These days, holidays often revolve around a theme: skiing holidays in Lake Tahoe or Colorado are common, as are shopping holidays to some of America’s most famous malls. But, if you really want a travel experience with a difference, why not take a food tour of the United States – you’ll find a range of culinary delights available to tickle your taste-buds!

Take a trip to the Deep South on a food travel excursion and you’ll find a wealth of fine foods to sample and enjoy on your vacation. The culinary landscape of America’s southern states has always formed a large part of the lifestyle of its inhabitants; and if you’re embarking on a food tour of America, make sure you don’t miss out on its special and unique offerings!

Taste legendary American desserts, like Pecan Pie and Mississippi-Mud Pie, as well as authentic Kentucky fried chicken. Whether you’re in New Orleans, Atlanta or Austin, you’ll be able to sample some of the finest Cajun and Creole cuisine in the US, as well as partake in the long Soul Food tradition! From chitterlings (pig’s tripe) to Gumbo soup and Jambalay, food tourists in the Deep South are sure to enjoy an enriching vacation!

Anyone interested in embarking on food tours through the USA should also explore the culinary realms of New England on their excursions. From Massachusetts to Vermont, New England’s speciality foods are known for being simple yet high quality cuisine. For instance, New Haven boasts its reputation as the creator of the hamburger – and with a history that dates back to 1895, New Haven burgers are a must-have for any American food fan.

If you’re visiting Maine, make sure to sample Maine lobster – the state’s most famous export worth over $70 million a year. Legend has it that the lobster industry in the region was once so prosperous that lobster was even fed to chickens! And people visiting New England today will be able to taste this special lobster in one of the many roadside lobster shacks that adorn Maine’s coastline.

If you’re looking for more exciting destinations to visit on your trip around America’s greatest food spots, visit San Francisco during the San Francisco Crab Season, which boasts some of the worlds best crab markets and crab festivals annually from mid-November to June. Inspired by a range of immigrant communities, be sure to taste the region’s famous Dungeness crab, which is available in a variety of forms and flavours: from Italian dishes to Chinese and Vietnamese crab recipes, food lovers will adore the range of speciality crab dishes available in San Francisco during crab season!

While you’re in California, why not also sample some of the state’s local produce? Local farmers markets in California are well known for a range of foods, including artichoke, avocados, goat’s cheese and a range of other green produce. And why not indulge in some of California’s well-known Napa Valley wine while you’re on your food tour? You’ll experience the best wine and food the golden state has to offer – a pleasurable experience that is sure to round off your food tour of the USA nicely.

When embarking on a food tour of the US, you’re sure to find a range of food and hotel packages to suit your palate – regardless of the destination you visit. So, why not prepare your taste-buds for an experience to savour?

Andrew Regan is an online, freelance journalist.

Banana Facts

Banana “Trees” are not actually trees but are herbaceous plants in the genus Musa and of the family Musaceae. Due to their size, shape and structure they are often mistaken for trees. Bananas are largely cultivated for their fruit. But the plant is also used as ornamental plants in gardens.

Typically, there are two types of Bananas that are cultivated, mainly in tropical regions. Firstly, there is the sweet dessert fruit that is eaten raw or used in dessert recipes. There are a wide variety of delicious dessert recipes using Bananas in almost every food culture in the world.

Secondly, plantains are from a group of cultivars with firmer fruit and used generally in cooking vegetable-based dishes like curries. Plantains are especially popular in South-East Asia, India and Jamaica.

History of Bananas

Banana plants were first cultivated for domestic use in Southeast Asia. There is evidence found in Papua New Guinea that shows banana cultivation there dates back to, possibly, 8000 BC. This would mean the Western Highlands of Papua New Guinea was probably the first place were Bananas were cultivated. A whole lot of wild Bananas still grow in Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.

The first time Bananas were talked about in written history was in Buddhist texts around 600 BC. Then, the famous explorer, Alexander the Great found the fruit in India in 327 BC. The very first plantations was said to exist in China way back in 200 AD.

The History of Bananas continued with Islamic Conquerors bringing the fruit to the Middle East and later on, Arab Merchants exposed most of Africa to Bananas. Interestingly, the word Banana is actually of West African origin.

