India 2007 - Days 4 to 6 - Bijaypur and Jaipur

The drive from Udaipur to Bijaypur was nothing if not interesting. En route, we visited Chittaugarh Fort, a huge fortification with a whole town within it. Built on a one hundred and fifty metre high plateau in the Aravalli Hills, it is in ruins but well-restored. The entrance is on the north west side and the road winds up through seven individually named gates, each with its own guardhouse. The first gate is known as Padal Pol (lowest gate) followed by Bhairav Pol (Bhairav being an attendant of the Goddess Durga), Hanuman Pol (this gate has a temple and a shrine dedicated to the Monkey God Hanuman), Ganesh Pol (for the Elephant God), Jorla Pol, Lakshman Pol and finally Ram Pol (Gate of the God Ram) which was built in AD 1459. The gateway located on the eastern side of the fort is known as Suraj Pol (Sun Gate).

The palace of Kumbha and Padmini's Palace are but two of the beautifully carved edifices, which have been subject to restoration.Dinner was a quite spicy mutton curry for my husband and Malaysian noodles for me, incorporating chicken and prawns and a fearsome amount of chilli!All that sightseeing naturally brought on hunger and thirst, so spring rolls and spicy prawns by the pool were the order of the day but so good and plentiful were they that I could only manage a tarka dal and nan bread for dinner while my husband had the interestingly-named Southern Railway Lamb curry. There was no real clue as to the contents, but we surmised the use of the normal spices and flavourings which resulted in quite a red-coloured and extremely tasty dish.Some six hours later, the welcome respite of our hotel in Jaipur and some lunch - Indian-style wraps containing spicy chicken.Our next few days will be spent in Ranthambhore National Park, so I hope you'll be with us then to hear our experiences, both culinary and wildlife.The exploits of the Rajputs place in Indian folklore compares with that of the medieval knights of Europe or the Samurai of Japan, to the extent that individual Rajput heroes have the place where they fell in defence of the fort, marked with stones.With some trepidation, we ventured back to the courtyard of our arrival to find a transformation. The odd tables covered with pieces of hardboard now sported bright cloths, the place buzzed with people (a convention had arrived) and the stage was set for entertainment. The staff seemed rather more awake and soon we were seated with beer and poppadoms to watch the dancing of successive ladies in bright red, green and gold saris.On arrival in Bijaypur, the hotel certainly didn't live up to its photos on the internet, being more than somewhat dilapidated with an all-male staff who were trained in a very different school to that of the other hotels we stayed in! However, we managed to acquire beer, a sandwich (awful) and towels for the pool so whiled away the afternoon happily enough.Dinner, too, was a surprise, being a very tasty, mainly vegetarian buffet consisting of boiled rice, an aubergine curry, an egg curry, mixed vegetables, dal and a mutton dish, which, although not vegetarians, we didn't try. There was also nan bread on offer, which was very welcome.Next day involved the obligatory visits to the Jantar Mantar observatory, the Chandra Mahal (City Palace) and the Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds), an interesting structure, tall and very narrow, ornately carved from pink sandstone and built solely so that the royal ladies could watch the world go by without being seen. The City Palace, too, is well worth a visit, with seven stories and seven courtyards, partly still occupied by the present-day Maharajah. There is a large museum which gives some insight into the past days of the maharajahs, including costumes, weapons, pottery, musical instruments and the two fantastic silver jars used by Nadho Singh II to carry Ganges water for bathing on his visit to England in 1901.Next morning, the staff had gone back to sleep, each of three separate waiters asking what we wanted for breakfast and none of them getting it right - oh well, you can't win them all.After breakfast, we set of for Jaipur, taking an interesting short-cut to the freeway past grazing camels and wonderful orange-flowered flame trees, through tiny villages, over rough ground without tarmac, better suited to a four-wheel-drive vehicle!

Our next few days will be spent in Ranthambhore National Park, so I hope you'll be with us then to hear our experiences, both culinary and wildlife.

Bananas: ripe for success

Chefs across the country are monkeying around with bananas, a relative newcomer to our culinary history.

Although the tropical fruit is currently a top banana, it didn't appear in many U.S. kitchens until the late 1800s.But the first printed recipe found by Hess was published in an 1868 cookbook by Pierre Blot. By 1883, which was when "Mrs. Lincoln's Cookbook" was published, bananas were being prepared in a variety of ways. This cookbook has six banana recipes.It was in 1948 or 1949, she couldn't remember when exactly, when her brother Owen asked her to come up with a "great" dessert for their menu at Brennan's on Royal Street in New Orleans."I've noticed warm banana tarts on New York menus everywhere I ate," says Hamersley after a recent restaurant tour of Gotham.Banana creations recently peeled out vary from a $7 house-made banana split topped with two chocolate sauces and spun sugar to a blow-torch-browned banana walnut tart."The beautiful thing about bananas is they are available year round," says Jamie Shannon, executive chef of Commander's Palace in New Orleans. He offers classic banana Foster and banana Foster shortcake."The first time I showed it to my brother, he said: 'It's so damn Walgreen's. Why is it served over ice cream?'"Leach assembles banana rhubarb strudel, $7.50, at the newly reopened One Fifth Avenue. He layers banana bread, sliced bananas and rhubarb puree and wraps the layers in phyllo dough to form a puck shape. After the strudel is baked, Leach halves the warm dessert and presents it topped with rhubarb sauce, a small glazed banana tart and a scoop of rhubarb sorbet.Hess concludes that by the turn of the century bananas were "beginning to take off a little" since Fanny Farmer's book included nine banana preparations, and ordinary cookbooks, our culinary history books, were beginning to mention the fruit.Two years later the "Buckeye Cookery," published in Minnesota, included fried and baked banana recipes, proving that bananas were being served on Midwestern tables.Bananas were still considered exotic in 1876 when they were sold for a dime apiece at the Philadelphia Centennial celebration, according to research dug up by culinary historian Karen Hess. She reports that by 1846 there were shipments of bananas arriving in New York City.Taylor also accompanies Caribbean jerked pork sandwich with fried plantains and banana chutney made with bananas, honey, lemon juice, red bell peppers and serrano peppers, $8.25.Rich banana ice-cream cake is molded in a triangular mold and drizzled with chocolate at Manhattan's Restaurant Lafayette at the Drake Swissotel.For the shortcake, banana puree is added to the biscuit batter, which is baked to order. Both Foster desserts are sold for $5.50.Hess notes that bananas entered upscale commerical kitchens before the turn of the century. Indeed, maitre d'hotel Oscar Tschirky of New York City's Waldorf-Astoria included a banana recipe in his mammoth 900-page cookbook, published in 1896. The recipe was baked bananas, topped with butter, sprinkled with sugar and baked for 20 minutes or until glazed. Oscar suggested serving baked bananas with cake and milk."What happened was my mother loved bananas, and she used to saute them in brown sugar and butter. We all loved bananas. So we just started messing around with it and added some cinnamon, rum and banana liqueur and served it over ice cream.In Boston, Gordon Hamersley serves rumflamed warm banana tart at his namesake restaurant. According to him, "Bananas that are slightly green on the tips respond best" for his preparation. He cooks bananas with butter and sugar and then flames them with brown rum. He lays the cooked bananas in uncooked pie shells and bakes them for about 15 minutes. The pie is drizzled with burnt caramel sauce made with butter, cream and rum. It sells for $6.50.At New York City-based Banana Cafe, bananas are appropriately featured on the dessert menu. Banana Cafe's banana split includes flourless chocolate cake, macadamia nut praline, Tahitian vanilla ice cream and chocolate ice cream, topped with spun sugar; fresh fruit, such as raspberries; white chocolate sauce; and bitter chocolate sauce, $7."Everybody can relate to bananas," says Richard Leach, pastry chef of Manhattan's One Fifth Avenue. "They are a common fruit, and the quality of bananas is pretty steady. You can smell when they are ripe. They are very aromatic and are yellow with a little brown. Bananas are less seasonal than other fruits, like cherries."In Denver, at Zenith American Grill, Chef Kevin Taylor serves warm banana walnut tart filled with caramelized goat's milk and topped with banana slices, sprinkled with sugar and then browned with a blowtorch, $4.75.But it wasn't until this century, about 1920, that banana cream pie came of age, according to Hess.Ella Brennan tells the story of another U.S.-born banana dessert, bananas Foster.

