Why then, does latte art matter? And why should the barista at your local coffee shop take the time to add a pretty pattern to the top of your coffee? The reason is simple. It is proof of their commitment to your coffee.

Regardless of how a WBC participant places, he or she is already a celebrity in the coffee world. They have got to this level because they can consistently make a world class coffee. Due to their comprehensive understanding of all the variables they have been able to carefully select the best ingredients, and have calculated the time at which they will be at their best.

We know and expect this of the WBC participants, just like we would expect a professional in any industry to have an in-depth understanding of their craft. But walking into a random coffee shop for the first time, how do we know the barista even cares? Anyone that has taken the time to taste their coffee should know that there are plenty of baristas out there that do not.

As a barista, pouring a well formed rosetta requires commitment. This single act shows that you have patience, perseverance and pride. It shows that you have got your milk perfectly textured and the definition shows that at the very least you have extracted a nice crema from your beans. It also shows that you have experience.

Without really understanding what goes into a cup of coffee, customers pick up on these things and a latte topped with a rosetta is always well received. Even if it isn’t because of this, it is because of the way people eat with their eyes. They do it all the time, it is the reason upmarket restaurants spend so much time on the presentation of their meals. It is the reason why greasy fast food outlets display (usually fictitious) pictures of vibrant, healthy looking burgers overflowing with fresh ingredients all over their menus.

It is also about getting peoples attention. After pouring a well defined rosetta, it is rare to not receive a comment about it. Even people who have seen it time and time again mention how good a particular rosetta or heart looks. It is even a convenient conversation point for nervous couples meeting for coffee early on in their relationship.

This attention is also a positive for the owner of any coffee shop serving coffees topped with latte art. People take pictures of the good looking drinks they receive and post them all over the Internet along with a description of how impressive it is and where they got it from. If the customers don’t then the (rightly) proud barista will often take a picture of his favourites and post them on a latte art web sites like ratemyrosetta.com/ RateMyRosetta.com.

Another bonus is the barista gets to receive the priceless comments, not only making him or her feel great but ensuring he enjoys the job and continues to improve and perfect the art, making the barista a loyal and well serving employee to the coffee shop owner.

I guess there aren’t many reasons why you wouldn’t pour latte art. It makes sense on all levels, a perfect example of a win/win situation.. The customer feels special, and walks away knowing they have just consumed an expertly crafted coffee. The barista feels great thanks to the positive feedback they receive, and continues to perfect the art of espresso coffee and on top of all of this the coffee shop owner gets repeat customers who tell all of their friends about the fantastic coffee they drink! The only expense is the extra second it may take to pour the coffee and the optional expense of training a barista or two.

As a barista, you should start practicing immediately and strive to serve the best coffee you can, every time. As a coffee shop owner, you should expect your baristas to take the time to make sure every coffee you sell is as good as it can be. Every customer deserves a perfect coffee. And as a customer, you should expect that the coffee you are paying for has been perfectly prepared every step of the way!

Article by leenutter.com.au/ Lee Nutter
cafenation.com.au Cafenation.com.au - Quality Coffee At Home

The first recipe is one that I use when I cook chicken fajitas. The marinade gives a
tequila-lime twist to the chicken, which is great for Mexican-type dishes. The
second recipe is my take on the famous beer can chicken recipe. Through my
experience, I have found that placing the chicken on a beer can throne while it is
smoking produces a juicy, tender bird. Smoking chicken is one of my favorite ways
to cook chicken, and after you have tried this recipe, I believe that you will really like
smoking chicken too.

Grilled Tequila Lime Chicken

Ingredients:

4-Chicken Breasts

2-Cups of Margarita Mix (I prefer Mr. and Mrs. T’s)

1/2-Cup Vinegar

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

1-Tbsp Onion Powder

1-Tbsp Garlic Powder

1-Tbsp Cajun Seasoning

Lemon Pepper

Option for a kicked up version: Add one shot of Tequila

Recipe:

1. Trim chicken breasts to remove fat

2. Using the flat side of a meat tenderizer, pound the each chicken breast until they
are about 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick.

