my uy tips

Thanksgiving

Erstellt am November 23, 2015 von myuytips

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you !

General information.

This week Thursday (every last Thursday in November) they celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States of America, the country with the most intense Thanksgiving festivities.
The acclaimed Thanksgiving in the United States and Canada is a form of harvest festival, but differs greatly from the harvest festivals after European traditions.

Harvesting in old Egyptian time.

The harvest festival is a celebration in Christianity after the harvest in the autumn, in which the faithful give thanks to God for the gifts of the harvest.

Harvesting display for Thanksgiving.

Harvest festivals already existed in pre-Christian times. Similar rites are known in Northern Europe, Israel, Greece or the Roman Empire. In Judaism, there was and is the Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, after the start of the harvest, and Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, in autumn at the end of the reading.

Magnificent old Thanksgiving Post Card from around 1890.

History by country:
USA.

There are different views about where the starting point for Thanksgiving festivities is to be set. The first known Erntedankfestlichkeit (German for harvest-thanks-festivities) in North America was probably committed by Francisco Vázquez de Coronado and the tribe of Caddo on May 23, he died in 1541 in the territory of today’s Texas. This was the discovery of food celebrated by the expedition of the Spaniards.

The Thanksgiving held in Florida 1565.

A similar festival was a few years later on September 8, 1565 in St. Augustine, Florida, where Pedro Menendez de Aviles, a Spanish explorer, invited members of a local tribe near St. Augustine for a Mass of thanks to God for the crew’s safe arrival on the shores of Florida, the „New World“, followed by a dinner together.

The landing of the pilgrims at Plymouth.

The first anglophone Thanksgiving may 1578 took place in Newfoundland, where the navigators Martin Frobisher celebrated the safe return from an expedition to search for the Northwest Passage.

Thanksgiving celebration at Plymouth.

Another festival took place on August 4, 1619 in what is now Virginia, where 38 settlers celebrated their arrival from England. This event is what all Americans already learn in school, „The Story of the Pilgrims“.

Children’s book Thanksgiving information.

When the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts, they celebrated together with the native Wampanoag Indians in autumn 1621 a three-day Thanksgiving. Without their help they would not have survived the following winter. Approximately ninety Wampanoag Indians and 50 settlers are said to have taken part in this celebration, but it is historically not been established.

The Pilgrims Thanksgiving at Plymouth.

The Indians say that their Thanksgiving celebrations have already taken place many many years before. The beginning of this celebration is so far also not been established. Both the Americans and the Canadians lead their present Thanksgiving back to this festival. The loyalists brought the American Thanksgiving after the Revolutionary War to Canada.

Thanksgiving comic about pilgrims and Indians.

In the United States Thanksgiving is a national holiday, which is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month November. The festival cited elements of the pioneer life of the Pilgrim Fathers (Plymouth Colony) and therefore carries a certain national character.

Beautiful rustic Thanksgiving dinner table.

Thanksgiving in the United States the most important family celebration in Ordinary Time, also used by many families and friends or other guests invited. In its center is a large meal (often supper). As often gather all the generations of a family and they live scattered partly on all parts of the country, prevails at airports, and roads in the country around the hard lot more traffic than all other seasons. Many stories and made movies tendril around the „Thanksgiving Weekend“.

Be HAPPY TODAY – tomorrow is BLACK FRIDAY !

The Pilgrim Fathers, and all the presidents, from Washington to Obama, have proclaimed thanks to God. Obama last year: „We lift up our hearts in gratitude to God for our many blessings, for one another, and for our nation“.

„Happy Shopping“ seems to me a bit insane.

For „Black Friday“ (the Friday after Thanksgiving) grants the retail traditionally high discounts. This day is often used for the first Christmas shopping, from then is decorated festively increasingly in public. For the economy, sales of this day is an important sentiment indicator.

Where is the peaceful Thanksgiving day now ?

„Black Friday“ as a term has been used in multiple contexts, going back to the nineteenth century, where in the United States it was associated with a financial crisis of 1869.
The earliest known usage of „Black Friday“ as a post-Thanksgiving shopping day appears in December 1, 1961 issue of The Shortsville-Manchester Enterprise (Shortsville, New York). An article, referring to a usage by police in Rochester, New York.

Crazy shopping !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Another article mentioning the simultaneous use of the term in Philadelphia appears in a public relations newsletter (December 18, 1961).
„For downtown merchants throughout the nation, the biggest shopping days normally are the two following Thanksgiving Day. Resulting traffic jams are an irksome problem to the police and, in Philadelphia, it became customary for officers to refer to the post-Thanksgiving days as Black Friday and Black Saturday“.

From a family Thursday to a fighting weekend.

Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday.
It seems that a kind of „war“ is going on in the US during this long long weekend !!

Canada.

All Canadian Thanksgiving.

In Canada, „Thanksgiving“ celebrated on the second Monday in October (which corresponds to the Columbus Day holiday in the US). (Into which provinces still celebrated the feast) As in the US, the Canadian Thanksgiving is an official holiday.

A „Harvest Thank You Festival“ in Canada.

The Canadian Thanksgiving is so far closely linked to his Christian background, as it is considered a liturgical feast in the Christian churches. In this sense, it corresponds more European Thanksgiving traditions as the US hard. Nevertheless, the Canadian Thanksgiving goes beyond a mere festival for the harvest.

Japan.

Thanksgiving menu a la Japan – sushi, fries, turkey.

In Japan, there was an old imperial Thanksgiving (niinamesai „tasting of the new rice“), a Shinto ritual in which the gods by the Emperor freshly harvested rice is sacrificed. A first mention of this ritual, whose origin is suspected earlier, can be found in the historical works of Nihonshoki from the year 720 AC.

Pretzel Turkey Mashed Potato Burger by Wendy’s Japan.

There is reported, by a ceremony dating back to 678th, a feast to thank for the harvest. From there on it has developed to todays Thanksgiving as a national holiday, which is celebrated on 23 November, and called the Labor Thanksgiving Day.

Germany.

Display of fruits and vegetables – ERNTEDANKFEST.

The Roman Catholic German Bishops‘ Conference put 1972 first Sunday in October as a fixed appointment that express binding for all communities without this determination. Official part of the liturgical year is the harvest festival but still not, that is, the municipalities are not obliged to keep the feast. „The history of salvation-oriented year the Church knows no harvest festival“.

Most churches are adorned with such an display.

Nevertheless, the custom of thanksgiving for a good harvest has long been engaged in many Roman Catholic churches become customary, so that in addition to herbs ordinations on 15 August, Quatember, firstfruits blessing in the Roman Catholic Church, the Eucharist on the first Sunday in October is often hailed as „Thanks for the fruit of the earth and work of human hands“ in the region surrounded by Thanksgiving gifts altar.

All over Germany such „straw people“ in front of farms.

In the area of the Protestant Churches arose since 1985 a change. This means that the first Sunday is the municipalities recommended in October as Thanksgiving deadline. Although September 30 is a Sunday, be celebrated generally on the first Sunday in October.

German Thanksgiving is an „all together“ town festival.

In many parts of Germany will take place pageants with floats, marching bands and groups on foot between mid-September and early October. The preparation of (historical) harvesting situations is enriched with designs that are reminiscent of carnival parades. The flowers used for the carriage jewelry are genuine rule.

Big food for Big guys !!

As in many other countries, the Germans also like good food and thus they celebrate the „Erntedankfest“ (harvest-thanks-festival), the Thanksgiving, like most other countries – with an opulent meal, large food tables and lots of friends and family – having a great party, mostly with dancing into the next morning. Often the whole town is on „fiesta“.

Uruguay.

Even in Uruguay people come together and celebrate the “Dia de Accion de Gracias”. A day to be thankful. But everything is like any other festival, good food from the „parilla“, the local barbecue, always with lots of meat. But no turkey – to rare and expensive here .

Traditions / customs in USA.

American family traditions through the centuries.

Thanksgiving is a national holiday, which is celebrated in the US on the fourth Thursday of November. In order to extend their weekend to take workers like addition on Friday free. Even schools and universities often make it a four- to five-day tuition-free time. Even today mostly comes the whole family, including grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and children together.

Historical document: Proclamation from President George Washington about Thanksgiving. Order to have a day of Thanksgiving and Prayer for all Americans.

Although Thanksgiving is a national holiday, this is every year until a few days ago formally proclaimed by the President of the United States. In the proclamation, the US president speaks regularly at important events of the past or the coming year. Moreover, he brings the gratitude of the nation to the Most expressed.

Another kind of Thanksgiving – after receiving citizenship.

The traditional Thanksgiving meal there are dishes that should have been given at the first Thanksgiving feast: a roasted and stuffed turkey (Roasted Turkey) with a wide selection of side dishes and desserts such as cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes (sweet potatoes), apple – and pumpkin pie (apple pie and pumpkin pie) and various vegetables such as squash, green peas and corn.

President Truman got a wonderful turkey.

At the White House, the National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation has been established, in which the industry associations each year the President hand over a turkey, the „pardon“ since the 1990s usually the president, the animal will not be slaughtered.

Bit meager what they handed over to president Bush.

The Thanksgiving meal is often accompanied by a prayer of thanksgiving, or everyone says after the series, for which one is especially thankful this year. Such customs vary greatly from one family to another or the respective friends. A custom it is, for example, that two fixed subscriber, the dried wishbone („Wishbone“) of turkey pull apart each with the little finger until it breaks into two parts. He whose piece is larger, has a desire freely. Thanksgiving should be, other than for Christmas, gifts uncommon.

The 88 year old Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade.

How is Thanksgiving celebrated now compared to the ‘First Thanksgiving?’ Today, the holiday centers more around eating a large feast with friends and family (and watching football). Even the foods have greatly changed. Today, nearly 90% of American’s eat turkey as part of their Thanksgiving meal.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in New York.