"The first time I showed it to my brother, he said: 'It's so damn Walgreen's. Why is it served over ice cream?'"

HOW I'D BLOW pounds 10,000 ... by JONATHAN MORRIS

"I'd buy a boat," says Jonathan Morris, 36, star of Bread, Challenge TV and a new film The Fantastics. "My grandfather was a sailor - he used to bring home monkeys which peed everywhere - and since I left Manchester my whole life has been spent travelling and by the sea.

"I've been sailing a little topper, which is a baby's boat. It's a bit embarrassing because I've been having lessons from a 14-year-old boy. My boat would double as a gin palace and I'd drop anchor 400 yards off the beach. I'm not going anywhere in it. If I've got to travel, I'll go to Heathrow."

Namibia farm gives animals 2nd chance

GOBABIS, Namibia -- For a few cents and a piece of bread, Marieta van der Merwe persuaded a man on a dusty Namibian road to give her the thin vervet monkey he held by a rope around its neck.

Now van der Merwe heads a thriving family business that has turned the bushveld into a sanctuary for people and animals.Rehabilitating and keeping wild animals, even in large enclosures, is frowned on by some conservationists.Van der Merwe and van Vuuren, a striking mother-daughter team, often take afternoon strolls in the bush, a troop of baboons in tow.Soon the couple were spending more time looking after the rescued animals than their cattle farm. They began selling off some of their 100,000 acres of land to fund their growing cause. A trust was started and they also opened up the farm to guests."I was so in love with animals. Before I knew it we had a lot. I can't say no," said van der Merwe."He did everything. I had to learn a lot. We decided to stop the cattle farm and concentrate on the animals. Everyone helped. Guests helped and we survived," van der Merwe said.Nick van der Merwe died in 2001 of Congo fever, a hemorrhagic fever that can infect people who work closely with animals. His death left the family -- and the animals -- facing an uncertain future.The Harnas Wildlife Foundation, 180 miles east of the capital Windhoek, is home to 310 orphaned animals and offers visitors a unique chance to get close enough to touch, brush or even walk cheetahs, leopards and lions."We came all the way from Paris to kiss a cheetah," said Pascal Esteve, planting a peck on Goeter's neck.Guests can watch baboons cavorting on swings in their large enclosure while at the opposite end of the garden a cheetah, silhouetted in the sunset, hunkers down over a chunk of meat."It can be a bit crazy here. Everyday something happens. Once the crocodile got out and was in the swimming pool," said van der Merwe.Over the years van der Merwe and her husband, Nick, gained a reputation for rescuing animals. They would get calls from across the country asking them to fetch orphaned or injured animals. Some have been caught in traps or their mothers were shot by trophy hunters. Many, in the beginning, were animals South African soldiers had taken as pets during a bush war they fought in the north before Namibian independence in 1990, then abandoned as they withdrew. The van der Merwes also took in a pride of lions left homeless after the closure of a South African zoo.The farm reintroduces what animals it can back into the wild. But 75 percent of those it takes in are too badly injured or have grown too used to human contact to make it on their own. These animals are kept in large semi-wild enclosures where they are fed.Striding among the poppies in the back garden, the 27-year-old male cat has been the star of many films and commercials and has now been "adopted" by Jolie.Jolie has been back to the farm a number of times, including last year when she was in the country with Brad Pitt to give birth to the couple's baby daughter, Shiloh."I don't disagree," said van Vuuren, "But 90 to 95 percent of animals come here because people have shot their moms or raised them as pets and then want to dump them when they become a problem.Warthogs rub against the wall of the open bar, tortoises take refuge in the shade of the Koi pond while a miniature dachshund -- one of the van der Merwe's many dogs -- barks at the lone mountain zebra, Zibi, seeking out company."They come to us because there has already been human interference. We try to give them as natural a life as possible," she said.Plans are now under way to transform the farm into a nature reserve in which as many animals as possible would be able to roam free.That was 28 years ago and the start of one of the largest animal rehabilitation farms in southern Africa.The star was so taken by the work done by the foundation, she agreed to become a patron and donated about $270,000 for a fence and to restock the reserve with game.Jolie, whose picture is on a wall of family photographs in van der Merwe's home, has become the international patron of the endeavor.Returning home from a weeklong trip, van der Merwe's daughter Marlice van Vuuren stops to say a special hello to Goeters, the cheetah that was her childhood companion.Van Vuuren said they hope to release predators into the area with five tagged lions first and then wild dogs."I want the animals to be free. That is my dream," said van der Merwe."That monkey, Adri, was the first wild animal I touched. It sat in my lap. We were friends from the beginning," said van der Merwe.Guests on the morning feeding tour can observe leopards like Missy Jo and lions like Sher-Kahn and the one-eyed Savannah devour chunks of raw meat in their large enclosures, a short drive away from the lodge. Endangered wild dogs fight over scraps.Behind the house is a nursery where spindly legged buck and baby meerkats get bottle-fed and an infirmary where an epileptic baboon, blind monkey and a one-winged falcon named Nelson are kept."The instinct is there. I have seen it," she said, cuddling up to a lazy lion.She first visited the farm while in Namibia filming "Beyond Borders," which featured a vulture rescued by van Vuuren.Namibia, a largely desert country with a population of 2 million, has such an abundance of game and wildlife that often cheetahs and baboons are regarded as nuisances by farmers and shot.The main lodge sits on a green lawn surrounded by 24,710 acres of thick grassland where herds of eland, kudu and springbok roam.She acknowledges releasing semi-tamed animals back into the wild is risky but believes predators can learn to hunt for themselves.An army of volunteers, mostly young foreign women all sun- bleached blonde and brown as syringa tree berries, keep the place abuzz.

"The instinct is there. I have seen it," she said, cuddling up to a lazy lion.

Monkey bread easy, tasty

Dear Heloise: I have misplaced your recipe for that deliciously easy MONKEY BREAD. I would greatly appreciate your reprinting this recipe for me. -- Pat M., via e-mail

1/2 cup margarine or butter3 (12-ounce) cans buttermilk biscuitsPreheat the oven to 375 F. Coat the inside of a tube pan with fluted sides using cooking spray or butter. Melt the margarine in a small pot or bowl and then mix the sugar, nuts and cinnamon in a separate bowl.1 tablespoon ground cinnamonMost weeks, I cook only once or twice when I want to serve a steak or fried pork chops. -- Jane M. Scanlon, Rochester, Minn.Dear Heloise: I have the perfect way of keeping celery and head lettuce fresh and crisp for a long time. Trim the cut end (root end). Place a wet paper towel, folded into a square, over the cut end. Put into a plastic bag and place into the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator. If the item, particularly lettuce, has a lot of moisture on the surface, I sometimes wrap a dry paper towel around it. -- Martha, Versailles, Ky.Dear Heloise: Cooking for two can get boring, so I always cook in big quantities and freeze leftovers to serve two people. That way, I have my choice of mashed, fried, boiled or twice-baked potatoes, wild rice or rice pilaf, corn off the cob, crisp summer green/waxed beans, etc., to go with grilled chicken breasts, pork, beef or lamb roasts, all from the freezer. Pasta doesn't freeze well, but lasagna and manicotti do.1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugarSend a great hint to: Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000; fax: 210-435-6473; e-mail: Heloise@Heloise.com. [copyright] King Features Syndicate Inc.Pat, this Heloise Central and reader favorite is so easy and tasty! You will need:Open 1 can of biscuits, separate and cut each into 4 sections. Roll each into a ball and then put into the sugar mixture to coat. Place the balls in the pan in a single layer, drizzle a little melted butter or margarine evenly over the top, then do the same with the other 2 cans of biscuits.1/4 cup finely chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, etc.)1/3 cup granulated sugar

Send a great hint to: Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000; fax: 210-435-6473; e-mail: Heloise@Heloise.com. [copyright] King Features Syndicate Inc.

