Health and Wellbeing Info
goji berries nutritional infoWho Makes the Best Pizza in the World?
Pizza is a universal food. Most of us grew up with it. All of us have an opinion about it.
If you are from New York, it's New York pizza. If you are from Chicago, it's Chicago Deep Dish. The West Coast fans have their own traditional Italian pizza as well as New Wave.
Of course if you are from New Haven, Connecticut, you spend hours debating who makes the best apizza: is it Sally's or Pepe's? Then there are those who favor Modern Apizza. New Haven fans are fanatics.
Woven across the U.S. are small pockets of regional favorites. For example, on Long Island, New York, it's a type called Grandmother's. If you are from a certain area in Pennsylvania, you favor Old Forge.
There are types of pizza for every different taste: there is thin crust Neapolitan, and there is thick crust Scilian. Chicago deep dish, is a unlike an other. California pizza can be thin with unusual ingredients for unique tastes.
People don't argue about steakhouses or hamburgers or Chinese food, but this food hits a chord. It's a magical little disk that makes things happen. It doesn't matter if you're in Pennsylvania or Wisconsin, your own region makes the best pizza in the world. You tend to favor what you grew up with.
There are also, the master pizzaiolo, who defy any region and make the best possible putting their heart and soul into each one produced.
Here is a short list of pizzaiolo, who do it their way. Not for fame or glory but because they are dedicated to the craft of creating incredible pizza.
Pizzaiolo Chris Bianco, (Pizzeria Bianco, Phoenix, Arizona), is regarded by some, the finast pizzaiolo in the U.S. Ed LaDou, is another highly acclaimed pizza master. He created Wolfgang Pucks as well as California Pizza Kitchen's menu. He now makes his own at Caiote Pizza Cafe. Tony Gemignani (8 time World Champion and co-owner of Pyzano's) and Brian Spangler (Apizza Scholls, Portland, Oregon), each carry on the tradition of passion and strive for perfection. Gary Bimonte, grandson of Frank Pepe continues his grandfather's legacy at Pepe's in New Haven, Connecticut.
Another Legend is Peter Reinhart, author, baker and pizzaiolo. Peter told me once, there are only two types of pizza: good pizza and great pizza.
Peter went on a quest to find the best in the United States. His book, American Pie, chronicles his pizza adventures.
Who makes the best pizza?
You decide who makes the best . What kind do you like? The best pizza is entirely a personal choice. Your choice.
You can find an extensive listing of The Best Pizza in the World at this link:
http://pizzatherapy.com/bestpizz.htm
Discover the Legends of pizza: http://legendsof pizza.com Get free copy of Albert Grande's e-book about "Big Ideas" at this link: http://grandepublishing.com/sq.htm
A Sweet Taste of Sunshine
Peaches are the food of kings and royalty. They are extra sweet, filled with juice that runs with each bite, and are versatile. They lend themselves to any meal and are a snack time treat. Eating them fresh and cold is just about the finest indulgence when hot winds blow and the temperature rises.
There are two kinds: namely, clingstone, which are fantastic canned, or freestone, where the pit just slips out with little effort. Fresh peaches should smell "fresh". Don't buy those that are hard or greenish. They won't ripen and will probably decay before they are fit to eat. They were picked green for shipping purposes and to maintain shelf life, but were not given the chance to mature on the tree to ripen with heavenly juices and soft moist flesh.
Peaches discolor quickly so if using in salads or on top of dessert dishes, sprinkle with lemon juice to avoid darkening. If you wish to skin a peach, start at the stem end and separate a bit of skin from the flesh with a small knife, such as a paring knife. Pull the skin off in strips.
For a gourmet fresh salad, layer sliced peaches, fresh mozzarella cheese slices and fresh basil leaves. Season with sea salt and just a tad of olive oil over the top. Perfect, light, and just plain good.
Peaches also work well in salsas. For chicken or fish items, use peaches, cucumbers, red or green bell peppers, red onions, and just picked diced zucchini. Mix lime juice, olive oil and a tiny pinch of sea salt for a dressing. Garnish with halved cherry tomatoes and cilantro. Serve in individual dishes or right over grilled chicken pieces or fresh grilled fish. The colors are bright, the flavor is zesty, and the extra touch makes any meal a feast.
