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Steak is beloved worldwide for various reasons. The renowned American author Fran Lebowitz once humorously stated that her "favorite animal is the steak," a sentiment shared by many. From the tender filet mignon to the chewy flank, millions of people appreciate the peppery and delicious goodness of different beef cuts. Despite cultural differences, steak has a universal appeal that transcends borders.

One might wonder what makes a well-cooked slab of bovine muscle so enjoyable. Even in places where steak may not be as prevalent as local dishes, it still holds a special place in people's hearts. Understanding the science behind steak can shed some light on its popularity.

Cooking steak involves various chemical reactions, one of which is the Maillard reaction. Coined by the French physician and chemist Louis Camille Maillard, this reaction occurs when proteins and sugars are exposed to heat. It creates new aromas and flavours that entice people to indulge in cooked food.

Experts explain that the Maillard reaction's appeal is rooted in evolution. It combines two signals that stimulate human appetites: nutrition and general harmlessness. Steak, being rich in nutrients like protein, becomes enticing when cooked, as it poses no harm when consumed. A raw slab of meat is transformed into an appetising dish through the cooking process.

Another aspect that influences the enjoyment of steak is the human brain's response to glutamates and flavours released during protein breakdown. The fifth taste bud, umami, which encompasses a savoury taste, cannot be defined by the four other primary taste buds. Umami, originally conceived by Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda, adds to the complexity and delight of steak. Interestingly, tougher cuts of steak naturally contain more umami and benefit from slow cooking methods. Additionally, dry aging is another technique to enhance the steak's flavour.

Steak's worldwide popularity can be attributed to its enticing flavours, nutritional value, and cultural significance. Whether it's a traditional dish or a modern delicacy, steak continues to captivate taste buds and provide a satisfying and fulfilling dining experience across the globe.

Steak's popularity worldwide can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, humans have been consuming meat for millions of years, making it a fundamental element of our diet. Additionally, the concept of steak emerged during the 15th century, originating from the Old Norse word 'steik' meaning 'to roast on a stake.' Although Vikings primarily favored boiling meat, the practice of roasting on a stake was widespread. The advent of commercial refrigeration during the 19th century enabled the exportation of steaks to various corners of the globe by colonial powers. 

Furthermore, steaks have long been associated with social status, historically reserved for the wealthy and influential. Tender cuts are relatively scarce in exercised cattle, contributing to their high value and exclusivity. A joint study conducted by Monash University and the University of Technology Sydney revealed that people with lower socio-economic positioning expressed a stronger desire to consume meat, potentially linked to the craving for power and assertiveness. 

Ultimately, steak's popularity can be attributed to its deep-rooted history in human diet, the evolution of cooking techniques, and its association with social prestige.

The best memories almost everyone has is associated with food. One bite of specific food can take you back to a fond memory that happened long ago, one that gives you comfort and warmth. That's why it's essential that as you nourish your body, good friends and loved ones surround you.   

Do you often feel that the times you eat alone are the saddest times of your life? That is because humans are social beings; we often enjoy activities when shared with others. And that's also why there's a social stigma associated with eating alone.   

Eating is an art, and the best chefs often tell you to savour your food and close your eyes to involve all your senses. Doing this while you eat alone in a public place can be awkward, but doing it with friends and loved ones is always a great experience.   

That's why sharing delectable meals with people important to you is something many people love. In almost every culture, there are notable food practices. You would often see it in movies. Sharing food has been a tradition, and each culture has something remarkable to show. Because food, like music, is a language everyone can understand.   

As the world evolves into what it is now, with distance, distraction, and chaos constantly ensuing, togetherness matters. Sharing meals with people you love and care for can be one uniting factor that could bond people. And going to a favourite watering hole like The Gateway Mildura on the weekend with friends to share good food and wine can be something you can look forward to.  

