In the previous installment I already spoke about the shell so here I will only be addressing the egg interior:

Whites...also called albumen, are a key element in baking recipes. When whipped to a foam, they help make cake batter rise. The egg white is also free of fat and cholesterol, but by itself isn't very nutritious.

Chalazae (pronounced kuh-LAY-zee)...are the thick, ropey, white strands that can be clearly seen in the above photo that anchor the yolk on two sides to the eggshell.

Air Cell..when an egg is laid, it's warm. As it cools, its contents contract and a pocket of air forms...usually at the wide end. This also explains that odd depressed area you usually find in a whole hard bolied egg.

Yolk...the yolk contains all of an egg's fat and cholesterol and is used in cooking largely for its emulsifying and thickening properties. Contrary to common belief yolk color does not indicate an egg's quality or flavor. Yolk color depends on diet. Hens fed yellow cornmeal lay yellow-yolk eggs. If they eat say marigold petals, the egg yolks will be orange. But rest assured, artificial color additives in chicken feed are not permitted.

A hen requires 24-26 hours to produce an egg, then 30 minutes later she starts the process all over again. In a commercial operation eggs are then collected, washed, and "candled", or passed over high intensity lights. This process reveals any internal and external characteristics or defects in the eggs withough having to break them. Based on the results of "candling", the eggs are sorted by grade, which I'll discuss in a later installment. One oddity of the "candling" process is that "double yolkers" are considered rejects as far as for sale to the general public and are usually used for commercial purposes. Not to say that one doesn't slip through the inspection process occasionally.

Next up will be an installment on egg buying know how.

ISO100, aperture f/11, exposure 1 second (1) focal length 58mm

Presented in olive tree wood bowl.

www.flickr.com/photos/luizazlatovic/6396299225/

We let our 7 hens free range in about 1000 SF our back yard and never feed them any store bought feed, never feed them soy... only organically or naturally grown / raised: vegetables, fruit, seeds ( flax, pumpkin, sunflower, millet, quinoa, lentil...), seaweed, worms, slugs, snails, meat and fish scraps, green grass, dandelions, and some sprouted organic whole grains (kamut, spelt, rye, oat, barley, buckwheat, red spring wheat, rice...).

Eggs from naturally raised chickens are nature’s most perfect food. They are rich in vitamins A and D, as well as choline for mental acuity in adults. Like the B vitamins, choline is a coenzyme needed for metabolism. Choline exists in all living cells, but is probably best known as a major part of lecithin--the emulsifier that keeps fats and cholesterol from clumping together in the blood.

Research shows that humans do not increase blood cholesterol levels by eating cholesterol. Rather, we increase cholesterol by eating refined processed flour, sugars and refined vegetable oils, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats and oils. Based on these findings, we should eat eggs to help reduce cholesterol because of the lecithin content and avoid the processed and dead foods that are the real cause of cholesterol.

We all need protein, but it’s not only the amount of protein that counts, it’s the variety or number of different amino acids that can be found in the proteins. There are 20 amino acids with eight of them considered essential in the diet because our bodies cannot make them. Eggs are one of the few foods containing all the essential amino acids.

Euphorbia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Euphorbiaceae. Consisting of 2008 species, Euphorbia is the fourth largest genus of flowering plants; it also has one of the largest ranges of chromosome counts, along with Rumex and Senecio. Members of the family and genus are commonly referred to as spurges. Euphorbia antiquorum is the type species for the genus Euphorbia; it was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 in Species Plantarum. The family is primarily found in the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and the Americas, but also in temperate zones worldwide. Succulent species originate mostly from Africa, the Americas and Madagascar. There exists a wide range of insular species: on the Hawaiian Islands, where spurges are collectively known as "akoko", and on the Canary Islands as "tabaibas".

The common name "spurge" derives from the Middle English/Old French espurge ("to purge"), due to the use of the plant's sap as a purgative.

The botanical name Euphorbia derives from Euphorbus, the Greek physician of king Juba II of Numidia (52–50 BC – 23 AD), who married the daughter of Anthony and Cleopatra. He wrote that one of the cactus-like Euphorbias was a powerful laxative. In 12 B.C., Juba named this plant after his physician Euphorbus in response to Augustus Caesar dedicating a statue to Antonius Musa, his own personal physician. Botanist and taxonomist Carl Linnaeus assigned the name Euphorbia to the entire genus in the physician's honor.

The plants are annual or perennial herbs, woody shrubs or trees with a caustic, poisonous milky sap (latex). The roots are fine or thick and fleshy or tuberous. Many species are more or less succulent, thorny or unarmed. The main stem and mostly also the side arms of the succulent species are thick and fleshy, 15–91 cm (6–36 inches) tall. The deciduous leaves are opposite, alternate or in whorls. In succulent species the leaves are mostly small and short-lived. The stipules are mostly small, partly transformed into spines or glands, or missing.

The milky sap of spurges (called "latex") evolved as a deterrent to herbivores. It is white and colorless when dry, except in E. abdelkuri, where it is yellow. The pressurized sap seeps from the slightest wound and congeals after a few minutes in air. The specific composition of diterpene or triterpene esters varies, and determines how caustic and irritating a particular species is. In contact with mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth), the latex can produce extremely painful inflammation. Therefore, spurges should be handled with caution and kept away from children and pets. Latex on skin should be washed off immediately and thoroughly. Congealed latex is insoluble in water, but can be removed with an emulsifier like milk or soap. A physician should be consulted if inflammation occurs, as severe eye damage including permanent blindness may result from exposure to the sap.[9] When large succulent spurges in a greenhouse are cut, vapours can cause irritation to the eyes and throat several metres away. Precautions, including sufficient ventilation, are required.

Source: Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia.

Photo taken at Alnwick Gardens in Northumberland.

All photos used in this mosaic are property of the original photographer, not me. Please visit the originals at the links below:

1. BLUE STAR 02, 2. blue star, 5 feb 1982, 3. blue star, 4. Blue Star, 5. Red, White & Blue, 6. Blue star, 7. wallstar, 8. tied up star, 9. Starlight #1 - (Simmetry), 10. Starry Night, 11. Untitled, 12. star., 13. Three Wise Men Reach Jarrow, 14. blue stars, 15. L, 16. indigo stars

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

The cocoa bean, also cacao bean or simply cocoa (/ˈkoʊ.koʊ/) or cacao (/kəˈkaʊ/), is the dried and fully fermented fatty seed of Theobroma cacao, from which cocoa solids and cocoa butter are extracted. They are the basis of chocolate, as well as many Mesoamerican foods such as mole and tejate.

ETYMOLOGY

The word "cocoa"' derives from the Spanish word cacao, derived from the Nahuatl word cacahuatl. The Nahautl word, in turn, ultimately derives from the reconstructed Proto Mije-Sokean word *kakaw~*kakawa.

Cocoa can often also refer to the drink commonly known as hot chocolate; to cocoa powder, the dry powder made by grinding cocoa seeds and removing the cocoa butter from the dark, bitter cocoa solids; or to a mixture of cocoa powder and cocoa butter.

HISTORY

The cacao tree is native to the Americas. It may have originated in the foothills of the Andes in the Amazon and Orinoco basins of South America, current-day Colombia and Venezuela, where today, examples of wild cacao still can be found. However, it may have had a larger range in the past, evidence for which may be obscured because of its cultivation in these areas long before, as well as after, the Spanish arrived. New chemical analyses of residues extracted from pottery excavated at an archaeological site at Puerto Escondido in Honduras indicate cocoa products were first consumed there between 1400 and 1500 BC. The new evidence also indicates that, long before the flavor of the cacao seed (or bean) became popular, the sweet pulp of the chocolate fruit, used in making a fermented (5% alcohol) beverage, first drew attention to the plant in the Americas. The cocoa bean was a common currency throughout Mesoamerica before the Spanish conquest.

Cacao trees grow in a limited geographical zone, of about 20° to the north and south of the Equator. Nearly 70% of the world crop today is grown in West Africa. The cacao plant was first given its botanical name by Swedish natural scientist Carl Linnaeus in his original classification of the plant kingdom, who called it Theobroma ("food of the gods") cacao.

Cocoa was an important commodity in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. A Spanish soldier who was part of the conquest of Mexico by Hernán Cortés tells that when Moctezuma II, emperor of the Aztecs, dined, he took no other beverage than chocolate, served in a golden goblet. Flavored with vanilla or other spices, his chocolate was whipped into a froth that dissolved in the mouth. No fewer than 60 portions each day reportedly may have been consumed by Moctezuma II, and 2,000 more by the nobles of his court.

Chocolate was introduced to Europe by the Spaniards, and became a popular beverage by the mid-17th century. They also introduced the cacao tree into the West Indies and the Philippines. It was also introduced into the rest of Asia and into West Africa by Europeans. In the Gold Coast, modern Ghana, cacao was introduced by an African, Tetteh Quarshie.

PRODUCTION

COCOA POD

A cocoa pod (fruit) has a rough, leathery rind about 2 to 3 cm thick (this varies with the origin and variety of pod) filled with sweet, mucilaginous pulp (called baba de cacao in South America) with a lemonade-like taste enclosing 30 to 50 large seeds that are fairly soft and a pale lavender to dark brownish purple color. Due to heat buildup in the fermentation process, cacao beans lose most of the purplish hue and become mostly brown in color, with an adhered skin which includes the dried remains of the fruity pulp. This skin is released easily after roasting by winnowing. White seeds are found in some rare varieties, usually mixed with purples, and are considered of higher value. Historically, white cacao was cultivated by the Rama people of Nicaragua.

VARIETIES

The three main varieties of cocoa plant are Forastero, Criollo, and Trinitario. The first is the most widely used, comprising 95% of the world production of cocoa. Cocoa beans of the Criollo variety are rarer and considered a delicacy. Criollo plantations have lower yields than those of Forastero, and also tend to be less resistant to several diseases that attack the cocoa plant, hence very few countries still produce it. One of the largest producers of Criollo beans is Venezuela (Chuao and Porcelana). Trinitario (from Trinidad) is a hybrid between Criollo and Forastero varieties. It is considered to be of much higher quality than Forastero, but has higher yields and is more resistant to disease than Criollo.

HARVESTING

Cocoa trees grow in hot, rainy tropical areas within 20° of latitude from the Equator. Cocoa harvest is not restricted to one period per year and a harvest typically occurs over several months. In fact, in many countries, cocoa can be harvested at any time of the year. Pesticides are often applied to the trees to combat capsid bugs and fungicides to fight black pod disease.

Immature cocoa pods have a variety of colours, but most often are green, red, or purple, and as they mature, their colour tends towards yellow or orange, particularly in the creases. Unlike most fruiting trees, the cacoa pod grows directly from the trunk or large branch of a tree rather than from the end of a branch, similar to jackfruit. This makes harvesting by hand easier as most of the pods will not be up in the higher branches. The pods on a tree do not ripen together; harvesting needs to be done periodically through the year. Harvesting occurs between three and four times weekly during the harvest season. The ripe and near-ripe pods, as judged by their colour, are harvested from the trunk and branches of the cocoa tree with a curved knife on a long pole. Care must be used when cutting the stem of the pod to avoid damaging the junction of the stem with the tree, as this is where future flowers and pods will emerge. One person can harvest an estimated 650 pods per day.

HARVEST PROCESSING

The harvested pods are opened, typically with a machete, to expose the beans. The pulp and cocoa seeds are removed and the rind is discarded. The pulp and seeds are then piled in heaps, placed in bins, or laid out on grates for several days. During this time, the seeds and pulp undergo "sweating", where the thick pulp liquefies as it ferments. The fermented pulp trickles away, leaving cocoa seeds behind to be collected. Sweating is important for the quality of the beans, which originally have a strong, bitter taste. If sweating is interrupted, the resulting cocoa may be ruined; if underdone, the cocoa seed maintains a flavor similar to raw potatoes and becomes susceptible to mildew. Some cocoa-producing countries distill alcoholic spirits using the liquefied pulp. A typical pod contains 20 to 50 beans and about 400 dried beans are required to make one pound - or 880 per kilogram - of chocolate. Cocoa pods weigh an average of 400 g and each one yields 35 to 40 g dried beans (this yield is 40–44% of the total weight in the pod). One person can separate the beans from about 2000 pods per day.

The wet beans are then transported to a facility so they can be fermented and dried. They are fermented for four to seven days and must be mixed every two days. They are dried for five to 14 days, depending on the climate conditions. The fermented beans are dried by spreading them out over a large surface and constantly raking them. In large plantations, this is done on huge trays under the sun or by using artificial heat. Small plantations may dry their harvest on little trays or on cowhides. Finally, the beans are trodden and shuffled about (often using bare human feet) and sometimes, during this process, red clay mixed with water is sprinkled over the beans to obtain a finer color, polish, and protection against molds during shipment to factories in the United States, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and other countries. Drying in the sun is preferable to drying by artificial means, as no extraneous flavors such as smoke or oil are introduced which might otherwise taint the flavor.

The beans should be dry for shipment (usually by sea). Traditionally exported in jute bags, over the last decade, beans are increasingly shipped in "mega-bulk" parcels of several thousand tonnes at a time on ships, or in smaller lots around 25 tonnes in 20-ft containers. Shipping in bulk significantly reduces handling costs; shipment in bags, however, either in a ship's hold or in containers, is still common.

Throughout Mesoamerica where they are native, cocoa beans are used for a variety of foods. The harvested and fermented beans may be ground to-order at tiendas de chocolate, or chocolate mills. At these mills, the cocoa can be mixed with a variety of ingredients such as cinnamon, chili peppers, almonds, vanilla, and other spices to create drinking chocolate. The ground cocoa is also an important ingredient in tejate and a number of savory foods, such as mole.

WORLD PRODUCTION

Nearly 5,000,000 tonnes (4,900,000 long tons; 5,500,000 short tons) of cocoa are produced each year.

The historical global production was

1974: 1,556,484 tons,

1984: 1,810,611 tons,

1994: 2,672,173 tons,

2004: 3,607,052 tons.

The production increased by 131.7% in 30 years, representing a compound annual growth rate of 2.9%.

About 3.54 million tonnes of cocoa beans were produced in the 2008–2009 growing year, which runs from October to September. Of this total, African nations produced 2.45 million tonnes (69%), Asia and Oceania produced 0.61 million tonnes (17%), and the Americas produced 0.48 million tonnes (14%). Two African nations, Ivory Coast and Ghana, produce more than half of the world's cocoa, with 1.23 and 0.73 million tonnes, respectively (35% and 21%, respectively).

CONSUMPTION

Different metrics are used for chocolate consumption. The Netherlands has the highest monetary amount of cocoa bean imports (US$2.1 billion); it is also one of the main ports into Europe. The United States has highest amount of cocoa powder imports ($220 million); the US has a large amount of cocoa complementary products. The United Kingdom has the highest amount of retail chocolate ($1.3 billion) and is one of the biggest chocolate consumption-per-capita markets.

Cocoa and its products (including chocolate) are used worldwide. Per capita consumption is poorly understood, with numerous countries claiming the highest: various reports state that Switzerland, Belgium, and the UK have the highest consumption. However, since no clear mechanism exists to determine how much of a country's production is consumed by residents and how much by visitors, any data with respect to consumption remain purely speculative.

CHOCOLATE PRODUCTION

To make 1 kg of chocolate, about 300 to 600 beans are processed, depending on the desired cocoa content. In a factory, the beans are roasted. Next, they are cracked and then deshelled by a "winnower". The resulting pieces of beans are called nibs. They are sometimes sold in small packages at specialty stores and markets to be used in cooking, snacking, and chocolate dishes. Since nibs are directly from the cocoa tree, they contain high amounts of theobromine. Most nibs are ground, using various methods, into a thick, creamy paste, known as chocolate liquor or cocoa paste. This "liquor" is then further processed into chocolate by mixing in (more) cocoa butter and sugar (and sometimes vanilla and lecithin as an emulsifier), and then refined, conched and tempered. Alternatively, it can be separated into cocoa powder and cocoa butter using a hydraulic press or the Broma process. This process produces around 50% cocoa butter and 50% cocoa powder. Standard cocoa powder has a fat content around 10–12%%. Cocoa butter is used in chocolate bar manufacture, other confectionery, soaps, and cosmetics.

Treating with alkali produces Dutch-process cocoa powder, which is less acidic, darker, and more mellow in flavor than what is generally available in most of the world. Regular (nonalkalized) cocoa is acidic, so when cocoa is treated with an alkaline ingredient, generally potassium carbonate, the pH increases. This process can be done at various stages during manufacturing, including during nib treatment, liquor treatment, or press cake treatment.

Another process that helps develop the flavor is roasting, which can be done on the whole bean before shelling or on the nib after shelling. The time and temperature of the roast affect the result: A "low roast" produces a more acid, aromatic flavor, while a high roast gives a more intense, bitter flavor lacking complex flavor notes.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF COCOA CONSUMPTION

In general, cocoa is considered to be a rich source of antioxidants such as procyanidins and flavanoids, which may impart antiaging properties. Cocoa also contain a high level of flavonoids, specifically epicatechin, which may have beneficial effects on cardiovascular health.

The stimulant activity of cocoa comes from the compound theobromine which is less diuretic as compared to theophylline found in tea. Prolonged intake of flavanol-rich cocoa has been linked to cardiovascular health benefits, though this refers to raw cocoa and to a lesser extent, dark chocolate, since flavonoids degrade during cooking and alkalizing processes. Short-term benefits in LDL cholesterol levels from dark chocolate consumption have been found. The addition of whole milk to milk chocolate reduces the overall cocoa content per ounce while increasing saturated fat levels. Although one study has concluded that milk impairs the absorption of polyphenolic flavonoids, e.g. epicatechin, a followup failed to find the effect.

Hollenberg and colleagues of Harvard Medical School studied the effects of cocoa and flavanols on Panama's Kuna people, who are heavy consumers of cocoa. The researchers found that the Kuna people living on the islands had significantly lower rates of heart disease and cancer compared to those on the mainland who do not drink cocoa as on the islands. It is believed that the improved blood flow after consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa may help to achieve health benefits in hearts and other organs. In particular, the benefits may extend to the brain and have important implications for learning and memory.

Foods rich in cocoa appear to reduce blood pressure but drinking green and black tea may not, according to an analysis of previously published research in the April 9, 2007 issue of Archives of Internal MedicineA 15-year study of elderly men published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2006 found a 50 percent reduction in cardiovascular mortality and a 47 percent reduction in all-cause mortality for the men regularly consuming the most cocoa, compared to those consuming the least cocoa from all sources.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

The relative poverty of many cocoa farmers means that environmental consequences such as deforestation are given little significance. For decades, cocoa farmers have encroached on virgin forest, mostly after the felling of trees by logging companies. This trend has decreased as many governments and communities are beginning to protect their remaining forested zones. In general, the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides by cocoa farmers is limited. When cocoa bean prices are high, farmers may invest in their crops, leading to higher yields which, in turn tends to result in lower market prices and a renewed period of lower investment.

