Wine comes in a wide variety of shades, or intensities of flavor. Traditionally, red wine boasts a bolder, more robust flavor, while white wine has a more delicate taste. Each wine is unique, as it is cultivated to achieve a specific flavor. Wines can be enjoyed on their own or with the right combination of appetizer, entree, or dessert. Several of the most popular wine varieties include:

Chardonnay

A velvety tasting white wine, usually fermented in oak barrels and flavored with citrus or tropical fruit notes. Perfect pairing for fish and chicken entrees.

Sauvignon Blanc

Versatile and light, this crisp white wine can have a more herbal flavor, but can have notes ranging from tropical to sour green fruits. Pairs well with seafood, poultry, and salads.

Merlot

An easy to drink red wine, Merlot can be paired well with many food dishes, ranging from red meats to tomato sauces. It has a bold herbal and almost cherry-like flavor.

Remember, just knowing the types of wine is the beginning. Cultivate your knowledge by learning the right serving methods to impress your guests and give them a great wine drinking experience.

Wine Storage Refrigerators can be an excellent addition to your kitchen or entertaining area, as it gives you the potential to store and serve your wine collection at the right temperatures to ensure superior taste and quality. You’ll be the toast of your next special event!

Check your circuit! Larger air conditioners require a separate circuit. Consult with the manufacturer or an electrician.

Never plug an air conditioner into a conventional extension cord; only use a heavy-duty extension cord that is suited for your unit. Surge protectors are also suggested to avoid damage during storms and power surges.

Be sure you are selecting the appropriate air conditioner for the size of the room. Buy as much as you need, but not more than you need. (More BTU’s mean more cooling capacities). If you have a high BTU air conditioner in a small room, you may be wasting energy (and money)!

Ensure your air conditioner unit is supported properly; most units come with a brace kit, but additional braces may be necessary. For window units, use wooden wedges between the top of window frame and the top of the open window; this will prevent the air conditioner from falling if someone accidentally tries to open the window.

Think efficiency! Clean filters regularly; this prevents allergens and allows the unit to work more efficiently. Also, don’t use the air conditioner when it isn’t needed. Many LG air conditioners offer temperature controls, timers, and energy-saver modes.

Stay smart and stay cool!

• Keep hydrated: Lemonade and iced tea aren’t summer staples for nothing. A refreshing beverage with a scoop of ice is just the thing to lower your temperature. If you’re going to be working in the yard on any of the dozen ‘summer projects’ that pile up over the colder months, make sure you have something cool to drink at hand. Keeping cool and hydrated will help to prevent heat stroke. Keeping cool and hydrated will help to prevent heat stroke.

• Be shady: It’s significantly cooler in shaded areas. So opt for a spot under a tree or on an enclosed porch when you’re doing some mid-day lounging. If you can’t retreat to shade, be sure to wear a hat.

• Two words: Air Conditioning: Whether you’re in a house or apartment, living in the city or country, one constant is that AC is awesome. If your current unit is getting a bit old, that can put a big strain on your energy bill, so think about upgrading to newer, energy-efficient Amana or LG air conditioners for your home.

• The ultimate in summer cool: String up a hammock. It won’t keep you cool in and of itself, but it’s a great way to relax in the shade with that icy beverage we discussed earlier. Besides, when your friends and neighbors spy you lounging in the yard, you’ll certainly look cool.

• Cut long cook times in half by starting a dish in the microwave oven and then transferring it to the range or cooktop. You’ll spend less time slaving over a stove, and nobody will ever know the difference.

• Brown sugar is a great flavor enhancer, but once you open a bag, it starts to dry out and form into hard clumps, which can be a real pain. Instead of beating on the bag or breaking up the clumps by hand, microwave the package for about 15 seconds, watching that it doesn’t start to liquefy.

• Tired of steaming and boiling? Save time by using your microwave instead. In fact, there are some people who claim that the color of microwaved vegetables is better than steamed.

• If you have a fresh herb garden outside your home, you can dry the seeds and herbs for storage using the microwave. Place them on a paper towl, nuke for 1 to 2 minutes, turning halfway through.