Peaches can be sliced, panfried with a tiny bit of butter, just enough to glaze a bit. Sprinkle with brown sugar, not too much, as the peaches are already sweet, and a quick dash of vanilla. When the mixture is warm, place over vanilla ice cream in cups or bowls. The warm peach mixture melts right into the creamy ice cream for a treat that young and old will find irresistible.
Peaches can even be a main part of any kabob you may be planning for your menu. Whether it is steak bits, large shrimp, or even pork medallions, added right along with green/red bell peppers and onion wedges - they are unbelievably the best addition to any BBQ. A quick marinade would be honey, a bit of mustard, minced garlic and thyme brushed on just before grilling. A neat idea is to use a wooden spoon and tie with twine some thyme, marjoram leaves, or even cilantro or parsley and brush your kabobs. This is the freshest way to get extra flavor with a "flick" of a wooden spoon. Neat, quick, and well, fancy if the guests are watching you do your BBQ magic.
Peaches are best fresh, of course, but during the winter months, canned work well. Use your peaches in cereals, hot or cold, diced and mixed in plain or vanilla yogurt, and well, the possibilities are endless and just whatever your imagination can think of. They are sweet and good for you, and the memory of summer-time peaches will keep you waiting for the summer season when cold winter winds blow. Something to think about.
�Arleen M. Kaptur
August, 2007
Arleen M. Kaptur has written many books and articles on everyday living and finding peace and joy in all we do.
Fiber In A Healthy Diet
Getting enough fiber in your diet is vital, and it has numerous proven and potential health benefits. It has been confirmed to prevent and remedy constipation, hemorrhoids, and other digestive disorders such as diverticulosis. It has also been shown to aid in the lowering of high cholesterol. There is even some evidence to suggest that a high fiber diet can reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, such as colon cancer.
In addition to fiber's general health benefits, eating a diet high in fiber can be especially beneficial if you are trying to lose weight. Fiber contains no calories, but because it absorbs water, eating it leads to a quicker feeling of fullness, helping you to ultimately eat less and feel satisfied longer.
It is easy to incorporate fiber into your diet. Dietary fiber comes from an inexhaustible amount of food sources, all of them plant-based. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains all contain significant amounts of fiber, while any animal product (meat, eggs, cheese) has no fiber at all. By increasing the amount of plant-based foods in your diet, your will increase your dietary fiber intake, and begin to notice a change immediately. For men, it is recommended that they get approximately 38 grams of fiber per day (30 grams if over 50), and women are recommended to get 25 grams of fiber per day (21 if over 50).
In order to maintain the fiber content in the foods you eat, it is important to not remove the skins, hulls, or seeds from them. This will reduce their fiber content and make them less effective. It is also important to consider decreasing the amount of processed foods that you eat. In addition to often having little to no health benefit, they are usually low in fiber content as well.
It might be difficult for you to suddenly change your eating habits entirely in order to incorporate more fiber into your diet. Or, you might not be thrilled with the idea of eating a lot of fruits and vegetables. While it is not recommended that you do not eat any natural foods at all, your body can certainly benefit from taking fiber supplements. These come in pill form, or even a tasteless powder that can be added to water or juice.
While getting a lot of fiber in your diet is important, it is also important to remember to eat a balanced diet, and no to concentrate only on your fiber intake. Just as not getting enough fiber can harm you, taking in too much fiber can also be detrimental. Too much fiber can prevent calcium, iron, zinc, and other vital minerals from being absorbed out of the foods you eat and into your body.
The benefits of a diet high in fiber are plentiful. In order to keep your digestive system running smoothly, in order to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight, and even to prevent life threatening illnesses, eating a diet high in fiber is the sensible thing to do.
Wayne Mcgregor has a degree in nutrition and dietetics, a diploma in fitness training, and a wealth of experience in helping people to lose weight and build muscle. His website provides hundreds of free articles on nutrition, as well as information on the calories in common foods and sample diets.
http://www.weightlossforall.com/nutrition.htm