3. Mix all ingredients into a bowl just big enough to hold the chicken breasts while
they are completely covered in the marinade.

4. Add chicken breasts, and refrigerate for 1/2 to 1 hour. The longer they stay in
the marinade, the more Tequila lime taste they will have.

5. Season both sides of the chicken with Lemon Pepper before grilling.

6. Grill over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes per side. Times may vary
depending on heat, just make sure that the meat is white throughout the breast,
and the juices run clear.

This is a great recipe for chicken fajitas.

Here is my recipe for Cajun smoked, beer-can chicken.

Injection Ingredients:

1. A 3 or 4 pound chicken

2. 1/2 cup melted butter (room temperature)

3. 2 tablespoons of Tony Chachere’s seasoning (more for a spicier chicken)

4. 1-teaspoon garlic powder

5. 1/2 cup vinegar

Rub Ingredients:

1. Olive oil

2. Tony Chachere’s seasoning.

Mop Ingredients:

1. Apple Cider

2. A Spray Bottle

Other:

1. A beer of your choice (1/2 full)

2. 3 cloves of garlic

3. About 3 tablespoons of chopped garlic

Directions:

1. Whisk all injection ingredients together.

2. Using a kitchen syringe, inject the liquid into various spots on the chicken. Try to
be even as possible, injecting about 1/2 of the mixture into the breasts, and the
other 1/2 throughout the rest of the chicken.

3. Rub the chicken down with olive oil, and apply an even layer of Tony’s to the bird.

4. Drink half of the beer, widen the opening at the top of the can, then put the garlic
and onion in the can.

5. Place the bird on the can. It should sit up by itself.

6. Preheat your smoker to about 250 F degrees. I use hickory for chicken, charcoal
works well too.

7. Put the chicken on the smoker and spray the chicken with the apple cider about
every 30 minutes.

8. Smoke the chicken for 3-4 hours, or until the internal temperature of the thickest
meat reaches 180 F Degrees.

I hope you enjoy both recipes as much as I do. You can find many more at my
website listed below.

Aaron Ralston, also known as The Smoker King, is the owner of Outdoor
Cooking: Barbeque, Sauces, Mops, Rubs at
thesmokerking.com thesmokerking.com. Check out thesmokerking.com today to learn
many great barbeque and cooking recipes and techniques.

ALL-AMERICAN APPLE PIE

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. lemon zest — grated
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
6 med. apples — prepared as directed
1 cup raisins
1 pie crust (9 inch)
1 lg egg — beaten
1 tsp. granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 425 F. Spray a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, lemon zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix together well.

Peel, core, and thinly slice apples. Add apples to sugar mixture; stir until coated. Stir in raisins. Spoon into prepared pie plate. Place piecrust on top of filling. Trim edges, pressing against edge of pan. Using a sharp knife, cut steam vents in piecrust. To glaze, lightly brush piecrust with beaten egg. Sprinkle with teaspoon of sugar. Bake until piecrust is golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes. Place on a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Source: Abigail’s Kitchen

PEANUT APPLE SALAD

4 to 6 apples
1 small can crushed pineapple
3/4 cup crushed peanuts
1 (8 oz.) carton of Cool Whip
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour

Cut apples in bite-size portions, don’t peel. Drain the juice from the pineapple and mix with sugar and flour. Heat until it thickens and set aside to cool. Combine apples, pineapple and peanuts. When sauce has cooled, add to Cool Whip and mix with fruit. Will keep 3 to 4 days.

HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE

Let your microwave do the work. Simply peel, core and cut apples into chunks. Put into a covered microwave dish and cook for about 10 minutes on HIGH. Check to see if it is mushy enough. Cook a couple of extra minutes if needed. (You will need to cook longer if you are using super crisp fresh apples.) Just add a little cinnamon and nutmeg and voila, you have fresh, hot and totally wonderful applesauce. If using tart apples and you want the sauce to be sweeter, add a little brown sugar at the end. A little goes a long way.

