Luscious yummy Dodo

This is how I love my fried plaintains .......nice thick and juicy...lol

The food map :http://www.mamasdish.com/nigerian-recipes/plantain-dishes/fried-plantain-with-eggs

HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT TEA...BRITISH STANDARD

Growing up was interesting and fun, My Dad being a British trained Engineer, always cherished his CUPPA, He had tea with everything and everything with tea lol. My Dad will drink tea with bread, TEA WITH EBA,POUNDED YAM ,EVEN BEANS lol. I MISS YOU DADDY ..so so so much, I bet if He read this post He will say " no be small thing O " . So in His honor I am learning how to make the perfect English Tea! Lets learn it together...in Pictures....

Lets learn it together...in Pictures...from BBC.CO.UK

 WARMING THE POT
Fill the kettle with fresh water. Water that has been boiled before will have lost some of its dissolved oxygen, vital for tea brewing. Soft water – water with a low mineral content – causes less scum to develop on the surface of the finished tea.

Warm the teapot by pouring in a quarter of a cup of water and putting the pot in a microwave for one minute on full power.

THE POT CALLS THE KETTLE BY ITS NAME..lol

Synchronise. Bring the warmed pot straight to the just-boiled kettle and place a single heaped teaspoon of loose Assam leaves (or your teabags ..depending on how strong you want your tea ) into the pot.

Pour in the boiling water immediately. If the water is allowed to cool, it is less effective in releasing the chemicals in the tea leaves. The use of a tea cosy is not recommended, since the liquid needs to cool before pouring. 

STIRRING THE TEA
Stir the brewing tea and leave it for three minutes. This time allows for the release of polyphenolic compounds, which will give the tea its rich colour and flavour. A longer infusion period will unlock high molecular weight chemicals which taste bitter.
You cannot reduce the amount of caffeine in your cuppa by shortening the infusion time, most of the stimulant is released within a minute.

THE SUGARY MILKY WAY

Put chilled milk in your ceramic mug (they didnt say platic cup o! lol ) FIRST. Milk proteins degenerate and taste stale if they are heated above 75 degrees centigrade. The milk first method allows the chilled liquid to cool the hot tea, rather than vice versa. Sugar can then be added to taste. Both milk and sugar reduce the natural astringency [bitterness] of tea.

The finished tea should be a "rich, attractive colour" and be somewhere in the region of 65 degrees centigrade – any hotter and scientists warn that "vulgar slurping" might be required. Which by British Standard is a big NO-NO during Tea parties!

and of course the MEDE MEDE ( snacks) lol to go with the tea can be served like this ..if you be oyibo

..Else as a Nigerian (With the exception of Prof. D.N.Nwokoye lol ), it will be your Standard bread and butter...or your basic sandwich or club sandwich ..

Imagine serving your Tea in this luxury tea sets

Beautiful  antique lacquered wooden  TEA-SET

CIRCA 1920'S - 1930'S , 23 PIECES COMPRISING 6 CUPS, 6 SAUCERS,TEA-POT, SUGAR,BOWL BOTH WITH LIDS, MILK JUG, SIX TEA SPOONS AND SUGAR CUBE TONGS
ALL PRESENTED ON A BEAUTIFUL TRAY COLOURFUL JAPANESE SCENERY PAINTED
ON BLACK..Your tea can never go sour lol

A sterling silver Tea Set

Solid Gold Tea Set

Tea and Coffee Service, 1825, Gold with Ivory. Long-term loan from the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Tea and Coffee Service, 1825, Gold with Ivory. Long-term loan from the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Antique floral Tea Set
 This frilly vintage tea set is covered with tiny golden flowers and curlicues lending a look of floral lace or netting. We love the unusual baroque shape. There is always something special about drinking out of a cup that is not round. All edges are trimmed with gold bands. All handles are coated in gold as are the finials. The insides of both cups are also solid gold in color. Loads of glitz and glimmer

 Coral Tea Set? Oyibo dey madt O! See bera Coral wey dem suppose use for jewellry ..PURE LUXURY SHA

 ...And from www.luxury-insider.com  THE MOST EXPENSIVE AFTERNOON TEA..
....is by the venerable Cliveden House at Berkshire. Billed as the most expensive afternoon tea yet, the spread for two, at £550 per couple, was conceived by executive head chef Carlos Martinez, and includes a veritable feast of rare and beautiful ambrosia.