Cocoa production is likely to be affected in various ways by the expected effects of global warming. Specific concerns have been raised concerning its future as a cash crop in West Africa, the current centre of global cocoa production. If temperatures continue to rise, West Africa could simply become unfit to grow the beans.

AGROFORESTRY

Cocoa beans may be cultivated under shaded conditions, e.g. agroforestry. Agroforestry can reduce the pressure on existing protected forests for resources, such as firewood, and conserve biodiversity. Agroforests act as buffers to formally protected forests and biodiversity island refuges in an open, human-dominated landscape. Research of their shade-grown coffee counterparts has shown that greater canopy cover in plots is significantly associated to greater mammal species richness and abundance. The amount of diversity in tree species is fairly comparable between shade-grown cocoa plots and primary forests. Farmers can grow a variety of fruit-bearing shade trees to supplement their income to help cope with the volatile cocoa prices. Though cocoa has been adapted to grow under a dense rainforest canopy, agroforestry does not significantly further enhance cocoa productivity.

COCOA TRADING

Cocoa beans, cocoa butter and cocoa powder are traded on two world exchanges: ICE Futures U.S. and NYSE Liffe Futures and Options. The London market is based on West African cocoa and New York on cocoa predominantly from Southeast Asia. Cocoa is the world's smallest soft commodity market.

The future price of cocoa butter and cocoa powder is determined by multiplying the bean price by a ratio. The combined butter and powder ratio has tended to be around 3.5. If the combined ratio falls below 3.2 or so, production ceases to be economically viable and some factories cease extraction of butter and powder and trade exclusively in cocoa liquor.

Cocoa beans can be held in storage for several years in bags or in bulk, during which the ownership can change several times, as the cocoa is traded much the same as metal or other commodities, to gain profit for the owner.

WIKIPEDIA

The cocoa bean, also cacao bean or simply cocoa (/ˈkoʊ.koʊ/) or cacao (/kəˈkaʊ/), is the dried and fully fermented fatty seed of Theobroma cacao, from which cocoa solids and cocoa butter are extracted. They are the basis of chocolate, as well as many Mesoamerican foods such as mole and tejate.

ETYMOLOGY

The word "cocoa"' derives from the Spanish word cacao, derived from the Nahuatl word cacahuatl. The Nahautl word, in turn, ultimately derives from the reconstructed Proto Mije-Sokean word *kakaw~*kakawa.

Cocoa can often also refer to the drink commonly known as hot chocolate; to cocoa powder, the dry powder made by grinding cocoa seeds and removing the cocoa butter from the dark, bitter cocoa solids; or to a mixture of cocoa powder and cocoa butter.

HISTORY

The cacao tree is native to the Americas. It may have originated in the foothills of the Andes in the Amazon and Orinoco basins of South America, current-day Colombia and Venezuela, where today, examples of wild cacao still can be found. However, it may have had a larger range in the past, evidence for which may be obscured because of its cultivation in these areas long before, as well as after, the Spanish arrived. New chemical analyses of residues extracted from pottery excavated at an archaeological site at Puerto Escondido in Honduras indicate cocoa products were first consumed there between 1400 and 1500 BC. The new evidence also indicates that, long before the flavor of the cacao seed (or bean) became popular, the sweet pulp of the chocolate fruit, used in making a fermented (5% alcohol) beverage, first drew attention to the plant in the Americas. The cocoa bean was a common currency throughout Mesoamerica before the Spanish conquest.

Cacao trees grow in a limited geographical zone, of about 20° to the north and south of the Equator. Nearly 70% of the world crop today is grown in West Africa. The cacao plant was first given its botanical name by Swedish natural scientist Carl Linnaeus in his original classification of the plant kingdom, who called it Theobroma ("food of the gods") cacao.

Cocoa was an important commodity in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. A Spanish soldier who was part of the conquest of Mexico by Hernán Cortés tells that when Moctezuma II, emperor of the Aztecs, dined, he took no other beverage than chocolate, served in a golden goblet. Flavored with vanilla or other spices, his chocolate was whipped into a froth that dissolved in the mouth. No fewer than 60 portions each day reportedly may have been consumed by Moctezuma II, and 2,000 more by the nobles of his court.

Chocolate was introduced to Europe by the Spaniards, and became a popular beverage by the mid-17th century. They also introduced the cacao tree into the West Indies and the Philippines. It was also introduced into the rest of Asia and into West Africa by Europeans. In the Gold Coast, modern Ghana, cacao was introduced by an African, Tetteh Quarshie.

PRODUCTION

COCOA POD

A cocoa pod (fruit) has a rough, leathery rind about 2 to 3 cm thick (this varies with the origin and variety of pod) filled with sweet, mucilaginous pulp (called baba de cacao in South America) with a lemonade-like taste enclosing 30 to 50 large seeds that are fairly soft and a pale lavender to dark brownish purple color. Due to heat buildup in the fermentation process, cacao beans lose most of the purplish hue and become mostly brown in color, with an adhered skin which includes the dried remains of the fruity pulp. This skin is released easily after roasting by winnowing. White seeds are found in some rare varieties, usually mixed with purples, and are considered of higher value. Historically, white cacao was cultivated by the Rama people of Nicaragua.

VARIETIES

The three main varieties of cocoa plant are Forastero, Criollo, and Trinitario. The first is the most widely used, comprising 95% of the world production of cocoa. Cocoa beans of the Criollo variety are rarer and considered a delicacy. Criollo plantations have lower yields than those of Forastero, and also tend to be less resistant to several diseases that attack the cocoa plant, hence very few countries still produce it. One of the largest producers of Criollo beans is Venezuela (Chuao and Porcelana). Trinitario (from Trinidad) is a hybrid between Criollo and Forastero varieties. It is considered to be of much higher quality than Forastero, but has higher yields and is more resistant to disease than Criollo.

HARVESTING

Cocoa trees grow in hot, rainy tropical areas within 20° of latitude from the Equator. Cocoa harvest is not restricted to one period per year and a harvest typically occurs over several months. In fact, in many countries, cocoa can be harvested at any time of the year. Pesticides are often applied to the trees to combat capsid bugs and fungicides to fight black pod disease.

Immature cocoa pods have a variety of colours, but most often are green, red, or purple, and as they mature, their colour tends towards yellow or orange, particularly in the creases. Unlike most fruiting trees, the cacoa pod grows directly from the trunk or large branch of a tree rather than from the end of a branch, similar to jackfruit. This makes harvesting by hand easier as most of the pods will not be up in the higher branches. The pods on a tree do not ripen together; harvesting needs to be done periodically through the year. Harvesting occurs between three and four times weekly during the harvest season. The ripe and near-ripe pods, as judged by their colour, are harvested from the trunk and branches of the cocoa tree with a curved knife on a long pole. Care must be used when cutting the stem of the pod to avoid damaging the junction of the stem with the tree, as this is where future flowers and pods will emerge. One person can harvest an estimated 650 pods per day.

HARVEST PROCESSING

The harvested pods are opened, typically with a machete, to expose the beans. The pulp and cocoa seeds are removed and the rind is discarded. The pulp and seeds are then piled in heaps, placed in bins, or laid out on grates for several days. During this time, the seeds and pulp undergo "sweating", where the thick pulp liquefies as it ferments. The fermented pulp trickles away, leaving cocoa seeds behind to be collected. Sweating is important for the quality of the beans, which originally have a strong, bitter taste. If sweating is interrupted, the resulting cocoa may be ruined; if underdone, the cocoa seed maintains a flavor similar to raw potatoes and becomes susceptible to mildew. Some cocoa-producing countries distill alcoholic spirits using the liquefied pulp. A typical pod contains 20 to 50 beans and about 400 dried beans are required to make one pound - or 880 per kilogram - of chocolate. Cocoa pods weigh an average of 400 g and each one yields 35 to 40 g dried beans (this yield is 40–44% of the total weight in the pod). One person can separate the beans from about 2000 pods per day.

The wet beans are then transported to a facility so they can be fermented and dried. They are fermented for four to seven days and must be mixed every two days. They are dried for five to 14 days, depending on the climate conditions. The fermented beans are dried by spreading them out over a large surface and constantly raking them. In large plantations, this is done on huge trays under the sun or by using artificial heat. Small plantations may dry their harvest on little trays or on cowhides. Finally, the beans are trodden and shuffled about (often using bare human feet) and sometimes, during this process, red clay mixed with water is sprinkled over the beans to obtain a finer color, polish, and protection against molds during shipment to factories in the United States, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and other countries. Drying in the sun is preferable to drying by artificial means, as no extraneous flavors such as smoke or oil are introduced which might otherwise taint the flavor.

The beans should be dry for shipment (usually by sea). Traditionally exported in jute bags, over the last decade, beans are increasingly shipped in "mega-bulk" parcels of several thousand tonnes at a time on ships, or in smaller lots around 25 tonnes in 20-ft containers. Shipping in bulk significantly reduces handling costs; shipment in bags, however, either in a ship's hold or in containers, is still common.

Throughout Mesoamerica where they are native, cocoa beans are used for a variety of foods. The harvested and fermented beans may be ground to-order at tiendas de chocolate, or chocolate mills. At these mills, the cocoa can be mixed with a variety of ingredients such as cinnamon, chili peppers, almonds, vanilla, and other spices to create drinking chocolate. The ground cocoa is also an important ingredient in tejate and a number of savory foods, such as mole.

WORLD PRODUCTION

Nearly 5,000,000 tonnes (4,900,000 long tons; 5,500,000 short tons) of cocoa are produced each year.

The historical global production was

1974: 1,556,484 tons,

1984: 1,810,611 tons,

1994: 2,672,173 tons,

2004: 3,607,052 tons.

The production increased by 131.7% in 30 years, representing a compound annual growth rate of 2.9%.

About 3.54 million tonnes of cocoa beans were produced in the 2008–2009 growing year, which runs from October to September. Of this total, African nations produced 2.45 million tonnes (69%), Asia and Oceania produced 0.61 million tonnes (17%), and the Americas produced 0.48 million tonnes (14%). Two African nations, Ivory Coast and Ghana, produce more than half of the world's cocoa, with 1.23 and 0.73 million tonnes, respectively (35% and 21%, respectively).

CONSUMPTION

Different metrics are used for chocolate consumption. The Netherlands has the highest monetary amount of cocoa bean imports (US$2.1 billion); it is also one of the main ports into Europe. The United States has highest amount of cocoa powder imports ($220 million); the US has a large amount of cocoa complementary products. The United Kingdom has the highest amount of retail chocolate ($1.3 billion) and is one of the biggest chocolate consumption-per-capita markets.

Cocoa and its products (including chocolate) are used worldwide. Per capita consumption is poorly understood, with numerous countries claiming the highest: various reports state that Switzerland, Belgium, and the UK have the highest consumption. However, since no clear mechanism exists to determine how much of a country's production is consumed by residents and how much by visitors, any data with respect to consumption remain purely speculative.

CHOCOLATE PRODUCTION

To make 1 kg of chocolate, about 300 to 600 beans are processed, depending on the desired cocoa content. In a factory, the beans are roasted. Next, they are cracked and then deshelled by a "winnower". The resulting pieces of beans are called nibs. They are sometimes sold in small packages at specialty stores and markets to be used in cooking, snacking, and chocolate dishes. Since nibs are directly from the cocoa tree, they contain high amounts of theobromine. Most nibs are ground, using various methods, into a thick, creamy paste, known as chocolate liquor or cocoa paste. This "liquor" is then further processed into chocolate by mixing in (more) cocoa butter and sugar (and sometimes vanilla and lecithin as an emulsifier), and then refined, conched and tempered. Alternatively, it can be separated into cocoa powder and cocoa butter using a hydraulic press or the Broma process. This process produces around 50% cocoa butter and 50% cocoa powder. Standard cocoa powder has a fat content around 10–12%%. Cocoa butter is used in chocolate bar manufacture, other confectionery, soaps, and cosmetics.

Treating with alkali produces Dutch-process cocoa powder, which is less acidic, darker, and more mellow in flavor than what is generally available in most of the world. Regular (nonalkalized) cocoa is acidic, so when cocoa is treated with an alkaline ingredient, generally potassium carbonate, the pH increases. This process can be done at various stages during manufacturing, including during nib treatment, liquor treatment, or press cake treatment.

Another process that helps develop the flavor is roasting, which can be done on the whole bean before shelling or on the nib after shelling. The time and temperature of the roast affect the result: A "low roast" produces a more acid, aromatic flavor, while a high roast gives a more intense, bitter flavor lacking complex flavor notes.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF COCOA CONSUMPTION

In general, cocoa is considered to be a rich source of antioxidants such as procyanidins and flavanoids, which may impart antiaging properties. Cocoa also contain a high level of flavonoids, specifically epicatechin, which may have beneficial effects on cardiovascular health.

The stimulant activity of cocoa comes from the compound theobromine which is less diuretic as compared to theophylline found in tea. Prolonged intake of flavanol-rich cocoa has been linked to cardiovascular health benefits, though this refers to raw cocoa and to a lesser extent, dark chocolate, since flavonoids degrade during cooking and alkalizing processes. Short-term benefits in LDL cholesterol levels from dark chocolate consumption have been found. The addition of whole milk to milk chocolate reduces the overall cocoa content per ounce while increasing saturated fat levels. Although one study has concluded that milk impairs the absorption of polyphenolic flavonoids, e.g. epicatechin, a followup failed to find the effect.

Hollenberg and colleagues of Harvard Medical School studied the effects of cocoa and flavanols on Panama's Kuna people, who are heavy consumers of cocoa. The researchers found that the Kuna people living on the islands had significantly lower rates of heart disease and cancer compared to those on the mainland who do not drink cocoa as on the islands. It is believed that the improved blood flow after consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa may help to achieve health benefits in hearts and other organs. In particular, the benefits may extend to the brain and have important implications for learning and memory.

Foods rich in cocoa appear to reduce blood pressure but drinking green and black tea may not, according to an analysis of previously published research in the April 9, 2007 issue of Archives of Internal MedicineA 15-year study of elderly men published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2006 found a 50 percent reduction in cardiovascular mortality and a 47 percent reduction in all-cause mortality for the men regularly consuming the most cocoa, compared to those consuming the least cocoa from all sources.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

The relative poverty of many cocoa farmers means that environmental consequences such as deforestation are given little significance. For decades, cocoa farmers have encroached on virgin forest, mostly after the felling of trees by logging companies. This trend has decreased as many governments and communities are beginning to protect their remaining forested zones. In general, the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides by cocoa farmers is limited. When cocoa bean prices are high, farmers may invest in their crops, leading to higher yields which, in turn tends to result in lower market prices and a renewed period of lower investment.

Cocoa production is likely to be affected in various ways by the expected effects of global warming. Specific concerns have been raised concerning its future as a cash crop in West Africa, the current centre of global cocoa production. If temperatures continue to rise, West Africa could simply become unfit to grow the beans.

AGROFORESTRY

Cocoa beans may be cultivated under shaded conditions, e.g. agroforestry. Agroforestry can reduce the pressure on existing protected forests for resources, such as firewood, and conserve biodiversity. Agroforests act as buffers to formally protected forests and biodiversity island refuges in an open, human-dominated landscape. Research of their shade-grown coffee counterparts has shown that greater canopy cover in plots is significantly associated to greater mammal species richness and abundance. The amount of diversity in tree species is fairly comparable between shade-grown cocoa plots and primary forests. Farmers can grow a variety of fruit-bearing shade trees to supplement their income to help cope with the volatile cocoa prices. Though cocoa has been adapted to grow under a dense rainforest canopy, agroforestry does not significantly further enhance cocoa productivity.

COCOA TRADING

Cocoa beans, cocoa butter and cocoa powder are traded on two world exchanges: ICE Futures U.S. and NYSE Liffe Futures and Options. The London market is based on West African cocoa and New York on cocoa predominantly from Southeast Asia. Cocoa is the world's smallest soft commodity market.

The future price of cocoa butter and cocoa powder is determined by multiplying the bean price by a ratio. The combined butter and powder ratio has tended to be around 3.5. If the combined ratio falls below 3.2 or so, production ceases to be economically viable and some factories cease extraction of butter and powder and trade exclusively in cocoa liquor.

Cocoa beans can be held in storage for several years in bags or in bulk, during which the ownership can change several times, as the cocoa is traded much the same as metal or other commodities, to gain profit for the owner.

WIKIPEDIA

Candid street shot, Valencia Spain.

Chocolate is a processed, typically sweetened food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central America and Northern South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC. The majority of the Mesoamerican people made chocolate beverages, including the Aztecs, who made it into a beverage known as xocolātl a Nahuatl word meaning "bitter water". The seeds of the cacao tree have an intense bitter taste, and must be fermented to develop the flavor.

After fermentation, the beans are dried, then cleaned, and then roasted, and the shell is removed to produce cacao nibs. The nibs are then ground to cocoa mass, pure chocolate in rough form. Because this cocoa mass usually is liquefied then molded with or without other ingredients, it is called chocolate liquor. The liquor also may be processed into two components: cocoa solids and cocoa butter. Unsweetened baking chocolate (bitter chocolate) contains primarily cocoa solids and cocoa butter in varying proportions. Much of the chocolate consumed today is in the form of sweet chocolate, combining cocoa solids, cocoa butter or other fat, and sugar. Milk chocolate is sweet chocolate that additionally contains milk powder or condensed milk. White chocolate contains cocoa butter, sugar, and milk but no cocoa solids.

Cocoa solids contain alkaloids such as theobromine, phenethylamine and caffeine. These have physiological effects on the body and are linked to serotonin levels in the brain. Some research found that chocolate, eaten in moderation, can lower blood pressure. The presence of theobromine renders chocolate toxic to some animals, especially dogs and cats.

Chocolate has become one of the most popular food types and flavors in the world, and a vast number of foodstuffs involving chocolate have been created. Chocolate chip cookies have become very common, and very popular, in most parts of Europe and North America. Gifts of chocolate molded into different shapes have become traditional on certain holidays. Chocolate is also used in cold and hot beverages, to produce chocolate milk and hot chocolate.

Cocoa mass was used originally in Mesoamerica both as a beverage and as an ingredient in foods. Chocolate played a special role in both Maya and Aztec royal and religious events. Priests presented cacao seeds as offerings to the deities and served chocolate drinks during sacred ceremonies. All the cacao-bean-growing areas conquered by the Aztecs were ordered to pay the beans as a tax, or as the Aztecs called it, a "tribute".

