Chai is a beverage from the Indian subcontinent made by brewing tea with a mixture of aromatic Indian spices and herbs. The simplest traditional method of preparing masala chai is to actively simmer or boil a mixture of milk and water with loose leaf tea, sweeteners, and whole spices. Indian markets all over the world sell various brands of "chai masala," for this purpose, though many households blend their own. The solid tea and spice residues are strained off from masala chai before serving. The method may vary according to taste or local custom: for example, some households may combine all of the ingredients together at the start, bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately strain and serve; others may leave the mixture simmering for a longer amount of time, or begin by bringing the tea leaves to a boil and only add the spices toward the end.
Read more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chai
Recipes: http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/chai/ , http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/kathleen-daelemans/chai-tea-recipe/index.html , or http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chai-Tea-Mix/Detail.aspx
Caffe' expresso is a concentrated beverage brewed by forcing hot water under pressure through finely ground coffee. Generally, one uses an expresso machine to make expresso, although there are stove top expresso makers and hand operated devices such as the AeroPress. The act of producing a shot of expresso is often termed "pulling" a shot, originating from lever expresso machines which require pulling down a handle attached to a spring-loaded piston, forcing hot water through the coffee at high pressure. Today, however, it is more common for the pressure to be generated by steam or a pump.
More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espresso
Recipes: http://www.coffeeandteawarehouse.com/index.cfm?method=pages.ShowPage&pageid=101 , http://www.espressozone.com/espresso-recipes.aspx , or http://academic.scranton.edu/student/JENKINSL2/recipes.html
Beef noodle soup is a Chinese noodle soup made of stewed beef, beef broth, vegetables and Chinese noodles. It exists in various forms throughout East Asia and Southeast Asia. It was created by the Hui people during the Tang Dynasty of China. In the West, this food may be served in a small portion as a soup. In China, a large bowl of it is often taken as a whole meal with or without any side dish. In Tiawan, vendors that sell beef noodle may also have optional, often cold side dishes, such as braised dried tofu, seaweed, or pork intestine. Beef noodles is often served with suan cai (Chinese sauerkraut) on top, green onion, and sometimes other vegetables in the soup as well.
Recipes: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Beef-Noodle-Soup/Detail.aspx , http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/295/BeefNoodleSoup64966.shtml , or http://culinaryarts.about.com/od/clearsoups/r/beefnoodlesoup.htm
French onion soup is an onion and beef broth or a beef stock based soup traditionally served with croutons and cheese as toppings. The rich flavor of the base is not due just to the broth, but to the caramelized onions. Caramelization is the procedure in which the onions are cooked slowly until the melting sugars approach burning temperature, becoming brown. Sweating the onions to draw out the liquid is an important step in caramelization. In the final stages of cooking, cognac or sherry is often used to enhance the caramelized onion flavor and to deglaze the pan.
Recipes: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/french-onion-soup-recipe2/index.html , http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/9739 , or http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=10000001860014
Chicken soup is a soup made by bringing to a boil and then simmering chicken parts and/or bones in water, with various vegetables and flavorings. The classic chicken soup consists of a clear broth, often served with small pieces of chicken or vegetables, or with noodles or dumplings, or grains such as rice and barley. Chicken soup has also acquired the reputation of a folk remedy for colds and flus, and in many countries is considered a classic comfort food.
Read more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_noodle_soup
Recipes: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/homemade-chicken-soup/Detail.aspx , http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nigella-lawson/chicken-soup-recipe/index.html , or http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food/best-recipes/chicken-soup-recipes
Apple cider is the name used in the United States and parts of Canada for an unfiltered, unsweetened, non-alcoholic drink made from apples. Modern methods allow a formerly hand-made beverage to be commercially produced. To make cider, apples are washed, cut and ground into a mash that is the consistency of applesauce. Layers of mash are wrapped in cloth, and put between wooden racks. A hydraulic press squeezes the layers, and the juice flows into refrigerated tanks. This juice is bottled as apple cider.
To read more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_cider
For recipes: http://gonewengland.about.com/cs/recipes/a/aaciderdrinks.htm , http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/Hot-Apple-Cider/Detail.aspx , or http://hotapplecider.ca/recipes/
