The LuxMob Info Tags

There are variety uses of protein. Many vegetarian people crave for protein because it is hardly included in their diet. Protein constitutes as one of the components of balanced diets. Proteins help to built muscles and relaxation of muscles used to produce amino acids which help in building and repairing of muscles, mending blood, skin and organs. Proteins also help in clotting of blood during injuries. Proteins can be found in nuts like almond, peanuts, cashew nuts and ground nuts. Soy products like soy yoghurt, soy milk, and tofu and also in soy protein supplements are also a good source of proteins.

Daily products like eggs, yoghurt, milk and cheese are few of the many sources of protein. These are natural biological source of protein that are easily absorbed by the body and is the best alternative for non-vegetarians and is available everywhere. Lean meat and fish are the richest source of proteins. Lean fish include cod, tuna and salmon whereas; lean meat includes chicken, lamb and beef. The only problem is that it is not suitable for the vegetarians. Non vegetarians should prefer considering more quantity of protein if they lack enough protein. Lean meat and lean fish can be purchased from butcher shops and many grocery stores in the market.

But many of these products are rich in cholesterol and fats also. Therefore one should wisely choose the correct option suitable for them. Other lean meats contain food like skinless turkey or chicken, and round or chuck ground beef, lentils, fish, beans and dairy products low in fat. Fruits also happen to be excellent source of protein. For a more in depth look at the health benefits of eating well, take a look at nutritionist Gillian McKeith’s web site.

Many of us are accustomed to having daily smoking breakstimes of the day when we would, without fail, grab our packs and our lighters and head to an open window! Oftentimes we would look to our cigarette breaks as a chance to get away from the stresses of work or just to have a quiet moment to ourselves.

Just because you have given up cigarettes doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy breaks. But now, instead of lighting up, substitute new, healthier alternatives that will give you a similar sense of calm and relaxation.

Here are some of my favorites:

Meditate

Meditation can be a wonderful way to gain control of your mind, especially when it’s racing with thoughts of how much you miss smoking and cigarettes. It’s incredibly easy to do and can be done anywhere, without any equipment except your own body

Simply sit on the floor in any comfortable position (such as cross-legged). Close your eyes. Attune your ears to the sounds around you, whether it’s the noise of the street or the voices of your office colleagues. Now shift focus so that you are listening to the sounds of your breath and your own body. At the same time, concentrate on a mental image that
gives you a sense of peace, such as a candle flame, a tree, or cloud. Try to keep your focus centered for at least 10 minutes at a time.

Listen to Music

Music is such an amazing distraction. It’s so easy to get lost in a familiar melody, or to be transported by a new song that really speaks to you in some way. In fact, music has an effect on
the brain that may be similar to chemical substancesbut it’s all totally natural, of course!

A great tip is to substitute daily music breaks for what used to be your daily smoking breaks. Instead of going
outside to puff away, put on a soothing CD or turn the radio on a channel you love. You can use your i-Pod if you’re at work, or play it out loud if you’re at home. The distraction will keep your mind off cigarettes, and the music will give your body its much-needed dose of relaxation.

Go for a Walk

Don’t just sit in your office or your living room thinking about how much you wish you had a cigarette right now. Instead, get up and put your body in motion. The physical stimulation will start endorphins coursing through your body. If you can take a stroll outside, do sopay attention to the sounds of the birds, cars passing by, the color of
the flowers in bloom, and so on. The point of this exercise is to get yourself “out of your mind,” focusing on external things in order to beat the urge to smoke.

Develop New Interest

Try developing new interests or hobbies like gardening or painting. Such things would keep your mind off that urge to smoke. All of us have a certain measure of creativity that often remains untapped. It would be a wonderful thing if you could try working on that creativity. Join a dance class or a drama class. Or you could try learning a new skill like pottery or clay modeling. Try to involve yourself with other people. Do same social work, or try helping out at the local volunteer organizations.

Change your lifestyle by changing your routine. Go swimming, try working out or going to the gym. Be active. Got something you wanted to do but never had the time to do it? NOW is the time. As you distract yourself by changing your lifestyle and developing new interests, you will be amazed at how easy it is to quit smoking!

Such activities make us appreciate the meaning of life in a better way and we will stop to think twice before we waste away this life at the end of a cigarette.

