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The diet of cayenne or the lemonade diet is a diet that combines lemonade, cayenne pepper and other ingredients to help cleanse detoxification of the body and lose weight. The healing properties of Cayenne peppers are nothing new. This is what Dr. Patrick Quillin says of Cayenne Peppers.

"Cayenne – welcomed by thousands of years for its healing powers. Folklore from around the world with surprising results cayenne, said in a simpleHealing and in baffling health problems. Cayenne pepper, but it is not just a healer from ancient history. Recent clinical studies have been performed many of the old-time health applications for this miracle herb. Again and again, the therapeutic value of cayenne pepper has been validated doctor. "

Well, if you followed the news, it's no secret that some of Hollywood celebrities have been excellent results with the help of the Master Cleanse diet, includingBeyonce, Robin quivers, and even the famous street magician David Blaine. The Master Cleanse Diet has always said a bad reputation in the media and by some critics that it is hard on the body and people are always very poor results.

I like to consider a more balanced approach to this, the Master Cleanse diet would be made by experts as the most, a milder form of fast and needs to recover with the right information. Most experts agree that a lotPeople experience the Master Cleanse diet as poor results, uncomfortable in his body is just a sign that your body starts to detoxify and cleanse itself.

I wish that we had a fish market locally but it seems the best place for me to buy fresh fish at a decent price (and I have tried a lot of places) is at Sam’s Club.  This seems ridiculous to me but that is the way it is.  I think it is just part of living inland.  I love fish, scallops, shrimp, clams, and mussels.  One day I hope to live closer to the ocean so that I could have it daily from a true fish monger if I wanted.  I do use quite a bit of frozen seafood and this is ok.  Actually I have made some great things with it but my heart longs for the fresh stuff.  These days getting fresh fish and seafood is one of my favorite parts of the beach vacation experience.  It used to be the ocean I longed for especially as a kid and I would stay in for hours.  Don’t get me wrong I still love the ocean but like eating fresh seafood even more I think, which is really saying something.

So, a few notes about making catfish and frying in general really.  It is important to dry the fish or any other type of meat before you begin the dredging process which is traditionally flour then egg then breadcrumbs or some other sort of crunchy coating.  The flour you dip the fish in first to hold the egg on will not stick to water but will to the fish.  This is key in your cornmeal coating not falling off.  Furthermore, water getting into your oil along with overheating is what can cause grease fires so the less moisture the better.  Although we all want some catfish, I am guessing no one wants a house fire so let’s be safe.

Next, it is important to season your final cornmeal/flour mixture unless you want your fish to taste like flour.  I like something spicy like cayenne which really just gives it some flavor not really heat, some garlic, salt and pepper.  I love the flavor of citrus with fish but sometimes when you put juice on your fish after it has cooked it can get soggy so I add it to the egg and you really can taste that flavor in a subtle way.

I always use cast iron when shallow frying because it distributes the heat more evenly and even stays hot longer meaning that once your oil is hot you may need to turn the heat down a bit.  You want your oil hot enough though so that your fish isnt greasy.  When the oil is hot enough the fish wont absorb as much of the fat but will sort of sear the outside as opposed to steaming the fish in oil.  Greasy fish is not the most appealing thing in the world so be careful and attentive to make sure the oil is hot.

There are a couple of ways to tell when your oil is hot enough. The oil will sort of ripple a little when it is getting hot but you don’t want it to smoke.  It is very important to attend to your oil whenever it is heating or hot.  Do not walk away and I definitely do not let my kids in the kitchen when I am frying.  Also, do not test the oil by splashing water into it.  This is dangerous and messy as the oil will pop and sputter.

1. You can put a small piece of bread in the oil when you think it is hot enough and if it browns in a few seconds you are good.
2. You can put a little sprinkle of flour into the oil and if it disappears within a second or so you are good.  If it sinks to the bottom it needs to be a bit hotter.
3. You can use a thermometer which is the most accurate method.  You want around 360º to 375º.  Once you start getting over that 375º mark you are risking the oil getting too hot.  Not only could it cause a fire but your oil will start to break down pretty fast getting dark and giving the food an unpleasant flavor.  Make sure the thermometer is in the oil not against the bottom of the pan to get an accurate reading.

When flipping food in oil it is best to apply a two utensil method.  I used two spatulas this time but a spatula and a metal fork work just as well.  You place the spatula under the fish and then holding it with the other utensil give it a nice, gentle flip.  If you just willy nilly start turning things over you are likely to splash the hot oil and that doesn’t feel nice.  I have definitely learned this rule from personal experience.

Removing the fish to a paper towel helps to soak away any oil that might be left on the surface of the fish.  I have also learned to salt the food right after it comes out of the fryer.  The salt sticks well to the hot oil and even gives it another dimension of flavor in my opinion.

Well, those are most of the lessons I have learned on frying from my personal experience.  I always cook extra as leftover fish is great in fish tacos, on a sandwich, or just reheated.  I serve this with malt vinegar which I and my family LOVE.

• enough vegetable oil to come about 3/4″ up the side of a cast iron skillet
• 2 lb. of catfish fillets
• 1 1/2 cups of flour, divided
• 1/2 cup of cornmeal
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp garlic salt
• pepper
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 TBSP lime juice

Prepare three dredging stations:

1. 1 cup of flour
2. eggs and lime juice, mixed well with a whisk
3. 1/2 flour, cornmeal, cayenne, garlic salt, and pepper, stirred around well with fingertips

Preheat oil in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat watching carefully. Dry fish fillets with a paper towel.  Place each fillet in flour then in egg mixture then in cornmeal mixture.  Place fillets two at a time into preheated oil.  Cook about 4-5 minutes on first side then give them a flip and cook another 2-3 minutes.  Remove to paper towel lined plate and season immediately with salt.

