Power Blog

At trade shows and product samplings here in the Midwest, people are
always asking me, “What is a scone, exactly?”

Most people can describe what a scone ISN’T. It isn’t a biscuit. It isn’t a
cookie. And it isn’t a cake.

But people have trouble explaining what a scone IS. That’s why it’s
helpful to know a little about the history of the scone.

Scones originated in Scotland. In fact, some say this Scottish quick
bread takes its name from the word Skohn or Skon, which refers to the
Stone of Destiny, a place where Scottish kings were supposedly once
crowned. Back then scones were made of oats. They were rolled into a
large round, cut into triangles, and cooked on a griddle over an open fire
or on top of the stove. Since baking powder hadn’t been invented yet,
buttermilk was used as the leavening agent. Traditionally, scones were
served at high tea.

Today’s scones are a little different. They come in many shapes and are
usually made with flour. Baking powder is the leavening agent, and they
are baked in the oven. Commerical scone mixes and scone pans are
available today, too, making it even easier for people to prepare a
delicious batch of this tempting treat.

While scones are still popular for tea, they are also enjoyed at breakfast,
brunch, lunch, dinner, and especially for snacks.

Suzanne Lieurance is a freelance writer and owner of the Three Angels
Gourmet Co. which produces a unique line of “heavenly gourmet mixes”
for sale at: http://www.threeangelsgourmet.com For additional food
information and daily food tips, visit the Three Angels Gourmet Co. blog
at http://www.threeangelsgourmet.blogspot.com

Share This

The Habanero hot sauce is an icon amongst all the various types of hot sauces that are available in the market. Chili peppers are fruits of plants hailing from the Capsicum genre and Habanero happens to be the most spicy and hot pepper in this lineage. The habanero pepper is a small lantern, round or oblong shaped pepper with small creases and the colors range from green to bright orange when ripe. The habanero’s size can vary from 1″ - 2.5″ in length and 1″ - 2″ in diameter and it is the hottest chile on the Scoville scale, with an intense flaming, flowery flavor.

The habanero pepper is believed to have originated in Cuba and the word Habanero means “From Havana”. Cuba is also where the hottest of all Habanero peppers is from. This habanero is named the Red Savina Habanero, which has even made to the Guinness Book of World Records as the “world’s hottest spice”. The Habanero is local to the Caribbean, Cuba, Yucatan, Texas, California and north coast of South America.

The Habanero hot sauce, as the name suggests, is made from this legendary Habanero pepper and is famed to be the hottest sauce around.

The sizzling Habanero Hot Sauce with its trademark tangy, lemony-flavor and flowery fragrance is a popular accompaniment in cuisines all around the world. However, not all Habanero sauces are equally hot. The heat intensity depends on the type of Habanero pepper being used.

The Habanero pepper hot sauce is produced by varied manufacturers. For instance, Ashley Food Co. offers an unique Habanero flavored flaming Mad Cat hot sauce, while Dave Gourmet’s Dave’s Insanity hot sauce is a veritable raging hot sauce. With your tongue and the entire intestinal tract up in flames, you would realize what made Dave insane.

Amongst the Habanero pepper hot sauce, there are interesting variations like the Florida-based Hog’s Ass Garlic Habanero pepper hot sauce. This is an inimitable blend of fresh vegetable juice, vinegar and garlic and has the entire state swooning over it.

Hot sauce manufacturers have come up many different kinds of Habanero sauces like the Habanero pepper hot sauce From Hell and befitting the name, this hot sauce releases hellish heat. Another hell raiser is the tomato-based Paw-Paws Snake Bite hot sauce or Idiot Boys Habanero Hot Sauce. This 2005 Scovie Award Winner proves its merit with a piquant taste that is sure to set off the fire alarms.

There are countless numbers of hot sauces doing the rounds but nothing quite matches the habanero variety in zing and definitely the intense heat that it can generate. No wonder, the Habanero Hot Sauce has been catapulted to a cult status among sauce lovers of the world.

Chris McCarthy is the owner of InsaneChicken’s Hot Sauce and BBQ Sauce Catalog. Check out the large selection of hot sauces on http://www.InsaneChicken.com

Share This

South Africa has a very diverse rainfall, allowing many fruits, vegetables and crops to grow throughout the country, all year round. Crops are just one of South Africa’s most important production of food, not only to South Africans, but also the rest of Africa. Of South Africa’s total cultivated area (approximately 10 million hectors), around 36% is planted with maize and 21% has small grains. Oil seeds, sorghum, maize and small grains covers around two thirds of the total arable land.

The most important grain crop for South Africa and the rest of Africa is maize. Maize is a dietary staple for humans, a source of livestock feed and is also used in the production of other foods. Maize is the largest locally produced field crop and is a great source of carbohydrates to both humans and animals. South Africans produce around 8 million metric tons of mealies per year (depending on the rainfall), consumes around 7.5 million metric tons and exports the surplus to countries like Lesotho and Swaziland. More than 600 million metric tons of maize is produced per year world-wide (varies every year).

Maelies are cold-intolerant and therefor need to be planted during the spring season. Its root system is generally shallow, so the plant depends on soil moisture. Maelies are planted during the month of November in South Africa and harvested around March. Because maize is most sensitive to drought, you never know how the crop will do until you see how much it rains. The rains in the summer rainfall area only start around December, so it is difficult to predict if it will rain. Maize is planted before this time, so you have to hope and pray it rains. More than 50% of water in South Africa is used for agricultural purposes.

Grain is the second most important crop and produced in the winter rainfall areas of Western Cape and summer rainfall areas of the North West, Northern Province and the Free State. Free State is currently the highest producer of grain but there are annual fluctuations. Western Cape is the most stable production area due to the more dependable rainfall. It is usually grown during the frost-free season.

Sorghum is another very important grain for South Africa and is cultivated in the drier parts of the summer rainfall areas of Free State as well as in the North-West with yields often exceeding 200 000 tons. Sorghum is slender with leafy stems and grows up to 3 meters high on a variety of soils in areas with around 600 mm of rain per year. It is drought and heat tolerant and cultivated primarily for hay. An average temperature of around 25

Share This