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What Are Some Mexican Frozen Treats

It can get very hot in Mexico. Mexicans have a variety of cool treats to enjoy. From ice cream sandwiches to popsicles, they have many to choose from. The treats consist of chocolate, cinnamon, and different fruits. Some men even sell the treats up and down the streets similar to in America where you will see ice cream trucks in the summer selling cold snacks.

Popsicles are popular in Mexico. Paletas which mean “little shovels” in Spanish can be found in Mexican grocery stores. They come in regular shapes, but their flavors are what differs them from American popsicles. Some paletas include milk and tropical fruits, while others are full of more ice and more tart flavors. Some flavors that are not very common in America are chili, and cucumber. The chili one is a bit spicy, so pepper lovers would enjoy this flavor. Paletas are easy to make at home and carry little fat. If you would prefer to buy them, paletas are sold at many street vendors in Hispanic neighborhoods. A California-based company named Palapa Azul makes paletas to sell to a much wider market, not just for Hispanics. You might even be able to purchase paletas at Walmart!

Mexican fried ice cream is another mouth watering treat. It is somewhat Americanized. You can find fried ice cream at Mexican restaurants in the United States and also at festivals. The ice cream used is more frozen than majority of ice creams. The ball of ice cream is rolled with different items such as cookie crumbs and then cooked in the deep fryer at a very low temperature. This allows the ice cream not to melt. Once it is fried, toppings can be added. Cinnamon is a common topping. Fried ice cream has become so common that it is also served in Chinese and Japanese restaurants. They add different flavors to the ice cream. You might find it green tea flavored.

If in the mood for just regular vanilla ice cream, cajeta would be a great topping. Cajeta is a Mexican confection of syrup most commonly made from caramelized milk that is sweetened. The syrup is made by the sweetened liquid being cooked slowly and breaking down until it is very thick. Some people use different liquids instead of sweetened milk. You might find cajeta made with juice or a different sweetened liquid. Different parts of Mexico may know the milk candy by different names such as leche quemada and dulce de leche. It is topped on ice cream. Even the Hershey Company produces cajeta which is targeted for Mexican food lovers. Cajeta is a great addition to ice cream, especially on a hot day in Mexico.

These cool treats are easy to make from your own home. Do some research on the different flavors and try to make a few. If you have a child, have some fun and both make them together and of course eat the finished treat. These are perfect on a warm day, but can still be enjoyable anytime of the year.

Summer Grilling

Summer time is the perfect time for barbequing. Not only is the temperatures perfect for outdoor activities, but often the children are out of school, and families are traveling for their summer vacations. Today in America, it is unheard of for a family to go a full summer without having or attending a barbeque cookout. Today, over 90% of families attend a barbeque at least once a year.

Summer is indeed the perfect time to plan a barbeque party. It is important to remember certain things when barbequing to ensure that your party goes flawless.

Grilling Dos and Donts

1. Always start with a completely clean grill. The amazing fish that you cooked last week was indeed tasty, but unless you want a hint of fish with your hot dogs, you need to clean your grill before cooking. It is recommended that you clean you grill each and every time you use it. Wait until it cools down, and then clean the surfaces with baking soda and the racks with grease fighting dish soap and water.

2. Before you begin cooking, spray your cooking area with a nonstick cooking spray. This will prevent your meat from sticking when you are rotating or removing it. If your meat sticks and tears, you will lose a large amount of juice, and your meat may dry out.

3. Never place food on the grill until the temperature is correct. The fluctuation in temperatures will cause your food to dry out or burn. If you are using a charcoal grill, make sure that the coals are completely gray before putting the meat on the grill. This will allow the temperatures to level out, and the majority of the lighter fluid to burn off.

4. While marinating before you cook will add flavor, covering your meat in barbeque sauces before cooking will dry your meat out, and may even cause it to burn. This happens because most barbeques sauces contain high amounts of fat and sugar, which burn really easy. Alternatively, lightly seasoning your meat will work well, and will not have any adverse effects. If you must use barbeque sauce, only add it in the final minutes before taking your meat off the grill. Just remember that meat has a natural flavor that is only brought out by barbequing, so you do not want to ruin that.