Also, just like on Veteran’s Day and Fourth of July, parades have become a regular Thanksgiving Day tradition. The grand Macy’s Thanksgiving parade also happens in New York City, where the Veteran’s Day parade just occurred less than three weeks ago.
More than two million Americans line the parade route, with even more tuning in to watch the spectacle on TV. Giant balloon characters are always a common sight, along with American flags and tributes to the stars and stripes.

No comment needed.

The American Thanksgiving Meal.

One of the many varieties of a Thanksgiving meal.

According to what traditionally is known as „The First Thanksgiving,“ the 1621 feast between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag at Plymouth Colony contained turkey, waterfowl, venison, fish, lobster, clams, berries, fruit, pumpkin, and squash. William Bradford noted that, „besides waterfowl, there was great store of wild turkeys, of which they took many.“ Many of the foods that were included in the first feast (except, notably, the seafood) have since gone on to become staples of the modern Thanksgiving dinner.

William Bradford (1590-1657), Governor of Plymouth.

The use of the turkey in the USA for Thanksgiving precedes Lincoln’s nationalization of the holiday in 1863. Alexander Hamilton proclaimed that no „Citizen of the United States should refrain from turkey on Thanksgiving Day,“ and many of the Founding Fathers (particularly Benjamin Franklin) had high regard for the wild turkey as an American icon, but turkey was uncommon as Thanksgiving fare until after 1800. By 1857, turkey had become part of the traditional dinner in New England.

Contemporary drawing of turkey means, 1858.

A Thanksgiving Day dinner served to the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1935 included: pickles, green olives, celery, roast turkey, oyster stew, cranberry sauce, giblet gravy, dressing, creamed asparagus tips, snowflake potatoes, baked carrots, hot rolls, fruit salad, mince meat pie, fruit cake, candies, grapes, apples, clams, fish, and many other food harvests. French drip coffee, cigars and cigarettes. What a feast ?

What a wonderful „Thanksgiving Turkey“ presentation.

The White House Cook Book, 1887, by Mrs. F.L. Gillette, had the following menu: oysters on half shell, cream of chicken soup, fried smelts, sauce tartare, roast turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, baked squash, boiled onions, parsnip fritters, olives, chicken salad, venison pastry, pumpkin pie, mince pie, Charlotte russe, almond ice cream, lemon jelly, hickory nut cake, cheese, fruits and coffee. See pics of the cook book down here.

My suggestion of a mouthwatering Thanksgiving Meal. Try it !!

Every Thanksgiving meal „needs“ the turkey.

Double Cranberry Sauce.

Porcini Chestnut Stuffing.

Blistered Green Beans.

Goat Cheese Mashed Sweet Potatoes.

Chardonnay Glazed Carrots.

Skillet Baked Cornbread.

Pineapple, Cranberry, Toasted Coconut Relish.

Gingered Fruit Compote.

Crumb Topped Rum-Apple Pie.

Pumpkin Pie with Chocolate Crust.

If you are interested, I can provide to you the recipes to every dish above, just ask for it.
With this perfect Thanksgiving meal you want to serve a glass of Champagne as a starter, some excellent red wine with the main and a sweet Sherry or a Port with dessert. Don’t forget fresh whipped cream with the apple pie and coffee or tea with the desert. Enjoy !!!

If you click on the pictures in my blog, then most will supersize, check it out !

Veröffentlicht unter History, Information, Lifestyle, Recipes | 1 Kommentar

The Panama Hat – Part 1

Erstellt am November 18, 2015 von myuytips

Since we lived in Panama for over 5 years I had to learn about the Panama hat. We used them all the time and still do it here in Uruguay. Almost every friend and family member were gifted with one of them during the years.

The typical Panama hat.

We had our favorite dealer, we learned how to clean them, reform them and how to roll them into a pocket if necessary. They are so elegant, light to wear and everywhere in fashion. We love our „Panama’s“ so much and the history is so interesting that’s why I like to inform you about this wonderful garment.

Here we bought our hats in Panama City, Panama.

The Panama Hat – A Legend and a Lifestyle.

Authentic Panama hats have a rich and fascinating history. As unique as the artisans who create these hand-woven, stylish hats, each Panama hat combines natural resources of Ecuador with a long tradition of South American culture. Yes, genuine Panama hats are crafted as they always have been – in Ecuador.

Genuine Panama hats. Movie „Two Faces Of January“.

Formerly were goods that were produced in South America without the participation of US-based companies, not imported directly from the countries of origin in the United States. Central collection and customs office for the United States-Import was alone Panama. So all wore these hats from which country they originally came, the customs stamp from Panama. They were called thus, without further ado Panama hats.

Packing and shipping box for Montecristi hats.

History.

When Francisco Pizarro and his Spanish conquistadors arrived in what is now Ecuador in 1526, inhabitants of the coastal areas were already wearing a curious type of head wear made of woven straw. Indeed, ceramic figures dating back to 4000 B.C. appear to be wearing a similar style of head wear.

Indios with woven straw hats.

The almost brimless hats worn by 16th century Ecuadorians resembled a Spanish hat style of the time called a toque. Consequently, the Spaniards in Ecuador began to refer to the straw from which the hats were woven as toquilla straw, or paja toquilla.

Toquilla palm or biological „carludovica palmata“.

Spaniards encouraged locals to produce Spanish-influenced hats and, over time, these handmade straw toquilla hats evolved into the brimmed straw hats known today as Panama hats. As you might expect, Ecuadorians themselves do not call their hats Panama hats. In Ecuador, the hats are „sombreros de paja toquilla“, or “hats of toquilla straw.”

Weaving a hat. See how they lean over the weaving block.

The Californian gold rush.

Two events occurred in the 1830’s that would change Ecuador’s hat industry forever.
In the mid 1800s, the hats were picked up by gold seekers crossing the isthmus overland as they rushed to and from California.

They wear Panama hats during the Gold Rush.

In 1835, Manuel Alfaro emigrated from Spain to Ecuador. He settled in Montecristi and launched himself in the hat business. He organized production by developing a large network of weavers and other artisans necessary to the making and finishing of the hats.
Soon, his hats were leaving the port cities of Guayaquil and Manta, bound for Panama. He established a company in Panama that traded in hats, cacao, and pearls. He had chosen his location well and fortune favored him with the California gold rush, which dramatically increased traffic in Panama as well as demand for his hats.

José Eloy Alfaro Delgado. Father Manuel Alfaro, mother an indigenous Indian. Born in Montecristi and twice president of Ecuador .

By 1849 Manuel Alfaro was exporting around 220,000 hats a year. All of the hats were shipped first to the Isthmus of Panama, an important center and staging post for international trade and travel, before being sent on to other destinations in the rest of the Americas, Asia and Europe. The hats began to become known by the name of their international point of sale, rather than their place of origin.

Advertising Panama hats around 1900.

Frenchman Philippe Raimond, living in Panama, exhibited the toquilla hat at the 1855 World Fair in Paris and sold out of his considerable stocks. Ecuador was not mentioned as a participating country at the fair and the hat was christened the „Panama hat“ thus further reinforcing the misnomer.

Exposition Universelle 1855 Paris, France.

By 1863 Ecuador’s exports of the hats had grown to 500,000 and Cuba became a good customer for plantation workers and socialites alike. Indeed, for many years Cuba bought up the entire output of the coastal town of Febres Cordero until Ecuador broke off relations with Cuba after Castro’s revolution in 1962.

Cuenca cathedral. Cuenca, one of Ecuadors „Hat“ city’s.

Cuenca.

In 1836, Cuenca declared itself in the hat business. Officials there decided to open a hat factory in order to boost the local economy by capturing a share of the rapidly increasing export market. Within a few years, their workshop was making hats and training anyone who was willing to learn.
In 1845, Don Bartolome Serrano dramatically speed up the development of the Cuenca hat industry by taking a more comprehensive approach to the task at hand. He went to the coast and set up straw supply lines from the largest toquilla-growing areas.

Cuenca with a market in the center.

He bought thousands of wooden hat forms, all the tools of the trade, bleaching powder, even weavers. He hired master weavers from Manabí and brought them to Cuenca.
Adults as well as children were required to learn the trade. Failure to do so could result in prison time – which is a rumor – true is that the company hired people out of the prisons.

Panama hats on the market in Cuenca.

But anyhow with this kind of “incentive,” the hat industry grew by leaps and bounds, by brims and crowns. Soon, hat making was one of the most profitable and powerful economic activities in the region.
One of the largest exporters in Cuenca today is still „Serrano hat“. And – just Cuenca has three Panama hat museums plus the private ones in the hat factories.

Panama Hat weavers on a Cuenca market.

Before air travel, anyone on the East Coast of Canada or the U.S. who wanted to go to the West Coast (or vice versa) had three choices: 1. travel overland, 2. take a ship around the tip of South America, 3. take a ship to Panama, cut across the isthmus, and get another ship on the other side. Option number three was the fastest, and probably the least hazardous, of the choices. And you could buy the Panama hat there.

Advertising in a shop in Panama City,Panama.

The strong, lightweight, attractive, straw hats were much in demand. They are perfect for deflecting the tropical sun of Panama, just the thing for those long days many are about to spend outdoors in sunny California getting rich panning for gold, and they’re even nice to have on a summer day in Philadelphia or Boston.

An English school trip in 1918. See the hats.

The Panama Canal.

During the Spanish American War, in 1898, the U.S. government bought some 50,000 of Panama hats for the troops from merchants in Panama.

Colonel T. Rooseveld with his Rough Riders during the Spanish American War at the top of the hill which they captured, „Battle of San Juan”, Cuba, 1st of July 1898.

A second major contributor to the misnomer was the Panama Canal. Canal workers often wore the hats, which showed up pretty well in black-and-white news photos of the day. One photo, made on November 16, 1906, is often credited as the origin of both the name and the fashion.

President Roosevelt visiting the Panama Canal site.

