Making Strong Kava Drinks

We have a new question that gets asked of us more and more these days. It's how to go about making the strongest Kava possible. Well, lucky for you, there are many ways to make your Kava as strong as possible!

First, anyone who has experience with Kava knows that Kava drinks are usually made with water or coconut water. Fruit juices are often added, but mainly, Kava drinks are made from water.

The trouble is, is that Kavalacatones, the active ingredients in Kava responsible for the pleasurable effects, really like to be extracted into fats. Fats include liquids we all know well, such as milk, soy milk, coconut milk, and many others. Oils are also fatty, but who wants to make a drink out of olive oil? Not me!

The other problem is that fats and oils do not get along together. If you have ever had balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing, you know that you have to shake the oil and vinegar to get them to blend. And even then, it only blends long enough to get onto your salad! So, let's do a little bit of math:

Kavalactones account for just 10% of the total Kava root powder material. Doesn't that mean we could use a 10% fat solution for our drink to get that 10% of Kavalactones? Well, unfortunately, it doesn't work exactly like that. Things like soy milk are already water-based, and have plenty of water in them. So, if we wanted the strongest possible drink without any extra additives, we could simply use 100% milk, soy milk, or almond milk as these are already blended with plenty of water, instead of just water.

Kava Additives

But there are more than a few natural products that act as emulsifiers. What's an emulsifier you say? Glad you asked! Emulsifiers help bridge the gap between water and oils (or fats). Emulsifiers allow water and fats or oil to play nice together, and stay blended in your drink. So, if your salad dressing had an emulsifier added to it (many do), you would never have to shake your dressing!

Knowing that, what might be typical emulsifiers for Kava? Having water and fats play nice together does indeed make for stronger Kava drinks. One very common emulsifier is coconut milk and another is soy lecithin. These are used quite often as a way to give your Kava that extra "kick". Both are safe, and vegan as well. So, they're popular choices. There is another product available online called Kava Blender. This is an organic rice-based product that does a very similar job to soy lecithin, but as a powder instead of a thick, gooey substance or in granule form. I really like it and prefer that over soy lecithin at the moment.

Heating Your Kava

I also get asked whether or not Kava can be heated up. Even though the breakdown point for Kavalactones is only 140 degrees Fahrenheit, we have made plenty of Kava tea, Kava brownies, and a stack of other Kava-related items that still had plenty of kick to them. So, although Kava isn't approved as a food ingredient, there are many reports online of people making treats out of Kava and enjoying a Kava brownie alongside that Kava drink. And, from personal experience I can say that this is an effective way of having a stronger Kava experience without actually making strong Kava.

Drink More Kava

Let's now look at the more obvious ways of making strong Kava. One of the easiest ways is to simply drink more of it! I know the focus of this article is making strong Kava, but the beautiful thing about Kava is that there is no immediate tolerance to it as you're drinking it. This makes it possible to enjoy several shells over the course of a few hours. In social situations, my friends and I will enjoy several cups ("shells") of Kava over the course of a few hours.

It doesn't matter how strong you make your Kava, the effects only last about an hour or so when taking single servings of Kava. But, when you start to consume more than just one shell an hour; say 2 shells per hour, some very relaxing and pleasurable effects start to take hold. And that is when things can get very interesting.

Another simple way to increase the effectiveness of your Kava is to simply add stronger Kava into the drink you're making. This is most easily accomplished by using items such as Kava Tincture Plus or Kavalactone Paste 55%. These items are both emulsified, and will blend easily with any Kava extraction that you're working on. If you're looking for a bigger initial "kick" then these simple additives are the perfect solution to making strong Kava drinks.

And, just like anything else, both responsibility and moderation is the key to having a safe and fun time with Kava. It's completely legal throughout the world for personal use (except Germany as of this writing), but can have effects that could make it more difficult to drive. So, if you plan on making strong Kava, please make sure you're in a safe place such as a Kava bar or your own home, and get familiar with the effects before venturing out into the world.

In Summary

So, what have we learned about making strong Kava drinks today? That it is indeed possible, and fun at the same time! You can extract into something that already has natural fats in it such as soy milk, almond milk, or even cow's milk. That will make a stronger Kava drink than if you had extracted into only water.

There are also additives that can be quite effective, and are only needed in small amounts. Next, there's always simply drinking more Kava! It's not technically making stronger Kava, but it definitely is concentrating your Kava inside your body.

Lastly, please be responsible, and don't be afraid to experiment and have fun with your Kava journeys. And, now you can hopefully do it as a better informed Kava drinker!

Kona Kava Farm ships worldwide and offers safe, effective, and unusually potent Kava made only from the roots of our organic-certified, estate-grown plants. Don't forget to register for our free monthly Kava giveaway when you stop by as well.

