The Dbottino Weblog

The ham is the traditional centerpiece for Easter, Christmas, holidays, and other special gatherings. Almost any meal is made special with a ham. Many options are available in choosing a mail order ham online in the quest to make the choice your ham centerpiece a success. You can not judge the value of your mail order ham online by the price per pound; you need to look beyond the price for differences in hams that are available.

Nutrition labels are a great place to start your comparisons of the ham. The nutrifacts gives information about the calories, fat, cholesterol, protein, and sodium contents of the ham. Generally, nutrifacts for ham are healthy since ham is a relatively lean cut of meat before anything is added. When comparing hams, be certain that you note the serving size that has been used to establish the nutritional statistics of the ham.

Although nutrition information is very similar from one ham manufacturer to another, there are several factors that will present distinguishable differences in hams. These factors may represent differences in flavor and texture profile from one brand of ham to another. These factors are bone-in ham versus boneless, slow curing of ham versus efficient curing, water levels added to the ham, different methods of smoking the ham, cooking duration, and, of course, the ingredients included the cure or marinade of the ham.

Bone-in hams provide 2-3 servings per pound and tend to highlight the added ingredients. The natural fats of the ham help to enhance the ingredients that are added to the cure (marinade). Although you may want to trim the fat away when consuming the ham, cooking the ham with its natural fat will bring out the unique differences in many spices and sweeteners used to make the ham. Boneless hams provide 4-5 servings per pound. Boneless hams usually have all visible fats removed when preparing the ham for smoking and cooking. Boneless hams are extremely simple, however if you do not mind trimming away a little fat, you will probably enjoy the flavor profile of the bone-in ham more than the boneless ham. If carving is a concern, try a pre-sliced spiral sliced ham with the bone-in.

Another factor that presents definitive differences in hams from one brand to another is the method of curing the ham. Ham is made with a flavorful cure, a marinade of water and brine that gives the ham its typical taste and appearance. Technology advancements have helped the ham curing process (adding ingredients through moisture enhancements) to become a much more efficient process than the early days of ham processing. Equipment has helped the process of getting the ingredients into the ham quickly to get the ham to the store quicker. Although the efficiency factor helps reduce the costs of production of some hams, it is not always effective in maximizing the flavor enhancement factor. Whether using new technology or traditional methods, slowing the curing process will bring out the unique differences from the added ingredients. Getting the ingredients into the meat is only half of the process, giving them a chance to work before cooking is the second half.

Water is the medium in which ham makers use to get different ingredients into the meat. Over the years, some ham makers have improved their methods to get more and more moisture into the meat. Labels will read ham, ham with natural juices, water-added ham, and ham with X% added water. Obviously, ham and ham with natural juices will have the least amount of water diluting the natural taste of ham and its added spices. Adding more and more water will help drive down the cost of the ham, but generally does little to enhance the flavor and texture of the ham itself.

The method of smoking the ham will be yet another factor that creates differences from one brand of ham to another. The traditional method of smoking ham was to use specially selected logs of hard woods that would enhance the sweeteners and spices that the ham maker chose. Soon, processors found that their ham tasted better with hickory wood, applewood, or even dried corn cobs. One of the newest technologies is a processed natural smoke that is converted to a liquid form and is applied to the hams during the cooking process. This process has helped to shorten the processing cycle of the ham. Many specialty processors still choose to stay with the natural wood of their choice to enhance the special blend of spices that gives their ham its unique flavor properties.

Much like the lengthened curing process of the ham, many ham processors feel that slow cooking ham at a lower temperature maintains the natural meat texture and cooks the spice flavors into the ham. Again, technology has been introduced to shorten the cooking cycles and reach the safe internal temperatures quicker. Some argue that the quick process changes the ham texture too much, and doe not allow the flavors of the ham and ingredients to blend during the cooking process.