The Europeans sweetened and fattened it by adding refined sugar and milk, two ingredients unknown to the Mexicans. By contrast, the Europeans never infused it into their general diet, but have compartmentalized its use to sweets and desserts. In the 19th century, Briton John Cadbury developed an emulsification process to make solid chocolate, creating the modern chocolate bar. Although cocoa is originally from the Americas, today Western Africa produces almost two-thirds of the world's cocoa, with Côte d'Ivoire growing almost half of it.

You may have been to somewhere where there is a tearoom, such as the National Trust, if you have, you may have come across those small pots of jams, and other preserves, of the Tiptree label of Wilkin and Sons ltd.

The Photo shows two bottles, but not of jam, but of flavoured gin liquer, which has been introduced by the manufacturer recently.

Between the bottles is a glass of Baileys Irish Cream Liquer made from cream, cocoa and Irish Whiskey emulsified together with vegetable oil

www.tiptree.com/

www.baileys.com/en-gb

124 Pictures in 2024, theme # 4 Alcohol

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From Garrett's Table:

"Last year I posted a recipe for cucumber and vegetable rolls. I was happy with the recipe but nevertheless thought it could use some refining. Since the weather is finally warm again I decided to give these cucumber rolls an overhaul. These rolls include poached shrimp, marinated carrots, creamy avocado, and fresh cilantro all wrapped inside sliced cucumber. The sauces are sesame vinaigrette and cilantro oil. This unique appetizer is essentially a salad and a fun way to start any summer meal. Here’s a recipe for 8 servings:

SHRIMP AND CUCUMBER ROLLS WITH SESAME VINAIGRETTE AND CILANTRO OIL

Cilantro Oil:

* 1 bunches cilantro

* Salt and sugar to taste

* 1 cup vegetable oil

* 1 Tb. toasted coriander seeds

* 1 tsp. lemon zest

Bring a pot over water to a rapid boil. Season the boiling water with salt and sugar. It should taste salty like the sea and sweet like cola. Season and ice bath similarly. Rinse the cilantro and cut away the large heavy stems at the bottom. Blanch the cilantro for 30 seconds and shock in the ice bath. Gather the blanched cilantro and squeeze to remove as much water as possible. Place the cilantro in a blender with the vegetable oil, coriander seed, and lemon zest. Blend on high for 3 minutes. Pour the oil into a strainer lined with cheesecloth, a grease filter, or a coffee filter and allow to drip for several hours. Discard the solids left behind.

Sesame Vinaigrette:

* 2 tsp chinese spicy mustard

* 2 tsp. pickled ginger

* 2 Tb. mirin

* 2 Tb. soy sauce

* 2 Tb. rice wine vinegar

* 1/2 c. vegetable oil

* 1/4 c. sesame oil

Place the mustard, ginger, mirin, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar in a blender. Blend on high while slowly adding vegetable oil. After the vegetable oil, drizzle in the sesame oil. If the oil is not emulsified add a bit more mustard or some mayonnaise and blend once more.

Poached Shrimp:

* 1 lb. 16/20 shrimp, raw, shell on

* 1 quart water

* 1 celery stalk, sliced

* 1/2 onion, sliced

* 2 cloves garlic, crushed

* 2 slices fresh ginger

* 2 Tb. rice wine vinegar

* 1 lemon

* Salt to taste

* Cilantro oil, to taste

* Chili paste, to taste

Peel and devein the shrimp, reserving the shells. In a medium saucepan combine the shrimp shells with the water, celery, onion, garlic, ginger, vinegar, and zest and juice of the lemon. Bring to a simmer and season heavily with salt. Add the shrimp and drop the heat to low. Poach for 7 minutes and cool the shrimp in the poaching liquid.

When the shrimp cool, drain them well and cut into large pieces. Toss with cilantro oil and chili paste to taste.

To Assemble:

* 2 English cucumbers

* kosher salt

* 2 large carrots, fine julienne

* 1 Tb. mirin

* 1 tsp. soy sauce

* 1 avocado

* Poached shrimp

* Cilantro oil

* Sesame vinaigrette

* Cilantro and black sesame seeds for garnish

Cut the ends from each cucumber and wash well. Cut each cucumber in half and, using a mandolin, slice 1/16′’ thick planks from the cucumber, stopping when you reach the seedy middle. Repeat on the other side of the cucumber. Lay the slices out of a piece of paper towel and salt lightly.

Toss the julienne carrot with the mirin and soy sauce and slice the avocado into long pieces. Lay a piece of plastic wrap on a flat work surface and lay 4-5 cucumber slices on top, overlapping slightly. Place some carrots, a few pieces of avocado, and a few pieces of shrimp at the end of the sheet of cucumber. Carefully roll the cucumber around the filling using the plastic wrap. Wrap the roll tightly in the plastic wrap and twist the ends. Using a sharp knife cut each roll into 3 or 4 pieces and carefully remove the plastic wrap. Pour some sesame vinaigrette on a plate, place the rolls on top, and drizzle with cilantro oil. Garnish with cilantro and black sesame seeds."

The application of ultrasonics to nanomaterials has manifold effects. The most obvious is the dispersing of materials in liquids in order to break particle agglomerates. Another process is the application of ultrasound during particle synthesis or precipitation.

www.hielscher.com/ultrasonics/nano_01.htm

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa seeds

1 1/2 cups cold water

Optional: 1/4 tsp salt

1-15 oz (425 g) can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained

Assorted chopped, fresh vegetables, about 2 to 3 cups

Dressing:

3 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons grainy mustard

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Soak and cook the quinoa according to the savvy vegetarian's method.

2. Combine the cooked quinoa and drained chickpeas in a large mixing bowl.

3. To the bowl add assorted chopped, fresh vegetables from the garden. (In this version I used only tomatoes and sweet peppers. Persian baby cucumbers are also a lovely addition.)

4. Prepare the dressing. Combine lemon juice, sugar & mustard in a bowl. Whisk to blend. Whisk in olive oil until emulsified.

5. Toss the salad with just enough of this dressing to lightly coat the ingredients. Refrigerate the unused portion of the dressing to use on your next salad.

6. Eat and enjoy.

Yield: about 6 servings.

. in remembering Al Aqsa .

_______

Malaysia .

Two egg yolks in glass kitchen bowl.

www.bittersweetblog.com

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"Chicken noodle soup is the ultimate comfort food. Some swear that this rich concoction of chicken broth, egg noodles, carrots, and celery is medicinal, powerful enough to cure the common cold. Everyone’s grandmother has a perfect recipe and, I promise, this is not your grandmother’s recipe.

To dress the dish up I decided to put chicken noodle soup on my spoon instead of putting my spoon in my chicken noodle soup. These are chicken noodle soup liquid center ravioli. Inside the egg noodle ravioli is a liquid center of reduced chicken stock that’s flavored with the essential ingredients of chicken noodle soup. I made the stock with roasted chicken bones and plenty of carrots and celery. I allowed the stock to simmer and reduce overnight to intensify the flavors. It was so reduced, in fact, that when it cooled down the natural gelatin extracted from the chicken bones set the stock into a firm gel. To add some richness I emulsified a touch of chicken fat, also known as Schmaltz or Jewish Gold, into the stock when I seasoned it. Using a spherical ice cube tray I then chilled the stock in the refrigerator to gel it into neat little spheres.

Using Grant Achatz’s pasta recipe for his liquid center truffle ravioli, I encased the gelled stock spheres in rich egg noodle. I cooked the ravioli in simmering chicken stock, which both cooked the noodle and re-liquified the gelled chicken essence. After tossing in a bit of melted butter, I placed the ravioli on serving spoons and garnished with carrots and celery. The brunoise carrots I poached in butter and the celery I seasoned with celery salt and poached in celery juice.

Place the whole ravioli in your mouth at once and bite down to release an oozing center of chickeny goodness. The rich center is finished by the fresh flavors of carrots and celery. Spring, summer, winter, or fall, this is a fantastic way to start a meal. "

A leisurely Saturday morning, raining cats and dogs outside, warmed by the smells of cinnamon and lattes inside. FOOD is cliché, right? Wishing everyone a lazy Saturday and HCS!

Cinnamon Breadsticks

Cut 4 slices of bread into strips (a good farmers market or homemade whole wheat bread with seeds and nuts, or raisin bread, or even wunder-bred).

Mix 2 TBSP canola or other oil with 1 TBSP milk, whisk till emulsified.

Dip bread sticks in oil mixture, then roll in cinnamon sugar (1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon, or to taste).

Bake at 350F for about 10 minutes. They come out slightly crispy - and addictive. Make more than you think you need. Do a rain dance, and enjoy!

#21 of 50: 50 days of 50mm

One of our favourite dishes in the summer, when basil is fresh and available in huge aromatic bouquets at the farmers market, is a simple but incredibly tasty pasta dish: homemade fettuccine with homemade basil pesto, a famous sauce from Genoa, Liguria, in Northern Italy. Ligurians are extremely passionate about their devotion to "pesto alla genovese" (or "pesto genovese") and its main ingredient - basil. Every village (and, for that matter, probably every family) has its own recipe for pesto and its own favourite kind of pasta to use with the sauce. The basic ingredients of a basil pesto common to all Ligurian recipes are fresh basil leaves, cheese (either Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino), pine nuts or walnuts, garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Traditional Genovese pesto, the way an Italian grandmother would make it, is hand-chopped rather than processed by machine (as hand-chopping produces a less uniform pesto which allows for more definition of individual flavours rather than an emulsified pesto paste). I use a food processor when I don't have 20 to 30 minutes for chopping but, either way, these heavenly ingredients create an incredibly tantalizing pesto – which, for me, is one of the quintessential tastes of summer. One of the best parts of making pesto is the divine fragrance released as you chop: I find myself inhaling deeply and liberally, frequently sighing with pleasure and occasionally swooning. While it’s always best made fresh, this pesto does hold up fairly well to freezing.

Pesto can be tossed with any type of your favourite pasta, freshly made or dried. It also makes a great panini (Italian sandwich) spread: try one made with Italian ciabatta generously slathered with basil pesto and layered with provolone, roasted red peppers and fresh baby arugula and anything else you might want to throw into the mix.

This is an archival shot. I had planned to take a photo of the fresh pesto I made from my last post of a bowlful of basil, but I'm not so quick with my food photography and we just couldn't wait to dive into dinner, so no shot!

卵磷脂 ( Lecithin ) www.yanni8.com

blog.yam.com/raymama/article/17198203

還有別人也是這麼吃的

tw.myblog.yahoo.com/jw!LkBSrliCHx4tjlqy_fOP/article?mid=3...

隨著時代和社會的變遷，處於現代的我們，常因生活的忙碌、環境品質的低落等外在因素影響，而導致健康、美容的逐漸惡化，此時，卵磷脂便成為我們健康與美容的一劑強心針。

　　卵磷脂不是藥品，也不是最近才發現新物質，其歷史非常古老，可以歷史來明卵磷脂的良好效果，磷脂早在距今140年前就被發現，由當時法國化學家Gobly最先從蛋黃中成功地分析出來的物質，卵磷脂從化學的觀點來看，卵磷脂是不飽和脂肪酸、膽鹼、甘油及磷等四種重要元素所構成的。

　　膽鹼(Cholin)這個名稱有點聽不慣，然而最近科學家們都極注目地視為非常重要的物質，因膽鹼與醋基（Acetyl）結合而成的醋膽素(Acetly Choline)是腦神經的傳達物質，當醋膽素不足是引起自律神經失調症及痴呆症的主要原因，對更年期婦女，引起的自律神經失調，女性荷爾蒙分泌減弱有相當好的效果。

卵磷脂的主要功能有四種：

1.卵磷脂能溶解膽固醇(有助於減肥)

2.卵磷脂能促進細胞的復甦保持活躍

3.卵磷脂使腦機能活化，並預防老人痴呆症

4.卵磷脂與維他命E有相乘功效。

5.卵磷脂能乳化脂肪有效預防乳腺阻塞及乳腺炎

　　人體內每一個活細胞均需要卵磷脂。調節營養素進出細胞的細胞膜，有一大部分是由卵磷脂構成的。若缺乏卵磷脂，細胞膜會硬化。它的結構保護細胞免於氧化作用的傷害。大腦外部圍繞的保護鞘膜是由卵磷脂組成的，而且肌肉與神經細胞也含有這種必需脂肪酸。卵磷脂有一大部分由Ｂ維他命膽鹼(B Vitamin Choline)組成，也含有亞麻油酸(linoleic acid)及肌醇(inositol)。雖然卵磷脂是一種酯類，但它扮演的是一種乳化劑(emulsifying agent)。

　　卵磷脂對老年人尤其重要，因為它能預防動脈硬化及心臟血管疾病、增強大腦功能、協助肝臟吸收硫胺素(即維他命B1)及小腸吸收維他命A。卵磷脂也能增強體力，且有助於修護被酒精中毒的肝。

　　卵磷脂也有膠囊的形式。餐前服用一粒膠囊，有助脂肪的消化及脂溶性維他命的吸收。那些服用菸鹼素以降低血清膽固醇及脂肪的人，應將卵磷脂列入餐飲計畫中。卵磷脂使膽固醇與其它脂類物質在水中分散，並出體外。把卵磷脂納入飲食中，可避免脂類物質在重要器官及動脈內堆積。卵磷脂亦可能成為愛滋病、皰疹、慢性非洲淋巴細胞瘤(Epstein Barr)病毒及與老化相關之免疫系統毛病者的福音。

卵磷脂 1200mg

成 份：

卵磷脂 1200mg

用 法：

飯後一至二粒。

預防阻塞一天一至二粒。

遇到阻塞時一天增加為二至四粒，並儘量排空及親餵。

特 色：

本產品適用於生產前及生產後欲哺乳的女性朋友。

In the Languedoc region of France, the traditional dish is cassoulet. There are many variations, and the portions are hearty. Being extremely sensitive to heat - and it was hot in late May - I wasn't much into eating such rich food for a whole meal, as delicious as it was. Instead, I had a lot of Nicoise salads. It is lighter, but still substantial and filling.

Inspired, I created this when I came back from France. Here's the recipe:

Vinaigrette:

Juice of half a lemon

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp mayo

1 clove garlic crushed

Pinch sugar to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Enough good olive oil to emulsify everything

Salad ingredients:

Butter lettuce

Grape tomatoes

Hard boiled eggs

Small new potatoes

Green beans

Black olives

Good responsibly fished tuna packed in olive oil

1 can anchovies

Cook and cool the potatoes. Cut in half. Dress them with the vinaigrette.

Top and tail the beans. Throw in salted boiling water, and fish out quickly, shocking them in a bowl of ice water. Drain, and dress with the vinaigrette.

Throw the tuna and anchovies in the remaining vinaigrette.

Compose the salad on a pretty plate. Top everything with the tuna and anchovies.

Humans and their hominid ancestors have consumed eggs for millions of years. The most widely consumed eggs are those of fowl, especially chickens. People in Southeast Asia began harvesting chicken eggs for food by 1500 BCE. Eggs of other birds, such as ducks and ostriches, are eaten regularly but much less commonly than those of chickens. People may also eat the eggs of reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Fish eggs consumed as food are known as roe or caviar.

Chickens and other egg-laying creatures are raised throughout the world, and mass production of chicken eggs is a global industry. In 2009, an estimated 62.1 million metric tons of eggs were produced worldwide from a total laying flock of approximately 6.4 billion hens. There are issues of regional variation in demand and expectation, as well as current debates concerning methods of mass production. In 2012, the European Union banned battery husbandry of chickens.

History

Bird eggs have been valuable foodstuffs since prehistory, in both hunting societies and more recent cultures where birds were domesticated. The chicken was most likely domesticated for its eggs (from jungle fowl native to tropical and subtropical Southeast Asia and Indian subcontinent) before 7500 BCE. Chickens were brought to Sumer and Egypt by 1500 BCE, and arrived in Greece around 800 BCE, where the quail had been the primary source of eggs. In Thebes, Egypt, the tomb of Haremhab, dating to approximately 1420 BCE, shows a depiction of a man carrying bowls of ostrich eggs and other large eggs, presumably those of the pelican, as offerings. In ancient Rome, eggs were preserved using a number of methods and meals often started with an egg course. The Romans crushed the shells in their plates to prevent evil spirits from hiding there.

In the Middle Ages, eggs were forbidden during Lent because of their richness, although the motivation for forgoing eggs during Lent was not entirely religious. An annual pause in egg consumption allowed farmers to rest their flocks, and also to limit their hens' consumption of feed during a time of year when food stocks were usually scarce.

Eggs scrambled with acidic fruit juices were popular in France in the seventeenth century; this may have been the origin of lemon curd.

The dried egg industry developed in the nineteenth century, before the rise of the frozen egg industry. In 1878, a company in St. Louis, Missouri started to transform egg yolk and egg white into a light-brown, meal-like substance by using a drying process. The production of dried eggs significantly expanded during World War II, for use by the United States Armed Forces and its allies.

In 1911, the egg carton was invented by Joseph Coyle in Smithers, British Columbia, to solve a dispute about broken eggs between a farmer in Bulkley Valley and the owner of the Aldermere Hotel. Early egg cartons were made of paper.[9] Polystyrene egg cartons became popular in the latter half of the twentieth century as they were perceived to offer better protection especially against heat and breakage, however, by the twenty-first century environmental considerations have led to the return of more biodegradable paper cartons (often made of recycled material) that once again became more widely used.

Whereas the wild Asian fowl from which domesticated chickens are descended typically lay about a dozen eggs each year during the breeding season, several millennia of selective breeding have produced domesticated hens capable of laying more than three hundred eggs each annually, and to lay eggs year round.

Varieties

Bird eggs are a common food and one of the most versatile ingredients used in cooking. They are important in many branches of the modern food industry.

The most commonly used bird eggs are those from the chicken, duck, and goose. Smaller eggs, such as quail eggs, are used occasionally as a gourmet ingredient in Western countries. Eggs are a common everyday food in many parts of Asia, such as China and Thailand, with Asian production providing 59 percent of the world total in 2013.

The largest bird eggs, from ostriches, tend to be used only as special luxury food. Gull eggs are considered a delicacy in England, as well as in some Scandinavian countries, particularly in Norway. In some African countries, guineafowl eggs often are seen in marketplaces, especially in the spring of each year. Pheasant eggs and emu eggs are edible, but less widely available; sometimes they are obtainable from farmers, poulterers, or luxury grocery stores. In many countries, wild bird eggs are protected by laws which prohibit the collecting or selling of them, or permit collection only during specific periods of the year.

Culinary properties

Chicken eggs are widely used in many types of dishes, both sweet and savory, including many baked goods. Some of the most common preparation methods include scrambled, fried, poached, hard-boiled, soft-boiled, omelettes, and pickled. They also may be eaten raw, although this is not recommended for people who may be especially susceptible to salmonellosis, such as the elderly, the infirm, or pregnant women. In addition, the protein in raw eggs is only 51 percent bioavailable, whereas that of a cooked egg is nearer 91 percent bioavailable, meaning the protein of cooked eggs is nearly twice as absorbable as the protein from raw eggs.