Mosquito

Gayl Jones. Mosquito. Boston: Beacon P, 1999. 616 pp. $28.50.

Several times throughout her narrative, Mosquito mentions signifying and specifying, language games both the narrator and the author perform throughout the novel. Specifying and signifying are traditional African American modes of verbal play that allow speakers to communicate indirectly, symbolically, or metaphorically to a targeted audience while simultaneously preventing others from understanding underlying messages. Whereas signifying traditionally is considered an African American male ritual, specifying is its female counterpart. Mosquito reveals a complex web, in which Jones builds upon specifying to blur lines between signifier and signified. In fact, unlike mainstream sanctuary organizations, the sanctuary movement in which Mosquito participates is itself a metaphor for specifying. Also, sometimes Mosquito announces that she is specifying when she may not be; other times she specifies unadmittedly. One of the most clever ways Mosquito specifies is when she enrolls in a class to become a hidden agend a conspiracy specialist so she can learn to decode texts that relate to the sanctuary movement. The codes become quite complex when Mosquito realizes that what appears to be symbolic may be literal and visa versa. In this way, signifying and specifying become self-reflexive and add yet another layer of signifying to both Mosquito's story and Jones's novel. The verbal game playing is not only funny and entertaining, but it also illustrates important political and social statements about race and gender.Language leaps from the page and transforms from written to oral narrative throughout Gayl Jones's Mosquito. The black narrator, Sojourner Nadine Jane Johnson, makes a grand entrance by speaking directly to her audience and establishing that the story she will unfold is set in a South Texas border town. Nicknamed Mosquito, the narrator uses a natural voice with a bit of Texas twang that intrigues her audience.Mosquito is funny, heartwarming, and thought-provoking. When you finish the last of its over 600 pages, you will wish Mosquito were still sitting beside you in Delgadina's bar, Bud Light in hand, describing her adventures, her hopes and dreams, and most importantly, her culture. And in some ways she will continue to sit beside us, for oral narrative is part of a tradition that depends upon repetition to shape history from perspectives that allow a voice to those traditionally denied opportunities to inscribe their histories. Like the many texts to which it pays tribute, Mosquito is sure to become a classic American novel.Names of characters as well as names of objects are also signified. Mosquito was given her nickname as a child when she experienced an allergic reaction to a mosquito bite. She is by standard definitions of "beauty" a big woman, and she points out the irony of being called a little mosquito. Ironically, the movie star for whom Monkey Bread works refuses to refer to her by her nickname so she calls her by yet another nickname. Mosquito pretends to be married to one Ray so she can evade border patrols, yet she is in love, which she also defines as a code, with another Ray. However, the signifying of names does not deny characters their identities. In fact, the story reveals Mosquito's discovery of identity and her acknowledgment that her goal is to conquer her own ignorance, a real strength given that the novel points out that only the truly naive do not recognize their own ignorance. People who fail to recognize their own ignorance, usually the empowered, generally promote sexism and racism.The novel concerns Mosquito's involvement with the new underground railroad, a sanctuary movement for Mexican immigrants. Although her affiliation with the movement establishes a context for Mosquito's narrative, the more important story is told in-between incidents that move the plot forward. For example, Mosquito boldly announces her political and social views throughout the novel, but she does so in a way that is extremely inviting and entertaining. Although Mosquito claims that she is somewhat uneducated, she speaks powerful words that celebrate her African American and female identity.Mosquito drives a truck to deliver industrial detergents and frequents a local bar where her Chicana friend Delgadina works. The novel centers on Mosquito, Delgadina, and Mosquito's childhood friend, Monkey Bread, who works as a personal assistant for a famous movie star in California. The characterizations of the three women represent one of many ways the novel defies stereotypes: They are depicted as strong, intelligent, and independent. Other characters also challenge stereotypes, and the narrator often speaks directly to readers about ways minorities are stereotyped.

Mosquito is funny, heartwarming, and thought-provoking. When you finish the last of its over 600 pages, you will wish Mosquito were still sitting beside you in Delgadina's bar, Bud Light in hand, describing her adventures, her hopes and dreams, and most importantly, her culture. And in some ways she will continue to sit beside us, for oral narrative is part of a tradition that depends upon repetition to shape history from perspectives that allow a voice to those traditionally denied opportunities to inscribe their histories. Like the many texts to which it pays tribute, Mosquito is sure to become a classic American novel.

Bakery still rising, despite carb concern - food&consumables - Fresh Foods Inc

Big changes are coming in the bread business, but Atkins or no, don't expect the business in this sort of loaf to grow lazy. Wellness is having a big impact on the category, but that's not the only issue that's putting a rise in bakery.

Don't expect the Atkins craze to necessarily throw a monkey wrench into the growth of bakery products. For one thing, bakery products don't necessarily clash with low-carb diets. For another, some nutritionally concerned consumers--and a large proportion of the nutritional establishment--are low-carb hostile.Many bakery suppliers are looking to offer products that address critical health concerns. Voortman Cookies, for example, is in the process of eliminating trans fatty acids from all its products. "By the middle of April, we'll be totally switched over to 100% non trans fat," said Harry Voortman, president.The International Dairy, Dell and Bakery Association said in a report that annual double-digit growth in natural foods makes organic bakery products one of several key segments to consider--even if demand varies by market. In 2001, the association noted, about $923 million of organic breads and grains were sold at retail.IDDBA notes that developing and promoting a signature line of baked goods can boost sales. Wal-Mart recently added Prima Della baguettes in a special fixture to its service department sales floor, and Bruce Peterson, senior vp, gmm, perishables, said that bread, particularly whole grains, have been good sellers for Wal-Mart, enough so that the retailer expects to be expanding its line of fresh breads. "We have a trick or two up our sleeves," he said.In the meantime, vendors and retailers have demonstrated that they can react swiftly to changes in consumer preference. Atkins and others have introduced low-carb bread mixes. Online suppliers are particularly plentiful and creative. For example, Lifestylebread.com offers organic sprouted grain low-carb bread--four grams of carbohydrates per slice--for $4.50 per loaf, which drops to $3.97 per loaf when shoppers order a 6-, 12- or 18-loaf case, UPS shipping included.However, the biggest wellness issues for many bakery shoppers aren't either Atkins or organics.Nancy Chagares, vp of fresh foods at Jewel/Osco, said that despite all the concerns and dietary fads, bakery is an area that has lots of loyal customers, who may or may not be driven by nutritional concerns. For those interested in low-carb diets, vendors are responding with product. However, she noted that if you look at the growth of Krispy Kreme--and Jewel has a fresh donut program with the company--folks continue to buy bakery products for pure pleasure. "We've enjoyed continued growth in bakery," she said. "The world has not stopped eating bread."

Nancy Chagares, vp of fresh foods at Jewel/Osco, said that despite all the concerns and dietary fads, bakery is an area that has lots of loyal customers, who may or may not be driven by nutritional concerns. For those interested in low-carb diets, vendors are responding with product. However, she noted that if you look at the growth of Krispy Kreme--and Jewel has a fresh donut program with the company--folks continue to buy bakery products for pure pleasure. "We've enjoyed continued growth in bakery," she said. "The world has not stopped eating bread."

