10 Things You Didn’t Know about Barbecue

 What You Should Know About Barbecuing

Every spring, North Americans gear up their grill, stock up on the meat and prepare for many mouth-watering barbecues. But how much do we really know about the art of barbecuing?

From the familiar pastime’s origins to surprising tips and tactics, this list will provide you with all the information you need to wow your friends at the next neighborhood barbecue!

1) Barbecues originated in pig-pickin’s, feasts that were common in the Southern United States prior to the Civil War. Whole pigs were cooked and eaten by the crowd. 

2) “Smoking” was used as far as 6000 years ago in order to make meats safe to eat and store. The meat was exposed to smoke and low heat in order to prevent bacteria and enzymes from growing.

3) In Australia, a barbecue is commonly referred to as a barbie. The famous statement “I’ll slip an extra shrimp on the barbie for you,” which appeared in Australian tourism advertisements, is often used to refer to the country.

4) What most North Americans partake in today isn’t actually barbecuing. Barbecuing is cooking at temperatures around the boiling point of water (180-220*F) for a longer time period, in order to make the meat tender while preserving its natural juices. Today, the method most commonly used is in fact broiling: cooking at 475-700*F in much less time.

5) According to the Barbecue Industry Association, half of all marshmallows eaten in the U.S. have been toasted over a grill.

6) For an easy way to check how much propane you have left, bring your bathroom scale outside and weigh the gas tank.

7) The origin of the word barbecue is unclear. Some believe it came from the American-Indian word barbacoa for a wood on which foods were cooked. Others say it came from the french words “de barbe à queue,” meaning “whiskers to tail.”

8) To add a smokey flavor to your gas-grill-cooked foods or foods cooked inside the house, use “liquid smoke.” A condensation of actual smoke, this product can be easily added to your barbecue marinade or sauce.

9) Brisket, the extremely hard cut of meat taken from a cow’s chest, takes one to two hours per pound to barbecue. That’s an average 12 hours on the grill for a basic 8-pound piece!

10) Kansas City, Missouri and Lexington, North Carolina both claim to be the barbecue capitals of the world. Memphis, meanwhile, stakes a claim to being the pork barbecue capital.

Now you’re set to impress!

Avanti Wine Coolers

 Wine Cooler Review

Wine can be a great drink to have with dinner, after dinner and even in more social situations. it is easy to find at least one wine you like with the blends of natural flavors and wide variety of wines to choose from.

Due to the reported benefits of drinking wine, wine drinking has been on the rise and so has people bringing wine home for special occasions and such.

Choosing a good, quality wine cooler is essential for properly storing all of your wine. Using an Avanti wine cooler is the perfect choice for serious wine collectors.

Are you beginning your very own wine collection? Becoming an expert in the art of winery? An Avanti wine cooler is the best choice for your wine collecting needs.

An Avanti wine cooler has a model to fit all your needs, from a wine cooler more for your social needs to a wine cooler for long-term storage.

There are several concepts to take into consideration when purchasing a wine cooler. Firstly, you should think about the size of the cooler you will require. No matter what the size of your current wine collection is, it has been suggested that when buying a wine cooler you purchase one that will fit double what you have now. This is because your wine collection will inevitably grow, as by definition, you will be collecting wine bottles.

The second thing you should consider is the material your wine cooler is made out of. Choosing a plastic wine cooler will mean that it will not be as insulated as is necessary; a wine cooler with an aluminum interior is a far better choice since aluminum conducts heat and cool much better than plastic.

You must also remember it is important to be able to control the humidity and temperature of the wine's environment. It is suggested that you keep your collection at 55 degrees Fahrenheit and right between 50-70% humidity. This will allow for the wine to taste it's best. Due to the fact that you need to be able to keep control of your wine's environment it is suggested to have a wine cooler with a solid door. Yes, glass doors will show off your pretty wine bottles, but you want more that a bottle that is pleasing to the eye, right? Glass doors allow for less insulation, and therefore, lower quality storage.

Wine collectors agree that an Avanti wine cooler offers great performance when it comes to wine coolers. An Avanti wine cooler offers not only superior performance but is sleek and stylish at the same time. You can also purchase an Avanti wine cooler that will fit under the counter, allowing for optimum space utilization, while still keeping your wine collection close at hand and ready to enjoy.

Avanti understands the problems with glass doors, so they have specially modified the glass doors on their wine coolers to not only provide better insulation, but also to filter out UV rays that might attempt to heat your wine. With an easy to use digital thermostat and control panel an Avanti wine cooler makes it perfect for every wine collector to properly store their collection.

German Beers

 German Beers

Throughout Germany, beer is very popular with the culture.  Germany contains well over 1,000 breweries, which is more than any other location in the world.  All beer that is manufactured in Germany must follow the purity law, which lets manufacturers know what ingredients can and can’t be used.  Basically, the only ingredients allowed to make beer in Germany are water, hops, and barley malt.

