Category: Culinary

The Art Of Desert Safari Cuisine

Posted on by blogger

Finding yourself in the middle of the African Desert may present a few challenges to the skillful talents of a culinary artist. Ingredients are a lot harder to come by when you are stuck in the middle of the Desert. It’s just so much easier (and certainly more convenient) for a for a traditional restaurant chef who can very easily just pop out to nearest grocer to stock up on those must have necessities and luxury items.

However challenging, Culinary Artist Theresa Fehrsen has bravely stepped up to this challenge and is set to become the next Culinary Safari Chef Extraordinaire in her role as the new head chef at one of the most luxurious resorts in the Kalahari Desert.

Theresa Fehrsen has a lifelong fascination and passion for artistically tantalizing the palates by creatively presenting an array of culinary delights through inventive cooking. Being raised on a farm since she was a little girl, she always had access to an abundance of fresh produce and natural ingredients. Theresa’s fascination with natures own instilled in her from a very young age, a passion and skill in being able to effortlessly delivery incredible cuisine. The natural flair that she inherited from her mother for experimenting with food lead Theresa to Warwick’s Chef School in Hermanus in the Cape Province where she studied to become a master of the culinary arts.

When luxury ingredients are not always as easy to come by, it becomes essential to tap into the deepest level of intelligent creativity imaginable in order to plan well for the most extraordinary results. With the reserve being located more than 100 kilometers away from the next closest town; this Safari Chef Extraordinaire has to rely heavily on the locals in the surrounding areas. All the vegetables and herbs are organically grown in the safari camps and are protected with shade cloth to keep out the bugs, antelope and the warthog.

In keeping with an eco-friendly culture, the reserve’s waste disposal policy encourages sustainable travel to minimize the impact on the environment. Organic waste is therefore collected and used for the food gardens in a programme designed to maximize production of vegetables for households in remote areas. As further commitment to wildlife conservation, the reserve runs a programme to establish earth worm boxes which process organic waste into compost. The worms are able to process paper effectively as well as food waste. It is no wonder that with such dedication to eco-friendly tourism, that the reserve was honored as this year’s Wildlife Conservation Winner in Cond Nast Travelers thirteenth annual ecotourism World Saver’ Awards.

Even with so many challenges, the Kalahari Desert now has much to aspire to with chef and bartender safaris, a tandoori oven and a pizza oven shaped like a termites nest. This describes only a few of the astonishing plans of this creative genius as this Chef plans place Safari Cuisine at the very top of South Africa’s culinary arts map.

Not only has this culinary artist mastered the skill of inspired cooking, she also has a keen passion and interest in liquid refreshments. To further please and excite the tongue, she combines her cuisine with only the top selection of fine South African wines. The promise of a superb wine will compliment the delightful cuisine while enhancing the flavors and heightening the appreciation for both the wine and the cuisine.

To add an extra blend of class and sophistication to any safari cuisine, diners enjoy a selection of both alcoholic and non alcoholic cocktails. Even the children can select from a menu of fresh smoothies and non alcoholic beverages to accompany the healthier, but delicious alternatives to hamburgers.

Theresa is looking forward to completing advanced patisserie and nutrition courses, specializing in producing delicious menus for guests with food intolerances and allergies to ensure that her delightful cuisine is all encompassing and pleasing to all her diners.

Create an Outdoor Haven with Steel Jardinieres and Everything In-Between

Posted on by blogger

Spring outdoor design ideas are not hard to come by with the age of the internet and the newest raved about online pin board. In this weeks article we’ll explore the newest trends on how to focus all these design ideas into two simple rules and transform your backyard into a landscaped outdoor haven.

Right now is the time of year when most of the country is enjoying every free moment they can outdoors. Winter has past and warm sunny afternoons are upon us. Why not jump ahead a bit and get to work on designing a chic landscaped backyard. Treat your outdoor space with care and create splendid simple comfort with these two rules. Buy french steel jardinieres and naturally pair them a garden pendant lighting scheme.

This years unique jardinieres and creative lighting schemes are transforming outdoor spaces into landscaped outdoor havens. By building boundaries and sectioning off different areas in your yard you can create comfortable eating and sitting areas with minimal effort. Most outdoor design lovers are not always familiar with our french terminology so we’re also going to give you a short lesson on the meaning of the word, popular shapes and styles as well as where you can find these beautiful works of art in your very own local marketplace.

