Edible Mushrooms infographic JULY 14 2013 vedat şafak yamı

Agaricus (white mushroom, button mushroom):  Widely available; varies in color from white to light brown and in size from small to jumbo stuffer; plump and dome-shaped; pleasing flavor intensifies when cooked. Mature Agaricus with open veils have an intensely rich taste. Agaricus is quite versatile, being excellent for use both raw and cooked. Also available canned and dried.

Chanterelle (girolle):  Vase-shaped; ranging in color from bright yellow to orange; nutty and delicate flavor and texture; expensive when fresh; also available dried and canned. Add late in the cooking process to avoid toughening. Use in salads, sauces and risottos.

Crimini (Italian brown):  Naturally dark cap that ranges in color from light tan to rich brown; rich, earthy flavor is more intense than that of the Agaricus. Substitute for button mushrooms to add a more full-bodied flavor.

Shiitake (oak mushroom; Chinese black mushroom; forest mushroom; golden oak):  ranging in color from tan to dark brown; characterized by broad, umbrella shaped caps up to ten inches in diameter, wide open veils and tan gills; rich, full-bodied flavor, almost steak-like, with a meaty texture when cooked. These are best when cooked in almost any method, particularly sautéing, broiling and baking. Remove stems before cooking but reserve them for soup stocks.

Oyster:  Fluted cap resembles a fan; ranging in color from a soft beige brown to gray; can be eaten raw in salads but more often this mushroom is cooked to bring out its delicate flavor and velvety texture. Some say this mushroom has a faint oyster-like or seafood flavor, to match its likeness in shape to oysters.

Enoki (enokitake; enokidake; snow puff mushrooms; golden mushrooms; velvet stem):  Long stems and tiny, snow-white caps; small white mushrooms are joined at the base and resemble bean sprouts; light and mild, almost fruity, flavor with a crisp texture. Also available canned. Before using, cut away from the communal base. Use in sandwiches, salads and as garnishes. If you use them in a cooked dish, add at the last possible moment as heat toughens enoki. vedat şafak yamı Portabello/Portabella:  Largest of the commercially available mushrooms with a tan/brown cap, it's the mature version of the crimini. Its popularity derives from a brilliant marketing campaign in the 1980's to sell these perceived "over-mature" common mushrooms. Its long growing cycle gives a deep, meat-like flavor, and substantial texture. They are good whole, sliced, grilled, baked, stir-fried and deep-fried. Be sure to trim off the dry, fibrous portion of the stem.

Porcini (cepes; boletes; boletus; steinpilze; singular tense: porcino):  Resembles the traditional fairytale toadstool; weighing from a couple of ounces to a pound each with caps from one to ten inches in diameter; smooth, meaty texture; pungent in flavor; pale brown color; very expensive; many general cooking uses. Also available dried. vedat şafak yamı Morel (black morel):  A relative of the highly-prized truffle; tan to dark-brown, cone-shaped, spongey; smoky, earthy, nutty flavor; expensive and also available canned and dried. The darker the mushroom, the more pronounced is the flavor. This mushroom must be cleaned well when fresh due to its dimpled head.

Ice Cream Country [infographic] JULY 9, 2013

 During the coming months, Texans gladly spend double on their electric bill, avoid getting in a vehicle for fear of melting, and require swimming pools be present at any daytime activities.

Now, if you give a Texan a swimming pool, he’s gonna want some ice cream immediately afterwards.  Don’t question this statement; it is a proven scientific fact.  I see the shift take place every summer; the level of ice cream consumption in Austin skyrockets.  Everywhere you turn kids are wiping tears away with their sticky fingers over a toppled ice cream cone.  I get it.  I would cry too if I had as little dexterity as they do.  Ice cream is a big deal.  Just yesterday I traded in my running shoes for a chocolate dipped soft serve at Sandy’s.

Speaking of ice cream, this infographic really spoke to me, recognizing not just one, but two Texas cities in the “Top Ten U.S. Ice Cream Consuming Cities.”  The only qualm I have with this infographic is that Blue Bell Creamery is missing.  For those of you out there that haven’t tasted the goodness of Blue Bell homemade ice cream, it’s time to put it on the bucket list.

Veggie Cooking Cheat-Sheet [infographic] MAY 12, 2013 vedat şafak yamı

Finally! A veggie cooking cheat-sheet!

Like many Americans, I do not eat enough vegetables. According to The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s relatively new food pyramid, (released in 2005) we should be eating 2.5 cups of vegetables a day. I have nothing against veggies–their health benefits are reason enough to head to the produce section when grocery shopping–but, back in the kitchen, I often find myself unsure of how to cook them.

