DISHES MADE BY OUR STUDENTS!
giovedì 26 febbraio 2009
mercoledì 25 febbraio 2009
ITALCOOK. ITALIAN WINE INFORMATION
Wine growing is the most widespread agrarian cultivation in Italy with 773.000 hectares equal to 4% of rural surface with an high production of hectoliter per liter equal to 7.2 billion of €.
The most exported wines are DOCG (denomination of controlled and guaranteed origin) and DOC (denomination of controlled origin) red and rose-wines.
Agrarian firms that are involved in the production are around 770.000 and they are continuously decreasing.
VINE
Vine is a shrub and its botanic name is “European Vitis Vinifera Sativa ” whose diffusion for wine intent started in some Regions located between Asia and Mediterranean basin lots of centuries before Christian Era.
Its biological cycle has a length of 25-30 years and can be divided into 4 main periods:
• Unproductive period (from 0 to 3 years)
• Growing productivity (from 3 to 7 years)
• Constant productivity (from 7 to 25-30 years)
• Decreasing productivity (from 30 onward)
After this period the vine plant lowers in production but grape quality is excellent.
GRAPE
COMPOSITION OF THE BUNCH
The bunch is the fruit of the vine and it can be of different shapes and dimensions, according to the variety.
THE BUNCH IS COMPOSED OF:
• The rachis or grape-stalk (the skeleton of the bunch)
• The grape
THE GRAPE IS DIVIDED INTO:
• Skin
• Pulp
• Grape-pip
The rachis or grape stalk: is the central brunched axis, more or less woody, at the end of which the
grapes grow. It contains: water, tannins, resins, etc. The grape-stalk is almost always eliminated before
the pressing of the grapes, through the rasping process, in order to avoid negative consequences to the must.
The grape: can be of several shapes and dimensions. Externally, we find the skin, which can be of various thickness and density.
The skin: its weight is on average the 10-15% of the total weight of the grape, and it contains fundamental elements for the production of wine; the most important are:
- Aromatic substances (terpene)
- Polyphenols (coloring substances)
The coloring substances in the white wines are the catechins, the leuco-anthocyanins and the flavonols, while in the red wines are the anthocyanins. The skin is covered by a wax-like substance called “bloom ”. Whitish in colour, it contains micro-organisms (yeasts),which sometimes are responsible for the beginning of the alcoholic fermentation.
Having said that, we can assert that the color of the wine can be in relation with the time that the skins remain in contact with the must, during the phase called “maceration ”.
The pulp, which can be of different densities and more or less juicy,represents approximately 80-85% of the total weight of the grape. It contains water (it can vary from 70 to 85%), sugars (150-300 g/l) acids, tannins, etc.
These substances are not distributed inside the grape homogenously. For this reason it is important to perform an adequate pressing in order to achieve the final results we are aiming to.
The elements are distributed in the following manner:
•The part immediately in contact with the skin (external area),is rich in tannins and less in sugars and acids;
• The intermediate part is characterized by a good amount of sugars and few tannins;
• The internal part, around the grape-pips, is rich in acids and rather poor in sugars.
If the pressing is soft, the must will be sweet and delicate. On the contrary, if we are aiming to produce a medium-long maturing wine, we will need to have in the must an adequate amount of acids, but especially of tannins. Therefore a more vigorous pressing is required. All of this, due to the different elements of the grape being found in different locations.
The grape-pips are small seeds, which are found in the central part of the grape, and they weight
approximately 5%of the total weight. They contain tannic and fat substances. From the latter it is also possible to extract a type of oil.
MUST COMPOSITION
The must is obtained through the pressing of the grapes.
On average the yield in wine after pressing is approximately 65-75%. The must is an acid-sugar solution having the following composition:
•Water 70-80%
• Sugars 15--30%
•Acids 0.5-1.5%
Other important components of the must are: minerals, vitamins, polyphenols, sweet-smelling sub-
stances, microorganisms, etc.
The sugars are the fundamental elements of the must, also in terms of quantity. Their concentration
depends on several factors, like the climate, the degree of ripening of the grapes, the soil, the species of vine, the system of growing and pruning of the vine.
There are two main sugars in the must: glucose and fructose, both present in approximately equal proportions. Knowing the quantity of sugar contained in the must, allows the calculation of the quantity of alcohol that will eventually be found in the wine.
We multiply the percentage of sugars contained in the must by a conversion factor of 0.6 (from 1 gr.
of sugar we obtain approximately 0.6 ml of alcohol). Therefore if a must contains 21% of sugars, the calculation will be as follows:21 x 0.6 =12,6.