After that, banana cultivation exploded in most of the rest of the world thanks largely to Portuguese colonists who started banana plantations in the Atlantic Islands, Brazil and western Africa. Unfortunately for the Europeans, Bananas were not heard of in Europe until the Victorian Era and even then, only through merchant trade.

These days, Bananas can be found in practically every market in the world without much trouble at all and hurrah for everyone!

Tip and Techniques-Growing Bananas

Growing Banana Plants are easy enough if the right combination of factors is present. A Banana Plant takes about nine months to become mature and it needs a lot of tender loving care for it to grow to its fullest potential.

Generally, a Banana Plant lives up to approximately 25 years. Bananas grow from stems that grow from the ground up called rhizomes and it produces suckers that grow from the main stem of the Banana Plant. Rhizomes have a lifespan of 15 years or more.

The upright plant is called a pseudostem and when it matures, will reach an average height of 2 – 8 metres and the leaves grow up to 3.5 metres in length. Interestingly, each pseudostem produces only a single bunch of bananas. It then dies and is replaced by a new pseudostem.

Growing Banana Plants require a lot of sunlight and high level of humidity. That is one of the reasons it’s found in abundance in the tropics and hot climate countries. While it is growing, it requires watering every day and a balanced fertilizer to ensure it grows well. The right temperature for growing Banana Plant should be in approximately 80 degree Fahrenheit during the day.

The soil has to be nutrient-rich and slightly acidic. It should also be able to retain moisture but not much, as roots that are filled with water will die very fast. When all the right ingredients are present, the Banana Plant grows very quickly and it is a pleasure watching it grow. Not only does it bear fruits, it is beautiful ornamental plant and really stands out in any garden.

Safiah Ashedoff is the owner of http://www.banana-dessert-recipes.com/ a site full of Banana Recipes and Banana Information. She loves baking all types of dessert recipes in her free time.

A good chocolate cake needs to have certain characteristics to ensure that it is fully enjoyed by all who partake of it. Firstly it needs to be moist. A good chocolate cake will be light and fluffy and free of dryness. It will also be rich in chocolate flavor while at the same time not being too sweet for the average pudding lover.

A good simple chocolate cake recipe will comprise of two parts. The first part is the mixing of the dry ingredients in a small to medium bowl depending on the size of the desired output. The second part involves adding the wet ingredients and cooking. Both parts of the procedure should take relatively the same amount of time.

Another important aspect of your chocolate cake creation is to get the best quality ingredients. When mixed, poorer quality ingredients can dramatically damage the taste of the finished product so make sure to use good brand name ingredients such as Cadbury cocoa.

Preparation for chocolate cake making is very easy and can be a fun experience to share particularly with children. It’s also a recipe that affords plenty of individual style to be included as the finished cake can be topped with a range of ingredients other than the standard icing sugar.

All up from start to finish you should have a chocolate cake ready to eat in just over an hour!

Chocolate cakes are a great idea for children’s birthday’s parties or to take to a friends place as an addition to dinner. Chocolate Cake is great combined with ice-cream for dessert for guests or even a family treat.

In today’s busy world, time is of the essence. To be able to make a great tasting chocolate cake pudding quickly and easily is a skill to be proud of. With the right recipe and a bit of practice you will be cranking out chocolate cakes that people will love in no time. Even if you don’t have time to slave away all day in the kitchen, you can still become a domestic kitchen God or Goddess.

Rhonda Brooker is a respected and acclaimed cooking enthusiast who now makes some of her coveted recipes available online. To find great recipes like this chocolate cake recipe and many more all for FREE, go to easy recipes.

Meatloaf Recipe 1

Ingredients:

2 Eggs

1/2 cup water

Two tablespoons of soy sauce

1 small onion diced

2 Lbs. ground beef

8oz package of pre-made stuffing, (such as Stove Top)

salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat Oven to 350°F

Beat eggs, water, and approximately two tablespoons of soy sauce together in a separate bowl and set aside.

Get a large bowl and mix the ground beef and stuffing together. Make sure to use your hands and combine the mixture well, as this is the most important step.