The ABC's of Cajun Cooking

Cajun Food from A to Z

Lagniappe- derived from American Spanish and passed on to English from Louisiana French, the term lagniappe basically refers to �something extra�. With regard to Cajun cooking, lagniappe could be anything the chef might have lying around that could be added to the dish.Tasso- a version of smoked pork made from the shoulder butt. This cut is typically fatty, though leaner cuts are often used and have a great deal of flavor. The butt, which will weigh 7 to 8 pounds, is sliced across the grain into pieces about 3 inches thick. These are dredged in a salt cure, which usually includes nitrates and sugar. The meat is left to cure briefly, only three or four hours, then rinsed, rubbed with a spice mixture containing Cayenne pepper and garlic, and hot-smoked until cooked through.Boudin- is a treat found only in Southern Louisiana, traditionally made with pork, rice and various vegetables. However, you won't find one central recipe, because each butcher makes boudin a different way. Everyone has their own family recipe. Some are spicier, and some use different meats and flavorings, but the results are always delicious.Dirty Rice- is a traditional Cajun dish made from white rice cooked with small pieces of chicken liver or giblets, which give it a dark ("dirty") color and a mild but distinctive flavor. Similar to a pilaf, it also includes green bell pepper, celery and onion (the "holy trinity").Roux- made using either vegetable oil or lard and wheat flour, roux is a very common ingredient in countless Cajun dishes such as gumbo. There are two basic types of roux, light and dark. Light roux, commonly referred to as �blond roux� is primarily used as a thickening agent in many soups and stews. Dark roux which is the further cooked version, which results in the darker color, provides more flavor but less thickening power.Ingredients- There�s an old Cajun saying that says, �With ingredients like these a monkey could cook�. This is perhaps a testament to the use of simple yet delicious ingredients that are commonly found in most Cajun cuisine. (i.e. Holy Trinity)Etouffee- in French, the word etouffee literally means "smothered," which is a good way to describe this Cajun dish, as it is basically smothered crawfish over rice. Unlike gumbo, which is made with a dark roux, etouffee is made from a lighter, spicier roux. A proper etouffee will be orange-colored, with a hint of brown. It should be spicy, as its main spice ingredient is cayenne pepper, and saucy enough to form a thick gravy for the rice. However, take note that it is not gumbo, and should not be served like soup. The gravy in etouffee is much thicker than the roux of a gumbo.File�- is a spice made from dried and ground sassafras leaves. It is used in the making of some types of gumbos and stews. It is sprinkled sparingly over gumbo as a seasoning and thickening agent, giving it a distinctive flavor and texture. Fil� was originally an okra substitute when okra was not in season.Crawfish- While there is no doubt the favorite crawfish recipes among true Cajuns are crawfish boils, crawfish etouffee, crawfish pies and fried crawfish po�boys; the mudbugs can also be seen in seafood gumbos, appetizer selections and even savory deserts, like a crawfish beignet.Sauce Picante�- refers to a spicy tomato based sauce commonly used in Cajun/Creole cuisine. Usually combined with seafood or poultry and served over rice.Jambalaya- There are two distinct versions of Jambalaya, Cajun and Creole. Creole jambalaya, as with most Creole dishes contains tomato, which is the primary distinction from Cajun jambalaya. As with many other traditional Cajun dishes, Jambalaya became a popular choice due to the availability of rice in Southern Louisiana. Coupled with the trinity and whatever meats were available at the time, (duck, deer, pork, chicken) jambalaya provided a quick easy dinner.King Cake- the French tradition of baking a special cake to honor the three kings, "A King's Cake," began in 1311. Today, King Cakes are enjoyed in Louisiana from the Feast of Epiphany until Mardi Gras day. A plastic or porcelain baby is inserted into the cake to symbolize the Baby Jesus. The cake is covered in sugar, specially colored in purple for justice, green for faith and gold for power - these are also the colors of Mardi Gras.X- sorry I got nothin.Zapp�s Potato Chips- Louisiana�s unofficial brand of potato chips. These potato chips are kettle cooked in peanut oil and are offered in a variety of true Cajun flavors such as Spicy Cajun Crawtators, Cajun Dill, and Sour Cream and Creole Onion.Yes we have dessert too- some of the more common desserts enjoyed are pecan pie, praline candies and sweet potato pie. Although very popular amongst Cajuns, bread pudding and beignets do not originate in the South.Po-Boy- the main distinction between a po�boy and hoagies, subs, and grinders would have to be the bread. Traditional po�boys are made using French bread, which tends to have a crispier crust while remaining nice and fluffy on the inside. Common ingredients in the sandwich include fried shrimp or oysters, sausage, ham, roast beef and usually dressed with lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion, and mayonnaise.Gumbo- The word gumbo comes from an African word for okra, kigombo, which shows how important an ingredient okra was in early gumbo recipes. Gumbo originated in Southern Louisiana, where okra was easy to grow.Maque Choux- is a simple dish that fundamentally contains corn, green bell pepper, tomatoes, onion, and sometimes garlic and celery. The ingredients are first braised in a pot. The vegetables are then left to simmer until they reach a juicy, saturated consistency, with chicken stock or water added as necessary. The dish is finished with salt and a combination of red and black pepper, and some cooks include hot sauce and a bit of sugar for greater complexity.Understanding the Process- any true Cajun dish should not contain a lot of anything, except TLC. The biggest misconception about Cajun food is that it should be extremely spicy. Knowing the difference between �seasoned well� and �spicy� goes a long way with this style of cooking. Most dishes will start with the Trinity or a roux and can be tailored to fit anyone�s taste. The greatest thing about Cajun food is that it can be anything to anyone.Andouille- Cajun andouille is made of butt or shank meat and fat, and seasoned with salt, cracked black pepper, and garlic, and smoked over pecan wood and sugar cane for up to seven or eight hours.Varying Spices- there are many people that believe cayenne pepper is the only spice that goes into Cajun food. This couldn�t be further from the truth.You don�t have to be a culinary genius to prepare good Cajun/Creole dishes, but you do need the right ingredients. For those of you interested in crafting some Cajun concoctions of your own, check out Cajun Grocer online. Cajun Grocer offers a huge selection of all things Cajun, and you are sure to find everything you need to prepare the finest Cajun dishes.Nutria- the meat from this rodent is lean and low in cholesterol. While there have been many attempts to establish markets for nutria meat, all documented cases have generally been unsuccessful.White Beans- another Cajun favorite. White beans are a common side dish, often slow cooked and including some type of pork, usually tasso.Holy Trinity- The holy trinity of cuisine refers specifically to the use originated from the Cajun and Creole cuisines of Louisiana where chopped celery, bell peppers, and onions are the staple base for much of the cooking.

You don�t have to be a culinary genius to prepare good Cajun/Creole dishes, but you do need the right ingredients. For those of you interested in crafting some Cajun concoctions of your own, check out Cajun Grocer online. Cajun Grocer offers a huge selection of all things Cajun, and you are sure to find everything you need to prepare the finest Cajun dishes.

My soul food: "some women view food as the enemy, but for me it's always been a comfort, an expression of the love I receive from my close-knit family."

When I was a little girl, I tried my hardest to be good. Not because I have an inherently angelic personality, but because I knew that if I did well in school, respected my elders and looked after my little sisters, I'd get a treat--maybe a trip to McDonald's (which for me at 10 years old was the pinnacle of fine dining) or a piece of my grandmother's prized sweet potato pie or my late Aunt Gloria's melt-in-your-mouth monkey bread.

month 3 Weight: 170 lbs.RELATED ARTICLEWeight: 179 lbs.While my commitment to Weight-Loss Diary has forced me to rein in my snack compulsion, my mind still wanders to my favorite "cheat" foods more than I care to confess, making me long for my mom's duck a l'orange and chicken wings, and Auntie's cheesecake. It also doesn't help that when my friends and I get together on special occasions, we invariably head to a restaurant with plenty of tantalizing but fattening selections. I haven't indulged much lately, but it's always arduous, whether I'm dodging an hors d'oeuvre tray at a wedding reception, sipping a white wine spritzer at happy hour when what I really want is a Malibu rum and pineapple, or politely declining the Halloween candy corn, Christmas cookies and chocolate Easter bunnies that inevitably materialize in my office during the holidays.month 2 Weight: 173 lbs.Resting blood pressure: 114/80 (normal)Aerobic fitness: averageV[O.sub.2] max*: 39.4 ml/kg/minnowResting blood pressure: 110/70 (normal)RELATED ARTICLE: WHAT I LEARNEDNet body fat lost: 2%Some women view food as the enemy, but for me it has always been a comfort, a reward and an expression of the love I receive from my close-knit family. Every Friday, my sisters and I would huddle in my grandmother's kitchen for hot pieces of fried whiting and a scoop of french fries on the side. Grandma always ladled out liberal servings because she never wanted us to experience the hunger pangs she suffered as an orphan growing up during the Depression. Because of the food-based reward system that my family employed, coupled with our frequent gatherings, food for me is the ultimate pleasure, which makes exercising moderation when it comes to my eating choices seem like a punishment.3. Dietary lifestyle changes don't happen overnight. They're the result of effort, consistency and trial and error.Cholesterol: 159 (desirable)Weight: 166 Net pounds lost: 13V[O.sub.2] max*: 33.7 ml/kg/minPounds lost: 9Net body fat lost: 5%1. Emotional food associations can be a major hindrance to a nutritional overhaul.Net body fat lost: 4%I won't pretend that my problem is solved and that Easter dinner will see me contentedly grazing on carrot sticks and steamed fish while everyone else devours baked ham, fried chicken and mac and cheese. But now I know I can enjoy my family's company and feel nurtured and loved without two servings of Auntie's cheesecake. Well, maybe just a few bites this year.Pounds lost: 62. Successful dieters view food as fuel--not as love.Body fat: 32%month 4Since starting this column, I've been suffering from major bouts of deprivation. Thank goodness I've been able to talk to Jean Petrucelli, Ph.D., a New York City-based clinical psychologist who specializes in eating disorders. She's helping me decode my food associations and recognize the importance of viewing food as fuel and not as happiness. Because I associated my favorite dishes with love and family in the past, I'm now learning to appreciate the people I care most about--without all the fattening food that has always come with them.thenmonth 1 Height: 5'4"Body fat: 28%Cholesterol: 145 (desirable)Body fat: 27%Body fat: 30%