Sharing meals with others has many benefits. Aside from keeping you nourished and delighted, the intangible benefits are immense. Some of them are: 

1. Promotes Healthier Eating Habits 

Eating together with the family can be your chance to model good eating practices to your children. What the younger ones see that you eat can influence their eating habits. So, if you fill the table with healthy food and provide them with fruits and vegetables, they will be more likely to consume them. It would also show your kids that you value the importance of reducing leftovers, prioritizing healthier choices, and avoiding unhealthy ones like fried and oily food.     

2. A Time To Catch Up 

Most parents take this opportunity to catch up with their children. The length of time they are away from the house can be extensive, and a lot can happen. Dinner would be a great time to ask each other how their days went before everyone gets to bed.   

3. Provide Social Support 

A night out with friends can be a great time to show support to your friends who may have a problem with their marriage, career, or kids. In sex and the city sitcom, this is an almost constant scene between Carrie and her three gorgeous friends, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda. Discussing their dilemmas over brunch is a familiar scene in every episode.  

Meeting friends over coffee, even for just an hour, can be comforting for somebody who wants to seek a familiar face amidst the challenges they battle in their life. That's why, when somebody asks you if you're free, consider it more than just an invitation to catch up. 

4. Better Academic Performance 

Food sustains the brain, and many who are deep into serious studying take shared meals with friends as a respite from what they constantly do. Taking a break from rigorous studying can help students focus and look at things differently.   

When one studies continuously, they get burned out that their brains can't absorb and memorize the information even if they read it several times. They need a break and time to gather their thoughts in the company of friends or classmates, leading to better academic performance.   

5. Lower Risk Of Substance Abuse 

Shared meals can pull people away from harmful substances. If they know that people around them will provide comfort and happiness, they can avoid such substances that mess with their brains. Like drugs, food can entice the release of endorphins and dopamine. Of course, food releases these naturally without making you addicted, unlike drugs.   

6. Help People With Depression 

People with depression need comfort and the thought that somebody will be there for them. Many feel lonely and worthless and a shared meal with a friend or loved one can instantly lift their spirits.    

The company of friends and loved ones can make them forget, albeit temporarily, the melancholy and hopelessness they feel. So, again, when someone asks you if you're free, it might also be a cry for help.    

Conclusion 

Sharing meals with others can significantly boost your well-being. Sometimes, more than the food you're eating, the company you have truly matters because, in the end, relationships are formed and strengthened over food.   

Once you start with a love for cooking, you need more than just passion. Home and restaurant cooks will tell you how one also needs the right ingredients and equipment. This holds even truer with Asian cooking, which has many more complexities regarding cooking style, flavour, and seasoning. That said, Asian cuisine is one of the best in the world, with each dish very carefully thought of, and often passed down from one generation of family recipes to the next.  

Truth be told, you can cook Asian dishes with just about any kitchen tool and equipment you may have. But, if you want to level up your meals, it’s worth having a few of the basics. Just imagine that wok which many Asian families may have, preserved for many years of cooking and stir-frying. That is only the beginning. 

The most successful Asian restaurants use the finest ingredients. Their cuisines, whether Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Korean, or Indian, strongly emphasize using fresh produce, spices, herbs, and proteins to create authentic and flavourful meals. They also emphasize using premium quality cooking equipment and furniture, such as commercial stainless steel benches.  

The diversity and richness of Asian cuisine make it a vibrant and exciting culinary landscape appreciated by food lovers worldwide. Each country or region boasts its own dishes showcasing its culture and traditions.

With that said, note that Asia is quite a vast and expansive continent. Don’t expect this list to be exhaustive, but you can be sure it’s one of the great resources that covers the essentials. Use this as a guide to help you get started.  

1. A Wok 

A wok is perhaps one of the most popular kitchen equipment for Asian cooking. Asians love a good stir-fry and noodles, many of which have been carefully seasoned and prepared in a good wok. 