There’re exquisite white truffles at £2,500 per kilo, Beluga Caviar at £4,000 per kilo and Da Hong Pao Tea, harvested from thousand year old leaves and valued at over £2,000 per kilogram. You’ll also be treated to flutes of Dom Perignon Rose, as well as a luscious, gold-leafed cake made with the dearest chocolate in the world, Amedi Porcelana. Wash it all down with an earthy, bitter shot of Kopi Luwak, the famous civet cat coffee, at £50 per cup. Here is a picture of the chef and table spread below..

..AND FINALLY YOU LEARN BASIC TEA ETIQUETTE ..THE ENGLISH WAY..Just in case the QUEEN OF ENGLAND pops in for a visit...WATCH O! SO YOU DONT EMBARASS YOURSELF LOL..

Enjoy your tea my dear friends..and please .. Bournvita , Ovaltine or Coffee ...is not tea O! Hope say Una don hear? lol


REFERENCES AND FURTHER RESEARCH FROM
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/03/uk_how_to_make_perfect_tea/html/5.stm
kaboodle.com
turbosquid.com
http://blissfulglutton.com/afternoon-tea-at-the-park-75-lounge-and-terrace-midtown/
theculturebite.com
sellgoldinleeds.co.uk
http://www.etsy.com/listing/89049340/golden-floral-filigree-1970s-vintage
http://www.sandwichrecipe.org/

YUMMY LUSCIOUS OMELETTE

Hope your breakfast or brunch was almost as yummy as mine. Most people more often than not have an egg based breakfast. My favorite is the omellette . An omellette is very versatile because it can be made in different ways , with different ingredients and it is not restricted to breakfast alone. It can even be a standalone meal. WOW! JUST THINKING OF AN OMELETTE HAS GOT MY MOUTH WATERING ..
Oh well lets demystify the omelette.

yummy omelette..I can eat this all day lol

CALORIES IN A 3 EGG OMELETTE

A large egg has between 72-78 calories,

a three egg omelet would have 216-234 calories with just the eggs. Add 36 calories if you use one small pat of butter. This would make it 252-270 if you use one small pat of butter and 3 eggs.

Hence:

216-234 calories without butter, fat or oil
252-270 calories with butter.

Read more: wiki.answers.com There are two types of omelette; the simple rolled or folded omelette or the thicker flat omelette known as FRITTATA OR TORTILLA.

THE FOLDED OMELETTE : They can be made plain, with just eggs or with a filling of your choice and can be served for breakfast or accompanied by a side salad or chips or jacket potato, for a substantial lunch or a light evening meal.

A yummy folded vegetable omelette

If you are making omelettes for several people, you should always make one omelette per person, as it is easier and quicker to prepare two small omelettes rather than one larger one in a bigger pan.
Aim to use a pan that is 6 inches in diameter to cook the omelette in. A larger pan will make the omelette spread out too much, stick to the pan and become thin and dry, whereas a pan that is too small will cause the omelette to become too thick, making it difficult to fold.

Some people like to cook their omelette in a little melted butter, however, for others, this may make the omelette too rich in taste, in which case the butter can be substituted for vegetable oil.

Omelette and rice..nice for lunch

A full meal..omelette with meat filling

It is vital to use a non-stick pan, so that the omelette does not stick to the bottom or the sides. The pan should be really clean, as this could also make the egg stick.

When you melt the fat in the pan, make sure that you tilt the pan as the butter is melting or the oil is heating up, so that the fat greases the sides as well.

A clever trick to make sure that the eggs do not stick is to put a layer of salt in the bottom of the frying pan and turn the heat up high. Cook the salt, whilst shaking it around the pan, until the salt turns brown in colour. Remove the salt from the pan by wiping the bottom and sides with kitchen paper. The pan is now ready to use and you should be able to cook your omelette without it sticking to the pan.

Ingredients : 

3 eggs

Oil (canola or olive), cooking spray or butter

Milk (optional, however it makes the egg fluffy)

Non-stick skillet

Spatula

Fork or egg beater

Mixing bowl

Ingredients to fill your omelette, such as cheese, ham, onion, tomato, bell peppers, sausage, bacon and mushroom are popular.

Ingredients that are placed on top of the omelette once it has been cooked, such as salsa, avocado, sour cream and cilantro

METHODOLOGY

Break the eggs into a bowl, and add the milk, salt and pepper.

Beat the eggs gently with a fork, just until they combine together. Do not over beat them or whisk them to a froth.

Place the frying pan on the stove and warm the pan over a moderate heat before adding the butter.