Aloha no,

Makaira Kealoha

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Boat Food - St. Bart's Salsa

Today we are going to be presenting a true boat meal and something that you are likely to certainly take pleasure in. It's a banana salsa or as I have named it, St. Bart's Salsa.

Salsa is the Italian and Spanish term for marinade, and in English-speaking countries around the world commonly refers to the salsas typical of Mexican dishes particularly those used as dips.

Salsa is typically a tomato-based sauce or dip which contains additional components such as red onion, hot peppers, dried beans, corn, and various spices. They are commonly strong, which range from mild to very hot. There are various other salsas in the world; many are made with mint, pineapple, or mango. Ours in created using bananas.

Outside of South America and Central America, a popular salsa used is a hot and spicy vinegar-parsley sauce. In Argentina it is offered with barbequed meat. It is made of cut fresh parsley and onion, seasoned with garlic, oregano, sea salt, red pepper cayenne chilies and black pepper and bound with oil and vinegar In Cuba and the Caribbean islands, a typical salsa is mojo.

Unlike the tomato-based salsas, mojo traditionally is made of olive oil, garlic, and citrus juice, and it is used both to marinate meats and as a dipping sauce. Our banana salsa also has a Caribbean background and dates back many, many years; I tend not to remember where I found it. It is fairly easy to make using the best ingredients you will discover.

We had it last night for dinner.I like to use this salsa on fresh cooked fish; my favorite choices are Mahi and Tuna. Last evenings meal was with Mahi. The recipe calls for one full jalapeño pepper diced. Do not be concerned about the heat. My Mary does not like hot foods, but she will eat this quickly and easily. It appears as if when each of the ingredients are combined with each other, the pepper heat goes away almost completely. Now there is a small bite but not really sufficient to bother you.

St. Bart's Salsa

• 3 fresh diced bananas 

• ½ cup red bell pepper diced* 

• ½ cup green bell pepper diced 

• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced 

• 1 T grated fresh ginger 

• 3 scallions, cut up 

• ¼ cup cilantro 

• 3 T lime juice 

• 2 T brown sugar 

• 1 T olive oil 

• ½ t. red pepper

Combine all ingredients; refrigerate 1 hour. Serve over cooked fish.* we often use pimentos or sun-dried tomatoes

Mike Dickens, the author, is a trawler owner and owner/Broker of Paradise Yachts in Florida USA.

Paradise Yachts offers used quality yachts to customers worldwide.

Visit the Paradise Yachts website to view our Used Trawler Selection Guide

National and international sales. We ship Used Yachts and Used Boats worldwide. Located in Florida, USA. 904/556-9431

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Tasty and Easy Pumpkin Roll Cake

Do you enjoy cake rolls? I sure do and often asked, "how do they do that?" Here is a great recipe for a Pumpkin Roll Cake with a cream cheese and caramel flavored icing. It's a crowd pleasure. Most people enjoy them so much because they do not have the time, patience to make one for themselves. They take time. They take patience... And it takes a little skill. It probably doesn't take much more time that what it would take you to make a full course meal or any type of pastry.

The directions below can help you simply and easily make your own Pumpkin Cake Roll.

Pumpkin Roll Cake

¾ C flour 2 tsp pumpkin spice 

1 tsp baking powder 4 eggs (separated) 

1 C granulated sugar, divided 2/3 C canned pumpkin (no pumpkin pie filling) 

1 Tbspn Lemon Juice ½ C ground Pecans

Icing & Filling

1 Pkg (8 oz) cream cheese - softened 

4 squares (1 oz each) white chocolate, melted 

1/3 C Carmel Ice Cream Topping 

6 C Thawed Frozen Whipped Topping 

Pecan halves

Directions:

For the cake, preheat oven to 375 degrees; Line base of a 11 x 17 inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper, set aside.

In medium bowl, sift together the flour, pumpkin pie spice and the baking powder, then set aside.

In large bowl, beat egg yolks until frothy with an electric mixer. Add ½ C sugar, continue beating for 3-5 minutes. Add pumpkin and flour mixture; mix until well combined.

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until frothy with electric mixer. Add lemon juice and continue beating for 2 minutes. Gradually add remaining ½ C sugar. Continue beating until soft peaks form.

Sprinkle ground pecans over egg whites; gently fold in. Fold Yolk mixture into egg white mixture. Spread evenly into previously prepared pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven. Very gently loosen the edges of cake from pan. Carefully turn cake onto cooling rack lined with a clean kitchen towel. Cool the cake for 3-5 minutes.

Carefully remove parchment paper.

Starting at the short edge, roll up cake with Kitchen towel. Transfer rolled cake to cooling rack; cool completely.