The result shows the alcohol content expressed in volume.
Sugars concentrate in the grapes through the process of chlorophyll photosynthesis. This biochemical process, requires light (hence the importance of the position of the vine in relation to the sun), therefore it can be generally said that cold areas produce musts with a higher concentration of acids as compared to sugars, while in warmer areas the musts will have a higher concentration of sugars than acids. During the phase of maturation, we will have an even higher concentration of sugars to the detriment of the acids (tartaric and malic).
Considering the different types of wines, it is anyway always best to have a right balance between acids and sugars, in order to achieve quality results. For example, in order to obtain a good sparkling wine, it would be proper to start the production process with a wine, whose acids content is rather high, therefore it would be necessary to harvest the grapes earlier than their best ripening period.
The most important acids in the must are:
• Tartaric acid: typically found in grapes, it is the most abundant.
•Malic acid: more abundant in the grapes from cold areas.
•Citric acid: present in moderate quantities, it gives character of freshness to the wine.
MAIN WINE-MAKING METHODS
(White – Red – Rose``- Carbonic Maceration)
White wine making: it is characterized by the absence of the dregs in the must during the process
of maceration (there is no contact between the two) with the exception of those white wines, which are destined to a longer maturing process. Principal characteristics of the white wines are freshness, good acidity, and richness in young scents. To obtain the above results, it is customary to anticipate the harvesting in order to get grapes having these characteristics. During the harvesting of the grapes and their transport to the cellar, one must have particular care in avoiding any breakages in the fruits, by doing so avoiding the eventual start of an early negative fermentation. Almost always the rasping process is carried out before the pressing of the grapes, in order to avoid any tannic substances from sipping from the grape-stalk into the must. The “draining ”,instead, is the characterizing process of whitewine making, and it consists in the almost immediate elimination of the dregs (skin, and grape-pips). In this way, it is possible to obtain white wines even
from red grapes (e.g. sparkling wines and champagnes) due to the coloring substances being found
in the skin. The temperature of the fermenting mass is constantly kept between 18 °and 22 °C. During this type of fermentation, it is important to avoid as much as possible any air getting in touch with the must, in order to avoid bacteria attacks and the starting of oxidation.
Red wine making: It is characterized by the “maceration ”,that is the more or less prolonged contact between the dregs and the fermenting mass. In this way the “dissolution ”of the materials contained in the skin will characterize the final product.
Grapes pressing will be done more or less delicately, according to the final result one wants to achieve. Generally forceful pressing is avoided in order to avoid the extraction of a high quantity of tannins and coloring materials, which in turn would produce a large quantity of dregs.
The rasping process ,which is the elimination of the grape-stalks, is an operation done to avoid negative characteristics from spoiling the final product (excess in polyphenolic materials).
The alcoholic fermentation takes place when we have contact between the solid parts and the must
(liquid part).The materials contained in the solid parts take a longer time to dissolve, due to different factors, such as the temperature of the fermenting mass, which is maintained between
25 °and 30 °C.
Other factors influencing this phase are: the alcohol, which forms during the fermentation process, the presence of sulphurous dioxide (SO2),and the techniques of crushing and pumping over. Last but not least, the length of the maceration process, influences the final result as well.
In the last years, this phase has been subjected to in depth studies and experiments by oenologists and wine producers. The results obtained are not yet conclusive, but they tend to overturn the practices applied so far, which used to call for a period of maceration of 5-7 days for wines to be consumed young and 15-30 days for longer maturing wines.
Rose`wine making: the best grapes for this type of wines are those with limited contents of coloring agents and few types of tannin. The best rose` wine productions are obtained by white wine making process using red grapes with a short maceration of the dregs in the must (few hours). Others methods involve the mixing of white and red grapes or the red wine making process of a small quantity of the grapes. According to the different techniques, the obtained wines will be named differently;“chiaretti ” similar to red wines, and “cerasuoli ”,which have a
clearer color. Rose`wines, however, are mostly delicate wines, with few exceptions.
Wine making by carbonic maceration: this technique is utilized to obtain “novelli ”(nouveaux) wines.
These wines are ready to be consumed after only few weeks from production. The organoleptic characteristics of these wines give stable colors and clarity, intense and fruity scents, a mellow and well balanced taste. They are absolutely not suitable for maturing. In Italy, the best production areas for this type of wine are to be found in the north, while in
the center, Tuscany is the best area.
