KNOW YOUR CHEESE

CHEESE GLORIOUS CHEESE 

This article will help you to understand a little more about the different types of cheese that are commonly known and used.

WARNING: THIS ARTICLE COULD STIR UP AN APPETITE

GOUDA

Goudse kaas meaning cheese from Gouda is a yellow cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk, a popular cheese accounting for 50-60% of its consumption worldwide. It is named after the city of Gouda which is in Netherlands, not because it is produced in or near the city but because it has been historically traded there.

It is recorded as one of the oldest cheeses made in the world. The taste of this cheese varies greatly depending on its age. This cheese has a light fudgy nutty flavor. 

There are 7 different types of Gouda cheese depending on its age. Young cheese which is 4 weeks old, young matured which is 8-10 weeks old, matured cheese which is 16-18 weeks old, extra mature cheese which is 7-8 months old, old cheese which is 10-12 months old and very old cheese which is 2 years or more. It has a fat content of 31g/100g. 

Overjarig, is the extra aged cheese, full of flavor, salty, hard and has a golden interior. Graskass is the youngest Gouda cheese which can be consumed withing weeks of its production. In the Netherlands Gouda is commonly used to richen soups and sauces. 

Cubes of old strong Gouda are eaten with strong pale beers. A well-aged Gouda is an ideal accompaniment while drinking Merlot or Shiraz, whereas a young Gouda is ideal with a fruity Riesling or Chenin Blanc. It may also be used as a dessert cheese. 

Boerenkaas and Noord-Hollandse Gouda can only be made in the Netherlands and can only be made by the milk that is produced by Dutch Cows 

CHEDDAR

This hard, off-white, acidic, natural cheese was only made in England in the older days in the British village of Cheddar in somerset, its production dates back to the 12th century. This cheese is now produced in most parts of the world.

This cheese is always made from cow's milk. This natural and hard cheese has a slight crumb texture to it if it is properly cured, on the other hand, if it is too young then it has a smooth texture.

The taste of this cheese matures over a period of time, ideally 9-24 months, it generally ranges from a white to pale yellow color or orange if spices such as annatto are added.Kraft, the largest producer of Cheddar in the United States uses annatto and oleoresin paprika. Strong extra mature cheddar, which at times is referred to as vintage, needs to be matured for up a time period of 15 months.

This cheese used to be packaged in black wax but is now commonly packaged in larded cloth. Eating this cheese at room temperature will bring out its beautiful flavors. 

PARMESAN

In order to produce this cheese, traditionally cow's had to be fed only on grass and hay, producing grass fed milk. The only additive allowed to this cheese is salt.

This cheese is commonly grated over pasta, mixed into soups and risottos as well as shaved and grated over salads. Commonly used to make pizzas, hence a lot of pizza outlets distribute this cheese for free. You could also eat this cheese on its own.

This cheese is rich in umami flavors, ( umami is one of the 5 basic tastes, it is described as brothy and meaty ) also know as a pleasant savory taste.

It has a fat content of  25.83g/100g.

FETA 

Feta is a Greek cheese made from sheep's milk.This cheese is also produced by mixing 30% goat's milk with sheep's milk. The milk that is used from the sheep is of a specific region where these sheep graze.

Feta is pickled curd, and it has a tangy and salty taste which is usually enhanced because of the brine that it is submerged in. Depending on how long this cheese is aged, it could have an extremely smooth texture or one that is crumby. High quality should have a creamy texture when sampled.

Feta is a commonly used as a table cheese, however it is also extensively used in salads and pastries. famously used in spinach and cheese pies. 

It has a fat content of 21g/100g.

MOZZARELLA 

This Italian cheese is traditionally made from the milk of water buffalo herds, in Italy and Bulgaria. Most of the mozzarella cheese available otherwise is made from cow's milk. It is white in color and has a typical milky flavor.

Mozzarella is very high in moisture content, hence it is traditionally served the day after it is made. in order to preserve it it is generally submerged in brine for up to one week.

Mozzarella is famously served with fresh basil and sliced tomatoes in a caprese salad. Also commonly used cheese in pizza's and pasta.

Ideally categorized in three variants, Mozzarella Fior di latte is produced from fresh pasteurized or unpasteurized cows milk and not the traditional water buffalo milk, and hence reduces it's cost.. Low moisture mozzarella is made from whole milk or part skimmed milk and is widely used in the food industry. Mozzarella affumicata is a smoked variety of this type of cheese.

It has a fat content of 45%

SEE YOU SOON !!!