3. Dietary lifestyle changes don't happen overnight. They're the result of effort, consistency and trial and error.

Monkey Bread -- less fat, same delicious taste

Dear Jeanne: This is a favorite treat for holiday mornings. I can guess that there are a lot of calories, and I was wondering if it could be made less fattening. Can you help?

1/4 cup wheat germ1/2 cup applesauce1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.Dear Helen: This is a very quick and easy way to make a special treat, which can be eaten for breakfast or dessert.Each nugget is about 25 calories, and half a gram of fat.1 1/2 cups sugar1/2 cup raisins1 tablespoon ground cinnamonMONKEY BREAD2 tablespoons boiling water1/2 cup raisins (optional)Makes 16 servings.1 tablespoon cinnamon1/4 cup butter, meltedI changed the method slightly, so every little nugget would be covered with all the goodies. I cut 40 biscuits into 4 pieces each. So I calculated that each serving would be about 10 nuggets.4 cans biscuitsNuts (optional)4 cans (7.5 ounces each) refrigerated biscuit dough (10 biscuits each)I added a little wheat germ to give it a little nutty taste, but if you don't have any, the recipe will work fine without it.Jeanne Jones is the author of 33 cookbooks, most recently "Cooking From the Cupboard" (Rodale Press). For more information, you can go to her Web site, jeannejones.com. Send your recipe for revision to: Cook It Light, Deseret Morning News, P.O. Box 1212, La Jolla, CA 92038. Please include a stamped (63 cents), self- addressed envelope. (c) King Features Syndicate Inc.Thank you. -- Helen F., Provo, Utah4. Add the applesauce and butter to the soaked raisins. Add the raisin mixture to the large bowl of sugar-coated biscuits. Mix (clean hands work well) until thoroughly mixed. Place evenly in the prepared pan. Do not press down.REDUCED-FAT MONKEY BREAD3/4 cup sugar1 1/2 sticks butterPreheat oven to 350 F. Cut biscuits into quarters. Put 3/4 cup of the sugar and the cinnamon in a bag. Shake the rolls in the sugar mixture, one can at a time. Put in a Bundt pan. Layer raisins or nuts as desired. Put the remaining 3/4 cup sugar and the butter in a pan; heat to melt butter (low heat). After you put all the rolls in the pan, pour butter mixture over. Mix gently to distribute the butter. Set timer for 30 minutes. Cover with foil and bake for 15 more minutes. Flip out when done. Beware of the excess melted butter.2. Spread the raisins out in the bottom of a small bowl, add the 2 tablespoons boiling water and set aside.3. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon and wheat germ. Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces. Add to the large bowl of sugar and cinnamon. Coat all the biscuit pieces with sugar. Leave the extra sugar in the bowl.5. Bake for 30 minutes, then cover the top with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning. Bake for 15 more minutes. Remove pan from the oven and loosen the sides with a knife. Place a plate over the top and turn the pan over onto the plate.

Jeanne Jones is the author of 33 cookbooks, most recently "Cooking From the Cupboard" (Rodale Press). For more information, you can go to her Web site, jeannejones.com. Send your recipe for revision to: Cook It Light, Deseret Morning News, P.O. Box 1212, La Jolla, CA 92038. Please include a stamped (63 cents), self- addressed envelope. (c) King Features Syndicate Inc.

Tree of life

The baobab tree has many names, including the monkey bread tree, the cream of tartar tree and the upside-down tree. In Africa, baobab fruit pulp's uses vary, from a traditional snack to mixing with other foods. The citric and tartaric acid found in the pulp has given it the popular name of "cream of tartar," and it is often used as a baking ingredient. Other uses are as a milk-curdling agent, as yogurt or ice cream flavoring, or as a source of calcium for lactating or pregnant women. It is also a novel nutraceutical ingredient with a high natural vitamin C content; strong antioxidant properties; a natural source of calcium, phosphorus, iron and potassium; a good source of vitamins B2 and B3; and the presence of citric, malic and succinic acids. Herbal Teas International, a U.S. distributor of unique African botanicals, provides baobab fruit pulp in two formats: natural--a milled and sifted, free-flowing, light-colored powder that is non-water soluble; and as a free-flowing, depectinised powder that is water-soluble and clear in solution. Herbal Teas International, 800-5591147, www.rooibosdirect.com

San Francisco’s La Boulange to Develop its New Catering Program with MonkeyMedia Software

Ten-Unit La Boulange Bakery Has Selected MonkeyCatering™ 3.0 to Help Build Its Catering Program from the Ground up, Equipped with Online Ordering and Comprehensive Production Management

MonkeyMedia Software specializes in web-based operations solutions for the foodservice industry. The company’s applications are meticulously designed to fit the way you work – whether you’re a small business, a medium-sized regional company, or an enterprise-class organization with coast-to-coast operations. With strong roots in catering and food production and their flexible, scalable web-based platform, MonkeyMedia Software delivers the next generation of enterprise-class management solutions for foodservice companies. MonkeyMedia Software solutions feature a complete front-to-back system to manage sales, production and supply chain, powerful reporting for real-time visibility and results-based decision-making, a 100% web-based platform that is configured to fit a unique business process and easy integration with current web and accounting systems. For more information on MonkeyMedia Software, visit www.monkeymediasoftware.com.La Boulange will launch its new website, www.laboulangebakery.com, next month and plans to complete the implementation of MonkeyCatering in the late summer to early fall timeframe.SAN FRANCISCO -- MonkeyMedia Software, a provider of web-based operations solutions for the foodservice industry, today announced that La Boulange has selected MonkeyCatering™ to help develop the bakery’s first catering program with online ordering and end-to-end production management. La Boulange, a San Francisco-based rustic French-inspired bakery, was founded by Pascal Rigo who learned the craft of baking artisan breads in his hometown of Bordeaux, France.About MonkeyMedia SoftwareLa Boulange knew that creating a catering program from the ground up would be a challenge, and MonkeyMedia Software was the only solution provider that offered the end-to-end capabilities it needs. By implementing MonkeyCatering, La Boulange will drive success with:Now with ten locations and a successful wholesale division, La Boulange is expanding its operations to include a central catering program. “After opening our Market Street location in the heart of downtown last year, we knew that if we wanted to stay competitive, it was time to start building our catering business,” said Thomas Lefort, co-owner, La Boulange. “Since we were developing the program from scratch, we realized the best way to manage it would be with a dedicated catering platform built by and for restaurant-based caterers. Our professional customers are often pressed for time, and we needed to provide them the option for seamless online ordering and delivery.”