If you want to cook the sauce on your stove, be sure to add a little water to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan. You will also need to stir frequently to evenly cook the sauce and prevent sticking. This method works great, but the microwave method is easier and less labor and attention intensive.

Use this rule of thumb for determining quantities:
1 large apple = 3/4 cup sauce
1 medium apple = 1/2 cup sauce
1 small apple = 1/3 cup sauce

Source: NY Apple Country

SPINACH-APPLE SALAD

Southern Living magazine describes this as: “A zesty curry vinaigrette, tossed with spinach and apples, and garnished with peanuts, raisins and toasted sesame seeds. To toast sesame seeds, place a small skillet over medium-high heat until hot; add seeds, and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned.” Original recipe yield: 6 servings.

2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon chutney
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon dry mustard
9 cups torn fresh spinach leaves
3 cups diced Red Delicious apples
2/3 cup salted dry-roasted peanuts
1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup sliced green onions
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

WHISK together first 6 ingredients; cover and chill, if desired.
COMBINE spinach and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl; toss with dressing. Serve immediately.

BAKED APPLES IN CIDER

Remove cores of 6 good-sized apples. Plug up the bottom of each and cut out V-shape at top. Insert into the top about 1 tablespoon of cinnamon Imperials (the little red-hot candies) and 1 tablespoon maple syrup. Place the apples in a dish and pour around the apples about 2 1/2 cups cider. Bake at 350 degrees, basting occasionally with the hot cider, until tender. Grate nutmeg on apples, and if you like, top off with whipped cream or ice cream.

Source: NC Dept. of Agriculture

APPLE POTPOURRI

1 cup dried apple slices
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup whole allspice berries
10 (2″) cinnamon sticks
2 tablespoons whole cloves
1/4 cup sumac berries
10 small pinecones
7 drops cinnamon oil

Combine all ingredients and place in a tight jar or tin. Shake every few days. Cinnamon oil has an extremely strong scent that intensifies as it is absorbed. Add additional oil if needed.

Source:

The ADS has spotlighted the nutritional benefits of salad ingredients that you can toss together for a rejuvenating meal:

Romaine
Plenty of potassium, which can help lower blood pressure. Additional nutrients include folic acid, beta-carotene and vitamin C.

Bell Peppers
Loaded with vitamins A and C, and folic acid, a B vitamin that helps the body make healthy new cells.

Spinach
Rich in Vitamin K, which promotes bone health. It also includes vitamins A, B6, C and E, beta-carotene fiber, calcium and iron.

Tomatoes
Has lycopene, a cancer-fighting antioxidant, as well as vitamin C and some B vitamins. Try any of the various colors in your supermarket.

Broccoli
Broccoli boasts phytochemicals, substances found in produce that can help prevent heart disease and certain types of cancer. It also has vitamins A, C and K, calcium, folic acid and fiber.

Combine these foods with refreshing dressings and you can start fighting off wrinkles and age spots with your fork. Here are three simple and delicious recipes to inspire your own salad-driven beauty makeover. Each salad serves four.

#1 Spinach Feta Salad with Papaya Dressing

Salad (toss ingredients together)

3 cups of fresh baby spinach
½ cup of feta cheese
1 fresh diced tomato
½ peeled & chopped cucumber

Dressing (blend ingredients together)

½ papaya
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 pinches of cayenne pepper
2 pinches of dill

#2 Salmon Romaine Salad with Lemon Balsamic Dressing

Salad (toss ingredients together)
3 cups of chopped romaine lettuce
1 chopped & baked salmon fillet
½ cup fresh chopped bell pepper
¼ cup fresh chopped yellow peppers
1 fresh chopped tomato
¼ cup chopped olives

Dressing (blend ingredients together)

¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 table spoon of balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon of fresh honey
1 tablespoon of dried chili
1 pinch of sea salt to taste

#3 Arugula Chicken Salad with Curcumin Cream Dressing

Salad (toss ingredients together)

2 cups arugula lettuce
½ cup chopped broccoli
1 cup baked & chopped chicken breast
1 chopped tomato
3 diced banana peppers