Dishes like pad thai from Thailand, chow mein from China, and char kway teow from Malaysia/Singapore are made by stir-frying noodles in a wok. The noodles are quickly cooked with a combination of proteins, vegetables, sauces, and seasonings, resulting in a flavourful and satisfying dish. 

Another popular Chinese dish, General Tso's Chicken, involves deep-frying battered chicken pieces and stir-frying them in a wok with a tangy, slightly sweet sauce.

Woks have a deep, untreated metal surface and a round bottom pan which enables a wide range of cooking temperatures in one pan, a feature that comes in handy in stir-frying. In addition, unlike an ordinary frying pan, a wok has to be properly seasoned before use. This is a special process that adds flavour, makes the wok non-stick, and prevents it from rusting.  

2. Metal Wok Spatula 

Now you have a wok, you need an accompanying tool to actually cook. Your work may be good, but it will not do all the stir-frying on its own. Thus, you need to pair it with a metal wok spatula.  

A metal wok spatula is indispensable when preparing fried rice in a wok. It breaks up and separates the cooked rice, ensuring each grain is coated with the seasonings and other ingredients in the wok.

Generally, you can use any run-of-the-mill lying around your kitchen for as long as it’s made of wood or metal. But, if you’re cooking glutinous rice cakes or fried rice, you need something more ‘heavy duty’ to scrape the bits from the bottom of the pan. 

3. Wok Brush 

While called a wok brush, this can also be used for cleaning up other pans. When you’ve invested in good-quality work, you’ll also need to maintain it by cleaning up after use.  

Unlike any other brush, a wok brush is made of thin strips of bamboo. This makes removing any stubborn food sticking to the pan easier, particularly sticky sauces often prevalent in Asian dishes.

4. Big Chopping Knife 

Asians are known for dishes with a lot of finely chopped ingredients. And, this has to be emphasized, as when they say a lot, it’s quite plentiful. They don’t like skimping on spices and vegetables, all of which add a lot of taste and flavour to dishes. 

This is why cooking Asian dishes also entails hefty hard work and a long process of meal prepping, particularly chopping. You need a big chopping knife to withstand all that work. 

The chopping knife has to be big, as it’s not meant to chop just vegetables. It can also be used to slice fine pieces of meat, particularly those in soups and noodles, that call for smaller chunks instead of the bigger ones.

5. Heavy Duty Chopping Board 

As mentioned above, Asian cooking has a lot of chopping. So, surely, you need a board to hold up all the weight from your chopping knife. There are plastic ones, but those aren’t the best in terms of quality. A solid, thick wooden chopping board is still supreme. Once you start switching to wood, you’ll notice how much difference it makes when preparing and chopping ingredients.

6. Spider Strainer 

What’s Asian cooking without dumplings? You’ll also have to strain them quite well when preparing them, which you can do effectively with a spider strainer. This is a tool you can also use to scoop out spring rolls from the heat, gather egg rolls from the fryer, and even drain noodles after boiling.

Tempura is a popular Japanese dish consisting of battered and deep-fried seafood, vegetables, and other ingredients. A spider strainer carefully lowers the battered items into hot oil and retrieves them once they are cooked to a crispy golden brown. Its wide, shallow basket and long handle allow easy manoeuvring.

Asian hot pot dishes, such as Chinese hot pot or shabu-shabu from Japan, involve cooking various ingredients in a bubbling broth. A spider strainer is again used to fish out ingredients like meat slices, seafood, tofu, and vegetables from the pot for serving.

7. Mortar And Pestle 

Lastly, the mortar and pestle. You need this to pulverize spices and herbs, among other exotic ingredients, to turn them into paste and sauces. Once you start with Asian cooking, you’ll realize there’ll be plenty of this!  

Look for a non-porous mortar and pestle, so it won’t wind up absorbing the oils and spices. Even if you have a dishwasher, handwashing your mortar and pestle after use is most recommended. 