Perfectly harvested grapes are immersed in fermenting tanks saturated with carbon dioxide. They will remain in there for a period varying between 5 to 20 days at a temperature constantly kept at approximately 30 °C. In this way, a self-fermentation process of all the grapes is set into motion, together with the formation of glycerin and other substances, which will give scent to the wine. After this phase a subsequent fermentation phase of another 4/6 days will follow.
Bottling will have to be done by the 31st December of the same year of harvest.
WINE COMPONENTS ANALYSIS
Wine is a very complex product; its components are more than 600 and from these depend the final
product ’s organoleptic characters in all the different typologies.
Factors influencing the result of the final product;
• Species of vine
• Soil composition
• Climate
• Micro-climate of the area and of the vineyard
(orientation of the latter)
• Vineyard system and vine pruning
• Correct estimation of the best harvesting time
• Techniques and tools applied to the production
• Maturing, refining and ageing.
In order to achieve a good final result, it is advisable that all factors contribute equally. If any of them is not able to do so, the final result might be more or less compromised. The origin of the wine components is of a different nature.
Some are already found in the grapes:
Water – poly--phenols, sugars, acids, etc.
Others are formed during the different phases of
production (from pressing to maturing)
• Alcohols: (ethylic, glycerol, superior alcohols, etc.)
• Acids: (lactic, succinic, acetic,etc.)
• Ethers–aldehydes –acetyls-carbon
dioxide – etc..
Other elements are found in the musts but they
diminish or they altogether disappear during the
different phases of production
• Sugars:(transformed into alcohol by the yeasts)
• Aminoacids and ammonium salts:(used by the yeasts for reproduction purposes)
• malic acid:(transformed into lactic acid by
the lactic bacteria)
• Yeasts and bacteria:(first inhibited, they subsequently die)
In the vineyard system (plantation system) there are some factors that can improve grape quality. They can be classified as follows:
Climate:
Vine plant wants mild weather conditions with few rains during its blooming and ripening. Good weather conditions can give to the final products positive characteristics.
Ground:
Some information about the soil: qualities of grapes depend even on ground where they are planted and by its sun exposure. Grounds that are generally argillaceous are more suitable for red grapes, that are more persistent smell sesnsations, richness in alcohol, softness. Calcareous grounds give to wines good color, persistent smell good structure and good presence of alcohol and they are of thin quality. A sunny and airy hill (south-east exposure) with good thermal ranges and without humidity and water stagnations is the most suitable habitat for vine and so for a wholesome grape rich in sugars and high acid level.
martedì 17 febbraio 2009
lunedì 16 febbraio 2009
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Boiled goose neck with cabbage and horseradish
Ingredients:
1 goose neck
100g lean pork meat
stale bread
½ glass milk
1 pinch fennel seeds (kummel)
500g savoy cabbage
1 garlic clove
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
horseradish (either the root or 1 jar, ready-made)
1 yellow apple
1 carrot
1 onion
1 celery stalk
1 Tbsp corn starch
Preparation:
Turn the neck inside out. Remove the skin and the meat with the bone and boil it with the carrot, onion and celery, setting aside the neck. When the meat is cooked, bone it and set aside.
Salt and pepper the neck, then turn right side out and sew shut the wide end with thin kitchen string.
Put in the food processor: pork meat cut into small pieces, the bread soaked in milk and squeezed, salt and pepper; process. Put mixture in a bowl along with the cooked neck meat and the kummel and mix well.
Use a spoon or a filling bag to stuff the neck loosely. Sew shut, pierce in several places and place in a medium size pot with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes so that it looses as much of its fat as possible; throw off this water and add the hot cooking broth from the neck.
Continue to simmer slowly for an hour. Remove the neck, wrap in plastic wrap and keep warm.
Thinly slice the savoy cabbage, blanch and then sauté in a pan with oil, garlic, salt and pepper.
Prepare the horseradish sauce with the peeled, cut-up root and the apple, put through the food processor until it becomes creamy.
Thicken a ladleful of broth with little corn starch.
Serve in soup plates with two tablespoons of cabbage, two slices of goose neck brushed with the thickened broth and garnish with a spoonful of horseradish sauce and boiled carrot rounds.
giovedì 12 febbraio 2009
CAPPUCCINO WITH ANICE AND COCOA WAFER
Ingredients: for 10
For cappuccino:
350g fresh cream
350g mascarpone cheese
140g icing sugar
130g egg yolks
20g “creola”
10g instant coffee
For anise foam:
2dl fresh cream
10g icing sugar/ refined sugar
For cocoa wafer:
250g flour
40g cocoa
300g sugar
150g egg whites
150g butter
For cappuccino:
Mix egg yolk with sugar, then mascarpone with cold fresh cream and coffee and sugar with hot fresh cream. Blend the 2 compounds adding eggs and then put all ingredients in a strainer.