As a cooking ingredient, egg yolks are an important emulsifier in the kitchen, and are also used as a thickener, as in custards.

The albumen (egg white) contains protein, but little or no fat, and may be used in cooking separately from the yolk. The proteins in egg white allow it to form foams and aerated dishes. Egg whites may be aerated or whipped to a light, fluffy consistency, and often are used in desserts such as meringues and mousse.

Ground eggshells sometimes are used as a food additive to deliver calcium. Every part of an egg is edible, although the eggshell is generally discarded. Some recipes call for immature or unlaid eggs, which are harvested after the hen is slaughtered or cooked, while still inside the chicken.

Cooking

Eggs contain multiple proteins that gel at different temperatures within the yolk and the white, and the temperature determines the gelling time. Egg yolk becomes a gel, or solidifies, between 61 and 70 °C (142 and 158 °F). Egg white gels at different temperatures: 60 to 73 °C (140 to 163 °F). The white contains exterior albumen which sets at the highest temperature. In practice, in many cooking processes the white gels first because it is exposed to higher temperatures for longer.

Salmonella is killed instantly at 71 °C (160 °F), but also is killed from 54.5 °C (130.1 °F), if held at that temperature for sufficiently long time periods. To avoid the issue of salmonella, eggs may be pasteurized in-shell at 57 °C (135 °F) for an hour and 15 minutes. Although the white then is slightly milkier, the eggs may be used in normal ways. Whipping for meringue takes significantly longer, but the final volume is virtually the same.

If a boiled egg is overcooked, a greenish ring sometimes appears around the egg yolk due to changes to the iron and sulfur compounds in the egg. It also may occur with an abundance of iron in the cooking water. Overcooking harms the quality of the protein. Chilling an overcooked egg for a few minutes in cold water until it is completely cooled may prevent the greenish ring from forming on the surface of the yolk.

Peeling a cooked egg is easiest when the egg was put into boiling water as opposed to slowly heating the egg from a start in cold water.

Flavor variations

Although the age of the egg and the conditions of its storage have a greater influence, the bird's diet affects the flavor of the egg. For example, when a brown-egg chicken breed eats rapeseed (canola) or soy meals, its intestinal microbes metabolize them into fishy-smelling triethylamine, which ends up in the egg. The unpredictable diet of free-range hens will produce likewise, unpredictable egg flavors.[7] Duck eggs tend to have a flavor distinct from, but still resembling, chicken eggs.

Eggs may be soaked in mixtures to absorb flavor. Tea eggs, a common snack sold from street-side carts in China, are steeped in a brew from a mixture of various spices, soy sauce, and black tea leaves to give flavor.

Storage

Careful storage of edible eggs is extremely important, as an improperly handled egg may contain elevated levels of Salmonella bacteria that may cause severe food poisoning. In the US, eggs are washed. This cleans the shell, but erodes its cuticle. The USDA thus recommends refrigerating eggs to prevent the growth of Salmonella.

Refrigeration also preserves the taste and texture, however, intact eggs (unwashed and unbroken) may be left unrefrigerated for several months without spoiling. In Europe, eggs are not usually washed, and the shells are dirtier, however the cuticle is undamaged, and they do not require refrigeration. In the UK in particular, hens are immunized against salmonella and generally, their eggs are safe for 21 days.

Preservation

The simplest method to preserve an egg is to treat it with salt. Salt draws water out of bacteria and molds, which prevents their growth. The Chinese salted duck egg is made by immersing duck eggs in brine, or coating them individually with a paste of salt and mud or clay. The eggs stop absorbing salt after approximately a month, having reached osmotic equilibrium. Their yolks take on an orange-red color and solidify, but the white remains somewhat liquid. These often are boiled before consumption and are served with rice congee.

Another method is to make pickled eggs, by boiling them first and immersing them in a mixture of vinegar, salt, and spices, such as ginger or allspice. Frequently, beetroot juice is added to impart a red color to the eggs. If the eggs are immersed in it for a few hours, the distinct red, white, and yellow colors may be seen when the eggs are sliced. If marinated for several days or more, the red color will reach the yolk. If the eggs are marinated in the mixture for several weeks or more, the vinegar will dissolve much of the shell's calcium carbonate and penetrate the egg, making it acidic enough to inhibit the growth of bacteria and molds. Pickled eggs made this way generally keep for a year or more without refrigeration.

A century egg or hundred-year-old egg is preserved by coating an egg in a mixture of clay, wood ash, salt, lime, and rice straw for several weeks to several months, depending on the method of processing. After the process is completed, the yolk becomes a dark green, cream-like substance with a strong odor of sulfur and ammonia, while the white becomes a dark brown, transparent jelly with a comparatively mild, distinct flavor. The transforming agent in a century egg is its alkaline material, which gradually raises the pH of the egg from approximately 9 to 12 or more. This chemical process breaks down some of the complex, flavorless proteins and fats of the yolk into simpler, flavorful ones, which in some way may be thought of as an "inorganic" version of fermentation.

Nutrition and health effects

Chicken egg

whole, hard-boiled

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Energy647 kJ (155 kcal)

Carbohydrates

1.12 g

Fat

10.6 g

Protein

12.6 g

Tryptophan0.153 g

Threonine0.604 g

Isoleucine0.686 g

Leucine1.075 g

Lysine0.904 g

Methionine0.392 g

Cystine0.292 g

Phenylalanine0.668 g

Tyrosine0.513 g

Valine0.767 g

Arginine0.755 g

Histidine0.298 g

Alanine0.700 g

Aspartic acid1.264 g

Glutamic acid1.644 g

Glycine0.423 g

Proline0.501 g

Serine0.936 g

VitaminsQuantity%DV†

Vitamin A equiv.19%149 μg

Thiamine (B1)6%0.066 mg

Riboflavin (B2)42%0.5 mg

Niacin (B3)0%0.064 mg

Pantothenic acid (B5)28%1.4 mg

Vitamin B69%0.121 mg

Folate (B9)11%44 μg

Vitamin B1246%1.11 μg

Choline60%294 mg

Vitamin D15%87 IU

Vitamin E7%1.03 mg

Vitamin K0%0.3 μg

MineralsQuantity%DV†

Calcium5%50 mg

Iron9%1.2 mg

Magnesium3%10 mg

Phosphorus25%172 mg

Potassium4%126 mg

Sodium8%126 mg

Zinc11%1.0 mg

Other constituentsQuantity

Water75 g

Cholesterol373 mg

For edible portion only.

Refuse: 12% (shell).

An egg just large enough to be classified as "large" in the U.S. yields 50 grams of egg without shell. This size egg is classified as "medium" in Europe and "standard" in New Zealand.

Link to USDA Database entry

Units

μg = micrograms • mg = milligrams

IU = International units

†Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults.

Source: USDA FoodData Central

Egg yolks and whole eggs store significant amounts of protein and choline. Due to their protein content, the United States Department of Agriculture formerly categorized eggs as Meat within the Food Guide Pyramid (now MyPlate).

A 50-gram (1.8 oz) medium/large chicken egg provides approximately 70 kilocalories (290 kJ) of food energy and 6 grams of protein.

Eggs (boiled) supply several vitamins and minerals as significant amounts of the Daily Value (DV), including (per 100g) vitamin A (19% DV), riboflavin (42% DV), pantothenic acid (28% DV), vitamin B12 (46% DV), choline (60% DV), phosphorus (25% DV), zinc (11% DV) and vitamin D (15% DV). Cooking methods affect the nutritional values of eggs.[clarify]

The diet of laying hens also may affect the nutritional quality of eggs. For instance, chicken eggs that are especially high in omega-3 fatty acids are produced by feeding hens a diet containing polyunsaturated fats from sources such as fish oil, chia seeds, or flaxseeds. Pasture-raised free-range hens, which forage for their own food, also produce eggs that are relatively enriched in omega-3 fatty acids when compared to those of cage-raised chickens.

A 2010 USDA study determined there were no significant differences of macronutrients in various chicken eggs.[53]

Cooked eggs are easier to digest than raw eggs,[54] as well as having a lower risk of salmonellosis.

Cholesterol and fat

More than half the calories found in eggs come from the fat in the yolk; 50 grams of chicken egg (the contents of an egg just large enough to be classified as "large" in the US, but "medium" in Europe) contains approximately five grams of fat. Saturated fat (palmitic, stearic, and myristic acids) makes up 27 percent of the fat in an egg. The egg white consists primarily of water (88 percent) and protein (11 percent), with no cholesterol and 0.2 percent fat.

There is debate over whether egg yolk presents a health risk. Some research suggests dietary cholesterol increases the ratio of total to HDL cholesterol and, therefore, adversely affects the body's cholesterol profile; whereas other studies show that moderate consumption of eggs, up to one a day, does not appear to increase heart disease risk in healthy individuals. Harold McGee argues that the cholesterol in the egg yolk is not what causes a problem, because fat (particularly saturated fat) is much more likely to raise cholesterol levels than the consumption of cholesterol.

A popular Easter tradition in some parts of the world is a decoration of hard-boiled eggs (usually by dyeing, but often by spray-painting). A similar tradition of egg painting exists in areas of the world influenced by the culture of Persia. Before the spring equinox in the Persian New Year tradition (called Norouz), each family member decorates a hard-boiled egg and they set them together in a bowl.

In the New Testament, eggs are referred to as an example of the kind of gift a child might request from their father, and which would not be denied.

In Northern Europe and North America, Easter eggs may be hidden by adults for children to find in an Easter egg hunt. They may be rolled in some traditions.

In Eastern and Central Europe, and parts of England, easter eggs may be tapped against each other to see whose egg breaks first.

Since the sixteenth century, the tradition of a dancing egg is held during the feast of Corpus Christi in Barcelona and other Catalan cities. It consists of a hollow eggshell, positioned over the water jet from a fountain, which causes the eggshell to revolve without falling.

The bitter, the better. Fruit mostarda vinaigrette perfectly balances the endive's bitterness and fried halloumi cheese adds a punch of saltiness. Many thanks to Superiority Burger for the spark. They also add a pickled green pepper to this salad which I did not have at hand and subbed it with harissa in the vinaigrette for a touch of spiciness. Finally, a good use for that homemade rhubarb mostarda.

Vinaigrette alla Mostarda

Ingredients: any kind of fruit mostarda, whole grain mustard, harissa (optional), white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper

Fill a small jar with all ingredients, close the top tightly and shake until the juices emulsify.

Rolleiflex SL35 (c1974), Kodak Gold 200, Carl Zeiss Planar 50/1.4

Castle Beach Fire Department is proud to present the brand new Hazmat 1. Built on a 2017 Spartan Gladiator cab with SVI bodywork, this rig was delivered on May 6, 2017 and replaces the 2016 Seagrave Marauder II Hazmat rig that was totaled in an accident. As the role of the Hazardous Materials Team evolves, so did the apparatus. Differences in the new rig as compared to the previous Seagrave include the addition of a slide-out compartment, which added space for command personnel. While it appears that the rig has less compartmentation than the previous rig, the rig contains the same amount of equipment and still has extra space for new technologies, thanks to the awesome work of the manufacturer! This apparatus can serve multiple roles on the scene such as a command center, rehab area, mobile laboratory, and a changing area.

Technical specs:

2017 Spartan Gladiator 24" raised roof/SVI Hazmat

Code 3 Lighting

Federal Signal Q2B Siren

Motorola Spectra Siren

Grover Air horns

​NightScan PowerLite

Radios and command equipment

Detection cameras (heat sensitive, infrared)

Wilburt Telescoping Pneumatic Mast

Pelco Command Camera System

Climatronics Tecmet II weather station

Battery operated Holmatro extraction tools

Vanair Pro Air Compressor

Harrison On-Board generator

Flow Sciences model FS2009 bench hood

​Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometer

Extensive library of MSDS handbooks

CO monitors

Level A and B entry suits

Testing equipment and meters

60 minute air bottles

Leak and spill kits for chlorine and other dangerous chemicals

Sparkless power-tools

Decontamination equipment

Oil Absorbents

Recovery drums

Emulsifiers

Immersion suits

Credit:

Zak O for the compartments

Spartan ERV and SVI for inspiration

Inspired by:

LAFD USAR 88, 2017 Pierce Arrow XT

Elizabeth, NJ FD Rescue 1

Houston, TX Rescue 10

Denver HAMER 1

Seattle Hazmat 1

FDNY Hazmat 1​

"Hachee rodekool" is a quintessential Dutch comfort meal, especially popular during the colder months. It's a hearty dish that combines two distinct components: "Hachee," a slow-cooked beef and onion stew, and "Rodekool," a sweet and sour braised red cabbage. The hachee traditionally features diced beef (often chuck or stewing beef) browned and then simmered for several hours with a generous amount of caramelized onions. Key to its distinctive flavor profile are spices like bay leaves and cloves, often complemented by a touch of vinegar or even dark beer and apple butter, which contribute to a rich, deeply savory, and slightly tangy gravy. The long cooking time ensures the beef becomes incredibly tender and the flavors meld beautifully.

The "rodekool" component, or red cabbage, is typically prepared separately and offers a vibrant contrast in color, flavor, and texture. It's finely shredded red cabbage, braised with ingredients such as apples (often grated or diced), vinegar, sugar, and warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, and sometimes juniper berries. This creates a delightful balance of sweetness and acidity that cuts through the richness of the hachee. When served together, the tender, savory beef stew and the tangy, slightly sweet red cabbage create a harmonious and satisfying meal, often accompanied by mashed potatoes to soak up the flavorful gravy.

Ingrediënten: groente (31% rodekool, 6,1% ui), 20% aardappel, water, 13% rundvlees, appel, suiker, roomboter, vollemelkpoeder, zetmeel (maïs, aardappel, rijst), zout, azijn, 0,5% aardappelvlok, tarwebloem, sapconcentraat (peer, appel), raapolie, geconcentreerde runderbouillon, specerijen (o.a. mosterd), rodewijnazijn, knoflook, emulgator (mono- en diglyceriden van vetzuren [E471]), geroosterd gerstemoutextract, voedingszuur (citroenzuur [E330]), gistextract, zeezout, extract (specerijen, groente, lavas), maltodextrine, laurier, geleermiddel (pectinen [E440]), antioxidant (ascorbinezuur [E300]).

Waarvan toegevoegde suikers 4.0g per 100 gram en waarvan toegevoegd zout 0.65g per 100 gram

Ingredients: vegetables (31% red cabbage, 6.1% onion), 20% potato, water, 13% beef, apple, sugar, creamed butter, whole milk powder, starch (corn, potato, rice), salt, vinegar, 0.5% potato flake, wheat flour, juice concentrate (pear, apple), rapeseed oil, concentrated beef broth, spices (a.o. mustard), red wine vinegar, garlic, emulsifier (mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids [E471]), roasted barley malt extract, food acid (citric acid [E330]), yeast extract, sea salt, extract (spices, vegetables, lovage), maltodextrin, bay leaf, gelling agent (pectins [E440]), antioxidant (ascorbic acid [E300]).

Of which added sugars 4.0g per 100 grams and of which added salt 0.65g per 100 grams

Cut Instax film, let sit in Hot Pine Sol and water bath. Rubbed away emulsifier with thumb.

Tonkotsu Ramen

- roasted pork, poached egg, fish cake, scallions, pickled bamboo, abalone mushroom

This was the centerpiece of my New Year meal. Real ramen, let alone tonkotsu broth are rarely made at home ( in Japan or otherwise), but I wanted to give it a try.

Tonkotsu broth was made with roasted pork bones, pig's feet, ginger, garlic and Tokyo scallions. Although it took 15 hours to make it ( obscene amount of time, by home cooking standards), the result was very satisfying. The broth was rich, flavorful, shiny and a touch sticky, because of the emulsified collagen. I added approximately 2 tablespoons of concentrated and clarified bacon dashi, just to add saltiness and smoke ( will add more next time though). My next attempt at the tonkotsu broth will include more smoke, a touch of miso and maybe a spoonful of dried scallop/dried shrimp essence. I would rate this broth as 8/10, with space for improvement.

I did not have time to make alkaline noodles, which would have made this ramen bowl considerable better than the plain, albeit freshly made noodles I had to use.

Most of the toppings were the usual suspects ( pork, egg, scallion, fish cake, pickled bamboo), with the abalone mushroom being a last minute substitution. The latter was unsuccessful, as it added only texture, but not much flavor and none of the umami - will absolutely use wood ear mushrooms next time.

Roasted pork absolutely worked, although I should have sliced it a lot thinner, or even served as "pulled-pork" style, just like they do at the Momofuku Noodle Bar. Also, I am toying with an idea of roasting a pork butt with the mixture of honey, five-spice powder, red fermented tofu, dark soy sauce, hoisin sauce and Shaoxing wine - i.e. traditional char siu sauce, on my next attempt. But then again, salt-sugar-pepper-coco nibs mix worked quite well this time.

My ramen remains the work-in-progress and I humbly hope to reach ramen excellence sometime in the future.

Euphorbia is a very large and diverse genus of flowering plants, commonly called spurge, in the family Euphorbiaceae. "Euphorbia" is sometimes used in ordinary English to collectively refer to all members of Euphorbiaceae (in deference to the type genus), not just to members of the genus.

Euphorbias range from tiny annual plants to large and long-lived trees. with perhaps the tallest being Euphorbia ampliphylla at 30 m (98 ft) or more. The genus has roughly 2,000 members, making it one of the largest genera of flowering plants. It also has one of the largest ranges of chromosome counts, along with Rumex and Senecio. Euphorbia antiquorum is the type species for the genus Euphorbia. It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 in Species Plantarum.

Some euphorbias are widely available commercially, such as poinsettias at Christmas. Some are commonly cultivated as ornamentals, or collected and highly valued for the aesthetic appearance of their unique floral structures, such as the crown of thorns plant (Euphorbia milii). Succulent euphorbias from the deserts of Southern Africa and Madagascar have evolved physical characteristics and forms similar to cacti of North and South America, so they are often incorrectly referred to as cacti. Some are used as ornamentals in landscaping, because of beautiful or striking overall forms, and drought and heat tolerance.