Cornmeal Catfish

Kid Approved: 

Cayenne can actually reduce cholesterol? Yes, you can. Cayenne is one of the most powerful herbs in the world, but most just think 'as a spice. The uses and enormous health benefits, however, go far beyond their use in cooking. It is shown that a herb has been used for decades by a wise home naturopaths and herbalists.

Cayenne is beneficial for the entire structure and the veins to the heart. Nutrients are those such CayenneKnowledge. In reality, not just a diet, but it is a plant and herbal medicines. It 'very rich in vitamins A, C, B complex. It is also full of assimilable calcium and potassium. The abundance of potassium is one of the reasons why it is so beneficial to the human heart.

So, why is it so useful in reducing cholesterol? Cayenne is an herb that helps once digested by the body, purify the blood of unwanted elements. How exactly?Cayenne processes somehow absorbed without fat, and helps the body to expel the fat through the feces normal. Its speed and efficiency, in which he works, is nothing short of amazing. If you have taken every day, not only the heart but from scouring to reduce blood cholesterol. The therapeutic value of the Cayenne has been repeatedly confirmed, but do not take my word or several scientific studies, "no. Use it for 30 days and you will have your own storysay.

The cayenne Drink Detox – How to Take It

I would advise you to take in hot water. The hot water is much faster than tablets, capsules or cold water as hot water, cayenne pepper confers cellular structure. He does it expand the cells and uses the Cayenne that much faster. The popular herbal and homeopathic Dr. John Christopher testified repeatedly in his writings the immediate effect on the virtual heart of the Cayenne. If someone with a heartattack if they drink the hot mixture of very hot water and cayenne pepper, it will take about 15 seconds, the person from heart attack. During a cut or serious injury is not the reduction of cholesterol in the context where you can put a little 'of cayenne pepper in it and maybe a drink, is to stop the bleeding, literally within 10 to 15 seconds

You may be surprised to learn that the effectiveness of drugs cayenne pepper, but it really is like a medicine (such as grass –Spice) literally for centuries throughout the world. Because of the grip of Big Pharma to take on the role of physicians, to say nothing of modern Western medicine has on our health, continue to benefit of cayenne pepper and other herbs and relatively unknown to botanists and doctors are prosecuted and persecuted by the powers that are in health care.

Money, Money, Money

Because cayenne not most therapeutic is an amazing capacity? Money. TheNumber one selling drug Lipitor in the United States – would be sold to reduce cholesterol. In 2005, only Lipitor had 12.2 billion revenue. According to CNN Lipitor 13 billion. Needless to say, cayenne pepper could eliminate all that. Consider the difference: it costs anywhere from $ 10 to $ 20 to buy a pound of cayenne pepper. The mean dose of Lipitor price is $ 80. If you make 13 billion dollars a year in sales to a drug, does not want to give up, nor havefurther work on something that they want to know better. Now you know partly because the medicine herbal publicly ridiculed by the medical and criminalized by the government. Of course, herbal medicine for the year is less true healer and cayenne pepper has been met

The drink cayenne pepper detox as I call it takes some 'getting used to, but the benefits are enormous. My cholesterol is lower, will strengthen your heart, and you willhealth benefits than others. Beverage you drink the cayenne pepper for detoxification. And 'cheap and a glass of hot water, cayenne seems odd, its apparent health benefits. Do not count on doctors to "cure" is to lower cholesterol levels. Take matters into your hands, leaving you and your health. Doctors can certainly be a great blessing, but for learning alternative means for your health to help you gain a lot.

Gift Bags of Zesty Ranch Pretzels

This is one of those snacks that is addicting. Once you eat one you have trouble stopping and they’re incredibly easy to make! I have my sister-in-law Meg to thank for this recipe. She brought these to one of our Thanksgiving or Christmas gatherings and everyone loved them. They are great for any kind of party and are a welcome little Christmas gift for co-workers when bagged up in those little cellophane Christmas bags. I made up six pounds of pretzels which yielded about 30 gift bags.

Ingredients
16 oz. bag of miniature pretzels
1 C. oil
1 pkg. of dry Ranch dressing mix
1 t. cayenne pepper
1 t. garlic powder

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Mix the seasonings with the oil. Pour the oil mixture over the pretzels that have been placed in a large bowl and mix well. Let sit for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so. Spread on a large cookie sheet and bake for 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes.

Zesty Ranch Pretzels

Brand: Realtoy
Year: -
Made In: China
Model Number: -
Scale: 1/61

THE HOLIDAY season is upon us.  Brunches (!), lunches, dinners, and other holiday gatherings are calling.  Potlucks require inventive recipes, culinary ingenuity and, in my case, last-minute recipe retrieval.  Why is it that, when faced with a potluck or gift exchange, I always wait until the last minute to figure out what my contribution is going to be?!

But no longer!  With this pretty fail-safe recipe — you just need to set aside about 3 hours to get it made; which gives you plenty of time to gussy up and wrap that last-minute-found-in-the-back-of-the-closet gift — you’ll have a hit to take with you to any party!

It took me quite a while to come up with this recipe, I will admit that.  I initially intended to make peanut butter bacon maple fudge, but realized I was going to a soiree attended largely by vegetarians.  Undeterred, I looked up a few spicy fudge recipes, but nothing was really leaping out at me.  So in g-chat conversation with my friend JM (he’s a big fan of cinnamon and vanilla together), we came up with the idea of balancing spicy with a bit of a sweeter tang.  Voila!  Chili powder, meet balsamic vinegar.