Dressing (blend ingredients together)

1 teaspoon curcumin
½ teaspoon tarragon
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon mustard sauce
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon shredded parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice

Source:
Open the Door to Salad Season This May with National Salad Month. Newswise; May 1, 2007

Naweko Nicole Dial San-Joyz founded Noixia, a San Diego based research firm dedicated to helping people intelligently, safely and affordably enhance their image by offering custom skin solutions to people with

During the process of oxidation, highly reactive by-products called free radicals are produced. These free radicals act on other molecules, turning them into free radicals like themselves, thus disrupting their normal functioning. This could eventually lead to massive cell destruction, tissue damage, and even cause degenerative diseases, like cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis and atherosclerosis among others.

Oxygen damage to your cells results when there are too many free radicals present inside the body. Researchers conclude that such damage may be partly responsible for the effects of aging and certain diseases.

There are certain substances in food which may play a role in protecting against this damage. Luckily, the human body comes prepared with natural defenses against these harmful free radicals.

Antioxidants are chemical substances found naturally in fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants act on free radicals, pursuing them and neutralizing them in order to stop their damage on healthy cells of the body.

What are the antioxidant effects of plants? Among the many plants that have disease-fighting antioxidants is the camellia sinensis, otherwise known as the tea plant. For centuries, tea has been served in Asian households as a healthy drink to promote health and general well-being. Green tea especially has been greatly favored due its many amazing health benefits.

For centuries, green tea has been consumed throughout the ages in Asia. In traditional Chinese and Indian medicine, green tea has been used as a stimulant, diuretic (to promote the excretion of urine), astringent (to control bleeding and help heal wounds), and to improve heart health.

benefitsofgreentea.info The benefits of green tea have been largely attributed to the presence of polycatechins which have potent antioxidant effects. However, besides polycatechins, there are also other ingredients in green tea that contribute to its antioxidant effects.

What are the antioxidant effects found in green tea? Among all flavonoids, catechin is ranked high for its antioxidant effects and properties. Catechin is that substance in green tea which makes the beverage an excellent source of antioxidant effects. Besides tannin, vitamins such as vitamin A (carotene), C, and E, there are also other well-known substances in green tea that gives it its antioxidant effects.

Research aimed at finding the active compounds in green tea revealed that its defensive and antioxidant effects are mainly due to catechins which are powerful polyphenolic antioxidants.

Green tea also has antioxidant effects that make them powerful anti-carcinogenic, cardioprotective, nueroprotective, and anti-microbial actions. A mostly bioactive catechin called epigallocatechin gallate has been singled out by many researchers as very important because of its antioxidant effects leading to cancer prevention.

It is therefore a good idea to drink tea for its antioxidants effects. A constant intake of antioxidants from our diet can protect against damages to our body cells which occur following oxidation. Have more cups of green tea per day and benefit from its antioxidant effects.

Julie Health writes for you about the benefitsofgreentea.info/category/green-tea-antioxidants/ benefits of green tea antioxidants at her website where you can discover the many green tea benefits.

Caffeinated or Decaffeinated?

Start off with some background. The well-known black tea, oolong tea, green tea and white tea are just a few of several types of tea. The most caffeine is found in black tea, while green tea is in the middle and white tea has the least. Coffee contains more caffeine than tea. One half or a third of the caffeine in coffee is found in a cup of tea.

It is rather surprising when you consider some general facts about tea plants. Caffeine will be stronger the smaller the tea leaf. A higher caffeine content is also in the tea leaves that are fermented longer. However, according to some sources the health benefits of green tea is ruined by the decaffeination process. So while you may be able to find comfort in a warm cup of green tea that is caffeine free it is a no-win situation.

You will want caffeine free if you have a problem with caffeine. Caffeine green tea is not completely devoid of caffeine, so you should keep this in mind if you have a severe reaction to any amount of caffeine. Which means you should probably stay away from teas altogether.