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OLD MONK

 OLD MONK LOVERS, HERE SOME INTERESTING INFORMATION FOR Y'ALL 

1. Old Monk is an iconic Indian vatted dark rum, manufactured by Mohan Meakin Ltd. distilled from sugarcane molasses. Launched on 19th December 1954. It is also commonly referred to as Budha Sadhu, a literal Hindi translation. It has been bagging gold medals at the Monde World Selections since 1982.

2. Old Monk was first made 158 years ago by Edward Dyer, in one of the oldest breweries in Asia. It is produced in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. A distinct vanilla flavor and an alcohol content of 42.8%. It is the biggest Indian made foreign liquor brand for many years. Wth no advertising strategy, old monk has become a favorite ideally through word of mouth. 


3. This rum is distilled and aged for 7 years, which is the XXX variety, however now the supreme and gold reserve varieties are gaining popularity, these are aged for 12 years and are blended with highly matured spirits. It comes in 3 different sizes, to begin with, a quarter which is 180 ml, a half which is 375 ml and a full which is 750 ml and then there's the old monk treat the one-litre bottle.The top part of the Monks head which is the bottle cap also doubles up as a peg measure. There were a few limited edition bottles launched in 2013, where the 1-liter bottles were shaped in the shape of the old monk's face.


4. A teaspoon of the old monk and some warm water can relieve you from common cold and cough which mainly occurs due to weather change. It is also given to children at times to help them get through the bitter cold weather.


5. Old monk is also sold by retailers in Russia, United States, United Kingdom, Japan, United Arab Emirates, Finland, New Zeland and Canada.


And Finally a Poem for you 


A life with an old monk by Glen Satur

For seven years you’ve been blended to a taste so fine

You’ve always been around for us at any time

A good companion, who comes at a very low price

You bring people together from sunset to sunrise

We bang on the shutters for you when the shops are closed by night.

We care a damn if we are unable to get a coke or sprite.

You’ve brought feeling to our lives, at moments of desperation.

For most of us, you have been our mentor and our inspiration

We drink to our pain or joy, one peg at a time

But no matter how much we drink, with no hangovers, things are just fine

They talk of Gandhi being the father of our Nation

To us you are, the father of our thoughts and creation

We don’t give up on things, even if we think our lives have sunk

There’s always a solution to a problem when we have you dear Old Monk


CHEERS TO A GOOD LIFE !!!

5 POPULAR COFFEE DRINKS

Here are the different types of coffee drinks available.

1. ESPRESSO

An espresso is a strong black coffee that is brewed by forcing a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure through finely ground coffee beans. You will notice a thick golden-brown crema (foam) if you're espresso has been brewed well. When you add sugar to a good crema it will float on top for a few seconds before it sinks slowly to the bottom. An espresso has more caffeine per unit volume than most coffee drinks, an espresso is also used as a base to make different coffee drinks. Pulling is the term used to describe the act of producing a shot of espresso when manually doing it, however, today it is common for pressure to be generated with the help of modern machinery.Any beans or roasting level can be used to produce an espresso. A short espresso means that it has less water and hence it is more concentrated whereas, a long espresso uses more water and does not taste as strong

2. CAPPUCCINO 

This famous Italian coffee drink which is traditionally prepared with equal parts of double espresso, hot milk, and steamed-milk foam. It has become one of the most popular drink and is easily available at most coffee shops. A Cappuccino can also be doubled up as a desert if it is rich in it consistency and strong in its flavor. A wet cappuccino is one where a little more milk is poured into the espresso, and a little less steamed foam on top, whereas as a dry cappuccino is one where the amount of steamed foam is increased as the person drinking it doesn't mind the strong flavour of the espresso but still enjoys the layer of milky foam on top of the cappuccino. You will generally notice that is commonly served with unsweetened cocoa powder or grated dark chocolate on top. An iced cappuccino works well in the summers. A skinny cappuccino is made with skim or non-fat milk.

3. CAFE LATTE

A cafe latte is a coffee drink that is made with a single shot of espresso with three parts of steamed milk, it is also called a milk coffee which is usually had as a part of breakfast. The coffee is traditionally brewed on a stovetop and then poured into a heated cup of milk, in Italy. Cookies and cake are the best accompaniments. 

4. MOCHACCINO 

This coffee drink is a cappuccino or a cafe latte, which is loaded with chocolate syrup or sweet cocoa powder. It is also commonly known as hot chocolate, a fabulous drink during the winter. It is optionally served with whipped cream, as well as a dusting of cocoa powder or cinnamon powder. You could also opt for a white cafe mocha which is ideally made with white chocolate. You could also opt for a mix of the two syrups this mixture is referred to by various names, tan mocha, marble mocha and black and white mocha.