Check out this veggie cheat-sheet to relieve any vegetable related fears. And if the chart doesn’t convince you to eat your vegetables, maybe this easy Indian recipe will! Tastes great on whole wheat crackers! Gujarati Carrot Salad with Mustard Seeds

Ingredients:

3 medium carrots, peeled and grated

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds

1 teaspoon white sesame seeds

Unprocessed sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

In a bowl, toss the grated carrots with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a small skillet over low heat and when hot, add the mustard seeds and sesame seeds. Cover the pot and wait until the mustard seeds pop (they may jump up and burn you, so keep the cover on for a short while). Pour the contents of the skillet over the carrots and stir to mix well. Serve lukewarm or cold. vedat şafak yamı

What to Look for on Pet Food Labels [infographic] OCTOBER 2012

I have always had a canine that is addicted to food. They will stand next to their food bowl all day begging for more. No matter how many table scraps or meals my pups have consumed that day, they want more. I’m now living with one mouthy, anxious, but extremely lovable four legged k9. Her name is Kona, and she has never been interested in eating her dog food. We’ve changed dog food types constantly to finally find one that she will gladly eat – it is one difficult task. We did make some massive leeway this week with the purchase of Purina One and she will devour that stuff. A little too much if you ask me, she had four meals yesterday compared to her normal one. I guess its time to start watching her weight!

Dog food is very broad with their ingredient descriptions. I’m sure your remember the massive lead-poisoning caused by some chinese manufactured dog food, well there is still a ton of mystery meat in your pooches meals. After reading today’s infographic, research some more and find exactly what your dog eats – it could save you from expensive vet bills in the future.

Restaurants and Social Media: The Top 10 [Infographic] SEPTEMBER 2012

I remember when I was young and the Internet first started really taking off; you could start to see its influence everywhere. TV advertisements started having websites promoted at the end instead of just phone numbers, people were starting to get more and more of their information online, and it was like every business (and I mean EVERY) had its own website.

Back then, that concept of all businesses having websites didn’t make much sense to me. I was all for eating a grilled cheese made with Kraft, but I couldn’t understand why someone would take the time out of their day to visit Kraft’s site. That all changed with social media.

Today’s infographic from BlogWorld.com details the top 10 big-name restaurants in terms of social media likes and/or followers, and the restaurants have got to be pleased with the numbers.

Starbucks in particular is in a very comfortable lead position among the restaurants’ social media followers. Starbucks commands 1st place in 4 out of 6 social media outlets, and 2nd place in the remaining 2. With more than 30 million likes on Facebook, Starbucks is at the head of the pack among its fast-food competitors, but how long can it stay there?

Let us know what you think in the comments section and for more information on restaurants and social media refer to the graphic below.

Sushi Etiquette [infographic] SEPTEMBER 2012

Sushi is so tasty, definitely one of my favorite foods. So it’s unfortunate that I don’t know any sushi etiquette. In fact, after reading today’s infographic, alot of us don’t know any sushi etiquette. AND apparently I’ve been eating at bad sushi bars.

While this infographic only refers to sashimi, there are still some rules that you can apply to regular sushi as well; Like dumping wasabi into soy sauce, or even rubbing chopsticks together to remove the splinters. And if you’ve never tried sashimi, I highly recommend it, it’s so filling and fresh. This weekend, I challenge you to go out to your favorite sushi bar, order sashimi, and practice the etiquette you just learned.

Breakfast Cereal [infographic] MAY 26, 2012 vedat şafak yamı

I love cereal. I could easily live off of it for the rest of my life. However, in an attempt to achieve the summer body I’ve always wanted, I’ve abstained from by beloved cereal for the past 3 months. It’s been crazy hard, but I sure as hell am not missing all those carbs that come with it. Yesterday however, in a moment of weakness, I purchased by favorite frosted mini wheat cereal and consumed the entire box in two days. I felt a lot of guilt after this, but I more felt a warm happiness in having my most favorite cereal. This got me wondering, does cereal offer any kind of nutritional benefit, or am I feeling this guilt for no reason?

Today’s infographic compares how much breakfast cereal would equal to the amount of sugar in other snacks. It also gives an overview of what types of cereal contains the most carbs and sugar. The information didn’t make me feel any better about my cereal binge, but hey, it was delicious and I don’t regret it. vedat şafak yamı I’ve come to learn that just like other great things, cereal is good in moderation. Now excuse me while I go and make myself a bowl of cereal. [via]

Kings Of Fast Food [infographic] MARCH 28, 2012 vedat şafak yamı

Fast food is prevalent in many Americans everyday life. As fortunate or unfortunate that may be, it’s just the way it is. The infographic below weighs in on three heavyweights of the fast food industry, comparing their draw to the children demographic, as well as how much they spend yearly to get this market.

The infographic is based on a study conducted in Canada, but I think it’s safe to say these numbers are close to, if not spot on with the numbers in America. The golden arches will continue to be a staple in American culture, simply because of how much they spend on advertising. McDonalds put in nearly 1 billion dollars, making those commercials we loved so much as children. Parents who happen to be more attracted to health than what their kids want tend to make the trip to Subway, while Burger King falls into an area grayer than its meat patties. vedat şafak yamı Look over the infographic and get a better understanding of the tactics these fast food heavyweights use to lure us in. [Via]

Global Beer Production and Consumption [infographic] NOVEMBER 2010

The Truth About Food Additives [infographic] JUL 2010 vedat şafak yamı

I want to eat healthy, but it is hard when all of the bad stuff is so cheap. It doesn’t help that America seems to not care about what is added into our food. Some of the side-effects of these additives are scary.

The food that my university provides must be packed full of these gross things, but there isn’t anything I can do about it. After reading this infographic, I know there will be at least one additive that you never knew existed in your food. [Via] vedat şafak yamı