The photograph showed President Theodore Roosevelt wearing a black-banded straw hat as he sat at the controls of a ninety-five-ton Bucyrus steam shovel during an three-day inspection tour of the Panama Canal excavation.
The picture was widely published in the U.S., and around the world, prompting much comment on the President’s “Panama hat“.
Other accounts give part of the credit to ship passengers going through the canal, a love affair, and a revolution. Which is the “true” explanation? They are all true. And no doubt each is at least partly why a hat from Ecuador is called a Panama hat.

Workers at the Panama Canal around 1890.

Also true is, that tens of thousands of „Ecuador hats“ were used during the canal building years . No one cared where they are from – they were bought or used in Panama, so they were „Panama hats“. People in Ecuador hate that the countries most famous export article is called „Panama“ hat and not Ecuador hat.

Panama hats everywhere, Panama Canal opening, 1914.

Yucatan.

To this day, in Yucatan State of Mexico, which has developed its own thriving Panama hat industry, hats woven of toquilla straw are more often called “jipijapas” than Panamas.

Read about Jipijapa, Ecuador in the 2nd part.

No one knows that the name had originated from the small town in Manabí Province, Ecuador and called after the jipijapa palm growing in the area.

Different weaving techniques and styles in Mexico, they don’t reach the quality of Ecuador.

During the years the area between Merida and Campeche established a „jipijapa“ industry in and around Becal of Yucatan, Mexico. When we drove through that area we found many of those little factory’s and shops there.

One of the many shops in Becal, selling „straw hats“, not Panama Hats. Much cheaper then in Ecuador.

In Becal you will find the Sombrero monument and dozens of dealers who try to sell you a „Panama hat“. But it is obvious they are not from Panama (Ecuador if one knows about the history), they are made local in Mexico and they are called jipijapa sombreros or better „sombrero becal“.

The Sombrero monument in Becal, Mexico. Some call it Panama hat monument, but that’s wrong.

They never could reach in Mexico any kind of success as Ecuador had. First, they never got those quality weavers and second, they had not the power, force and human capacity to build up such sales force as Ecuador, which had already a tight grip on Panama.

Some Panama hat wearing. Stay tuned to part 2 of this post.

Isn’t this a beautiful hat ??

Or this one, Anthony Hopkins in „Tuscan Sun“.

Humphrey Bogart in the movie „Avant Gardist“.

Style up – the answer is a Panama hat.

And finally, Prince Charles with a Panama !!

Head picture is taken inside „Casa del Sombrero“ in Montecristi, Ecuador !

Veröffentlicht unter History, Information, Lifestyle, Travel | Verschlagwortet mit Panama | Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Beachwalk

Erstellt am November 16, 2015 von myuytips

Our wonderful Silver River (Rio de la Plata) during an early beach walk yesterday.
An empty beach to dream off, miles and miles just for your self, except your own track.
Beautiful beach as far as the eye can see. Far right the mountains of Piriapolis.

What’s laying around here ? Some „brandy corpses“, sleeping off the Saturday night !
Summer and beach life is arriving in Uruguay. Click on pics to supersize.

This morning (Monday) they were gone, just a „souvenir“ left on the beach.
By the way. The sign „Zona de Deportes“ means „sport zone“ not „deportation zone“.
Or could it be ??? Our intendencia is very quick with deporting beach corpses.

Veröffentlicht unter Atlantida, Uruguay | 2 Kommentare

Jockey Club Montevideo

Erstellt am November 9, 2015 von myuytips

An ART DECO GEM in Montevideo.

Open for just a few month, the new restaurant at the Jockey Club promises to be an obligatory culinary stop on 18 de Julio, the main avenue in Montevideo. In the last few month I have been there three times. The first two times I ordered a la carte, the third time I ordered the Menu Ejecutivo as lunch. My experience down here.

The Jockey Club entrance in „857 Av. 18 de Julio“, today.

The building where the restaurant is housed dates back to 1920, designed by the Frenchman José Carré, and is a marvel that was abandoned for years. I love the atmosphere and the wonderful restoration of this building.

Jockey Club Montevideo in the early 1930’s.

Taken over by the Grupo Pestana, there will soon be a hotel, but for now trying out the restaurant remains a great temptation. This Portuguese based developers, are true experts on hospitality, excellence in the culinary art, the decor, the ambiance.

Earlier just called „The Hall“, now its the Restaurant.

Marco Bonino is the chef in charge who has had an eclectic career in Spanish kitchens, luxury yachts, and coastal restaurants in Uruguay. A very sympathetic chef is Constanza, who speaks very well English and is happy to help if „all the waitresses and waiters“ play dumb, as I experienced. Shouldn’t happen in a class restaurant like this.

20 Minutes to serve a Martini, no olive was available.

Chef Bonino refers to the menu as “market style” putting emphasis on fresh ingredients and classic dishes, what you read is what you get, yeah and not a bit more !!

Menu’s (or a puzzle ?) change.

They offer executive menus and daring menu options. There is also a great cocktail bar that hopes to create a profile all on its own. And – they have life music shows which are worth to visit. By example I visited in June a Jazz night, very enjoyable.

As we know Buenos Aires is the city of Art Nouveau and Montevideo the Art Deco city. For all you Art Deco lovers, it is a must to come wine in dine in this unique Art Deco Building. Or just have a drink at the bar and enjoy the Art Deco atmosphere.

Art Deco restaurant, the former „Hall“.

The first dining we had you can see in the following 4 pics ( precisely as they advertise in their web). Nothing to complain, it was excellent to dine a la carte. During the Jazz night we had snacks and drinks only, lots of coktails. Nothing to complain.

Octopus starter – Lobster main – Filet Mignon main – Chocolate cake dessert. All fine ! Of Course different decorated as seen in the web, but still appetizing and worth wile.

The third time I was there for lunch and ordered the Menu Ejecutivo. Sorry, I am not a complainer, but that „executive menu“ was not worth the price and the service was just miserable (means – very rude when I reminded them of my Martini, standing on the bar for 15 minutes and waiting for an olive – they had to buy – I guess). So I decided to tell them my opinion. We had a very nice conversation, thanks to Chef Constanza.

The executive menu I’ve been served – starter: Some salad ( two green leaves, bit tomato, 4 cubes of cheese, some shredded carrot and a boiled egg).

The main: Some chicken nuggets on a bed of noodles. Noodles were soaked in soy sauce and Mc Donald delivers much better nuggets.

Finally the dessert; A fruit salad, hmmm ? I decided to indulge myself with a double espresso and an Amaretto. Those were o.k. !

After having half of the main course I complained and the „very friendly and helpful“ chef Constanza came to my table. The restaurant finally offered me not to pay for the meal, but I decided to pay in full my bill and have the right to write my opinion about in this post.

Doesn’t it look wonderful on their web ?

Try to find those dishes above on the menu. You can order „Quinoa“ or „Tannat“(wine) as a main dish and you will find a „Vegetales Baby“, whatever that „baby“ is. As starters you can order „Aceto“(vinegar) or „Almendras“(almonds) and as some desert you can order „Miel“(honey). Is this Portuguese stile to fill a menu card ??? Or do they try to inform about ingredients of some dishes or is the honey a desert, I am totally confused !

Is the decoration better then the food? Check yourself !

My conclusion: Very nice restaurant, to show, with guests ! Without Spanish language you will have (almost) no chance. 3 times there, 2 times at night, 1 time for lunch. Dinner time and Jazz night was fine, lunch time a disaster. Was that „Ejecutivo“ or „Primitivo“ ?? If you like high class restaurants, then there are better ones in and around Montevideo.
As you can read, I have a mixed opinion and the best will be that everyone seeks their own experience. As everyone has a different taste and expectation anyhow. Stay tuned.

Header picture shows „Hipódromo de Maroñas“ in Montevideo, Uruguay.

Veröffentlicht unter History, Lifestyle, Travel, Uruguay | Verschlagwortet mit Restaurants | 1 Kommentar

Heavenly Coconut

Erstellt am November 3, 2015 von myuytips

A few weeks ago I traveled to Chuy. In the area, behind Rocha, around Castillos you hit the „Uruguayan Palm Country“. The thousands of palm trees you see there reminded me of areas in Australia or South East Asia and reminded me to „coconut beaches“. Since I also like to cook with coconut products, I thought it might be interesting to write a post about this wonderful natural product and „something creepy“ around the coconut.

Coconut Palm Beach in Panama, or was it Costa Rica ?

Coconut, „Cocos nucifera“, belongs to the Palm family (Arecaceae). Grown in abundance in Malaysia, Polynesia and southern Asia, Spanish explorers named the cocos – meaning „grinning face“, because of the three little eyes on the base which they thought resembled a monkey – funny face.

This very grinning face.

Classed as a fruit and frequently confused for being a nut, the coconut is actually a one-seeded drupe. In Sanskrit, the coconut palm is known as kalpa vriksha – „tree which gives all that is necessary for living“, because nearly all parts can be used, the water, milk, flesh, sugar and oil. The nutshells and even the husks and leaves are used as materials in furnishings and decoration. Palm trees produce coconuts up to 13 times a year and although it takes a year for the coconuts to mature, a fully blossomed tree can produce between 60-180 coconuts in a single harvest.

Our favorite spot – Mission Beach, Queensland.

Watch your head.
Rumor says about 150 people worldwide die each year from falling coconuts!

Still green. Full ripe.

How it’s made ?
Creamed coconut and coconut milk are made in a way surprisingly akin to their dairy counterparts. Coconut flesh (the white part) is grated and soaked in hot water. The coconut cream rises to the top and can be skimmed off. The remaining liquid is squeezed through a cheesecloth to extract a white liquid that is coconut milk. By repeating this process, the coconut milk becomes thinner. The thicker version is used for desserts and rich sauces. Thin coconut milk is used for cooking curries and soups. In our countries, fresh coconut milk is unavailable and coconut milk is bought in cans.

Coconut products we bought in Australia.

