Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Cooking - Liver

All liver is a great source of iron and B vitamins and should be a regular part of a healthy diet and if cooked correctly liver can be delicious. Although liver does have bad press and many people will not even consider trying it. Sometimes it calls for the cook to be somewhat inventive to get people to try liver. There are many recipes to choose from and it is worth the experimentation.

The best liver is the liver from young animals as it is mildest and tenderest. Calf's liver is delicate and delicious but fairly expensive. Real calf's liver is paler in color than the redder more mature baby beef liver. For a mild flavored liver choose the palest that you can find. The darker the color the stronger the flavor.

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Take care when choosing liver as sometimes baby beef liver is labeled calf's liver in the supermarket or grocery store. To ensure purchasing true calf's liver buy from a butchers or a reputable gourmet supermarket.

Cooking - Liver

Baby beef liver is stronger in flavor than calf's liver but is very good and preferable to actual beef liver. Liver from beef is dark red and the color corresponds to the strength of flavor. Beef liver is readily available but many believe it is too strong for simple preparations.

Some cooks after buying beef liver soak it in milk or a flavorful spicy marinade such as a white wine marinade before cooking to soften the intense flavor. After marinating throw the liquid away and pat the liver dry before cooking.

A lovely tender well-flavored liver is lamb liver but this is generally quite difficult to find.

Also hard to find is pigs liver, which is strong in, taste but extremely tender. Again for pig's liver it can be soaked or marinated like the beef liver.

When choosing liver it should be impeccably fresh with no slimy or dry patches and should have a clear scent.

Should you find yourself preparing a whole liver first wipe it with a damp cloth, then with a sharp knife remove any exposed veins, ducts or connective tissue. With your fingers peel away the thin outer membrane without tearing into the liver itself. You then just slice on the diagonal to the desired thickness your recipe calls for.

Of course presliced liver can be purchased and is actually more commonly available than whole livers. If the butcher has not done so remove the outer membrane on the slices.

Before cooking make 1/8th inch cuts at 1-inch intervals around the outside of the liver slice. The reason for this is because liver has a tendency to shrink and curl when it is cooked and these cuts will help to prevent that from happening.

The liver is now ready for cooking. Liver should be cooked until it is pink but firm in the center. If liver is overcooked or cooked on excessively high Heat it will toughen.

Liver is a lot richer in flavor than many other types of meat so a 4-ounce serving should be ample as a main course for most appetites.

Cooking - Liver

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Monday, January 30, 2012

Electric Vs Propane Outdoor Heaters

Remember those great summer nights dining outdoors, or on your balcony staring at the night sky? Those good times don't have to end, with fall or into winter. An outdoor Heater could reinvigorate your business or add more nights on your patio throughout the off seasons. There is one problem. What kind of outdoor Heater should you but buy? Electric or Propane? Which is more effective? Do they both offer the same kind of heat? Which one is more economical? Luckily our product staff has taken the time to thoroughly research and test both sorts of heaters and are only to happy to give you the breakdown on electric or propane. We tested two comparable models to help you the consumer what choice might be best. Please note that results may very on different models.

Range

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What's the point of buying an outdoor heating lamp if it will not heat the surrounding area effectively? Purchase a heater that will thoroughly warm the area and be space efficient at the same time. It would be a shame to exclude any guest or family member from heat because of poor planning. Most propane heaters have a slightly wider range then an electric heater. They are able to spread out warmth more but also tend to be less focused.

Electric Vs Propane Outdoor Heaters

Advantage: Propane

Cost

Cost is an important factor when purchasing an outdoor heater. You are not just paying for the heater itself but for its power or propane gas tanks. Now prices will very on where you live. Some areas propane is cheaper then electricity while in others electricity might be cheaper. Generally speaking electricity has found to be cheaper then propane.

Advantage: Electricity (Depending on location)

Heat Type

Not all heat is the same. Believe it or not some is more natural then others and even safer. Electricity wins this battle. It is actually much more reminiscent of the type of heat that comes from the sun. It's more natural heat that won't leave you burned or dry.