Probably the one area that each ham maker will argue that his is the best is in the ingredients he chooses for the cure or marinade of the ham. Each cure has one or two prominent ingredients that help to give unique taste and aroma properties to a ham. Maple syrup, honey, and brown sugar are three primary ingredients that specialty ham processors may choose to build their cure recipe. In addition to the base ingredient, many other spices may be added to further enhance a unique recipe preference to cure a ham.

As you can see, a good centerpiece holiday ham for your Easter, Christmas, or special celebration meal goes well beyond the price per pound or an attractive package. There are many ways to make a ham less expensive, but like any good recipe, if you short cut the cycle and ingredients it may not taste as good and bring pleasure to you and your guests that you may expect. Choose your ham wisely, and enjoy one of the best tasting meal traditions.

You must insist on quality and the distinctive, elusive, one-of-a-kind flavor in your ham that can never be mass-produced by machinery or rushed through the curing and smoking process. Whether you need a holiday ham, or are buying a ham online just because you love the flavor, the very best maple syrup brine cured, cob and applewood smoked hams, made in the New England tradition in one of the few smokehouses left that controls quality from beginning to endcome from
MeatGourmet.

http://MeatGourmet.com/

Homemade chocolates can be fun to make. With microwaves in almost every home now, the art of melting chocolate wafers without burning them has been perfected. Adding fruit essences to the melted ooey-gooey-ness personalizes them, then pouring your creation into shallow molds with different details appropriate for the season, be it winter, Christmas or other festive practices.

Now I agree with a lot of you and have to wonder, why make chocolates when you can go out and buy a box and even get it WRAPPED for no extra cost?! It is so much easier and less time consuming! If those are your thoughts, then making chocolates may not be for you, but I know it is something everyone needs to do at least once in their life. I did it with a Brownie troop and we had SO much fun!

Remember, you can put chopped up nuts in your chocolates, even marzipan! White, milk, dark…or swirled / marbled chocolates! I think there would be a way to get peanut butter in there too, who doesn’t love that combo! There is no limit besides your imagination. Borrow books from the library to help you perfect the ideas you have. Of course, there is always the internet resource too. Do this at least once with your kids. They will love being able to give these personal gifts to their friends and teachers, and you will forever remember the joy and excitement of this weekend activity!

Author – Del Germyn Web site http://www.delsmolds.com

My web site is setup to help you learn a little about molds and casting in general.

THERE YOU WILL FIND….

- Articles on how to mix your concrete, hypertufa, etc for different uses.

- Free information on how to make your own molds. Tips and hints on their use and care.

- Free information on making and using various types of molds to cast concrete, plaster, cement,
ceramics, and molding with hypertufa.

- Suggestions for projects that you can do in a couple of hours that will make your yard / garden look great.

All the information on the site is free to use and share.

I am hoping that when you see what I have (or have not) set out you will send in your tips and stories.

By sharing we can learn from each other. We can also help newcomers to the hobby / business.

The site is constantly added to, so please check it often.
http://www.delsmolds.com

Rhubarb is known as the pieplant. It is bright in color, red and pink all the way to green. It is thin and crispy in a stalk like shape. They should always be nice and crispy and not flimsy, if they are not crispy it means that they are not all that fresh, as fresh as they could be. It is best to use the freshest rhubarb possible because it affects the final flavor. If you have to end up storing the Rhubarb make sure to use plastic wrap, you can keep it for a few days in the refrigerator without it going to flimsy. It goes best with sweets, and if you have a thing for sweets you might want to take the appetite suppressant acceletrim so you don’t eat as much or even has the desire for it. Rhubarb can be used with baked pies, cakes, and other baked desserts. Some of the best fruits to use with Rhubarb are apples and pears. It can also taste good with almonds, hazelnuts, and cheeses. If you choose to eat it with a protein, then salmon or char are a great choice. Once you test around and find the perfect recipe to use Rhubarb you will end up using it over and over again. It is in season right now and if you love Rhubarb, now is the time to cook with it.