• Freshen stale bread, biscuits or crackers by zapping for a minute and letting them rest for another minute or two before serving.

The best part of the microwave is that, with the popularity and availability of over the range microwave ovens, you don’t have to step outside the defined parameters of your cooking area to use it - just look up. Your microwave oven is a powerful kitchen tool, and not just for TV dinners and Hot Pockets.

• Easy To Clean – Most electric cooktops, especially the newer ceramic models, are easier to clean that clunky, grated gas models. For the cook in a hurry, cleaning up fast is just as important as boiling water quickly – maybe even moreso!

• Attractive – Because those ceramic cooktops are available in a wide range of surface colors, they can match virtually any kitchen design. Not only that, but they glossy finish is a gorgeous addition to any kitchen.

• Easy To Use – Gas burners boast huge heat outputs and ultra-precise control, but if you’re not a professional chef, you might end up burning your food without even trying. For the occasional cook, electric is a perfect set-it-and-forget-it option that doesn’t need constant micromanagement, and models with dual burners like this Amana 30” Smoothtop can provide extra heat.

• Safe – Because electric cooktops don’t use an open flame, they’re a safer alternative for households with small children.

So, despite what your food snob friends might say, there are still plenty of reasons why electric ranges and cooktops are relevant in today’s kitchens. If you want to go electric, we offer tons of electric cooktops with Free Shipping.

]]> http://blog.ffemax.com/2008/04/28/its-electric-why-electric-cooktops-are-making-a-comeback/feed/ http://blog.ffemax.com/2008/04/25/cooks-corner-easy-chicken-vindaloo/ http://blog.ffemax.com/2008/04/25/cooks-corner-easy-chicken-vindaloo/#comments Fri, 25 Apr 2008 19:20:25 +0000 Administrator General Appliances Electric Cooktops http://blog.ffemax.com/2008/04/25/cooks-corner-easy-chicken-vindaloo/ With spring in the air, it’s time to shake off the yoke of that oh-so-delicious/oh-so-bad-for-you comfort food that keeps us functioning during the winter months and whip up something healthy and exotic on your cooktop. With that in mind, here’s an awesome chicken vindaloo recipe to put a dash of spice in your dining room.

You’ll need:

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast

• 1 tablespoon coriander seed

• 1 teaspoon cumin seed

• 2 teaspoons mustard seed

• 10 dry red chili peppers

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

• 5 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 stick cinnamon

• 1/2 cup onions, finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon grated ginger

• 1 tablespoon paprika

• 2 teaspoons corn syrup

• 1 cup water

• Salt (to taste)

If you don’t have access to fresh cumin, mustard, ginger or coriander, it’s okay to opt for preserved, pre-packaged substitutes – you’ll just have to use a bit less of each, depending on your preference.

1. Start off by cubing the chicken, then put it off to the side in a refrigerator-safe container. Combine the peppers with your cumin, coriander and mustard and grind them with a mortar and pestle (if you have one) or a coffee mill (that you won’t be making coffee in!).

2. Add in the turmeric, garlic and vinegar, and give the whole thing a good mix. Pour the wet mixture over the chicken cubes, then cover and refrigerate overnight. This will let the chicken marinate in the wet mixture and soak up the flavors.

3. When you’re ready to cook, grab a large pan (preferably cast-iron) and add the olive oil (for a more exotic flavor, try another type of oil, like sesame, but be sure to change your cooking temperature accordingly). Heat the oil on medium/high heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the cinnamon, onion, and ginger, leaving the pan to cook for five minutes. If you have an electric cooktop, it’s ideal for a recipe like this. You can leave the pan unattended without worrying about managing the heat or keeping an eye on an open flame.

4. Drain the chicken and toss it into the oil, cooking it until it develops a light sear. Then add in the paprika, syrup, water and salt and bring the pan’s contents to a boil. Simmer for 1 ½ hours, or until the meat is tender.