For the icing: In large bowl, beat cream cheese, melted chocolate and caramel topping with electric mixer. Gently stir in whipped topping. To fill cake, gently unroll cake. Spread about 1/3 of the icing evenly over surface. Gently re-roll cake (without towel). Trim off ends of roll using a serrated knife. Transfer to a serving platter. Using a spatula, ice the pumpkin roll, alternate rows of pecan halves and icing shells. Cover and refrigerate 2-3 hours or until ready to serve.

Pumpkin Roll Cake doesn't have to be used in the fall, but is favored year round. However, if you prefer to not make pumpkin because you prefer a different flavor, you can make a chocolate or strawberry cake roll instead.

These pumpkin cake rolls or other flavored cake rolls can be frozen for up to one month or possibly a little longer. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, twice. Then place in a freezer bag. Make these for the holidays in advance when you have time. Remove from the freezer the morning of the day you wish to serve them. You can then slice them down, and serve at the next party or family dinner you attend.

Your family will love you while enjoying this tasty treat, thinking you slaved all day to make it for them. Enjoy.

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Do You Make the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies?

My children used to ask me how I make such perfect chocolate chip cookies. Do I think my perfect chocolate chip cookies are perfect? No, not necessarily, but my children do and my grandchildren, do as well. That is all that really matters to me. However, I will say that many people always tell how much they enjoy my cookies and often ask the same question: "How do you make such perfect chocolate chip cookies?".

They are nearly all perfectly round. They are all nearly perfectly browned, but not over-done, and they are light and fluffy, not flattened and/or crunchy.

I really don't have a huge secret or special recipe that makes the cookies seem so perfect, however, I do have a few things that I'm consistent with when doing my baking, especially for chocolate chip cookies. 

First of all, I truly believe that elevation and humidity can play a huge role in how any baking may turn out. It can affect how high your oven temperature should be and potentially how long you may need to bake your goodies. Most importantly for me, I am particular with my ingredients.

I have found that all granulated sugars are not the same. Some can have a larger grain to them, while some can be more fine. Some sugars seems to have more moisture in them than others. Because of these differences, I have found that my cookies can be different when I use different brands.

There can be differences in flour as well, as some are self-rising, some are made for lower elevations, and some have some slightly different consistencies.

Since I can't control the humidity, I try to be consistent with the brand. When I make what seems to my kids as the perfect chocolate chip cookies, I use Domino sugar, and Robin Hood flour.

After mixing the ingredients and preparing the dough for baking, I take the careful time to roll each cookie dough into one inch (1") or slightly smaller size dough balls.

Typically when you bake cookies, especially those calling for baking soda as one of the ingredients (much like the recipe I use does), the cookies will puff up through the baking process. When they are in the last minutes of baking they will tend to flatten out. Therefore, I remove them from the oven in advance of the "flattening" process, just before the cookies is completely baked.

One last little tip that I have for making these seemingly perfect chocolate chip cookies, is that although the recipe calls for the use of butter, I choose to use shortening instead. I'm also particular about the type of shortening. Do I think there is a different in shortening? Not really, I guess I'm just a particular in this department. Butter can often make the cookies tastes more rich, and creamy, but shortening will make them more light and fluffy.

Below is the recipe that I use:

¾ Cups of Domino Granulated Sugar 

¾ Cups of Domino Brown Sugar 

2 eggs 

1 teaspoon of baking soda 

1 teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream these items together and then add:

2 ¼ Cups of Robin Hood Flour

After it is blended well, fold in semi-sweet chocolate chips by hand.

Roll the dough in 1" balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned, but not yet flattened. Remove from the oven, let sit on the tray for about 30 seconds before removing to a paper towel to cool. Store in a container that will seal tight, so that the moisture stays with the cookie and doesn't dry out.

Tip: Do not leave on the cookie tray, too long because the cookies will continue to bake on the heated cookie tray.

For more helpful kitchen ideas, visit http://www.JLMarkerKitchens.com

For additional helpful hints with kitchen gadgets and baking, visit http://www.JLMarkerKitchens.com

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Easy to Prepare Mango and Tomato Pickle Recipes

With the heated summer season, the work process to make some interesting recipes which can be preserved throughout the year starts in many houses. Amongst these recipes is the tangy pickle ones. The delicious, crunchy pickles make the meal complete. In the majority of Indian homes, it is a common sight to find a jar of freshly made pickle kept on terrace or windowsill. This process eventually helps the pickles to develop flavours by maturing the ingredients.

In this fast moving world, where women are flying with vibrant colours may not find time to recreate their mother's or grandmother's recipe. She has to rush to the office and deliver presentations. As the process of preparing pickle is time-consuming and tedious, hence, a majority of people are now attracted towards the easily and readily available pickles in stores.

In the process of making the pickle, the most important ingredients are salt and oil, apart from the farm fresh vegetables you choose. Salt inhibits bacterial growth in the pickle by absorbing moisture and thus, acts as a preservative. Oil keeps the ingredients in the pickle moist and prevents them from drying off.

