Persimmon Cookies

Plink! Plink! Plink! I can hear the rain falling outside my living room window. What started out as a soft pitter-patter is now a full fledge symphony of raindrops hitting the glass and street. The air outside smells so earthy and clean. I think it's called petrichor...the scent that is, I read that somewhere once. I don't remember where. Anyhow, inside my cozy cottage, it still smells spicy...almost autumnal, from the persimmon cookies I baked this week. The aroma has been lingering, enveloping me each time I walk into the cottage. I don't mind, it's kind of a comforting smell.

My friend Dawn gave me a large sack of persimmons about a month ago. She had a tree that was overflowing with a bounty of persimmons according to her. Her generosity was much appreciated. I've slowly been using them up in various recipes as the mood strikes. I even puréed some and froze it, to be used in upcoming baked goods. One of the persimmon recipes I've made during my "Persimmon-fest" was a cookie recipe from a book that I had laying around called, Tate's Bake Shop Cookbook. If memory serves me correctly, I won it in a contest a few years ago. The recipe itself is simple enough and uses common spices that most of us have in our cupboard. So far everyone I gave some cookies to has enjoyed them immensely. The recipe called for Hachiya persimmons which I find a bit astringent in taste, I used Fuyu persimmons (the flat bottomed, squat ones).  I also subbed in pecans for the walnuts but other than that I followed the recipe as printed. The cookies have a subtle sweet persimmon taste which is balanced by the tartness from the dried cranberries. They're also more cakey than crunchy, so if you enjoy cookies of the cakey nature these will be right up your alley.

Enjoy and stay warm!

Persimmon Cookies (slightly adapted from Tate's Bake Shop Cookbook)

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups Fuyu persimmon pulp (roughly 2-3 soft persimmons)
1/2 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground clove
1 cup pecans, chopped fine
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two baking sheets or line with Silpat.

2. Remove the stems and seeds of the persimmons, cut in chunks (no need to peel) and purée in a food processor until it's smooth.  * Be sure to use soft persimmons.

3. Cream the butter and both sugars until it's nice and creamy. Add in the orange zest, egg, vanilla and puréed persimmons. Mix well. Then add in the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Mix well. Finally, add in your pecans and dried cranberries. Then guess what? You got it- mix well (also scrape down the sides of the bowl so that all the flour, etc. gets incorporated).

4. Drop the dough on your prepared cookie sheets. Roughly two tablespoons worth. The dough will be soft and kind of sticky, that's ok.

5. Bake for 15-25 minutes depending on the size of your cookies. Mine took about 17 minutes.

6. Remove from oven. Allow to cool. Serve.

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Pudina Chutney

Ingredients :

• 1 bunch of  mint leaves
• small bunch of coriander leaves
• 4-5 Green Chillies
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp Sugar
• Salt to taste
  

Method :
 Clean and wash both leaves. In mixture grind all ingredients together .

Store ready chutney in airtight container. 

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Kiraku : Japanese Tavern and Tapas

2566 Telegraph Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704. (510) 848-2758
http://www.kirakuberkeley.com
Kiraku is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays

I recently blogged about my day trip to Berkeley to visit the Takara Sake Factory; well, on the way home my friend Misa and I stopped at a wonderful little restaurant run by a Japanese couple (Daiki and Sanae Saito) called Kiraku. Kiraku (which means relaxed or comfortable) is not your typical Japanese restaurant like you'd find in Sacramento, it's an izakaya. I hear that term tossed about often but a true izakaya is an informal drinking establishment or tavern that serves small dishes called otsumami (snacks similar to tapas) to munch on while you knock back some (or a lot of) sake and beer. The drinking is supposed to be the main focus. The general vibe at an izakaya is casual, friendly and loud.

We were lucky that we showed up 15 minutes prior to when Kiraku opened for dinner. Even on a Sunday night, they filled up within 5 minutes and there was a lengthy line the entire time we were there. Once seated, we were given an oshibori (a hot, wet washcloth) to clean our hands with, which felt quite refreshing. To start,  Misa ordered some shōchū and I went with a small bottle of sake. Then we explored the menu...there was such a wide variety of interesting sounding dishes that it was really hard to decide. (Don't go expecting giant sushi rolls stuffed with cream cheese and drenched in mayo-sauce or monster-sized bowls of uber-sweet teriyaki chicken.) You won't find that at Kiraku. They have a standard menu as well as a separate sheet with the seasonal items to choose from. Many of the dishes were salty, crunchy or savory- just like what you would expect bar food to be, whilst other dishes are quite adventurous. Izakaya portion sizes are generally small, so we decided to order several dishes and share. For someone like me who loves to take a little bite here and there of several dishes during a restaurant visit, izakayas are my Disneyland. We ordered our food in rounds, 2 dishes here, 3 dishes there and so on...giving us time to savor the flavors and catch up on our girl talk.

For our first round, we indulged in:

Lotus Root Chips with Celery Salt

Albacore Tataki with Ponzu Sauce- The albacore was lightly seared, sliced into thin strips and tossed with small bits of red onion, tomato and scallions. There were hints of citrus and ginger, giving the dish a nice, clean taste that woke up my taste buds.

Spicy Jellyfish Salad- I loved this dish. The jellyfish was crisp and there was just a hint of spiciness. I'm pretty sure I tasted some sesame oil in there too. (I really want to recreate this dish at home.)