A note on coconut water.
Coconut milk is different to coconut water. The latter has received a great deal of attention for it’s perceived health benefits, and is an important treatment for acute diarrhea in the developing world. Research suggests the clear liquid has the same electrolyte balance found in isotonic drinks, proving useful for rehydration or after long intensive exercise.

Coconut water you can buy everywhere in Australia.

Nutritional highlights.
Coconuts are highly nutritious and rich in fiber, vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6 and minerals including iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous. Unlike cow’s milk, coconut milk is lactose free so can be used as a milk substitute by those with lactose intolerance, which my wife appreciates very much. It is a popular choice to make a great base for smoothies, milkshakes or as a dairy alternative in baking.

Coconut smoothie with pineapple and banana.

Coconuts are one of those foods that oscillate between the „good“ food and „bad“ food camps. Coconut milk, especially the lower fat variety, can be used in moderation (1-2 times per week). However, The British Heart Foundation recommend avoiding the use of coconut oil for cooking.

Freshly bought at our local market in Uruguay.

A 100ml serving of canned coconut milk contents:
154 calories
1.4g protein
15g fat (13.2g saturates)
3.4g carbohydrate

Fresh fruit and a coconut cream dip, delicious.

Coconuts contain significant amounts of fat, but unlike other nuts, they provide fat that is mostly in the form of medium chain saturated fatty acids (MCFAs) in particular, one called lauric acid. Lauric acid is converted in the body into a highly beneficial compound called monolaurin, an antiviral and antibacterial that destroys a wide variety of disease causing organisms. It is therefore now thought that consumption of coconut milk may help protect the body from infections and viruses.

Drying for 45 days and then milled to coconut flour.

MCFAs are rapidly metabolized into energy in the liver. It is thought that unlike other saturated fats, MCFAs are used up more quickly by the body and are less likely to be stored as fat. This does not exempt them from contributing to heart disease – they are still a fat – but they have a different effect than saturated fats.
The link between excessive consumption of dietary saturated fats and coronary heart disease (CHD) is well established. Because of coconut milk’s high content of saturated fatty acids, it is still seen as a food that should be consumed in moderation.

Opening and removing coconut flesh, Tahiti market.

How to select and store ?
If you are able to get fresh coconut milk be aware that it goes bad very quickly and should be used the same day as pressing. The canned variety is a useful store cupboard ingredient and can be stored at room temperature for a long time. Be careful to check the use by dates and look out for damage or dents in the cans. Once opened, transfer the contents to a resealable container and refrigerate. Use within a few days. The high oil content makes coconut quickly turn rancid if not stored under proper conditions.

Coconut harvest on Vanuatu.

DIY coconut milk (from desiccated coconut).
Try making your own with just water and unsweetened coconut flakes. Heat the water, make sure it doesn’t boil, add the flakes and blend. Pour through a colander to filter out the coconut pulp, then squeeze through a cheese cloth to filter out the smaller pieces of coconut. Use immediately or store in the fridge for 3-4 days. If coconut milk or oil cools down it will solidify, but turns liquid again after warming up.

A tropical feast, roast veggies, coconut rice and guacamole curry.

Not only humans like to eat coconut.
During travels through Indonesia, the Philippines and many Pacific Islands we met sometimes these interesting animals. Frightened first, if you are not prepared, because of their immense size. They can crawl pretty quick, mostly towards „you“, seeking shade.

They come in various colors and like coconuts.

These freaks of nature are maybe the creepiest creatures on earth!

Be careful, watch your legs, doggie.

Coconut Crab is the largest land-living arthropod in the world. It is also called robber crab, terrestrial hermit crab or palm thief. They can be as big as any terrestrial animals (with exoskeletons) will ever get. It’s body length can grow up to 40 cm (16 in) with a leg span of almost a meter (3 feet). They can get up to 60 years old and can reach weights of 4 kgs or 9 lbs. That’s a lot of crab meat!
By the way, they taste wonderful, we had them on Cook Islands where still exists a large population. In 1981, coconut crab was listed on the IUCN Red List as a vulnerable species.

Beautiful monster crabs – on Cook Island.

They can’t swim and if they are submerged for any length of time they will drown. So, they’ve taken to the trees. Coconut crabs live pretty much wherever coconut trees grow. However even though they are able to crack open a coconut and they’re named after coconuts, they don’t restrict their diet to only coconut.

Christmas Island special – crab in chilli coconut cream.

They’re related to hermit crabs but only the juvenile crablettes require shells for protection.They are omnivorous and have been known to feed on other crabs. Juvenile Coconut Crabs often use empty coconut shells instead of gastropod shells for protection.

Can you imagine how succulent crab fed crab flesh would be? They also eat baby sea turtles. How strong would a set of claws have to be to crack open a coconut?

Don’t worry, they crack it open and defending it.

As you can see they vary in coloring, like lobsters. When they’re steamed they turn orange like lobsters too. And the flesh tastes better, softer and sweeter then lobster.

And they taste wonderful.

The pincers of the coconut crab are powerful enough to cause noticeable pain to a human; furthermore, the coconut crab will often keep its hold for extended periods of time. A trick, used by Micronesian’s, to get a coconut crab to loosen its grip: „a gentle titillation of the under soft parts of the body with any light material will cause the crab to loosen its hold.“ I never tried it, nor like I to have them „monsters“ in my backyard. See down here, the one on the left over 80cm, the „old fellow“ on the right pictured on Christmas Island !

In the Cook Islands, the coconut crab is known as unga or kaveu, and in the Mariana Islands it is called ayuyu, and is sometimes associated with taotaomo’na because of the traditional belief that ancestral spirits can return in the form of animals such as the coconut crab. They are found amongst the most beautiful parts of the world, see map.

Left the coconut distribution around the world. Right the parts where to find coconut crabs. Not identical !

Seychelles Coconut Palm Beach.

Tegua Coconut Palm Beach.

Isn’t it luck in life, if you are spoiled by the chance, to travel to such wonderful destinations on earth and have experiences like the above described ?? Some travels are long ago and I guess I won’t see such places again, but writing this post brings back all memories to life.

Samoa Coconut Palm Beach.

Bora Bora Coconut Palm Beach.

We could go on and on together, with pics of the most beautiful coconut palm areas, but to travel there, or to live there is also a matter of health and age. Many many years my philosophy was to live where coconuts grow, now we changed and live where wine grows ! As always, most pics supersize if you click on them. Enjoy !!

Veröffentlicht unter Information, Travel | Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Must See – A Gem of Dresden

Erstellt am Oktober 27, 2015 von myuytips

Many many books are written about the city of Dresden, Germany. Its beauty, history and resurrection from the ashes . Since I was born there, over 70 years ago, Of course – I had to visit, first time after 70 years, my birthplace.

One of the most well known views of Dresden, after the „firestorm“. And the same view today, ugly GDR Altstadt, all the fantastic history gone and sadly rebuild by the communists.

My mother had to flee from a town of Niesky, further east of Dresden, in a stadium of highest pregnancy. Three days later, just after the massive bombing of Dresden she came through the total disturbed city and gave birth to me under burning ruins. A friendly lady, in Dresden Neustadt, gave us refugees shelter for a few days.

City map of todays Dresden with Altstadt and Neustadt.

If you look at the map above, everything south the river Elbe – the Altstadt, was demolished during the „firestorm“ of mid February 1945. North of the river Elbe – the Neustadt, was almost untouched. Today, the Neustadt (new city) is the „Old City“, because the destructed Altstadt was newly build. And this kind of rebuilding during the time of GDR (German Demokratic Republik), is not the taste to everyone. I think it was cheap made and ugly, typical GDR style. Today they try to change it to the better.

The famous Frauenkirche in Dresden after bombing with knocked over Martin Luther monument in front.
Today, the church after reconstruction, with reconstructed Martin Luther statue in front.

The Frauenkirche (Lady’s Church) inside. Click on pic !

During my last trip to Germany I also visited Dresden and followed the typical tourist path. Dozens and dozens of places to see, time to short for everything, but one place stood out, in the Neustadt, which I had never heard about before. I like to share it with you.

The Most Beautiful Dairy in the World.

What A Beautiful Place! How is it possible that a dairy store is among the essential places to visit in a city? Because „Pfund’s Molkerei“ (Pfund’s dairy) is a feast for all the senses.

A dairy in the Guinness Book of World Records.

There is a sense of duty towards the tradition and remain devoted to the intention of treating people to the culinary benefits of enjoying healthy artisan farm to table cheese and milk specialties.
The centerpiece of this is the world’s most beautiful milk shop, located on the ground floor level − a picture book business, which is entirely decorated with hand painted Villeroy & Boch tiles and was recorded in the Guinness Books of Records in 1998.

Above a few details of the wonderful „tile art“ of this creamery. Click on pics, some will supersize.

The German gourmet magazine „Feinschmecker“ opines: „The ornate Pfund dairy is a symbol of the Saxonians lust for life.“
Go visit and experience a feast for all the senses: Visually breathtaking, fireworks for all senses and palate! Treat yourself. Enjoy the wonderful symbiosis of cheese and wine.

Very tasty cheese platters, with a fresh milk or a bigger plate with a „schnaps“ and ham and a glass of wine.

The Founders.

The milk shop was a mosaic stone, the last link in the chain of a clever and farsightedly planned company strategy. Visionary, initiator and organizer was the future Privy Councillor Paul Gustav Leander Pfund (1849-1923).

The founder of the Milk shop imperium Paul G.L. Pfund. The Pfunds welcome emperor Wilhelm II.

The son of a spirits producer, he was a successful farmer in Reinholdshain. In 1879 he went to Dresden with his wife Mathilde, six cows, the same amount of pigs and set ideas:
This situation’s lack of hygiene became a personal challenge for Pfund. He wanted to deliver fully hygienic milk to the constantly growing city populace and thus began to do so in a small shop on Görlitzer Straße.

One of the many milk shops in Dresden and introduction of the first condensed milk.

