JK Palace - The New Ori Kafri Event On Capri !

Although everybody--in one way or another--has heard about Capri, only few have ever been there and I still consider it a insider tip. I have been going to Capri since I was a little boy. I simply love this little but majestic Italian island. Surrounded by stunning azure sea, just off the coast of Naples, Salerno and the world famous Amalfi coast, this most beautiful rock on the Italian coast is blessed with a very mild Mediterranean climate, peaceful charm, semi-tropical vegetation and great history. Besides the natural blessings, this island prides itself of great luxury hospitality, incredible spa's, great culinary options and fabulous shopping. This is a place where a couple can spend a great time getting away. In the past I have been a die-hard QuiSiSana client. It is one of the greatest old world hotels that you will ever find. Now there is an alternative on the the island that cannot be ignored. Ori Kafri came to the island to open an outpost to his most precious JK Palace in Florence, Italy. Perched on the cliffs about 15-minute walk from the Marina Grande, the new JK Palace Capri makes the most of the beautiful Capri breezes overlooking the Capri bay and harbor. In classic boutique hotel style the JK Capri sports spacious rooms that are very individually furnished, mixing colorful, contemporary design with soft, luxurious materials. Fine Italian and Mediterranean cuisine can be enjoyed in the restaurant, or outside on the terrace. The JK has a beautiful foyer, decorated with framed black and white sketches just next to a a comfortable sitting room with fireplace. Here guests can enjoy tea or coffee as well as freshly baked pastries in the late afternoon. This is definitely a cool place that I will be checking out on my next visit to Capri. Everything that Ori Kafri touches is truly good. The Hotel Londra Palace in Venice is part of his little group too. I only hear the best about his hotel gems.

Philippe Starck - How About Some Black Magic !

Baccarat is the most prestigious crystal ware manufacturer in the world. 1764 French King Louis XV granted the Bishop of Metz the right to glassmaking. Since then French Kings, Japanese Emperors and the Kings of Morocco and Arabia all eventually commissioned Baccarat for custom made crystal glass ware. Indian Maharajahs had their delicate, intricate crystal tables and chairs delivered to them on the backs of elephants to the Indian subcontinent. The most famous order came from the ill-fated Czar Nicholas II of the Russian Empire. Baccarat has produced Philippe Starck's "Darkside Collection" of glassware. Philippe Starck is today France's most known designer. The "Darkside Collection" gained notoriety with the debut of the moody onyx inspired black crystal chandelier, called Zenith. The original Zenith now hangs in the "Cristal Room," Baccarat's private dining salon in Paris. Starck designed the Zenith chandelier as a paradox between the lucidity and clarity of sparkling crystal against the depth and darkness of the color black. In order to achieve the black appearance, Baccarat adds a variety of mineral salts, chrome and manganese to the crystal while whilst still liquid. Anybody can have the usual glitzy, kitschy crystal chandelier somewhere in the house but if you want to separate yourself from the masses you definitely can use some of Philippe's black magic. Keep in mind; If you need to ask for the price you cannot afford it!

Pepper - There Is More Too It !

Like salt, pepper is another table top staples that everybody uses every day and almost nobody ever pays attention too. Most of the worlds pepper is grown within15° of the equator. It grows as berries on vines. Some of the highest quality pepper come fro India and Borneo. Both countries grow extra premium Tellicherry and Malabar pepper. Both Tellicherry and Malabar pepper come from the same plant. The Malabar corns size is noticeably larger in comparison with what you will commonly find in supermarkets sold as black pepper. The Tellicherry pepper corns are even larger. Only the largest 10% of all pepper corns are able to bear the name Tellicherry. The grading of pepper is serious business. In the Sarawak region of the island of Borneo, as in India, the local farmers use their knowledge gained over the centuries to grow pepper. While the size of a peppercorn is important, maturity is the most important factor. The larger pepper corns, like the Tellicherry and Sarawak, are better than the smaller ones. Less mature pepper can still be nice but it is that extra ripening time that makes pepper premium. One of the best source to get your different peppers online is Penzeys Spices. Go check their pepper selection out. They also do have a beautiful pink pepper which is a really attractive alternative to have in the table mill.

Globetrotter - The Luggage For The True Gent !