Advantage Electricity

Safety

Safety is very important to consider. Everyone has heard about potential problems with space heaters. An electric outdoor heater easily wins this battle. Operation is easy. You do not have to worry about lighting an ignition light or leaving the gas on. If careless propane tanks can be very dangerous as they do house a volatile substance within.

Advantage: Electricity

While electric out door heaters overpowered propane with our comparison here are too recommendations that will leave you warm on a cold night.

The APH-1100P NewAir patio Heater Propane Heater

Lightweight and easily portable at only 15 pounds the APH-1100P NewAir patio Heater Propane Heater offers 11,000 BTU's. Less than two feet tall this small patio heater can easily fit on your outdoor patio table providing immediate heat. Don't worry about it getting to hot though, it has adjustable heat control for your comfort.

It is built to be safe and durable. It is both CE and CSA certified. A safety tilt switch and piezoelectric gas line are designed to keep you safe. Designed to be weather and rust proof, you can let it remain outside for extended periods of time. It runs on both butane and gas, and gas hook up is easy.

The EWTR890SP Vacation Day 1200 Watt Electric Table Heater

The EWTR890SP is another lightweight table heating lamp. Its rustic design and 38 inch height will fit perfectly on any outdoor table. It provides a 12 foot warming circle with its 1200 Watt Halogen bulb that produces 4,095 BTUs of heat.

Very safe it contains a simple plug in design, automatic shut-off tilt feature and is CSA certified. It is weather and rust resistant allowing you to leave in outside without worrying about it. It's easy to assemble and you will never have to worry about it rusting.

Electric Vs Propane Outdoor Heaters

Patio Heaters - What Good Are They?

Time was when you would most likely find a patio Heater on the terrace of a trendy restaurant or bar. However, more and more of them are showing up on backyard decks, patios and porches. There are reasons for this.

Radiating Heat in a circular fashion and increasing the temperature of a 10' by 20' area by 10 to 25 degrees Fahrenheit is the primary function of an outdoor patio heater. Although this will not cause Spring flowers to bloom in the dead of winter, it is just enough to bring family and friends together outdoors no matter what the time of year.

Electric Patio Heat Lamps

The design of an outdoor patio heater is basically simple. A pillar or pole supports a gas or electric heating element that generates heat against a metal screen. In turn, the screen radiates the heat in a circular fashion toward a reflector positioned on top of the heater. The reflector redirects the heat outwardly and downwardly into the area where guests have gathered.

Patio Heaters - What Good Are They?

Buyers will enjoy the wide variety of patio heater shapes, sizes and finishes. Stainless steel, chrome, nickel, copper and aluminum are some of the strikingly beautiful finishes that are available. The table top and floor lamp styles demonstrate the most noticeable size variations. Add to the mix the various round, square, multi-sided, modern and traditional forms, as well as colors, and it is unlikely you will not be able to find the perfect look for your place.

In addition to functionality and style, patio heaters are easy to use and come with a wide range of safety features. Basic to these are automatic shut-off mechanisms to prevent CO2 poisoning, safety tilt switches to stop the fuel source should the unit tip over, and emergency cut-off valves so you can immediately kill the heat source in case of a problem. Along with common sense precautions, such as keeping it at least 3' away from combustible materials and 25' from gasoline and other flammable liquids and vapors, a patio heater is safe to use.

Three different fuel sources allow even more choice in meeting your preferences. Electric patio heaters must be plugged into grounded outlets, so they are not as portable as other types. However, they are easy and convenient to operate, as well as environmentally safe.

On the other hand, propane patio heaters are the choice for many people, because connecting them to a small propane tank allows them to position the heater in a greater number of places. Comparatively speaking, propane also is cost-effective, and burning propane does not hurt the environment.

If you already have the gas line installed on your patio or deck, or you do not mind having that done, then natural gas may be the best match for you. Natural gas also is cost-effective, odorless, and environmentally friendly. However, unlike propane, it does not require tank refills. Of course, similar to electric models, portability is limited.

Whatever patio heater size, style or fuel type works best for you, what you will enjoy most is the added dimension to your outdoor experience. You not only will enhance the look and ambiance of your patio, deck or porch, but, more importantly, the relationships of those that come together there.

Patio Heaters - What Good Are They?

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