Twice daily, customers were able to see the cows being milked, filtered through fine towels and cooled through windows in the shop’s sales area. In-shop sales and delivery were available as desired by customers. The number of customers continued to grow and the shop became too small. Pfund moved to Bautzner Straße 41. It was here that the company’s actual success story began, although it had already achieved fame beyond Dresden’s borders.

Very rare and old postcard from 1892, showing the creamery and on the right, same buildings how they look
like today. It was very hard to get old pics. The black and white ones are from the Pfund’s collection.

Business Empire.

It all began with 150 liters of milk daily. By the 1930s sixty thousand liters flowed daily through the dairy. Central operations in Dresden-Neustadt were expanded to 14,000 square meters. In short, Pfund’s supplied Dresden and the world with everything that can be possibly made from milk: Cream, butter, cheese, yogurt, kefir, buttermilk, milk powder, condensed milk and milk soap.

Old advertising signs of Pfund’s Milk Soap.

Paul Pfund, who by that time had become Royal Saxony Councillor of Comerce, developed the company into an independent, self supplying microcosm. Everything needed was self-developed and produced.

Inside yard of the creamery in 1900.

Over the course of time the following were built: A laboratory, a carton factory, the printing shop for multi-lingual labels, advertisements and printing materials; blacksmith workshop for 100 horses and vehicles, a joinery, carpentry, wagon building workshop; locksmith shop with construction departments; plumber workshop with tinning shop for cans and pitchers; a paint shop to guarantee the wagons were pure white, modern steam laundry and a tailor’s workshop for coachmen uniforms.

See Pfund’s employees in coachmen uniforms.

The company also built a massive pig breeding and factory farming plant in Dresden area.
The civil servants, as the company managers were called, lived in Pfund company-owned apartments in Dresden-Neustadt.
There was a community room for company employees, which seated 250 and they had other entitlements such as employee health insurance, baths, beer pubs for the coachmen and a nursery school.

Pfund’s milk bar early 1900’s.

The representative main headquarters at Bautzner Strasse 79 was already built in 1891. There were modern offices on the upper floor and on the main floor were the open shelves with tiles designed and hand painted by Villeroy and Boch Dresden and its artists – as beautiful then as they are again today.

Villeroy & Boch tile art.

The Company.

Paul Pfund had laid the foundation for a wonderful development.
In 1880 his brother Friedrich, a successful actor, became part owner of the firm, which has been called „Dresdner Molkerei Gebrüder Pfund“ (Dresdner Dairy Brothers Pfund) since then. Friedrich passed away in 1883 but the name remained.

Another tile detail inside the shop.

Paul continued running the firm, initially supported by his father and later by his sons Kurt and Max. The supplier network of milk drivers became increasingly dense and the products offered more varied. In the peak times Pfunds had more then 50 stores in and around Dresden.

Today’s advertising the restaurant and the „modern“ made, but historic labeled, souvenirs.

As more milk was produced than could be consumed, Pfund produced the first condensed milk in Germany, developed baby food with mother’s milk quality and milk soap for sensitive skin. The Pfund company’s success abroad began with condensed milk.
Milk for babies and ill patients ensured the energetic company head merit for successfully responding to the child mortality rate.

Shop views today.

The representative main building of the company in the Bautzner Straße 79 Created in 1891. Among the office premises was the shop, which was lined throughout with tile in the neo-Renaissance style, the Villeroy & Boch had prepared in collaboration with the Dresden artists. The store survived the bombings during World War II.

It was nationalized by the GDR and in 1978 closed. In the 1990s, managed to revive the old tradition. Today in Pfund’s former shop are mainly sold raw milk cheese products, and there are offers for visitors such as cheese tastings. At times, there were plans to transform the backyard of the dairy into a „Hundertwasser“ quarters.

Model of the planned Hundertwasser apartment house.

In the movie „The Grand Budapest Hotel“ is „Pfunds Molkerei“ well known as „Mendl’s confectionary shop“.

Left the official movie poster – and right the movie scene with Pfund’s creamery shop as Mendl’s shop.

The business has grown with the step of the years and now you can buy and prove(try) all kinds typical products of Saxony – as well as specialties of other places of the world – in the shop or in the restaurant of the loft.

The historic milk shop with modern restaurant above.

The business today.

The Wanne-Eickeler (Wanne-Eickel, a city between Duisburg and Dortmund in the West of Germany) Wilfried Hensel moved to Dresden in 1991 and made the same thing many did: namely in real estate. „We are building on Dresden again,“ the Westerner had written on the flag, and was there during the years of upheaval, as the smart ones have become millionaires. But he soon got tired to hunt only the money and he let his plan ripe to buy the unusual „creamery“.

The modern „Cafe and Restaurant“ on first floor.

Not possible to buy it individually, just in a package. The business was just a piece of the mosaic in the original pound’s empire. And the community of heirs, expropriated during the GDR (German Democratic Republic) era and after the turn again in the possession of their property wanted to sell only all properties at a time.

Pfund’s own toilet style, a mouse crowling through a cheese.

As Wilfried Hensel and his Dresdner partner Frank Zabel early 1993 finally could buy the company, they acquired almost a Neighborhood, 16 properties finally were distributed. Most of them stood under monument protection, partly vacant and partly with ruins.

Film and Photos are not aloud inside the creamery, waitresses are directly waving at you, but sorry „I don’t understand German“ – Ha Ha ! Look into the counter and discover dozens and dozens of delicious cheeses.

For each of them, merchants developed individual rehabilitation and utilization concepts. Today, there are apartments, offices, shops, craft shops, a cabaret, a hotel and of course the milk shop. Most of the objects are from the Pfund’s Ensemble have new owners.

A bit more fancy, if you like, participate at the cold buffet in the restaurant.
And – what to expect in a „dairy“ ? Wonderful cheesecake and delicious ice cream.

After more than 125 years Pfunds shearing tradition remained faithful to the demands of the founder of freshness, purity and quality. Meanwhile, far beyond milk and cheese: wines and spirits are as much to offer as fine baked goods, chocolates or spreads.

How great, that this glorious „Dresden Gem“ survived and is protected now !

For sure, Pfund’s Creamery in Dresden is a MUST SEE place. When you are in Germany try to visit the „Most beautiful Dairy in the World“, a place where angels live. Click on pics.

Veröffentlicht unter History, Information, Lifestyle, Must See, Travel | Verschlagwortet mit Art | 1 Kommentar

ONE YEAR myuytips !

Erstellt am Oktober 24, 2015 von myuytips

Today, a year ago, this blog was founded. With mixed feelings, if it will be interesting enough for others or not.
Yes – I do it for myself, it is my hobby – to research, dive into history and go through 10.000 pics to find the right one for my posts.
But meantime, after 111 posts in 12 month, I can see the reaction of all of you. 111 posts with more then 120.000 words, it’s much more then a big novel will need (about 80.000 to 90.000 words). Many many comments through my private mail box, many discussions and many questions answered during these 12 month.

Time is running quick – let’s enjoy every second.

The statistics are impressive also, at least for me, who has never done such a blog before. The „myuytips“ blog has far over 3600 visitors and almost 14.000 views in this year. Readers come out of 37 different country’s.
WOW – THANK YOU !
Again, a HUGE Thank You to ALL of you! You are the reason that I continue to do what I do! I love creating and I love sharing it with all of you! I want to thank you for all of your support, friendship, loyalty, and patronage over this last year!

Remember ? Me – the old goat ?

In the future the „old goat“ will try to be on the same high information level – combined with many many pics to keep the blog as interesting as possible. I hope you will enjoy this blog and all my articles further !

Warm regards to all, Mike.

Veröffentlicht unter Home, Uncategorized | 3 Kommentare

Green Gold – Part 2

Erstellt am Oktober 20, 2015 von myuytips

This will happen when you eat avocados every day.

You have probably seen avocados being touted as a heart-healthy super food in recent years. Realistically, the truth isn’t too far off from the hype. The next time you are grabbing that burrito or turkey sandwich, you might want to consider adding a healthy dollop of guacamole. Here are four reasons that you should consider eating a little bit of avocado each day, shown by medical researches in several health magazines.

Every one will like this delicious party dip.

1. You may reduce your risk of heart disease.

Heart disease is the number 1 killer in many countries, so it only makes sense that we would want to protect ourselves by being more health conscious in our dietary choices. Avocados have been shown to positively benefit our cardiovascular system in a number of ways due to its low saturated fat and high unsaturated fat content (predominantly the monounsaturated fat (MUFA) variety). Consuming excess saturated fat (>10% of total calories) may raise your LDL and HDL cholesterol and triglycerides.

Avocado shells filled with guacamole.

On the contrary, consuming adequate unsaturated fat in your diet may help lower LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol), maintain HDL-cholesterol (good cholesterol) and potentially improve your insulin sensitivity.
In addition its nutritious fat content, avocados also contain a potent mix of nutrients (e.g., potassium and lutein), including plenty of antioxidants such as carotenoids, callexanthophylls and phenols. These compounds can help prevent inflammation and oxidative stress in the blood vessels while facilitating improved blood flow.

Easy to make – bread spread or more.

2. You may have an easier time maintaining your weight.

Eating fat to lose fat; who would have thought? Avocados can help with weight loss and maintaining a healthy BMI (Body Mass Index) by promoting a feeling of satiety. A recent study showed that including avocado in meals helped extend feelings of fullness and reduced the desire to overindulge. The belly filling properties of avocados is aided by their high fiber content, about 14g per fruit on average.

Spring onion guacamole.

In addition, higher avocado consumption has been associated with smaller waistlines and lower BMI’s in observational studies. Lastly, some research has even shown that weight loss diets higher in MUFA (Mono-unsaturated Fatty Acid), like the kind avocados are packed with, may prove healthier for your heart than low fat weight loss diets.