Globetrotter is a classic British luggage maker that has been around since 1897. This was Sir Edmund Hilary's luggage of choice for his Everest expedition. Other users--past and present-- include Sir Winston Churchill and the Queen herself. In Ian Fleming's original James Bond novels, double-O occasionally uses Globetrotter on some of his endeavors. Not cheap, but exclusive and certainly pieces that are without a doubt luggage cult. If you want it even more exclusive; now is your chance. Globetrotter is featuring a limited edition vintage luggage set--Globetrotter Domino--that comes with a 10 and a 30 inch suitcase. Only 20 sets were made. The black cases are made of an ash wood frame that is covered with indestructible vulcan fiber with chrome detailing. You will have to get in contact with Globetrotter to find out about these sets. The Globetrotter pieces are truly timeless. Even if you do not intent to use them for travel, they make incredible home decoration accessories . My personal favorite is the "Oriental" set, but I also like the "Safari" collection a lot. I recommend that you visit their website and browse through their collections. I'm sure you will fall in love with what you find!

For The Real Gentlemen - The Byzant BBQ Tool Set !

If you are into BBQ or more casual grilling, then you have bought many grill tool sets in your life and chances are that you also got a bunch of them as gifts over the years. Most of these things never come to use at the grill and most often end up being used for some unrelated tasks that they were never meant for. If this is true, well then this 16 piece BBQ tool set designed by Nicolas Nicolaou may peak your interest. Made of 18/10 stainless steel with wood accents, the set is available in satin or mirror finish and includes tong, brush, knife, turner, stand, and 10 skewers. The Byzant BBQ set has everything to make certain you are enjoying your outdoor cooking season to the fullest. Needless to say that the set is available at UnicaHome, one of my favorite places for gadgets for the home.

Casa Lapostolle - All About Wine Architecture !

Usually--like most people--when concerned with wineries , it would be all about what they put into their bottles and what ultimately ends up on my table. Over the last 10 to 15 years some of the top wineries around the world have set out to become architectural pioneers. Quietly and not so much in the public eye some of the premier Chateaus in France, but also top growers in California have set out to update their structures and buildings above and beyond just their functional needs. They have built new and surprising avantgarde themes into their architecture, which almost seems exotic at first. One of my personal favorites, The Hess Collection, set in one of the oldest estates on Mount Vedder, high above Napa combines great wines, great architecture and an excellent contemporary art collection. Amongst the most impressive architectural works are Chateau Pichon-Langueville in the French Bordeaux and the Dominus Estate in California. Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle, the French chatelaine of the Marnier-Lapostolle family best known for producing Grand Marnier and owning the renowned Loire estate Chateau de Sancerre, ventured out to Chile in 1994. She has her Chilean winery Casa Lapostolle on an incredible extraordinary fast-track success course. Together with her husband, Cyril de Bournet, Alexandra was determined to diversify the family's business further into wine. After countless visits to Chile the couple settled for Apalta, convinced that this was the place to make great wine. The vision was to produce premium quality wines, blending French expertise and Chilean terroir. It took a decade and about $20 million to put this revolutionary winery, that is solely dedicated to the production of Casa Lapostolle’s world-class icon wine, Clos Apalta onto the international radars. Today Casa Lapostolle receives exceptional reviews, awards and accolades for its wines from across the globe. But more then just the impressive track record of Casa Lapostolle's wine is the winery itself. Alexandra has built the winery of the future here. The winery is 100% gravity-fed spanning five levels, three of which are buried into the granite of the Apalta hillside to provide a natural cool temperature environment for cellaring and aging. This rare vertical design allows the wine to flow naturally downward during every stage of the production, eliminating the need to pump, which can adversely affect the subtle flavors of the wine. All the grapes are hand-harvested and brought to the highest level of the winery where they will be 100% hand-destemmed, a labor intensive technique performed by only very few wineries throughout the world. Fermentation takes place in 21 French wooden vats which size corresponds in size to the parcel of the Apalta vineyard. After two years of aging in two different barrel cellars, the wine is bottled and either departs from the base of the winery or join the underground library in the heart of the winery. Casa Lapostolle’s new Clos Apalta winery is without a doubt one of the most exciting developments in winery architecture in the world over.The philosophy behind the construction of the winery emphasizes the complicity between Man and Nature.

Mademoiselle de Margaux - New Premium French Chocolate !

Originally created in a wine cellar in the French Bordeaux region of Medoc, the Mademoiselle de Margaux Chocolate production was surrounded by vineyards in the heart of the great Margaux terroir. These days this new premium chocolate pops up in high-end shops all over the US and also on specialty chocolate vendors sites on the internet. Mademoiselle de Margaux Chocolates come in attractive powder blue boxes with an interesting and different assortment. The chocolate is not only presented nicely, but does really taste great. That makes Mademoiselle de Margaux Chocolates a great gift option. In the quest for subtle ingredients and aromas, Mademoiselle de Margaux has created new premium chocolate products, inspired by the riches of nature.