Slowly work the egg mixture into the meat and stuffing, once again making sure to combine all ingredients well.

Pick up big ball of meat and pack in hands until you have formed a loaf.

Place in ungreased loaf pan and place on center rack in oven for 45-55 minutes uncovered until center of meatloaf is browned. Drain excess grease off side of pan and let stand 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Meatloaf Recipe 2

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped

1-2 celery stalks, chopped

1 cup cracker crumbs

1 clove garlic, diced

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon allspice

sprinkle of curry powder

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 eggs

2 lbs. ground beef

1-2 cans of mushroom soup

Makes 1 bread pan of meat loaf

Directions:

Mix meat, eggs, and spices

Mix in vegetables and crackers

Bake at 400°F

Drain off grease when brown 10-20 minutes

Add 1-2 cans of mushroom soup on top

Bake until done

Total baking time 1.5-2 hours

Meatloaf Recipe 3

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds of ground beef

1 cup Ritz crackers

2 beaten eggs

8 ounces Del Monte tomato sauce

1/2 cup fine onion

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pound the Ritz crackers until fine like bread crumbs.

Mince the onion until fine.

In a separate bowl, add the meat and the other ingredients and mix with your hands until the ingredients are all mixed together and the mixture is smooth.

Grease a glass baking pan with vegetable shortening.

Put the meat mixture in the pan and shape like a football.

Bake in the oven for 1 hour.

Take out the meat loaf and serve warm.

Recipe contributed by David Slone. For more recipes that you can use at home or publish on your own website, ezine, newsletter or blog visit Good Cook dessert recipes. For more cooking resources visit Advantage Content Cooking and Recipes and Yummy Tummy Recipes

Another wide spread legend claims an Arabian was banished to the desert. He boiled and ate an unknown plant. He was able to survive in the desert on the plant. The residents of a town close by felt the survival was a religious sign. The plant was then named Mocha, after that town.

Few people realize the coffee plant originally grew only in Ethiopia. They wrapped it in animal fat to eat while on raids. It was transported to Arabia, it grew, and they controlled the market of it. The Turks then were the first to drink it. They added cinnamon and clove for a sweeter taste.

Coffee founds its way to Europe via the Venetian trade merchants. Rumors of the taste of coffee began to surface all over. The Arab’s keep an even tighter grip on the coffee plants. Christian’s began claiming coffee was the devil’s drink, similar to the monk story above. Pope Vincent III decided to try it. He enjoyed it very much. After that, talk of banishing the drink went away.

Soon after, coffee houses were built all over Europe. They became a popular place to hang out and drink coffee. It was in the 1700’s that coffee traveled to Americas. A French infantry captain took a small plant with him. That plant was cultivated, resulting in over 19 million coffee trees within 50 years. Coffee was declared the national drink of the United States in a protest of the excessive taxes on tea from Britain.

Today, millions of people enjoy their coffee throughout the day. Coffee comes in many brands and many flavors. You can buy ground coffee or coffee beans at most any grocery store. There are also gourmet coffees to choose from Businesses such as Starbuck’s Coffee are million dollar industries, offering you the convenience of coffee any way you want it.

Zack is the owner of http://www.coffeeinfor.blogspot.com providing quality free information on coffee. For more free report and article, click http://www.coffeeinfor.blogspot.com

There are several different flavors of coffee on the market today. It is easy to gather an assortment as a gift. It is fun to try new flavors of coffee, but not a luxury most of us afford ourselves. By giving them as a gift, you are going to make someone look forward to that first cup of coffee in the morning even more. A fun alternative is to give them a new coffee every month rather than all at once. The coffee of the month club membership will allow them to have a new coffee delivered to their home each month for a full year.

Creating a gift basket is a great coffee gift. You can fill the basket with their favorite coffee, add a couple of coffee cups, some fancy sugar, a few types of creamer, and you have a great basket of assessable coffee and condiments. You can go online to designyourownbasket.com. There you can select the items you would like to have in your coffee gift basket, and have it shipped as well.