Fill siphon (1 liter capacity) and close (insert 2 charges.)
Let cool in the fridge. Shake before serving.
For the anise foam:
Beat fresh cream, when half-beaten add sugar and anise continuing whisking till having the consistency you desire.
For cocoa wafer:
Melt gently butter. Mix all ingredients and at the end egg white.
Let rest for 2 hours, with a spoon spread thinly on a greaseproof paper.
Bake in a 180°C oven till brown.
mercoledì 11 febbraio 2009
giovedì 5 febbraio 2009
Dear Friends,
are you interested in Italian cuisine and in food culture?
Gastronomy tour in Italy!Come to visit our Cooking School: www.italcook.it
Would you like to attend a professional course or would you prefer a short summer cooking course?
If you are interested, please contact me: comunicazione@italcook.it
Ital.Cook., Jesi (Italia)
THE HISTORY OF CHOCOLATE
An Aztec legend tells of the gardener-god Quetzalcoatl who teaches Man how to cultivate the cachua-quahitl, the “tree of strength and riches” and how to use its seeds to prepare xocolatl, “nectar of the gods.”
In fact, the cocoa plant is called THEOBROMA CACAO, or “food of the gods”, the European name given to it in the mid-1700’s. It was unknown before this.
The origins of the cocoa plant are ancient and go back to 4,000 B.C. when, according to botanists, it grew wild in the damp climate of the Orinoco and Amazon river valleys. The first people to see any value in the fruit which resembles a small pumpkin surrounded by dark green foliage were most probably the Maya who introduced the plant in the Yucatan peninsula around the year 600 A.D.; the remains of the first great cocoa plantation in history are still visible.
And so it was the god Quetzalcoatl who gave cocoa to mortal Man and taught him how to prepare a bitter and spicy drink with extraordinary energy-giving and aphrodisiac properties. It was in honour of Quetzalcoatl that the seed was named xoco-l-atl from which the word “chocolate” appears in essentially all of the three hundred languages of the world.
It was on his fourth voyage, in 1502, that Christopher Columbus first tasted chocolate, offered to him by the Hondurans. It was not especially appealing to European palates and although some seeds were taken back to Spain but it would not be until several years later that it would begin to be appreciated. Once Europeans realized how this substance alleviated fatigue, ways were devised to make more appetizing. It was sweetened thanks to the intuition of some nuns in Oaxaca and soon the drink was served as a delicious “tonic” in Mexico. It was Cortez who thought of bringing this custom to the royal courts of Spain in 1527 and Spanish monks substituted the original ingredients which included corn, honey, chilli pepper and a cloved pepper mixture with cane sugar and vanilla so as to create a sweet and delicious drink. They also quickly understood the nutritional value of chocolate and used it to sustain them during long periods of fasting. For nearly a century Cortez’s success story was a carefully kept secret of the Spanish royal court. In 1609 the first treatise on chocolate, written in Mexico, was published.
The popularity of chocolate spread throughout Spain and then to Italy. In Tuscany the first unusual ingredients were added such as bits of fresh citron and lemon peel as well as jasmine, cinnamon, vanilla, amber and musk. The secret recipes were jealously guarded by the astute young Prince Cosimo de’ Medici. Later, chocolate would travel to France with the entourage of princess Anna who was to marry Louis XIII. Here, the chocolate was no longer diluted in water, but in milk. From France cocoa seeds were introduced in Piemonte, just across the border and Turin was to become the Italian chocolate capital from the late 17th century onwards. It was here that the first license was granted to open a chocolate confectionery and in 1678 Giò Battista Ari received the first patent of the House of Savoy to practice the art of chocolatier.
The Jesuits were the first to give the go-ahead to use chocolate in the Church and thus paved the way for trade between Latin America and Europe. The sweet liquid soon became very fashionable throughout Europe. The first chocolate emporium was opened in 1657 in London. Chocolate eventually made its way to Rome and to the Pope Pius V who did not relish the taste, but nor did he ban it. The official church position was that, as a liquid it did not constitute a breach of fast, but anyone who did consume chocolate was to go to confession and ask for an indulgence at Easter.
As with most brilliant inventions, accident played a major role in creating the world’s first praline when a little hot melted sugar fell on an almond. The duke of Plesslin-Praslin thought it so delicious he named it after himself!