It might take a moment to wrap your head around that one.  But this is where the genius lies: it takes your palate a moment to get it all, too.  First there’s the heady chocolate of the fudge; then the sudden onset of the chili/cayenne mix (“whuh-oh, wow” is how someone described it); then the agave-balsamic syrup sets in with just enough tang to keep it interesting but enough sweet to soothe the chili down.

So if you’re attending (or hosting) a decadent holiday brunch — or if you’re home alone with a mountain of work — this should make a star cameo.  I’m just saying.

“Whuh-Oh Wow” Fudge

• 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 4 oz dark chocolate bar, chopped   I used Ghirardelli’s 100% cocoa for balance
• 14 oz (1 can) sweetened condensed milk
• dash salt
• pat butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp chili powder *
• 1 tsp cayenne *

* Adjust spice levels for those with more restrained palates

Line an 8″ or 9″ baking dish with waxed paper and set aside.

Melt all ingredients in a heavy saucepan over low heat.  Stir occasionally.  Remove from heat when melted and smooth.

Pour into lined baking dish.  Cover with foil and refrigerate until firm (2-3 hours should be fine).

Agave-Balsamic Syrup

• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3 tbsp agave nectar

In a small saucepan, bring the agave nectar and balsamic vinegar to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 9-10 minutes, swirling occasionally (there will be bubbles on the surface).  Remove from heat when the syrup is thick enough to coat a spoon, but not too thick.  It will continue to thicken as it cools.

Place in a jar to keep for later.  I poured my batch in a salad dressing bottle and dropped a cinnamon stick in there, for easy stirring.

NOW, the fun part.

Cut the fudge into squares and refrigerate in an airtight container.  When you’re ready to serve/eat the fudge, pour out the agave-balsamic syrup into a small bowl and garnish with a cinnamon stick.  Using the cinnamon stick, drizzle (or paint) syrup onto your fudge square.

Enjoy!

-bisoux

]]> http://theapartmentkitchen.net/2009/12/11/crispy-cauliflower-with-mustard-dipping-sauce/ Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:19:40 +0000 theapartmentkitchen http://theapartmentkitchen.net/2009/12/11/crispy-cauliflower-with-mustard-dipping-sauce/

Crispy Cauliflower with Mustard Dipping Sauce


Serves 4 as an appetizer or side dish
Leftover Potential: These actually stay very crisp over time, but they will lose their freshness and taste best warm.


3 Tbsp flour
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper


1 head cauliflower, cut into bite sixe florets
2 eggs, lightly beaten
salt, as needed


oil, as needed for frying


Mustard Dipping Sauce
3 Tbsp whole grain mustard
1 Tbsp brown mustard
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
black pepper, to taste


1. In a small, shallow bowl, combine the flour, breadcrumbs, and spices. Set aside.
2. Dredge the cauliflower in the eggs to coat. Season the dredged cauliflower with salt, and then toss in the breadcrumb mixture to coat.
3. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat (I heated about 1 1/2″ of vegetable oil). Add the florets and fry until crisp and golden, about 4-6 minutes. Sprinkle with additional salt, if desired.
4. Mix all the sauce ingredients together to combine. Serve with the warm cauliflower.

It looks fantastic, but so does a less-expensive DB9

I love Aston Martins.  They are the supermodels of the automotive world, in my eyes.  They are pornography, sculpted from metal and infused with raw power and luxury.  But enough of me praising the company’s designs.  I’m actually here to do a bit of constructive bashing. Come, won’t you?

Nowadays, companies are making cars that maybe they ought not to.  Honda’s Crosstourer comes to mind immediately.  And it’s not that the Aston Martin Rapide looks like it was clubbed within an inch of its life by a troll with an ugly tree, but I’m failing to see the appeal of an Aston with four doors.  Call me blind if you wish, but you know I’ve got a point–a point which I am prepared to argue.

You’re probably thinking, ” So you think Porsche wasted its time making the car that the Rapide directly competes with, the Panamera?” No. I think, though ungainly and surely not the winner of any beauty pageants,  the Panamera just seems like the natural thing for Porsche to do.  Is this not the same company that delivered unto us the toad-looking Cayenne, which performed like a sports car? ( How many stock SUVs do you know that can power oversteer their way around the Nurburgring?).

Porsche made the Cayenne because they could. Porsche puts the engine in the ass of the car because they can. Porsche made a sedan because they could.  So why as Aston Martin stepped up to compete? They don’t do strange things. They stick to beauty and convention, and they do those things well! Why come out of the box? Just to compete? Is the demand for such cars that great?

And then there’s the price.  The Rapide will have a base price of just under $200,000, but you could get a Panamera Turbo for around $146,00.  Sure, the Rapide is prettier, but the Panamera is the better performer.  And what’s wrong with the DB9?  Looks just as gorgeous as the Rapide, but it’s a proper coupe.  I’m not sure that I care about carpooling in my Bond car.  I’ve always felt like they were cars intended only for two.  It’s not that you’re trying to be a snob about your Aston Martin, but it is one of those cars that speaks of exclusivity.  If you want to ride out with more than one other person, get a Jaguar XF-R or something originally intended for 4 occupants.

