutique grocery markets, New York is a little microcosm of the globe when it comes to consumption. You can find everything from celebrity chef-helmed dining rooms and steaming Cantonese noodles in Chinatown to trendy bistros in the Meatpacking District and lively pizzerias in Little Italy. Brunch is a New York specialty, be it pastries and coffee in the smart sidewalk cafés on the Upper West Side or the spice of huevos rancheros from an authentic East Village cantina. Whereas Chelsea Market is known for its gourmet food stores, and TriBeCa is home to some of the city’s trendiest restaurants.

Singapore is the ultimate destination for foodies offering an impressive array of cuisines. Here, you’ll find plenty of tasty takes on Chinese, Malay, Indian, Japanese, Thai, Italian, and other cuisines. Taste your way through the Lau Pa Sat hawker centre, where countless stalls serve up dishes like clay pot chicken rice and fish ball noodle soup. Take a stroll along the East Coast Seafood Centre for a sampling of seafood restaurants or head to the Jalan Merah Saga in Holland Village for Italian or coconut curry. Don’t forget to check out the hotels, as they house some of the best dining spots in the city.

Rolling hills, snow-capped mountains, and cypresses provide an opulent backdrop to this culinary slice of Italy, where food and vintage are a way of life. For homemade pastas, grilled meats flavoured with herbs, and hearty bread-based soups, you can pay a visit to towns like Montepulciano, Spoleto, Perugia and Montalcino. Between meals, you can stop at medieval Chianti vineyards for a sampling of some of the best vintage in the world. In Florence, taste the Austrian-Italian flavours at La Giostra or fine Tuscan dishes at Cibreo. The place is home to a spate of upmarket restaurants as well as family-owned trattorias for a truly memorable meal.

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Exotic Marrakech rewards the venturous foodie with a memorable experience. Amidst the snake charmers and fortune tellers, a plenitude of culinary surprises can be found in the smoky food stalls in bustling Jemma el Fan. Under giant white tents, diners can indulge in such fare as tajine, couscous, brochette, and traditional harira soups. One can also enjoy French cuisine at a café in Ville Nouvelle, or dine with a view of the Atlas Mountains from the terrace of El Baraka.

Marrakech

first-class trea

6

Australian cuisine has the most diverse quality, range, and inventiveness. The five-spice duck is an epicurean delight, as is the flying-fish roe and wasabi and sweet turmeric barramundi. Speaking of typical Australian food, we couldn’t miss the native cuisine, called “bush tucker”, which involves billy tea, damper (water and flour cooked bread), and local meat of local animals. A stop at Sydney’s Fish Market will unearth such exotic fish as rudderfish, John Dory, mud crab, and parrot fish to name a few. King Street is the place to go for authentic Thai curries, while tapas bars flourish in the Spanish Quarter. A meal at the French-Japanese Tetsuya’s is a highlight of any culinary adventure to Sydney.

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10

The House of Master Belgian Chocolate-Makers in Brussels unites 10 of the country’s top chocolate craftsmen. Alongside its classic favourites of mussels, frites, and chocolate, the city offers lots of Bruxellois dishes like anguilles au vert/paling in ‘t groen (river eels in green sauce), meatballs in tomato sauce, stoemp (mashed vegetables and potatoes), and turbot waterzooi (turbot fish in cream and egg sauce). For dessert, savour some Belgian waffle, dusted with powdered sugar covered with toppings of banana and whipped cream. Stylish restaurants line avenue Louise, while the Grand-Sablon holds a smattering of comfy saloons.

Brussels

The House o

8

Flavours of life

Vinodh K.Pisharom

Like many well-meaning wives, mine is also in the habit of collecting recipes from various sources to please our palates. By the grace of Edesia, most of her culinary trials have stood the alimentary tests on merit, while others have fallen just short of gastric torture. I have been the household ‘taster’, and a common ingredient of many of her gastronomic ad-ventures since I tied the knot that I have now turned a hard-boiled gourmet, but with tactful evaluation skills.

The other day, my better half brought forth a bitter tasting curry after two hours of toil in the kitchen. Blame it on the recipe or the botched up cookery, the end product was be-yond human consumption. Despite all my ac-quired endurance, immunity and tact, I just could not bring myself to taste that nasty con-coction. But, by enumerating the virtues of a loving husband and sermonising on her self-less efforts in preparing the so-called curry, my wife made me eat most of it with no other option on offer. When her turn came, she took a cautious helping into her mouth and spat it out loud in utter distaste; something I would have done myself, had I the impunity to pass such a befitting verdict. Anyhow, as matrimo-ny robs many of us of such overt expression rights, I could do nothing but to resign to the inevitable fate of savouring different flavours of life.