Going back to Turin, this was the city that taught the rest of Europe how to make chocolate, including the Swiss, for it was in the Turin chocolate laboratories that the young Swiss boys came to work and take back the lessons learned. In fact one such boy would open the first Swiss chocolate factory in 1819 near Vevey. To start with, the artisans would toast the cocoa pods over a flame to dry them and peel them. Then they would be crushed and pounded in a hot mortar. Next the cocoa would be ground along with sugar, using steel rollers on hot stone. Finally then, various aromas would be added, such as cinnamon.
The largest cocoa plantation was built in the Philippines in 1660, but in the early 1800’s Venezuela was at the top of the list of producers, with almost half of the world’s production.
It wouldn’t be until the mid-18th century that the United States of America would start to produce any cocoa.
Cocoa plants were first introduced in Africa in 1822 and chocolate soon became the principal economic resource of Ghana.
Modern chocolate manufacturing really only took off on a large scale in the 19th century with Van Houten’s discovery/invention of powdered bitter chocolate in 1828. After 8 years-worth of experiments, Daniel Peter created the revolutionary Swiss milk chocolate in 1879 and it began to be produced on a large scale by Lindt in the city of Berne.
By the 1900’s cocoa plantations were numerous throughout the tropics and chocolate was being produced in the U.S., Germany, France, England, and Italy but Switzerland would become the “chocolate capital of the world” and to this day still holds that record.
Although mass production has made chocolate readily available to everyone, most people still think of it as something “special”.
PLANT SPECIES
Cocoa is the fruit of the Theobroma Cacao plant which grows in tropical zones.
Each botanical variety, Criollo, Forastero and Trinitario, will yield a specific cru, according to the soil in which it is cultivated.
The Criollo (meaning “creole” in Spanish) is the original variety, the one the Mayas took to Mexico. It is extremely fragile and rare, representing less than 5% of world production. Intensely aromatic, this variety has a subtle taste which differs according to the soil and is used primarily to boost the quality of other cocoa blends, even if used in a minimal amount.
The Forastero (meaning “foreign” in Spanish) comes from the upper Amazon valley. It is the most robust of the three, has a strong tannin content and is the most common variety grown in Africa, representing 85% of world production. These cru serve as the base for many blends to which other fine crus are added such as the Arriba or the Maragnan.
Trinitario is a hybrid variety, a cross of the first two, which originated in Trinidad, hence the name. At present it is grown in Latin America, Sri Lanka and in Indonesia, but the best crus still come from Trinidad and Java. This variety represents 10% of world production.
CHARACTERISTICS
The cocoa tree is quite delicate and fragile. It must be protected from the wind and in most cases also from the sun, while the plant is still young, and a new shoot usually finds a sheltered spot under a banana, plantain or cocoanut palm tree. Once it grows, though, it can tolerate full sun, as long as it has fertile, well-drained soil and constant amounts of rainfall.
With a thin trunk and very colourful foliage ranging from red to brown to bronze, the cocoa tree can reach 10 meters in height but is usually kept at 5-6 meters to facilitate harvesting the fruit. Cocoa trees begin to flower at 2-3 years but only 1-5% is pollinated. The first fruits appear at 3-5 years. These are long oval pods, about 15-20 cm in length with a very tough brown skin that becomes leathery when ripe. They are gathered twice a year, before and after the rainy season, but the harvesting period can vary from area to area and it takes a practised and well-experienced eye to recognize the right time to pick the fruit.
TEMPERING
This operation consists in bringing the CHOCOLATE to specific temperatures which fluctuate from 45-50° to 30°C and occasionally lower, to stabilize it for processing. The process follows and is represented graphically by a heat curve or crystallization curve. It serves to guarantee that the chocolate will remain shiny over time and that the cocoa butter crystals will remain stable so that the fat does not separate with small variations in temperature. At this point the coating, the basic mixture, can be moulded. First, a look at the composition of the cocoa butter crystals:
Type Weight Fusion Point
Beta 80% 36°C
Alpha 15% 42°C
Gamma 5% 44-45°C
The chocolate-maker must follow this procedure:
• bring ¾ of the mixture to a temperature of 25-28°C by movement (oxygenation or emulsion). Stable crystals are obtained in cocoa butter by this mixing process.
• add the coating to the remaining ¼ of the mixture (which must be kept warm) and by mixing them the temperature automatically rises to 23-32°C.