There are gourmet coffee shops that specialize in shipping coffee gifts with special blends for you. Simply let them know what you are looking for and the amount of money you wish to spend. They will create a customized package to meet your specifications.

Some other simple coffee gift ideas include customized coffee cups. I got my mother in law one a few years back with the names of all her grandchildren on it. She uses it all the time. For those who enjoy getting their coffee on the run, a gift card to Starbucks is the perfect coffee gift.

As you can see, coffee comes in so many different varieties and with many accessories. Coffee gifts can be as simple or as unique as you would like them to be. They are a practical gift for that hard to buy for person or a boss you don’t know well, but always see with a full cup of coffee!

Zack is the owner of http://www.coffeeinfor.blogspot.com providing quality free information on coffee. For more free report and article, click http://www.coffeeinfor.blogspot.com

These methods were replaced by a mechanical grinder. This became popular because most people already used a mechanical grinder for their spices. The coffee was placed between two disks. One stationary, the other a moving disc. The moving of the disks resulted in grinding. This process is also known as milling. The milling style coffee grinder is available in many colors with many features. The price varies on the brand and the features you choose. Generally they are between $50 and $200.

Coffee grinders began being used commercially in the 1800’s. This was helpful for events with large groups of people who wanted coffee such as Church gatherings or fairs. Coffee grinders were also used commercially in the coffee houses that seemed to be sprouting up on every corner in town. These grinders were adjustable to make the size of the coffee whatever you wanted. The grinding blades could be brought closer together or further apart by tightening or loosening a screw. The innovation of the wall mount happened around this time to. While is seems like a small thing, the grinder no longer had to be held in your hand while you ground it.

Information was discovered about coffee during this milling process. The more friction that took place while grinding, the hotter the coffee bean would get. This changed the flavor of the coffee. If the ground coffee was uniform in size, brewing was easier. The finder the grind, the more flavor the coffee had. To make all this happen, grinding coffee by hand was replaced by a machine doing the work with the machine controlled by a person. This allowed the distributor to process the coffee it sold the same way every time.

This machine process led to big coffee plants producing large amounts of coffee. It was the beginning of tin cans of coffee being marketed. Ironically, the machines that were invented to make the coffee all taste the same began to change. This is because now the demand began for coffee that tasted different! People wanted a variety to choose from.

Some people still like to grind their own coffee. They know just how to make it to their liking. Most of us prefer to purchase our coffee already ground. There are many grocery stores that offer the choice of purchasing coffee beans, then grinding them in an electric machine right there in the store. No matter which way you enjoy your coffee, it all seems to start with the grinding process.

Zack is the owner of http://www.coffeeinfor.blogspot.com providing quality free information on coffee. For more free report and article, click http://www.coffeeinfor.blogspot.com

The first coffee machine was invented in 1818 by Mr. Laurens. The machine was continually modified over the years. New versions of the coffee machine continued to emerge until 1960. This is when the first paper filters for coffee machines were put into place. This simple change created an unbelievable increase in coffee machine sales. People had always wanted the product, but didn’t like the time it took to clean up and prepare with the cloth filters. The paper filter saves people time and hassle which makes the coffee machine more appealing.

Coffee machines have changed in design as well over the years. The early ones were just created to do the job; no one really cared what they looked like. Today’s coffee makers come in all colors and sizes to accessorize nicely in any kitchen or living room. There are also many different brands of coffee machines, as each has their own unique looks and design to attract consumers.

Mr. Coffee has been the leading coffee machine in the United States for centuries. This is because the company continually changes or adds new products to meet the needs of the consumer. Bunn coffee makers lead the industry in commercial coffee maker sales.

Zack is the owner of http://www.coffeeinfor.blogspot.com providing quality free information on coffee. For more free report and article, click http://www.coffeeinfor.blogspot.com

In 1890, the Manning-Bowman Percolator began being distributed in the United States. These percolators were linen with a cloth that had to be washed after each use. A paper filter was introduced in 1912. This made making and cleaning up of coffee much easier, and it increased in popularity. It wasn’t until 1960 that coffee pots with disposable filters began being used commercially.

