Lobster Recipes

By Steve Valentino

Lobsters are a seafood delicacy and are considered quite easy to cook. While they can be boiled or grilled, they are also delicious when just broiled or steamed. For cooking them, you need to get hold of a large stockpot and some good recipes to turn out exotic lobster dishes!

First you must ensure that you get a good quality lobster, preferably live. Then cook within prescribed time limits according to the weight of the lobster. For example, if boiling a lobster, it is recommended to boil it for 10 minutes for the first pound weight and 3 minutes each for subsequent pounds. So a 2-pound lobster needs to be boiled for 13 minutes. Cooking a lobster longer than the recommended times can make the meat too tough to eat. But when properly cooked, lobster meat is a creamy white and shells are bright red. There are many ways to prepare and garnish this seafood and one can get easily confused as to which recipe to pick up first. It is better to start with an easy recipe first and slowly go on to try a little complicated lobster dishes.

There is a lot of variety that can be churned out using lobsters, like lobster bisque, sauce, bakes, rolls, salads and stews. They can be made in American, Italian or Chinese flavors, depending on your taste. Some of the well known recipes of lobsters include chopped vegetable and lobster salad, grilled lobster with barbecue mayonnaise, lobster club sandwich, lobster pizza, lobster and white bean salad, lobster tails with Thai curry, hot and sour soup with lobster dumplings, lobster with coconut, corn and lemongrass. Whatever recipe you select, you can surely get succulent and delicious dish of lobsters.

It is very important to present the prepared lobster dish properly since the lobster is not the Adonis of the ocean. So its appearance should be made attractive and appealing enough to relish the dish and get the praise it deserves. To prepare lobster, you can get hold of a good lobster recipe book or search on the Internet to find numerous savoring recipes of lobsters!

Lobster provides detailed information on Lobster, Lobster Tails, Lobster Recipes, Maine Lobster and more. Lobster is affiliated with Salmon Fishing.

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Tulips and Their Role in Different Cultures

By William Berg

Tulips have been, and are still, being admired by people in many different regions and cultures. Wild Tulips are found in Europe, Africa and Asia. Their native area stretches from southern Europe to northern Africa, and proceeds eastward into Asia from Anatolia and Iran. The most prominent Tulip habitats are found on the steppes of Kazakhstan and among the Pamir and Hindu Kush mountains, but wild Tulips can be found all the way into the very eastern parts of China and Japan.

The Tulip has always been held in high esteem by the Middle East cultures and the European name “Tulip” is actually derived from the Persian word for turban. Some etymologists claim that the name was selected since a budding Tulip resembles a traditional turban, while other etymologists suggests that the term is instead the result of a misunderstanding – Tulip flowers were commonly used to decorate the folds of the turban. If you study traditional folk art from Persia and Turkey you will see.

Today, the Tulip is the national flower of Iran as well as of Turkey and the tulip is even suggested on the Iran flag. If you look at traditional Persian and Turkish folk art you will clearly see how important the Tulip motif is and has been.

The Netherlands in Europe is another country strongly linked to the Tulip. The Netherlands will, for instance, send Tulips to the Canadian capital, Ottawa, each year. During World War II, Canada aided in liberating the Netherlands from the German invasion and also served as a refuge for the Dutch Crown Princess who was later to become Queen Juliana.

In Europe, as well as in the Ottoman Empire, episodes of so called “Tulip Mania” when tulips have been used for speculation have occurred. Historians still debate exactly how severe these waves of speculation were and how damaging the Tulip booms and subsequent crashes were to the respective economies. Some even claim that Tulip Mania strongly contributed to the final financial decline of the Ottoman Empire.

Historians do not now exactly when and how the Tulip was introduced to Western Europe for the first time. Perhaps Tulips were brought to this part of the world several times before the flower really became appreciated and famous.

One story claims that ambassador Oghier Ghislain de Busbecq brought Tulips to German attention as early as 1554. Oghier Ghislain de Busbecq had been sent from Ferdinand I of Germany to Suleyman the Magnificent and in one of his letters he write about seeing "an abundance of flowers everywhere; narcissus, hyacinths, and those which the Turks call tulipam, much to our astonishment, because it was almost midwinter, a season unfriendly to flowers". Botanists are however askepticeptic to this letter, since Tulips do not bloom in midwinter, not even in the warm Middle East. Perhaps Oghier Ghislain de Busbecq confused the winter journey with an expedition that he participated in during a warmer part of the year of 1558. We know that Oghier Ghislain de Busbecq wrote and dated all his letters after his journeys, not while he was actutravelinglling.

Tulips are just one of many flowers that have an important cultural significance in numerous religions. Others include the cherry tree and the Bamboo plant.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=William_Berg

Garden Photography

By TJ Tierney

As the seasons change the colour of your garden will change with it. Most gardens are a rich source of great colours, patterns and vivid textures and can make for a perfect setting to practice all different kinds of photography - especially close-up nature photography.

