Food items like burgers, buns, cookies, pastries, pancakes, noodles, doughnuts and bread have different tastes as they are made from different cereals and grains. Here is some more interesting information about different types of food grains.
Wheat Wheat has been cultivated since 9000 B.C. Over 725 million metric tones of wheat are produced all around the world and China tops the list followed by India and US. Wheat forms the major ingredient of many food items such as breads, porridge, crackers, biscuits, cookies, muffins, rolls, pies, pancakes and pastries. The principal elements of wheat flour are gluten and starch. Wheat is also used for fermentation to make beer, vodka and alcohol. Major cultivated species of wheat are Common wheat, Durum, Einkorn, Emmer and Spelt. There are more than 30000 different varieties of Wheat representing 14 different species.
Barley Russia is the largest producer of Barley in the world. The World’s total production of Barley is 136 million metric tones. Barley is extensively used in the production of Alcoholic Beverages and is used as an animal feed too. There are as many as 80 countries in the world alien to Barley cultivation. US alone cultivates around 150 varieties of Barley Barley contains 8 amino acids and eating whole grain barley can regulate blood sugar in our body up to 10 hours after consumption. Barley has the potency of combating many diseases.
Maize Maize, popularly know as corn is the widely grown crop in the American continent. Maize contains ‘lipid transfer protein’, an indigestible protein which survives cooking. This protein has been linked to a rare and understudied allergy to maize in humans. US alone produce 332 million metric tones. Maize has around10 chromosomes. Maize is the principal ingredient in Custard Powder. It is said that there are more than 3500 uses for corn products. Farmers can grow corn everywhere except Antarctica. Maize is used in products ranging from chewing gum to bathing soap.
Millet There are about 9 types of millets. Pearl Millet is the most important member of Millet family. India is the principal producer of Millet in the World followed by Nigeria and Niger. A Millet grain is rich in B Vitamins. They are used in Alcoholic Beverages. Thyroid patients should stay from their over consumption. Millets are widely used as bird as well as animal feed. They along with birdseeds are commonly used as fillings for juggling beanbags.
Rye Rye is used both as a food grain as well as a forage crop. It is used in manufacturing beer, vodka, bread and some whiskies. Russian Federation is the largest Rye producer in the World. It is a popular food grain in the coldest regions. Rye is a god source of Vitamin E, Proteins and Calcium. It is god for the digestive system.
By: Erik R Johnson
Posts Tagged ‘Food Items’
Hawaiian Organic Honey – A Culinary Treasure Of The Big Island
February 5th, 2010
Rarity is often enough to add significant value to an item, especially in the case of art, jewellery and similar collectibles. In many cases, the rarity of an item is closely associated with the location from which it came. Over the course of many years there have been instances when this combination also applied to food and drink; for example, fine wines or a rare sort of animal or plant that is considered edible (and has become desirable).
However, there is one additional factor to consider – quality in workmanship, natural appearance or, in the case of food and drink, taste. Standing alone among specialty food items in the modern market, because of both its rarity and overall quality, is tropical honey from the nectar of Kiawe flowers.
A unique combination of geography, natural irrigation and atmospheric conditions creates a habitat on the Big Island of Hawaii ideal for the cultivation of raw honey. Beekeepers have harvested excellent honey from the islands for some time, with nearly a million pounds of honey coming from the area known as the Puako Forest annually. But in recent years, particular attention to selection of the raw honey results in a product that is literally unrivalled in its purity, texture and overall taste.
For some, it may be enough that this tropical honey comes only from a small section of a very special part of the world. That alone would separate it, in quality and taste, from much of the honey produced around the globe. But beginning with an exquisite raw honey just may not be sufficient to get this special condiment to those who appreciate its organic purity. Something else is necessary – meticulous attention to detail during the entire post-harvest process.
Harvesting Kiawe honey involves timing, a factor critical in most honey processes. Raw honey taken too early may ferment in the jar, but if it is taken too late it crystallizes in the comb. If the honey is handpicked at just the correct time, and put into containers correctly, it will manifest a superior white, smooth texture in just a few days.
Taking the combs at just the right moment would be enough to separate the final product from other honey. Yet there is one more step to consider, or in this case, a step to leave out. Raw Kiawe honey is a living food. Experienced producers know that cold-bottling honey retains its wonderful texture and preserves healthy, natural enzymes. While leaving heat out of the process produces an ideal tropical honey, the viscosity (thickness) does slow down processing, again contributing to the rarity of the finished product.
Connoisseurs know there are some excellent raw honey sources around the world, and that fine honey is available on every continent. But a growing number of aficionados consider Kiawe tropical honey from the Big Island of Hawaii to be a natural treasure with few, if any, culinary peers.
By: Casey Markee
The Best Culinary Arts Chef Schools
November 10th, 2009
Do you have a recipe book filled with the best recipes you’ve ever tasted? Can you create your own recipes and cook them flawlessly? Do all your friends say you should be a professional chef? Wonderful! Just one problem…before you go out and start pounding the pavement for that dream job behind the stove, you’re going to have to graduate from a formal culinary arts program. A culinary arts chef school will prepare you with more than just recipes and skills.
There are a lot of different culinary arts programs out there, and they all offer different programs and train by different methods. All the schools teach the basics of cooking, of course, but you will also need in-depth training and internships as well to prepare you for the real world of a culinary arts profession. Students will study food science, business, and dining room operations. In addition, they will be required to serve internships so they can see exactly what their future will be like.
Sure, having a job as a chef sounds full of prestige and status. Studying a two year program doesn’t sound that difficult, either. But those who think they should become chefs because they can make tasty home-cooked meals won’t be ready for the rigors of either the school or the profession. A chef must be ready to understand what’s required to make an entire list of food items every day, and be able to plan the timing and ingredients on all of them. Chefs are on their feet almost the entire workday. Only those who are ready for the raw realities of cooking professionally should consider culinary arts chef schools.
Also remember the sacrifices you will have to make for this profession. Chefs often give up their weekends, holidays, and other prime days off for their professions, and while everyone else is enjoying holiday meals and family gatherings, chefs are on their feet for long hours preparing meals in a different environment.
Even if the fat paycheck sounds worth it all, remember that graduation from even a top chef college doesn’t guarantee you a good job, especially if you’re right out of school. The chances that you’ll be hired in a 5-star hotel or fine restaurant are slim, and you will have to work many years before you’re qualified for these positions. If you have dreams of managing a restaurant, you will have to add more education.
So remember, although it’s a good idea to find and graduate from a fine culinary arts chef school, you will still have to gain experience in lower levels of the restaurant business.
By: Milos Pesic