Casting a sympathetic look in my direction for having consumed that blunder of a curry, my wife flung the rest of it into the trashcan with unusual contempt. Had she heeded to her instinctive sense of taste and smell, a lot of time, effort, and my abdominal cacophony could well have been avoided. But, as enthu-siasm has the tendency to override common-sense and the senses of taste and smell, many such ‘exotic’ dishes are likely to be concocted to test gullible gourmets like me. What we can do, at best, is to gear up our guts and garner more information on the sense of taste and smell.

What is taste? Taste is the sensation caused in the mouth

by contact with a substance. It is our ability to respond to tastants or chemicals that stimu-late the sensory cells in a taste bud.Humans detect taste with taste receptor cells which are clustered in taste buds. Taste buds are located around the small structures on the upper sur-face of the tongue, soft palate, upper esopha-gus and epiglottis. Each taste bud has a pore that opens out to the surface of the tongue enabling molecules and ions taken into the mouth to reach the receptor cells inside.

If you stick out your tongue and look into the mirror you may see the little bumps or pa-pillae on the surface of it. Inside each of these little bumps, or papillae, are about a dozen tiny organs called taste buds. Not all tastes are de-tected by the same taste buds. Each group of taste buds in different areas of your tongue and throat helps you recognize different types of taste sensations.

In the west, it’s generally accepted that there are four taste sensations namely sweet, bitter, sour, and salty. By contrast, the Chinese and Japanese believe we possess a fifth taste sensa-tion for pungent foods called ‘umami’. It’s hard to describe umami. It’s commonly translated as meaning “meaty” or “savory” but there’s more to it than that - an incomparable taste sensation that encompasses all of the senses. As per ‘Ayurveda’, the ancient Indian science of life, there are six different ‘rasas’ or tastes- Madhura (sweet), Amla (sour), Lavana (salt), Tikta (bitter), Katu (pungent) and Kashaya (astringent).

Once food enters the mouth, its chemical components find their way to the taste buds via small openings in the tongue epithelium,

called taste pores. Some taste buds react most to the presence of sodium ions, and you will taste salt. Others react mostly to sugars, acids, alkaloids or glutamates in the food resulting in tasting sweet, sour, bitter, or umami. Studies show that humans are hard-wired to like cer-tain tastes and to reject others, most likely for survival. Sour and bitter tastes can indicate food that is bad, under-ripe or even poisonous. Sweet, salty and savory tastes indicate “good” foods that can give us energy. A salty taste indicates foods that can help us replace elec-trolytes lost through sweat or urination, and savory tastes can lead us to foods containing amino acids that the body needs.

Before you give taste buds all the credit for your favorite flavors, it’s important to thank your nose and the olfactory receptors inside the uppermost part of the nose that help you smell. This is because what we commonly call the “taste” of food is actually “flavour”, result-ing from the interaction between the senses of taste and smell. Other sensations from foods, such as the burn of a chilly, the bite of a strong peppermint or the fizz of a carbonated drink, as well as texture, temperature and appearance all add to the flavour experience.

Here’s how it works: While you’re chewing, the food releases chemicals that immediately travel up into your nose. These chemicals trig-ger the olfactory receptors inside the nose. They work together with your taste buds to create the true flavor of that yummy slice of

pizza by telling the brain all about it. As much as 80 percent of what we perceive as taste is actually smell. Humans can dis-cern about 20,000 different odours and ten intensities of each. Smell occurs when the odours reach the olfactory receptors in the nasal cavity via two routes - inhala-tion through the nostrils and through the back of the mouth as we chew and swal-low.

When you have a cold or allergies, and your nose is stuffy, you might notice that your food doesn’t seem to have much fla-vor. That’s because the upper part of your nose isn’t clear to receive the chemicals that trigger the olfactory receptors that inform the brain and create the sensa-tion of flavor. Try holding your nose the next time you eat something. You’ll notice that your taste buds are able to tell your brain something about what you’re eating — that it’s sweet, for instance — but you won’t be able to pick the exact flavor until

you let go of your nose.Its true taste occurs on the tongue and

we are born with 10,000 taste buds lo-cated on the back, sides and the tip of the tongue, on the palate and in the throat. But flavor, which is a mixed sensation of taste and smell, has the most compelling influence in shaping our food choices. Re-search shows that people rank taste as the number one reason for selecting foods, with nutrition ranking second. Apart from that, our preferences for some foods over others result from a complex inter-play among many factors including ge-netics, age, early food experiences, ethnic customs, pleasantness of surroundings when trying a new food and physiological reactions to a food.