Pickles are made from carrot, chillies, blueberries, etc. as main ingredients. But the most popular are tomato and mango pickles. Mango Pickle is the all-time favourite amongst the pickle lovers. The tangy tomato pickle is irresistible.

Recipe for Mango Pickle:

Ingredients:

Raw Mangoes 1 kg 

Salt 100 grams 

Fennel Seeds 2 tbsp 

Fenugreek Seeds 1 tbsp 

Turmeric Powder 2 tbsp 

Red Chilli Powder 2 tbsp 

Asafoetida 1/2 tsp 

Oil 250 ml

Procedure:

1. Wash and cut the raw mangoes into small pieces.
2. Take a pan and preheat. Add fenugreek seeds and fennel seeds into it. Roast for a few minutes, to remove the moisture present in the spices.
3. Allow the spices to cool by switching off the flame and removing them into a plate or bowl.
4. Grind the spices coarsely.
5. Heat the oil and then add the grounded spices, salt, asafoetida, turmeric powder and red chilli powder.
6. Then mix it well with the mango pieces.
7. Store this pickle in a glass jar and keep it under the sun for few days for ageing.
8. Mango pickle is ready.

Recipe for Tomato Pickle:

Ingredients:

Tomatoes 1 kg 

Fenugreek seeds 2 tsp 

Mustard 2 tsp 

Mustard seeds 2 tsp 

Red chili 2 tsp 

Curry leaves 5-10 

Salt As per taste 

Asafoetida 1/2 tsp 

Oil 250 ml

Procedure:

1. Dry roast fenugreek seeds, switch and allow to cool
2. In a hot pan, add mustard, allow it to cool and powder them separately.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, red chili and asafoetida.
4. In another pan, add tomatoes and salt. Stir, cover, and cook.
5. Then add the oil seasoning to the tomatoes.
6. Cook for 10 minutes, till the moisture is evaporated.
7. Cool and store in an airtight container.

Homemade pickles are the best in taste. It is hard to find some really delicious and mouth-watering pickles as many brands fail miserably in terms of taste. To have really exquisite and tempting pickles, choose from the best makers. The fresh ingredients used in the pickles impart an authentic and refreshing taste to the pickles.

While buying the pickles choose from the farm fresh organic manufacturers. Apart from giving the quintessential taste, pickles are a great dose of probiotic required by the body every day. Instead of drinking probiotic drinks, it is best to eat a few pickles along with the meal.

Independent Blogger, Environmentalist, Organic Food Enthusiast, Organic Products Researcher. I am looking forward to share my knowledge in Tomato Pickle, gain new knowledge.

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Lemon-Ginger Chicken Breasts

Chicken can be a bit boring, but there are so many ways of cooking it. I concocted this yesterday and was pleasantly surprised with the result, so decided to share the recipe with you.

You need three or four chicken breasts, depending on their size, aluminium foil and a roasting tray.

This dish can serve 3-4 people depending on how many chicken breasts you use.

Ingredients

3 or 4 chicken breasts

the juice of a lemon

1 inch piece of ginger

1 or 2 cloves of garlic

a small bunch of parsley

1 teaspoon of sweet paprika

1 red onion

olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

Make pouches with the chicken breasts so that they can be stuffed easily. Lay them on pieces of foil on a roasting tray.

Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius, 400 degrees Fahrenheit, or gas mark 6.

Put all the other ingredients, except the olive oil, into a blender and whizz to make a paste.

Spread the paste evenly on the chicken breasts and close them. Drizzle them with the olive oil. Cover tightly with the foil and bake for an hour.

Turn the oven down to 150 degrees Celsius, 300 degrees Fahrenheit, or gas mark 2 and roast for a further half an hour.

Turn off the oven and leave to settle for 10 minutes.

You can serve the chicken breasts with pasta, rice, other grains and mashed potatoes, or a salad, depending on the season and how you feel.

This dish can be served hot or cold.

If you like spicy food, you could add a teaspoon of red chilli powder to the blender, or some fresh rosemary and thyme. You could also add 2 chopped tomatoes and use fresh basil. There are so many variations, you need never get bored with this simple dish.

The beauty of this dish is that apart from lowering the temperature of the oven, you don't need to check that the chicken breasts are OK. When you cook them in foil, all the flavours are retained and the chicken is succulent.

If you want a more lemony flavour, you can rub lemon juice into the pouches you have made of the breasts.

This will become one of your favourite chicken recipes, not only for its simplicity, but also for its taste. And of course, the ingredients are not expensive. Why not try it this weekend and give your friends and family a treat?

If you try this recipe and like it, visit this site to find more recipes that are different. This link will take you to my favourite one:- http://herbs-treatandtaste.blogspot.gr/2010/08/chicken-shahi-recipe.html

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