5. Searing you meat will lock in the juices and taste, but you do not want to cook your meat at that temperature for the whole amount of time. Once you have seared both sides, reduce the heat to medium. This will ensure that your meat is full of flavor and tender.

6. Once meat is cooked, never put it back in on the same plate you had it on when it was raw. This could cause the spread of many unwanted illnesses. Do not handle cooked meat with the same utensils that you used when it was raw.

7. Never poke you meat while it is cooking. Poking holes in meat will cause the juice inside to leak out into the bottom of the grill. Not only will this make your food dry and unappealing in the end, but it also could potentially ruin your barbeque grill. At the very least, it will cause a buildup of unwanted grease and juices on your grill, which will make cleanup harder.

Tiramisu – The Italian Food Dessert

Today Tiramisu is the most popular of Italian food desserts. It graces the menu of nearly every Italian food restaurant. However, its rise to fame has been meteoric; it wasn’t even invented until the 1970’s in the Veneto region of Italy. It didn’t even gain widespread popularity until the early 1990’s. It is a unique blend of ingredients that separately seem to not go together at all. However, when correctly blended together they form one of the treasures of Italian food.

The first ingredient is Mascarpone cheese. This cheese has very deep roots in Italian food. It was made as far back as the 13th century in the region of Lombardy. This cheese is concentrated milk cream and has a very high fat content, getting up to seventy-five percent. It is a smooth and creamy cheese. Traditionally it has been considered to be more of a winter dish and therefore shows up in more of the seasonal Italian food dishes. This is mainly because of its high calories and the fact that when it was first produced there was no refrigeration and this delicate cheese does not keep well in hot temperatures. Like many other Italian foods, the best Mascarpone cheese comes directly from Italy. However, it you’re an Italian food lover making Tiramisu at home, there are plenty of makers of Mascarpone cheese in America.

The next ingredient is Zabaglione cream. This is a true classic Italian food dessert. It hails from the world renowned kitchens of Venice. When it originally became a popular Italian food dessert it was made with yolks, honey, and a sweet Cyprus wine. However, today the cream has taken on a new flavor. To begin with sugar is substituted for the original honey. The most stated difference in taste though, comes from the use of Marsala wine instead of the sweet Cyprus wine. This cream can be made from home and is easier to make than most Italian food chefs let on.

The third ingredient is the most distinctive factor of Tiramisu, espresso. This shot of caffeine is where the dessert gets its name, which means “pick me up”. This is a coffee that is true to Italian food and is much stronger than American coffee. Espresso is the most important coffee in Italian food and can be seen following many Italian meals.

The fourth and final ingredient is Ladyfingers. These popular cookies originated in Italy and have made numerous appearances in not only Italian food, but in many other national cuisines. These cookies are remarkably light due to the fact that the dough with which they are made is rich with whipped egg white. They are immensely popular and one of the most appreciated Italian food desserts in Italy.

These four ingredients blended together just right and topped off with chocolate make an Italian food dessert that is as popular as the individual ingredients. Make sure when you prepare this at home that you take great care in choosing the ingredients, it will really make a difference in the quality of Tiramisu. Now that you know the correct quality and the origin of the ingredients you will surely impress your friends with you Italian food knowledge.

The History of Pizza in Italian Food

Italian food is unique amongst world cuisines in that it has birthed not one, but two international sensations. Of course I’m talking about pasta and pizza. Pizza is one of the most widely eaten foods today. While most people think of pizza in America as Italian food, it really is not like the pizza of authentic Italian food. It is said that with one taste of pizza made in the style of authentic Italian food, you will never go back to the Americanized version. Even when eating at Italian food restaurants it is hard to capture the distinguished taste of true Italian pizza.

Pizza is one Italian food that has been around in one form or another for centuries. It has a long history in the Mediterranean where it began as a seasoned flatbread that was used more as an edible plate to hold other food, rather than as a food by itself. However, these earlier pizzas established a name for Italian food very early on and were eaten in Greece, Rome, Egypt, and Babylon and were emphatically praised by many historians of the day.