Euphorbia all share the feature of having a poisonous, latex-like sap and unique floral structures When viewed as a whole, the head of flowers looks like a single flower (a pseudanthium). It has a unique kind of pseudanthium, called a cyathium, where each flower in the head is reduced to its barest essential part needed for sexual reproduction. The individual flowers are either male or female, with the male flowers reduced to only the stamen, and the females to the pistil. These flowers have no sepals, petals, or other parts that are typical of flowers in other kinds of plants. Structures supporting the flower head and other structures underneath have evolved to attract pollinators with nectar, and with shapes and colors that function in a way petals and other flower parts do in other flowers. It is the only genus of plants that has all three kinds of photosynthesis, CAM, C3 and C4.[7]

Etymology

The common name "spurge" derives from the Middle English/Old French espurge ("to purge"), due to the use of the plant's sap as a purgative. The botanical name Euphorbia derives from Euphorbos, the Greek physician of King Juba II of Numidia and Mauretania (52–50 BC – 23 AD), who married the daughter of Anthony and Cleopatra. Juba was a prolific writer on various subjects, including natural history. Euphorbos wrote that one of the cactus-like euphorbias (now called Euphorbia obtusifolia ssp. regis-jubae) was used as a powerful laxative. In 12 BC, Juba named this plant after his physician Euphorbos, as Augustus Caesar had dedicated a statue to the brother of Euphorbos, Antonius Musa, who was the personal physician of Augustus. In 1753, botanist and taxonomist Carl Linnaeus assigned the name Euphorbia to the entire genus in the physician's honor.

Description

The plants are annual, biennial or perennial herbs, woody shrubs, or trees with a caustic, poisonous milky latex. The roots are fine or thick and fleshy or tuberous. Many species are more or less succulent, thorny, or unarmed. The main stem and mostly also the side arms of the succulent species are thick and fleshy, and often winged, 15–91 cm (6–36 in) tall. The succulent trees and large shrubs are mostly confined to southern and eastern Africa, but Euphorbia neutra is native to the Caatinga of Brazil and Euphorbia royleana is found in the Himalayan foothills.[14] The deciduous[citation needed] leaves may be opposite, alternate, or in whorls. In succulent species, the leaves are mostly small and short-lived. The stipules are mostly small, partly transformed into spines or glands, or missing.

Inflorescence and fruit

Like all members of the family Euphorbiaceae, spurges have unisexual flowers.

In Euphorbia, flowers occur in a head, called the cyathium (plural cyathia). Each male or female flower in the cyathium head has only its essential sexual part, in males the stamen, and in females the pistil. The flowers do not have sepals, petals, or nectar to attract pollinators, although other nonflower parts of the plant have an appearance and nectar glands with similar roles. Euphorbias are the only plants known to have this kind of flower head.

Nectar glands and nectar that attract pollinators are held in the involucre, a cup-like part below and supporting the cyathium head. The "involucre" in the genus Euphorbia is not to be confused with the "involucre" in family Asteraceae members, which is a collection of bracts called phyllaries, which surround and encase the unopened flower head, then support the receptacle under it after the flower head opens.

The involucre is above and supported by bract-like modified leaf structures (usually in pairs)[citation needed] called cyathophylls', or cyathial leaves. The cyathophyll often has a superficial appearance of being petals of a flower.

Euphorbia flowers are tiny, and the variation attracting different pollinators, with different forms and colors occurs, in the cyathium, involucre, cyathophyll, or additional parts such as glands that attached to these.

The collection of many flowers may be shaped and arranged to appear collectively as a single individual flower, sometimes called a pseudanthium in the Asteraceae, and also in Euphorbia.

The majority of species are monoecious (bearing male and female flowers on the same plant), although some are dioecious with male and female flowers occurring on different plants. It is not unusual for the central cyathia of a cyme to be purely male, and for lateral cyathia to carry both sexes. Sometimes, young plants or those growing under unfavorable conditions are male only, and only produce female flowers in the cyathia with maturity or as growing conditions improve.

The female flowers reduced to a single pistil usually split into three parts, often with two stigmas at each tip.[citation needed] Male flowers often have anthers in twos.[citation needed] Nectar glands usually occur in fives, may be as few as one,[16] and may be fused into a "U" shape. The cyathophylls often occur in twos, are leaf-like, and may be showy and brightly coloured and attractive to pollinators, or be reduced to barely visible tiny scales.

The fruits are three- or rarely two-compartment capsules, sometimes fleshy, but almost always ripening to a woody container that then splits open, sometimes explosively. The seeds are four-angled, oval, or spherical, and some species have a caruncle.

Xerophytes and succulents

In the genus Euphorbia, succulence in the species has often evolved divergently and to differing degrees. Sometimes, it is difficult to decide, and is a question of interpretation, whether or not a species is really succulent or "only" xerophytic. In some cases, especially with geophytes, plants closely related to the succulents are normal herbs. About 850 species are succulent in the strictest sense. If one includes slightly succulent and xerophytic species, this figure rises to about 1000, representing about 45% of all Euphorbia species.

Irritants

The milky sap of spurges (called "latex") evolved as a deterrent to herbivores. It is white, and transparent when dry, except in E. abdelkuri, where it is yellow. The pressurized sap seeps from the slightest wound and congeals after a few minutes in air. The skin-irritating and caustic effects are largely caused by varying amounts of diterpenes. Triterpenes such as betulin and corresponding esters are other major components of the latex. In contact with mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth), the latex can produce extremely painful inflammation. The sap has also been known to cause mild to extreme Keratouveitis, which affects vision. Therefore, spurges should be handled with caution and kept away from children and pets. Wearing eye protection while working in close contact with Euphorbia is advised.[18] Latex on skin should be washed off immediately and thoroughly. Congealed latex is insoluble in water, but can be removed with an emulsifier such as milk or soap. A physician should be consulted if inflammation occurs, as severe eye damage including permanent blindness may result from exposure to the sap.

The poisonous qualities were well known: in the Ethiopian Kebra Nagast, the serpent king Arwe is killed with juice from the Euphorbia.

Uses

Several spurges are grown as garden plants, among them poinsettia (E. pulcherrima) and the succulent E. trigona. E. pekinensis (Chinese: 大戟; pinyin: dàjǐ) is used in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is regarded as one of the 50 fundamental herbs. Several Euphorbia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), like the spurge hawkmoths (Hyles euphorbiae and Hyles tithymali), as well as the giant leopard moth.

Ingenol mebutate, a drug used to treat actinic keratosis, is a diterpenoid found in Euphorbia peplus.

Euphorbias are often used as hedging plants in many parts of Africa.

Among laypeople, Euphorbia species are among the plant taxa most commonly confused with cacti, especially the stem succulents. Euphorbias secrete a sticky, milky-white fluid with latex, but cacti do not. Individual flowers of euphorbias are usually tiny and nondescript (although structures around the individual flowers may not be), without petals and sepals, unlike cacti, which often have fantastically showy flowers. Euphorbias from desert habitats with growth forms similar to cacti have thorns, which are different from the spines of cacti.

Systematics and taxonomy

The present taxon "Euphorbia" corresponds to its own former subtribe, the Euphorbiinae.[citation needed] It has over 2000 species. Morphological description using the presence of a cyathium (see section above) is consistent with nuclear and chloroplast DNA sequence data in testing of about 10% of its members. This testing supports inclusion of formerly other genera as being best placed in this single genus, including Chamaesyce, Monadenium, Pedilanthus, and poinsettia (E. pulcherrima).

Genetic tests have shown that similar flower head structures or forms within the genus, might not mean close ancestry within the genus. The genetic data show that within the genus, convergent evolution of inflorescence structures may be from ancestral subunits that are not related. So using morphology within the genus becomes problematic for further subgeneric grouping. As stated on the Euphorbia Planetary Biodiversity Inventory project webpage:

Previous morphologically based delimitations of subgenera or sections within the genus should not be taken at face value. The genus is in fact rife with striking examples of morphological convergence in cyathial and vegetative features, which justifies a global approach to studying the genus to obtain a proper phylogenetic understanding of the whole group.... The bottom line is that a number of clades have been placed inside or outside of Euphorbia at different times... few of the subgeneric circumscriptions hold up under DNA sequence analysis.

According to a 2002 publication on studies of DNA sequence data, most of the smaller "satellite genera" around the huge genus Euphorbia nest deep within the latter. Consequently, these taxa, namely the never generally accepted genus Chamaesyce, as well as the smaller genera Cubanthus, Elaeophorbia, Endadenium, Monadenium, Synadenium, and Pedilanthus were transferred to Euphorbia. The entire subtribe Euphorbiinae now consists solely of the genus Euphorbia.

Selected species

See List of Euphorbia species for complete list.

Euphorbia albomarginata – rattlesnake weed, white-margined sandmat

Euphorbia amygdaloides – wood spurge

Euphorbia antisyphilitica – candelilla

Euphorbia balsamifera – sweet tabaiba (Canary Islands)

Euphorbia bulbispina

Euphorbia caducifolia – leafless milk hedge

Euphorbia canariensis – Canary Island spurge, Hercules club (Canary Islands)

Euphorbia candelabrum – candelabra tree of East Africa

Euphorbia caput-medusae – Medusa's head (South Africa)

Euphorbia ceratocarpa – (Sicily and southern Italy)

Euphorbia characias – Mediterranean spurge

Euphorbia coerulescens - blue euphorbia

Euphorbia cotinifolia – copper tree

Euphorbia cyathophora – fire-on-the-mountain

Euphorbia cyparissias – Cypress spurge

Euphorbia decidua

Euphorbia dendroides – tree spurge

Euphorbia epithymoides – cushion spurge

Euphorbia esula – leafy spurge

Euphorbia franckiana

Euphorbia fulgens – scarlet plume

Euphorbia grantii – African milk bush

Euphorbia gregersenii – Gregersen's spurge

Euphorbia griffithii – Griffith's spurge

Euphorbia helioscopia – sun spurge

Euphorbia heterophylla – painted euphorbia, desert poinsettia, fireplant, paint leaf, kaliko

Euphorbia hirta – asthma-plant

Euphorbia hispida

Euphorbia horrida – African milk barrel

Euphorbia ingens – candelabra tree

Euphorbia labatii

Euphorbia lactea – mottled spurge, frilled fan, elkhorn

Euphorbia lathyris – caper spurge, paper spurge, gopher spurge, gopher plant, mole plant

Euphorbia leuconeura – Madagascar jewel

Euphorbia maculata – spotted spurge, prostrate spurge

Euphorbia marginata – snow on the mountain

Euphorbia mammillaris

Euphorbia maritae

Euphorbia milii – crown-of-thorns, Christ plant

Euphorbia misera – cliff spurge, Baja California, Southern California

Euphorbia myrsinites – myrtle spurge, creeping spurge, donkey tail

Euphorbia nivulia – leafy milk hedge

Euphorbia obesa

Euphorbia paralias – sea spurge

Euphorbia pekinensis – Peking spurge

Euphorbia peplis – purple spurge

Euphorbia peplus – petty spurge

Euphorbia polychroma – bonfire

Euphorbia psammogeton – sand spurge

Euphorbia pulcherrima – poinsettia, Mexican flame leaf, Christmas star, winter rose, noche buena, lalupatae, pascua, Atatürk çiçeği (Turkish)

Euphorbia purpurea – Darlington's glade spurge, glade spurge, or purple spurge

Euphorbia resinifera – resin spurge

Euphorbia rigida – gopher spurge, upright myrtle spurge

Euphorbia serrata – serrated spurge, sawtooth spurge

Euphorbia tirucalli – Indian tree spurge, milk bush, pencil tree, firestick

Euphorbia tithymaloides – devil's backbone, redbird cactus, cimora misha (Peru)

Euphorbia trigona – African milk tree, cathedral cactus, Abyssinian euphorbia

Euphorbia tuberosa

Euphorbia virosa – gifboom or poison tree

Hybrids

Euphorbia has been extensively hybridised for garden use, with many cultivars available commercially. Moreover, some hybrid plants have been found growing in the wild, for instance E. × martini Rouy, a cross of E. amygdaloides × E. characias subsp. characias, found in southern France.

Subgenera

The genus Euphorbia is one of the largest and most complex genera of flowering plants, and several botanists have made unsuccessful attempts to subdivide the genus into numerous smaller genera. According to the recent phylogenetic studies, Euphorbia can be divided into four subgenera, each containing several sections and groups. Of these, subgenus Esula is the most basal. The subgenera Chamaesyce and Euphorbia are probably sister taxa, but very closely related to subgenus Rhizanthium. Extensive xeromorph adaptations in all probability evolved several times; it is not known if the common ancestor of the cactus-like Rhizanthium and Euphorbia lineages had been xeromorphic—in which case a more normal morphology would have re-evolved namely in Chamaesyce—or whether extensive xeromorphism is entirely polyphyletic even to the level of the subgenera.

Can you see what they eat?

We let out hens free range for as long as possible and never feed them any store bought feed, never feed them soy... only organically or naturally grown / raised: vegetables, fruit, seeds ( flax, pumpkin, sunflower, millet, lentil), seaweed, worms, slugs, snails, meat scraps, green grass, dandelions, and some organic whole grains (kamut, spelt, rye, oat, barley, buckwheat, rice).

Eggs from naturally raised chickens are nature’s most perfect food. They are rich in vitamins A and D, as well as choline for mental acuity in adults. Like the B vitamins, choline is a coenzyme needed for metabolism. Choline exists in all living cells, but is probably best known as a major part of lecithin--the emulsifier that keeps fats and cholesterol from clumping together in the blood.

Research shows that humans do not increase blood cholesterol levels by eating cholesterol. Rather, we increase cholesterol by eating refined processed flour, sugars and refined vegetable oils, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats and oils. Based on these findings, we should eat eggs to help reduce cholesterol because of the lecithin content and avoid the processed and dead foods that are the real cause of cholesterol.

We all need protein, but it’s not only the amount of protein that counts, it’s the variety or number of different amino acids that can be found in the proteins. There are 20 amino acids with eight of them considered essential in the diet because our bodies cannot make them. Eggs are one of the few foods containing all the essential amino acids.

Crispy and smooth... what more can you ask for?

Husbear teaches a cooking class!

Now with recipe!

Eggplant Napoleon Ingredients:

2 eggplants (one large one small/thin diameter)

2 cloves garlic sliced thin

1 T olive oil plus one tablespoon

¼ c. stock or water

2 T oil cured olives pitted and chopped

1 tomato seeded and diced small

1 T flat leaf parsley chopped

Flour for dredging

1 quart canola oil for frying

8 bocconcini

Basil vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Eggplant Napoleon Preparation:

Cut large eggplant in half length-wise. Score the flesh 3-4 times in alternating directions (you’ll make a diamond pattern) being careful not to cut deep enough to break the skin. Slide slices of garlic into the slits. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place eggplant face down in skillet. Cook until flesh begins to brown. Add a small amount of stock and cover skillet with lid. Reduce heat to low. Cook until flesh is soft, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

When eggplant is cool, remove from pan and scoop flesh into a colander or cheese cloth to drain off extra moisture.

Mash flesh with a fork or potato masher. Mix in olives, tomato, and parsley and one tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, slice small eggplant crosswise into very thin rounds. Dust each round with flour. Heat canola oil in deep heavy bottomed pot to 350°F. Fry eggplant rounds in small batches until crisp and lightly golden brown.

Spoon eggplant mash onto a fried eggplant round and continue the process until a short stack is made. Garnish with bocconcini, fresh basil leaves and basil vinaigrette.

Basil Vinaigrette Ingredients:

1 cup fresh basil leaves

1 T white wine vinegar

Juice from 1 lemon

1 tsp honey

Salt and freshly ground pepper

½ cup olive oil

Basil Vinaigrette Preparation:

Combine first five ingredients and blend until smooth. Slowly add oil until vinaigrette is smooth and emulsified. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste.

Gentle enough for babies bottoms, penetrating for dry cracked man hands, and a detangling moisturizing treat for dry kinky to curly hair. Can it be true?!

Fresh and made to order. The Beija-Flor buttercreams are concentrated, fast absorbing and lasts all day. Raw organic cocoa and mango butters are blended with aloe vera extracts and other essential goodies until they produce fluffy white clouds of moisture that is guaranteed to soften, smooth and leave you glowing. It does not irritate sensitive or problematic skin and it softens the texture of kinky, coily or curly hair when used as a leave in conditioner/ light styler.

Active Ingredients:

Organic Mango butter: moisturizes, smooths and heals dry skin, reduces signs of aging, provides UV protection against the sun,

prevents stretch marks during pregnancy and treats eczema and dermatitis.

Organic Cocoa Butter: Centuries old ingredient that has been used to keep skin soft and supple. Creates a barrier between sensitive skin and the environment and also helps retain moisture.

Other ingredients: Organic Aloe Vera Extract, Sterilized Water, Raw Organic Shea Butter, Raw Organic Cocoa Butter, Raw Organic Mango Butter, Jojoba Oil, Coconut Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil, Vegetable Emulsifiers, Vitamin E

Please check out full details and many unique recipes at Garrett's Table!

Subscribe to a great mailing list - get recipes and photos directly to your inbox!

From Garrett's Table:

"And now for something completely different. These are crunchy yet tender puffed tomato chips with a basil pesto dip. The chips taste intensely of sun dried tomatoes and are perfectly complimented with a creamy, blended pesto. It’s gourmet Italian junk food made with an unusual technique…

I made the chips using my oven dried tomatoes The chips themselves begin with a dough made from dried tomatoes and tapioca starch. The dough is rolled thin between plastic wrap and steamed. The cooked dough is then cut into shapes and dehydrated. When fried at 400°, the tiny amount of moisture remaining in the starch turns to steam and puffs the chip dramatically.

The process sounds strange but we’re actually quite familiar with it. Popcorn and puffed rice cereal are both common examples of puffed starches that Americans eat on a nearly daily basis. Here’s my recipe for puffed tomato chips with basil pesto:

Tomato Chips:

* 75g oven dried tomatoes

* 400 g water

* 15 g kosher salt

* 30 g balsamic vinegar

* 680 g tapioca starch

Blend the tomatoes, water, salt, and balsamic vinegar until smooth. Pass through a fine mesh strainer to remove any solid particles. Carefully measure the tapioca starch into a large mixing bowl and add the tomato liquid. Slowly incorporate the liquid to form a dough.

Take a small handful of dough (about 1/4 cup) and roll it into a log. Place between two sheets of plastic wrap and roll to 1/16′’ thick. Steam the dough in the plastic wrap for 10 minutes. The dough will now be translucent. Repeat this process with the rest of the dough.

Allow the cooked dough sheets to cool and carefully remove from the plastic wrap onto a clean work surface. Cut into shapes and dehydrate overnight, or until dry and hardened. Store dried chips in an airtight container.

Tomato Seasoning:

* 2 Tb. tomato powder

* 2 tsp. kosher salt

* 1 tsp. powdered sugar

* 1/4 tsp. dried oregano

* 1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Combine ingredients and grind to a fine powder using a spice grinder.

Basil Pesto:

* 2 oz. basil leaves

* 1 Tb. balsamic vinegar

* 1 Tb. water

* 4 walnuts, toasted

* 1 clove garlic

* 1 Tb. grated parmesan cheese

* 1/4 tsp. lemon zest

* 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

* 1/4 c. vegetable oil

Place all ingredients except oils in a blender and blend until smooth. While spinning, drizzle in oils to emulsify. The pesto should be thick and creamy. Hold in the refrigerator.