MonkeyMedia Software specializes in web-based operations solutions for the foodservice industry. The company’s applications are meticulously designed to fit the way you work – whether you’re a small business, a medium-sized regional company, or an enterprise-class organization with coast-to-coast operations. With strong roots in catering and food production and their flexible, scalable web-based platform, MonkeyMedia Software delivers the next generation of enterprise-class management solutions for foodservice companies. MonkeyMedia Software solutions feature a complete front-to-back system to manage sales, production and supply chain, powerful reporting for real-time visibility and results-based decision-making, a 100% web-based platform that is configured to fit a unique business process and easy integration with current web and accounting systems. For more information on MonkeyMedia Software, visit www.monkeymediasoftware.com.

Bay Bread Group to Manage Bakery Production with MonkeyMedia Software®

Bay Bread Group Will Deploy MonkeyFoodFactory™ to Two Wholesale Bakeries for Improved Operational Performance and Increased Flexibility and Control over Production

With MonkeyFoodFactory, the Bay Bread Group will benefit from the platform’s ability to facilitate and automate processes such as order and account management, recipe management, production planning and scheduling, transactional accounting and real-time reporting. MonkeyFoodFactory will also provide the Bay Bread Group with:MonkeyMedia Software specializes in web-based operations solutions for the foodservice industry. The company’s applications are meticulously designed to fit the way you work – whether you’re a small business, a medium-sized regional company, or an enterprise-class organization with coast-to-coast operations. With strong roots in catering and food production and their flexible, scalable web-based platform, MonkeyMedia Software delivers the next generation of enterprise-class management solutions for foodservice companies. MonkeyMedia Software solutions feature a complete front-to-back system to manage sales, production and supply chain, powerful reporting for real-time visibility and results-based decision-making, a 100% web-based platform that is configured to fit a unique business process and easy integration with current web and accounting systems. For more information on MonkeyMedia Software, visit www.monkeymediasoftware.com.VANCOUVER, Canada -- MonkeyMedia Software, a provider of web-based operations solutions for the foodservice industry, today announced that the Bay Bread Group will roll out MonkeyFoodFactory™ to two wholesale bakeries to give the business more flexibility and control over performance and production. The San Francisco-based Bay Bread Group, parent company of the Le Boulange chain of rustic French-inspired bakeries, was founded by Pascal Rigo who learned the craft of baking artisan breads in his hometown of Bordeaux, France.“We’re delighted that the Bay Bread Group has again chosen MonkeyMedia Software as its technology partner and provider as the company expands its bakery business,” said Erle Dardick, CEO, MonkeyMedia Software. “The Bay Bread Group is a Bay Area gem, and its founders are highly regarded throughout the bakery community. We look forward to supporting the Bay Bread Group as its gears up for continued growth and success.”

About MonkeyMedia Software

MonkeyMedia Software specializes in web-based operations solutions for the foodservice industry. The company’s applications are meticulously designed to fit the way you work – whether you’re a small business, a medium-sized regional company, or an enterprise-class organization with coast-to-coast operations. With strong roots in catering and food production and their flexible, scalable web-based platform, MonkeyMedia Software delivers the next generation of enterprise-class management solutions for foodservice companies. MonkeyMedia Software solutions feature a complete front-to-back system to manage sales, production and supply chain, powerful reporting for real-time visibility and results-based decision-making, a 100% web-based platform that is configured to fit a unique business process and easy integration with current web and accounting systems. For more information on MonkeyMedia Software, visit www.monkeymediasoftware.com.

Winter Time Birds

Wintertime is very difficult for birds, especially the further north that they live because the weather gets considerably colder and harsher. The ground often freezes preventing them form accessing the nutritious worms. The insects are hibernating and most hedgerows and trees are dormant for the cold winter months. Birds can find it difficult to find enough food or even a drink, especially if the winter has brought snow.

Most garden bird�s staple diet is usually, fruit and berries, nuts and seeds, insects, worms and grubs, Very tasty.Lots f people help the birds by throwing out stale bread for them to eat. Although this does elevate the birds hunger, bread isn't a very nutritious food source.There is a chart on the website, a list of UK winter birds that you may see. Each bird has an illustration to help you to identify which breed it is, and there is some information about each birds preferred habitat. Some birds are residents of the UK, which means they like here all year round, others just visit for the winter.Mould into a ball shape and leave it over night on the kitchen windowsill to dry. By morning it will be hard and ready to leave out on a bird table or lawn for the birds to peck at.Some of the UK�s bird population are becoming endangered, this means that their population numbers are falling. Organisations like the RSPB do valuable work to protect and monitor endangered breeds of bird. You could monitor the birds yourself during the winter months, spend an hour each day for a week recording all the birds that visit your garden or bird-table. Bird watching is also known as twitching.To really help the bird out this winter you could string p some monkey nuts. Buy some peanuts in their shells and thread a sharp wool needle with a length of wool with a knot in the end of it. Push the needle through the middle of the peanut shell and out of the other side, it's a bit like threading beads. Thread on more monkey nuts in this way until the wool is almost full. Unthread the needle, make a loop in the wool that is left and tie a knot to keep the nuts and the loop in place. Use the loop to hang the nuts from the bird-table or tree.Some birds on the list are endangered, so some of the birds are rarer than others; but you may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of them. Maybe you could tempt them into your garden with a bit of tasty bird-cake.Add to a bowl some chopped up bacon rind, leftover chicken bits from Sunday dinner, a few peanuts, a few raisins and frozen peas, some shelled sunflower seeds if you have any, some diced apple and a couple of heaped table spoons of flour and mix well. Add some water and mix to create dough.You could also make a tasty bird-cake...

Some birds on the list are endangered, so some of the birds are rarer than others; but you may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of them. Maybe you could tempt them into your garden with a bit of tasty bird-cake.

Funny Questions About Life

Ever had one of those funny questions about life? Then please read on. When it comes to funny questions and thoughts about life, every time I think I've seen them all I find one I've never seen before or come up with more of my own. The following are some of the ones I've discovered or written however, I know there's more because thats, well... life. So, if you find while reading these funny questions and thoughts about life make you smile, pass them along. All right, let's get started!

Funny Questions about life - Group 2 Is there ever a day that mattresses aren't on sale? They make bullet proof vests, why not bullet proof pants? Why are oriental rug stores always going out of business? Is there any difference between partly cloudy and partly sunny?Funny Questions about life - Group 1 Why does Hawaiian pizza also contain Canadian Bacon? Grape Nuts cereal. No grapes - no nuts. Huh? What's the difference between regular ketchup and fancy ketchup? Do Dutch people always split the bill? If you use Miracle Whip on Wonder Bread, do you have to use Heavenly Ham?Funny Questions about life - Group 3 If it only takes one match to start a forrest fire, why on earth does it take me a whole box of matches and a can of lighter fluid to light my grill? When they ship those styrofoam peanuts, what do they pack them in? How do you know when pickles or sour cream has gone bad?Funny Questions about life - Group 5 How come you never read the headline, "Psychic Wins Lottery"? The next time someone says, "Now I've seen everything", ask them if they've ever seen a UPS truck parked in a parking space. Has anyone ever really seen a Jolly Rancher? If you get a club soda stain, how do you remove it?Funny Questions about life - Group 7 They say laughter is the best medicine - so who came up with the phrase, "I died laughing"? Why do doctors leave the room when your getting dressed? After all, they've already seen you naked. What's wrong with the United States? They only have two choices for President, but fifty for Miss America. Any reason they nail down the lid of a coffin? When butterflies get upset or nervous, what do they get in their stomachs?Funny Questions about life - Group 6 Has anyone (besides Donald Trump's wife) ever been fooled by a comb over? Is it really possible to change the direction of a bowling ball by waving your hands? There's senior citizens, so why aren't there junior citizens?Funny Questions about life - Group 4 How does one know when their bagpipes need tuning? Allstate Insurance has a disclaimer that reads: not available in all states. What? If Donkey Kong's main character is a monkey, why isn't it called Monkey Kong? Why does the word lisp have an "s" in it?Yes, these are just a few of the Funny Questions about life that try men's -and women's souls. And there's a ton more funny questions about life not listed here. Some of them come to me during the course of a day. For example, why does every shampoo bottle say, lather, rinse, repeat? I'm sorry, did I miss my head entirely the first time or do you just want to sell more shampoo? If you have or have thought up any funny questions of life yourself, feel free to send them along and thanks for wasting a few minutes of your life pondering these funny questions of life. Now get out there and do something good. Like figuring out what people in China call their good plates...

