Category Archives: Culinary

Choosing A Culinary School

You have made the decision to go to a culinary school. Now what? Culinary school options are many, around the world, even. To choose one, you need to consider several aspects. Think that it doesnt matter? Around the world there are hundreds of thousands of people looking to be the next big chef. One of the first deciding factors on who you are as a chef is the culinary school that you attend. On that note, let us help you to find some answers to your questions about finding the best culinary school for you.

Your first step is to decide in what area you will specialize. Bakery, gourmet, and everything in between are your options. Not sure yet? Then, look for a culinary school that can provide you with a basic learning of many aspects of cooking. This will lead to a foundation of love in one or more eventually.

Use the web as a tool. You have heard it before, but most culinary schools now have the ability to provide details about their school, including why you should choose them, on their websites. This is an excellent way for you to learn more about the schools on a preliminary plane.

Venture into the arena of scholarships. Look at culinary schools that are abroad. Understand the various schools of thought that are presented in each culinary school. Ask questions and get answers.

Visit the culinary schools that are known for their excellent students. Find out where students who have graduated from that school have gone and done with their lives. Observe a class. Tour the campus.

Of course, one of the largest concerns that people have when it comes to culinary school choice is the cost. These schools are not cheap by any means, but the education you get will last you a lifetime. It is wise to consider quality well over price as much as you can. And, make sure to look into financial planning and financial aid.

Choosing a culinary school that feels right is important. Get all aspects of the decision just right and you can find yourself on your way to earning a culinary school degree in no time.

Pumpkin Seed Oil – Making Homemade Soap

The earliest record of pumpkin seed oil dates back to February 18, 1697 from a farming estate in Styria. This natural oil has been used and produced in the southern part of Styria since the 18th century. Today, this oil is largely exported from the Austrian and Slovenian parts of Styria, but has other international producers, using white seeds with shells to produce cheaper oil. It is, globally, marketed.

Pumpkin seed oil is made by pressing roasted, hulled pumpkin seeds, from the Cucurbita Pepo, (Styrian oil pumpkin). This Styrian pumpkin is quite unique, as it has a greenish-yellowish skin, and its flesh is yellowish-orange in color. The unusual seeds in the pumpkin do not have a shell, which allows for easier processing of the oil.

This natural oil has a variety of uses from culinary, medicinal and to making homemade soap, lotions, creams and more!

For culinary purposes, it is used in salad dressings, soups, dessert, (such as vanilla ice cream), cooking oil and more. This natural oil has a distinct nutty taste and, when it is browned, it has a bitter taste.

Medicinally, some studies have reported it improves symptoms of enlarged prostate, good for treating irritable bowel syndrome, lower the risk of certain types of kidney stones, prevent arteriosclerosis and regulate cholesterol levels.

Pumpkin seeds contain amino acids, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, tryptophan, lysine, zinc and are rich with the benefits of vitamin E, C and A. It has antioxidants benefits and offers plenty of natural beta-carotene.

The oil has a yellowish gold to a deep greenish tint, with hints of dark red within. Its layer of thickness distinguishes a color variation. Its thin layer is more greenish in color, while its thick layer is red in color. Its shelf life is six to eight months, when stored in a cool, dark and dry location.

How does pumpkin seed oil offer homemade skin care benefits? It is quickly absorbed into skin providing soothing relief from dryness or cracks. It helps to reduce fine facial lines and wrinkles, diminishing the signs of aging.

It is wonderful to use in making homemade soap, lotions, creams, and scrubs. Just a little bit of this soap making oil goes a long way, so be sure to use it sparingly. On average, unrefined pumpkin seed oil will run about $ 50.00 per gallon at wholesale price. There are many different soap-making oils, and using pumpkin seed oil is a healthful choice.

There are different ways to learn how to make soap. You can take in-person classes or learn, at home, with an audio visual resource, such as a DVD. Either way can provide you with an abundance of soap making information. Learn with easy soap making instructions, find soap recipes, learn by doing with trial and error, find resources and more! There are different soap making methods, such as hot process soap making, cold process soap making and re-batching. Use the method you are most comfortable with or just use them all! You can find all the soap making information you will ever need! Use a soap making kit, containing oils, molds and other materials to help you get started making soap. So, get started, you can make YOUR very own homemade soap and enjoy the, healthful, benefits of pumpkin seed oil, today!

Definition of Culinary Arts Facts You Should Know

It is not everyday that a person can take up or get an education on something he or she loves and then build it into a career. But in the case of culinary arts, it is possible. Those people, who have the passion for cooking and the gift of good taste, have a brighter future in the food service industry if they wished to.

If you think you have what it takes to be successful in the field of culinary, then you should think about making a career out of it. But, you should know first what you will be getting into. The things you should be familiar with include the definition of culinary arts and According to the definition of culinary arts and the nature of the job. It would be best if you know the overview what culinary arts is all bout so that you can weigh things down whether to pursue a career on that field or not.

According to the web definition of culinary arts, it is the practice or manner of preparing food or the food so prepared. Considering the definition of culinary arts, it may sound easy to do. Maybe it is simple to you if you are used to cook your own dinner or party. Yet, you have to remember that in the world of culinary arts, you are to work longer hours. The nature of the work is very physically demanding. For example, requiring you to keep you on your feet, lifting heavy kitchen stuff, mixing large food vats, rolling pounds and pounds of dough, and only those who work in the real kitchen know what other things happen inside. Also, the working schedule is unusual. In other words, you are to work on weekends, holidays, and evenings which can mean not much time for social life.