5. When finished cooking, let the dish rest for a few minutes, and then serve with jasmine rice or couscous. This recipe should serve four people, or two extremely hungry ones!

Try it out and let me know what you think:

You’ll need:

• 2 pounds bulk sausage
• 1 loaf artisan bread, sliced
• butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese
• 8 eggs
• 1 quart half-and-half
• 2 teaspoons salt

First, in an iron skillet, brown the sausage and then drain it using paper towels.

Take about six slices of bread and layer them onto a buttered 9×13 baking pan, buttered side down.

Add a layer of the browned sausage, and then top with a layer of both cheeses, mixed together.

Place another layer of bread on top of the cheese, this time buttered side up.

Combine milk, eggs and salt. Add other spices to taste. Mustard seed gives this recipe a nice kick.

Add your wet ingredients to the dry ones in the baking pan. Cover the pan and refrigerate it overnight. Letting it get sufficient rest is important, so don’t just go ahead and pop it in the oven – gas or electric kitchen ranges are are fine (no need to be picky).

When you’re ready to heat it up, bake at 350°F for 1 hour.

Remove from the oven and rest for 20-30 minutes before serving.

Serve with OJ and – if you don’t have enough starch – some home fries for a truly epic breakfast.

A good number of these wines are Californians – after all, the State of California is the fouth-largest wine producer in the world – but quality wines can be had on the cheap from virtually every state, and even the more ‘classical’ wine regions in France, Italy and Germany produce inexpensive bottles of vino.

The downside of cheap wine is that it’s not going to keep as long as more expensive varietals without preservation. One way to combat spoilage is temperature control. This isn’t a cure-all, unfortunately – prolonged cold-temperature storage makes wines flat – but it can keep a cheap wine viable for a few extra days. Even higher quality vintages are still susceptible to spoiling – unprecedented longevity is the domain of a relatively small set of wines, like Tuscan vino di tavola and Australian icon wines, so wine storage refrigerators can have a good deal of utility for a wine aficionado. As long as you keep white wines between 45-55 degrees Fahrenheit and reds slightly higher, you can get the most out of your wines without too much fear out of spoiling.

Bonus tip: If you like your wine colder than average, pop the bottle into a food storage refrigerator briefly to lower its temp before serving. The old standby bucket of ice also works.

• Cleanliness – Even the fanciest room can make me afraid to bust out an ultraviolet light in the room if it’s not well-maintained. Conversely, a small, no-frills room can be plenty homey if it’s taken care of.

• Continental Breakfast – Don’t even bother advertising a continental breakfast if you’re going to put out an anemic spread that nobody wants to look at, let alone eat. Day-old danishes, a Rube Goldberg contraption full of Corn Flakes and off-brand froot-loop-alike cereal, child-size cups of yogurt and fruit that’s been left out just an hour or two too long are not going to win a discerning traveler over, even if they are getting for free.

• Ice Machines – I can’t think of a good excuse for a decent hotel to continue to use one of those old, robot-from-Forbidden-Planet-looking ice machines. They’re noisy enough to keep guests up at night if they’re roomed close enough to the monstrosities, they’re bulky and unattractive, and they’re horrible energy hogs. And yet, I still see the antiquated obelisks jutting up in stairwells all over the country. FFEMAX’s selection of Scotsman ice machines meets the new FEMP energy efficiency guidelines and offers a sleek look without sacrificing capacity.

• Friendly Staff – I remember staying on Cape Cod and having the plumbing in my room malfunction. These things happen, and they’re often not anybody’s fault, but the manager didn’t apologize or offer to move to another room. The hotel was clean and modern and had a great location, but I’ll never stay there again. Even when tragedy doesn’t strike, a smile or helpful tip from the front desk staff can make a huge difference in the quality of a stay. Remember, a hotel’s staff is a key link between out-of-town guests and the community, and guests won’t know the best places to eat, shop or see the sights without their help.

• News access – Even on the road, travelers like to feel connected. Complimentary newspapers and magazines or a TV tuned to a national news channel in the lobby are great way to make guests comfortable and keep them in touch with what’s going on in the world.