To Finish and Serve:

Bring a pot of oil to 400° F. Drop 3-4 chips in the oil and fry for about 20 seconds, or until puffed and crispy. Drain on paper towels and dust with powdered tomato seasoning. Serve with a side of basil pesto dip."

The lymphatic system is part of the immune system where cleansing of blood, and the detoxification of our bodies takes place. A huge network of lymphatic vessels recycles blood plasma by removing fluid from the tissues, filtering it, and carrying it back into the bloodstream.

These are 10 foods to add into your diet to boost the lymphatic system:

* Water

May not be a food item, but essential to life. Drink plenty of clean, purified water. Water keeps the lymph fluid hydrated and flowing smoothly.

* Cranberry

Cranberry is an amazing emulsifier of fat which means it helps break down excess fat for the lymphatic vessels to carry away.

* Leafy greens

That green nutrient has powerful cleansing properties and beneficial effects on the blood and thus on lymph fluid as well.

* Nuts and seeds

The essential healthy fats found in seeds like chia, nuts, olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado, play a role in fighting inflammation. They also strengthen our inner organs walls.

* Adaptogenic herbs

Goldenseal, Echinacea, and Astragalus are three herbsthat help alleviate inflammation and congestion of the lymph nodes and vessels.

* Garlic

Garlic boosts immune function and combats harmful microbes. It improves circulation and aids in the cleansing of toxins. It boosts the function of your lymphatic system and contains antibacterial qualities.

* Ginger / Turmeric

Both have beneficial effects on digestion and circulation; two systems that are tied directly to the processes of the lymphatic system. Also they help reduce inflammation, thin blood and improve circulation.

* Seaweed

Sea vegetables help the body detox and eliminate excess fluid that can build up in tissues and slow the lymphatic system down.

* Citrus

Citrus fruits aid hydration, carry powerful antioxidants and enzymes, and help cleanse and protect the lymphatic system.

The brand new Hazmat 1 is here! FDCB is proud to present the heart of the Hazardous Materials Team! Larger than its single-axle predecessor, this beast now carries all the department's Hazmat equipment that used to be stored in the station. This apparatus can also serve as a command center, and the walk-through rescue box allows firefighters to dress for the appropriate situation, albeit a hazardous incident or water rescue incident.

Specifications:

2014 Pierce Velocity with a walk-through compartment

2-door split-tilt cab

Inflatable rescue raft

Department mounted tool box

Chemical analysis lab

MSDS handbooks

CO monitors

Level A and B entry suits

Testing equipment and meters

GC/MS (Gas chromatography/ Mass Spectrum) portable unit for immediate identification of unknown substance

Leak kits for chlorine and other dangerous chemicals

Sparkless power-tools

Decon equipment

Oil Absorbents

Recovery drums

Emulsifiers

Immersion suits

8-man Crew:

Captain/ Incident commander

Engineer/ Safety Officer

3x Firefighter/ Hazmat Specialist

3x Firefighter/ Hazmat Specialist/ CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives) specialist

Credits:

Denver HAMER 1

Seattle Hazmat 1

Newberg, OR Engine 20

FDNY Hazmat 1

Roseline Koener

Sonata for Two Embers in Early Morning

Tempera and ink on cardboard and cotton

17" x 18", 2009

www.walterwickisergallery.com/pages/exhibitions/roseline_...

The Art Of Roseline Koener

“... as a painter I feel that I have in my possession the means of moving others in the direction in which I myself am driven ...”

- Paul Klee, On Modern Art

Her grandfather was a collector, her mother a painter: what did eleven-year-old Roseline Koener want for her twelfth birthday? Oil paints! The following Christmas, her first book on art history arrived, and every week thereafter a book on a different artist. Soon Roseline Koener was studying with the masters. Then came la Cambre (a school founded by members of the Bauhaus) which drew her away not only from the conservatism of her earliest efforts but from art-making itself. In its place she turned to archeology and art history, working after graduation at a succession of museums. Unfulfilled creativity prompted study abroad and travel: Dublin, San Francisco, New York... During this period she learned (from Manuel Neri) “to draw not from seeing, but from feeling”. It was the culture of Africa that transformed her truly. “Its color, fabric, texture” changed the Belgium-born artist into a world cosmopolitan. Roseline Koener’s art strikes one immediately with its color, patterned space and tactile qualities.

Koener’s Westhampton atelier presents the visitor with an array of objects -- ceramics, baskets, linens, paintings and sculptures. Only a shelf’s worth of big bottles of dry pigment divides her workspace from living quarters. The former teems with her works, as well as huge basketfuls of colored fabrics, colored papers, occult-evoking sculpture collections, books, music -- much of this evidence of the wide range of her interest in indigenous cultures.

Roseline Koener’s work process tends to the spontaneous; her media -- fabric and paper foremost among them -- are arranged, layered, inserted, and glued together according to the dictates of color. Markings, dots, and lines then enrich her distinctively beautiful tonal field, bringing into play her highly-developed drawing sense and command of painting technique, until the fragments merge into the single new piece.

Koener’s colors –- her blue, pink, yellow, and green blended with pink and green, purple and blue – make for strong visual poetry; vibrant and intense. She creates them by mixing dry pigment with egg white and an emulsifier, or, alternatively, the dry pigment with ink. The dots or freely drawn lines guide us beyond these exuberant colors into the colors within.

Intellect plus depth of understanding, combined with force of impulse and spontaneity -- all together constitute this artist’s distinctiveness. Her experiences both intellectual and emotional, her biography of courageous embracings and of castings-off, all these have been translated into her work, which guides and pulls us toward her.

“To see the different beauty, to encounter the soul of the world, to discover the universal humanity”, Roseline Koener travels frequently, in-between stints as educator and working artist. Her ultimate goal as artist is to evoke spirituality through the illuminating light of her colors. It should be no surprise that she counts Matisse and Rothko among the artists that enchant her most.

Willo Doe

Art Critic

Willo Doe is the author of numerous catalogues and essays. In addition, she has written extensively for many art journals.

Fourgon-Pompe Tonne Secours Routiers (FPTSR du SDIS 54)

Principaux équipements du FPTSR du CSP Longwy:

- Citerne de 2 900 litres d’eau et 140 litres d’émulseur.

- Pompe de 1500 litres/minute sous 15 bars.

- Tuyaux et agrès incendie.

- Moyens de sauvetage, de déblai.

Hauptaustattung des HLF der Hauptfeuer und Rettungswache Longwy:

- Tank mit 2 900 Litern Wasser und 140 Schaumbildemittel .

- Pumpe von 1500 Liter/Minute bei 15 bar.

- Feuerwehrschläuche und Ausrüstung.

- Rettungs- und Aufräummittel.

Main equipment of the Rescue Pumper from the Fire and Rescue Station Longwy:

- Tank of 2,900 litres of water and 140 litres of emulsifier.

- 1500 litre/minute pump at 15 bars.

- Fire hoses and equipment.

- Rescue and clearing equipment.

Castle Beach Fire Department is proud to present the brand new Hazmat 1. Built on a 2017 Spartan Gladiator cab with SVI bodywork, this rig was delivered on May 6, 2017 and replaces the 2016 Seagrave Marauder II Hazmat rig that was totaled in an accident. As the role of the Hazardous Materials Team evolves, so did the apparatus. Differences in the new rig as compared to the previous Seagrave include the addition of a slide-out compartment, which added space for command personnel. While it appears that the rig has less compartmentation than the previous rig, the rig contains the same amount of equipment and still has extra space for new technologies, thanks to the awesome work of the manufacturer! This apparatus can serve multiple roles on the scene such as a command center, rehab area, mobile laboratory, and a changing area.

Technical specs:

2017 Spartan Gladiator 24" raised roof/SVI Hazmat

Code 3 Lighting

Federal Signal Q2B Siren

Motorola Spectra Siren

Grover Air horns

​NightScan PowerLite

Radios and command equipment

Detection cameras (heat sensitive, infrared)

Wilburt Telescoping Pneumatic Mast

Pelco Command Camera System

Climatronics Tecmet II weather station

Battery operated Holmatro extraction tools

Vanair Pro Air Compressor

Harrison On-Board generator

Flow Sciences model FS2009 bench hood

​Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometer

Extensive library of MSDS handbooks

CO monitors

Level A and B entry suits

Testing equipment and meters

60 minute air bottles

Leak and spill kits for chlorine and other dangerous chemicals

Sparkless power-tools

Decontamination equipment

Oil Absorbents

Recovery drums

Emulsifiers

Immersion suits

Credit:

Zak O for the compartments

Spartan ERV and SVI for inspiration

Inspired by:

LAFD USAR 88, 2017 Pierce Arrow XT

Elizabeth, NJ FD Rescue 1

Houston, TX Rescue 10

Denver HAMER 1

Seattle Hazmat 1

FDNY Hazmat 1​

Materials: Pumpkin seed bottle, anti-freeze, mercury switch, drawer lock escutcheon, shoe buckle, vintage fishing reel handle, vintage drawer pull piece, spring, brass knobs, veterinary syringe part, vintage cloth covered wire, steam, and aether.

As soon as the oil and water are mixed the turn opaque white.

Rear shows the walk-through body.

Hazmat 1 is a 2016 Seagrave Marauder II Heavy rescue/hazmat apparatus that will replace the 2014 Pierce Velocity.

Technical specs:

2016 Seagrave Marauder II Heavy Rescue/Hazmat

Chemical analysis lab

MSDS handbooks

CO monitors

Level A and B entry suits

Testing equipment and meters

GC/MS (Gas chromatography/ Mass Spectrum) portable unit for immediate identification of unknown substance

Leak kits for chlorine and other dangerous chemicals

Sparkless power-tools

Decon equipment

Oil Absorbents

Recovery drums

Emulsifiers

Immersion suits

FDCB is proud to present the heart of the Hazardous Materials Team! Larger than its single-axle predecessor, this beast now carries all the department's Hazmat equipment that used to be stored in the station. This apparatus can also serve as a command center, and the walk-through rescue box allows firefighters to dress for the appropriate situation.

Staffed by 8

Captain/ Incident commander

Engineer/ Safety Officer

3x Firefighter/ Hazmat Specialist

3x Firefighter/ Hazmat Specialist/ CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives) specialist

Credits:

Denver HAMER 1

Seattle Hazmat 1

Newberg, OR Engine 20

FDNY Hazmat 1

Roseline Koener

Cantate of Morning

Tempera and ink on cardboard and paper

15" x 16", 2009

www.walterwickisergallery.com/pages/exhibitions/roseline_...

The Art Of Roseline Koener

“... as a painter I feel that I have in my possession the means of moving others in the direction in which I myself am driven ...”

- Paul Klee, On Modern Art

Her grandfather was a collector, her mother a painter: what did eleven-year-old Roseline Koener want for her twelfth birthday? Oil paints! The following Christmas, her first book on art history arrived, and every week thereafter a book on a different artist. Soon Roseline Koener was studying with the masters. Then came la Cambre (a school founded by members of the Bauhaus) which drew her away not only from the conservatism of her earliest efforts but from art-making itself. In its place she turned to archeology and art history, working after graduation at a succession of museums. Unfulfilled creativity prompted study abroad and travel: Dublin, San Francisco, New York... During this period she learned (from Manuel Neri) “to draw not from seeing, but from feeling”. It was the culture of Africa that transformed her truly. “Its color, fabric, texture” changed the Belgium-born artist into a world cosmopolitan. Roseline Koener’s art strikes one immediately with its color, patterned space and tactile qualities.

Koener’s Westhampton atelier presents the visitor with an array of objects -- ceramics, baskets, linens, paintings and sculptures. Only a shelf’s worth of big bottles of dry pigment divides her workspace from living quarters. The former teems with her works, as well as huge basketfuls of colored fabrics, colored papers, occult-evoking sculpture collections, books, music -- much of this evidence of the wide range of her interest in indigenous cultures.

Roseline Koener’s work process tends to the spontaneous; her media -- fabric and paper foremost among them -- are arranged, layered, inserted, and glued together according to the dictates of color. Markings, dots, and lines then enrich her distinctively beautiful tonal field, bringing into play her highly-developed drawing sense and command of painting technique, until the fragments merge into the single new piece.

Koener’s colors –- her blue, pink, yellow, and green blended with pink and green, purple and blue – make for strong visual poetry; vibrant and intense. She creates them by mixing dry pigment with egg white and an emulsifier, or, alternatively, the dry pigment with ink. The dots or freely drawn lines guide us beyond these exuberant colors into the colors within.

Intellect plus depth of understanding, combined with force of impulse and spontaneity -- all together constitute this artist’s distinctiveness. Her experiences both intellectual and emotional, her biography of courageous embracings and of castings-off, all these have been translated into her work, which guides and pulls us toward her.

“To see the different beauty, to encounter the soul of the world, to discover the universal humanity”, Roseline Koener travels frequently, in-between stints as educator and working artist. Her ultimate goal as artist is to evoke spirituality through the illuminating light of her colors. It should be no surprise that she counts Matisse and Rothko among the artists that enchant her most.

Willo Doe

Art Critic

Willo Doe is the author of numerous catalogues and essays. In addition, she has written extensively for many art journals.

Piggy Poop Soap: Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera), Safflower Oil (carthamus tinctorius), Glycerin (kosher, of vegetable origin), Goats Milk, Purified water (aqua), Sodium Hydroxide (saponifying agent), Sorbitol (moisturizer), Sorbitan oleate (emulsifier), Oat protein (Avena Sativa), Titanium Dioxide (mineral whitener) Fragrance-Ruby Grapefruit Color Red 33 and 40 #88780

piggy poop soap(there is no piggy poop in this soap)

The cocoa bean, also cacao bean or simply cocoa (/ˈkoʊ.koʊ/) or cacao (/kəˈkaʊ/), is the dried and fully fermented fatty seed of Theobroma cacao, from which cocoa solids and cocoa butter are extracted. They are the basis of chocolate, as well as many Mesoamerican foods such as mole and tejate.

ETYMOLOGY

The word "cocoa"' derives from the Spanish word cacao, derived from the Nahuatl word cacahuatl. The Nahautl word, in turn, ultimately derives from the reconstructed Proto Mije-Sokean word *kakaw~*kakawa.

Cocoa can often also refer to the drink commonly known as hot chocolate; to cocoa powder, the dry powder made by grinding cocoa seeds and removing the cocoa butter from the dark, bitter cocoa solids; or to a mixture of cocoa powder and cocoa butter.

HISTORY

The cacao tree is native to the Americas. It may have originated in the foothills of the Andes in the Amazon and Orinoco basins of South America, current-day Colombia and Venezuela, where today, examples of wild cacao still can be found. However, it may have had a larger range in the past, evidence for which may be obscured because of its cultivation in these areas long before, as well as after, the Spanish arrived. New chemical analyses of residues extracted from pottery excavated at an archaeological site at Puerto Escondido in Honduras indicate cocoa products were first consumed there between 1400 and 1500 BC. The new evidence also indicates that, long before the flavor of the cacao seed (or bean) became popular, the sweet pulp of the chocolate fruit, used in making a fermented (5% alcohol) beverage, first drew attention to the plant in the Americas. The cocoa bean was a common currency throughout Mesoamerica before the Spanish conquest.

Cacao trees grow in a limited geographical zone, of about 20° to the north and south of the Equator. Nearly 70% of the world crop today is grown in West Africa. The cacao plant was first given its botanical name by Swedish natural scientist Carl Linnaeus in his original classification of the plant kingdom, who called it Theobroma ("food of the gods") cacao.

Cocoa was an important commodity in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. A Spanish soldier who was part of the conquest of Mexico by Hernán Cortés tells that when Moctezuma II, emperor of the Aztecs, dined, he took no other beverage than chocolate, served in a golden goblet. Flavored with vanilla or other spices, his chocolate was whipped into a froth that dissolved in the mouth. No fewer than 60 portions each day reportedly may have been consumed by Moctezuma II, and 2,000 more by the nobles of his court.

Chocolate was introduced to Europe by the Spaniards, and became a popular beverage by the mid-17th century. They also introduced the cacao tree into the West Indies and the Philippines. It was also introduced into the rest of Asia and into West Africa by Europeans. In the Gold Coast, modern Ghana, cacao was introduced by an African, Tetteh Quarshie.

PRODUCTION

COCOA POD

A cocoa pod (fruit) has a rough, leathery rind about 2 to 3 cm thick (this varies with the origin and variety of pod) filled with sweet, mucilaginous pulp (called baba de cacao in South America) with a lemonade-like taste enclosing 30 to 50 large seeds that are fairly soft and a pale lavender to dark brownish purple color. Due to heat buildup in the fermentation process, cacao beans lose most of the purplish hue and become mostly brown in color, with an adhered skin which includes the dried remains of the fruity pulp. This skin is released easily after roasting by winnowing. White seeds are found in some rare varieties, usually mixed with purples, and are considered of higher value. Historically, white cacao was cultivated by the Rama people of Nicaragua.

VARIETIES

The three main varieties of cocoa plant are Forastero, Criollo, and Trinitario. The first is the most widely used, comprising 95% of the world production of cocoa. Cocoa beans of the Criollo variety are rarer and considered a delicacy. Criollo plantations have lower yields than those of Forastero, and also tend to be less resistant to several diseases that attack the cocoa plant, hence very few countries still produce it. One of the largest producers of Criollo beans is Venezuela (Chuao and Porcelana). Trinitario (from Trinidad) is a hybrid between Criollo and Forastero varieties. It is considered to be of much higher quality than Forastero, but has higher yields and is more resistant to disease than Criollo.

HARVESTING

Cocoa trees grow in hot, rainy tropical areas within 20° of latitude from the Equator. Cocoa harvest is not restricted to one period per year and a harvest typically occurs over several months. In fact, in many countries, cocoa can be harvested at any time of the year. Pesticides are often applied to the trees to combat capsid bugs and fungicides to fight black pod disease.

Immature cocoa pods have a variety of colours, but most often are green, red, or purple, and as they mature, their colour tends towards yellow or orange, particularly in the creases. Unlike most fruiting trees, the cacoa pod grows directly from the trunk or large branch of a tree rather than from the end of a branch, similar to jackfruit. This makes harvesting by hand easier as most of the pods will not be up in the higher branches. The pods on a tree do not ripen together; harvesting needs to be done periodically through the year. Harvesting occurs between three and four times weekly during the harvest season. The ripe and near-ripe pods, as judged by their colour, are harvested from the trunk and branches of the cocoa tree with a curved knife on a long pole. Care must be used when cutting the stem of the pod to avoid damaging the junction of the stem with the tree, as this is where future flowers and pods will emerge. One person can harvest an estimated 650 pods per day.