Two of the Mademoiselle de Margaux products are fruit based. 16 hand-dipped freshly picked cherries or grapes per box, preserved in either Rum or Armangac the traditional way. While the fruits are soaking in the brandy they maintain all of their flavor. The alcohol adds warmth to the sweet fruits and creates a nice harmony of flavors with the dark Valrhona chocolate coating.


Mademoiselle de Margaux also offers elegant, unique, flavored twigs of chocolate. Flavors include dark chocolate, orange, lemon, mint, raspberry, coffee, toffee, and hazelnut praline. Each of these boxes come with 125 grams of chocolate. Mademoiselle de Margaux Chocolates were a smash hit at the Fancy Food Show in NYC and are perfect for guests, gifts or to satisfy intense chocolate cravings! Made in France!

Not Exactly Courtesy - The Peninsula's New Rolls-Royce Fleet !

The Hong Kong Peninsula hotel is arguably the best hotel in the world. After being used as the headquarter of the Japanese forces during their occupation of from 1941 to the end of WWII, it reopened as the Peninsula hotel in 1946. In its 103 year-long history, the Peninsula has proven more durable than the colonizers. In 1994, shortly before the English returned Hong Kong to China the Peninsula hotel underwent its last big-time renovation. An additional 30 story tower,a bar designed by Philip Stark, a heliport and an indoor swimming pool were added. The latest addition to the Peninsula is a ultra premium spa that includes incredibly luxurious private spa suites. If you have ever been in Hong Kong--maybe even stayed at the Peninsula--then you certainly know about the legendary green Rolls-Royce fleet which takes the Peninsula guests around town. Back in 1970 the Peninsula hotel decided to indulge its guest with cars made by Rolls-Royce. Only a few months ago the Peninsula took delivery of its brand new fleet of 14 dark green, custom-made Rolls-Royce Phantoms with extended wheelbase. There is no other hotel in the world that can compete with this kind of guest transportation. A custom paint job and 40 specific modifications to the standard model Phantom makes these cars truly unique. The Peninsula had to sent its drivers to the Sir Henry Royce Training School in Goodwood, England so they could be acquainted with the new cars, which are larger than the Silver Spurs the Peninsula used since 1996. If you know Hong Kong you can only imagine the challenge to steer one of these big cars through Hong Kong’s narrow streets. This is where one of the custom changes come in handy. The Peninsula Phantom sports a hill-hold function. This "Auto P" function allows the driver to take his foot off the gas while climbing an incline without risking the car rolling backwards. And how about a box beneath the rear seat that chills wet towels for its guests. Sitting in the back of a Peninsula Phantom you can enjoy a 420-watt, Lexicon audio system that includes 15 speakers and is equipped with two 12-inch monitors right behind the front seats. Don't be mislead by the term "courtesy". The Peninsula will charge you for every ride in these beautiful cars. But then again it is worth it!

The Peninsula Hong Kong
866.382.8388, +852.2920.2888
www.peninsula.com

"Wähen" - The Swiss Fruit Quiche !

The Swiss have their own version of quiches. These tarts are kind of a mixture between the French quiche and a clafoutis. Since way back in the medieval times the people in Switzerland, which are mostly Roman-Catholic Christians, were not allowed to eat meats on Fridays. The rich could afford to eat fish on Fridays but the mostly pheasant population had to go with something a little less fancy and more readily available. They invented the Friday tradition of what is commonly known as "Wähen" day. Still today most bakeries and even supermarkets in Switzerland do offer some selection of "Wähen" each Friday. These tarts come in savory and sweet versions. People eat first a piece of the savory "Wähen". The savory kinds are usually either cheese or onions. These are very similar to the French quiches. They are made in a pie form using either a pie dough or a puff pastry dough. The filling is a simple mixture of eggs, cream, milk, condiments and either cooked onions or grated cheeses. After the savory piece they move on to the sweet version of the "Wähen", which is really a fruit quiche. They use fruits that are seasonally available. Most commonly you can find cherries, apple, rhubarb, apricots or plums. I have tested a few recipes and found a fruit version of this delicious fruit tart that is extremely easy to make. It does not require any time, skills or special ingredients. This will be most likely the easiest tart you will ever make and everybody will enjoy it.