Conclusion  

Whether you’re an aspiring cook, a person trying to be the best homemaker or an expert chef for Asian cooking, the list above uniformly applies to all of you as the essentials. It would be best if you had those in your kitchen. As you experiment with more Asian dishes, that’s when you can start investing in more to lengthen your list of Asian equipment to have.

Like the nature of many Asian households, you should also invest in good kitchen equipment to last through many years of cooking. For many Asian families, their food becomes more distinct and flavourful when prepared with tools that have gone through years of cooking, seasoned in time, than a brand new one. From Vietnamese pho to Chinese noodles and everything in between, now you can feel more confident with your Asian cooking as you’re armed with the right equipment. 

At the start of a new season or before a special event, many people choose to go on juice cleanses, also known as detox smoothies. These are healthy ingredients and drink-based diets to assist in digestion, remove toxins from organs, and assist in weight loss. They can also be used after an occasion of indulgence to get the body back to normal.

Furthermore, detox smoothies for losing weight require a lifestyle change of lowered calories, increased hydration, and exercise for the best results. So, if you’re looking to incorporate smoothies into your diet and vastly improve your daily nutritional intake, then this is one of the healthiest ways to do it.

Here are four smoothie recipes for effective weight loss:

1. Blueberry, Banana, And Ginger Smoothie

If you’re looking to sip on a rougher smoothie with texture and pulpy goodness to make it feel more like a fruit salad, this drink has to be one of the best. It’s the perfect combination of complex carbs that assist in managing cholesterol, reducing inflammation while naturally increasing potassium. Not to mention the high antioxidant count when these three products are consumed together.

Furthermore, it’s considered one of the best manganese and high folate smoothies to try out after a weight loss-focused workout to replenish your energy. To prepare this drink, you simply need to slice up the banana and grate a teaspoon’s worth of ginger. Then, you can add the blueberries as a whole to the blender.

Don’t blend this mix for too long to keep the consistency thick and filling. Otherwise, you can add a cup of plain sugar-free yoghurt to work as your thickening agent.

2. Kale And Apple Smoothie

Also known as the green smoothie, the kale and apple smoothie is one of the most popular detox smoothies because kale is considered a superfood and is consumed in its natural state. It’s packed with essential daily needed vitamins such as iron, vitamin K, and antioxidants. What’s more, this finely blended mix is excellent to store as a drink without losing its taste and texture.

Meanwhile, the apple provides fibre and is slow to digest, making you feel fuller for longer and minimizing the need to continuously eat—an essential part of weight loss. You can have it as a breakfast drink to replace your usual sugary morning cereal. To make it, you can place kale stems and unpeeled slices of apple into a blender with water or crushed ice until it’s smooth. If the taste is a bit bitter, try using Fuji apples in your mix to make it sweeter.

3. Pineapple And Celery

Celery is a greatly beneficial vegetable to consume due to its high water, low-calorie contents, as well as important nutrients such as potassium and vitamin C. Furthermore, it’s also known to help treat digestion and gastric issues associated with a poor diet. Thus, it plays an important role in keeping your bowels regular and hydrated, as well as making you less bloated.

Having said that, it’s not the easiest food to consume because of its highly fragrant and bitter taste that can be off-putting to some. That's where the pineapple comes in to provide some fruity flavour, more vitamin C, and act as a natural sweetener. To make this smoothie drink, you have the option of dicing up the celery and pineapple into segments before adding them to the blender or juicing them separately and only using the strained juice. Add some crushed ice and lime juice to your blend to enhance its tropical drink flavour.

4. Grapefruit And Watermelon Smoothie

This is the summer smoothie that’s perfect to beat the heat and help you lose a few pounds around your middle section. This, along with its high fibre content, is why it's popular among weight loss consumers. To add to this, watermelon has super hydrating properties and an amino acid, which can assist your body in fat burning. Thus, together, they make a delicious drink ideal for trimming down.