I don’t hate the Aston Martin Rapide, but I can’t see the point.  Why pay $200k for a stretch DB9?  How much better can it be than the DB9?  It’s got two more doors, but who gives a damn?  And this is all coming from a guy who adores pointless cars.  The Dodge Ram SRT-10 is one of my favorites because it’s utterly ridiculous.  No one needs a pick up truck that performs like a high-riding Viper, but it’s still cool because of it is pointlessly awesome. The Cayenne S Turbo is in that same category, as is the Panamera Turbo. The Rapide, on the other hand, is pointlessly practical with it’s new found sedan-ness and, sadly, there’s just nothing to love about that.

-Triple_ Deuce

What’s better than chocolate cupcakes? I’m not quite sure but these are pretty damn good. I had a couple friends over for a little holiday movie party last week and I couldn’t decide what to make. I knew I wanted it to be bite-sized, and I knew that I had cinnamon cream cheese frosting in the fridge. Mini chocolate cupcakes? Sure, why not?

The best chocolate cake I’ve ever made was one that came from Ina Garten, and I decided to use that for the cupcakes, but I also wanted to do something a little different. I love mexican chocolate with cinnamon and spice and thought that would work well with the cream cheese frosting. It does. Really well. Incredibly well. These mini mexican hot chocolate cupcakes are freaking awesome.

The cayenne definitely leaves a little spice in  your mouth, but the cream cheese offsets it and cools you down nicely. I’ve made these twice in the past week and plan to make them again for an upcoming holiday dinner party. I don’t think I’d make them full size; the spice might be a little much in that kind of quantity. The little ones are really perfect.

The holiday season is in full swing and my brother-in-law’s lovely mum Gill sent me her recipe for traditional English Christmas pudding. I’m so excited to make it. I just need to find a pudding basin… Till next time!

This is  a favorite of mine and only gets better the more it marinates.  So I can make it on a Sunday and cook it on a Wednesday.  Or, I can marinate it for 2 hours on the kitchen counter and its ready to cook.  Flank steak cooks really quickly, so its a fast meal.  I had this tonight with a salad of mixed lettuce, roasted pumpkin seeds, diced red peppers, parmesan (always an ingredient in a salad!) and a greek salad dressing. While the flank steak is a southwestern style, the salad worked because the roasted pumpkin seeds had a southwestern flair.

Tell me your thoughts – I’d love to hear about wines that go well…

INGREDIENTS

• 2 TBSP Olive Oil
• 1 Clove Garlic, Minced
• 1/2 TSP Salt
• 1/4 TSP Chili Powder
• 1/4 TSP Cayenne
• 1/2 TSP Ground Coriander
• 1 TSP Ground Cumin
• Optional: 1 TBSP Cilantro
• 1/3 LB Flank Steak

MARINATE

Mix all the ingredients except the steak in a shallow, non-reactive pan, large enough to fit the flank steak.  You can double over the steak if necessary.   Add the steak and coat on all sides.  Cover and marinate at least 24 hours in the fridge, or uncovered at room temperature for 2 hours.  Flip meat at least once and coat with spices.

COOK

Cook in a grill pan over medium high heat, about 5-7 minutes per side.  This will get you a medium rare steak.  Remove from pan and let sit 5 minutes.  It will cook a little more as it rests.

This was sooo delicious.

POSSIBLE SIDE DISHES

• Asparagus broiled with olive and parmesan cheese
• Rice and beans
• Corn bread
• Any other thoughts???

Sales of Cayman models increase by 88 percent

Stuttgart. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, delivered 1,626 cars to customers in the USA in November 2009. This corresponds to growth of 18 percent compared to last November. The Panamera enjoyed a particularly warm welcome from customers in the USA. In November 366 units of the four-passenger Gran Turismo were sold. The Panamera has been available in the USA since October 17.

There was good news on the sales front for the mid-engine Boxster sports car and the Cayman. A total of 96 units from the Boxster line were sold to customers, which is a 20 percent increase over November 2008. Sales of the Cayman models rocketed up by 88 percent with the sale of 137 units. A total of 362 units of the sporty all-wheel drive Cayenne were also sold. Compared to November 2008, this represents a life-cycle related decline of 10 percent. Deliveries of the 911 model fell 25 percent to 395 units compared to the same period last year.

For tonight’s James Beard featured dish, we’re going to get the blogging train back on the tracks by posting about a dish which, in Mr. Beard’s recipe, calls for a form of pasta called rotelle. What are rotelle? Sounds fancy, but it’s just Italian for “little wheels.” In his original recipe, the dish is served over what generations of Cleveland children came to know and love as “Choo Choo Wheels.” Maybe you even remember the train printed on the back of the box of Ideal Macaroni that you could cut out and glue some uncooked Choo Choo Wheels onto, if you got the chance to swipe a few before Mom used them all to make your lunch.

Well, nostalgia is fun, but given that most of our diners here at the Bistro are past the age of sitting at the table playing with their Choo Choo Wheels, we’re substituting shell pasta in our Old Fashioned Chicken Fricassee. Trust us, it’ll still taste the same. Our chicken is a mixture of white and dark meat, with some of it thigh meat still on the bone for richer flavor. And you’ll get a lot of chicken along with this rich sauce that includes butter, flour, heavy cream, onions, celery, shallots, egg yolks, and some spicing courtesy of salt, pepper, cayenne, nutmeg and lemon juice.

This is dinner just like Mom used to make…assuming Mom used James Beard’s cookbooks, that is. If not, you owe it to yourself to taste what you’ve been missing, especially on a day like today on which the snowflakes are starting to flutter down. Put your wheels down at the Bistro tonight, and enjoy some real comfort food.