Simple Swiss Fruit "Wähen" Recipe

one pack of frozen puff pastry (usually available in every supermarket)

3 whole, large eggs
1/2 cup of sugar
3/4 cup of heavy cream
1/2 cup of whole milk
1 teaspoon of corn starch
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 pinch of salt

use fruits of your choice (best with apples, cherries, apricots, rhubarb or plums)

Let the puff pastry thaw. Sprinkle a little flour on a surface and roll the puff pastry out so you can fill a 9 inch tart form and do a little double dough on the sides of the tart form. Then fill up the form with the fruits of your choice. Use apricots half's, or cherries, plum half's or eights of apples. Use fresh fruits only. Once the fruits are tidily set in the form use a bowl to assemble the filling. Start with the three large, whole eggs (best at room temperature) and beat in the sugar. Than add the heavy cream, the whole milk, the vanilla and the salt. Completely dissolve the corn starch with two teaspoons of cold water and add to the mixture. Than pure the filling right over the fruit. Fill up the form quite well. The fruits should be almost covered with filling. Transfer the tart carefully to a preheated oven and bake it at 350 F for about 40 minutes. The top should have a nice golden color but must not become dark brown. Take the tart out of the oven and let it cool on a rack. This tart is at its best when almost cold.

The Fatted Calf - Old-World Charcuterie !

Taylor Boetticher graduated from CIA in 1998. He spent a few years behind the meat counter at Berkeley's Café Rouge. On a trip to the Tuscany he worked briefly for an Italian butcher where he developed his passion for cured meats on old-world charcuterie. In 2003 he founded the Fatted Calf Charcuterie in San Francisco. His outfit makes over 30 different kinds of charcuteries and handmade sausages,like Rabbit Boudins, Merguez, Boudin Blanc and Linguica. Beautiful Duck Confit, Ciccioli, Duck Rillettes and Tonno di Maiale are amongst 12 different pates and confits available at all times. Add 15 different Salumi's of all kinds to the assortment plus beautiful bacons, ham hocks and a lot more different specialty meats. This is a very exciting butchery with a seemingly simple philosophy; Exceptionally delicious and well-prepared meats, old-world methods balanced by progressive values. All their products are handcrafted with quality materials supplied by local farms; organic and hormone-free meats, natural salts and seasonings, and organic herbs and produce. Fatted Calf Charcuterie products are freshly prepared and made in small batches. The menu is seasonal and changes quite often.

Wine Tote - For Wine Aficionados !

This collection wine tote is perfect for any occasion from walks in the park, to concerts, to dinner parties, to traveling. It come in a attractive light weight aluminum box that sports a black velvet interior, and an insulated section for keeping your wine cool. This cool tote includes two wine glasses, a stainless steel corkscrew, ornate bottle stopper, cotton napkins and removable shoulder strap. Could make a cool gift for a wine aficionado.

Fractional Life - A Crack At The Big Time !

Some cynical people will relate to this exciting new web based service of fractional ownership and asset-sharing, as for the ones that can't really afford status symbols like private planes, yachts, choppers and other luxury. But if one rethinks the concept, it really makes sense. Why assuming all cost, expenses and 100% of the liabilities for toys that by all means even the wealthiest amongst us only use for a very limited time in a year? So there goes the Fractional Ownership site which gives anybody that can afford it the choice of the best of everything at a fraction of the cost. Get the most out of your investment by purchasing only the shares or time you require from an asset. All aspects are split amongst a limited number of Shareholders or Members.

Fractional Ownership means to physically own a percentage of the asset until. This fractional ownership can be sold if one does no longer wish to use the asset. Using Fractional Ownership you can decide to cost effectively own a 1/4 share in an exotic holiday home abroad, have access to your favorite yacht 8 weeks a year, spend a selection of days behind the wheel of some of the most desirable cars in the world, have the latest handbag on your shoulder and even own a part-share in a nightclub!

Maybe this changes the way you look at your options. Check out their service. At the very least you can dream about some of these toys.

King Conquistador Cortez - A Massive And Manly Watch !

This King Conquistador Cortez Chronograph of Geneva based Swiss watchmaker Franck Muller is the most massive and manly watch I have ever seen or hold in my hands. One of Muller's newest creations sports a beautiful, extra large 18k rose gold case that measures 43mm square and is a whopping 15mm thick with equally massive, solid gold chronograph pushers and crown. The beautiful dial exposes a fine silver guilloche with luminous Arabic numerals and date. Like most other Franck Muller watches, this one comes with the signature blue, leaf style Hands. The watch is equipped with an automatic winding, Swiss chronograph movement with a platinum winding rotor segment. You can get this fancy piece with a rubber strap with a massive 18k rose gold Franck Muller clasp. This watch has the potential to quickly become anybodies favorite watch. It will go with any attire.