Let’s face it: Food is one of life’s great and dependable pleasures. If we eat well in the sense of flavor and pleasure, we will also eat well in terms of health.” (Barbara Kafka, The Opinionated Palate)

Weekly App Review

iCookbook™ For the Everyday Cook

The iCookbook™ application is the only cooking app and recipe app that an everyday cook will ever need. iCookbook™ includes more than 2,000 recipes selected by accredited food editors and nutritionists. All of the recipes come from family-friendly food brands that you know and trust. Each recipe can be made with easy-to-find ingredients, has been kitchen-tested, and includes a beautiful full-colour picture of the completed dish.

Additional features for iOS:

Voice Command.

AirPrint.

In-app Store.

Recipe Ratings.

How-To Videos.

Airplay Compatible.

Sync with iCloud.

Here is a list of the iCookbook™ features for iOS and Android:

Intuitive visual interface. Cooks can view photos for easy recipe selection.Stir. Press this button and iCookbook™ offers a selection of recipes based on a search or filter criteria.Prepare. This provides an enhanced display of a recipe a cook can read at a distance from your device.My Recipe Box. Enables a cook to create a set of iCookbook™ favourite recipes for easy retrieval.Connectivity. Go directly to Facebook or an email provider for easy recipe sharing with family and friends.Personal Notes. Record your ideas and comments about the iCookbook™ recipes. An ideal function for rating your recipes.Kitchen Tools. Multiple timers, substitution lists, and conversion charts.

10 Kitchen Gadgets and Kitchen Tools Every Cook Needs

1. Microplane GraterThis now-ubiquitous kitchen tool was origi-nally adapted from a woodworking rasp. But now, savvy cooks know that it’s the best way for grating hard cheeses, chocolate, ginger and nutmeg.Bonus tip: Use it to grate cloves of garlic for any recipe that calls for minced or finely chopped garlic.

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woodworking rasp. Butwow, savvy cooks know nohat it’s the best way forthrating hard cheeses,grhocolate, ginger andchutmeg.nuonus tip:B Use it torate cloves of garlic gror any recipe that callsfoor minced or finely fohopped garlic.ch

3. KitchenArt Adjust-a-Cup Measuring CupFor baking and other tasks that require numerous carefully measured ingredi-ents, this clever adjustable measuring cup will replace your entire stack of dry and liquid measuring cups. A twist of the base adjusts the cup to the proper measurement line, and you can push the base up to remove sticky ingredi-ents. The cup has measurement mark-ings in cups, ounces and millilitres. Bonus tip: Measure dry ingredients first then liquid, and you won’t have to wash the cup between measurements.

2. Color-Coded2Flexible Cutting MatsF

Practice good sanitation in the kitchen by using a differentcolour mat for different cutting tasks –blue for fish, yellow for poultry, green for vegetables, and so on. Best of all, it’seasy to transport cut-up food to a bowl or pan. A set fromProgressive International comes with four different col-oured mats, plus 2 white mini mats for small chopping jobslilikeke ggararlilicc.Bonus tip: Use the reverse side of the vegetable mat as a pastry mat for patting out biscuit dough.

4. 4-inch Utility Knife

This small knife does everything a paring knife can do, and then some. Use it to mince shallots and garlic, hull cherries, slice mush-rooms and avocados and peel fruit like apples. Bonus tip: Buy a plastic shield for this knife, or keep the cardboard sleeve it comes with, and tote it along on a picnic for slicing cheese or pate.

3. KitchenArt Adjust-a-Cup Measuring CupFor baking and other tasks that requirenumerous carefully measured ingredi-ents, this clever adjustable measuring cup will replace your entire stack of dry and liquid measuring cups. A twist of the base adjusts the cup to the propermeasurement line, and you can push the base up to remove sticky ingredi-ents. The cup has measurement mark-kkings in cups, ounces and millilitres. Bonus tip: Measure dry ingredientsfirst then liquid, and you won’t have towash the cup between measurements.

4. 4-inchUtility Knife

This small knife does everything a paring knife can do, and then some. Use it to mince shallots andgarlic, hull cherries, slice mush-rooms and avocados and peel fruitlike apples. Bonus tip: Buy a plastic shield forthis knife, or keep the cardboardsleeve it comes with, and tote italong on a picnic for slicing cheeseor pate.