But then again, as the definition of culinary arts implies, you are not to do all those things. Just don’t ignore the possibility, though, that you will have to do them someday, if the situation calls for it. Despite the negative aspect of a career in culinary arts, there is still a high level of satisfaction according to those who are already in the field. In fact, they commented that what they have for a career is a very rewarding profession. Who can argue with that if you are doing the thing you most enjoy performing add it up with customer’s satisfaction of what you’ve prepared – truly a rewarding job!

Each one of us has always dreamed of having a career that will give us the kind of life we wanted, but having one that will make you utilize your passion and expertise is another story. The story applies to culinary arts and to all those who have the talent for cookery and pursue a career in the food service industry. You can never be happier to be in a job you love doing, can you?

Foods You Can Eat To Boost Collagen And Reduce Wrinkles

When you are a child, skin is soft and supple. There aren’t any wrinkles. Skin is perfect. In your late twenties, wrinkles start to form. Tiny lines, depressed into otherwise supple skin appear. As you get older, the lines deepen and more lines form. Collagen supports your skin. As collagen breaks down and diminishes with age, the supporting structure beneath the skin decreases and skin sags and wrinkles form.

What can you do about collagen? Some foods help boost your body’s collagen production, so include these in your diet.

1. Pigs trotters
Pigs feet sound gross. They are reputed to help you look younger because they contain collagen. At very least, your body, after breaking down the food would be able to reuse the nutrients in collagen production. Stewed pigs trotters in black sauce is a Chinese delicacy.

2. Soya Bean Milk, tofu and anything that is based on soy.
Soy contains genistein, an isoflavone. This isoflavone blocks enzymes that would otherwise destroy collagen.

3. Garlic.
Garlic contains sulfur which helps your body produce collagen. If you are concerned about garlic breath, chew some parsley to freshen your breath. Garlic contains taurine
and lipoid acid which support damaged collagen fibers.

4. Tomatos
These are very rich in the antioxidant lycopene which inhibits collagenases. Collagenases are enzymes that destroy collagen.
Antioxidants neutralize free radicals which would otherwise destroy the collagen and supporting structure of your skin, so taking foods with antioxidants

5. Fish
This is rich in omega fatty acids that keeps skin soft and supple.

6. Oranges and lemons
Citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C which will help your body produce collagen.

7. Dark green leafy vegetables
Dark green veggies like spinach contain vitamin C for collagen production. Spinach also contains iron and a whole host of vitamins to keep your body young and healthy.

8. Lean meat.
Food that has lysine and proline promote collagen and lean meat contain these, so the meat in pig’s feet should help. Maybe the collagen in pig’s feet would work too.

New Summer Holiday Programmes Launched By St Lucia Hotels

In order to entice more summer holidaymakers to stay in St Lucia this season, hotels and restaurants as well as some of the most exciting tours and attractions have stepped their game to offer tourists with special deals aimed at a local audience. Trying to tap into the local market with special Staycation offers, the ultimate goal for many St Lucia holidays is to raise awareness of their services among local residents and in many cases build a long-lasting relationship with their home guests.

This annual summer promotion has been launched in previous years and continues to grow in popularity. For this reason, many hotels in St Lucia have revved up their offers to their loyal local clientele to now include special spa treatments at some of the islands most indulgent spa facilities.

The Staycation summer holiday deals in St Lucia will officially kick off on 1st July and will run until 30th September 2012.

At the moment the St Lucia Tourist Board is working with the many St Lucia hotels, tour operators, spas, restaurants and other organisations specialised in adding to the St Lucia holiday experience, in order to create the different tailor-made holiday packages that will offer exclusive summer deals to residents. Some of these specials will include hotel stays starting from just $30 US dollars per night per room and exclusive discounts on popular attractions and tours. In addition there are also some all inclusive holiday deals as part of the promotion.

The launch of Staycation coincides with the launch of another summer promotion called Summerlicious; yet another summer programme created by the St Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA), designed to expose both locals and visitors alike to the diversity of St Lucian cuisine as influenced by Afro, European, French and Caribbean heritage.

As part of the Summerlicious programme those enjoying holidays in St Lucia during the summer season will get to enjoy authentic St Lucian culinary delights with reduced prix fixed prices on lunch and dinner summer menus at some of the finest restaurants island-wide. Visitors can sample a two course lunch for EC$50-$65 and a three course dinner from EC$95, $125 and $145. In addition, all meals include a high-quality signature cocktail made with St Lucias award winning Chairmans Reserve Rum. Ahead of the imposition of the Value Added Tax in October of this year, Summerlicious has been hailed as the, Pre VAT Dine Out.

Tourism Director Louis Lewis said Staycation/Summerlicious offers that unique opportunity for nationals; and in the case of Summerlicious visitors alike, the chance to experience the islands varied tourism product.

It is noteworthy to see the excitement amongst the hotels, restaurants, sites, attractions and spas to these two programs as we work together to execute these exciting summer promotions. The fact that more and more of our tourism partners are eager to participate in the promotions is testament to their success and the value they place on the on-island clientele. – Lewis said.

Participating hotels and restaurants in St Lucia for the Staycation/Summerlicious 2012 include both small and large properties and are located throughout the island from Cap Estate in the north to Vieux Fort in the south.