Due to the strict purity requirements, you can easily notice German beers by their overall level of quality.  They have a distinct taste, with little to no aftertaste.  Some styles of German ale include Koelsch, Weizen, and Altbier.  Some types of German lagers include Bock, Pilsener, Dunkel, Helles, and Maerzen.  Keep in mind that the taste, aroma, and color can vary, although all can be identified as being true German beers.

The German beer Altbier is a very common dark ale, that is top fermented in the lower regions of Germany.  The beer proposes a yellow color, with a taste that is rich in hops.  Another ale, Rauchbier, is known to have a smoky flavor with a smoked color.  These beers taste great, and happen to be very popular throughout the regions of Germany.

German lagers are also very popular, and happen to be popular in other areas of the world as well.  Pilsener is one of the most popular and most familiar of all German beers, providing you with more hops and less malt.  Pilsener can be found for sale all over the world, and happens to be very popular throughout North America as well.  Several bars serve it as well, as it happens to be one of the most popular dark lagers out there.

Throughout Germany, there are several different companies, produce over 4,000 different brands of beers.  Some of the more well known and larger companies of north Germany are Beck, St. Pauli, Warsteiner, and Krombach.  In the southern region of Germany, there are more breweries, although most of them are smaller, as they are locally owned and operated.  Southern Germany also contains the Benedictine Abbey, which is one of the oldest breweries in the world.  This brewery started producing beer in 1040 - very impressive indeed!

Germany is also home to Oktoberfest, which is held every year in Munich.  Oktoberfest starts in late September and carries on for two weeks, ending in early October.  During Oktoberfest, beer drinkers from all over the world will travel to Germany and celebrate German beers.  Each and every year, over 5 million people attend the event, making it one of the biggest beer celebrations in the world.

During Oktoberfest, local breweries in Munich are the only breweries allowed to serve beer in the bigger tents.  There are six breweries in total, producing a variety of different beers.  By attending this yearly event, you can learn more about German beer, sample the different varieties, and enjoy the rich bold flavors that make German beer so very popular.

Due to the success Oktoberfest gets each and every year, other cities around the world try and mimic this event.  Even though they have success, their level of success isn’t near as much as the original Oktoberfest - Germany.  German beers are very popular around the world, with Oktoberfest helping to prove that very claim. If you drink beer but have never experienced what beers from Germany have to offer, you really should give them a try.  Once you do, you’ll quickly realize why German beers are so very popular - and why the taste simply can’t be duplicated with any other beer.

Wine Refrigerators

 Is a Wine Refrigerator the Right Choice for You

You want to your wine bottles ready to pop for any occasion so a wine refrigerator is a must.Although a wine cellar may seem like the best option. some people just do not have the money for it.Wine refrigerators are the answer for people who have limited budget and space.

When you have a wine refrigerator at home, you will be able to drink white, red or sparkling wine whenever you want to. The refrigerator will provide your wines stable temperature.

There are different types of wine, white red and sparkling. Different types of wines need different temperatures.Wine refrigerators have automatic cooling mechanisms which will be able to cool all types of wines.Wine refrigerators come in a wide variety of sizes. There are wine refrigerators meant as a tabletop appliance and there are bigger ones for a larger collection of wine.

There are many things which should be taken into account when buying a wine refrigerator.You want to look for a wine cooler which will be able to cool your wine prior to serving.For people who have a collection of more than one kind of wine, it is best to buy a dual zone wine refrigerator.

Another thing which you should look for in a wine refrigerator is vibration control. Wine owners will surely want their wines to last long but will also want the taste to remain the same.Humidity is another thing which you must be considered.More expensive units have the ability to maintain a well suited and balanced humidity level inside the refrigerator and will still continue to circulate air inside to prevent the accumulation of mildew and mold.Look for wine refrigerators which have specially treated glass panes because they allow insulation and they give the refrigerator a stable temperature.Wine refrigerators which are made with special insulation makes them better to use in places where the temperature is constantly fluctuating.

Most people also want a wine refrigerator which is stylish. You will see an extensive choice of wine refrigerators today.Wine refrigerators can be styled to look like wooden appliances and they can also be styled to look super sleek.The decor is not only an important factor in your home;part of the happiness that is associated with wine collection and storage that you can boast of to your guests and friends. Every person who sees your wine refrigerator will definitely admire it.

One of the things which you ask yourself before you but a wine refrigerator is how many wine bottles it will be able to hold. For people who have a large collection of wines, it is better to get the wine refrigerator which has a large capacity.Consider also your need for modifiable shelving. Get a good wine refrigerator which will suit all your needs.