5. Silicone Spoon SpatulaThis utensil may very well replace all your other spoons and spatulas; it’s the only one you’ll need for stirring, sautéing, scooping, scraping and more. These spoons are heat re-sistant up to 600˚F, and have a springy steel core extending through the handle, which makes them strong yet flexible.Bonus tip: While most silicone tools come in different colours, consider buying a red one—it won’t show stains from using with strongly pigmented ingredients.

5. Silicone Spoon SpatulaThis utensil may very well replace all yourother spoons and spatulas; it’s the only one you’ll need for stirring, sautéing, scooping, scraping and more. These spoons are heat re-sistant up to 600˚F, and have a springy steelcore extending through the handle, which makes them strong yet flexible.Bonus tip: While most silicone tools comein different colours, consider buying a redone—it won’t show stains from using with strongly pigmented ingredients.

6. Kitchen ShearsKeep a pair of shears in a kitchen drawer exclusively for cooking use. From snipping twine to cutting open packages to trimming veg-etables and meats, a sharp pair of shears are indispensable. Chicago Cutlery’s Insignia2 Kitchen Scis-sors have a few bonus features—the ends of the handle have a bottle opener on one side, a screw driver/box opener on the other, and a row of teeth between the handles can grip bones or crack lobster or crab legs.Bonus tip: Instead of chopping herbs with a knife, use a clean pair of kitchen shears to easily snip them straight into the pot.

7. Granny ForkA granny fork is an old-fashioned tool that de-serves a revival. You can use it for beating eggs, whisking liquid or dry in-gredients, or spearing a piece of meat. Bonus tip: A granny fork makes a cute, rustic serv-ing utensil for a platter of cheeses or cold cuts.

6. Kitchen Shears6Keep a pair of shears in a kitchen Kdrawer exclusively for cooking use.dFrom snipppping g twine to cuttingg Fopen packages to trimming vego -etables and meats, a sharp pair of eshears are indispensable. ChicagosCutlery’s Insignia2 Kitchen ScisC -sors have a few bonus features—sthe ends of the handle have a bottle topener on one side, a screw driver/obox opener on the other, and a row bof teeth between the handles can ogrip bones or crack lobster or crab glegs.lBonus tip:B Instead of choppingherbs with a knife, use a clean pair hof kitchen shears to easily snip othem straight into the pot.t

8. Small custard cupsProfessional chefs keep their cool by using a practice called mise en place (translation: set in place). It means that be-fore they start cooking, they prep and measure all of their ingredients so everything is ready and within reach when they fire up the stove. A set of glass custard cups can organ-ize measured quantities of minced garlic, chopped herbs, olive oil, vinegar and other small amounts of ingredients. You can also use them for serving crème brulee or pud-dings, or for holding condiments at the dinner table like dipping sauces, flaky sea salt, or grated Parmesan cheese.Bonus tip: Inverted, a custard cup is just the right size to punch out rounds of biscuit or cookie dough.

7. Granny ForkkA granny fork is an olld-fashioned tool that dde-serves a revival. You caanuse it for beating egggs, whisking liquid or dry inn-gredients, or spearing a piece of meat. Bonus tip: A granny forrk makes a cute, rustic serrv-ing utensil for a platter of cheeses or cold cuts.

8. Small custard cupsll dProfessional chefs keep their cool by using a practice called mise en place (translation: set in place). It means that be-fore they start cooking, they prep and measure all of their ingredients so everything is ready and within reach when they fire up the stove. A set of glass custard cups can organ-ize measured quantities of minced garlic, chopped herbs, olive oil, vinegar and other small amounts of ingredients. You can also use them for serving crème brulee or pud-dings, or for holding condiments at the dinner table like dipping sauces, flaky sea salt, or grated Parmesan cheese.Bonus tip: Inverted, a custard cup is just the right size to punch out rounds of biscuit or cookie dough.

9. Dual Kitchen Timer

10. A Good Pepper MillFreshly ground pepper tastes much better than the pre-ground kind you can buy at your supermarket. The Chef’n pepper ball allows you to grind pepper one-handed, a boon if your other hand is wet or if you’re using it to stir a pot of sauce. It’s easy to refill, and the coarseness of the grind can be adjusted with a dial at the base of the mill.Bonus tip: Buy two pep-per mills and keep one filled with black pepper, one with white pepper. White pepper can be used in mashed pota-toes, cream sauces and other light-coloured recipes.

With a reliable kitchen timer, you’ll never again burn a tray of cookies. And even though most microwaves and ovens now have timers that can be used independently, a separate timer can be carried into other parts of the house, or can be used even when the microwave is being used for other tasks. Bonus tip: Use your portable timer outside when you’re grilling to ensure you don’t burn that steak.