What are MUFA’s?
MUFA’s (pronounced moo-fah) are monounsaturated fatty acids, plant-based fats found in some of the world’s most delicious foods, like avocado, nuts and seeds, oils, olives, and dark chocolate! Studies show that these good-for-you fats enhance heart health and protect against chronic disease. And now the latest research shows that these dietary superstars may even target fat where it’s hardest to lose – in your belly!

Above the 5 MUFA’s for health and a slim belly : Olives, Oils, Nuts-Seeds, Avocado and Black Chocolate.

3. You might reduce your risk of cancer.

Avocados provide us with numerous phytochemicals that may help prevent cancer, including the previously discussed xanthophylls and phenols. A protein compound called glutathione, along with the xanthophyll lutein (both found in avocados), have been associated with decreased rates of oral cancer. Preliminary data also show promising results for avocados potential role in reducing risk of both breast and prostate cancers. Additionally, preliminary studies demonstrate that avocados are able to exert anti cancer effects on acute myeloid leukemia cells. Together, these studies show that further research needs to be conducted to draw more conclusive results.

Classic ingredients for a delicious guacamole.

Easy to do.
2 ripe avocados,
1 small tomato (you choose the type you like, just take out the seeds),
1/4 of a red onion or bunch of green onions (whites only), chopped very very fine,
2 garlic cloves, minced , dollop of sour cream , 1 tbsp. lemon juice , salt to taste.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, mash, and serve.

4. You will protect your skin and eyes well into old age.

As it turns out, avocado carotenoids do quite a number of things for our body. Both lutein and another compound found in avocados called zeaxanthin can slow age related ocular decline and prevent vision dysfunction. In addition, these same two nutrients also act as buffers against oxidative UV damage, keeping our skin smooth and healthy. The bioavailability (ease of absorption by our body) of carotenoids from avocados compared to many other fruits and vegetables makes eating avocados every day a sensible choice.

Juicy beef burger with rustic guacamole and cilantro.

Recipe ideas with avocado.

A classic BLT sandwich.

How can you improve on your favorite BLT sandwich? Add avocados, simple and delicious. Following recipe for two sandwiches.

Ingredients.
4 slices bread, lightly toasted
1 large tomato, sliced
4 lettuce leaves
½ avocado, sliced
4 tbsp mayonnaise
6 slices of bacon, cooked

The classic BLT sandwich with avocado.

How to do.
Cook the bacon to your desired personal preference.
Lightly toast the bread.
Spread a tablespoon of mayonnaise on 2 slices of bread (a tbsp on each slice).
On top of each bread slice with mayonnaise, add 2 lettuce leaves, followed by slices of tomatoes, followed by 3 slices of bacon, then by avocado slices and another slice of bread.

Plain sandwich with well seasoned avocado cubes.

Bacon Peach Guacamole.

Ingredients.
1 ripe peach
2 ripe avocados
¼ red onion, minced
2 strips bacon, crisped
Salt and pepper to taste

How to do.
Cut peaches into small dice and place in bowl. Mash avocados and combine with peaches.
Crisp bacon in skillet, dice and add to bowl. Mince onion and add to guacamole.
Enjoy with whole-grain tortilla chips.

Classic guacamole with tomatoes, chilli, lime, seasonings.

Coconut Choc Chip Smoothie.

Ingredients.
1/2 ripe avocado
1 banana
1/2 cup coconut cream
1 handful raw cacao beans, or nibs
1/2 pinch of cinnamon
1 pinch of vanilla
1 pinch unrefined sea salt
3/4 cup filtered water (use cold water to have a chiller smoothie)
Mix all together in a blender and decorate with choc chips.

You will love this one !!!

This Coconut Choc Chip smoothie will take five minutes to make and will fill you up with great energy. It’s full of saturated fats (avocado and coconut) that are essential to our health, but it’s also rich in magnesium, potassium and vitamin B6. Raw cacao will bring a good dose of antioxidants, iron and zinc and will definitely boost your mood and energy.

BBQ Bacon Burger with Peach Guacamole.

Wow, what a feast !

Summertime is coming up in the southern hemisphere and that means BBQ season is here again. Beside the local asados and sausages and many other BBQ ingredients, we love to grill burgers. I guess, I have not to tell you how to make your own burger patty’s. Takes a bit more time then to buy the „shoe soles“ from supermarkets, but its worth it.

Let’s concentrate on the Peach Guacamole and how to bring this burger together. We like to complete it with waffle fries and Thousand Island dressing. But you can change to your own taste of course, the possibilities are infinitely.

Juicy burger patty’s.

Ingredients.

For the Guacamole.
1 ripe avocado
1 ripe peach, peeled and cored
1 handful of cilantro
1 jalapeno chilli, washed and diced
1/2 cup finely diced tomatoes
1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
1 lime, juiced
1 tbsp salt, or more to taste

Mouthwatering – to bite in.

For the Burgers:
2 lbs.(850g) ground beef (80/20% fat)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp seasoned salt
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 bottle hickory smoke BBQ sauce
1 package good bacon, cooked until slightly crispy
8 oz. (250g) Fontina (or similar) cheese, sliced thin
Baby greens (or lettuce, arugula, whatever your favorite is)
1 package of 8 hamburger buns
1 bag frozen waffle fries
1 bottle Thousand Island Dressing

We have in Uruguay all kinds of dressing too.

Make guacamole – put everything in a food processor and pulse just long enough to incorporate all ingredients. Using a spoon would work, as well, you’ll just have a chunkier texture. Refrigerate until burgers are ready.
Combine ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, salt and mayo in a large mixing bowl. Form into 8 burger patties.

BBQ Bacon Burger with Peach Guacamole.

Put burgers on prepared grill and slather with BBQ Sauce. Grill until they reach desired temperature – adding more BBQ sauce when you turn them.
While the burgers are grilling, go ahead and put fries in the oven. Cook according to package directions.

Waffle fries with Thousands Island Dressing.

Add Fontina (or similar) cheese to burgers and close grill cover for just a minute until cheese melts, then remove from heat. ( Sometimes I like blue cheese instead Fontina).
Assemble burgers by adding greens to bottom bun, followed by guacamole, burger, more BBQ sauce and bacon.

Enjoy burgers with fries and Thousand Island dressing. Want more recipes ??

The Best Guacamole Recipe Ever.

Perfect Guacamole.

Guacamole, a dip made from avocados, is originally from Mexico. The name is derived from two Aztec Nahuatl words—ahuacatl (avocado) and molli (sauce). All you really need for guacamole is ripe avocados and salt. After that, a little lime or lemon juice—a splash of acidity to balance the richness of the avocado. Then comes chopped cilantro, chilli’s, onion, and tomato, if you want.

That’s what we need to make a guacamole.

Ingredients.

2 ripe avocados
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 Tbsp of fresh lime juice or lemon juice
2 Tbsp to 1/4 cup of minced red onion
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
1-2 serrano chilli’s, stems and seeds removed, minced
2 tablespoons cilantro (leaves and tender stems), finely chopped
A dash of freshly grated black pepper
1/2 ripe tomato, seeds and pulp removed, chopped.

Can’t resist – directly digging in.

How to do.

Cut the avocados in half. Remove seed. Scoop out avocado from the peel, put in a mixing bowl. I find it easiest to score the inside of the avocado with a blunt knife and scoop out the flesh with a spoon.

Using a fork, roughly mash the avocado. (Don’t overdo it! The guacamole should be a little chunky.) Sprinkle with salt and lime (or lemon) juice. The acid in the lime juice will help delay the avocados from turning brown. Add the chopped onion, cilantro, black pepper, and chilli’s.

Chilli’s vary individually in their hotness. So, start with a half of one chilli and add to the guacamole to your desired degree of hotness. Much of this is done to taste because of the variability in the fresh ingredients. Start with this recipe and adjust to your taste.

Place plastic wrap on the surface of the guacamole cover it and to prevent air reaching it. The oxygen in the air causes oxidation which will turn the guacamole brown. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Chilling tomatoes hurts their flavor, so if you want to add chopped tomato to your guacamole, add it just before serving.

Why not using avocado for lovely sushi ?

Tips.
The simplest version of guacamole is just mashed avocados with salt. Don’t let the lack of availability of other ingredients stop you from making guacamole.
To extend a limited supply of avocados, add either sour cream or cottage cheese to your guacamole dip. Purists may be horrified, but so what? It tastes great. In fact, guacamole with a little cottage cheese added to it is one of my favorites. But remember, not using lemon/lime juice right away turns avocados brown very quick.

A wonderful looking and tasty dip, guacamole.

The trick to perfect guacamole is using good, ripe avocados. Check for ripeness by gently pressing the outside of the avocado. If there is no give, the avocado is not ripe yet and will not taste good. If there is a little give, the avocado is ripe. If there is a lot of give, the avocado may be past ripe and not good. In this case, test first before using. Enjoy !!

Veröffentlicht unter Recipes | Verschlagwortet mit Cooking | Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Green Gold – Part I

Erstellt am Oktober 17, 2015 von myuytips

Since avocados are in season now, we eat almost every day one. Very very healthy as many researches prove. Neighbors and friends discussed this matter for a long time with many different opinions and questions. That’s why I thought to give you a brief overview of the „green gold“. Also I try to answer most questions about growing, harvesting and using avocados. Many people will know about, but may be one information, you didn’t know, can help to answer questions or solve a problem.

Nice to pick them just out of your garden, right ?

Avocado.

In most cases you will find commercially immature avocados. But do not worry, avocados ripen easily after 1-2 days at room temperature. A color change at maturity is not to emerge in most varieties. An exception is the cultivar „Hass“ which changes from light green to dark green or black shell. To mature, however the pulp forms inside black spots that should be cut out. Don’t eat them, they taste bitter.
There are varieties of avocado, which can easily be stored in the refrigerator, both mature as immature, including for example the varieties ‚Fuerte‘ and ‚Hass‘ from Spain, as they thrive even in their home in the cold.

A crown of every party, guacamole salad.