When I mention the word “cerviche” to people I am usually questioned, “what the ___is that?” After they taste my recipe for true Mexican cerviche they are begging me to teach them how to make it.

First let me explain why I call it authentic Mexican cerviche. I lived in the Yucatan Peninsula over 20 years ago at the beginning of the birth of Cancun. I worked on boats every day and learned to make Mexican food dishes from the natives I worked with.
One of my favorites has always been cerviche because it is very fast and easy to make and it is very light and cooling on hot days.

So what is it and how do I make it? Well, for starters there are several different types of cerviche. It can be made from Conch, a large shellfish found all over the Caribbean, shrimp, or a white meat fish such as snapper, trout, etc. We used Spanish Mackerel a lot as well when I was in Cancun.

The recipe is the same regardless of the meat you choose so let me begin.

For a refreshing snack that will feed six to eight people you will want about a pound of meat filleted and deboned. You will need a couple of large tomatoes, several limes or a couple bottles of lime concentrate, an onion, and several chili peppers. If you are averse to really spicy foods you can substitute less spicy peppers.

The first thing you do is cut the meat into small fingertip sized chunks and place in a large bowl with a lid so you can shake the mixture up easily later. After you have the meat cut up pour just enough lime juice over it to cover the meat thoroughly, shake it up and put it to the side.

Next cut up your tomatoes into small chunks and scrape them into the mixture, then your onions and peppers and so on. Be sure to cut the peppers extra small.

If you like a little more seasoned taste you can sprinkle a little of your favorite spice on it although most people prefer to eat it as is.

Let the mixture chill in the refrigerator or on ice for at least one hour then serve with tortilla chips or crackers washed down with a good cold beer.

Gregg Hall is a business consultant to many online and offline businesses.
Gregg lives in Navarre Florida with his 16 year old son and recommends
www.mexicanfoodsuperstore.com for all your mexican food needs.

Soup may be the first course of a meal or it can be the whole meal. A steaming hot bowl of soup is wonderful to warm up to on a cold winter day, while a bowl of chilled gazpacho or fruit soup can be perfect for cooling off on a hot summer day.

‘Soup’ is a basic term used to describe a liquid food made from any combination of vegetables, fruit, meat and/or fish cooked in a liquid. This article will discuss some of the more common variations of soup and offer information and tips on preparing, serving and storing homemade soups.

Common Types of Soup…

Bisque – a thick, rich cream soup usually containing seafood. Newer recipes may use poultry or vegetables in place of seafood. At one time bisques were thickened with rice, but today they are more frequently thickened with roux.

Bouillabaisse – a highly seasoned seafood stew made of fish, shellfish, onions, tomatoes, white wine, olive oil, garlic, saffron and herbs.

Broth & Bouillon (Stock) – a strained liquid that is the result of cooking vegetables, meat or fish and other seasonings in water.

Chowder – a thick, chunky soup or stew usually containing seafood, potatoes, and milk or cream. The word ‘chowder’ comes from the French word ‘cauldron,’ which means cooking kettle. Vegetables or fish stewed in a cauldron became known as chowder in English-speaking nations (a corruption of the name of the pot or kettle in which they were cooked). The first chowders prepared on the North American continent were brought by French fishermen to Canada.

Consomme – a clear soup made of strained meat or vegetable broth, served hot or as a cold jelly.

Court Bouillon – a broth made from cooking various vegetables and herbs, usually an onion studded with a few whole cloves, celery, carrots and bouquet garni (parsley, thyme and bay leaf), perhaps with a little wine, lemon juice or vinegar; used as a poaching base for fish, seafood or vegetables.

Cream soups – soups that are thickened with a white sauce.

Gazpacho – an uncooked soup made of a pureed mixture of fresh tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, onions, celery, cucumber, bread crumbs, garlic, olive oil, vinegar and sometimes lemon juice which is served cold; also may be served ‘chunky-style.’