The coffee maker industry hit it big in 1972, with the Mr. Coffee automatic drip process and disposable filter. Mr. Coffee is still the biggest selling coffee maker in the world. This is because Mr. Coffee has continually updated their product with the needs of the consumer. For example, in 1977 the price of coffee tripled. Mr. Coffee came out with a maker than used less coffee grounds, yet had the same great taste. The design stayed the same until 1979 when a timer was added. Now people could conveniently set their coffee to start brewing at a certain time each day.

Mr. Coffee added additional products to the popular coffee maker. 1989 was the introduction of the maker that only makes 4 cups in a pot. This was at the demand of people who consumed small amounts of coffee, but still wanted it to be fresh. The same year, Mr. Coffee introduced the first ice tea maker. Mrs. Tea followed suite in 1995, similar to Mr. Coffee, only for hot tea.

Coffee continues to be one of the most demanded products in the world. Regardless of how you like your coffee or where you purchase it from, coffee comes in a variety of flavors and with a variety of addings for individual flavor.

Zack is the owner of http://www.coffeeinfor.blogspot.com providing quality free information on coffee. For more free report and article, click http://www.coffeeinfor.blogspot.com

Cookware

There are many different types of cookware. This is where I do not skimp on price. Quality cookware will last a lifetime and is a worthwhile investment to make your home cooking experience enjoyable.

Cookware is manufactured with a variety of materials but my top three choices are cast aluminum, cast iron and stainless steel. Cast iron probably distributes and maintains heat the best. It is also the least costly of my three choices but it is also the hardest to care for. If properly maintained and seasoned it takes on an almost perfect nonstick finish and will last for years. Without proper maintenance it can discolor and rust. Stainless steel is extremely easy to maintain but does not distribute or hold heat as well as cast iron or aluminum. Stainless with a bonded aluminum bottom is an excellent choice. Cast aluminum is probably the best all around choice based on its properties. It spreads and holds heat almost as well as cast iron. It is lightweight and almost as easy to care for as stainless.

Cookware to have on hand

While the most cost effective way to buy cookware is to purchase sets it may not be necessary for everyone. You can always add pieces later. They may not match but functionality is more important than appearance for the Home Cook. Feel free to either add or eliminate pieces to this list as you see fit. If you are just starting out and are only cooking for one or two you most likely don’t need three saucepans. Always keep in mind that you can get specialty items as needed. In other words – if you don’t plan to bake pies for a while don’t buy pie pans.

• Sauce Pans 1, 2, & 3 Qt. With lids
• Stock Pot with lid 5 or 6 Qt.
• Skillets 6 in., 10 in., and a 12 or 14 in. preferably with lids especially for the large one.

I also have on hand a fourteen inch Wok type cast aluminum fry pan with a rounded bottom that I find extremely useful. I use it a couple of times a week for many dishes from stir fries to frying chicken. It is a heavy gauge aluminum for which I find many uses. Heck, I even used it once to make loud noises to chase a stray dog out of the yard.

Ovenware and Bake ware

For the oven what you need on hand just depends on what type of cooking you want to do and how many people you cook for in your home or on how much entertaining you intend to do. The list that follows is the minimum that I like to have available but my home cooking needs are limited to a family of three and a Chihuahua. My wife likes to bake a lot of cookies for the holidays so I keep at least 5 cookie sheets around for convenience.

For ovenware or bake ware I mostly stick to glass or porcelain coated cast iron except for cake pans and cookie sheets. There I prefer nonstick aluminum. I keep two loaf pans – one glass for meatloaf and one nonstick aluminum for things like carrot cake and zucchini bread.

