Category: Food to try

For some people, chili is simply a spice to be used in moderation in a small range of dishes. For others, it can become something much more important: once people get the taste for this fiery fruit, it can turn into almost an addiction, with ever stronger peppers being sought to add to all manner of recipes, says Jeff from Barbeque Smoked. The height of this quest for heat is the Carolina Rea per variety of chili plant, whose colorful and somewhat foreboding-looking fruits are by far the most potent in the world.

Chili peppers’ heat is measured using the Scoville scale. As a guide, a jalapeno pepper- not often considered a particular lightweight – tums in a fairly meager score of 3,500 Scoville units. Moving up the rankings, the Scotch bonnet cranks the tally up to a dramatic 350,000 units while lending its heat and distinctive citrus flavor to many a Caribbean dish. The Carolina Reaper however takes things to an entirely different level, breaking the scales at around 2.2 million units, making it truly a pepper to be reckoned with.

Where Did it Come From?

The Reaper variety was developed in South Carolina by Ed Smokin’ Currie of the PuckerButt Pepper Company. It is a hybrid of the ghost pepper (or bhut jolokia) and the red habanero, and combines exceptional heat with a deep fruity taste.

It’s unlikely that you will be able to bu Read More

Every restaurant on the Strip has to try hard. Even by those competitive standards, however, the options in fine dining can be spectacular It’s as if every restaurant on the world’s most glamorous stretch has a contribution to make to your experience of the city. If you’re looking for a push in the right direction, here are the top ten – on top of other great places and reviews to see while looking for stuff to do.

Joel Robuchon

There is no other fine dining venue in all of glitzy Las Vegas that possesses the three Michelin stars of Joel Robuchon of the MGM Grand. In dining experiences that bring both the innovative and the traditional together, Joel Robuchon offers both signature dishes as well as meals that sprawl to 16 courses. Against a backdrop that can only be described as palatial, the restaurant does let you grasp why fine dining is an art.

Top of the World

Top of the World is the only restaurant in the city to offer diners a 360-degree view of the city. Perched nearly 1,000 feet above the Strip on a revolving platform with custom designs like other companies provide for flooring ,  atop the Stratosphere Hotel and Towers, the spectacular setting isn’t meant to compensate for a weak menu (as it sometimes turns out with glamorous establishments). So many of the restaurant’s gourmet steaks, seafood creations and vegan dishes are top-notch. The four-course tasting menu and the wine list are award-Winners.

Twist

If you are a follower of celebrity chefs, you’ve probably hoped to experience the cul Read More

Many people who enjoy an excellent steak go out to eat as they are reluctant to prepare it at home. Cooking a steak at home will be less expensive, and you are sure to get exactly what you want. With a little preparation and practice, cooking a steak to perfection at home can become second nature. This article discusses pan frying the steak, but you can easily adapt the technique to the grill.

Buy a Perfect Steak

It doesn’t matter how you cook it if you don’t start with a great steak. Find a good butcher and let them help you pick out your steak. A lot of people will atomically go for the filet mignon, but you are going to get the best flavor in a strip or rib-eye. A bone-in steak will have more flavor, but until you get the hang of cooking it, a boneless steak will be easier. Make sure you get a steak well marbled with fat and preferably prime grade or better.

Prepare the Steak and Pan

You don’t want to cook the steak cold, so leave it out when you get home or take it out of the refrigerator at least 20 minutes prior to cooking. The steak will cook more evenly if it is room temperature. Sprinkle both sides liberally with ground pepper and a little silt.

When you are ready to cook, place a good cast iron skillet over a high flame. Pour enough good olive oil in the pan to coat the bottom. As soon as the oil starts smoking, it’s time for the next step.

Sear All Sides of the Steak

Put the steak in the hot oil and sear it well on one side. This shouldn’t take more than about a minute. Be careful as the hot oil will tend to spatter. (This is another reason not to cook a cold steak.)As soon as it is well seared, flip it over and do the same to t Read More

Pizza is a great go-to food, but it can get pretty boring. If you are tired of the same old pepperoni and sausage, why not spice things up tonight and try some unusual toppings? The great thing about pizza is that you can top it any way you want it. Whether you order from the local pizza shop or pick up a roll of dough and make your own, you can top your pizza anyway you want. Here are 6 unusual, and unusually delicious, pizza toppings to try tonight.

1. Broccoli

You have probably had broccoli on a white pizza, but this versatile vegetable is a great topping no matter what the sauce. Get creative with broccoli the next time you make pizza – pair it with your favorite meats, pile it on and enjoy the crunch. No matter how you enjoy it, broccoli is a wonderful way to top a pizza.

2. Pulled Pork

If you are a dedicated carnivore, you will love pulled pork as a pizza topping. Whether you soak the pork in barbecue sauce for a unique twist on the traditional BBQ chicken pizza or just top a traditionally sauced pie with the delicious meat, your taste buds will be watering long before the pizza comes out of the oven.

3. Eggs

You have probably had cold pizza for breakfast today, but that is not the only way to enjoy it. Breakfast pizza is a great way to start the day, and it is easy to whip one up. Just lay out the dough, fluff up some scrambled eggs and add diced tomatoes, fresh veggies and your favorite breakfast sausage. What a great way to start the day.

4. Shrimp

It might not be right for everyone, but if you love seafood, why not add it to your favorite pizza? The crunch and unique flavor of the shrimp is the perfect counterpoint to the other flavors of the pizza, and once you try it once it is sure to become a Read More