Oronoco - Premium Brazilian Rum !

These days more and more Brazilian rum's, known in Brazil as Cachaça's are crowding the US market. Most of them are of mediocre quality. Diageo is importing the Oronoco Rum, a Brazilian premium rum. This rum is made from fresh-cut Brazilian mountain cane juice which lends it a nice, natural smoothness. It is that smoothness that makes this rum a favorite in São Paulo's sizzling club scene--a city known for long and exciting nights. The rum starts out as a triple column and copper pot distilled and is then cut with aged South American rums. After that the rum is aged in casks made from Brazilian Amendoim wood. The whole production is batch produced and numbered and comes in a cool, stylish bottle with a leather wrap.

ZIP - Urban Car Renting Of Tomorrow Today !

Zipcar has started successfully in London and now lets you share cars in Vancouver, Chicago, Minneapolis, Toronto, NY/NJ, DC/VA/MD and Chapel Hill. Zip Up. After apartment swapping and other great ideas of sharing--facilitated through the Internet--now discover how to rent a car the ZIP way. In London for example they offer their membership customer-ready cars like BMW's, Honda's etc. You can use them all over the city and drive where ever you need to go. In London the current membership fee is £50 annual. With that you acquire the right to reserve the ride of your choice. You will then receive an address where the nearest available vehicle for you is parked on the street. Here comes the coolest part; Once you find the car--which is where the member before you left it--you will simply press your Zipcar membership card against the car window and it will magically unlock the car for you and off you go. You drive it from £4.95 an hour and are asked to deliver the car back to the same location when you’re done. At that point you will owe ZIP! No fuel, insurance or other fancy charges. Zipcar offers great value plans that do vary for every city in which they operate their cars. Check out their web sites to find your deal! This looks to me a lot like the urban car renting of tomorrow. Become a ZIP-er yourself!

Macaron Or Macaroon - The Real Insider Track !

Since English is not my mother tongue, but my third language, I usually stay away from any topics that do involve questions of the proper use of the English language. I know that my posts often consist of what can only be considered poor English. My subscribers come from all other parts of the world, just as I do. Like most of the worlds non-English speaking people, we all do accept that the most popular language to communicate over the internet is actually English. So we do our best to write and/or read in a language that is not ours to begin with. So I'm used to read the occasional comment in which my control of the English language is trashed and ridiculed. It comes with the territory and after all it was me that choose to expose myself.

However, when it comes down to my love and knowledge of the French Macaroons and its most talented producers, I will not accept a question of language to be used to document not only my apparent English illiteracy but to insinuate my ignorance with regards to this topic. When I blog about French Macaroons in English I purposefully do use the English version of the word "Macaroon" (double o) versus the use of the same word in French, which is "Macaron" (only one o). There are people that feel unnecessarily sorry for me. They think that I do not know the difference between a "Macaron", which according to them is what the likes of Top French Pastry Chef Pierre Hermé produces and a "Macaroon", which--again accroding to them--is a simple but popular coconut cookie. I would like to help to debunk this theory that cannot be seen as anything else but pure myth. The difference between a "Macaroon" and a "Macaron" has nothing to do with a specific recipe, ingredients or method of production, but is simply the difference between the same word, written in two different languages; English or French. Thats all there is too it. No insider track here. There is no code that separates the ones that know from the ignorants. For all of you that are now crying foul and bloody murder I would love to direct you to the real authorities in all questions French "Macaroon".


It is generally accepted that Ladurée in Paris started the success, of what we all worship today as French "Macaroons". "The story of the Ladurée Macaroon starts with Pierre Desfontaines, distant cousin of Louis Ernest Ladurée, who at the beginning of the 20th century first thought of taking two "Macaroon" shells and joining them with a delicious ganache filling. The way of making them has never changed since that time." (quote taken from the Ladurée web page) For some reason nobody yet has informed Ladurée that they cannot use the English version of the word "Macaroons" without risking that some people might mistaken theirs for simple coconut cookies. So Ladurée itself--the inventors of the "Macaron"-- it seems erroneously uses the English form of the word "Macaron" to describe their most priced commodity, the "Macaroons" on their own English web pages!