• 1 Baking Dish 1 qt.
• 1 Baking Dish 1 ½ qt.
• 2 9in. cake pans
• 2 8 or 9in. pie pans
• 15 1/2×10 1/2×1 in. cookie sheet number depends on how much you like to bake cookies or dinner rolls. I recommend at least two.
• 9×5x3 in. loaf pans 1 glass and 1 aluminum

Knives

For your cutlery choose wisely. Go for quality over price. Cheap cutlery is no bargain. Choose either carbon steel or stainless steel. My preference is good, high quality stainless. It is easier to care for than carbon steel and holds its edge almost as well. Stay away form serrated knives with the exception of steak knives and maybe your bread knife. Serrated edges tend to tear raw foods rather than cut cleanly, especially with meat. Always sharpen your knives by hand with a stone or a butcher’s steel. Electric sharpeners will eventually ruin the edge. Also, when cutting with your knives always do it on a surface that is softer that your knife. I recommend a wooden cutting board at least one inch thick. A thickness of one inch will help to prevent warping. Be sure to clean the board thoroughly as soon as possible and dry it completely to prevent warping or cracking.

• Chef’s Knife – the one with the triangular blade – 7 to 14 inches long. I prefer one that is between 8 and 10 inches.
• Bread Knife – 8 to 10 inch – this is better if serrated because it takes less pressure to cut through fresh bread so there is less chance of crushing the loaf.
• Paring Knife for peeling and coring fruits and vegetables.
• Swivel bladed vegetable peeler – takes only the peel – a paring knife tends to take a little more of the pulp unless you are really skilled so use it mostly for coring.

Measuring Cups

Not much to say here. They are available in many varieties, both glass and plastic. I use only two. Both are glass as the markings are easier to see. Plastic is more opaque and the measurements are harder to read. Get one that measures up to one cup and one that measures up to two cups in glass with bright red markings.

Stocking Your Kitchen

While you could spend a small fortune to stock up on stuff you may use some day but will most likely throw out when it expires I think it is better to purchase a few basics and then buy other things as the need arises for specific recipes. In most instances fresh ingredients and spices are best but some processed and dry items are very handy for day-to-day home cooking. All other items can be picked up on an as need basis. The following list is what I keep on hand.

• Dry bread crumbs plain and Italian
• Corn Starch – a great thickening agent for gravies and stews
• All purpose flour
• Spaghetti
• Rice
• Baking soda – more for heartburn than for cooking. I buy baking powder as needed.
• Vegetable oil
• Olive oil
• Honey
• Syrup for pancakes
• Sugar – don’t buy powdered or brown sugar until you need it.

Spices

These are some basic spices and dried herbs that I keep on hand. Most others I will buy fresh as needed. Please remember that even these packaged spices lose potency over time. Plan on replacing any unused portions at least every two years and purchase the smallest bottle or jar you can. Be sure to store these items away from sunlight and heat.

• Ground Allspice
• Dried Basil
• Bay Leaves
• Chili Powder
• Cinnamon
• Cumin
• Dillweed
• Ginger
• Marjoram
• Dry Mustard
• Nutmeg – but only if you like French Toast or Egg Nog a lot.
• Oregano
• Paprika
• Salt and Pepper
• Rosemary
• Tarragon – I like this herb in a lot of things, spaghetti, omelets, whatever, I even found a recipe for liver with a Mustard and Tarragon Cream Sauce the I like much more than liver and onions.
• Thyme

Condiments and Sauces and Coffee and Stuff

This is a personal preference so I won’t make many suggestions. You know if you like catsup and mustard and not mayo. I like mustard. I keep a variety of different prepared mustards on hand for different purposes. Dijon, Spicy Brown, & Hot Sweet Mustard for things like crackers and cheese Southwestrn Mustard for Chorizo Sausage, & regular Yellow Mustard for hot dogs and burgers. Pickle relish should definitely be on your list if you like hot dogs. Other condiments like taco sauce, seafood sauce, tartar sauce, or any other specialty items just depend on your personnal preference. Their are just too many special items to list here.

Coffee is also a personnal choice. I like a medium roast and drink it “black and nasty”. Coffee is available in many roasts and grinds. You can also get many specialty blends like Mocha and Latte as instant coffee. Some of them are quite good and add a little positive note when served after dinner when you are entertaining.

I like salads. Sometimes I prefer to make my own dressings but I do not always have the time. When I purchase prepared salad dressings I do tend to stay away from store brands which I think tend to be a little bland. You do not have to buy the most expensive to get a good dressing. Check out a few brands to see what suits your taste. As with most things in Home Cooking experiment until you find what works for you and your family.