Learn the Basic

butter cupcakes

chiffon cakes

There are so many cakes, yet so little time to bake them all. But trying sometime is really fun. When I started baking I tried first this simple recipes, no frosting, no other decorations, yet, so delicious.  In all the various cake recipes available, there are two basic types: foam or chiffon cakes and butter cakes. So, what is the difference between the two? Well, chiffon cakes and sponge cakes are delicate cakes, made with little or no fat like butter,oil or shortening, which makes them lighter than butter cakes. Most foam cakes recipes have no or little amount of baking powder or baking soda,

Ways of Keeping Food Fresh

After these holidays, summer season in our country will come, and next is the rainy days again. Be prepare by preserving foods like this.

Here are some tips as to how we can naturally keep our food fresh and preserve them for the rainy days.

1. Sugar-- This method is mainly used for candied fruits and vegetables, jams, jellies, candied nuts, marmalades and sauces, bringing out a more concentrated flavor. Another good advantage is that bacteria does not grow in sugar.
2. Pickling-- It is the process of submerging your food in acid, particularly vinegar, for a long period of time. Since bacteria doesn't thrive in acid, thus gives us this benefit. Pickling can be done with vegetables such as cucumbers or green papayas, since they are kept and crunchy. Consider the 1, 2, 3 approach- combine 1 part sugar, 2 parts vinegar and 3 parts water and let simmer. Pour into your choice of vegetable and keep for a few days before consuming. My mother did this when we were young, she used "kamias". It's yummy.
3. Freezing-- This is by far the most common and widely used method. You can freeze almost anything. Freezing also doesn't change the taste and texture of the food, as long as it is properly handled. Freezing can be done in meats, breads and seafood. Wrap items in portions based on your requirements to prevent freeze-thawing.