http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/ MyGourmetConnection is a food blog with articles about cooking techniques and equipment, gourmet foods, ethnic cuisines, nutritional tips, entertaining ideas and more. en Copyright 2008 Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:56:23 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification Unfortunately, cattle are not always responsibly raised or slaughtered for our consumption in the U.S. Grass-fed cattle are more environmentally friendly, healthy and humanely treated; however, grass-fed beef is somewhat of a "rarity" in American markets. http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/eco-friendly-options/grass-fed-beef.php http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/eco-friendly-options/grass-fed-beef.php Eco-Friendly Options environmental responsibility grass-fed beef health Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:56:23 -0500 Although not native to California, the semi-aquatic grass known as wild rice is cultivated with great success in the balmy Mediterranean climate of the state's northern region. Wild rice seeds were brought to the state in 1972 by a rice farmer in Sacramento Valley. Starting out with a little over an acre of plantings, he began a new industry. http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-trivia/california-wild-rice-month.php http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-trivia/california-wild-rice-month.php Food Trivia rice wild rice Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:22:20 -0500 Sept. 1 marks the beginning of the third annual Magical Dining Month in Orlando. The Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc. and SYSCO Central Florida are partnering once again to offer Orlando residents and visitors a month-long culinary celebration of the area's diverse restaurants. http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-events/orlando-magical-dining-month.php http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-events/orlando-magical-dining-month.php Food Events dining fine dining food events Orlando restaurants restaurants Sat, 30 Aug 2008 12:45:00 -0500 Sambal is an Indonesian condiment made from ground red chili peppers that are then flavored with other ingredients to produce different varieties. A staple throughout Malaysia and Indonesia, sambal is used in sauces, on broiled, grilled or roasted meats, fish and vegetables. http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/foods-of-the-world/sambal-an-indonesian-staple.php http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/foods-of-the-world/sambal-an-indonesian-staple.php Foods Of The World Asian food condiments hot sauce Indonesian cuisine sambal Sun, 24 Aug 2008 16:56:40 -0500 No one can deny that grocery prices seem to have risen dramatically in recent months and entertaining can put a dent in your wallet if you do it frequently enough. http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/entertaining/dinner-for-six-for-sixty-dollars.php http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/entertaining/dinner-for-six-for-sixty-dollars.php Entertaining dinner party entertaining entertaining on a budget Vietnamese cuisine Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:00:49 -0500 Spend a weekend enjoying a tranquil and exotic getaway filled with an exquisite celebration of Caribbean culture, food and wine. NICHE is scheduled for October 17-19, 2008, on the beautiful island of Nevis. NICHE celebrates the best chefs from Nevis and throughout the Caribbean in an event catered to the culture and traditions of this West Indies hidden treasure. http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-events/niche-nevis-international-culinary-heritage-exposition.php http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-events/niche-nevis-international-culinary-heritage-exposition.php Food Events Caribbean cuisine food events food festivals Wed, 13 Aug 2008 12:26:03 -0500 If you are a coffee drinker, you've no doubt heard the phrase "fair trade" in recent years. On the surface, it certainly sounds like a worthy cause, but few people realize the actual impact fair trade has on hard-working individuals around the world - and it extends far beyond just the production of coffee. http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/eco-friendly-options/impact-of-fair-trade.php http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/eco-friendly-options/impact-of-fair-trade.php Eco-Friendly Options coffee fair trade fair trade certified organic social responsibility Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:55:35 -0500 If you can make your way to Greenville, SC anytime from September 11th through the 14th, you'll have an opportunity to attend Euphoria, a world-class wine and food event. Restaurateur Carl Sobocinski and singer-songwriter Edwin McCain are the hosts for this 4-day event that includes wine tastings and seminars, cooking demonstrations, multi-course dinners and live musical performances. http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-events/euphoria-greenville-sc-food-wine-festival.php http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-events/euphoria-greenville-sc-food-wine-festival.php Food Events food events food festivals Tue, 12 Aug 2008 07:51:46 -0500 If you enjoy cooking at home, chances are you've wound up with a cookware set or two in your time. The set might have been a gift, an impulse buy or simply a more economical alternative to buying open stock cookware. http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/kitchen-essentials/lagostina-melodia-cookware.php http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/kitchen-essentials/lagostina-melodia-cookware.php Kitchen Essentials cookware kitchen tools stainless steel Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:39:31 -0500 If you pay attention to health and nutrition news, you've probably heard a dozen arguments for and against eggs - are eggs good or bad for your cholesterol? Heart health? Weight loss? http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-health/eggs-aid-in-weight-loss.php http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-health/eggs-aid-in-weight-loss.php Food and Health eggs food health health nutrition weight loss Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:49:06 -0500 http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/kitchen-bookshelf/miami-spice.php http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/kitchen-bookshelf/miami-spice.php Kitchen Bookshelf cookbook Cuban cuisine Floribbean cuisine Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:29:41 -0500 http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/kitchen-bookshelf/500-chinese-recipes.php