It was in the Middle Ages that pizza began to take a form that would be more familiar to Italian food lovers today. Pizza started out being just a dough topped with herbs and olive oil. Once mozzarella cheese began to be produced from Indian Water Buffalo it quickly became a signature aspect of pizza. Today at any true Italian food eatery this fresh mozzarella di buffalo is nonnegotiable. The dried shredded mozzarella that is often associated with Italian food would actually never be used on a pizza made by a true Italian food chef.

It wouldn’t be until the tomato became popular in Italian food in the 18th century that we would see modern pizza. During this time pizza began to take an even more prominent role in Italian food. In Naples pizza was sold on the streets for every meal. This once peasant food was quickly taking hold of all of society, including the upper class. In fact, by 1830 the first ever pizzeria was opened in Naples. Ever since this time pizzerias have been found all over the world converting people to the love of Italian food.

Traditional Italian pizza is cooked in a wood fired oven. The reason American pizza is often not thought of as a true Italian food is because the large restaurant chains that specialize in pizza do not cook it in a wood fired oven. Pizzas featured in Italian food restaurants should use only the freshest ingredients. In Italy pizzas change with the seasons as new ingredients become available. The great thing about pizza that has made it so popular is the fact that it can be topped with a vast array of toppings. Each region of Italy has its own particular style of pizza that they specialize in, making use of the ingredients most readily available to them.

So for real Italian food pizza it is necessary to step out of the confining ideas of just a few types of pizza and open your mind to the different possibilities. Italian food is full of variety and you could literally spend a year in Italy just trying all the different styles of pizza that made Italian food so universally popular.

What Are Some Fruits in Mexico

Fruits are grown throughout Mexico. The regions of Mexico differ, so depending on the location, the fruits will be different. Some of the fruits found in Mexico are grown on trees, others on the ground. Many have a tropical taste to them. Some of these fruits are native to other countries, but grown in Mexico.

Mangos are very popular all over the world, including Mexico. Mexico is one of the top producers of the fruit. They are believed to be a native of Asia. Mangos can be found growing on trees. When ripe, they have a sweet taste, which is unique. They carry many vitamins and minerals. People eat them by themselves, or add them to dishes such as chutney, and fruit salads. They can also be made into dried pieces, juice, glaze, puree, and preserves.

Papaya is another fruit found in Mexico. It is believed to have originated there. It can grow as large as 12 feet in height. Hawaii also has papaya fruits that are known to taste sweeter than the Mexican grown papayas. A ripened papaya will taste sweet and juicy. It contains vitamins and fiber and is good for the digestive system. Even the seeds that are found inside the fruit are edible. They taste similar to black pepper. Papaya is also considered when dealing with herbal medicine. It claims to help with the properties of: laxative, hypertensive, antibacterial, and more.

Mexico is one of the top producers when it comes to Pineapples. Pineapples are the second most popular tropical fruit, with bananas being the first. Pineapples take 18 months to grow from a seed into a ripe fruit. The fruit has to be harvested at the right time, because it softens while it ripens and does not get any sweeter after it is picked. Pineapples carry many vitamins, minerals, fiber and enzymes that are a plus for the digestive system. It is healthy and tasty. Experts believe that pineapples hold micro-nutrients that can protect against cancer, and also prevent blood-clots. It is also said to be good for the heart. It is also believed that pineapple juice triggers the kidneys and helps remove the toxic elements that are in our bodies.

Although avocados are in many dishes with vegetables, they are a fruit. Avocados are native to Mexico and Central America. They grow on trees in tropical climates. Avocadoes are extremely good for your health. They are packed with many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It is a must-have fruit for people of all ages, including babies and children. Avocadoes can be mixed with other fruits such as in a salad, made into a dip, and much more!

Fruits in Mexico are healthy and unique. They can be found at grocery stores and food markets in America. Are you tired of the same old oranges and bananas? Need new fruits in your life? If you have not ever tried these Mexican fruits before, purchase a few to sample. Check that the fruit is ripened and enjoy the new flavors!