|
|
A Brief History of the italian Pizza Oven
Wood-fired brick ovens and pizza have been with us since the dawn of civilization. Both have been discovered in the excavations of virtually every ancient civilization, with the brick oven reaching its modern form in ancient Rome. The brick ovens...
Cooking By The Seasons
In the first line of the introduction author Karri Ann Allrich says: "By aligning ourselves to Nature's cycles, we invite the presence of the sacred into our daily life." I felt this was a spot on description of this cookbook, yet...
Cooking with a Crock Pot.
Cooking with a Crock Pot.
Crock pot cooking has a glorious past! In grandma’s day the crock pot was called the slow cooker. She would load it up with roast beef and potatoes, or chicken and vegetables, and let it simmer all day long, filling...
Italian Sweets
The regional cuisine of Italy is surely a delight to the senses. With the pasta, seafood, savory meats and cheeses, and delicious crusty breads, it is hard to stop yourself from eating until you are packed full. However, if you do not remember to...
Wonderful Holiday Recipe Ideas
The Holiday Season is upon us and soon we will be frantically searching for yummy recipes to serve our family and friends. Many of the leading food manufacturers have spent 1000's of hours testing and perfecting recipes for you to enjoy.
...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Create A Romantic Evening At Home
You've decided to invite someone you're dating to your home for a romantic evening and you want everything to go well. Here are a few tips to help you achieve that result.
There are a number of factors you need to consider when planning your romantic evening:
1. Your Physical Surroundings
It's a good idea to make sure your house or apartment is clean and tidy. It may not be anyone's primary focus but it will make an impression on your guest, even if it's subliminal.
Spend a few hours doing the cleaning yourself, hire someone to do it for you, or, at the very least, shove all that clutter into your closets or under the bed. Wipe down surfaces to get rid of dust and stains.
Apart from the living and dining areas, there are two other rooms that need your attention:
a. The bathroom
Wipe down the sink/washbasin, tub and shower stall. Put a fresh cake of soap on the sink and hang fresh towels. At the very least your guest will use the bathroom to wash his or her hands so make sure it's a pleasant experience.
b. The bedroom
Get rid of any extraneous clutter like clothes strewn around the room or on the floor. Change the sheets, make the bed and wipe down any surfaces. If your guest ends up spending the night, you don't want him or her racing off for a tetanus shot in the morning.
To create a romantic atmosphere in your bedroom, have some scented candles on hand and an easy-to-reach sound system. You might also consider buying a quilt cover in a rich, romantic color and a set of sheets to match.
2. Your Choice Of Menu
While food can be an excellent means of seduction, it's a mistake to choose too complicated a menu unless you're an experienced cook and you don't get easily flustered.
Simple dishes like spaghetti or ratatouille make a tasty and satisfying meal without spiking your anxiety levels. The point is to enjoy the evening along with your guest, not treat the event like it's a university-entrance exam.
How To Avoid Psycho-Chef Syndrome
One trick is to prepare as much of the meal as possible beforehand so you're not rushing around like a pinball once your guest arrives.
Have all the ingredients chopped, diced and ready for cooking. Do this the night before or earlier that day, whatever works best for you.
Salad ingredients can be prepared earlier and stored in separate containers, then added to the salad bowl and dressed before serving.
You can even cheat by purchasing your meal from a favorite restaurant and having it delivered (or picking it up) before your guest arrives.
Definitely buy desert from your favorite bakery or supermarket, unless you're a wiz at whipping up a Pavlova or meringue. Another option is to prepare dessert the night before and reheat it if necessary when you're ready to serve it.
3. Your Cooking Area
Make sure your kitchen is
clean before you begin cooking. Yes, you'll no doubt make a mess once you start but you don't want yesterday's dishes in the way. Your guest may offer to help so the kitchen needs to meet minimum health standards.
It's up to you whether you accept this help or not, but we recommend that you do, even if it's only a token effort like tossing the salad. Sharing cooking tasks can be a wonderfully romantic interaction as it creates a special kind of intimacy. Have you ever noticed how much more easily conversation flows when two people are doing a task, as opposed to sitting face to face?
4. Setting The Table
Set the table beforehand. Use a good tablecloth, your best silverware and a nice set of plates. Use your best glasses and an attractive salt and pepper set, milk jug and sugar bowl. Show your guest that you went to some trouble to make the meal a special occasion. This is not the time for melamine dishes or chipped or mismatched crockery. You're aiming for a touch of class.
Use candlesticks on the table for a romantic ambience, or place candles on other surfaces around the room.
Background music is a must but make sure it's romantic and subtle. Limit blaring rock and roll or rap to the period when you're preparing dinner, but please, no high-octane music while you're eating.
Set the sound at a low volume so it doesn't interfere with your conversation. And remember, if you don't play music during the meal you run the risk of filling any silences with the sound of people masticating.
5. Cleaning Up Later
Don't let your guest anywhere near the kitchen after the meal is over. Hopefully you'll have better things to do with your time together.
But all is not lost if they do insist on helping with the chores. Many a couple has fallen in love while doing the dishes, for two main reasons:
1. As mentioned earlier, there's the ease of conversation that takes place when you're doing a task rather than concentrating on talking.