Στα πάρκινγκ του αεροδρομίου, ήδη εδώ και αρκετό καιρό μαζεύουν σκόνη πολλά αυτοκίνητα εξαιρετικής πολυτέλειας. Η άμμος, που έχει καλύψει τα παρμπρίζ , είναι κολλημένη και δημιουργεί μια ξερή λάσπη που δύσκολα θα φύγει. Του συνεργάτη μας (tvxs) από την Κύπρο Γιώργου Πήττα.

Σε αρκετά αυτοκίνητα, τα ελαστικά έχουν αρχίζει να ρυτιδιάζουν και να σκάνε καθώς ο συνδυασμός των υψηλών ημερήσιων θερμοκρασιών με των ψυχρών νυχτερινών και τις απίστευτες υγρασίες, δίνουν στη φθορά μεγάλη ταχύτητα.

Οι λεηλασίες δειλές ακόμα, αλλά έχουν ξεκινήσει. Βλέπεις αυτοκίνητα με σπασμένα τζάμια και μέσα τους, τις θέσεις των στερεοφωνικών και των τηλεοράσεων ξεκοιλιασμένες.

Κάποια, έχουν μεταβληθεί σε πρόχειρα καταλύματα απολυμένων εργατών που απλήρωτοι εδώ και μήνες διώχθηκαν κακήν κακώς χωρίς καν το εισιτήριο της επιστροφής στην Ινδία και το Πακιστάν.

Πλάνητες, ανέστιοι, πένητες. Αυτό είναι το αποτέλεσμα της βάναυσα σκληρής δουλειάς για χρόνια στο ερμαφρόδιτο οικοδόμημα της Ανατολής, στον βωμό της έπαρσης χιλιάδων ατσαλάκωτων με τα χαμόγελα τύπου Colgate.

Τα αυτοκίνητα πάντως δεν ήταν άδεια. Βρήκαν, εκτός από πρόχειρο κατάλυμα, και πολλά ρούχα, τσάντες, φωτογραφικές μηχανές.
Μόνο που πια, δεν υπάρχει σχεδόν κανείς να αγοράσει έστω σε τιμή ευκαιρίας.

Πάντως, τα παρατημένα πολυτελή αυτοκίνητα, αποδείχθηκαν πολύ καλύτερος χώρος διαμονής από τους τρισάθλιους χώρους φιλοξενίας που το Εμιράτο είχε προβλέψει για τους εργάτες.

Ήταν πριν από ένα δυο χρόνια, καθώς είχα αρχίσει να εκνευρίζομαι με την μούρλα που έπαθαν διάφοροι για το Dubai, και, δεν ξέρω πως, αλλά μπήκα στο Google γράφοντας στην Αναζήτηση τη φράση «Dubai Labour» .

Ήθελα να δω ποιοι είναι αυτοί που οικοδομούν το «θαύμα της ανατολής». Είχε τόσο πολύ πήξει το κεφάλι μου από τους ενθουσιασμένους που έβλεπαν στην περιοχή το «μέλλον», που αναρωτήθηκα κάποια στιγμή αν πράγματι, το «θαύμα» αγγίζει αναλογικά όλους.

Παρακολουθούσα για καιρό ανθρώπους που μιλούσαν για τη Νέα Υόρκη της Ανατολής, για το αριστούργημα του μέλλοντος, για τον τόπο που όλα είναι «τέλεια» κλπ.

Είχα αρχίσει να γεμίζω με τεράστιες επιφυλάξεις καθώς έβλεπα στην τηλεόραση τα τερατώδη κτίρια, τις απίστευτες παρεμβάσεις στη φύση με τη δημιουργία τεχνητών νησιών, είχα αρχίσει να νιώθω κάπου μέσα μου. πως δεν μπορεί, όλο αυτό το «πράγμα» κάποια στιγμή θα στομώσει, θα φτάσει σε αδιέξοδο, θα καταρρεύσει γιατί, είναι αν μη τι άλλο βιασμός παρά φύση. Και μάλιστα, κατ’ εξακολούθηση.

Η χυδαιότερη έκφραση θαρρώ του Καπιταλισμού βρήκε την ιδανική της έκφραση στο «θαύμα του Dubai». Και είναι η χυδαιότερη, γιατί από πολλούς αντιμετωπίστηκε ως «νέα πρόταση για την ανάπτυξη του 21ου αιώνα».

Ανεξέλεγκτη μεσαιωνική εκμετάλλευση ανθρώπων, ανεξέλεγκτες παρεμβάσεις στη φύση, αρχιτεκτονικά τερατουργήματα που εισβάλλουν με θράσος στον ουρανό για να επιδείξουν την μηχανική επικυριαρχία, τεχνητά νησιά, τεχνητά ποτάμια, τεχνητές πίστες χιονιού για σκι, τεχνητές παραλίες, και εν τέλει τεχνητοί άνθρωποι που είδαν όλα αυτά σαν πρόταση και μοντέλο για το μέλλον του κόσμου.

Dubai, ο ορισμός του υπερθετικού:
Το πολυτελέστερο ξενοδοχείο του πλανήτη ( Burj Al Arab)
Το ψηλότερο κτίριο του πλανήτη ( Burj Dubai)

Και, κάπου 250.000 εργάτες που δούλευαν στις κατασκευές για λιγότερο από 10 δολάρια την ημέρα.