There’s quite a bit of preparation to this smoothie compared to the others, and it includes de-peeling the grapefruit and watermelon, slicing them up then removing the seeds. In this case, you can opt for 100% watermelon or grapefruit juice with no sugar instead and blend. If you’d like to add more substance to the smoothie and make it a filling breakfast drink, you can add some flaxseed, rolled oats, protein powder, or green tea powder.

Conclusion

Detox smoothies can help you lose some weight with their combination of nutrients and low-calorie count. They can also be used as a cleanse to restore your boy’s digestive functioning if you’ve been weighed down by processed foods.

All the fruit and vegetable ingredients can be chopped up and blended with any liquid of your choosing and extra healthy and raw food products to join the mix. Once this is done, you can have them at any time of the day to supplement or replace meals for effective slimming down.

The kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s the workhorse of a household, given all the cooking, baking, meal prepping, and washing of dishes that are done multiple times daily. The kitchen is also identified as one of the home’s riskiest areas. A lot of accidents can happen, albeit preventable by practicing good safety practices.

In the kitchen, safety can mean a whole lot of things like avoiding fires, electrocution, slips, falls, cuts, and even as to food handling as well. They might seem nitpicky, but they should never be compromised.

With that said, remember to practice these kitchen safety do’s and don’ts, so anyone working in your kitchen can avoid burns, cuts, and other kitchen hazards:

Do: Have A Fire Extinguisher Nearby

Many modern homes today come with all sorts of safety features like fire alarms and water sprinklers. It’s an added price to pay to have those installed, but it’s certainly worth it in the name of safety. Homeowners of new properties, however, often have no choice as many local laws today require having those fire safety equipment and machines before their occupancy permits may be approved.

For older houses, this doesn’t mean your home should be any less safe. A good alternative to built-in water sprinklers is to have a fire extinguisher. Once you have one, learn how to use it too, in case you have a kitchen fire or something similar.

Do: Check All Your Wires And Cords

If you have old appliances, check them from time to time so you can be sure they’re still worthy of being used. By this, it means going through all the wires and cores to see that no wires are frayed. Old and worn-out wires and cords are a top safety hazard, so you have to be careful with using those.

Along with wires and cords, check the overall condition of the appliances too. Like wires, old and dysfunctional appliances are a safety hazard as they can overheat, for instance. There are so many new appliances nowadays with reasonable prices, so you can still find a few within your budget.

Do: Wash Your Hands Before Meal Prepping

No matter how much of a rush you’re in, wash your hands before prepping or touching food. Always have hand soap ready by your kitchen sink, within reach of anyone who needs to wash their hands.

This is a basic safety practice that helps ensure proper food safety and handling. When not practiced, food contamination can happen and unfortunately, this can mean getting sick after eating the food you’ve prepared.

Do: Practice Proper Fridge Organization

Properly organizing your fridge isn’t just about having an aesthetically-pleasing one, as you may see across various TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube videos. Rather, it’s also a matter of safety.

This means that food is placed on the right levels and sections in order to avoid spoilage and to keep it fresh. Moreover, proper fridge organization also means preventing heavy food containers and liquids from falling on you or your kids when you open the fridge simply because everything is a mess inside.

Don’t: Wear Loose And Flowing Clothes When Cooking

No matter what the occasion may be, if you’ll still be cooking in the kitchen, skip the loose, flowing, or billowy clothes. You’ll be in a rush and too busy trying to finish all the cooking that the last thing you want is for your clothes to get trapped somewhere. In worst instances, your clothes may get caught in a fire.

Always wear tight and properly-fitting clothes when cooking. You can always change to your dress later on once you’ve finished.

Don’t: Try To Catch A Falling Knife

Attempting to catch a falling knife means potentially cutting yourself. Rather than try your best to catch it, a better practice is to take a step back instead and let the knife fall on the floor. Just be sure you’re alert enough to move far enough so the knife doesn’t land on your foot as well.