Thus it is possible to obtain a fairly fluid mass without compromising the stability of the cocoa butter crystals.
PREPARING CHOCOLATE
Chocolate is a sweet confection obtained by mixing sugar with the right amounts of cocoa powder, cocoa mass, vanilla, cocoa butter, etc..
Making chocolate was a process known in the 17th century but it was not refined until the 19th century, in 1828, when the Duchman Conrad Van Houten discovered a new method to extract cocoa butter from cocoa beans, using a press called “moulinets”. Thus, the separately obtained cocoa butter could be added to the ground cocoa beans so as to make the chocolate mass more malleable, smooth and capable of absorbing more sugar.
MANUFACTURING PROCESS
1. cleaning
2. pre-drying
3. mixing
4. winnowing
5. roasting
6. refining
7. conching
8. tempering
9. moulding
Cleaning
Cocoa beans arrive at the processing facility in large burlap bags, from various provenance, along with the other raw materials such as hazelnuts, almonds and sugar. The cocoa is classed by origin and stored separately, in temperature- and humidity-controlled conditions. The first step in the manufacturing process is the CLEANING procedure by which all foreign matter is removed.
Pre-drying
The cocoa beans are placed on a conveyor and heated by infra-red lights to begin the drying process and facilitate removal of the hulls.
Mixing
The beans are mixed in varying proportions with other varieties according to the formula specified by each producer.
Winnowing
This serves to hull the cocoa beans and separate out the nibs.
Roasting
The cocoa nibs are roasted by essentially cooking them at a temperature of between 120° and 140°C maximum. The roasting process enhances the products aroma and considerably reduces the amount of moisture left in the bean.
From this point, the cocoa can either go to the PRESSING stage and thus cocoa butter and cocoa cake are separated out. Cocoa butter is then used various ways (see flow diagram) and the cake is made into cocoa powder;
or, it can go on to make CHOCOLATE.
Refining
This is the next phase in chocolate-making whereby the nibs are ground into a finer or coarser consistency, depending on how it will be used.
The cocoa granules will be ground further to obtain a semi-refined product called “cocoa liquor” or “cocoa paste”, depending on the texture of the raw material.
At this stage the chocolate contains 55% cocoa butter.
Conching
Once the cocoa mass is refined, it is transferred to special containers, the “conches”, where the action of rotating spatulas heat it and make it liquid. At this stage the remaining cocoa butter is added, the first part having been added during the intermediate mixing phase just before refining, along with an emulsifier, soy lecithin, which makes the chocolate more fluid.
After this mixture undergoes an agitation phase which aids in blending, it is left in the conch for up to 72 hours for certain types of chocolates so as to obtain a fluid, malleable and organoleptically well-balanced mass. During the conching residual moisture evaporates and the chocolate also loses those undesirable volatile acids and “off-flavoured” aromas.
Some producers add potassium to the cocoa mass at this stage. this ingredient accelerates the acid evaporation and thus reduces the conching time to between 6 hours minimum to 12 hours maximum. Production costs are considerably lower with this method, but the quality can never compare to the natural method.
Tempering
This phase brings the chocolate from a liquid state to a solid state.
Moulding
This is the final stage in the processing chain; the chocolate is given its final shape. From here, it will be stored to await shipping.
OLIVE OIL – SUMMARY
The only vegetable fat obtained from a fruit (many others are obtained from the seed), olive oil is obtained from olive pulp through mechanical procedures and under thermal conditions which do not alter the final product.
COMPOSITION:
Saponifiable (98-99%) tasteless and odourless = fats: oleic acid (unsaturated) 65-85%, palmitic acid (saturated) 10-15%, linoleic acid (essential poly unsaturated) 6-15%, linolenic acid (essential poly unsaturated) 1%, stearic acid (saturated), sterols (sistosterol).
Unsaponifiable (1-2%) = squalene 30-35%, alcohols 20-35%, antioxidants 20-40% (polyphenols, vitamin E), other substances 10-20% (approx. 300, of which enzymes, vitamins, chlorophyls and carotenes): this is the component that imparts quality, giving the oil its scent, flavour and color.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
It is a source of energy (9 Kcal/g) and aroma, both direct and indirect, for foods, contains fatty acids in a ratio equal to that of breast milk, provides liposoluble vitamins(A, D, E, K) and antioxidants. Olive oil also stimulates brain growth and slows cell ageing, prevents biliar calculosis (gall stones), has antierogenous properties and lowers cholesterol, thus reducing the risk of arteriosclerosis and myocardial heart attacks. This oil is the least likely to degrade at high temperatures.