If you can even drink caffeine free green tea then herbal infusions may be an option. These do not contain any tea whatsoever despite the being mislabeled as teas. Herbs or flowers are often contained in these products and can be brewed in tea bags or balls just like teas. Chamomile is an example of the alternate ingredients included in herbal infusion which is a type of flower.

Caffeine green tea is a great choice if you are trying to limit your caffeine intake. The health benefit of green tea generally outweigh the negatives of a little bit of caffeine when you look at the big picture.

Tom Antion is the writer of

An excellent alternative to all the process of washing, starching and ironing the chef’s hat came up in the recent years. This was to use paper hats instead of cloth hats. Paper hats that are fiber constructed and so are stiff and formal looking; they can be replaced every few days as the hats start to sag or become dirty due to sweat and splatters that occur every so often in the kitchens.

Also, the paper hats are cost-effective as compared to the cloth variety. Disposable varieties are the in-thing with today’s chefs. They are easy to use and zero maintenance, and the chef gets to wear a new one every few days. Manufacturers are making sure the paper hats are delivered in proper packages at a nominal cost and keeping up with the present trend regarding the sizes and the shapes. Even the pleats are being provided in the hats and since it is of paper, the pleats hardly tend to get crushed or wrinkled.

All the disposable varieties are provided with sweatbands to ensure longer wear. Most of these paper chef hats are worn with a hairnet underneath that keeps the hair locked in place thus serving the original purpose of wearing a hat while cooking.

Available in the market are the French, Spanish, Italian, German and European, as well as other kids of chef hats made with non-woven material, in other words with a thick durable paper. They are robust and are long wearing. Since a sweatband would be provided they do not tear due to sweat or heat and can be used for many shifts. Some hats can be worn for as many as 5 days as a stretch.

Disposable ones can also be made on order with the hotel’s logo. Personalized hats for gatherings and barbecues make excellent giveaway gifts. A company’s logo would also add a personal touch if the hotel or restaurant is a popular chain. It would also act as an excellent advertising gimmick and can be as effective as a t-shirt or such.

Disposable hats are available in the requisite sizes and heights and can be ordered online with the minimum hassles. They would be delivered at the earliest and would not involve in the customer spending a lot of time shopping around for the perfect chef’s hat.

e-chefhat.com Chef Hats provides detailed information about chef hats, chef hat history, and more. Chef Hats is affiliated with i-steak.com Sirloin Steak.

A sure fire way to impress family and friends is to cook copycat restaurant recipes at home. Everyone can enjoy their favorite dishes at family meals and parties. There are various sources of good copycat restaurant recipes on the web. Generally they are compiled into easy to download and read ebooks and can cover a wide range of recipes from various sources and restaurant chains. Popular copycat restaurant recipes from well known chains in America can be found such as: Applebee’s, Chili’s, McDonalds, KFC, Boston Market, Hard Rock Café, Joe’s Crab Shack, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Outback Steakhouse and many many more.

Some ebooks contain what are called restaurant copycat recipes, which are reverse engineered with years of research from contributing authors. This allows recipes of previously secret dishes with closely guarded ingredients and methods to be engineered and recreated for you to use. Some common copycat restaurant recipes are virtually identical in taste to the original restaurant recipes.
So what does this all mean? Simple, you can easily prepare meals at home that taste as good as your favorite restaurant dishes.

Not only can you impress family and friends when you cook copycat restaurant recipes…you can save alot of money. When you are typically eating out 3 times a week with a family at these popular restaurants, you are spending a lot of money every year. Preparing restaurant copycat recipes from home will save you a lot in the long term.

More resources for cooking copycat restaurant recipes at home can be found at infoquarium.com/copycat_recipes.html www.infoquarium.com/copycat_recipes.html

Pleasing the tens of millions who visit the Lake Buena Vista, Fla., resort each year (an estimated 16.9 million in 2005 combining the four theme parks, according to Wikipedia.com) is as much an exercise in entertainment and efficiency as it is a spiritual calling for the park’s Senior Vice President of Food & Beverage Dieter Hannig.