Our second round choices were a bit heavier. We shared a pint of Asahi (on tap) along with a plate of deep fried chicken cartilage. This is the perfect bar food...little, dark brown, seasoned, fried poppers of cartilage. Mmm! They're quite addicting. Maybe I'll make some for Superbowl Sunday?

Then we sampled some smoked pickles (iburi gakko) imported from Akita, pickled Takana leaves (Japanese mustard greens) and tiny fermented firefly squids. The pickles (carrots and daikon) had a nice deep smoky taste to them and I loved the saltiness of the Takana leaves but both Misa and I were not fans of the fermented squid. To me it was extremely pungent and tasted...umm...inky and dank. That's the best that I can describe it.

To get the squid taste out of our mouths, we moved to the corn tempura sprinkled with green tea salt. I had heard a lot of raves about this fun dish and wanted to check it out. It was okay, it reminded me of a funnel cake made from sweet corn niblets. It also kind of looked a bit like a bumpy fritter.

For our final heavy dish, we shared a skewer of grilled beef tongue with a yuzu miso sauce. Although simple, I liked this one. It reminded me of the yakitori stands in Japan. The meat was velvety (heavy, but tender) and the sauce wasn't overly salty.

To cleanse our palate and balance out our meal, we ordered a plate of the snapper sashimi. It was delicious- cut perfectly, super fresh and delicate. A little dish of heaven.

At this point we were thinking of ordering dessert but a dish that was en route to another table caught Misa's eye, so we had a plate of tatami iwashi (sheets of dried baby sardines). It was unusual - crunchy, thin like paper and had a mildly fishy taste. A ramekin of Kewpie accompanied it for dipping.

We closed out with two of Kiraku's fantastic desserts. Misa ordered their green tea ice cream with warabi mochi. I wasn't familiar with warabi mochi and I later learned that it's made from bracken starch instead of glutinous rice like regular mochi is. Her warabi mochi was dusted with matcha powder. I had a bite, it had a soft, grassy taste to it that was pleasant. I opted for the roasted tea blanc-manger. Oh my goodness...I seriously think this is one of my all time favorite desserts. It's the perfect choice if you prefer savory over sweet. The roasted tea flavor is subtle and the creamy custard part is silky smooth like a panna cotta. There's also a dab of whipped cream, anko (red bean paste) and tapioca pearls on top to make the dish look pretty and add added flavor.

 

 
I'm totally in love with Kiraku. The food was presented so beautifully and there was such an array of amazing flavors and inventive dishes. Service at this gem was also fast and friendly, our waitress was zooming around like Mighty Mouse all night. It definitely exceeded my expectations and I'll be going back and bringing Mr.S. Oh! They even have a bottle keep system for sake and shōchū, where you can order a big bottle and they hang on to the unfinished amount for you until your next visit (one month for sake, shōchū for three months). I wish we had something like Kiraku in Sacramento. It's the perfect late night hangout- good food, good drink and a laid-back atmosphere. Maybe just a smidge cheaper would be nice.

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7 Manfaat Mengagumkan Kubis Bagi Kesehatan Tubuh Anda

     Kubis merupakan salah satu jenis sayur-sayuran yang sering menghiasi setiap menu masakan harian setiap orang. Sebagian orang menggunakan kubis sebagai bahan lalapan (pelengkap dari berbagai makanan yang dikonsumsi). Karena termasuk kedalam jenis sayur mayur, maka tak mengherankan kubis juga mengandnng berbagai zat atau kandungan yang bermanfaat untuk meningkatkan kesehata tubuh manusia. Banyak Sekali manfaat luar biasa kubis bagi kesehatan anda. Lalu, apa saja manfaat mengagumkan kubis bagi kesehatan tubuh tersebut...???

    Sahabat, tips kesehatan. Kubis atau kol merupakan jenis sayuran yang sebagian besar daunnya bewarna hijau pucat dengan bentuk bulat serta lonjong. Sayuran ini lebih nikmat disantap saat mentah sebagai lalapan. Meskipun begitu, tidak sedikit dari kita yang mengolahnya menjadi satu masakan yang tak kalah lezatnya. Memulai menghidangkan kubis ke dalam menu makanan harian merupakan langkah besar untuk gaya hidup sehat di zaman modern. Ini dikarenakan, banyak sekali manfaat yang dapat kita peroleh dari kubis tersebut. Tips kesehatan, berikut ini 7 manfaat mengagumkan kubis bagi kesehatan tubuh anda :