2. Doing dishes together is like playing house. It can actually feel very romantic, especially when one or both people realize, "This is what I want with this person." You won't get the same effect if you use a dishwasher, so set aside at least a couple of pots, which will you allow to suggest, "I'll wash and you dry."
With a little forethought, anyone can create a romantic evening at home. The old cliché, "the way to a person's heart is through their stomach", has more than a little truth to it. Test it yourself with someone you care about. The least you'll get is a great home-cooked meal.
About the Author
Marguerite Bonneville is a Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) whose passion is publishing information online. She is a contributing writer at http://www.favorite-recipes-online.com, a resource site dedicated to helping visitors access the best online recipes.
|
|
|
|
|
Cooking Tips - @ CDKitchen.com :: it's what's cooking online! |
Cooking Tips - - Easy recipes to gourmet meals - 200000 recipes online in CDKitchen's archives. Copy cat restaurant clone recipes, crockpot recipes, ... |
www.cdkitchen.com |
  |
Cooking Tips and Resources |
Get some cooking basics in this article, including tips on making mouth-watering meals and where to find recipes. |
www.kidshealth.org |
  |
All recipes – complete resource for recipes and cooking tips |
Looking for recipes? You’ve come to the right place. Allrecipes has more than 40000 free recipes - all created, tested, reviewed and approved by home cooks ... |
allrecipes.com |
  |
Cooking Tips - food cooking tips, kitchen tips |
Foodreference.com - Cooking Tips Section Cooking and Kitchen Tips & Hints Measurements, Cooks Tips, Shopping Hints, Serving Recommendations ... |
www.foodreference.com |
  |
foodies.com, Cooking Tips, Advice and How Tos |
Need cooking assistance? Visit foodies for tips and advice, recipes, inspiration. From eggs to olive oil, cookies to nuts, click here for help in the ... |
www.foodies.com |
  |
Holiday Cooking Tips |
Thanksgiving and Holiday Cooking Tips. The holiday season can be a busy time in the kitchen. We hope these links help you in your preparation of the perfect ... |
www.eatturkey.com |
  |
Cooking Tips - Free Recipes - Baking - Low Fat Cooking |
Get cooking tips and get baking advice from Chef Jean-Pierre. LifeTips offers recipes for beef, poultry, seafood and more and can provide great ideas for ... |
cooking.lifetips.com |
  |
Cooking Tips For the Average Home Cook |
A collection of cooking tips including grilling tips, general cooking tips and turkey tips for the holidays. |
www.reluctantgourmet.com |
  |
Low Fat Cooking Tips and Recipes |
Try some of the following low fat cooking recipes for fruits, vegetables, lean meats and fish. Lower the fat in your foods, get in your Omega 3 fatty acids, ... |
www.healthchecksystems.com |
  |
Cooking Tips, Tricks and Techniques |
CookingCache.com is in the process of collecting a variety of cooking tips and cooking related articles together. These tips, tricks and techniques will be ... |
cookingtips.cookingcache.com |
  |
Barefoot Lass's Cooking Tips |
A page filled with cooking tips and helpful hints to make your time in the kitchen more enjoyable. |
members.tripod.com |
  |
Diabetic-Lifestyle: Recipes and Practical Information for Managing ... |
Diabetic-Lifestyle Cooking Tips features useful ways to cook with more flavor, using less fat, salt, and sugar. Diabetic-Lifestyle offers recipes, menus, ... |
www.diabetic-lifestyle.com |
  |
The Global Gourmet ® |
The Global Gourmet features weekly updates, international recipes, cookbook profiles, regular columnists, food news, cooking tips, wine and product reviews. |
www.globalgourmet.com |
  |
Healthy cooking tips - Better Health Channel. |
Healthy cooking is easy. In many cases, your favourite recipes can be modified so they offer a healthier alternative. Non-stick cookware can be used to ... |
www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au |
  |
Zee News- |
Cooking tips. 1. Avoid sticky rice Wash the rice a few times until the water runs clear. Remove all the water until no water remains. ... |
www.zeenews.com |
  |
Canadian Living : Food : Cooking Tips |
Menus • Recipes • Recipe Box • Make It Tonight • Step by Step • Cooking Tips • Eat Smart - Feel Great! ... Cooking Tips ... |
www.canadianliving.com |
  |
Texas Beef Council |
Welcome to txbeef.org the website from Texas Beef Council. txbeef.org is your one stop site for recipes, nutrition, food safety, cooking tips and more! ... |
www.txbeef.org |
  |
Cooking Tips |
Cooking Tips Barbecue/Brisket Barbecuing Brisket: Commentary from Texans · Beef Brisket How-To's · Braising Brisket: Moist-Heat Cookery Hints ... |
www.heb.com |
  |
Cooking Tips | Tips For Cooking |
Discover hundreds of cooking tips to make life easier in the kitchen! |
www.e-cookbooks.net |
  |
Cooking Tips |
Read Articles:. After the latest help relating to coo... Converting a Stovetop Recipe to a Cro... Cooking Lesson: Seasoning Cast Iron L... ... |
www.dtguide.com |
  |
|