Gumbo – a Cajun/Creole delicacy of South Louisiana, reflecting its rich history: wild game or seafood (from the Acadians), thickened with okra (from the Africans), file (from the Indians) and/or roux (from the French). Gumbo is a thick, robust soup with hundreds of variations including chicken and sausage gumbo, shrimp and okra gumbo, oyster gumbo and seafood gumbo.

Minestrone – a thick soup of Italian origin containing assorted vegetables, peas and beans, pasta (such as vermicelli or macaroni) and herbs in a meat or vegetable broth.

Stew – a dish containing meat, vegetables and a thick soup-like broth made from a combination of the stewing liquid and the natural juices of the food being stewed.

How to Remove Fat from Soup…

Soup always tastes better and is healthier if the excess fat (grease) is removed during cooking and before serving. Try any of the following techniques to remove fat:

<> Use a large spoon to skim the fat off soup as it simmers.

<> While cooking soup, place the pot slightly to one side of the burner. The off-centered bubbling will encourage fat to accumulate on one side of the pot for easier removal.

<> A leaf of lettuce dropped in a pot of soup will absorb grease from the top.

<> To remove the last spots of fat floating on the surface, drag a clean, unprinted paper towel across the top. It will oak up most of the remaining oil.

<> Refrigerate cooked stews and soups overnight before serving. The fat will rise and solidify in a layer at the top. The fat may then be removed by breaking it up into large pieces and lifting it away with a spoon.

<> When in a hurry to skim the fat from soup, float an ice cube in the soup to help congeal the fat and make it easier to remove.

If the Soup is too Salty…

Try one of the following methods to correct over-salting:

(1) Add a whole, peeled raw potato to the soup and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. The potato will absorb the salt. Remove the potato before serving the soup. (Do not discard the potato – it is perfectly good for later use in another recipe.)

(2) Stir in 1 teaspoon of vinegar and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar for each quart of liquid.

To Thicken Soup…

The best method of thickening most soups and stews is to remove some of the cooked vegetables, puree them in a blender, and return the pureed mixture to the soup. (Do not fill the blender more than one-third full with hot vegetables to prevent getting burned from splashes of hot puree.)

In the event that the soup is short on vegetables or there are none in the soup, try one of the following thickening techniques:

<> Make a paste of all-purpose flour mixed with twice as much cold broth or water. The ratio of flour to liquid is 1-1/2 teaspoons of flour to 1 tablespoon of liquid for every 1 cup of soup. Slowly stir the paste into simmering soup and continue to simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

<> A roux of butter and flour may also be used as a thickener. The longer the roux is cooked, the darker and more flavorful it becomes. Be careful not to scorch the roux or it will give the soup an unpleasant burned taste.

<> Cream is another alternative to not only thicken, but add a luxurious richness to soups.

<> A cornstarch slurry of 1 part cornstarch to 2 parts liquid will also thicken soup; do not boil or the solution will break down.

Freezing and Reheating Soup…

Most soups freeze beautifully. Consider preparing large batches of soup so that there will be extra to freeze and serve at a later date.

<> Chill soup in the refrigerator and skim off any fat that rises to the surface before freezing.

<> Freezing cream-based soups may cause separation. If the soup does separate while reheating, whisk vigorously with a wire whisk or try blending it in a blender for a few minutes to smooth it out.

<> Reheat frozen soups in the microwave or thaw at room temperature and heat in a heavy saucepan over low heat on the stovetop.

<> To avoid overcooking starchy ingredients like potatoes, pasta and rice, heat thawed soup only long enough to warm throughout.

Miscellaneous Soup Making Tips and Info…

<> If the soup is not intended as the main course, count on one quart of soup to serve six adults. As a main dish, plan on two servings per quart.

<> A hot soup will help recondition the palate between meal courses or after consumption of alcoholic beverages.