A jardinire is a receptacle (usually a ceramic pot or urn) or more rarely a stand upon which, or into which, plants may be placed. (The French themselves refer to tabletop versions of such receptacles as cachepots.) Jardinires tend to be highly decorative. They are sometimes used as garden accent elements for large plants and for raised culinary and herb gardens. Jardinieres come in all shapes and sizes but for this particular season large steel octagon jardiniere are la crme de la crme. It’s common design practice to combine three different sizes of the octagonal jardinieres together forming a triangle visual pattern. This placement also allows taller plants to grow vertically in the background and gorgeous hanging plants to spill out in front. You can easily bring lavishing color and balance to your outdoor space by filling these few different sized steel jardinieres to the brim with unique trees, perennials and succulents. Mixing and matching these beautiful pallets of floral colors create focal points for your guest to enjoy during the hot summer months. A few world renown artists have beautifully custom designed these popular octagon jardinieres in the Malibu California area but, if you’re not living in close proximity contact your local ceramist and see if they can’t create a mold for you. If you live for the best contact Malibu’s ceramist and have one shipped to your local area.

After you place your jardinieres around your landscaped backyard accent them with some key lighting. Garden pendants and custom outdoor chandeliers are a spectacular option for producing a elegant space. Buy a plain frosted glass light fixture or brighten up your garden with a hint of color. This season we’re in love with rose color pendants and bronze accented chandeliers. Either way these articulate lights paired with those octagon jardinieres will add a chic modern style to your outdoor landscape and transform your backyard into an outdoor haven. Enjoy!

Your Own Indoor Herb Kitchen Garden

Posted on by blogger

It’s so easy to set up an indoor herb kitchen garden because so many culinary herbs are well suited to growing both indoors and in recycled containers. Your ability to grow veggies in your organic kitchen garden starts with only a few simple recycled materials and the simple will to feed your family only the finest organic foods grown fresh in your designed kitchen garden.

Here are six easy to grow herbs without even trying; chives, thyme, mints, French tarragon, sweet marjoram and sage. As well, also think seriously about growing your own parsley, rosemary, nasturtiums and basil. So which ones do you plant and how do you grow them? It really depends firstly on which ones you would like to grow, how much you use of one or the other and then your budget, and of course the amount of well lit space you have.

The high tech “A-Garden” type with its own lights and gadgetry is great and really works well (you know the one it’s advertised on TV everywhere), but it’s not cheap and not very big. Whereas, at the other end of the budget is a set of recycled pots and containers with seedlings and your sunny windowsill, planter box or sunroom.

Something in-between these two extremes are the compartmentalised pots like the “strawberry pot”, which is also great. Also in the middle are the grow veggies kit forms where you just add water and place in a sunny position and look after for a period of a few weeks. These are also absolutely great for those limited to space for your kitchen garden.

I personally do not recommend planting different herbs in the one single pot as the competition for growing space problems far outweighs the advantages of individual containers. If you do use the compartmentalised pots then try to mix the same general types of herbs together for the re-growth habits, height and moisture requirements.

The important thing is light, whether natural or artificial. Adequate light is essential to growing good herbs and veggies. If you don’t have enough natural light then you’ll need to supplement it with artificial light.

Why not consider making your own tiered shelving with its own lighting? I’ve seen it done and its particularly good in climates where it’s dark for much of the year but indoors is continually nice and warm; or even consider using a skylight or solar tube, another inexpensive method of free natural lighting.

If you have a well-lit patio or sunroom where you grow dwarf fruit trees in containers (citrus, stone-fruits or pomegranates etc) then you can plant perennial herbs in the same pots with them such as rosemary, mints etc.

Career Options in 2011

Posted on by blogger

Rising unemployment rates in the recent past have made hunting for a job a guerilla search. The good news is that while most sectors in our economy have suffered cutbacks in employment, many of them are now back in business and are ready to hire. Here’s what you should be doing.

Still in college or heading there? You have the opportunity to make the smart career choices now that can hone your skills for the job opportunities that are in greater demand today.

Already employed? Now is the time to consider upgrading your credentials with a course that could augment your skills and qualify you for promotions or a new career.