1. Memperkuat Sistem Imun Tubuh. Faktanya, kubis merupakan sumber vitamin C yang dibutuhkan oleh tubuh anda. Kandungan vitamin C dari kubis lebih besar dari buah jeruk. Jadi, mengkonsumsi kubis dapat menjaga dan meningkatkan sistem kekebalan tubuh yang anda miliki.
2. Menyehatkan Organ Pencernaan. Faktanya, kubis merupakan jenis sayuran yang merupakan sumber serat yang tinggi. Oleh karena itulah, kubis dapat membantu menjaga kesehatan organ pencernaan serta menghindarkan dari gejala susah buang air besar atau sembelit.
3. Penangkal Kanker Yang Efektif. Faktanya, kubis mengadung sumber antioksidan yang cukup tinggi. Antioksidan dalam kubis inilah yang mampu menjaga tubuh dari berbagai radikal bebas yang dapat mengakibatkan penyakit kanker. Fakta lainnya, wanita dianjurkan untuk mengkonsumsi kubis untuk meminimalisir kanker payudara yang bisa membahayakan para wanita tersebut.
4. Nutrisi Untuk Mata Anda. Faktanya, kubis mengandung sumber nutrisi yang bernama beta karoten. Beta karoten ini dapat membantu mempertajam daya lihat mata sekaligus menangkal katarak dan mencegah penurunan daya lihat orang yang sudah tua.
5. Penurun Berat Badan Yang Alami. Faktanya, kubis mengandung berbagai vitamin, mineral dan berbagai nutrisi yang dibutuhkan oleh tubuh serta rendah kalori. Jadi, Sayuran kubis akan lebih efektif bagi seseorang yang ingin menurunkan berat badannya secara alami.
6. Salah Satu Makanan Bagi Otak. Faktanya, kubis khususnya kubis merah mengandung vitamin K serta antosianin yang akan menutrisi organ otak. Kedua zat tersebut dapat membantu meningkatkan konsentrasi di otak lebih baik. Selain itu, vitamin K dapat menghindarkan seseorang dari penyakit Alzheimer dan demensia.
7. Sayuran Terbaik Untuk Tulang Anda. Faktanya, kubis mengandung sumber mineral antara lain kalsium, magnesium serta potasium. Aneka mineral dalam kubis inilah yang membuatnya sangat baik untuk mencukupi kebutuhan nutrisi tulang serta mencegah terjadinya osteoporosis atau pengeroposan tulang. 

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        Demikianlah tips kesehatan yng membahas 7 manfaat mengagumkan kubis bagi kesehatan tubuh anda. Semoga bermanfaat bagi pembaca semua.

 Sumber : organicfacts. Image courtesy of SOMMAI / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Sol Kadhi / Kokam Curry

Kokam is the dried skin of a fruit related to mangosteens.The outer cover of fruit is dried in the sun to get Aamsul or Kokam/Kokum. It is used as a slightly sour spice in recipes that yields peculiar taste and dark red colour. It is a preferred substitute for tamarind in curries and other dishes from Kokan. It is very abundant in the west coast region of India and hence an integral part of Konkani cuisine.

Ingredients :

•  4-5 kokum peels
• ½ coconut shredded (to extract coconut milk)/coconut milk
• 3 cups water
• 2-3 garlic pods
• 2 green chillies (increase if you like it spicy)
• A pinch of Asafoetida
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp Sugar
• 1 tbsp Ghee / purified butter
• 2 tsp finely chopped coriander leaves
• salt

Method :

Boil the kokum peels with half the water for about 5 minutes. Remove the peels and keep the juice aside. To make the coconut milk, blend together the coconut, garlic pods and green chillies along with water and make a thick paste. Pass this through the sieve and save the extracted milk. Note: you can use readily available coconut milk instead of this.
Now in a deep vessel heat ghee and make a tadka of  mustard seeds, asafoetida,.Then add coconut milk and kokam juice and sugar.  Warm it up a bit but do not boil. Put off the heat. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and Serve hot or cold. Note :This dish is never boiled as the sour kokum separates the coconut milk into globules which look unappetizing.

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Scallops and Baby Bok Choy with Miso Sauce

Mr.S. and I love scallops and I don't mean the nasty frozen ones that are injected with water and sodium tripolyphosphate  (STP is a preservative that plumps them up and makes them weigh more). Sunh Fish is within walking distance from my cottage so I able to get them nice and fresh on a pretty regular basis. Our favorite go to scallop recipe is just searing them in some clarified butter in a cast iron skillet, 2 minutes on each side- no poking or touching. They get that nice caramelized crust like you see in restaurants. Last night though I thought I'd try something a little different, so I made this recipe I came across in Bon Appetit- Scallops with Bok Choy and Miso. It turned out quite tasty but next time I'd change 2 things in the preparation. I'd drizzle the sauce on instead of pouring it over the scallops and bok choy as it's pretty strong and I would sear the scallops in clarified butter instead of cooking them in oil as the recipe suggests (I couldn't get that nice seared crust using the oil). Also, I added some sesame seeds for a little extra oomph. Still the final product was pretty solid. I would probably make this again with the above modifications. It's a pretty easy weeknight dinner to throw together. I served it with a side of couscous mixed with maitake mushrooms, sliced green onions and minced garlic.

By the way, if you've never used miso before, don't be intimidated. It's just soy beans mixed with rice or barley, sea salt and a starter called koji then fermented.  Miso paste is very versatile and you can use it in soups, vinaigrettes, pickling vegetables and even as a marinade. It's high in protein, vitamin K and vitamin B12. It has kind of an earthy, salty taste in my opinion. There's several different kinds of miso: white (shiro), red (aka), mixed miso (awase), brown (genmai) and yellow (shinshu). Shiro miso is the mildest and is what I tend to usually buy at the Japanese market.