Let me point out to you that all the better known Pastry shops in Europe, that do run English language web pages and are famous for producing and selling their own delicious version of the French "Macaroons", accurately use the English form of the word "Macaroon" and not the French version of the same word. If the hardcore believers amongst you still are not convinced that this is nothing more than a myth, that somebody made up to be more insightful over the rest of us--well why don't we go with the grand master of the French "Macaroon"--Pierre Hermé--on this one?


One of my more priced possessions is a great book on desserts, called Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé. My copy actually happens to be signed by Pierre himself. In his book, Pierre shares his recipe for "French Macaroons" on page 91 to page 94. You can actually learn how to make these incredible delights from the master. Although, only if you are willing to forgive him, that he ignorantly but consistently uses the English version of the word "Macaroon" and not French one, as some of you would expect from Pierre himself! You too can get a copy of this book on Amazon. What turns a "Macaroon" into a simple North American coconut cookie, better know as the Fraser Bell variety, is not the use of the English version of this word. One does have to add the word "coconut" in front of it!

In conclusion I can only say that English speaking people do sometimes misunderstand Europeans and other non-English speaking people, when all they try to do is to accommodate the English language. The level of quality of my personal education aside; Yes I do think I can still encounter Pierre Hermé in a dark alleyway anytime.

OneWorld - Designed By Peter Stathis !

Cosmos and OneWorld wall clocks offered online by UnicaHome are designed by Peter Stathis, with graphics from Susanna Dulkynis. These wall clocks are definitely a different concept altogether. They are among the most customizable clocks, with a wide array of hands, including like extra hands, blank hands that can be written on and international landmarks. Peter Stathis leads a collaborative design venture specializing in the design and development of furniture, housewares and consumer products. He is also the former director of the world-renowned graduate design program at Cranbrook Academy of Art. His work has received numerous awards including the Chicago Athenaeum's good design award, the industrial designers society of America's Idea Awards. His projects and writings have been published internationally, most notably by the Wall Street Journal and LA Times Newspapers, and by Business Week and Life Magazines. These wall clocks are very cool, specifically the OneWorld clocks that are availabe in many different formats and colors and can show up to seven different time zones.

Gadget - Electronic Crumb Vacuum !

Are you into table top gadgets? Here is one for you. A Electronic Crumb Vacuum now made available on BedBathAndBeyond online. You glide it across the table and it will vacuum all crumbs right off your table. Soft nylon bristles won't scratch the surface and the vacuum is easy to use with one-touch operation. The Electronic Crumb Vacuum operates on batteries.

Shirataki - The Guilt Free Pasta !

Shirataki Noodles have recently come to the attention of people around the world. These days you will see Shirataki Noodles pop up in little plastic pouches in the vegetable departments of supermarkets all across the US. Shirataki Noodles are Japanese Noodles made from the roots of the Konjac plants, which grows all over the tropical parts of eastern Asia. These noodles have an extremely low caloric (40 calories per 8 ounces) or digestible content and consists of mostly beneficial, water-soluble dietary fiber called glucomannan. They do not have much of a flavor themselves, but due to their gelatinous consistency, they lend themselves for a nice mouth feeling. These noodles can be easily combined with any other ingredients, sauces and make great pasta for soup dishes. Shirataki noodles are packaged in liquid. When you open a pouch, empty the Shirataki Noodles out and rinse them well under running cold water. Do not worry about the strange smell that comes from the liquid in the pouch--the noodles will not taste like that at all. You will need to cook the noodles with whatever sauce, ingredients or soup you want to eat them with. Also they need a little bit more salt than "normal" pasta. The glucomannan fiber plays a role in blood sugar control, as well as produce improvements in cholesterol control and weight loss. These Shirataki Noodles are a great substitute for "normal" pasta. These noodles have given me a nice option to eat more pasta without being worried about the carb and calorie intake. Try them--you might like them. If you put a little effort into these, you can come up with great dishes! They comes as spaghetti and fettuccines.

Delicious - Styrian Pumpkin Seed Oil !