<> Ideally, cold soups should be served in chilled dishes.

<> Adjust seasonings of cold soups just before serving. Chilled foods tend to dull the taste buds and will require more seasoning than hot soups.

<> Be aware that herbs will have a more intense flavor if added at the end of the long cooking process.

<> Savory soups and stews always taste better if made a day or two in advance, refrigerated and then reheated just prior to serving.

<> Wine is a wonderful flavor addition to soups and stews. When using wine in soup, use less salt as the wine tends to intensify saltiness. Wine should be added at a ratio of no more than 1/4 cup of wine to 1 quart of soup.

<> Beer is also a good addition to soups and stews. A good rule of thumb is 1 cup of beer to 3 cups of soup.

<> Freeze the liquids drained from canned mushrooms or vegetables for later use in soups or stews.

<> Since liquids boil at a lower temperature at high altitudes, cooking time may need to be extended at altitudes above 2500 feet.

<> Soups and stews should only simmer while cooking, ‘never’ brought to a hard boil.

“Is it soup, yet?”

Naturally, the best soups are made with a base of homemade broth and fresh ingredients, but this method can be very time-consuming and labor intensive. If you like, time spent in the kitchen preparing soup may be reduced by using canned or frozen broths and vegetables while still yielding an excellent product.

Remember, there are no really good ‘quick’ soup recipes because any truly good soup needs time during preparation for flavor to fully develop. Always plan on providing enough time to prepare a really good soup or stew.

Copyright ©2005 Janice Faulk Duplantis

About the Author: Janice Faulk Duplantis, author and publisher, currently maintains a web site that focuses on both Easy Gourmet and French/Cajun Cuisine. Visit www.bedrockpress.com to see all that Bedrock Press has to offer. <> Janice also publishes 4 free monthly ezines: Gourmet Bytes, Lagniappe Recipe, Favorite Recipes and Cooking 101. Subscribe at www.bedrockpress.com/subscribe.html

Since it’s first induction as the world’s most popular beverage, coffee has gone through many changes and upgrades. These improvements allow gourmet coffee drinkers the chance to choose between many different grades and flavors of the coffee. Whether you are a coffee connoisseur or just need your morning pick me up, there’s nothing to tempt the palate quite like a hot mug of smooth gourmet coffee!

To fully appreciate a cup of hot gourmet flavored coffee, you should take a minute to inform yourself with the basics of gourmet coffee. The coffee bean is not really a bean; they are actually the seeds of a cherry that are found on a coffee tree. There are a couple of different ways to extract the seed; wet process and dry process. Each process will bring about the shared result of removing all of the fruit from the seed.

There are two types of coffee: Arabica and Robusta. Robusta coffee makes up the coffee that has the most caffeine, at the cheapest price. Arabica (a.k.a. gourmet) coffee is the best grade of coffee. It has50% of the caffeine of Robusta and has the best taste. Those that enjoy this type of coffee will also tell you that gourmet coffee has a much better smell and more desirable flavors than Robusta.

Gourmet coffee is available in many of your favorite flavors, including: almond, amaretto, Irish crme, French vanilla, Swiss mocha, vanilla, chocolate, mint, peppermint, pumpkin spice and just about anything else you can imagine! Basically, if there is any flavor that you are partial to, you will be able to find.

There are gourmet flavored coffees that are caffeinated and those that are decaffeinated. If you have a sensitive stomach, you can even find gourmet coffee that is low in acid, making it a little more gentle. Arabica coffee ranks very high among the Specialty Coffee Association of America, which pretty much sets the standards applied to all gourmet coffee drinks.

Many coffee making companies offer a gourmet style drink, including: Gevalia, Green Mountain, San Giorgio, San Francisco Bay, Kona and Javalution. The gourmet coffee beans are offered in a variety of different serving sizes. They are also offered at many different prices, depending on your personal preference. Though this type of coffee may be a bit more pricey than the Robusta, it’s the only choice for true coffee lovers!