Scallops and Baby Bok Choy with Miso Sauce

Ingredients

1 tablespoon yellow miso

1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon mirin

1/4 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (I used a microplane)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil, divided

5 baby bok choys, sliced lengthwise

1 dozen large sea scallops, patted dry

fresh ground pepper

1 tablespoon black and white sesame seeds

Instructions

1.  Whisk yellow miso, seasoned rice vinegar, mirin and grated ginger in a bowl. Set aside.

2. In a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and 1/4 teaspoon of sesame oil over medium-high heat. Place your cut baby bok choy in the pan, cut side down. Allow to cook for a few minutes then flip. The bok choy will wilt slightly and get a few brown spots. Remove bok choy from pan and place on plates, cover to keep warm.

3. Sprinkle your scallops with fresh ground pepper. Skip salting them as the miso is salty. Add the remaining vegetable oil and sesame oil to the pan. Place scallops in pan. Cook about 1.5 to 2 minutes each side. Place scallops on plate.

4. Add the miso mixture you whisked to the pan. Warm it up. Add a tablespoon of water if it's too thick for your liking. Use a spoon and drizzle over scallops and baby bok choy.

5. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Original version of the recipe:  Bon Appetit 

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Egg Biryani

Ingredients :

• 2 cups Cooked Basmati rice
• 6 Eggs
• 1 finely chopped Onion
• 1 onion cut into thin slices for garnishing
• 2 tsp Ginger Garlic paste
• 2 finely chopped Green chili
• 3 Cloves
• 4-5 Black pepper
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 Brown (big) cardamom
• 2 Green cardamom
• 1 tsp Red chili powder -
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
  
• 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
  
• 2 Cinnamon sticks
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
  
• 3-4 tbsp Vegetable oil
• Salt to taste
• Chopped coriander leaves 
• Water

Method :

 Heat oil in a pan.

Add cumin seeds, green and brown cardamom, cinnamon sticks, cloves, black pepper and the bay leaves.Fry for a minute.

 Reduce the heat.Add sliced onion, green chili, ginger garlic paste and fry until light golden brown.

Add red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt. Mix well.

Add cooked rice , Slowly toss the rice upside down nd mix well.

Meanwhile keep three eggs for boiling.

Take the remaining three eggs and beat in a bowl. Add salt to it and beat again.Heat 1tbsp oil  in a pan. Pour the beaten eggs. Continuously stir it and cook until golden brown.

Once you are done with the rice. Fry thin strips of onion in oil till golden brown.Then add this onion and add the scrambled eggs to the rice .  Mix and slowly mix it taking care that you do not break the rice grains.

Put the rice in the centre of the serving plate Cut the boiled eggs into rings (thin slices). Arrange in the corners of the serving dish plate..Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

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7 Manfaat Mengejutkan Anggur Yang Tak Pernah Di Duga

      Sahabat, tips kesehatan. Anggur merupakan salah satu jenis buah-buahan yang nikmat dan lezat dikonsumsi setiap orang. Disamping itu, buah ini mudah didapatkan meskipun dengan harga yang relatif mahal bagi sebagian masyarakat kita. Anggur ini dapat tumbuh subur pada musim kemarau atau pada tempat-tempat yang memiliki intensitas curah hujan yang rendah. Manfaat anggur bagi kesehatan sebenarnya sangat luar biasa, namun ketidaktahuan akan khasiatnya. menjadikan buah anggur belum menjadi salah satu bua favorit kita. Lalu, apa saja manfaat mengejutkan anggur yang tak pernah diduga tersebut...???

      Mengkonsumsi buah-buahan merupakan salah satu pola hidup sehat yang dapat dipraktekkan dalam kehidupan sehari-hari. Jadi tidak akan ada ruginya menyisihkan sebagian penghasilan bulanan untuk membeli aneka jenis buah atau mengisi lemari es dengan buah-buahan khususnya anggur. Ada berbagai manfaat yang dapat diperoleh dari buah anggur untuk meningkatkan kesehatan tubuh seseorang Tips kesehatan, berikut ini manfaat mengejutkan buah anggur yang tak pernah di duga :

1. Melindungi Organ Jantung Anda. Buah anggur mengandung resveratrol yang berfungsi untuk menurunkan resiko serangan jantung yang dapat menyerang anda sewaktu-waktu. Disamping itu, resveratrol dapat berperan meningkatkan pelebaran pada pembuluh darah. Sehingga darah dapat mudah mengalir lancar keseluruh organ tubuh anda.
2. Terhindar Dari Kanker Kulit. Aktivitas maupun pekerjaan kadang memaksa tubuh harus terpapar sinar matahari dalam waktu yang relatif lama. Sinar UVB yang berasal dari matahari akan beresikon menyebabkan kanker pada kulit. Kandungan resveratrol pada anggur dapat melindungi kulit dari bahaya kanker kulit.
3. Meningkatkan Kemampuan Berpikir Pada Otak. Resveratrol yang terkandung dalam buah anggur dapat membantu meningkatkan aliran darah yang menuju ke otak. Sehingga kemampuan berpikir dan bertindak pada diri seseorang akan lebih cepat.
4. Efektif Dalam Melawan Diabetes. Mengkonsumsi buah anggur yang kaya resveratrol mampu menurunkan kadar gula dalam darah sebesar 10 persen. Kabar baik tentunya bagi yang ingin terhindar dari penyakit diabetes.
5. Menurunkan Kadar Kolesterol Anda. Ini dikarenakan, buah anggur mengandung pterostibene yaitu senyawa yang berperan penting dalam menurunkan kadar kolesterol jahat dalam darah yang dapat membahayakan kesehatan tubuh anda.
6. Penangkal Penyakit Asma. Dengan rutin mengkonsumsi buah anggur dapat menghindarkan serta mengobati asma dengan cara yang sehat dan alami.
7. Mempercepat Pemulihan Otot Secara Efektif. Bagi olahragawan maupun seseorang yang cukup sibuk tentu mengalami berbagai masalah pada ototnya. Buah anggur mengandung sumber antioksidan yang membantu pemulihan otot secara cepat dan lebih efektif sekaligus alami. 