9. Dual Kitchen Timer

With a reliable kitchen timer, you’ll never againburn a tray of cookies. And even though mostmicrowaves and ovens now have timers that canbe used independently, a separate timer can becarried into other parts of the house, or can be used even when the microwave is being used forother tasks.Bonus tip: Use your portable timer outside when you’re grilling to ensure you don’t burn that steak.

10. A GoodPepper MillFreshly ground pepperrtastes much better thaan the pre-ground kind you can buy at your supermarket. ThTheChef’n pepper ball allows youto grind pepper one-handded, a boon if your other hand is wet or if you’re using it to stir aa pot of sauce. It’s easy to refill, annd the coarseness of the grind caan be adjusted with a dial at the bbase of the mill.Bonus tip: Buy two pepp-per mills and keep one filleedwith black pepper, one witthwhite pepper. White peppeer can be used in mashed potta-toes, cream sauces and ottherlight-coloured recipes.

A Chef’s Repertoire The Beauty of Plating:

Ever wondered how top Chef’s plate dishes to woo their customers? Well here’s a Chef’s secret revealed- “the overall beauty of a food presentation relies on the specific beauty of each of its elements.”

Anyone who’s ever watched Top Chef, flipped through a food magazine, or eaten at a fancy restaurant understands the importance of plating food. The way your meal is presented can determine whether it’s considered mere grub or perfectly gourmet.

Food needs to taste good. And it needs to look good too. Most humans recognise unity and good composition. This is why we are so sensitive to culinary presentations. We respond to stimuli and psychological perceptions influenced by our background, education, trends, etc.

In a restaurant kitchen, when they plate food, Chefs influence that perception by effectively following a set of guidelines and bring harmony to the look of a culinary presentation. In other words, chefs engage diners.

While it takes years in culinary school coupled with years of work experience to figure out some presentation conundrums, here are a few easy chef tips that will dramatically improve your plate presentations.

Use large, simple, white plates

Work with the right tools

Add colour

Know about “Maillard reaction”

Free-form it

Keep it simple

Follow the rule of odds

Add freshness

Create focus

Stress on resting time

Use clean plates

Fluff, don’t squish

Use edible, relevant garnishes

Sprinkle the right way

Visualise the end result

Plating the dish: Creative Creations

What’s required is a bit of background on the elements of Art. Used by artists in various media, including Chefs and food stylists, the elements of art are the building blocks used to create visual presentations: Colour, Line, Shape, Form, and Texture.

The same principal is applied to the creation and presentation of delectable delicacies.

ColourColour can make a bold statement. Using contrasting

colours or the more sublime approach of working with one or two colours. Seductive Red, Vibrant Yellow, Sexy Blue, Royal Purple, and the contrast of Black and White; nothing makes a statement like colour. Thus the key element of plating is colour- the brighter, the better!

Form Form refers to the shape, visual appearance, or

configuration of an object. It is the manner or style of arranging parts for a pleasing effect. It is the organisation or placement of the basic elements including line, colour and shape. It is amazing to know how form, height, layering and line are used to visually stimulate a presentation.

LineIn terms of food presentation, you can use lines as a

plating mechanism by arranging food along a straight line or in a row. A creative presentation is simply enhanced by arranging a meal in a line, often times using a flat plate. Placement should be right.

ShapeWhen plating a dish, one can give it a distinct shape by

creating a sexy silhouette. This can be done in a number of ways, including the use of rings and moulds or by playing with the basic shapes: circle, square, triangle, rectangle and so on.

TextureTexture is the tactile quality of a surface---smooth,

rough, grainy, sticky, fuzzy, and so on. The texture decides how a dish can be further enhanced by the use of bold, seductive colour and its abstract form. So, with the right kinds of food, texture is everything.

Sometimes food is a “beautiful thing” and here are a few tantalising creations to prove it. Created by master Chefs with a paint of colour, bold and delicate touches, these arrangements are sure to delight!

“Great Cooking”

Fancy Chef Clothing that instigates

A traditional chef’s uniform includes a toque or the chef’s hat, white double-breasted

jacket, and checked pants. Besides giving a professional look to the chef, their

special features dish up specific needs of the profession; reflecting chic and urbanity of the eating establishment.

But with changing times, chef uniforms have come a long way

from chequered pants. Today’s chef clothing embraces elegant chef

jackets, colourful chef pants, sassy chef hats, and fashionable chef aprons.

Whether you are an Executive Chef, Sous Chef, Amateur Chef or Student Chef, check out these stylish and comfortable apparel and Chef Uniforms for any kitchen.

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