Ο επισκέπτης βέβαια, ποτέ δεν έρχονταν σε επαφή με τους εργάτες.
Καλά κρυμμένοι, σε φρουρούμενα και περιφραγμένα παραπήγματα που φέρνουν στο νου στρατόπεδα συγκέντρωσης, στοιβαγμένοι κυριολεκτικά ο ένας πάνω στον άλλον χωρίς στοιχειώδεις χώρους υγιεινής και εστίασης, μεταφερόντουσαν στις οικοδομές με ειδικά λεωφορεία και με αυτά επέστρεφαν.

Οποιαδήποτε επαφή με τουρίστες, ήταν απαγορευμένη δια ροπάλου.

Είναι εξαιρετικά χαρακτηριστική η απέραντη μυστικότητα με την οποία για χρόνια τυλίχθηκε αυτή η πλευρά του οικονομικού «θαύματος». Και είναι ακόμα πιο χαρακτηριστική η ευκολία με την οποία οι δυτικοί επισκέπτες ή και μόνιμα εγκατεστημένοι εκεί ως στελέχη μεγάλων επιχειρήσεων, έθαβαν στα τρίσβαθα του μυαλού τους μια πραγματικότητα που τους χαλούσε την εικόνα του ιδανικού κόσμου.

Δεκάδες διαφημιστικά φυλλάδια και σποτάκια που προβάλλονταν αποκλειστικά σε χώρες όπως το Πακιστάν καλούσαν τις πανστρατιές των έτσι και αλλιώς εξαθλιωμένων του 3ου κόσμου να έρθουν στη γη της επαγγελίας και να πάρουν γερά μεροκάματα. Χιλιάδες ήταν αυτοί που ανταποκρίθηκαν.

Κάτω από τη μύτη μας, μπροστά στο αλλήθωρο βλέμμα μας, περνούσαν ολάκερα καραβάνια σκλάβων που έφθαναν εκεί και έβλεπαν σε λίγες ώρες τις υποσχέσεις των ατζέντηδων φτηνής εργασίας να γίνονται σκόνη.

Η εικόνα, είναι πια σουρεαλιστική.
Οι βίλες των πραγματικά πλουσίων και διάσημων παραμένουν.
Μόνο που μοιάζουν πια σαν φωτάκια που αναβοσβήνουν σε ένα καμένο χριστουγεννιάτικο δέντρο.

Τεράστια ημιτελή οικοδομήματα παρατημένα, πάμπολλα κλειστά μαγαζιά, άδεια εμπορικά κέντρα και οι μηχανές του τεχνητού χιονιού άνεργες, κινδυνεύουν να σκουριάσουν.

Οι παρατημένες Ferrari στο αεροδρόμιο, τα άδεια καζίνο, αρκετά μεσαία στελέχη που εγκατέλειψαν τις ευρωπαϊκές πατρίδες τους ελπίζοντας σε γρήγορη ανέλιξη και πλουτισμό και που τώρα βρέθηκαν χωρίς δουλειά, είναι τα φαντάσματα, ο αντίλαλος του πιο προκλητικού πάρτι που στήθηκε εδώ και δεκαετίες.

Ένα πάρτι που τέλειωσε όπως του έπρεπε.
Προσθέτοντας όμως ακόμα μεγαλύτερη απόγνωση σε αυτούς που τώρα ψάχνουν να βρουν πως θα επιστρέψουν σε κάποιο Μπανγκλαντές σε κάποιο Πακιστάν…

Και καθώς αυτοί προσπαθούν πρόσκαιρα να βολευτούν σε κάποιο Cayenne, ο Εμίρης του Dubai (που πάντως δεν πρόκειται να γίνει κακομοίρης) ψάχνει να δει πως θα καλύψει την μαύρη τρύπα των 90 περίπου δισεκατομμυρίων δολαρίων.

Είτε τα καταφέρει πάντως είτε όχι, τα πολυώροφα φαντάσματα των μισοτελειωμένων σύγχρονων πύργων δεν έχουν καμία ελπίδα να ολοκληρωθούν, και κάποια στιγμή είτε θα διαλυθούν στα εξ ων συνετέθησαν είτε θα γίνουν «πάσης φύσεως υλικά προς πώληση».

Δεν θα κρύψω τα αισθήματά μου. Κάθε φορά που βλέπω την αλαζονεία να συντρίβεται, χαίρομαι. Μόνο που πάντα αυτή η χαρά είναι φορτωμένη και φιλτραρισμένη με μια πικρή γεύση. Γιατί, οι αλαζόνες κατά το μάλλον ή το ήττον θα βρουν τρόπο να συνεχίσουν. Ενώ αυτοί που θα έχουν συντριβεί από το οικοδόμημα της αλαζονείας τους χάνονται στο πιο πυκνό σκοτάδι.

Δεν ξέρω, από χτες στο μυαλό τριγυρνά εκείνο το παλιό τραγουδάκι: «είναι κακό στην άμμο να χτίζεις παλάτια, ο βοριάς θα στα κάνει συντρίμμια κομμάτια»

Και το Dubai, έχει πολύ άμμο. Μα πάρα πολύ άμμο.
Και ζούμε σε εποχές ισχυρών ανέμων.

Πηγή: tvxs.gr

I’m back to being a normal person again after all the Shanghai crab!

And now that things are back to normal… I have a big announcement to make!

But, before that… take a look at this Porshe Cayenne that I encountered the other day.

I’m not sure who the maker is for these body parts, including overfenders that are done in tasteful proportion and a lowered air-suspension system for cozy, convenient driving around Japan, but the car really has a strong presence when you see it in person! That presence is surely owed in part to the stunning contrast of black and white in the color scheme.

Apparently they had to cut part of the rear fenders (normal) to maximize the lowering ability.