For some reason I was never able to completely share the enthusiasm for olive oil. Like everybody else I do have a little selection of premium olive oils in my kitchen and do use them upon occasion. Most of the time there are better options, especially to use for cooking. Using oils as a condiment over salads, appetizers, vegetables and and to scoop up with bread, I feel that there are other options that literally bring more taste-depth and flavor-excitement to the table. One of these exciting oils come from a part in Austria that is known as the Styria. Styria is an Austrian State located in the southeast corner of Austria. It borders with Slovenia as well as other Austrian states. One of today's most important Styrian export commodities is the "Styrian Pumpkin Seed Oil". It is made by pressing the roasted, skinless seeds of a local Austrian variety of pumpkins. It has been produced and used since the 17th century. The earliest confirmed record of pumpkin seed oils in Styria dates to February 18, 1697. The Pumpkin Seed Oil is dark green, syrupy with an intense, delicious and nutty taste. It is very healthy due to its richness in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Drizzle this smooth and rich oil over vegetables, grilled meats, pasta or use sparingly in vinaigrettes and for salads. You will be impressed with the experience. You can order online and get one of the original, famous local Styrian brands.

Fathers Day - Better Late Than Never !

If you are still looking for some last minute ideas for Fathers Day--here are some gadgets that may fit the bill and Dad will actually enjoy them a lot more then another tie. Trust me!

This Photo Keychains will let Dad show off his pictures wherever he goes! You simply download pictures from a PC or Mac. The Photo Keychain holds up to 56 images, making it a mini digital photo album. Order one of these innovative Photo Keychains online! Simply click on the picture. The Photo Keychain picture viewer fits easily in pockets or purses.



Think of this gadget as a caddy that fits in the palm of Dads hand—and doesn't have to be tipped at the end of the game. This device takes the guesswork out of club selection. In fact, it's so effective, the pros use similar versions to reduce their strokes and improve their games. This digital range finder accurately reads distance from tee to pin and also works as a scorekeeper and clock. It is battery powered, and measures approximately 1 5/8" x 3 1/4" x 1 1/8

With giant buttons, this extra-large remote is easy to use and impossible to lose. Simple to program, this 6-in-1 remote controls your TV, VCR, DVD player, satellite, cable and auxiliary A/V device. It even features glow-in-the-dark buttons, so Dad can easily find the remote in the dark. Features 296 codes for most popular brands of A/V devices. Uses two AA batteries. (5" W x 11" L x 1" H)

Spain - The Best Tapas Place In Barcelona !

There are four culinary treads from Spain that I personally treasure. A real Paella Valenciana, Pollastre E Llangosta a l'Ampurdan (a sensational Catalan dish that combines chicken with a lobster sauce), Jamon Serrano "Pata Negra" (hands down the best air cured ham from Spain) and last but not least what the Spaniards them selfs consider "junk food"--the Tapas.


Tapas is the name for a wide variety of appetizers size little plates and bites of Spanish specialties. They may be cold, such as cheeses, raw and cooked seafood, mixed olives, vegetables and spreads, or warm, such as battered fried baby squid, little pots of soups, budinos and sweetbreads. Originally the Tapas were given as free appetizers at bars before people sat down for dinner but over time have evolved into have evolved into an entire cuisine of their own. You can now find real famous Tapas places in Spain where patrons may order many different small Tapas, form hundreds of choices and combine them for a full meal.


The worlds capitol for Tapas (according to me!) is Barcelona. With a roster of iconic Tapas places in Barcelona, like Pinotxo and Quim in the Boqueria market and the world famous Cal Pep, just to name a few--it is hard for any Tapas bar to get above the radar. Paco Meralgo distinguish themselves with sensational Tapas fares and they are open every day of the week. That is almost unheard of in Spain. Even more amazing is that Paco Meralgo manages to offer fresh seafoods even on Sundays and Mondays. The quality at Paco Meralgo's so superior that it is really safe to eat raw seafood at Paco Meralgo. When indulging at the joint you will run into all sorts of local, Barcelona's rich and famous. Even the guys that run the other Tapas bars in town hang out at Paco Meralgo for their own Tapas fix. That tells you how good that place really is!



What to eat when there? Well, the thing not to miss is the salt cod salad Esqueixada, served with tomato, olives and olive oil. They also offer a delicious Pa amb Tomàquet--a Catalan bread rubbed with tomato. From their raw bar get plump oysters and the juiciest Razor clams you'll ever have. For lovers of all things fried; go for the fried artichokes and the tempura-style fried Calçot, a milder, sweeter variety of spring onions. The fried Calçot is served with a nice bowl of Romesco sauce. Also do not miss out on the Chipirones, little baby squids with delicious peppers. There is simply too much good options to mention. If you make it there, try a bottle of Albariño with a perfect level of acidity--pairs just just perfectly with the Tapas. If you never make to Barcelona, or Spain for that matter--give a Tapas bar near you a try. They are popping up all over the world these days.


