Cooking World

Today all of us hear about advantages of olive oil, which is not only added in food, but also is used in the cosmetic purposes (in creams; hair, face and body masks, in balms and soap).

Choosing olive oil you should know that it can be of different grades, and, hence, and of different quality:

The oil received at first cold extraction (Extra virgin olive oil). The given grade of oil is considered the best and the most useful as almost all useful properties of olives are being kept. The given grade of oil is assimilated entirely.

The oil received during the second cold extraction (Virgin olive oil). This grade of oil is also considered rather well on quality as its manufacture doesn’t provide for any chemicals. However the given grade of oil certainly concedes to Extra virgin olive oil by the gustatory properties, and also aroma and a color.

The oil received from a pulp (Olive oil) (a substratum which is applied to receive Extra virgin olive oil). The given grade of oil has considerably lower quality; it contains much less useful substances. This grade of oil is very often added first two grades to improve its characteristics.

The oil received during the second cold extraction, frequently with use of chemicals (Pure olive oil). «Pure olive oil» means that the given grade of oil doesn’t contain other grades of oil.

Here are some quotations from the most extensive meat part: stakes with wild mushrooms and potato (28 dollars), grilled T-bone (41 dollar), pork chops (34 dollars), grilled lamb fillet (35 dollars), steak from venison (36 dollars).

Besides Mark Marillo enjoys culinary talent, he is a skilful wine expert. Therefore the majority of menu’s items are accompanied with his recommendation concerning wines. However Romanov – is all the same not French, but a Russian restaurant. Therefore wines are not its strongest point. And special pride of the restaurant is the vodka menu.

Michael Izraelian assures that he managed to collect the fullest collection of vodka in the USA. Its lion’s share is made with export grades from Russia, but there are some vodkas and strong drinks under this name with the most different degrees and taste from the most different places. Among them there are Jean Mare XO, Idol, Ciroc and Grey goose (France), Reyka (Ukraine), Ketel one, Van Gogh and Effen (Netherlands), Chopin and Belvedere (Poland), Fris (Denmark), Vox (New Zealand), Boru (Ireland), Level (Sweden), Roberto Cavalli (Italy), Pearl (USA).

Restaurant Romanov which has recently opened in the Western Hollywood, an area of luxurious boutiques and red Ferrari, - one of confirmations of western fashion for Russian cuisine.

Romanov is not one more cheap popular-souvenir Russian stylization.
This is modern gastronomic restaurant with a magnificent interior in an imperial style, the broadest choice of Russian cuisine dishes, the separate caviar menu and a small bent in a meat theme.

The founder Michael Izraelian, the son of the Russian immigrants, who own corporation from some restaurants, elite automobiles rent company, and also brand of mountain water from Armenia sold at expensive American and European restaurants and spa, calls his restaurant high-end Russian steakhouse.

The head-cook of a new restaurant is Mark Marillo, who has worked at such popular restaurants of Los Angeles, as Saddle Peak Lodge, Cafe Pinot, Felt and Nic’s Martini Lounge. The basis of the menu from Mark is made with dishes of Russian cuisine: ravioli “Trio” (17 dollars), pancakes “Империал” with a salmon, sour cream and black caviar (16 dollars), a borsch (9 dollars), roast duck (28 dollars), roast quails (26 dollars), a guinea fowl baked in goose (25 dollars), baked trout (24 dollars), Ossetrina pod Syrom (27 dollars), beef Stroganoff (26 dollars), black caviar (served with pancakes, onions, eggs and sour cream, 30 dollars) and many other dishes.

Appearance of grog began with disappointment. English seamen, whose menu traditionally included rum, one fine day, were given dilute drink at the direction of Admiral Edward Vernon. The admiral’s nickname of “Grog” has passed to this drink. Now grog is the drink, which consists of rum, sugar, hot water or strong tea. It is a strong drink. Or very strong drink.

Traditional Russian hot drink - sbiten. It is made from honey and treacle, cinnamon, cloves, herbs. This drink was popular in taverns, at fairs and in streets, it was bought from peddlers. By the way, this drink not always contained wine - but it helped to be warmed in frosts and to be rescued from cold.

Hot drinks are intended for a dialogue. The snack should not be burdensome - cheeses and dishes from them, ham, roasted bread. All these drinks can be not only ordered at a coffee house or at a restaurant, but also prepared at home. There are a lot of recipes, and it is possible to tell, them there are none of them at all – all depends on your taste, good purpose and occasion.

November is the time when struggle against seasonal depressions and colds pushes people to all extreme measures. The hot and spicy drinks containing alcohol is simultaneously both a cause and a purpose mixed in one glass.

One of the most popular hot alcoholic drinks is mulled wine. In its basis - red wine (less often - white), sweetened, mixed with spices and fruits. The history of mulled wine began in Ancient Greece - there the wine was mixed with honey, bay leaf, carnation, spicy herbs and warmed up - the drink for cold and rainy days was ready. For a long time in the different European countries drinks which were originated from those warmed up wine have both features of similarity, and their national features - different sets of spices, strong alcohol, etc.

One more winter drink is punch. Its native land is India, “punchâ€? from Hindi means “five”.
In a classical variant it is a number of components, which should be mixed in a drink: rum or vodka, sugar, lemon juice, spices and water. To Europe the recipe has been brought by British seamen, and, certainly, it began to change, acquiring new details. This way has appeared egg, coffee and tea punches, apple, cherry, etc.
There is also the Russian variant of this drink, which is featured by its ability to be ignited and is famous owing to hussars’ traditions. By the way, any punch is traditionally made in big portions.