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       Demikianlah tips kesehatan yang mengulas 7 manfaat mengejutkan anggur yang tak pernah di duga. Semoga bermanfaat bagi pembaca semua.

Sumber : care2, stylecraze. Image courtesy of xedos4 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Potage Parmentier (Potato Leek Soup)

George Sterling, an American poet, once described San Francisco as, "[t]he city of cool grey love." I love that description and I've always been enamored with San Francisco- its rolling fog, Painted Ladies, and its effortless intermingling of bohemian vibrance and tech industry sterility. The city has an amazing soul that you can't help but let permeate you when you visit. I feel like I never run out of places to see...and the restaurants...the sheer number of cuisines available! Burmese, Senegalese, French, Egyptian, Portuguese, etc....not to mention some of the best dim sum and burritos I've ever had. The City by the Bay also has a phenomenal performing arts scene. I don't get into the city to see plays or musicals often but when I do, I'm usually impressed. Last week, I had the opportunity to take BART in and see The Book of Mormon at the Orpheum. BOM is probably one of the most hilarious musicals I've ever seen. From start to finish, the production had the audience in stitches. If you get the chance to catch it somewhere, do so. You'll love it! (And you'll never look at missionaries the same way again.)

That little trek into SF made me yearn a bit for some chilly, foggy weather. (It's been a pretty warm winter here in Sacramento.) Usually this time of the year, I'm snuggled up with warm blankets, drinking some hot tea and reading a good book or watching a movie; and of course, cooking hearty pots of liquid comfort (aka soup). Anyhow, I wasn't going to give up my soup season; so this weekend, I decided to make a big pot of potato-leek soup. It was the perfect way to pay homage to the winter produce at the local farmers' market. Now since I'm trying to lose a few lbs., I did omit the heavy cream and sub in milk instead. It still came out great. The result was a velvety, humble potage that was deeply satisfying. So what if it was almost 70 degrees outside? It still hit the spot.

Potage Parmentier  (Potato Leek Soup)
 
Ingredients

2-3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large leeks (white and green part only)
1 small yellow onion, quartered then sliced into strips
5-6 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into a 1/2 inch dice
4 cups chicken stock
2 Bay leaves
1 teaspoon marjoram
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 cup whole milk
Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper


Instructions

1. First you want to slice and clean your leeks. They're sandy little suckers so you want to make sure you get all the grit out. If you've never worked with leeks before, here's an easy tutorial:

 

First, cut off the dark green part. We're not using it. You can keep it to make stock with or just chuck it- your call.  Then slice your leeks (the white and light green parts) lengthwise.

Next, slice the leeks into little half-moons.

Throw the sliced leeks into a colander or better yet the basket of your salad spinner. Place the basket in the bowl. Fill it with water. Give it a couple of good swirls with your hand. The leeks will float to the top and the grit will fall to the bottom. Pull the basket out. Dispose of the water and grit. Use the spinner to get rid of any excess water.

 

 

2. In a large heavy-bottomed pot or a Dutch oven, heat your butter over med-high heat. Add your onions and garlic. Let them cook a bit, about 3-4 minutes. Then add your leeks. Sprinkle a little salt. Gently sauté the onion, garlic and leek mixture for about 5-8 minutes until the mixture gets soft and slightly translucent.

 

3. Add your potatoes and chicken broth.

 

4. Bring the mixture to a boil. Then reduce heat to a simmer.

 

5. Add your bay leaves, marjoram, white pepper and thyme. Cover and let it cook for about 20-30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.

 

6. Remove the bay leaves. Use your immersion (hand) blender to blend. For a chunkier soup, just blend about 1/2 of the soup. For a creamier version, blend the whole pot.

 

7. Add in your milk and season with salt and fresh ground pepper. Stir well. Taste, make adjustments if needed.

 

* (If you want your soup on the super thin side, you can always add a little more milk.)

 

8. Serve in bowls, hot. Garnish with croutons or fresh chopped chervil. Goes great with a loaf of crusty bread.

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7 Makanan Alami Untuk Melancarkan Sirkulasi Darah Anda

      Sahabat, tips kesehatan. Tubuh yang senantiasa sehat menjadi harapan semua orang di planet bumi ini. Berbagai pola hidup sehat menjadi hal yang wajib dilakukan dalam rutinitas harian setiap individu di semua usia. Gaya hidup sehat sebenarnya terbilang mudah, jika seseorang rajin berolahraga serta mengkonsumsi aneka makanan sehat, maka tubuh akan mengalami peningkatan kesehatan yang lebih baik pula. Berbicara tentang makanan yang sehat, ternyata ada berbagai jenis makanan yang dapat membantu meningkatkan sirkulasi darah yang mengalir keseluruh tubuh anda. Lalu, makanan alami apa saja yang dapat memperlancar sirkulasi darah tersebut....???