Comment by the editor:
I have published this post originally with some pictures/content that belongs to a blog called "Chez Pim". I did not make proper attributions to "Chez Pim" for their work. I have immediately corrected this situation. I do apologize to "Chez Pim" and its readers! "Chez Pim" is a popular food blog on Typepad. Like VONCIGARS, "Chez Pim" operates its blog under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License. That means that "Chez Pim" allows for its work to be copied, distributed, transmitted and/or adapted or changed if proper attributions are given.

Ventura - Timekeepers Of the Future !

Ventura is a a young Swiss watch company founded only 17 years ago. At times watch collectors enjoy dropping the odd ironic remark about Ventura having no past but only a future. Ventura watches don’t pretend to draw on tradition, but they are very distinct from short-lived fashion trends; they are contemporary and truly timeless at the same time. Design at Ventura is never empirical, but always the result of extensive research concerning functionality and ergonomics. The entire output of mechanical Ventura watches is certified by the independent C.O.S.C. Institute as official chronometers. Ventura secures the future with a constant flow of technical innovations. Cases and bracelets made of Titanox® the hardened, scratch-resistant titanium, or Durinox®, a steel with the same hardening applied, are exclusive achievements that endow Ventura products with their unique longevity. With the development of the world’s first and still only automatic digital watch that does without a battery and the patented EasySkroll® operating system of the v-tec Alpha, Ventura has advanced to a market leader in digital watch technology. These high-quality products are entirely Swiss made. This latest Ventura model; The Ventura W14 SPARCrx Ltd is limited to 199 watches total. This special edition Ventura comes with a natural rubber orange strap. It is a truly unique watch and will become an instant must-have with all the watch aficionados out there. A watch says a great deal about its owner. People wearing Ventura watches are individualists who expect high standards of quality,reliability, and design. They are as unique as this watch that they are wearing. Truly not for everybody!

Green Machines - The Electrum Spider Eccentric !

Next to the Tesla Roadster—the de facto benchmark among the new breed of electric sports cars—the Electrum Spyder is not necessarily a contender, but a solid alternative. This battery-powered two-seat hardtop convertible sports a very unique design. With the hardtop in place, the car resembles a fiberglass fish out of water. With the top off, the Spyder finds quite an attractive pose. Its performance cannot compare to the Tesla. The Spyder right now tops out at around 80-mph and makes it to 60 mph in seven seconds. It has a 150-mile range, and you can drive it home for about $60,000 price. I like the fact that there are more and more alternative cars coming to the market that are actually fun, cool and sport some sex appeal. The more the better and pretty soon these kind of cars will be able to shake the sticky "Birkenstock" stigma. Check it out!

Sunshine - You Can Capture It !

Capture the sunshine during the day and store it so you can use it at night! Made of beautiful frosted glass, the Sun Jar comes equipped with a solar-powered cell and rechargeable battery. Its energy efficient LED light will automatically switch on when it gets dark to give you 5 hours of candle-like light, but also includes a switch to turn it off if you're not home to enjoy the glow.

PureModern - Cool Stainless Steel Design Items !

This is a very cleverly designed wine bottle holder that displays your wines like art in a unique way. This type of display is both cool and accessible. Holds up to eight bottles vertically so the corks will not dry out. You can order this at PureModern online. Just click on the picture and it will take you right there. Also they do sport a whole line of cool stainless steel design items. Check them out!

Colatura - A True Secret Ingredient !

You need to know about this clear amber liquid from Cetara, a small Italian fishing village on the coast of Campania. When the local fishermen catch anchovies, they salt them, stack them in chestnut barrels, and weight them with rocks. Months later, when the anchovies are removed, Colatura is glistening at the bottom of each barrel. It's intense stuff that has been a secret ingredient in Italian cuisine forever. If you have ever attempted to cook Asian food, specifically Thai food--no matter how hard you try, it never quite tastes like at the Thai joint. The difference is almost always fish sauce. Fish sauce is a very salty liquid condiment that smells really bad when opened. It is hard to believe that it actually makes anything taste better when added to it. The reality is that it is magical. Colatura is the Italian version of the Asian fish sauce that works every bit as magical as its Eastern counterpart. Colatura dates back to Roman times when the name for it was “garum”. A few drops of this stuff will make a any bowl of pasta sing and every good tomato sauce dance. It also makes a fantastic Caesar salad. Just add no more than 3 drops at the time to your Italian cooking and you will be surprised what happens!