The same goes for the Mexican highlands. Not so with wilder varieties from Africa or from the tropics. These are not accustomed to cooler temperatures. The flesh would quickly turn black and it loses its flavor.

So delicious, fresh avocado.

The avocado has a very high energy content of 908kJ/100g (220kcal / 100g) and is particularly rich in unsaturated fatty acids, an ideal prevention of atherosclerosis and other age-related diseases. Other contents are,
Water 66.5%
Carbohydrates 2%
Proteins 2%
Fats 23.5% (but the good cholesterol fats)
Crude fiber 6.3%.
Furthermore, the avocado is rich in potassium, calcium, iron and B vitamins as well as vitamin E. It may reduce risk of heart disease, risk of cancer, it helps easier to maintain your weight and will protect your skin and eyes well into old age.

Try a healthy avocado smoothie once.

Creamy flesh and delicate nutty butter flavor! Eaten raw! Avocados are bitter when they’re cooked. You should only eat soft avocados, i.e. they are easy to press with your finger. Cut the avocado in half lengthwise. Caution! In the center is, depending on the variety, a plum size nucleus which one must cut around. Remove the core, either with a spoon directly or cut into smaller strips and arrange decoratively. Halved fruits can be filled well: Stuffed Avocado. Also there are few recipes which show you how to use and eat the core !!!

Grilled avocado topped with lots of goodies.

The harvest season for the Spanish avocados extends from November to March the variety „Bacon“ can be harvested in October. By the summer of avocados are available. Chile is becoming a major producer to supply the market in the fall. These avocados are incomparably rich in fat and hearty.

Our friendly avocado dealer roadside.

Same in Uruguay. We have some very nice avocado varieties here and they are in season now. Instead paying in a supermarket 45-50 cents for a small and unripe imported one, we buy big, delicious ones from the farmers on the road, 10 for 220,- Pesos.

Our roadsides, very big pit, but lots of tasty flesh.

Country of origin of the avocado is Mexico. Avocado (derived from „ahuacatl“) means in the Aztec language „Green Gold“. Nowadays, in Mexico more than one million tons per year avocados are produced, mainly from self-sufficient. In Mexico they aren’t missing at any meal and are a staple food.

Avocados go with everything, here a seafood salad.

First international air shipment, in the early 1920’s, of avocados from Los Angeles, California, to Toronto, Ontario, for the Canadian National Exhibition.

During my research I found this interesting.

Avocado Tree.

The avocado tree is an evergreen tree and belongs to the same family as laurel, cinnamon and camphor (laurel family = Lauraceae). Avocado or „alligator pear“ also refers to the fruit, botanically a large berry that contains a single seed. Avocado trees begin to bear fruit in the fourth year and are then about 2m high. It also can take 7 or 8 years and depending on variety and climate even 10 years before one can harvest.

Avocado tree about 12m high and 8m wide, no fruit on this one.

I have seen trees 2 years old, about 80cm high and already producing fruit. The avocado tree is the most unpredictable fruit tree I know. Normally the height is limited to 7-8m and 4-5m wide. A production maximum of 40-45kg is achieved per tree. The income is halved when organically grown, if they are not fertilizers. In Australia I had two trees, about 5-6 years of age and they produced over 200 fruit every year.

Just in his second year but bearing fruit already.

There are numerous avocado cultivars, they all come originally from Mexico. The skin is wrinkled and smooth, from green to black.
In Uruguay the grocery stores seem to sell two kinds of avocados. Small ones, those are imported from Chile. And sometimes a very large size one, those are locally grown and tend to be a bit harder, have more water content and not as tasty. But we like them, especially as cooled guacamole, very tasty. Or as a summer plate with fresh fruits.

Summer salad – just be creative – its delicious.

The avocado is unusual, the timing of the male and female flower phases differs among cultivars. The two flowering types are A and B. A cultivar flowers open as female on the morning of the first day and close in late morning or early afternoon. Then they open as male in the afternoon of the second day. B varieties open as female on the afternoon of the first day, close in late afternoon and reopen as male the following morning. Confused ??

Avocado flowers, one day male the next day female.

Some avocado varieties.

Avocado Cornichon
Small, cucumber-shaped fruit, seedless and edible with the shell.

Avocado Negritto
The wild Mexican species with thin, dark green and black shell and small core. Even with the shell edible. Taste is reminiscent of hearty salami.

Wild avocados
A wild variety from Africa is the Lula. Taste is not as hearty as with most varieties, but looks more like creamy creme fraiche. Smooth shell.

Avocado Hass
The „hate“ is one of the most grotesque and greasiest avocado varieties. With wrinkled shell, dark green to black.

Avocado Reed
Spherical. Reminds the taste of potato gratin.

Avocado Fuerte
Creamy butter-nut flavor. A cultivated Spanish variety. Delicate, green bowl. Pear-shaped. Bright pulp.

Photo trick to show whats top and bottom of the core.

Grow avocado.

Avocados come with an added bonus: For every avocado we open, therein lies the potential to grow our own avocado tree. That’s right! That hulking seed that we typically scoop out of the way as quickly as possibly, well, it behaves just like a seed. From it, we can grow a new tree. And, then, how many avocados will be at our disposal — for free?

Here you see perfectly the tip side of the core, this is TOP side. The flat side of the core is BOTTOM side.

Step One: Get the Seed.
Rinse the seed well, cleaning off whatever sliverous delight of avocado might have clung to it. Try not to damage any part of the seed, such as cutting it with a knife or removing the brown casing around the seed itself.

Step Two: Learn the Top from Bottom.
All avocado seeds have a top and bottom. Some are obviously oblong with the bottom being the fatter, flatter end and the pointy top being the spot from which the sprout will spring. However, many seeds are almost completely spherical, so if that is the case, pay attention to which end is pointing towards the stem (or where the stem was) and that is the top. Very important, otherwise they won’t grow.

Step Three: A New Take on Toothpicks and Seeds.
Using three or four toothpicks, evenly spaced, create a sort of avocado seed stand a bit towards the bottom of the seed. This will be used to hold the seed, the bottom partially suspended in water and the top high and dry. Then, fill a glass with water and position the skewered avocado over the top of it. A clear glass is best so that you can see when the root begins to form. Put it on a shady windowsill where it’s easy to keep an eye on.

Step Four: Waiting and Watching.
Next is a game of patience. The seed will take a while to germinate. Make sure that it stays submerged in water and that the water is changed every few days. If it ever dries out, then the experiment is over and must start anew. After a couple or three weeks, the seed should crack. Another three or four weeks and the taproot should appear. In another couple of weeks (can be 2 to 6 weeks all together), the stem should start to peak out.
If by three months this hasn’t happened, it’s time to start again. That’s life on the „farm“. Not all seeds carry the magic. And – may be you used the core upside down !!??!!

Step Five: Planting It.
Let the root get about three inches (7-10cm) and the stem to an inch (3-5cm) or more, and then it is ready to plant in actual soil. Bury about two-thirds of the seed, leaving the top end sticking out of the soil. A medium size clay pot should do at first. Make sure that there is good drainage by putting gravel or something similar in the bottom, but keep the soil moist for the first week.

Step Six: Full On Cultivation.
Avocado trees can grow to a few feet tall in no time. For a bushier houseplant, pinch the top off every time it adds a foot or two. This will make it produce strong branches before getting too tall. However, prune it minimally as the younger trees aren’t always crazy about letting go of their progress. Be sure to keep it watered, but that the soil itself doesn’t stay too wet. Avocados are subject to root rot. Wet feet are deadly to avocados, they need it moist but well drained. A good idea is to spritz the leaves with spray bottle.

Step Seven: Keeping It Healthy.
After that, the little seed will have officially become a tree. A bigger pot will probably be appropriate. The tree will need to be indoors if winters are cold, anything below fifty Fahrenheit (about 10 Celsius) degrees. If the leaves go yellow and fall off, there is either an overabundance of water or lack of sunlight. Brown around the edges means they need more humidity, i.e. spray bottle. If leaves just start to turn yellow, add a little compost or compost tea, especially during summer, when the growth happens.

Step Eight: Realistic Expectations.
While avocado trees are easy enough to grow, that doesn’t mean we can actually expect the fruit to be what its parent’s was. In actuality, multiple avocado trees make for more likely germination, and the trees from which our market avocados grow are generally grafted to control how the plant fruits. Growing from seed may very well produce fruits, but they can actually be quite different from their parents, just like we are. Regardless, it’s a fun project.

Bushy avocados grown in the tropics.

Care.

Especially older avocado trees are dependent on direct sunlight to grow. Avocados can be grown in the greenhouse. Outdoors, it is for the avocados with us often too cold, so that they bear it only in midsummer and in the blazing sun outside. Even in winter, the avocado tree needs a light place. In addition, the avocado plant in the winter months should not be colder than 15 C , otherwise they will lose all their leaves. One Mexican variety, the Zutano, is hardy to degree 25 F (-4 C). Like so many exotic plants is also the avocado tree sensitive to too much moisture.

About 2 1/2 years, 1,50m high and bearing wonderful fruit.

Therefore, one should treat the plant longer water breaks, so they can recover. In winter, the avocado tree must also be supplied with water yet, but the distances should be even greater than during the growing season. Since the avocado can stand not too much water, they should be cultured in a lean, well drained soil. Therefore, ideal is a soil with a high sand content, perfect at our „gold coast“. The avocado plant will be fertilized once a month with the best organic fertilizers. In the autumn and winter months, the fertilization is adjusted in order to avoid an unhealthy growth of the plant.

Old avocado tree, often pruned, in a backyard Australia.

Harvest.

Unfortunately Avocados do not evolve with us as avocados not are self. Add to that the growing season in Europe is much too short, so that the fruit could never develop in the short time. In the homeland of the avocado tree it takes about ten years until he wears fruit. If you harvest yourself, try to leave a bit of the stem on the fruit, otherwise they can start to rot inside before they are ripen. In principle, the avocados are always harvested immature, but the fruits ripen quickly after. Once the fruits are soft, they can be eaten.