C V is a freelance writer, providing articles and information on all types of coffee products from coffee gift baskets, gourmet coffee, coffee mugs and more. http://www.coffee-makers-n-espresso-machines.com

About 850 A.D it is said that a lone shepherd and his flock
came across a strange and mysterious plant growing upon a
secluded and forgotten hillside. Before he could stop them
some of his herd had began to gnaw away at this unusual
berry. After about fifteen minutes or so the herder started
to notice that his sheep were behaving in an odd manner. Not
only were they unusually alert but they also appeared to be
extremely hyperactive. Now being a little weary and
extremely tired the shepherd decided to try the berries and
see if the end results would be the same for him as they had
been for his flock. To his pleasant surprise the shepherd
began to feel wide awake and he too became very alert. After
a few hours had passed along came a wandering monk who,
after being informed of the plants amazing qualities
proceeded to scold the poor shepherd and lecture him on his
foolish indulgence. After he had finished telling the
shepherd just what a sinner he had been the monk set upon
his journey but not before he had added a little something
to his backpack and supplies.

When the monk reached his monastery his fellow holy men also
decided to try this new and enchanting beverage. Soon the
endless hours of prayer no longer seemed so wearisome, in
fact they became easy to endure with the help of this
exciting new drink. Coffee, had now well and truly arrived
and the news began to spread! Its widespread consumption
first commenced in the wilds of the Ethiopian outlands
before then moving on to the heart of Arabia . Here it was
to be held as a holy delicacy but was eventually to be
unlawfully exported by a trader by the name of Baba Budan.
In no time at all word of its qualities began to spread and
coffee was to evolve into one of the most valued drinks ever
known to the human civilisation. Its hard to believe that
each year we consume a staggering four billion cups and
there are many among us who would not contemplate starting
their day without it.

Although coffee is usually thought of as a sleep suppressant
there are many who think that it also has many health
benefits. It is said that folk who suffer from the complaint
of asthma and drink coffee have an average of at least 25%
less symptoms due to a substance in the coffee named
theophylline. This is known to be a bronchodilator which
helps those who suffer with the disease to breathe a little
more easily. Drinking coffee on a daily basis is also
thought to help lower your chances of developing colon
cancer. This is also by a figure in the region of about
twenty five percent.

Its curious that the vast majority of folk have no idea of
the different tastes and delights that this king of all
drinks has to offer us. One of the swiftest growing trends
of the last few years has to be the rising popularity of
buying coffee via the internet. Never before have we been
able to so easily get hold of such a large and voluptuous
variety of blends, tastes and tantalising aromas from all
over the world. With the aid of the wonderful web, trekking
around the local neighbourhood to try and find some new
exciting coffee blends has became a thing of the past.
Sitting at home I can now search out an almost infinite
variety of coffees from all over the world and order them
at the click of a mouse. I tend to place numerous orders
via the web and I always make a point of recording blend,
country, and from exactly whom I purchased.

Now you know the history of this magical bean I hope that if
in the days to come you are thinking of visiting your local
coffee shop you recall the information you have read on this
website and make the most of this wonderful drink. Go on and
try some new varieties. Not only will you impress your
friends, your tastebuds will be thrilled as well.

Latte or Cappuccino?

Valerie Shapero is the owner of
Fuzzy Coffee, Inc. which is a premier source of information about coffee. For more
information, go to: http://fuzzycoffee.com

Choosing the type of wood you want to cook with can be a puzzle if you do not
know what wood is available, and how each type of wood will effect the meat you
are cooking in terms of flavor. The paragraphs below list a brief description of some
of the best woods to use for cooking and when to use them. Being from Texas, of
course my favorite type of wood to use is mesquite, and basically I use it for
everything I smoke. Sometimes I add other woods such as apple, cherry, or pecan to
give different tastes to the meat, but most of the time I use pure mesquite.