Yes, these are just a few of the Funny Questions about life that try men's -and women's souls. And there's a ton more funny questions about life not listed here. Some of them come to me during the course of a day. For example, why does every shampoo bottle say, lather, rinse, repeat? I'm sorry, did I miss my head entirely the first time or do you just want to sell more shampoo? If you have or have thought up any funny questions of life yourself, feel free to send them along and thanks for wasting a few minutes of your life pondering these funny questions of life. Now get out there and do something good. Like figuring out what people in China call their good plates...

Treats For Hamsters (and Other Rodents)

Small animals love food, especially treats. Giving your small pet these extra treats is a great way to add to its staple food and keeps it healthy and happy. You should always keep in mind that treats should be given moderately, especially sugary or fatty foods. When giving treats you should also think about what sort of things your pet should and shouldn�t eat, for example chinchillas should avoid sugary foods. Here are some things small animals will love to eat:

Nuts, seeds and grainsPopcornhttp://www.allpet.co.ukDried mealworms, given either separate or mixed with food provide protein and fun for your hamster. Don�t give too many!Crunchy stuff is important as it helps wear down those ever growing teeth! There is a whole array of biscuit treats, some filled with yummy apple or other fruits and some that are just flavoured like fruits, vegetables or cheese. You can also give very, very small pieces of brown bread toast and the occasional dog biscuit is also well appreciated!In the fruit department you can give small slices of fresh apple, watermelon or pear, half a grape or strawberry, or small amounts of berries such as blackcurrant, cranberries or blueberries. Don�t feed high acidic foods such as oranges or lemon and avoid sugary foods such as fresh banana. Also remember with both fruits and veg to wash it thoroughly as there may be harmful pesticides or residue from them.These treats are often found in �chocolate� flavour, milk flavour or even sometimes honey flavour. You may also find them in fruit flavours, including berry, strawberry or even vegetable flavours such as carrot or leek!Small animals love to eat vegetables and the occasional fruit; it not only gives them a yummy treat but also helps keep their teeth short and fur shiny. Vegetables such as carrot, peas and sweetcorn make excellent choices. Make sure to give in moderation, one pea or sweet corn is enough for a hamster, and the end of a carrot will make an ample treat, ensure you take out any uneaten food so that it won�t go mouldy and pose a threat to your pet.Hanging snack barshttp://petandreptile.blogspot.comSimilar to peanuts is the sunflower seed, which can be mixed into food or given separately, small animals love taking the husk off of these, but just like peanuts only feed a small amount and make sure they are safe for your little critter!Dried fruits and vegetables:Herbs and plantsMade from grains, seeds and other tasty treats, these bars of yummy food can be hung from cages or d�cor within the enclosure. They not only provide lots of tooth gnawing treats, but lots of exercise too. They can come in all sorts of flavours, from honey and nut to rose petal, strawberry, seeds, banana and fruit.Varieties come separate or mixed usually with coconut, peanuts or popcorn! Some common varieties include: Dried banana, dried strawberries, dried kiwi, dried papaya, pineapple or passion fruit, dried leek, dried tomato, dried artichoke, dried potato, dried apple, dried coconut and raisins.Some plants and herbs can be dangerous to your pet so you should always find out first, generally if in doubt avoid it! You should always wash any fresh herbs or plants before giving them to your pet! Many small animals will enjoy nibbling fresh grass and even more enjoy dandelion leaves.Plain popcorn, not the sort you get from the supermarket, gives a fun treat. You can even buy microwavable maize sticks to make your own hamster treats at home!Many pet stores will stock dried fruit and vegetables for your small animal. These are excellent choices, as they have no preservatives or extras added like you might find in supermarket brands intended for humans!Some common herbs are Salvia, Parsley, Thyme, Bulbiferous Sunflower (Topinambur), Marjoram, Willow Bark, Milfoil, Linden flower, Goats Rue, Briar Rose, Dandelion, Chicory, Cornflower, Plantain, Mint, Nettle, Chamomile, Marigold and occasionally Birch Tree Leaves. All of which create a great and interesting treat for your hamster or small animal.Another positive to these is many of the fruits are safe for your small animals to eat dried and therefore they come in a staggering range. They also won�t go mouldy so can be placed in the food bowl to zing up your pet�s normal food.Fresh Fruits and vegetables:Hamsters like a very small amount of cheese, but it needs to be small. No more than half a centimetre cube. You also need to make sure that your hamster does not store it as it could go mouldy!CheesePeanuts, in the shell or not, make a great treat that most small animals will go wild for. However be careful not to give to many as your pet may decide to eat only peanuts, which is bad for it�s health. Hamsters have a lot of fun de-shelling the �monkey nut� variety and this helps keep their teeth healthy too! Make sure to buy nuts for either wild birds or hamsters so that they are free of salts, preservatives or anything harmful.Crunchy stuffThere are some other types of treat that you can give. Some are occasional and others are a little different, all of them will provide fun and enjoyment to your pet.Chocolate for hamsters?You should never feed your hamster chocolate, as it contains many chemicals that are harmful for your little pet. However many treats are sold as �hamster chocs� these are actually a blend of ingredients that while high in fat and sugar make really interesting and tasty treats. They should be given moderately, as the fats and sugars will give your hamster energy but too many could make them unhealthy.MealwormsDried herbs and flowers are often sold as treats for hamsters and other small animals and are generally safer than feeding your pet plants you find. Also because they are dried you don�t have to worry about them going off. You can mix them in with the dry food to make it more interesting or provide a separate bowl for the mixture.Nuts, seeds and grains are great for small animals as they help to grind down teeth and provide essential oils and fats for healthy eyesight, growth and skin. The majority of foods provide these already, so many are unneeded as treats. However if your pet is on a pellet diet or you just want to spoil them these can be an excellent choice.

http://petandreptile.blogspot.com

Author: Gordon Bloomfield

India 2007 - Days 4 to 6 - Bijaypur and Jaipur

The drive from Udaipur to Bijaypur was nothing if not interesting. En route, we visited Chittaugarh Fort, a huge fortification with a whole town within it. Built on a one hundred and fifty metre high plateau in the Aravalli Hills, it is in ruins but well-restored. The entrance is on the north west side and the road winds up through seven individually named gates, each with its own guardhouse. The first gate is known as Padal Pol (lowest gate) followed by Bhairav Pol (Bhairav being an attendant of the Goddess Durga), Hanuman Pol (this gate has a temple and a shrine dedicated to the Monkey God Hanuman), Ganesh Pol (for the Elephant God), Jorla Pol, Lakshman Pol and finally Ram Pol (Gate of the God Ram) which was built in AD 1459. The gateway located on the eastern side of the fort is known as Suraj Pol (Sun Gate).