This is normally where we buy from, through supermarkets.

CAMPOSOL is the leading agro industrial company in Peru, the largest avocado grower and soon the largest blueberries producer in the world. It is involved in the harvest, processing and marketing of high quality agricultural products such as avocadoes, asparagus, blueberries, grapes, mangoes, peppers, artichokes, tangerines and shrimps; which are exported to Europe, the United States of America and Asia. And Uruguay ???

Wow – avocados on a pot plant – grown in Maldonado.

Tips.

It was said that a fruit bearing avocado tree can be successfully drawn in only one of 1,000 tests from a seed, and even if the attempt should succeed, it takes seven or more years for the first time can be harvested and that the fruit may even then are not edible. But there are cases prove the contrary. An avocado variety that grows very quickly from a seed and a very good fruit is produces the black avocado of Sabinas-Hidalgo, Mexico. The skin is smooth, very thin and can also be eaten. The shell contains many nutrients.

Wonderful Sabinas Hidalgo from Nueva Leon, Mexico.

Sabinas-Hidalgo is about 120 km south Laredo,Texas and 70 km north of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, which lie on opposite sides of the river the Rio Grande. For years, the Texans went to Mexico and have purchased cheap Sabinas avocados (they are still comparatively very cheap). At the customs, the fruit has been opened and the core removed. It was inevitable that at some point a couple of cores were successfully smuggled and planted in the USA, and now grow many Sabina avocado trees in Laredo, Texas.

Potrero Chico, an estate in Nueva Leon.

Sabina avocados change their taste when heated. Because they are very fat (but 100% cholesterol-free), it can be sliced and heated in a cast iron skillet without adding oil or butter. Heat it only slightly. You can also heat with tomato slices in the same pan. Put the tomatoes in a few minutes on the avocados and place half of a bun on top and turn everything. Leave it still for about a minute in the pan to toast to the bun. Take it out of the pan, add what you like (salad, dressing, onions, etc), it may cover with the other half of the bun (which was toasted in the pan) and you’ll see a surprise. The taste of heated avocado is much better and full of flavour than the non-heated one.

Overripe, but still eatable, cut the brown parts off.

When you buy avocados, try to buy them only with a rest of the stem. If you can press in the skin they are mostly too ripe already. Some varieties have such a hard skin that you can’t taste the ripeness with your fingers. They are still hard outside and ripe to eat inside. The big local avocados in Uruguay are often like that. Black parts inside you should cut out, they are bitter and tasteless. If the core is black discard the whole fruit.

At the end of this post, a few ideas what you can do with avocados. You can use it sliced or cubed, but mostly you will make guacamole. Above a juicy guacamole burger, next to it a plate with chicken breast on salad with a mango vinaigrette. Down row left a bacon peach guacamole filled in tomatoes and with a bit cheese scalloped, right a spicy guacamole with lemon on toast. Who can resist such a wonderful and healthy fruit ? Enjoy !!

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Perfect Filet Mignon

Erstellt am Oktober 13, 2015 von myuytips

Filet Mignon (French for „tender fillet“ or „dainty fillet“) is a steak cut of beef taken from the smaller end of the tenderloin. In French this cut can also be called filet de boeuf, which translates in English to beef fillet. When found on a menu in France, Filet Mignon generally refers to pork rather than beef.

Filet Mignon of pork, needs to be cooked well, but juicy.

How to cook the perfect Filet Mignon.

There is no reason to be intimidated about cooking a Filet Mignon. While I have many friends and family that get nervous about steaks, they really are one of the easier things you can cook. To me, the perfect Filet Mignon has a salty/peppery, crispy outside, and tender, juicy, medium center. The juice might run out but no blood anymore.

Mouthwatering cooked Filet Mignon.

The perfect Filet has aromatic hints of rosemary, and the savory nuttiness of brown butter.
Below, and in this recipe, we’re going to talk about how to cook the perfect Filet Mignon.
Well go through the core cooking techniques that you need for just about any steak, but also talk about the specific things for Filet Mignon, that you need to know, for it to come out absolutely perfect.

One of the finest, Filet Mignon from Angus beef.

My one disclaimer regards doneness. I personally like my filet Mignon medium rare, but I understand that reasonable people can like it more or less done.
If your idea of the Perfect Filet is one that’s well done, go for it – although there is tiny place in my heart that really hopes you’ve at least tried medium or medium rare once.

Simple but delicious with deglased sauce.

About the Filet Mignon.

Filet Mignon is the tenderloin, a muscle that does very little work; thus it’s tenderness.
It is also quite lean, with very little fat, which is great health wise, but….

Most expensive part of beef or pork.

Consider a beef, so we see a wedge-shaped piece of meat with a thicker head and a converging end, the tenderloin tip. At the thick end, we still see a wattles. To get the nice round Filet Mignon only the narrow part of the beef fillets is without the tenderloin tip.
The wattles can be processed into very fine ground beef for burgers, very expensive. From the thick fillet-head to cut the so-called tournedos and medallions. The filet tips, for example, are suitable for pasta or salad.

With steak (and most other meat) fat means flavor, and juiciness.
Because Filet Mignon is so lean, there’s little fat to melt and lubricate the meat while cooking. Choose your desired doneness wisely – before you start cooking.
Buy good quality Filet Mignon, from a trusty butcher, if you can.
I like them thick cut – at least 2 (4,5 cm), preferably 3 inches (7 cm) thick.

And the fillet should be a single muscle, with a firm feel.
Some cuts from the end of the tenderloin are two muscles (with wattle) barely held together by thin connective tissue. You can use them if you plan to cook Filet Mignon wrapped in bacon (use a good one), otherwise pass on these.

Filet Mignon wrapped in bacon.

The thickness will heavily influence the time you cook the fillet to get your desired doneness. Don’t use temperature to control the donesss of the steak – using high heat for well done, and low heat for rare. Use high heat for it all !!!
Because the fillet cooks from the outside in, and you always use high heat, to get more done, you simple cook the steak longer so the heat penetrates deeper.

Don’t be afraid of the dark, almost burned, crust.

Cooking the fillet.

Philosophically, high heat = great meat. Cook the fillets at high temperature to get a great sear on the outside that is crunchy, tasty, and great looking. Control the doneness (from rare to well done) with the length of time in the oven – NOT the temperature.

Filet Mignon cooked RARE .

Pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees.
Take the Filet Mignon out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you want to cook it, and season it liberally with grind salt and fresh grind pepper.
That time allows the meat to come to room temperature – which will help ensure you cook it to the right doneness.

Flilet Mignon cooked MEDIUM RARE .

Getting a good sear on the fillet is critical. Bring your heaviest saute pan (best cast iron skillet) up to temperature over very high heat, and add a few tablespoons of oil. I generally use olive oil, but only for convenience. Lay the Filet Mignon down in the pan, and let them sear on that side for 3 – 4 minutes depending on thickness. Don’t touch, don’t move, don’t fiddle. Just let it sear.

Filet Mignon cooked MEDIUM .

Turn the steak over, and allow it to sear for another 3 – 4 minutes. Near the end of those three to four minutes add a couple tablespoons of butter, and the herb of your choice. I love rosemary, thyme also is great. Best you make your own herb butter.
Baste the steaks with melted herb butter.

Filet Mignon cooked MEDIUM WELL .

If you like your steak very rare, you can probably take it off now. Use the feel technique.
For more well done fillets, slide the pan into the hot oven. Generally speaking, every few minutes will move the steak up a notch on the doneness scale from rare to medium to well. They really should never take more than another 7 – 8 minutes in the oven.

Filet Mignon cooked WELL DONE .

Don’t be afraid to stick a meat thermometer into your fillet. It’s a myth and old wives‘ tale that piercing your filet with a thermometer one time will cause all its juices to run out.

120° F (49 C) = Rare
130° F (54 C) = Medium rare
140° F (60 C) = Medium
150° F (66 C) = Medium well
160° F (71 C) = Well done

You can use so named „steak buttons“ , they mostly sell in sets of four, but they only show „rare – medium – well“. I prefer a meat thermometer with Fahrenheit and Celsius.

Please don’t cut into the fillet to tell doneness. First off it’s a bad way to tell, as the steak is still cooking and constantly getting more cooked.
Second, and more important, cutting into the filet while it cooks, will cause the juice to run out of the meat, horribly drying it out. It makes me cry when I see that.

Some garnish ideas. A Filet Mignon with a rosmary and mushroom sauce.
On the right you’ll see a „Filet Mignon au poivre“, means with a fine green pepper corn sauce.

Feel free to continue to baste the fillet with the butter once the meat comes out of the oven, but remember, pouring hot oil/butter on the fillet continues to cook it. Watch doneness.
Remove the steak and put it on a holding plate, and cover with foil for 5 minutes. That allows the Filet Mignon to rest, and the juices to settle, so they don’t run out when you cut into it at the table.

Left Filet Mignon with a „Black Truffle Demi Glace“, that’s indulgence.
On the right the classic „Surf and Turf“, Aussie – style, steak with lobster tail or big shrimps .

Tips.

The 5 minutes resting can give you the time to prepare a fine sauce, if you like. By example preparing a Steak Diane. Recipe in a follow up post, stay tuned.

Steak Diane, with a creamy and flambe deglase.

After five minutes, serve up that perfectly cooked Filet Mignon, and if you’re feeling really decadent, spoon a bit of the herb flavored brown butter right over the top. PLEASE don’t use ketchup, better try a delicious sauce, like the deglase of your pan and use the juices.

This is Filet Mignon in perfection.

Best to go with this culinary steak is green asparagus and baked potatoes. See my post „Potatoes – Three Ways“. And – don’t forget a bottle of your favorite red wine, I like a nice Shiraz or Tannat aside. I hope you look forward to such a mouthwatering meal. Enjoy !

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