Conclusion 

Sure, you’ve heard of all the horror stories of accidents in the kitchen, both big and small. The kitchen should be a happy place, but if you aren’t careful enough, it can also be a hazardous one. Especially when you’re doing a lot of cooking as in during parties, it’s all hands on deck that safety can easily be placed on a backseat. All the do’s and don’ts above point to one important conclusion: when in the kitchen, always have the presence of mind and be alert. Accidents can easily be avoided when you focus on the task at hand.

8 Tips For Storing Drinks And Beverages

Drinks and beverages are a great way to bring your guests together. No matter the occasion, you can find a drink to fit it perfectly. However, there are some considerations you should know to serve the best beverage possible.

Whether you're a small restaurant or just having people over for dinner, no cafe is complete without a commercial drinks fridge or a modern home more inviting than with a dedicated wine cabinet. Most people, however, are unaware that they’re storing their beverages incorrectly. This article would discuss everything you need to know.

Here are some tips on how to store drinks and beverages properly so you can keep them fresh longer:

1. The Refrigerator Is King

The refrigerator is the best place to store drinks and beverages. It keeps them cold, preserves their flavour, and prevents flatness. The refrigerator can also keep your drinks from spoiling if you open them frequently as well as from being contaminated or spoiled by bacteria or mould.

When you’re serving soda, tea, or a cocktail at a party or get-together, it's important to serve these beverages at the right temperature so they taste great. This means keeping them cold in your refrigerator until they're ready to be served.

2. Storing Milk

While milk has a shelf life of three to five days, you can increase the time it stays fresh by keeping it in the refrigerator until you need it. Keeping milk in a closed container and not allowing it to become too warm will also help extend its shelf life. Don't store milk in the freezer, however, because this causes ice crystals that affect both taste and texture.

3. Storing Water

Storing water and other beverages in the fridge is a good option because it’ll keep them cool for long periods. You can also use a cooler if you need something simpler or don't have access to a refrigerator. The temperature of these drinks should be around 40-45 °F when stored in this manner.

4. Storing Coffee

If you're storing coffee, keep it in the bag it came in, and then put that in the freezer or refrigerator if you won't be using it soon. The airtight seal will help keep it fresh.

5. Storing Alcoholic Beverages

Alcoholic beverages should be kept in a separate cabinet with a lock and out of reach of children and pets. The temperature at which you store your alcoholic beverages is also important. Keep them in a cool, dry place, away from heat sources like stoves or direct sunlight.

If you’re storing wine, it should be kept away from direct light and stored in a dry dark place. Wine is more likely to be damaged by light than other beverages. Wine is also more likely to be damaged by heat and moisture than other beverages.

6. Use Glass Containers

One of the most important things to keep in mind when storing drinks is you should always store them in glass containers. The reason for this is that plastic can leach chemicals into your beverage, which compromises its quality and taste.

In addition, if you choose to store beverages in plastic containers, it's also important to make sure they're clean and free from contaminants before filling them with liquid. This way, there are fewer opportunities for bacteria or mould growth inside of the container.

7. Store Drinks Away From Direct Sunlight

Heat can damage the quality of beverages over time, so make sure you don't store them next to windows where they could get too hot during the day; also, never leave them out overnight. If possible, try locating them near air conditioning vents if there are none on hand. This will help keep things as cool as possible while still staying out of direct light from windows or lamps nearby.

8. Keep Away From Pets And Kids

Don’t store around pets or kids. This one goes without saying, but remember that pets have sharp teeth, which could easily puncture through any packaging. Children may knock over glasses and containers as they roam around the house, so you need to keep the beverages out of reach as well.

Conclusion

That's all you need to know about storing drinks and beverages. It can be easy if you follow these tips. You’ll notice that they’re mostly common sense, but it’s always good to have a reminder from time to time. The main thing is that your beverages last longer when stored properly and taste better too. Consider the ideas mentioned here as you plan and prepare.