FDRrecipes

Traditional Chinese cooking equipment is not essential for cooking Chinese food but there are a few items which will make it very much easier. Most items can be bought very cheaply, especially if you seek out authentic implements from a Chinese grocer rather than the more expensive versions sold in many department stores.

Economical and highly nutritious, mince is wonderfully versatile and can be used as the main ingredient in a wide range of dishes, from pates and pasta sauces to hamburgers, kebabs, meatballs and meat loaves. Mince is a cheap form of protein and a little can be padded out with vegetables, pasta or rice to make a more substantial meal.

Chinese cooking would not be 'Chinese' without the use of a number of specialist ingredients which give Chinese foods their distinctive flavours. All the ingredients used in the recipes in this book can be obtained in this country, if not from your local supermarket then certainly from a Chinese grocer. There are now many Chinese grocers throughout the US. It is well worth the effort to find your nearest Chinese grocer and to build up a stock of the most frequently used ingredients. Many, particularly soy sauce, vary enormously in quality, but most Chinese grocers stock good authentic brands at reasonable prices.

There are dozens of different types of pasta and some are more suited to a particular dish than others, but pasta of a similar shape may be substituted in any of the recipes. Here are cooking time and advices for use of different types of Italian pasta: Lasagne, Pappardelle, Tagliatelle, Fettucine, Spaghetti, Spaghettini, Vermicelli, Macaroni, Bucatini, Rigatoni, Penne, Cannelloni, Conchiglie, Fiochetti, Farfalle, Fusilli, Tortiglioni, Lumache, Rotini, Anelli, Pastina, Egg Noodles, Rice Noodles, Transparent (Cellophane) Noodles.

Nowadays Chinese food is very popular in different countries, especially in US. But not all of us know much about Chinese cooking and Chinese culture in general. For example, do you know that Chinese greeting 'Chi fan le mei you?' is translated as 'Have you eaten yet?' For Chinese people food is more than a passion, it is an obsession, and good eating is believed to be essential to good living.

Steaming seafood, especially shrimps, in an electric food steamer is almost fool proof, for having perfectly cooked fish and seafood.

With an electric food steamer you just put your seafood in, fill it with water, set the timer and then you're free to do something else. We have cooked hundreds of pounds of shrimps in one of these. Once you get on to cooking with a food steamer, you will be cooking your entire meal in it.

Conditions like rheumatism and arthritis can be crippling, but more often than not produce regular nagging pain. It's the same story with gall stones, headaches and migraine. Juices can't claim to cure any of these ailments, but they may help to alleviate the symptoms. Also juices rich in vitamin C and E may help speed recovery.

Every year, most of us will go down with a minor respiratory illness - it's almost guaranteed. It could be a cold, cough, sore throat, flu or bronchitis. Whichever bug we pick up, it's bound to make us feel miserable and lethargic for a couple of days at least. Inflamed throat, sore and chapped nose, high temperature, fatigue, and loss of appetite are all inevitable results of a virulent bug - perhaps caught in a crowded train or at the office. Juices can soothe the throat, calm a tickly cough, and provide a nutritious energy boost. Juices can also help to ease a sore throat in the case of more persistent and semipermanent conditions such as asthma, hay fever and allergic rhinitis.

Babies and children are to eat dairy products every day. Such food make children healthy, their bones and teeth strong and beautiful, because dairy consist a lot of calcium. But grown-ups can't assimilate those calcium in dairy products as good as children do. That's why adults shouldn't eat so much dairy. They are good for us only when we are young.

At first glance, many of the hundreds of wine labels which confront the shopper in the wine section of a supermarket or off-licence could have been deliberately designed to confuse or mystify. It is not surprising that the familiar names seem the most reassuring, because if you venture into the unknown and opt for something you've never tried, or perhaps even heard of before, how do you know what you are getting? How do you know that you will actually like the contents of your $5-20 bottle when you get it home and open it?

We know that children need vegetables to be healthy and grow, but what vegetables should we give our babies and children? Here is a list of them and some information about their qualities. Not only vegetarians eat lots of vegetables, every person should. Give your children broccoli, pumpkin, carrots, cauliflower, courgettes, garlic, cabbage, lettuce, onions, leeks, parsnips, peas, potatoes, peppers, spinach, sweetcorn, tomatoes and many other vegetables.

The structure of the soil varies considerably around the world; not just the topsoil - whether your garden is dominated by loam, lime or clay -but the deep sub-structure of the earth as well. The vine is capable of surviving without much water, so naturally sends its roots many metres into the ground, drawing elements out at all levels, which will directly affect the taste of the grape and its wine. But it's not the only factor that influences the taste of wine.

Usually we try to avoid giving spices and herbs to babies and children. But some of herbs & spices can be good for children, cure their diseases and illnesses, aid digestion and so on. The only rule is: do not give herbs & spices to babies younger than 8 months. And also try to give children only natural spices. Some herbs and spices (like garlic, basil, rosemary, dill, mint) you can plant and raise yourself. Also give children such  herbs & spices: ginger, lemon zest, oregano, cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, vanilla, pepper and so on.

Although the juice pressed from freshly picked grapes will make itself into wine of its own accord, a wine-maker will always intervene and control the process to a certain extent, making sure that the wine is as good as it can be. It's not a question of interfering where things are better left alone: although wine makes itself quite readily, it also has the ability to make itself rotten as well.

If you want to feed your baby properly give it different products, including meat, vegetables and fruit, cereals, dairy and, of course, fish and other seafood. But pay attention to the freshness and nutritional value of the seafood products that you give your baby or child. Fish consists such vitamin as vitamin D. There are not so many products that consist it, so fish is very health-giving.

Do you know that turkey fossils dating back 40 million years have been found in the US. Both Great Britain and United States have a tradition: to cook and eat turkey for Christmas and other holidays. That's why turkey meat is rather popular in these countries. British and American people often buy turkey meat in stores and market places.

The pulp and juice of almost all of the thousands of different grape varieties is white, no matter what the colour of the skin. White wines, therefore, can be made as easily from black or red grapes as from white. Indeed, most champagnes contain the juice of both colour grapes, although in still white wines it is more usual for white grapes to predominate.

Incorporating freshly made juices into your diet is a simple way to enhance beauty, health and general wellbeing. They are packed with so many useful vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that it seems a shame not to benefit from their natural bounty. But remember some general guidelines that will help you not to injure your health. Juicing should be health-giving!

The glycemic index (glycaemic index, or GI) is a measure of the effects of carbohydrates on blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates that break down quickly during digestion and release glucose rapidly into the bloodstream have a high GI; carbohydrates that break down more slowly, releasing glucose more gradually into the bloodstream, have a low GI.

To grow children have to get enough protein, and the best source of protein is meat. But pay attention to the fat content of meat which you give to your children. Because if you don't do that there is a risk of obesity and health problems for your children. So, try to avoid large portions of fat meat like pork, mutton and lard. For children it is better to eat poultry and game, lamb, veal and so on. And also try to cook meat with a steam cooker.