http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/kitchen-bookshelf/500-chinese-recipes.php Kitchen Bookshelf Asian food Chinese cookbook Chinese cuisine cookbook Sun, 03 Aug 2008 17:04:27 -0500 The Slow Food movement has garnered quite a bit of attention from food lovers across the country, and an event at the end of this month promises to attract thousands of supporters. http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-events/slow-food-nation-08.php http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-events/slow-food-nation-08.php Food Events food events slow food Sun, 03 Aug 2008 14:45:03 -0500 http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/kitchen-bookshelf/simply-ming.php http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/kitchen-bookshelf/simply-ming.php Kitchen Bookshelf Asian food cookbook Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:00:30 -0500 According to a recent study in the U.K., many children aren't able to recognize common fruits and vegetables. In fact, one in three kids didn't know what celery looks like. http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-trivia/kids-uk-dont-know-fruits-vegetables.php http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-trivia/kids-uk-dont-know-fruits-vegetables.php Food Trivia food trivia fruits nutrition vegetables Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:11:45 -0500 A unique photographic exhibit, "Liquid Gold" by renowned French fashion photographer and artist Bettina Rheims, concludes its worldwide tour in Moscow in October. "Liquid Gold" is a series of eleven large scale portraits that illuminate the allure of femininity and the embodiment of the "French Chic." http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/wine-spirits/chablis-liquid-gold.php http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/wine-spirits/chablis-liquid-gold.php Wine and Spirits art chablis wine wine regions Sat, 19 Jul 2008 17:09:48 -0500 It seems as if health research is designed only to confuse consumers. One week, something's good for you, and the next, it's been discovered to cause cancer. http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-health/omega-3-vs-omega-6.php http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-health/omega-3-vs-omega-6.php Food and Health fatty acids fish food health omega-3 omega-6 salmon Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:40:45 -0500 We all know by now that we should be enriching our diets with antioxidant-rich fruits and berries. So we load up on acai berries, blueberries and pomegranate. But did you know our fuzzy little green friends, kiwifruit, are also loaded with antioxidant power? http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-health/its-not-easy-being-green-fuzzy.php http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-health/its-not-easy-being-green-fuzzy.php Food and Health antioxidants food health fruits kiwi Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:57:45 -0500 "Sometimes 'gourmet' isn't defined by imported spices and fancy sauces," says Janet Groene, author of 25 books including Cooking Aboard Your RV and Creating Comfort Afloat. "To campers and boaters, gourmet dining means a campfire scented with applewood or fresh-caught walleye cooked over a stern-mounted grill. How can you put a touch of class on a wilderness meal without wasting fuel, water or any other precious resource?" http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/cooking-techniques/camping-boating-cooking-success.php http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/cooking-techniques/camping-boating-cooking-success.php Cooking Techniques camping cooking tips grilling summer cooking Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:36:05 -0500 The Truth About Rising 4th of July BBQ Food Prices Food Costs More Because of Skyrocketing Oil Prices, Not Biofuels Says FoodPriceTruth.org WASHINGTON, June 26 ~ PRNewswire -- Today, FoodPriceTruth.org released a typical Fourth of July barbeque menu that reveals why food costs are on the rise and why the average American family is paying more for items like chicken, pork, fruit salad, potato salad, beer and even plastic cutlery. The menu offers easy to understand information about why continuously... http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-news/rising-summer-food-prices.php http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-news/rising-summer-food-prices.php Food News food news food prices Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:25:33 -0500 The 4th of July is an iconic American holiday that reminds us all of freedom and, quite frankly, grilling! So it only makes sense that July has been designated National Hot Dog Month. http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-trivia/national-hot-dog-month.php http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-trivia/national-hot-dog-month.php Food Trivia food trivia grilling hot dogs summer cooking Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:57:57 -0500 Edible flowers have gained a lot of popularity of late, cropping up in specialty food stores and organic markets everywhere. After all, who can resist the lure of some brightly colored, fragrant flowers? Edible flowers have been a mainstay for five-star restaurants for years, but there's no reason home chefs can't brighten up their recipes with some tasty buds, too. http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-101/herb-a-day-edible-flowers.php http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-101/herb-a-day-edible-flowers.php Food 101 edible flowers herb recipes herbs Sun, 29 Jun 2008 09:00:00 -0500 Savory (Satureja hortensis and montana) is a perennial herb classified as either summer savory or winter savory, for obvious reasons. Savory is related to rosemary and thyme, and summer savory is often preferred over winter savory because it is more delicate and sweeter. http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-101/herb-a-day-savory.php http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-101/herb-a-day-savory.php Food 101 herb recipes herbs savory Sat, 28 Jun 2008 09:00:00 -0500 Thyme (Thymus) is part of the expansive Lamiaceae family - a relative to rosemary, basil, sage, savory and many others. Thyme is native to Europe, Northern Africa and Asia, and its use dates back as far as the ancient Egyptians who used it during the embalming process. Thyme is a classic herb, especially in French cuisine, where it is included lovingly as one of the herbes de Provence and in bouquet garni. http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-101/herb-a-day-thyme.php http://www.mygourmetconnection.com/articles/food-101/herb-a-day-thyme.php Food 101 herb recipes herbs thyme Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:14:43 -0500