Beekeeping and Honey
Apiculture, the study and keeping of bees, often
begins as a hobby which can later be expanded
into a small business. A beekeeping enterprise
can provide marketable honey and serve as a
source of pollinators for nearby cultivated crops.
Market and Market Outlook
The honey market is currently very strong,
especially for locally-produced honey and
specialty honey. A beekeeper producing a quality
product can easily sell out before the next season’s
crop is ready. Honey produced from the nectar
of certain trees, such as tulip poplar, sourwood,
and basswood, often brings a premium price.
Market options include farmers markets,
health food stores, roadside stands, agritourism
sites, and Kentucky-crafted stores or booths.
Beekeepers producing large crops may consider
selling honey in bulk to a honey packer.
Honey can be marketed in several forms. Comb
honey consists of chunks of honey-filled combs
taken directly from the hive. Because it is the
easiest to produce and the cheapest to package
and market, comb honey is often recommended
for beginning beekeepers. While the price is not
as high as for other types, there is usually a ready
market. Extracted honey, which is generally
preferred by most consumers,
is the liquid portion once it has
been separated from the comb.
Specialty products such as
honey butter and whipped honey are made from
extracted honey. Chunk honey is a combination of
comb honey and extracted honey bottled together.
The U.S. demand for beeswax, a secondary
product of bee activity, is greater than the domestic
market can produce. The beekeeping industry,
which uses beeswax to form wax foundation for
the frames in the hive, is one of the largest users
of this byproduct. There is also a high demand
for pure beeswax candles.
Royal jelly, a substance secreted by worker
bees to feed the queen, and bee pollen (more
accurately, “bee-collected pollen”), are being
promoted as dietary supplements. Their
production is expensive and labor-intensive with
limited markets.
Renting out hives to orchardists and farmers
for pollination purposes can provide another
source of income. In addition,
experienced beekeepers could
consider selling bees to other
beekeepers. These are sold
as a small nucleus hive, or “nuc,” that is easily
transported and later expanded to a full-size
hive. Selling queens is another way experienced
beekeepers may profit from their enterprise.
The technique for rearing queens is taught in
workshops at Kentucky State University.
Production Considerations
Site selection and obtaining bees
Ideally, hives should be located within 1 to 2
miles of a succession of spring, summer and fall
nectar sources. Some shade should be provided
during the heat of summer, along with protection
against the cold winds of winter. A source of
water, such as a dripping hose, should also be
located nearby. Avoid locations near large rivers,
highways, public areas or on hill tops. Hives
located near cultivated crops are potentially in
danger of exposure from insecticides. Obtaining
the cooperation of the grower and/or pesticide
applicator will be essential to avoid bee losses.
Bees can be captured from a swarm, obtained
from an established beekeeper or purchased
from a commercial bee supply company. Along
with the hive and hive parts, other necessary
equipment includes a smoker, hive tool and
protective gear for the beekeeper.
Sources of honey
Honey color and flavor are determined by the
various plant species visited by the bees. It is
not economically practical to produce a crop
solely for honey production; however, cultivated
plants grown for other purposes can provide an
important source of nectar. Common nectar
sources include agricultural crops, tree fruits,
small fruits, ornamentals and wildflowers. One
hive will require several acres of flowering plants
to provide it with sufficient nectar.
Management
The beekeeper will need to regularly open each
hive to examine the condition of the brood,
check food stores, look for signs of disease and
pests, and to perform various hive maintenance
tasks. Every other spring the queen should be
replaced. While some inspections can be brief,
it is important that the hive be examined in a
timely manner throughout the year.
Swarming, which greatly reduces hive strength,
is most often associated with overcrowding in the
hive. It can be avoided with proper management
practices.
Pest management
The most common brood diseases in Kentucky are
chalkbrood, American foulbrood and European
foulbrood. Other diseases include nosema and,
occasionally, some viruses. The varroa mite
and tracheal mite can result in serious bee losses
in the hive. Recent successes in bee-breeding
have provided strains of bees that are mite- and
disease-resistant. Obtaining bees and queens
from a reputable source, frequent inspections,
and proper management help prevent bee losses.
Skunks and mice are common in rural areas, but
can be excluded with screens or other barriers
at the front of the hive. Bears, which are now
common in eastern Kentucky, are kept away with
electric fences.
Harvesting and processing honey
When bees cap the honey, it is considered ripe.