HARVEST PROCESSING

The harvested pods are opened, typically with a machete, to expose the beans. The pulp and cocoa seeds are removed and the rind is discarded. The pulp and seeds are then piled in heaps, placed in bins, or laid out on grates for several days. During this time, the seeds and pulp undergo "sweating", where the thick pulp liquefies as it ferments. The fermented pulp trickles away, leaving cocoa seeds behind to be collected. Sweating is important for the quality of the beans, which originally have a strong, bitter taste. If sweating is interrupted, the resulting cocoa may be ruined; if underdone, the cocoa seed maintains a flavor similar to raw potatoes and becomes susceptible to mildew. Some cocoa-producing countries distill alcoholic spirits using the liquefied pulp. A typical pod contains 20 to 50 beans and about 400 dried beans are required to make one pound - or 880 per kilogram - of chocolate. Cocoa pods weigh an average of 400 g and each one yields 35 to 40 g dried beans (this yield is 40–44% of the total weight in the pod). One person can separate the beans from about 2000 pods per day.

The wet beans are then transported to a facility so they can be fermented and dried. They are fermented for four to seven days and must be mixed every two days. They are dried for five to 14 days, depending on the climate conditions. The fermented beans are dried by spreading them out over a large surface and constantly raking them. In large plantations, this is done on huge trays under the sun or by using artificial heat. Small plantations may dry their harvest on little trays or on cowhides. Finally, the beans are trodden and shuffled about (often using bare human feet) and sometimes, during this process, red clay mixed with water is sprinkled over the beans to obtain a finer color, polish, and protection against molds during shipment to factories in the United States, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and other countries. Drying in the sun is preferable to drying by artificial means, as no extraneous flavors such as smoke or oil are introduced which might otherwise taint the flavor.

The beans should be dry for shipment (usually by sea). Traditionally exported in jute bags, over the last decade, beans are increasingly shipped in "mega-bulk" parcels of several thousand tonnes at a time on ships, or in smaller lots around 25 tonnes in 20-ft containers. Shipping in bulk significantly reduces handling costs; shipment in bags, however, either in a ship's hold or in containers, is still common.

Throughout Mesoamerica where they are native, cocoa beans are used for a variety of foods. The harvested and fermented beans may be ground to-order at tiendas de chocolate, or chocolate mills. At these mills, the cocoa can be mixed with a variety of ingredients such as cinnamon, chili peppers, almonds, vanilla, and other spices to create drinking chocolate. The ground cocoa is also an important ingredient in tejate and a number of savory foods, such as mole.

WORLD PRODUCTION

Nearly 5,000,000 tonnes (4,900,000 long tons; 5,500,000 short tons) of cocoa are produced each year.

The historical global production was

1974: 1,556,484 tons,

1984: 1,810,611 tons,

1994: 2,672,173 tons,

2004: 3,607,052 tons.

The production increased by 131.7% in 30 years, representing a compound annual growth rate of 2.9%.

About 3.54 million tonnes of cocoa beans were produced in the 2008–2009 growing year, which runs from October to September. Of this total, African nations produced 2.45 million tonnes (69%), Asia and Oceania produced 0.61 million tonnes (17%), and the Americas produced 0.48 million tonnes (14%). Two African nations, Ivory Coast and Ghana, produce more than half of the world's cocoa, with 1.23 and 0.73 million tonnes, respectively (35% and 21%, respectively).

CONSUMPTION

Different metrics are used for chocolate consumption. The Netherlands has the highest monetary amount of cocoa bean imports (US$2.1 billion); it is also one of the main ports into Europe. The United States has highest amount of cocoa powder imports ($220 million); the US has a large amount of cocoa complementary products. The United Kingdom has the highest amount of retail chocolate ($1.3 billion) and is one of the biggest chocolate consumption-per-capita markets.

Cocoa and its products (including chocolate) are used worldwide. Per capita consumption is poorly understood, with numerous countries claiming the highest: various reports state that Switzerland, Belgium, and the UK have the highest consumption. However, since no clear mechanism exists to determine how much of a country's production is consumed by residents and how much by visitors, any data with respect to consumption remain purely speculative.

CHOCOLATE PRODUCTION

To make 1 kg of chocolate, about 300 to 600 beans are processed, depending on the desired cocoa content. In a factory, the beans are roasted. Next, they are cracked and then deshelled by a "winnower". The resulting pieces of beans are called nibs. They are sometimes sold in small packages at specialty stores and markets to be used in cooking, snacking, and chocolate dishes. Since nibs are directly from the cocoa tree, they contain high amounts of theobromine. Most nibs are ground, using various methods, into a thick, creamy paste, known as chocolate liquor or cocoa paste. This "liquor" is then further processed into chocolate by mixing in (more) cocoa butter and sugar (and sometimes vanilla and lecithin as an emulsifier), and then refined, conched and tempered. Alternatively, it can be separated into cocoa powder and cocoa butter using a hydraulic press or the Broma process. This process produces around 50% cocoa butter and 50% cocoa powder. Standard cocoa powder has a fat content around 10–12%%. Cocoa butter is used in chocolate bar manufacture, other confectionery, soaps, and cosmetics.

Treating with alkali produces Dutch-process cocoa powder, which is less acidic, darker, and more mellow in flavor than what is generally available in most of the world. Regular (nonalkalized) cocoa is acidic, so when cocoa is treated with an alkaline ingredient, generally potassium carbonate, the pH increases. This process can be done at various stages during manufacturing, including during nib treatment, liquor treatment, or press cake treatment.

Another process that helps develop the flavor is roasting, which can be done on the whole bean before shelling or on the nib after shelling. The time and temperature of the roast affect the result: A "low roast" produces a more acid, aromatic flavor, while a high roast gives a more intense, bitter flavor lacking complex flavor notes.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF COCOA CONSUMPTION

In general, cocoa is considered to be a rich source of antioxidants such as procyanidins and flavanoids, which may impart antiaging properties. Cocoa also contain a high level of flavonoids, specifically epicatechin, which may have beneficial effects on cardiovascular health.

The stimulant activity of cocoa comes from the compound theobromine which is less diuretic as compared to theophylline found in tea. Prolonged intake of flavanol-rich cocoa has been linked to cardiovascular health benefits, though this refers to raw cocoa and to a lesser extent, dark chocolate, since flavonoids degrade during cooking and alkalizing processes. Short-term benefits in LDL cholesterol levels from dark chocolate consumption have been found. The addition of whole milk to milk chocolate reduces the overall cocoa content per ounce while increasing saturated fat levels. Although one study has concluded that milk impairs the absorption of polyphenolic flavonoids, e.g. epicatechin, a followup failed to find the effect.

Hollenberg and colleagues of Harvard Medical School studied the effects of cocoa and flavanols on Panama's Kuna people, who are heavy consumers of cocoa. The researchers found that the Kuna people living on the islands had significantly lower rates of heart disease and cancer compared to those on the mainland who do not drink cocoa as on the islands. It is believed that the improved blood flow after consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa may help to achieve health benefits in hearts and other organs. In particular, the benefits may extend to the brain and have important implications for learning and memory.

Foods rich in cocoa appear to reduce blood pressure but drinking green and black tea may not, according to an analysis of previously published research in the April 9, 2007 issue of Archives of Internal MedicineA 15-year study of elderly men published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2006 found a 50 percent reduction in cardiovascular mortality and a 47 percent reduction in all-cause mortality for the men regularly consuming the most cocoa, compared to those consuming the least cocoa from all sources.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

The relative poverty of many cocoa farmers means that environmental consequences such as deforestation are given little significance. For decades, cocoa farmers have encroached on virgin forest, mostly after the felling of trees by logging companies. This trend has decreased as many governments and communities are beginning to protect their remaining forested zones. In general, the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides by cocoa farmers is limited. When cocoa bean prices are high, farmers may invest in their crops, leading to higher yields which, in turn tends to result in lower market prices and a renewed period of lower investment.

Cocoa production is likely to be affected in various ways by the expected effects of global warming. Specific concerns have been raised concerning its future as a cash crop in West Africa, the current centre of global cocoa production. If temperatures continue to rise, West Africa could simply become unfit to grow the beans.

AGROFORESTRY

Cocoa beans may be cultivated under shaded conditions, e.g. agroforestry. Agroforestry can reduce the pressure on existing protected forests for resources, such as firewood, and conserve biodiversity. Agroforests act as buffers to formally protected forests and biodiversity island refuges in an open, human-dominated landscape. Research of their shade-grown coffee counterparts has shown that greater canopy cover in plots is significantly associated to greater mammal species richness and abundance. The amount of diversity in tree species is fairly comparable between shade-grown cocoa plots and primary forests. Farmers can grow a variety of fruit-bearing shade trees to supplement their income to help cope with the volatile cocoa prices. Though cocoa has been adapted to grow under a dense rainforest canopy, agroforestry does not significantly further enhance cocoa productivity.

COCOA TRADING

Cocoa beans, cocoa butter and cocoa powder are traded on two world exchanges: ICE Futures U.S. and NYSE Liffe Futures and Options. The London market is based on West African cocoa and New York on cocoa predominantly from Southeast Asia. Cocoa is the world's smallest soft commodity market.

The future price of cocoa butter and cocoa powder is determined by multiplying the bean price by a ratio. The combined butter and powder ratio has tended to be around 3.5. If the combined ratio falls below 3.2 or so, production ceases to be economically viable and some factories cease extraction of butter and powder and trade exclusively in cocoa liquor.

Cocoa beans can be held in storage for several years in bags or in bulk, during which the ownership can change several times, as the cocoa is traded much the same as metal or other commodities, to gain profit for the owner.

WIKIPEDIA

Hazmat 1 is a 2016 Seagrave Marauder II Heavy rescue/hazmat apparatus that will replace the 2014 Pierce Velocity.

Technical specs:

2016 Seagrave Marauder II Heavy Rescue/Hazmat

Chemical analysis lab

MSDS handbooks

CO monitors

Level A and B entry suits

Testing equipment and meters

GC/MS (Gas chromatography/ Mass Spectrum) portable unit for immediate identification of unknown substance

Leak kits for chlorine and other dangerous chemicals

Sparkless power-tools

Decon equipment

Oil Absorbents

Recovery drums

Emulsifiers

Immersion suits

FDCB is proud to present the heart of the Hazardous Materials Team! Larger than its single-axle predecessor, this beast now carries all the department's Hazmat equipment that used to be stored in the station. This apparatus can also serve as a command center, and the walk-through rescue box allows firefighters to dress for the appropriate situation.

Staffed by 8

Captain/ Incident commander

Engineer/ Safety Officer

3x Firefighter/ Hazmat Specialist

3x Firefighter/ Hazmat Specialist/ CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives) specialist

Credits:

Denver HAMER 1

Seattle Hazmat 1

Newberg, OR Engine 20

FDNY Hazmat 1

Healthy Low-Carb Zucchini Bread

(Makes 2 loaves, 14 slices per loaf, about 3 net carbs/slice)

2 cups shredded zucchini (5 net carbs)

1 cup chopped walnuts (8 net carbs)

1 cup almond flour (4 net carbs)

1 cup flax meal (2 net carbs)

1 cup vital wheat gluten (16 net carbs)

3 t. cinnamon (5 net carbs)

2 tablespoons baking soda (0 net carbs)

2 tablespoons baking powder (0 net carbs)

1 cup vegetable oil (0 net carbs)

3 eggs (1.5 carbs)

1 cup Splenda (24 net carbs)

1 cup erythritol crystals (10 net carbs)

4 tablespoons vanilla (0 net carbs)

(Total Net Carbs = 75.5) (Carbs per loaf = 37.75) (About 14 slices per loaf = about 3 net carbs per slice)

(Actual figure was 2.696428571428571428571, etc.)

Shred two cups of peeled zucchini. Add a cup of chopped walnuts on top and put aside.

Whisk the almond flour, flax meal, vital wheat gluten, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon together and put aside.

Whisk one cup of vegetable oil into three eggs until emulsified. Whisk in one cup of erythritol crystals and one cup of Splenda and stir until blended. Blend in vanilla.

Add dry ingredients and fold together with spatula until well blended. Fold in zucchini and walnuts until well blended.

Line two bread pans with parchment paper and divide the bread mixture between the two.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 – 50 minutes. Loaves are done when they are a dark, rich brown color and firm to the touch.

Remove from pan by lifting out the parchment paper. Peel paper away and cool on wire racks.

Notes: I live in an area where vital wheat gluten, erythritol crystals, flax meal, and almond flour are hard to come by and expensive if you can find them at all. I order the erythritol, vital wheat gluten and flax meal online (be sure to search for best prices because there can be a huge difference between vendors).

I make my own almond meal by buying whole almonds in the baking section of my supermarket and “grinding” them with the attachment that came with my immersion blender. You can also use your regular blender, or one of those mini choppers. Unlike a lot of recipes where parchment paper is a nice touch but not really that important, for this recipe, I strongly recommend it.

This recipe is amazingly flexible. Sometimes I’ve run out of either almond flour or flax meal and I just doubled whichever one I did have and it worked fine. I sometimes use some shredded apple in with or in place of the zucchini, but realize you will be altering the carb count slightly. If you want to splurge you can add one of those mini boxes of raisins, but be aware this will add about 6 carbs per loaf. Also, I often double the recipe to make four loaves since it freezes well.

Feel free to share and distribute this recipe.

The cocoa bean, also cacao bean or simply cocoa (/ˈkoʊ.koʊ/) or cacao (/kəˈkaʊ/), is the dried and fully fermented fatty seed of Theobroma cacao, from which cocoa solids and cocoa butter are extracted. They are the basis of chocolate, as well as many Mesoamerican foods such as mole and tejate.

ETYMOLOGY

The word "cocoa"' derives from the Spanish word cacao, derived from the Nahuatl word cacahuatl. The Nahautl word, in turn, ultimately derives from the reconstructed Proto Mije-Sokean word *kakaw~*kakawa.

Cocoa can often also refer to the drink commonly known as hot chocolate; to cocoa powder, the dry powder made by grinding cocoa seeds and removing the cocoa butter from the dark, bitter cocoa solids; or to a mixture of cocoa powder and cocoa butter.

HISTORY

The cacao tree is native to the Americas. It may have originated in the foothills of the Andes in the Amazon and Orinoco basins of South America, current-day Colombia and Venezuela, where today, examples of wild cacao still can be found. However, it may have had a larger range in the past, evidence for which may be obscured because of its cultivation in these areas long before, as well as after, the Spanish arrived. New chemical analyses of residues extracted from pottery excavated at an archaeological site at Puerto Escondido in Honduras indicate cocoa products were first consumed there between 1400 and 1500 BC. The new evidence also indicates that, long before the flavor of the cacao seed (or bean) became popular, the sweet pulp of the chocolate fruit, used in making a fermented (5% alcohol) beverage, first drew attention to the plant in the Americas. The cocoa bean was a common currency throughout Mesoamerica before the Spanish conquest.

Cacao trees grow in a limited geographical zone, of about 20° to the north and south of the Equator. Nearly 70% of the world crop today is grown in West Africa. The cacao plant was first given its botanical name by Swedish natural scientist Carl Linnaeus in his original classification of the plant kingdom, who called it Theobroma ("food of the gods") cacao.

Cocoa was an important commodity in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. A Spanish soldier who was part of the conquest of Mexico by Hernán Cortés tells that when Moctezuma II, emperor of the Aztecs, dined, he took no other beverage than chocolate, served in a golden goblet. Flavored with vanilla or other spices, his chocolate was whipped into a froth that dissolved in the mouth. No fewer than 60 portions each day reportedly may have been consumed by Moctezuma II, and 2,000 more by the nobles of his court.

Chocolate was introduced to Europe by the Spaniards, and became a popular beverage by the mid-17th century. They also introduced the cacao tree into the West Indies and the Philippines. It was also introduced into the rest of Asia and into West Africa by Europeans. In the Gold Coast, modern Ghana, cacao was introduced by an African, Tetteh Quarshie.

PRODUCTION

COCOA POD

A cocoa pod (fruit) has a rough, leathery rind about 2 to 3 cm thick (this varies with the origin and variety of pod) filled with sweet, mucilaginous pulp (called baba de cacao in South America) with a lemonade-like taste enclosing 30 to 50 large seeds that are fairly soft and a pale lavender to dark brownish purple color. Due to heat buildup in the fermentation process, cacao beans lose most of the purplish hue and become mostly brown in color, with an adhered skin which includes the dried remains of the fruity pulp. This skin is released easily after roasting by winnowing. White seeds are found in some rare varieties, usually mixed with purples, and are considered of higher value. Historically, white cacao was cultivated by the Rama people of Nicaragua.

VARIETIES

The three main varieties of cocoa plant are Forastero, Criollo, and Trinitario. The first is the most widely used, comprising 95% of the world production of cocoa. Cocoa beans of the Criollo variety are rarer and considered a delicacy. Criollo plantations have lower yields than those of Forastero, and also tend to be less resistant to several diseases that attack the cocoa plant, hence very few countries still produce it. One of the largest producers of Criollo beans is Venezuela (Chuao and Porcelana). Trinitario (from Trinidad) is a hybrid between Criollo and Forastero varieties. It is considered to be of much higher quality than Forastero, but has higher yields and is more resistant to disease than Criollo.

HARVESTING

Cocoa trees grow in hot, rainy tropical areas within 20° of latitude from the Equator. Cocoa harvest is not restricted to one period per year and a harvest typically occurs over several months. In fact, in many countries, cocoa can be harvested at any time of the year. Pesticides are often applied to the trees to combat capsid bugs and fungicides to fight black pod disease.

Immature cocoa pods have a variety of colours, but most often are green, red, or purple, and as they mature, their colour tends towards yellow or orange, particularly in the creases. Unlike most fruiting trees, the cacoa pod grows directly from the trunk or large branch of a tree rather than from the end of a branch, similar to jackfruit. This makes harvesting by hand easier as most of the pods will not be up in the higher branches. The pods on a tree do not ripen together; harvesting needs to be done periodically through the year. Harvesting occurs between three and four times weekly during the harvest season. The ripe and near-ripe pods, as judged by their colour, are harvested from the trunk and branches of the cocoa tree with a curved knife on a long pole. Care must be used when cutting the stem of the pod to avoid damaging the junction of the stem with the tree, as this is where future flowers and pods will emerge. One person can harvest an estimated 650 pods per day.