“I have a deep connection with food,” Hannig explains. “I grew up in a rural area, and we were self-sufficient. From childhood it was spiritual, having respect from where food comes; this whole notion of growing and experiencing the seasons, and having a connection to the land. That’s how I grew up, believing that there’s a social aspect involving food.”

And in a place like Walt Disney World, food is nothing if social – in every 10,000 dessert soufflés served at Victoria & Alberts and 31,000 Cobb salads tossed at the Hollywood Brown Derby at Disney-MGM Studios. If the popularity of theme parks can be measured in food volume alone, then Walt Disney World is by far the most popular theme park/resort in the world.

Mass appeal
In charge of this massive operation that offers more than 6,000 different food items, Hannig calls upon a belief nurtured through a long career spent in the food industry and, indeed, growing up to appreciate food in his childhood home near Cologne, Germany. It is a business, of course, but also a lifestyle. For a brand as ubiquitous as Disney, which is near synonymous with mass merchandising and appeal, the belief is that food service should not be watered down in order to satisfy such masses. Whether served by Mickey Mouse or a five-star chef, food at Disney, at the very least, should offer a unique and satisfying experience.

“We are reminded daily that we work for a company whose products and experiences hold very special meaning to millions of people throughout the world. That includes food and beverage,” Hannig stresses. “We are able to provide convenience, comfort, and connectivity for the family on vacation. Each meal has the ability to be a ‘magical gathering’ for the family. Vacation should be nutrition for the body, mind, and soul.”

At Walt Disney World Resort, the dining team has flourished under the direction of Hannig. Supervising more than 500 places to eat, Hannig, who joined Walt Disney World Resort in 1993, has introduced a new generation of diverse dining experiences. “In 1988, I went to work with The Walt Disney Company at Disneyland Paris, charged with creating nearly two dozen themed resort restaurants. It was one of the most beautiful times in my life,” he recalls. “After the resort opened in April 1992, I was tapped to come to Walt Disney World Resort.”

How does he bring this belief into his position? “Food and nutrition is just one piece of living better – I try to instill this as a leader, this whole philosophy of lifestyle. It’s very complex,” he says. “People have to understand how food relates to our lives; it has to be meaningful. There has to be a purpose to it. I try to make people understand if they leave in the morning and they’re not happy, they won’t be happy chefs. I tell all my leaders I can tell if someone touched food with respect and love.”

Hannig says he feels very privileged to work with a talented food & beverage leadership team, supported by a cast of thousands, literally (Walt Disney World calls its employees cast members). Combined they direct the operations of 85 table service restaurants, more than 200 snack operations, 20 pool bars, 23 lounges and more than 10 nightclubs. All offer a distinct atmosphere and food menu and each tries hard to put to rest the clichés that surface when the subject is theme park food.

“The theme park industry is always labeled, that it’s only about fries and burgers,” he says. “We want our food service to be recognized on another level; we push hard to be recognized by our guests.” Indeed, as posted on the Web site AllEarsNet, Susan Shumaker and Than Saffel in their column, A Vegetarian at Mickey’s Table, applaud Hannig for undertaking “the awesome task of making Walt Disney World a dining destination to rival the world’s great resorts – while ensuring that hungry toddlers, weary parents, picky teenagers, and people with esoteric diets can all find some delightful culinary treat… It’s a mammoth undertaking, but if anyone is up to the task, it’s Hannig.”

Hence, the establishment of restaurants such as Boma-Flavors of Africa or Spoodles, described as a “mini vacation to the Mediterranean;” California Grill and Coral Reef Restaurant, which features a 5.7-million-gallon aquarium.

“With our diverse cast members, every day I apply the professional and personal experiences that I gained from my “journey” working in more than 20 countries around the world. I’ve been privileged to live in different cultures, to accept different thinking and values, and learn the culinary heritage and traditions of many great cuisines,” Hannig adds.

As such, he tried to instill a personalized agenda with every food establishment. Every restaurant manager has to touch each table, meaning they must interact with every guest. “We want to make sure when they leave they’re excited,” Hannig says, adding, “It’s easy to deal with a happy guest. The challenge is dealing with people who aren’t happy.”