     Darah menjadi salah satu cairan yang memiliki fungsi vital dalam tubuh setiap mahkluk hidup termasuk manusia. Darah yang mengalir didalam tubuh membawa oksigen serta sari-sari makanan keseluruh organ-organ dalam tubuh. Agar cairan yang bernama darah dapat mengalir mulus keseluruh bagian tubuh, kita harus menjaga agar proses sirkulasi darah dapat berlangsung lancar dan baik. Faktanya, ada berbagai jenis makanan yang membantu melancarkan sirkulasi darah didalam tubuh, Tips kesehatan, berikut ini 7 makanan alami melancarkan sirkulasi darah anda :

1. Buah Jeruk. Tentu buah ini tidak asing dilidah setiap orang. Buah yang menjadi sumber vitamin C tersebut dapat mencegah pengumpalan darah, membantu memperkuat dinding kapiler serta mencegah plak pada arteri.
2. Bawang Putih. Bawang Putih menjadi salah satu rempah-rempahan yang juga merupakan salah satu bumbu dapur untuk melezatkan berbagai masakan. Selain itu, bawang putih juga mampu membersihkan darah serta berperan penting untuk pencegahan plak pada dinding arteri.
3. Aneka Buah Merah. Buah merah tersebut antara lain semangka, tomat serta apel merah. Kandungan likopen dalam ketiga buah tersebut bermanfaat dalam meningkatkan sirkulasi darah yang berlangsung ditubuh anda.
4. Ikan Salmon. Jenis ikan ini memililki kandungan asam lemak omega 3 yang berperan besar dalam meningkatkan sirkulasi darah yang akan dialirkan keseluruh bagian tubuh.
5. Buah Alpukat. Selain kaya akan kandungan serat yang dibutuhkan tubuh, ternyata alpukat juga mengandung asam lemak omega 3 yang juga memiliki fungsi untuk membantu memperlancar aliran sirkulasi darah di tubuh.
6. Cokelat Hitam. Makanan ini kaya akan kandungan flavanoid yang dibutuhkan oleh tubuh anda. Salah satu fnngsi flavonoid yaitu membantu memperlancar sirkulasi darah yang akan didistribusikan ke seluruh bagian organ tubuh.
7. Jahe. Jahe merupakan salah satu tanaman obat keluarga yang sudah dipercaya sejak lama memiliki khasiat yang luar biasa dalam alternatif obat alami. Ternyata, salah satu manfaat jahe juga dapat membantu melancarkan sirkulasi darah pada tubuh.

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       Demikianlah tips kesehatan yang membahas 7 makanan alami untuk melancarkan sirkulasi darah anda. Semoga bermanfaat untuk pembaca semua

Sumber : revitive, livestrong. Image courtesy of africa / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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7 Rahasia Untuk Meraih Kesehatan Tubuh Secara Maksimal

     Kesehatan menjadi satu kata yang paling banyak mendapat perhatian dari semua manusia di seluruh tingkatan usia khususnya didunia maya. Di Search engine google saja terdapat 59 juta hasil pencarian, ketika seseorang mengetikkan kata "kesehatan" pada 17 Januari 2014. Berdasarkan data tersebut, maka dapat di tarik kesimpulan bahwa semakin banyak penduduk bumi yang mulai peduli untuk menjaga kesehatan tubuhnya. Mungkin tak pernah disadari oleh semua orang, bahwa banyak sekali rahasia yang terkandung didalam kata tersebut khususnya untuk tubuh anda. Lalu, apa saja rahasia untuk meraih kesehatan tubuh secara maksimal....???

     Sahabat, tips kesehatan. Hampir dapat dipastikan bahwa tujuan seseorang mengetikkan kata "kesehatan" yaitu mereka atau anda menginginkan mendapat berbagai informasi maupun berbagai tips yang sangat berguna untuk meningkatkan kesehatan tubuh dan jiwanya. Maka dari itulah, tips kesehatan akan mencoba mengupas berbagai hal yang terkait dengan kesehatan itu sendiri khususnya berbagai tips yang dapat menjaga dan meningkatkan kesehatan tubuh yang anda miliki. Tips kesehatan, berikut ini berbagai rahasia untuk meraih kesehatan tubuh secara maksimal :