5. LATTE MACCHIATO

A latte macchiato defers from a cafe latte, the primary difference being that the former is prepared in a way where the milk is stained with espresso. The name means stained milk. A latte macchiato is a layered drink, where espresso is first added tot the milk, which is usually only half a shot of espresso or even less and features a lot more foam. the best way to distinguish between a cafe latte and a cafe macchiato is the spot of crema left on top of the milk in a macchiato. One of the most famous variants is the caramel macchiato.

“Even bad coffee is better than no coffee at all.” 
― David Lynch

5 NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS - START SMALL AND ACHIEVE

The New Year has begun, and most of you must have set goals, the question is how long are you motivated towards these goals? Always trying to aim high? how about starting small and achieving big.

• READ A BOOK

Reading stimulates the mind, as well as helps to build up your bank of knowledge. you will improve your analytical thinking skills and expand your vocabulary. Reading not only helps in concentration but also helps to improve your memory. One book a month is the best way to go.

• DEVELOPE A SKILL

Developing a new skill or one that you are good at, will help you to motivate yourself in ways that you would never think of. A skill learned is never put to waste. Developing skills open's up many doors and opportunities, especially when you least expect them.

• ADD VALUE

Support a cause, it could be in the form of donating money or even volunteering to teach. It doesn't have to be extraordinary. When you start to add value to your life you will be more clear about your purpose

• HAPPY THOUGHTS 

Take the time to list all the happy times and things that you are grateful for. One thought a day is good enough, at the end of every month go back to your diary to read what you have written. You will notice a great shift, you will start to value and be more appreciative of things. This will change your perspective and in turn, you will start to experience a multiplication of happiness in your life.

• GET ORGANIZED

Strat getting organized, start simple. Maintain a to-do list, set goals and expectations. You will begin to see a positive shift in your otherwise exhausting routine

LOVE . LIGHT . PEACE

7 HEALTH BENEFITS OF BLACK TEA

Trying to make ends meet because of the Green Tea hype? Well, go back to your basic Black Tea easily available in your kitchen since the benefits are strikingly almost the same. Research says that 2 cups a day, will do you good

To begin with, both Black and Green Tea leaves come from the same tea bush - Camellia Sinensis. The color of the leaves depends on how they are processed. Green tea is processed in 2 ways one in which the leaves are steamed and the other where the leaves are pan-fried, in doing so the process of oxidation is halted and hence allows the leaves to retain its color. Black tea, on the other hand, goes through a different process, one in which the leaves are plucked, crushed and torn, and allowed to oxidize before being dried resulting in darker colored leaves.

Interestingly what most of us don't know is that Green Tea can be processed as Black Tea and vice versa.

• HELPS TO BOOST THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

Black Tea contains Tannins a substance which helps fight viruses such as cold and flu, influenza, dysentery as well as hepatitis. Some research suggests, black tea is enriched with antioxidants like polyphenol and catechins that may help prevent certain types of cancer as well as suppress tumors. The presence of alkylamine antigens helps to boost our immune response

• WEIGHT LOSS

Black tea flavonoids support weight loss, the caffeine present in black tea helps to boost your metabolism to lose weight.A great substitute for aerated drinks or sweet drinks, black tea is super low in its fat, calorie and sodium content, hence making it appropriate for those looking to maintain a healthy weight. One cup of black tea has 2 calories.

• HAMPERS YOUR SKIN

Consumption of black tea helps in preventing premature ageing. Tea bags could also be used on the eyes while taking a short nap, the caffeine present in the tea helps to improve and promote blood circulation thus reducing the appearance of dark circles. The extracts of black tea can be used as a natural sun protection agent when applied to the skin.

• HAIR BENEFITS

Black tea hair rinses once a month help to stimulate hair growth as well as add shine and luster, however, be sure to not be regular with these rinses as it may stunt your hair growth. For those of you who like a nice rich color to your hair, black tea rinses act as a natural dyeing agent. works beautifully on naturally dark or brown hair, as well as gray strands and fading hair dyes. 

• LOWERS CHOLESTEROL

Consumption of black teas helps to improve your arteries and thus lowers build up in them. Black tea reduces the levels of triglycerides and in turn, reduces the risk of heart disease. 

• ORAL HEALTH

Black tea helps to prevent bad breath as well as helps to facilitate the well being of your gums. It helps to get rid of the oral bacteria in your mouth as it inhibits the growth of these bacteria. It also helps to eliminate mouth infections such as strep throat and dental cavities. Since tea is a natural source of fluoride it helps in strengthening the tooth enamel.

“If you are cold, tea will warm you;

if you are too heated, it will cool you;

If you are depressed, it will cheer you;

If you are excited, it will calm you.” 

― William Ewart Gladstone