Your garden can be one of the most wonderful places to take images of flowers, insects and a variety of small birds - and if you are lucky, occasionally other types of wildlife might wander into your garden.

You don’t need great sunshine to go out into the garden - overcast days are always great days to get into the garden and capture the majestic colours of flowers.

Flower photography can be challenging, but when done right is most rewarding. The key to getting good flower pictures is pretty straightforward - get in close. You don’t need to buy a macro lens to achieve this, a good telephoto lens on a tripod should do.

Use a large aperture (low f/number) to isolate your flower. This will get rid of any unwanted background, which sometimes focus attention away from your flower portrait.

Don’t be afraid to use your flash - even on a bright day. This will get rid of any unwanted blur and help make your flower picture sharp.

These are simple tips to follow and should help to make your garden images better.

Photographing insects in many ways is similar to taking pictures of flowers. You need to get in close; your focusing has to be perfect and you also must minimize motion. If you are having trouble photographing insects try the following:

Pick a single flower on which you focus. Place a light fabric around any other flowers to isolate your shot. Now its time to place the bait - perfume is ideal to attract bees, butterflies and other insects into your outdoor studio. Use your strobe unit to freeze any motion with fast moving insects. This should be used in the brightest conditions and will stop any movement in your nature portrait. Now it is time to sit and wait until your bait attracts your prey.

Your garden is also full of all kinds of other creatures. Garden birds will make an attractive image; they will be up and out at an early hour so it’s best to join them. Try building a hide in the garden and get up before sunrise - you will be surprised what creatures will wander in front of you at an early hour. Lay some bait around the garden to attract them in.

Use the elements of the weather to create more impact in your garden images. Early morning mist will leave droplets of water on leaves and flower petals. Use garden statues and other garden objects to create attractive silhouette images at dusk.

One of the biggest attributes of nature, wildlife and garden photography is patience. Even though you are at home great patience is required to get the best results from your garden photography…happy shooting.

TJ Tierney is an award winning Irish Landscape photographer and a freelance writer. He frequently writes for the Art site www.Goldprints.com and the Gift ideas site www.shop-4us.com . To view or buy some of his images visit his on-line gallery of - Pictures of Ireland and flower pictures.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=TJ_Tierney

Chinese Hot-and-Sour Soup

An authentic recipe both delicious and healthy. Combined here are healing and health-enhancing mushrooms and lily buds in an enticing broth.

5 oz boneless pork loin, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips (2/3 cup)
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
4 small Chinese dried black mushrooms* (available in Asian markets)
12 small dried tree ear mushrooms*
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
12 dried lily buds* (sometimes called golden needles)
1/2 cup canned sliced bamboo shoots*, cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch-wide strips (from an 8-oz can)
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1 tablespoon light soy sauce*
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons peanut oil
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 to 4 oz firm tofu (about a quarter of a block), rinsed and drained, then cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil*
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground white pepper
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion greens
2 tablespoons fresh whole cilantro leaves

Toss pork with dark soy sauce in a bowl until pork is well coated.

Soak black and tree ear mushrooms in 3 cups boiling-hot water in another bowl (water should cover mushrooms), turning over black mushrooms occasionally, until softened, about 30 minutes. (Tree ears will expand significantly.)

Cut out and discard stems from black mushrooms, then squeeze excess liquid from caps into bowl and thinly slice caps. Remove tree ears from bowl, reserving liquid, and trim off any hard nubs. If large, cut tree ears into bite-size pieces.

Stir together 1/4 cup mushroom-soaking liquid (discard remainder) with cornstarch in a small bowl and set aside.

Meanwhile, soak lily buds in about 1 cup warm water until softened, about 20 minutes, then drain. Trim off tough tips of lily buds. Cut lily buds in half crosswise, then tear each half lengthwise into 2 or 3 shreds.

Cover bamboo shoots with cold water by 2 inches in a small saucepan, then bring just to a boil (to remove bitterness) and drain in a sieve.

Stir together vinegars, light soy sauce, sugar, and salt in another small bowl.

Heat a wok over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes within 1 to 2 seconds of contact. Pour peanut oil down side of wok, then swirl oil, tilting wok to coat sides. Add pork and stir-fry until meat just changes color, about 1 minute, then add black mushrooms, tree ears, lily buds and bamboo shoots and stir-fry 1 minute.

Add broth and bring to a boil, then add tofu.

Return to a boil and add vinegar mixture.

Stir cornstarch mixture, then add to broth and return to a boil, stirring. (Liquid will thicken.)

Reduce heat to moderate and simmer 1 minute.

Beat eggs with a fork and add a few drops of sesame oil. Add eggs to soup in a thin stream, stirring slowly in one direction with a spoon.

Stir in white pepper, then drizzle in remaining sesame oil and divide among 6 to 8 bowls. Sprinkle with scallions and cilantro before serving.

*Available at Asian food markets

Makes 6 to 8 first-course servings.