Careers that Show Excellent Growth Prospects

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, certain sectors of our economy are showing more optimistic signs of growth.* To enhance your job marketability, below are a few career options you should consider pursuing in 2011.

Healthcare. Its not for everyone, but if you’re looking for the likelihood of job security, this could be the place for your skills. During the recession, the healthcare industry was one of the few industries that actually hired more people. Plus, employment rates have been rising in almost every field of specialization. Career options are open in nursing, healthcare management, medical assisting, and accounting in hospitals and long-term facilities.

Energy Sector. As gas costs continue to rise, focus today has turned to saving energy and discovering alternative fuel sources. Opportunities lay ahead in marine, wind, and solar energies, carbon management, and more.

Business Administration. Business will always require administrators and managers, and opportunities are growing. Sales and customer service representatives are also in demand. Plus, with business gone global, more multinational companies are looking for people who are willing to travel or relocate to different parts of the world.

Information Technology (IT). According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, IT is one of the fastest-growing job markets.** There is a huge demand for a top-level, higher-end IT workforce, which includes talented systems designers and software developers. Internet publishers have good job prospects as well. The IT industry is dynamic, and a bright future could lie ahead for those who can keep up with the pace of information technology.

Good News for Fresh Grads
The job market for fresh grads is growing. Entry-level job postings for candidates with less than one year of experience have increased by 13 percent from the previous year at the end of 2010.***

Courses can prepare you both practically and academically to face real-life challenges in todays job market. There are a wide range of degree programs to consider in order to pursue a career in any of these growing fields, including health sciences degrees nursing administration degrees, information technology degrees and more.

*United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Statistics.” dol.gov/dol/topic/statistics/index.htm
**”Fourth Quarter 2010 Career Trend Analysis Report” Beyond.com, Inc. beyond.com/Media/BeyondcomCareerTrendAnalysisReport-4QT10.pdf
***Koc, Edwin and Mimi Collins. “Job Outlook 2011: College Hiring Outlook Positive in All Regions.” NACE. naceweb.org/Press/Releases/Job_Outlook_2011__College_Hiring_Outlook_Positive_in_All_Regions.aspx

Proteins What are they

Posted on by blogger

The word protein comes from a Greek word mean “that holds the first place.” They consist of chains of amino acids of lengths, shapes, compositions and different functions and distinct. Proteins are the main structural components and functional cells of the body: enzymes, transport molecules for blood and cell membranes, hair, nails, etc.. It is therefore mandatory to consume more than enough to maintain good health.

There are 22 amino acids 9 are therefore recognized as being essential: Valine, Leucine, Isoleucine, Threonine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Tryptophan, Histidine, Lysine, which all come from animal protein.

The other amino acids (that our bodies can synthesize) conditionally indispensable, cystine, cysteine, tyrosine, taurine, glycine, arginine, glutamine, proline, alanine, serine, asparagine, aspartic acid and glutamic acid that `there are more special in nature and in plants.

It is mainly in the liver that amino acids not used are transformed into urea, ammonia and uric acid. Urea is a neutral molecule and is easily excreted in urine. In consequence, ammonia and uric acid, when produced in excess, can have adverse health effects: toxicity, acidity, excretion of other alkaline minerals.

There are a number of factors that determine whether the amino acids are used in the synthesis of new proteins or are to be burned to provide energy

1. The law of all or nothing All the amino acids necessary for the elaboration of `given protein must be present at the same time and in sufficient quantity in the same cell. As the essential amino acids can not be stored,those who are not used immediately in the synthesis are either oxydised to produce energy or converted into carbohydrates or fat.
2. A sufficient energy intake: For the synthesis of proteins to take place under optimum conditions, carbohydrates or lipids present in the diet should provide enough energy for the production of ATP
3. Nitrogen balance: There is talk of positive nitrogen balance when the rate of protein synthesis is higher than the rate of degradation and destruction (which is normal in growing children and pregnant women). It is also positive when the tissue grow back or to heal, a result of an illness or injury. A positive nitrogen balance still indicates that the amount of protein entering the tissue is higher than the amount that is degraded or used to produce energy savings.
4. Hormonal regulation: Certain hormones called anabolic hormone accelerates protein synthesis and growth. The effects of these hormones vary continuously throughout life.

Copyright © 2026 Culinary Hermes-Belt . All rights reserved.