Theoretically, the person should eat just as much as required to him. Thus in a real life the size of our helpings often depends on external circumstances, social and cultural norms. Dieticians from Harvard University advise to divide food into portions, being guided by nutritional value, instead of the size.

It is connected to that, that in a shop or restaurant we are frequently offered too big portions. In result, we often eat two - three times more, than we need. According to researches, the average person could satisfied with smaller amount of meal, if he was not surrounded with too big portions. It is proved, the more meal before the person, the more he or she eats.

Here are some more recommendations:
- Learn to have a good eye for needed personally for you portions of habitual food.
- Get rid of the big plates and bowls. Use small bowls for dry breakfasts and small plates for a dinner.
- Keep up with portions when eat at home. To avoid temptation to put second helping, do not put a saucepan or a frying pan with meal on a lunch table.
- Eat regularly. If you wait, when you get hungry, overeating is almost inevitable.
- Try to not use “smorgasbord”. Instead of a dinner, order at a restaurant low-fat snack and salad with sauce.

Theoretically, the person should eat just as much as required to him. Thus in a real life the size of our helpings often depends on external circumstances, social and cultural norms. Dieticians from Harvard University advise to divide food into portions, being guided by nutritional value, instead of the size.

It is connected to that, that in a shop or restaurant we are frequently offered too big portions. In result, we often eat two - three times more, than we need. According to researches, the average person could satisfied with smaller amount of meal, if he was not surrounded with too big portions. It is proved, the more meal before the person, the more he or she eats.

Here are some more recommendations:
- Learn to have a good eye for needed personally for you portions of habitual food.
- Get rid of the big plates and bowls. Use small bowls for dry breakfasts and small plates for a dinner.
- Keep up with portions when eat at home. To avoid temptation to put second helping, do not put a saucepan or a frying pan with meal on a lunch table.
- Eat regularly. If you wait, when you get hungry, overeating is almost inevitable.
- Try to not use “smorgasbord”. Instead of a dinner, order at a restaurant low-fat snack and salad with sauce.

Everybody knows that some products have salutary influence upon our organism. And one of them should be used in small amounts, and others on the contrary, in small dozes do not have any influence. One should be taken in the winter, and others - in the summer.

And the first product, which is strongly recommend to be added into a daily diet, is ginger.

For many people ginger is something exotic and unusual because it originates from Southeast Asia and Western India. By the way, India gives 100 thousand tons (half of world production).

Into the market ginger comes as pieces of rhizomes, ground, candied, covered with chocolate and as an extract for ginger beer. It is well combined with other spices and is a part of “curry”. Ginger is added in light premium beer.

Ginger is vitamin-rich C, Ð’1, Ð’2 and A, salts of magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, sodium, potassium and zinc. Its spicy and tart aroma is caused by volatile oils contained in it (1,2-3 %). Besides, ginger contains all irreplaceable amino acids, including tryptophan, threonine, methionine, valine, etc.

All these chemical elements contained in ginger, improve digestion, stimulate secretion of digestive juices.

On its therapeutic action ginger is sudorific, soothing, expectoration and antiemetic agent. It feeds all tissues. The newest researches specify extremely favorable ginger’s influence on a stomach, digestive and respiratory systems. Ginger makes food light and digestible and gives it slightly spicy taste. It is used for elimination of harmful action of animal poisons.

All these miracle ginger’s properties are caused by a plenty of the biological “fire” managing metabolism. Regular eating of ginger in small amounts increases internal heat, wakening appetite and stimulating digestion, warming a stomach and blood. It is especially useful in cold weather and in a cold climate.

Ginger is used as an extract, broth, a powder (250-500 mg) in the medical purposes. It is recommended at cold, flu, indigestion, vomiting, eructation, abdominal pains. It lowers level of cholesterol in blood. In east medicine it is considered, that ginger strengthens memory, opens obstruction in a liver, softens an organism, removes dense and crude matters from brain and larynx. In India ginger tea with a lemon is the most popular winter drink.
By the way, I would recommend you to try too to boil ginger slices: 10-20 g for a cup. Add there a little mint, balm or other herbs, some lemon to taste and you will receive a nice drink, which tones up and refreshes in the morning much better, than coffee.

Well, we shall continue to view ginger properties. Ginger is the best remedy for toxins. You can learn, whether there is a surplus of harmful substances in your organism by the following signs:

Weight in a stomach and flabbiness;
Quick weariness and feeling of irritation;
Absence of shine in eyes, and the skin has faded color;
Unpleasant smell from a mouth;
Absence of appetite.

If you feel something from the listed signs, it is possible, that one of the reasons of the given state of health is surplus of toxins or undigested products which poison all your organism and lead to various illnesses.

Ginger tea, which is useful to everybody, will help you to return appetite, good mood, fresh complexion and clearness of eyes. It strengthens digestion, neutralizes toxins in a stomach and helps to digest. It should be sipped slowly in breaks between food intakes.

Among other things, ginger tea is a nice natural remedy for cold. It treats for scratchy throat, cough, cold, lung congestion and bronchial obstruction. If your throat is sensitive to irritation, ginger is used together with honey and almond oil.