1. Mulailah dengan menjaga daya tahan tubuh anda. Tujuannya agar tubuh tidak mudah terserang berbagai penyakit. Sehingga semua aktivitas maupun pekerjaan dapat berjalan lancar dan sesuai yang diharapkan. Ada berbagai cara yang dapat anda lakukan seperti istirahat yang cukup setiap harinya, selalu berpikiran positif, rajin berolahraga pagi, mengkonsumsi makanan yang bersih dari kuman, virus dan bakteri, tidak berlebihan saat makan, penuhi makanan berserat serta mencukupi kebutuhan vitamin D yang dibutuhkan oleh tubuh anda.
2. Matikan Lampu Kamar Saat Mulai Tidur Di Malam Hari. Ini dikarenakan, Ada sebuah hormon melatoni didalam tubuh yang akan berproduksi saat tidur dimalam hari. Hormon melatonin tersebut berkaitan erat dengan sistem imun tubuh yang anda miliki. Fungsi hormon tersebut dapat membantu tubuh dalam melawan berbagai serangan penyakit yang menyerang tubuh seseorang.
3. Penuhi Nutrisi Yang Dbutuhkan Oleh Organ Otak. Berbagai hal atau tips untuk menyehatkan tubuh harus dilakukan setiap hari. Jika kemampuan otak dalam hal mengingatkan pola hidup sehat sangat lemah, tentu dapat menurunkan kesehatan tubuh secara perlahan pula. Berbagai makanan dapat membantu mencerdaskan otak  seperti ikan, buah pisang, sayur bayam, telur, alpukat, brokoli serta cokelat. 
4. Jangan Membiarkan Rasa Capek Selalu Menimpa Tubuh Anda. Berbagai gangguan kesehatan dikhwatirkan akan muncul akibat rasa capek yang tidak ditangani dengan serius. Berbagai tips dapat anda praktekkan agar tubuh tidak mudah merasa capek seperti jangan lupa untuk sarapan pagi, jangan menunda jam makan, serta selalu memenuhi segala nurtisi yang dibutuhkan oleh tubuh setiap hari.
5. Kontrol Tingkat Sres Ke Tingkat Yang Terendah. Berbagai masalah hidup dapat memicu tingkat stres terus meningkat. Tingkat stres yang tinggi tentu berdampak besar pula terhadap kesehatan tubuh dan jiwa seseorang. Ada berbagai tips yang dapat menghilangkan tingkat stres tersebut seperti rajin berolahraga di pagi hari, berpikiran positif pada semua masalah hidup yang anda alami, bertamasya saat libur kerja serta jangan melakukan berbagai pekerjaan dalam satu waktu secara bersamaan.
6. Minum Air Putih Di Pagi Hari. Memulai pagi hari dengan minum air putih mungkin menjad salah satu kebiasaan yang terabaikan dalam keseharian anda.Tahukah anda, bahwa membiasakan untuk minum air putih dipagi hari akan berdampak besar dalam meningkatkan kesehatan tubuh anda. Berbagai manfaat yang dapat diperoleh dari minum air putih dipagi hari yaitu terlihat lebih awet muda, menyehatkan usus besar, meningkatkan kesehatan organ ginjal serta memperlancar buang air besar dipagi hari.
7. Sempatkanlah Untuk Tidur Siang Hari Dengan Rutin. Istirahat siang atau lebih dikenal dengan sebutan tidur siang tentu menjadi hal yang menyenangkan bagi sebagian orang. Tapi terdapat manfaat yang lebih besar berkaitan dengan kesehatan terhadap tidur siang yang anda lakukan. Manfaat tidur siang tersebut yaitu meningkatkan daya ingat otak, membantu menurunkan tingkat stres pada pikiran serta menyehatkan organ jantung. Tidur siang yang dianjurkan yaitu berkisar 20 - 40 menit setiap hari.

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• 7 Makanan Alami Untuk Melancarkan Sirkulasi Darah Anda  
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        Demikianlah tips kesehatan yang mengulas 7 rahasia untuk meraih kesehatan tubuh secara maksimal. Semoga bermanfaat untuk pembaca semua.

Sumber : intips-kesehatan. Image courtesy of stockimages / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Mark Your Calendars: Sacramento Food Events

Photos Source

Jan. 19-26: Sacramento Baconfest  
http://www.baconfestsac.com/

Jan. 20-21: 45th Anniversary of Old Spaghetti Factory. They're rolling back the prices to $4 and $5
http://www.osf.com/

Jan. 23: Bike Dog Tap Takeover at Broderick w/ Bacon Pairings
http://www.broderick1893.com/
http://www.bikedogbrewing.com/

Jan. 23: Berryessa Gap's Big Pots, Big Reds Dinner
http://www.berryessagap.com/News---Events/Events

Jan. 24: The Art of Beer Invitational
http://artofbeerinvitational.com/

Jan. 31: Naturalist Nouvelle Dinner by Tree House
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/553548

Feb. 8: 25th Annual Sweet Potato Festival
http://www.svsncnw.org/#!events/c66t

Feb. 8: Vietnamese Tet Festival
http://sacramentofoodways.com/event/vietnamese-new-year-tet-outdoor-festival/

Feb. 19-20: Food Processing Expo
http://clfp.com/

Feb. 22: Carnaval
http://www.braziliancentersac.org/carnaval.html

Feb .27-Mar.9: Sacramento Beer Festival
http://sacramentobeerweek.com/

Mar. 10-11: River City Food Bank's Empty Bowls
http://www.rivercityfoodbank.org/empty-bowls/

Mar. 20-30: Sacramento Food Film Festival
http://www.sacfoodfilmfest.com/

Mar. 21-23: 8th Annual California Artisan Cheese Festival (Petaluma)
http://artisancheesefestival.com/

Apr. 19: Sacramento Beer & Chili Festival
http://sacramentobeerandchilifestival.com/


* Please note: Event dates are current as today's current post date. Please check the event's website for the most up to date information and any scheduling or location changes.