Supers, the chambers used to store surplus
honey in the hive, can be removed from the
hive once they are completely capped over. The
average yield in Kentucky is about 50 pounds
of honey per hive per year. The honey should
be processed soon after harvesting and stored in
sealed containers in a warm, dry place or freezer
until marketed.
Pieces of sealed and undamaged honey comb
can be cut into neat pieces, packaged in plastic
wrap or boxes and sold as comb honey. Liquid
honey can be separated from the combs using
professional extracting equipment. Small scale
beekeepers, however, can do the job cheaply
by crushing the combs and letting the honey
run slowly through strainers. Extracted honey
is packaged in clear glass or plastic containers.
Chunk honey is prepared by placing a portion of
honey comb in a jar and filling up the rest of the
jar with the extracted liquid honey. Beeswax is
collected after all honey has been removed from
the combs. It should be cleaned, melted down,
and strained. It stores well at room temperature
in the form of large chunks.
Labor requirements
Labor needs for beekeeping and honey production
are quite variable. For example, the time spent
establishing new hives will depend on materials
used. In addition, considerable time can be spent
simply driving between hive locations. While it
is difficult to estimate exact labor times, honey
producers can expect to spend at least 5 hours per
hive per year caring and harvesting for bees.
Honeycomb processing times can vary depending
on the type of honey produced. Producers should
expect to spend about an hour per hive processing
comb honey. Additional time will be required for
further processing.
Economic Considerations
Initial investments include the purchase of
hives, beekeeping equipment, bees and queen.
The Kentucky Department of Agriculture
has calculated a startup cost of $160 for hive
materials, and up to $106 in additional beekeeping
equipment required per hive. Beekeepers selling
honey in bulk to a honey packer will avoid the
cost of bottling and marketing the honey in jars.
Producers of comb honey will need at least one
year of production to cover the cost of hive
materials. At a price of about $1 per pound
of comb honey, a ten-hive comb honey system
can yield returns to land, labor, and management
well over $50 per hive, especially if the hives are
rented for pollination.
Pressing or extracting equipment will represent
an additional investment for producers of chunk
and extracted honey. The least expensive honey
extractors with associated equipment cost about
$500. However, extractors can be borrowed from
other beekeepers and some local beekeeping
associations make them available to members.
A grant from the Kentucky Agricultural
Development Board to Kentucky State University
has allowed the construction of a number of
large-capacity honey extraction units. At least
twelve of these units will be established at county
Extension offices around the state by late 2005.
Producers wishing to purchase their own
extraction equipment and enter larger-scale honey
production will need at least 40 hives to recoup
the typical costs of extraction equipment in three
years or less. Penn State University estimates an
initial investment of over $3,500 for a ten-hive
production and processing system and nearly
$5,500 for a 50-hive system. Based on a price of
$2 per pound, extracted honey producers using
this complete system could realize returns to
land, labor and management easily approaching
$100 per hive, provided hives are rented for
pollination at $55 per hive. Recent retail honey
prices exceeding $4 per pound in Kentucky could
create significantly greater returns.
More Information
• Apiculture (Kentucky State University)
http://www.kysu.edu/land_grant/coop_extension_
program/agriculture_natural_resources/
apiculture.cfm
• Beginning Beekeeping, ENT-41 (University
of Kentucky, 1996)
http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/ent/ent41/
ent41.pdf
• Kentucky State Apiarist (KDA)
http://www.kyagr.com/statevet/bees/index.htm
• Kentucky State Beekeeping Association
http://www.ksbabeekeeping.org
• American Beekeeping Federation
http://www.abfnet.org
• Beekeeping (Penn State University, 2001)
http://agalternatives.aers.psu.edu/other/bees/
bees.pdf
• Beeswax (Virginia Tech, 2001)
http://www.sfp.forprod.vt.edu/factsheets/
beeswax.pdf
• Honey (Virginia Tech, 2001)
http://www.sfp.forprod.vt.edu/factsheets/honey.pdf
• Honey Bee Program (University of Georgia)
http://www.ent.uga.edu/bees
• Income Opportunities in Special Forest
Products – Chapter 10: Honey (USDA)
http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/usda/
agib666/aib66610.pdf
Photo courtesy of John Clayton
www.beemaster.com
Issued 2005
• National Honey Board
http://www.honey.com/honeyindustry
• Producing Pollen (University of Florida, 2003)
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/scripts/htmlgen.
exe?DOCUMENT_AA158
• Some Ohio Nectar and Pollen Producing
Plants (Ohio State University, 2000)
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2168.html
mercoledì 4 febbraio 2009
martedì 3 febbraio 2009
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