Many people do not like mesquite because they believe the smoke adds too much
flavor to the meet. If it is not used correctly, this can possibly happen. Mesquite
needs to be aged, or completely dry before it is used. Using it before then might
add a bitter flavor to the meat you are cooking.

Anyway, enough about mesquite. There are many different types of wood available
for you to smoke with. Just remember one thing. If you are using a type of fruit
tree, then you will be okay. Here are a few examples of fruit trees and the flavors
their smoke produces.

Alder- This type of wood is found mostly in northern states. It is a very delicate
wood that gives a hint of sweetness to the meat. Alder is commonly used to smoke
fish, pork, poultry, and game birds.

Apple- The bark on a piece of apple wood is very thin so it gives off less smoke that
other types of wood. The smoke is fruity in flavor, and can be a great wood to use
for smoking poultry and pork. I use apple in addition to mesquite when I smoke
ribs.

Cherry- This is a good wood to use for smoking beef, pork, and poultry. The smoke
is mild with a fruity flavor.

Hickory- Hickory is good for smoking pork, ham, and beef. It is probably the most
commonly used wood for smoking.

Mesquite- Mesquite is my favorite type of wood because it gives meat a good
smoke flavor, and a person can find it just about anywhere in Texas. It is important
to use only dried mesquite wood, because if the wood is too green, it can make the
meat taste bitter.

Oak- This type of wood can be used on just about anything if a heavy smoke flavor
is desired. Two types of oak are commonly used: red oak, and white oak. White oak
burns longer, and red oak is sweeter.

Pecan- Pecan is good to use in addition to mesquite when smoking ribs. I smoked a
brisket-using pecan only, and the end result was a 10-pound chunk of meat that
was too sweet to eat. I recommend using pecan moderately, mixed with another
wood such as mesquite or hickory.

These are just a few of the basic types of wood used for smoking. The types I have
described above are the kinds that I most commonly use, and the ones that I have
had the best luck with. The best way to find out which ones will work for you is trial
and error. Hickory is always a good bet, and it can be used in conjunction with
pecan, cherry, etc. to produce a mild, fruity flavor. Good Luck…

The Smoker King

Aaron Ralston, also known as The Smoker King, is the owner of Outdoor
Cooking: Barbeque, Sauces, Mops, Rubs at
http://www.thesmokerking.com. Check out thesmokerking.com today to learn
many great barbeque and cooking recipes and techniques.

Love somehow resembles eating chocolate, large amount of chocolate! Speaking of the Devil’s Advocate, everything, purposely, have it’s own good side, and then…warning!.. the bad side.

Speaking of which, chocolate is non-other but tempting. Chocolate blows away mind, shouts..persuades…”Taste me, Eat me..Come get me! Indulge over me!” Chocolate? Just can’t get enough of.. Based from a survey I had a year ago, 28 out of 30 have the chocolate stamina, meaning, a bar is never enough! Tick Tack Tick…

L-O-V-E..love! You get dumped, been ditched..what? Brokenhearted.. Who stole your magic? It’s not just the matter of who here, it’s a What, Who , When and How. Bling! What? LOVE(compare your definition with the before and after scheme). Who? LOVE(now, be honest.. Did you say “I love you” when you were together? I_love_You doesn’t mean You_Love_I… See it this way, it’s not the person but the feeling, right?) When? LOVE(When this irrational feeling hits you, you’re lost already from the start…now, it’s in the matter of how you deal with the maze. Your maze. It’s either you find your way and win, or lose temper and lose!) How? LOVE(Again, you let love get the hold of you, conquer you.)