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Day Trip: Takara Sake Museum and Tasting Room

708 Addison Street (between 3rd St & 4th St), Berkeley, CA 94710. (510) 540-8250.
http://www.takarasake.com/sake-museum.php

My friend Misa and I have known each other for about 8 or 9 years now. By happenstance we met in  a Japanese language group and clicked. It must have been kismet because it turned out we had a similar ethnic background (Caucasian/American dads and Japanese moms) and we both have an intense love of Japanese culture. Over the years, she's always been my go to girl for hitting up Japanese restaurants, movies and cultural events. So when I mentioned to her that there was an izakaya in Berkeley that we should try, she was down. We decided to make a mini day trip out of it by also swinging by the Takara Sake Museum. I had heard about the museum a few years ago and had wanted to stop by on several occasions but it always seemed like I was rushing to get to the Bay Area or back home and a side trip wasn't feasible.

 

Takara Sake USA (as this division of the company is called) has been in West Berkeley since 1982; however, Takara (which means "treasure" in Japanese) has been making shochu, sake and mirin in Kyoto since 1842. The Takara Sake Museum is located on Addison Street in Berkeley in an area populated by large industrial warehouses and cute cafes and includes a brewery and tasting room. It's in a very nondescript large, cream colored building. Look for the small sake tasting clapboard out front and when you enter, go up the stairs to the second level. For their naturally fermented Sho Chiku Bai brand they utilize rice from the Sacramento Valley and the snow melt from the Sierra Nevadas and apply their traditional sake making techniques.

 

Upon arrival, Misa and I watched a short interesting film on kurobito (sake makers) and the process of sake brewing. We learned about the meticulous process of milling and polishing of high-quality rice, washing and soaking the rice, the steaming, the planting of the Koji spores and the mixing of the mash. After the mash, the sake is exposed to yeast, pressed, filtered, settled, pasteurized and then aged. Whew! Lots of steps and each step is done with precision and care.

Diagram Source: Takarasake.com

Afterwards, we took a stroll through the mini museum and took in the various antique mixing paddles, heavy wooden buckets, cedar barrels and the giant turn of the century press with stone weights. I have to confess- I loved the smell in the museum...have you ever been in a wine cavern? To me it was a similar experience, it was like an intoxicating perfume composed of intermingling notes of sweetness and sharp tanginess. I kept taking deep breathes to inhale more of the potent aroma as it seemed to have a relaxing zen-like effect on me. (Too bad they don't sell sake factory candles.) We made our way back to the tasting room which I found to be beautiful- it was spacious and airy with granite floor tiles containing glass from recycled bottles and a wooden roof framing made from reclaimed Douglas fir. We took a few photos at the raised tatami floor sitting area and checked out the giant bird mobiles that circled over our heads. I particularly loved learning about the fresh cedar leaf balls (sakabayashi) that are hung outside of a sake maker's brewery to signify when a new non-aged sake has been completed. The browning of the cedar leaves parallels the sake aging process and when the leaves turn a dark brown, the sake is considered matured and ready.

 

 

 

Now for the sake....For just $5 you can choose 5-6 sakes to sample. Misa and I chose different flights and shared so they we could taste a bigger variety of sakes. Most flights include a sake from one of the 5 categories (Classic, ginjo, nama, nigori and tokubetsu junmai) where you move from full-bodied to sweet; but there's also a flight package where you can just choose whatever assortment you want.

 

We tried:

 

Sho Chiku Bai Classic- a traditional sake, served warm. It's slightly dry and full bodied

Shirakabe Gura Tokubetsu Junmai- served warm, complex taste, very smooth

Sho Chiku Bai Kinpaku- served chilled, contains gold flecks, has a slight mellow aroma

Sho Chiku Bai Kinpaku - recognizable by its tiny gold flecks

Sho Chiku Bai Antique- served chilled, has a strong floral aroma and is super smooth

Sho Chiku Bai Nigori Crème de Sake- served chilled, delicate fruity smell, a subtle honeydew finish, milky white in color

Sho Chiku Bai Nigori, Silky Blend- served chilled, sweet, slightly coconut undertone, milky white in color

Koshu Plum Sake- served chilled, beautiful almond scent, sweet cherry taste

Mio Sparking Sake- served chilled, effervescent, sweet aroma, slight fruity flavor, tangy, refreshing

Takara Sierra Cold- served chilled, very light, gentle, would be a perfect summer drink

Sho Chiku Bai Nama- served chilled, unpasteurized, slightly fruity with a vanilla undertone

Sho Chiku Bai Rei- served chilled, classic unpasteurized, floral scent

 

We also sampled some flavored sakes- Fuji apple, lychee, white peach and raspberry- these tasted like candy. Very delicious and sweet.

 

Bottles are available for purchase in the tasting room and are budget friendly. The ladies who work at the tasting bar are super friendly and helpful. I think they liked us a lot because they chatted with us in Japanese, let us taste a lot of extra sakes and even gave us a special otoso sachet to take home. An otoso is a special drink that the Japanese partake in during New Years. It consists of a special spice blend that you steep in either warm mirin or sake. Kind of like a Japanese version of mulled wine, I suppose. The sachets we were given had a lovely scent including hints of cinnamon. Otoso supposedly keeps you healthy in the coming year and casts away evil spirits, so I'm excited to try it.

Otoso packet, slightly wrinkled from being in my purse

If you get a chance, I would highly recommend visiting the Takara Sake Museum. It's such a fun little day trip and you'll learn so much about the history of Japanese sake making and the various sake tastes.

Kampai! ☺

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