* However, if the height in the above picture were used as the lowest setting, the fenders would not have needed cutting.

It was great to see a fresh Cayenne kit!!!

And so!

an ASI Porshe Cayenne! …is still just being considered.

But I’d also be thrilled to work with…

This!

Here’s another hint…

I suppose you can all guess by now?

Tada! Porshe’s first 4-door, the Panamera!!!

Apparently there are 6 tuning makers around the world that are working on the Panamera! (body kits)

I would love to add the Panamera to ASI’s lineup! So if you or anyone you know has or is planning to purchase one of these fabulous cars, please keep an eye on us!!!

* I’m really ready to do this one!!!

Interessieren Sie sich für schnelle Autos und gutes Design… Da werden Sie mich vielleicht beneiden. Ich darf im Auftrage meines Arbeitgebers mit den Versicherungsforen Leipzig zusammen arbeiten und dessen Partnerkongress – „Aktuelle Trends aus Wissenschaft und Praxis“ fand bei Porsche in Leipzig statt.

In dem futuristischen Kundencenter fand der erste Teil des Kongresses statt. Alles was das Herz eines Menschen begehrt, der sich für Sportwagen namens Porsche begeistert, findet man hier. Die Sammlung beinhaltet genauso einen Rückblick in die Geschichte, die gesamte heutige Produktpalette, die Fertigung des Cayenne und des neuen Panamera, die Off Road und die On Road Teststrecke …

Ich konnte mich dem Reiz von Porsche nicht wirklich entziehen. Das Design, die Ausstrahlung, das Image … ziehen schon einen in den Bann und lassen einen Träumen. Richtig in Szene gesetzt und beleuchtet sind diese Boliden schon interessante Motive.  So ein  Panamera als familientauglicher Sportwagen ein Traum … Wenn da nicht die Kosten und die CO₂ Bilanz wären. Aber wenn ich die Augen schließe und träume, frage ich mich, sind dieses doch nicht nur Ausreden ….

 Nun  das Ambiente war dem Kongress nicht abträglich, denn die Vorträge waren interessant und ich habe wieder einige Kontakte aufgefrischt, na mal sehen, was sich draus machen lässt.

1. Step 1

   Bring 8 oz of water to a slight boil and pour into cup

2. Step 2

   Add one Tablespoon of Honey

3. Step 3

   Squeeze in 1/2 a fresh lemon

4. Step 4

   Dash in Cayenne Pepper to taste or tolerance

5. Step 5

   Drink while hot and lay down bundled up tight in warm covers

6. Step 6

   Try this now and you will begin to feel so much better. By morning you will have a bounce back in your step and not feel so drained. Not sick? Just send and email and share this with friends, co-workers, and family in need. They will thank you, I have told my friends and family about it and have always received awesome feedback and numerous thanks. Thank you for reading and don’t forget to let me know when this helps you feel all better

This is one recipe that I really love. Friends and family are always asking me to make it for big and small gatherings. Easy on the budget and packed with goodness, it’s best when made with love, tastes even better the next day and it freezes well. A special treat served with Corn Bread or Bannock.

2 C. dried kidney beans (substitute pinto, romano, Jacob’s cattle or other big beans, or mix 3 or 4 together)

water

1 or 2 onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic (or 2 tsp. Garlic powder)

oil or fat for frying

1/2 – 1 pound ground beef (or use TVP – see below)

3-4 T. chili powder

2-3 T. cumin

1 T. dried coriander (cilantro), or 1/2 C. fresh

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional, add 2 or 3 times as much for a hot, spicy chili)

dash of cinnamon

large can crushed tomatoes (2 1/2 cups fresh)

1 tsp. brown sugar

2 T. vinegar (white, red wine, apple cider or balsamic)

small can peaches in light syrup (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Soak the beans in water about 2-3 inches above the beans in a non-metal bowl for 6-8 hours or overnight. Discard the soaking water, add beans to a large pot and cover with fresh water an inch or two above the beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the beans are soft (1 1/2 to 3 hours).

Cook the ground beef (or dry fry the TVP) until nicely browned and crumbled, set aside. Sauté the onions in a little oil until soft, then add cooked beef, garlic and spices and cook covered, for 5 more minutes. Add the meat mixture, tomatoes, brown sugar, vinegar and peaches to the beans and stir well. Cover and simmer over low heat for at least an hour to let the flavors blend, stirring occasionally to prevent burning; this is a good recipe to cook all day in a slow cooker or in the oven. Serve over rice.

Suggestions: Vegetarians and Vegans can substitute TVP dry-roasted with cumin for the ground meat to give a meaty texture and lots more protein. Offer crushed red pepper or Tabasco sauce at the table for people who like hot chili.

Hints: The beans will be more digestible if you add a piece of seaweed (kombu or dulse) to the beans while they cook, or you can add 1/2 tsp. baking soda to the soaking water to make the beans less “gassy”.

Time saver: For a quick chili, use 2 or 3 large cans of cooked kidney beans.

Note: Because this is such a good winter meal, we planned to make you a video of this recipe not too long ago when Brian and I were both in Toronto… didn’t work out. We will be getting to that asap, so stay tuned!

Much love, All My Relations, Gramma Willi

Good Clean Food For Everyone!

Delicious

Zu Kartoffeln, Pell- oder Salzkartoffeln, Bratkartoffeln, aber auch zu Reibedatschi/Reibekuchen passt das besonders gut, aber auch zu Salaten mit Tomaten, Gurken, Paprika, Zucchini, Feldsalat, Eisbergsalat beispielsweise.