Add the butter and turn the heat up a fraction. As the butter is melting, tilt the pan so that the bottom and sides are both coated.

Once the butter begins to foam, carefully add the eggs to the centre of the pan, tilting the pan so that the eggs spread out evenly over the bottom.

Cook over a moderate heat. As the eggs begin to set, very carefully lift the edges of the omelette upwards with a spatula, ensuring that the omelette does not stick and also allowing the uncooked eggs to run underneath. Rotate the pan as you do so, making sure that all sides have been moved.

Cook until the eggs have set on the bottom but the top is still a little moist. The underside should be a golden brown in colour. At this stage, lift up the edge of one side of the omelette and fold this half so that is covers the other half and sits neatly on top. Do not break the omelette in half.

Loosen the omelette away from the pan and tip out onto a warmed plate. Serve immediately.

FOLDED OMELETTE FILLINGS

Ham - add a handful of finely chopped ham just before folding the omelette in half.
Cheese - grate 1 oz (30 g) of Cheddar or Gruyere and add to the eggs in the bowl before cooking.
Fine herbs - chop up some fresh parsley, tarragon and chives and add to the eggs before beating with a fork.
Mushrooms - slice mushrooms and sauté in a little butter. Add just before folding.
Tomatoes - add some cooked chopped tomatoes before folding.

Prawns - add a handful of cooked peeled prawns a minute or two before folding the omelette.

FLAT OMELETTE: 

The flat omelette, otherwise known as a "frittata" in Italy or a "tortilla" in Spain is basically cooked the same way as a folded omelette, however, the flat omelette contains a larger number of eggs, is thicker, will more than likely contain a number of other ingredients for the filling and is cut into wedges rather than folded and may be served hot or cold. 

A simple flat omelette with pepper

LADIES..THIS SHOULD TURN HIS MUMU SWITCH ON lol

This might also be the way to his pocket through his stomach lol..during breakfast..just make sure his cheque book is a smile away..lol

The ingredients used to fill the flat omelette are usually placed in the bottom of the pan and the eggs are then poured over the top. The flat omelette is cooked over a low heat for a longer period of time and finished off with a few minutes of cooking time under the grill.


METHODOLOGY


Break all of the eggs into a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Heat a large frying pan (10 inches in diameter) and melt the butter and oil over a moderate heat.

In the meantime lightly beat the eggs with a fork.

As soon as the fat begins to sizzle carefully pour the eggs into the pan, tilting the pan so that the eggs cover the base evenly.

Turn the heat to low. Add any other ingredients at this point unless they are to be added before the eggs.

just look at the thickness

Cook the eggs until they begin to set and then with a spatula gently lift the edges of the omelette 

upwards on each side, tilting the pan and allowing the uncooked eggs to run through to the bottom of the pan.

Preheat the grill.

Once the omelette has set on the underside and is a golden brown in colour but the top is still wet, remove the pan from the stove and transfer it to the grill. 

Cook for a further 4 - 5 minutes until the top has set and is also brown in colour.

Remove from the grill and cut into wedges.

Serve hot or allow to cool and serve cold.

FLAT OMELETTE FILLING

Spanish omelette - True Spanish omelette, or tortilla, contains only four ingredients: egg, olive oil, and thinly-sliced onion and potato. It tastes delicious hot or cold and is one of the most popular tapas dishes, served cut into bite-sized cubes on cocktail sticks. It can include peppers and cherry tomatoes, which add sweetness and moisture to the dishfry 1 small chopped onion together with a handful of chopped red and green pepper until soft. Add slices of cooked boiled potato and then pour the eggs over the top.

Isn't food lovely lol

YUM YUM YUM YUM

Roasted vegetables - roast a selection of chopped vegetables such as tomatoe, peppers and onions drizzled in olive oil for 30 minutes. Spread in the bottom of the frying pan and then pour the eggs over them.

A rich egg meal with muchrooms and plenty veggies

Ham, cheese and onion - pour the eggs into the pan and then add 4 oz (115 g) of sliced cooked ham, half a chopped onion and 2 oz (55 g) of grated Cheddar cheese.

A simple ham omelette

A delicious ham and spinach omelette

WATCH HOW TO MAKE A SPANISH OMELETTE

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REFERENCES

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_calories_in_a_3_egg_omelet

http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/2009/10/truffle-omelette/

http://www.helpwithcooking.com/egg-guide/how-to-make-omelette.html

http://www.mahalo.com/how-to-make-the-perfect-omelet/

http://www.zemmy.co.uk/spanish-omelette/