HARVEST PROCESSING

The harvested pods are opened, typically with a machete, to expose the beans. The pulp and cocoa seeds are removed and the rind is discarded. The pulp and seeds are then piled in heaps, placed in bins, or laid out on grates for several days. During this time, the seeds and pulp undergo "sweating", where the thick pulp liquefies as it ferments. The fermented pulp trickles away, leaving cocoa seeds behind to be collected. Sweating is important for the quality of the beans, which originally have a strong, bitter taste. If sweating is interrupted, the resulting cocoa may be ruined; if underdone, the cocoa seed maintains a flavor similar to raw potatoes and becomes susceptible to mildew. Some cocoa-producing countries distill alcoholic spirits using the liquefied pulp. A typical pod contains 20 to 50 beans and about 400 dried beans are required to make one pound - or 880 per kilogram - of chocolate. Cocoa pods weigh an average of 400 g and each one yields 35 to 40 g dried beans (this yield is 40–44% of the total weight in the pod). One person can separate the beans from about 2000 pods per day.

The wet beans are then transported to a facility so they can be fermented and dried. They are fermented for four to seven days and must be mixed every two days. They are dried for five to 14 days, depending on the climate conditions. The fermented beans are dried by spreading them out over a large surface and constantly raking them. In large plantations, this is done on huge trays under the sun or by using artificial heat. Small plantations may dry their harvest on little trays or on cowhides. Finally, the beans are trodden and shuffled about (often using bare human feet) and sometimes, during this process, red clay mixed with water is sprinkled over the beans to obtain a finer color, polish, and protection against molds during shipment to factories in the United States, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and other countries. Drying in the sun is preferable to drying by artificial means, as no extraneous flavors such as smoke or oil are introduced which might otherwise taint the flavor.

The beans should be dry for shipment (usually by sea). Traditionally exported in jute bags, over the last decade, beans are increasingly shipped in "mega-bulk" parcels of several thousand tonnes at a time on ships, or in smaller lots around 25 tonnes in 20-ft containers. Shipping in bulk significantly reduces handling costs; shipment in bags, however, either in a ship's hold or in containers, is still common.

Throughout Mesoamerica where they are native, cocoa beans are used for a variety of foods. The harvested and fermented beans may be ground to-order at tiendas de chocolate, or chocolate mills. At these mills, the cocoa can be mixed with a variety of ingredients such as cinnamon, chili peppers, almonds, vanilla, and other spices to create drinking chocolate. The ground cocoa is also an important ingredient in tejate and a number of savory foods, such as mole.

WORLD PRODUCTION

Nearly 5,000,000 tonnes (4,900,000 long tons; 5,500,000 short tons) of cocoa are produced each year.

The historical global production was

1974: 1,556,484 tons,

1984: 1,810,611 tons,

1994: 2,672,173 tons,

2004: 3,607,052 tons.

The production increased by 131.7% in 30 years, representing a compound annual growth rate of 2.9%.

About 3.54 million tonnes of cocoa beans were produced in the 2008–2009 growing year, which runs from October to September. Of this total, African nations produced 2.45 million tonnes (69%), Asia and Oceania produced 0.61 million tonnes (17%), and the Americas produced 0.48 million tonnes (14%). Two African nations, Ivory Coast and Ghana, produce more than half of the world's cocoa, with 1.23 and 0.73 million tonnes, respectively (35% and 21%, respectively).

CONSUMPTION

Different metrics are used for chocolate consumption. The Netherlands has the highest monetary amount of cocoa bean imports (US$2.1 billion); it is also one of the main ports into Europe. The United States has highest amount of cocoa powder imports ($220 million); the US has a large amount of cocoa complementary products. The United Kingdom has the highest amount of retail chocolate ($1.3 billion) and is one of the biggest chocolate consumption-per-capita markets.

Cocoa and its products (including chocolate) are used worldwide. Per capita consumption is poorly understood, with numerous countries claiming the highest: various reports state that Switzerland, Belgium, and the UK have the highest consumption. However, since no clear mechanism exists to determine how much of a country's production is consumed by residents and how much by visitors, any data with respect to consumption remain purely speculative.

CHOCOLATE PRODUCTION

To make 1 kg of chocolate, about 300 to 600 beans are processed, depending on the desired cocoa content. In a factory, the beans are roasted. Next, they are cracked and then deshelled by a "winnower". The resulting pieces of beans are called nibs. They are sometimes sold in small packages at specialty stores and markets to be used in cooking, snacking, and chocolate dishes. Since nibs are directly from the cocoa tree, they contain high amounts of theobromine. Most nibs are ground, using various methods, into a thick, creamy paste, known as chocolate liquor or cocoa paste. This "liquor" is then further processed into chocolate by mixing in (more) cocoa butter and sugar (and sometimes vanilla and lecithin as an emulsifier), and then refined, conched and tempered. Alternatively, it can be separated into cocoa powder and cocoa butter using a hydraulic press or the Broma process. This process produces around 50% cocoa butter and 50% cocoa powder. Standard cocoa powder has a fat content around 10–12%%. Cocoa butter is used in chocolate bar manufacture, other confectionery, soaps, and cosmetics.

Treating with alkali produces Dutch-process cocoa powder, which is less acidic, darker, and more mellow in flavor than what is generally available in most of the world. Regular (nonalkalized) cocoa is acidic, so when cocoa is treated with an alkaline ingredient, generally potassium carbonate, the pH increases. This process can be done at various stages during manufacturing, including during nib treatment, liquor treatment, or press cake treatment.

Another process that helps develop the flavor is roasting, which can be done on the whole bean before shelling or on the nib after shelling. The time and temperature of the roast affect the result: A "low roast" produces a more acid, aromatic flavor, while a high roast gives a more intense, bitter flavor lacking complex flavor notes.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF COCOA CONSUMPTION

In general, cocoa is considered to be a rich source of antioxidants such as procyanidins and flavanoids, which may impart antiaging properties. Cocoa also contain a high level of flavonoids, specifically epicatechin, which may have beneficial effects on cardiovascular health.

The stimulant activity of cocoa comes from the compound theobromine which is less diuretic as compared to theophylline found in tea. Prolonged intake of flavanol-rich cocoa has been linked to cardiovascular health benefits, though this refers to raw cocoa and to a lesser extent, dark chocolate, since flavonoids degrade during cooking and alkalizing processes. Short-term benefits in LDL cholesterol levels from dark chocolate consumption have been found. The addition of whole milk to milk chocolate reduces the overall cocoa content per ounce while increasing saturated fat levels. Although one study has concluded that milk impairs the absorption of polyphenolic flavonoids, e.g. epicatechin, a followup failed to find the effect.

Hollenberg and colleagues of Harvard Medical School studied the effects of cocoa and flavanols on Panama's Kuna people, who are heavy consumers of cocoa. The researchers found that the Kuna people living on the islands had significantly lower rates of heart disease and cancer compared to those on the mainland who do not drink cocoa as on the islands. It is believed that the improved blood flow after consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa may help to achieve health benefits in hearts and other organs. In particular, the benefits may extend to the brain and have important implications for learning and memory.

Foods rich in cocoa appear to reduce blood pressure but drinking green and black tea may not, according to an analysis of previously published research in the April 9, 2007 issue of Archives of Internal MedicineA 15-year study of elderly men published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2006 found a 50 percent reduction in cardiovascular mortality and a 47 percent reduction in all-cause mortality for the men regularly consuming the most cocoa, compared to those consuming the least cocoa from all sources.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

The relative poverty of many cocoa farmers means that environmental consequences such as deforestation are given little significance. For decades, cocoa farmers have encroached on virgin forest, mostly after the felling of trees by logging companies. This trend has decreased as many governments and communities are beginning to protect their remaining forested zones. In general, the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides by cocoa farmers is limited. When cocoa bean prices are high, farmers may invest in their crops, leading to higher yields which, in turn tends to result in lower market prices and a renewed period of lower investment.

Cocoa production is likely to be affected in various ways by the expected effects of global warming. Specific concerns have been raised concerning its future as a cash crop in West Africa, the current centre of global cocoa production. If temperatures continue to rise, West Africa could simply become unfit to grow the beans.

AGROFORESTRY

Cocoa beans may be cultivated under shaded conditions, e.g. agroforestry. Agroforestry can reduce the pressure on existing protected forests for resources, such as firewood, and conserve biodiversity. Agroforests act as buffers to formally protected forests and biodiversity island refuges in an open, human-dominated landscape. Research of their shade-grown coffee counterparts has shown that greater canopy cover in plots is significantly associated to greater mammal species richness and abundance. The amount of diversity in tree species is fairly comparable between shade-grown cocoa plots and primary forests. Farmers can grow a variety of fruit-bearing shade trees to supplement their income to help cope with the volatile cocoa prices. Though cocoa has been adapted to grow under a dense rainforest canopy, agroforestry does not significantly further enhance cocoa productivity.

COCOA TRADING

Cocoa beans, cocoa butter and cocoa powder are traded on two world exchanges: ICE Futures U.S. and NYSE Liffe Futures and Options. The London market is based on West African cocoa and New York on cocoa predominantly from Southeast Asia. Cocoa is the world's smallest soft commodity market.

The future price of cocoa butter and cocoa powder is determined by multiplying the bean price by a ratio. The combined butter and powder ratio has tended to be around 3.5. If the combined ratio falls below 3.2 or so, production ceases to be economically viable and some factories cease extraction of butter and powder and trade exclusively in cocoa liquor.

Cocoa beans can be held in storage for several years in bags or in bulk, during which the ownership can change several times, as the cocoa is traded much the same as metal or other commodities, to gain profit for the owner.

WIKIPEDIA

Two egg yolks in glass kitchen bowl.

Resep:

Chicken Nugget sekala rumah tangga.

Bahan:

Ayam cincang 300 gram

Telur 2 butir

Tepung sagu 50 gram

Susu cair 100 ml

Merica secukupnya

Garam secukupnya

Gula pasir secukupnya

Kaldu blok 1 sdm (jika suka)

Cara membuat:

Campur semua bahan, aduk rata. Sebelumnya siapkan loyang loaf yang sudah

diolesi margarin. Masukkan ke loyang loaf, ratakan.

Panggang. Setelah masak, potong2. Siapkan 1 butir telur, balut dengan

tepung roti, simpan dalam lemari es (1/2-2 jam). Siap untuk digoreng.

Apabila anda ingin memproduksi Nuget Ayam & Aneka Frozen Food yang lainnya, adna bisa mengikuti:

Pelatihan Cara Produski Chicken Nugget untuk Usaha.

Diajarkan Cara Membuat Nuget Aneka Bentuk yang dapat dicetak aneka bentuk tanpa sisa.

Resep Industri Nuget Ayam, Ikan & Udang.

Teknik Pengemasan Frozen Food dengan mesin pengemas Vacuum.

Kursus Tristar

Telp: 031-8794764-65.

HP: 085731051010.

Jln. Rungkut Mapan Utara Blok CA 24. Surabaya.

Politeknik Tristar.

Flexi: 81959295-96. 81639991

Hp; 085733691548

031-8480823.

Fax 031- 8432050.

Graha Tristar.

Jln. Raya Jemursari 240A & 244

Surabaya - Indonesia.

Kursus Kue & Masakan.

Telp: 031-5316496.

Flexi: 031-70022992

Jln. Kedung Anyar 8 no 55.

Surabaya.

Mesin Mesin yang biasa digunakan untuk memproduksi Chicken Nugget:

1. Mesin Meat Mincer: Fungsinya untuk menggiling daging sapi & ayam. Dapat memotong urat pada daging, sehingga aanda dapat

membuat nugget dari daging tetelan yang murah harganya.

2. Mesin Blender Industri: Fungsinya Menghaluskan daging sapi, ayam & seafood dengan cepat & suhu daging dapat dipertahankan

tetap dingin, sehingga kekenyalan daging dapat dipertahankan.

3. Mesin Kemas sistem Vacuum - Vacuum packaging. Untuk memperpanjang masa simpan Frozen Food agar tidak mudah rusak & tidak

mudah teroksidasi.

4. Freezer sekala produksi. Fungsinya mempercepat pembekuan Nugget. Mempertahankan Bentuk Nugget sesuai dengan cetakan.

5. Mesin Penggoreng Deep Friyer. Fungsinya untuk menggoreng dengan suhu tertentu yang stabil. Hasil produksi Nugget yang

digoreng akan lebih renyah - crispy dibagian luar & Juicy dibagian dalam. Warna Nugget akan lebih Cerah.

6. Plastik Nylon khusus untuk mesin vacuum packaging.

Mesin Mesin untuk memproduksi aneka Nugget & Frozen Food dapat anda peroleh di:

Tristar Machinery.

Jln. Rungkut Mapan Utara CA 24 Surabaya.

HP: 088803211729 - 085854833381.

Flexi: 031-71933131.

Telp: 031-8708071. Fax: 031-8722794.

Email: tristarchemical@yahoo.co.id

www.infomesin.com

Tristar Culinary Institute.

Machinery Division.

031-8480823.

Flexi : 031- 77213905.

Jln Raya Jemursari 234 & 244 Surabaya

www.bina-usaha-mandiri.com

Bahan Bahan untuk memproduksi Nugget untuk Bisnis.

Bread Crump : adalah tepung roti butiran yang renyah & crispy, warna nya kuning & orange. Sangat cantik apabila di balutkan

pada Nugget yang kita produksi. Sehingga Hasil produksi Nugget akan dapat bersaing baik dalam mutu maupun Harga Jualnya.

Modified Starch Ultra Bond: adalah tepung modifikasi yang dapat merekatkan daging cincang sehingga nugget yang terbentuk

akan kompak, padat & kenyal.

ISP: Isolated Soya Protein. adalah pengemulsi - emulsifier, yang dapat menyatukan minyak , lemak , gajih sehingga dapat

tercampur homogen pada adonan Frozen Food. Dengan sistem emulsi maka harga pokok penjualan Nugget dapat ditekan, sehingga

kita dapat memproduksi nugget murah yang sehat.

Soya Protein Granul, adalah protein dari kedelai, bentuknya serpih serpih kasar, apabila direndam didalam air akan

mengembang menyerupai daging cincang. Dengan tambahan soya protein ini, maka kita akan dapat membuat Chicken Nugget sekala

Industri Rumah Tangga dengan harga murah, tetapi tetap kenyal & sehat. Soya Protein Granul ini juga sering dipakai untuk

membuat daging tiruan dari kedelai, untuk membuat aneka masakan vegetarian.

Bahan Bahan Untuk Produksi Aneka Nugget & Olahan Frozen Food dapat anda peroleh di:

Toko Sembilan.

Jln. Raya Jemursari 234 & 244.

Surabaya - Indonesia.

Telp: Flexi: 031-70114130.

HP: 08573151147.

Melayani pembelian untuk seluruh wilayah indonesia & Export ke Manca Negara.

Pusat:

CV. Tristar Chemical.

Jln. Raya Rungkut Mapan Blok FA no. 3.

Telp: 031-8721242 - 8704937.

HP: 08123040593.

www.tristarchemical.com

Please check out full details and many unique recipes at Garrett's Table!

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From Garrett's Table:

"Last year I posted a recipe for cucumber and vegetable rolls. I was happy with the recipe but nevertheless thought it could use some refining. Since the weather is finally warm again I decided to give these cucumber rolls an overhaul. These rolls include poached shrimp, marinated carrots, creamy avocado, and fresh cilantro all wrapped inside sliced cucumber. The sauces are sesame vinaigrette and cilantro oil. This unique appetizer is essentially a salad and a fun way to start any summer meal. Here’s a recipe for 8 servings:

SHRIMP AND CUCUMBER ROLLS WITH SESAME VINAIGRETTE AND CILANTRO OIL

Cilantro Oil:

* 1 bunches cilantro

* Salt and sugar to taste

* 1 cup vegetable oil

* 1 Tb. toasted coriander seeds

* 1 tsp. lemon zest

Bring a pot over water to a rapid boil. Season the boiling water with salt and sugar. It should taste salty like the sea and sweet like cola. Season and ice bath similarly. Rinse the cilantro and cut away the large heavy stems at the bottom. Blanch the cilantro for 30 seconds and shock in the ice bath. Gather the blanched cilantro and squeeze to remove as much water as possible. Place the cilantro in a blender with the vegetable oil, coriander seed, and lemon zest. Blend on high for 3 minutes. Pour the oil into a strainer lined with cheesecloth, a grease filter, or a coffee filter and allow to drip for several hours. Discard the solids left behind.

Sesame Vinaigrette:

* 2 tsp chinese spicy mustard

* 2 tsp. pickled ginger

* 2 Tb. mirin

* 2 Tb. soy sauce

* 2 Tb. rice wine vinegar

* 1/2 c. vegetable oil

* 1/4 c. sesame oil

Place the mustard, ginger, mirin, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar in a blender. Blend on high while slowly adding vegetable oil. After the vegetable oil, drizzle in the sesame oil. If the oil is not emulsified add a bit more mustard or some mayonnaise and blend once more.

Poached Shrimp:

* 1 lb. 16/20 shrimp, raw, shell on

* 1 quart water

* 1 celery stalk, sliced

* 1/2 onion, sliced

* 2 cloves garlic, crushed

* 2 slices fresh ginger

* 2 Tb. rice wine vinegar

* 1 lemon

* Salt to taste

* Cilantro oil, to taste

* Chili paste, to taste

Peel and devein the shrimp, reserving the shells. In a medium saucepan combine the shrimp shells with the water, celery, onion, garlic, ginger, vinegar, and zest and juice of the lemon. Bring to a simmer and season heavily with salt. Add the shrimp and drop the heat to low. Poach for 7 minutes and cool the shrimp in the poaching liquid.

When the shrimp cool, drain them well and cut into large pieces. Toss with cilantro oil and chili paste to taste.

To Assemble:

* 2 English cucumbers

* kosher salt

* 2 large carrots, fine julienne

* 1 Tb. mirin

* 1 tsp. soy sauce

* 1 avocado

* Poached shrimp

* Cilantro oil

* Sesame vinaigrette

* Cilantro and black sesame seeds for garnish

Cut the ends from each cucumber and wash well. Cut each cucumber in half and, using a mandolin, slice 1/16′’ thick planks from the cucumber, stopping when you reach the seedy middle. Repeat on the other side of the cucumber. Lay the slices out of a piece of paper towel and salt lightly.

Toss the julienne carrot with the mirin and soy sauce and slice the avocado into long pieces. Lay a piece of plastic wrap on a flat work surface and lay 4-5 cucumber slices on top, overlapping slightly. Place some carrots, a few pieces of avocado, and a few pieces of shrimp at the end of the sheet of cucumber. Carefully roll the cucumber around the filling using the plastic wrap. Wrap the roll tightly in the plastic wrap and twist the ends. Using a sharp knife cut each roll into 3 or 4 pieces and carefully remove the plastic wrap. Pour some sesame vinaigrette on a plate, place the rolls on top, and drizzle with cilantro oil. Garnish with cilantro and black sesame seeds."

Recipe here: www.willcookforfriends.com/2013/02/salmon-cakes-with-hone...