Sauerrahm vermischen mit Prise Salz, Cayenne, Meerrettich und Spritzer Zitrone, dazu ein paar Shrimps -
leckeres, preiswertes und schnelles Topping.

I am happy to be attending a random gathering of people for the festival of thanks and giving this week at the vancouver street house (aka: where all my friends live). As true to my food-geek and control-freak nature, I have been thinking about what to make for many days now.

Yesterday I tested an *amazing* yummy cake from the conscious kitchen.   Last week she wrote about a spicy chocolate pumpkin cake and I finally got to test it yesterday- and it is definitely coming to dinner with me on thursday!  You must try this recipe (or come to dinner with me!)
The cake is soft and moderately dense (due to the pumpkin puree), deep chocolately (melted bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder) and chai-spicy (cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cayenne, and I added cardamon too).  I didn’t try the frosting yet, but I trust that it will be yum.

This recipe makes one 8 inch cake (I used a springform pan), but I would like to try to double the recipe and make two layers of the cake… maybe with some spicy vanilla frosting in the middle, with the chocolate ganache frosting on the top.

i was at the beach today for WEDS’ photo chooting.

今日は海に行ってました ＷＥＤＳさんの撮影ちゃんのために。

some sample from today’s shoot.

今日の撮影のサンプル。

shot RAW with the 7D and the Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX plus some DPP work.

７Ｄとシグマの５０ｍｍＦ１．４ＥＸでＲＡＷ撮影してＤＰＰにて現像。

thanks 3T Motoring!! John and Jon Jon. i’m Jon too by the way… lol

３Ｔモータリングさん有難うございます！！ジョンとジョンジョン。ちなみに俺もジョン…笑

Have you ever eaten something so spicy that you’d suck a cock just to get something to drink? The chili that’s been sitting in my refrigerator was like that. Basically, my husband emptied about seven jars of cayenne into a stockpot and added crushed mice to taste. Oh, and mushrooms. We like mushrooms in our chili. In cases like this, we end up with enough food to fill a cheerleader’s well-greased asshole, and we eat it for days. I tend to pull the pot out, set it on the counter, and leave it there while I eat a bowl of sulfur and tiny bones, just in case I want seconds. My husband is convinced that I’m going to get food poisoning.

But I won’t, and neither will you. Food that has been out of the fridge for a while is not lethal. Neither is carpet grit, dust mites or tap water. You all have this idea that “impurities” and “toxins” and “free-radicals” are some kind of microscopic army of ninjas just waiting to deplete your body’s whatever-the-fuck. Half the bacteria you douse your hands in alcohol to kill don’t give a shit about you and your neuroses.

The advent of the vacuum cleaner began the process of shrinking mankind’s collective balls. All of a sudden, it isn’t enough to take the rugs out and hit them with a stick until they look less gray. Now you’ve got to get rid of all the “dirt you can’t see.” We used to give dishes a few swipes with cold water and lye soap and call it good. Now we’re in a state of complete panic if we see “water spots” on a glass. Our nuts are now so small that they’ve migrated into the pelvis, allowing the sack to hang in folds and form the wrinkled twat that has replaced our once virile danglers.

Human beings are animals, and animals are built to live in filth. You know what we’d be doing in the wild? Sleeping in the dirt, motherfucker! With ants! We’d be eating raw meat with hair on it and drinking from green, gelatinous pools. (Think your sister’s panties with less stagnant trucker cum.) A wild human would shit on the ground and let his hair grow into actual dreads and never wash his hands or pits. Basically the most disgusting homeless guy ever + the Canadian wilderness. But you know what? One swing of his healthy, red-blooded crotch conkers and a rabid bear with a 30-foot conjoined shark wouldn’t stand a chance.

If you want huge balls, you’ve got to start eating everything off the floor. And no 5-second rule bullshit. It needs to sit there until it’s stuck in the carpet fibers. Refuse all vaccines and sit directly on every toilet seat you can find. When someone sneezes, run over immediately and rub your face all over him. And if he’s already thrown the coveted mucous out in a tissue, retrieve it and lick up the manliness. You’ll need that hearty immune system when you’re trolling for gutter whores with your enormous bag hanging out the back window.

Sweet N' Spicy Sweet Potato Casserole

We celebrated an early Thanksgiving with my husband’s side of the family. We also got to tailgate together at the Ohio State-Iowa football game! We divided food prep for our Thanksgiving among all of us and I was assigned my banana bread and the sweet potato casserole. This sweet n’ spicy sweet potato casserole was a hit and everyone wanted the recipe (they already have the banana bread recipe in the family cookbook) so I thought I’d post it here in time for Thanksgiving.

For our large family gathering I doubled this recipe and for the small children I scooped part of the casserole into a separate dish before I added the cayennne pepper and left off the nuts. Sorry the picture looks a little out of focused in the corner but that’s the steam rising from the casserole!! This recipe is adapted from myrecipe.com.

Ingredients
3 pounds sweet potatoes
1/3 C. packed brown sugar
2 T. butter
2 T. orange juice concentrate
1 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 t. salt
2 large eggs
1/4 C. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pierce potatoes with a fork; arrange in a circle on paper towels in microwave oven. Microwave on high 16 minutes or until tender, rearranging potatoes after 8 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.

Cut each potato in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp into a large bowl. Discard skins. Add sugar and next six ingredients and beat until smooth.

Spoon mixture into a 1 1/2 quart baking dish; sprinkle with pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
Yield 8 – 1/2 Cup servings

Paresseux, tamarins à pattes oranges et papillons…