Kids, especially, are the easiest guests. “It’s good to see how open-minded kids are. I always listen to kids and ask what they like.” Once a year Hannig holds a food focus group in the park, in which he asks children to eat various foods and gauges their responses. “Once they ate tofu meatballs and whole grain macaroni. They said it was ‘great stuff, awesome.’ I told their parents they were eating tofu and they could not believe it. They said their kids would never eat tofu at home.”

Hannig has also impressed those at the opposite end of the spectrum with an expanded Walt Disney World wine program, which encompasses improved wine service and selection. He continues to educate all restaurant staffers about wine. “Today we have nearly 300 sommeliers and one master sommelier. All of our cast should know about wine and other beverage and should be well trained and responsive to our guest’s requests. We have come a long way in this area.”

What’s next for Walt Disney World Food & Beverage? “I think that Disney dining will continue to grow and evolve and exceed guest expectations. The dining experience is part of the company’s evolution. We always will have the desire, the determination and the discipline to create new dining experiences,” Hannig concludes.

For more information, please e-mail us at mailto:corporate@fdqmagazine.com corporate@fdqmagazine.com

fdqmagazine.com/English/fotm_0701disney.asp fdqmagazine.com/English/fotm_0701disney.asp

Almost all would agree that it is a good thing that obsolete food pyramid has almost all but been forgotten! It may have taken a while, but the idea that not all people need the same food intake finally caught on. Nor are children expected to follow the same nutritional guidelines as the adults.

If you’re hoping we’ll show you the “kid’s guidelines” there unfortunately isn’t a set guideline. The amount of food from each food group that each person should eat to maintain a healthy lifestyle is dependent on their age, sex and physical activity level. One size doesn’t fit all. You can go to mypyramid.gov to type in some variables to get an idea of how much from each food category to eat each day.

Keep in mind balance is the name of the game. Make sure your kids are eating fruits and vegetables, dairy, meats and beans and grains each day. Then top it off with water, fresh air and exercise. To help you get started, below you will find a couple of healthy meals for kids.

This turkey avocado sandwich wrap uses kid-friendly ingredients for a healthful lunch or snack.

INGREDIENTS:

• Whole wheat tortillas
• 1 avocado mashed
• Sliced deli turkey
• Shredded carrots
• Shredded lettuce
• Shredded Monterey jack cheese

PREPARATION:

Assemble wraps in the following order: Spread mashed avocado on tortilla; Sprinkle shredded carrots and lettuce on avocado; Lay on slices of deli turkey; Sprinkle with shredded cheese.

Additionally, you won’t get any looks of disappointment if you inform the kids you’re making chicken nuggets for dinner. This kid favorite is delicious in the low-fat, oven-baked version. For easy clean-up and maximum crispiness, lay a sheet of foil on a cookie sheet; and, then place a wire rack on top of the foil.

INGREDIENTS:

• skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut in 1-2 inch squares
• non-fat or low-fat buttermilk
• flour for dredging
• finely chopped corn flakes for dredging
• salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 375. Prepare three large bowls for dredging chicken - 1 with flour seasoned with salt and pepper, 1 with buttermilk, and 1 with crushed corn flakes. Prepare baking pan by laying a sheet of foil over a cookie sheet; and then place a wire rack on top of the foil. Season chicken with salt and cut into 1-2 inch pieces.

Drag chicken pieces in flour. Shake off excess flour and coat with buttermilk. Next, generously coat chicken with corn flakes, and place on rack of your baking pan. Bake nuggets for 15 minutes. These keep well for the next day’s lunch box so make plenty!

The next time you reach into the pantry or freezer to grab something quick to prepare for dinner, take a good scrutinizing look at the ingredients. The idea is not to serve food that is adequate but instead food that is healthy. Keep in mind that not all of your kids may require the same portions of food.

For Weekly Breakfast & Lunch Menus Created Just For Kids - Log Onto kidapprovedmeals.com kidapprovedmeals.com