Dirty Rice- is a traditional Cajun dish made from white rice cooked with small pieces of chicken liver or giblets, which give it a dark ("dirty") color and a mild but distinctive flavor. Similar to a pilaf, it also includes green bell pepper, celery and onion (the "holy trinity").You don�t have to be a culinary genius to prepare good Cajun/Creole dishes, but you do need the right ingredients. For those of you interested in crafting some Cajun concoctions of your own, check out Cajun Grocer online. Cajun Grocer offers a huge selection of all things Cajun, and you are sure to find everything you need to prepare the finest Cajun dishes.Understanding the Process- any true Cajun dish should not contain a lot of anything, except TLC. The biggest misconception about Cajun food is that it should be extremely spicy. Knowing the difference between �seasoned well� and �spicy� goes a long way with this style of cooking. Most dishes will start with the Trinity or a roux and can be tailored to fit anyone�s taste. The greatest thing about Cajun food is that it can be anything to anyone.To really help the bird out this winter you could string p some monkey nuts. Buy some peanuts in their shells and thread a sharp wool needle with a length of wool with a knot in the end of it. Push the needle through the middle of the peanut shell and out of the other side, it's a bit like threading beads. Thread on more monkey nuts in this way until the wool is almost full. Unthread the needle, make a loop in the wool that is left and tie a knot to keep the nuts and the loop in place. Use the loop to hang the nuts from the bird-table or tree.The palace of Kumbha and Padmini's Palace are but two of the beautifully carved edifices, which have been subject to restoration.Dinner was a quite spicy mutton curry for my husband and Malaysian noodles for me, incorporating chicken and prawns and a fearsome amount of chilli!Etouffee- in French, the word etouffee literally means "smothered," which is a good way to describe this Cajun dish, as it is basically smothered crawfish over rice. Unlike gumbo, which is made with a dark roux, etouffee is made from a lighter, spicier roux. A proper etouffee will be orange-colored, with a hint of brown. It should be spicy, as its main spice ingredient is cayenne pepper, and saucy enough to form a thick gravy for the rice. However, take note that it is not gumbo, and should not be served like soup. The gravy in etouffee is much thicker than the roux of a gumbo.Onwards from the fort and having travelled some distance on a very good road, our driver realised that he had missed our turning and wasted about an hour. Around we turned, eventually found the right turning then spent a further hour winding our way further and further uphill, until, if it weren't for the frequent signposts to our hotel, we would have assumed that we had gone wrong again.Lots f people help the birds by throwing out stale bread for them to eat. Although this does elevate the birds hunger, bread isn't a very nutritious food source.Okra- originally used as a thickening agent for gumbos, this fruit was a very frequently used ingredient in many dishes due to its wide availability in South Louisiana.File�- is a spice made from dried and ground sassafras leaves. It is used in the making of some types of gumbos and stews. It is sprinkled sparingly over gumbo as a seasoning and thickening agent, giving it a distinctive flavor and texture. Fil� was originally an okra substitute when okra was not in season.Zapp�s Potato Chips- Louisiana�s unofficial brand of potato chips. These potato chips are kettle cooked in peanut oil and are offered in a variety of true Cajun flavors such as Spicy Cajun Crawtators, Cajun Dill, and Sour Cream and Creole Onion.

Our next few days will be spent in Ranthambhore National Park, so I hope you'll be with us then to hear our experiences, both culinary and wildlife.

Author: Liz Canham

The ABC's of Cajun Cooking

Cajun Food from A to Z

X- sorry I got nothin.Mould into a ball shape and leave it over night on the kitchen windowsill to dry. By morning it will be hard and ready to leave out on a bird table or lawn for the birds to peck at.Ingredients- There�s an old Cajun saying that says, �With ingredients like these a monkey could cook�. This is perhaps a testament to the use of simple yet delicious ingredients that are commonly found in most Cajun cuisine. (i.e. Holy Trinity)After breakfast, we set of for Jaipur, taking an interesting short-cut to the freeway past grazing camels and wonderful orange-flowered flame trees, through tiny villages, over rough ground without tarmac, better suited to a four-wheel-drive vehicle!Roux- made using either vegetable oil or lard and wheat flour, roux is a very common ingredient in countless Cajun dishes such as gumbo. There are two basic types of roux, light and dark. Light roux, commonly referred to as �blond roux� is primarily used as a thickening agent in many soups and stews. Dark roux which is the further cooked version, which results in the darker color, provides more flavor but less thickening power.King Cake- the French tradition of baking a special cake to honor the three kings, "A King's Cake," began in 1311. Today, King Cakes are enjoyed in Louisiana from the Feast of Epiphany until Mardi Gras day. A plastic or porcelain baby is inserted into the cake to symbolize the Baby Jesus. The cake is covered in sugar, specially colored in purple for justice, green for faith and gold for power - these are also the colors of Mardi Gras.Andouille- Cajun andouille is made of butt or shank meat and fat, and seasoned with salt, cracked black pepper, and garlic, and smoked over pecan wood and sugar cane for up to seven or eight hours.Gumbo- The word gumbo comes from an African word for okra, kigombo, which shows how important an ingredient okra was in early gumbo recipes. Gumbo originated in Southern Louisiana, where okra was easy to grow.Add to a bowl some chopped up bacon rind, leftover chicken bits from Sunday dinner, a few peanuts, a few raisins and frozen peas, some shelled sunflower seeds if you have any, some diced apple and a couple of heaped table spoons of flour and mix well. Add some water and mix to create dough.Next morning, the staff had gone back to sleep, each of three separate waiters asking what we wanted for breakfast and none of them getting it right - oh well, you can't win them all.Most garden bird�s staple diet is usually, fruit and berries, nuts and seeds, insects, worms and grubs, Very tasty.There is a chart on the website, a list of UK winter birds that you may see. Each bird has an illustration to help you to identify which breed it is, and there is some information about each birds preferred habitat. Some birds are residents of the UK, which means they like here all year round, others just visit for the winter.All that sightseeing naturally brought on hunger and thirst, so spring rolls and spicy prawns by the pool were the order of the day but so good and plentiful were they that I could only manage a tarka dal and nan bread for dinner while my husband had the interestingly-named Southern Railway Lamb curry. There was no real clue as to the contents, but we surmised the use of the normal spices and flavourings which resulted in quite a red-coloured and extremely tasty dish.Our next few days will be spent in Ranthambhore National Park, so I hope you'll be with us then to hear our experiences, both culinary and wildlife.Holy Trinity- The holy trinity of cuisine refers specifically to the use originated from the Cajun and Creole cuisines of Louisiana where chopped celery, bell peppers, and onions are the staple base for much of the cooking.Boudin- is a treat found only in Southern Louisiana, traditionally made with pork, rice and various vegetables. However, you won't find one central recipe, because each butcher makes boudin a different way. Everyone has their own family recipe. Some are spicier, and some use different meats and flavorings, but the results are always delicious.The exploits of the Rajputs place in Indian folklore compares with that of the medieval knights of Europe or the Samurai of Japan, to the extent that individual Rajput heroes have the place where they fell in defence of the fort, marked with stones.White Beans- another Cajun favorite. White beans are a common side dish, often slow cooked and including some type of pork, usually tasso.Sauce Picante�- refers to a spicy tomato based sauce commonly used in Cajun/Creole cuisine. Usually combined with seafood or poultry and served over rice.Some birds on the list are endangered, so some of the birds are rarer than others; but you may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of them. Maybe you could tempt them into your garden with a bit of tasty bird-cake.Crawfish- While there is no doubt the favorite crawfish recipes among true Cajuns are crawfish boils, crawfish etouffee, crawfish pies and fried crawfish po�boys; the mudbugs can also be seen in seafood gumbos, appetizer selections and even savory deserts, like a crawfish beignet.Next day involved the obligatory visits to the Jantar Mantar observatory, the Chandra Mahal (City Palace) and the Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds), an interesting structure, tall and very narrow, ornately carved from pink sandstone and built solely so that the royal ladies could watch the world go by without being seen. The City Palace, too, is well worth a visit, with seven stories and seven courtyards, partly still occupied by the present-day Maharajah. There is a large museum which gives some insight into the past days of the maharajahs, including costumes, weapons, pottery, musical instruments and the two fantastic silver jars used by Nadho Singh II to carry Ganges water for bathing on his visit to England in 1901.You could also make a tasty bird-cake...Lagniappe- derived from American Spanish and passed on to English from Louisiana French, the term lagniappe basically refers to �something extra�. With regard to Cajun cooking, lagniappe could be anything the chef might have lying around that could be added to the dish.Dinner, too, was a surprise, being a very tasty, mainly vegetarian buffet consisting of boiled rice, an aubergine curry, an egg curry, mixed vegetables, dal and a mutton dish, which, although not vegetarians, we didn't try. There was also nan bread on offer, which was very welcome.

You don�t have to be a culinary genius to prepare good Cajun/Creole dishes, but you do need the right ingredients. For those of you interested in crafting some Cajun concoctions of your own, check out Cajun Grocer online. Cajun Grocer offers a huge selection of all things Cajun, and you are sure to find everything you need to prepare the finest Cajun dishes.

Author: Steven Domingue