I love chocolate! I never get tired of falling in and out of love! I can’t get enough of Hershey’s kisses, Toblerone, M and M’s, Lindt, HH, Ferrero, Godiva, Cadburry’s fruit and nuts, and oh! Yes! Pinoy flat tops! Let me rephrase this, “I can’t get enough of Drew’s kisses, Todd, Marvin and Mike, Lyndon, Henry’s *Hug, Fernando, George, Carlo’s soft kisses and hard screams, and oh! Yes! Pinoy flat tops!(Marine students who are as hot as burning ovens!)” Names, brands..All are the same. All are different. You crave for them, both, him, all…

Passion. I love his blue eyes, his nose really is for Eskimo kisses, I feel secured with his arms around me, his voice takes me to heaven, and damn! He just shot me dead with his looks!

Again, passion. I hate it when we argue, that of too much anger I turn blue! His nose I would love to get a closed fist of, and break it! I would call for a body guard now, I can’t stand this fight, my arms are weak. Sweet talk, and then what? Bed? He gets laid, and damn! He just shot my heart dead with the picture of him with a hoe!

Love, like chocolate… addicting, insanely devoting, shoddy temperance. Learn? What learn? Stop? When stop? Get a life? How?…

Then, I remember her said, yes..immortality said. She said, chocolate? It is for reward system. Love? I sank… When you are complete, then you’re cool to be in the next level. Let me meet you there! See you!

Marge Chua is currently under home study program taking A. B. Political Science. After having been through a lot of life’s “to-deal-with-and-learn”, realized she can be some one, in her own great ways, after all, she couldn’t be just “nothing” just to avoid critisizms.

Planning any party can be a daunting task but figuring out how to plan a cocktail party can be a real challenge. Sure, it has the same elements as other parties – plenty of appetizers, good friends and good food and drink but the key ingredient is the variety of drinks you serve.

A cocktail party can be a great way to get together with a diverse array of friends and colleagues. Since cocktail parties are typically only for a few hours, you won’t have to worry about spending extended time with these folks – just enough for a couple of drinks.

In order to have a successful cocktail party, there is a bit of planning involved. Here’s some tips:

1. Go over the guest list carefully. You want to invite an interesting mix of people that will enjoy mingling over cocktails and appetizers. A diverse group will make for interesting conversation. Make sure you invite a few of your more outgoing friends to get things rolling.

2. Get as much of your food and decoration shopping done ahead of time as you can. Plan your menu out ahead of time and buy the necessary ingredients so you will have them on hand that day and not have to run out 10 minutes before guests arrive. What kind of drinks will you be serving? Make sure you have the mixers and alcohol for any type of cocktail your guests might want.

3. Figure out if you will cook or you need a caterer. A cocktail party doesn’t really need anything fancy in the way of food – some cheese and crackers will suffice, but if you want some great hors dourves you might want to look into hiring a caterer. You can have one come to the house and serve and clean up, or you can buy appetizers and pop them in the oven yourself. You can even order gourmet appetizers online and get great eats delivered right to your home.

4. Do you need a bartender? Unless you want to be standing behind the bar all night mixing drinks then you might want to think about hiring a bartender. Or assign one of your friends that like to do that sort of thing, it’s a great way to meet and talk to everyone at the party!

5. Decorate ahead of time. Save yourself some stress on the day of the party by decorating the day before. This can be a big job and doing it ahead of time will allow for you to run out to the store without impacting your guest arrival schedule if you have forgotten something. When decorating your room, make sure the furniture is pushed aside so guests don’t trip on it. Here’s some of the things you can do ahead of time so that you can enjoy your party more:

- Set out all the floral arrangements and centerpieces

- Have your cocktail glasses shined and ready

- Choose the music you want to listen to and load it into your CD player

- Double check your beverage and appetizer list and make sure you have what you need.

Your cocktail party can be a fun time even for you, the host, if you are organized and plan ahead. Remember to make lots of lists so you won’t forget something at the last minute. Most importantly, relax and have fun!

Lee Dobbins writes for Online Gourmet Foods where you can learn more about great appetizers you can serve at your cocktail party.