For additional information as well as other articles to help you quit smoking please visit the web site below. You may use this article provided that it is used in it’s entirety, including this resource box.
Copyright 2005 http://free-stop-smoking-guide.com/

If you love popcorn, you will love playing the super popcorn machine game. This is a game that can be enjoyed by everyone of all ages, and you will get hours and hours of fun from this game. The goal of the game is to pop popcorn into two different containers, while keeping them both balanced. When you accomplish this, and the containers are full, you have won. This is a great game to play against family or friends, and you will find that it will provide many hours of entertainment for everyone.

You can download a free version of this super popcorn machine to try it before you buy it, or you can just buy the game before you ever try it. This would be up to you. If you think that you would get great joy out of a game such as this, you should just buy it. However, you will want to be sure that you meet the system requirements before you buy any game. This will ensure that you will be able to play the game on your computer before you have bought it. It will also prevent you from buying a game that you will not be able to play.

When you are playing super popcorn machine with your family and friends, you will want to be sure that the game is on two player. This way both people will be able to get a turn, and you will love trying to balance the containers as they fill with popped popcorn. This game is rated for everyone, and has many game levels that you can try to beat. There are also 3 different game modes, so even the youngest popcorn lover will be able to participate when you are playing this game.

Having a super popcorn machine game night with your family is a great way to bond. Pop a huge bowl of popcorn to eat and snack on while you all take turns playing the game to see who can get the highest score. Your family will love this idea, and you will be glad that you mentioned it. Many games are not suitable for the family and for young children, where as this game is great for both. Make it a weekly game night and you can not go wrong at all. You will love playing this game, and so will your whole family.

Jeff Casmer is an award winning entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and internet marketing consultant with career sales over $25,000,000. He also dabbles in some of his true loves like “popcorn”. Please visit his resource on Popcorn Machines contain the the most complete information, supplies, and training to help you choose the right popcorn machine whether its a modern or a rare antique.”

To save space on your computer, make a few files and name them
Recipes, Cooking Tips, Cleaning Tips, Bar mixes. You can then
copy and paste only articles you would like to save.

GANDMA’S WRAPPED TURKEY TURKEY ROASTING TIME AUNT PAT’S BUTTER
TARTS MOM’S MINCEMEAT COOKIES LIGHT SIDE TIPS FOR CLEANING,
WARNING BAR MIXES NON-ALOHLIC DRINK RESPONSIBLE DRINKING SAVE,
EARN TOP MALLS MYFRIENDLY HOST MERRY CHRISTMAS

GANDMA’S WRAPPED TURKEY

Place dressed turnkey, breast up in centre of greased, wide,
heavy foil. Bring ends of foil up over breast. Overlap fold and
press up against ends of turkey. Place bird in shallow pan. Open
foil last 20 minutes to brown. Bake at 450 F, (230 C) according
to time table.

Weights Roasting Times

Ready To Cook Weight Roasting Time 8 - 10 lbs 2 - 2 hours 10
- 12 lbs 2 - 3 hours 14 - 16 lbs 3 - 3 hours 18 - 20 lbs 3
- 3 hours 22 - 24 lbs 3 - 3 hours

AUNT PAT’S FAVOURITE BUTTER TARTS

1/3 cup …….(80 ml) ………..butter 1 cup……….(250
ml)………..brown suga 2 tablespoons..(30 ml)…………milk
or cream 1/3 cup……..(80 ml)…………currants 1 egg beaten
well 1 teaspoon…..(5 ml)………….vanilla

Mix all ingredients together. Put in unbaked tart shells. Bake
at 450 F, (230 C),for 8 minutes. Turn down to 350 F, (175 C),
and cook until brown.

MOM’S MINCEMEAT COOKIES

cup……….(185 ml)……….shortening 1 cups…….(375
ml)……….sugar 3 eggs beaten 3 cups………(750
ml)……….flour teaspoon…..(3.75 ml)………salt 1
teaspoon…..(4 ml)…………soda 1 cup……….(250
ml)……….canned mincemeat 3 tablespoons..(45
ml)………..water 1 cup……….(250 ml)……….walnuts

Cream, sugar and shortening. Then add eggs. Sift flour, salt,
and soda together. Add to creamed mixture. Add mincemeat and
water. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Add nuts and stir. Drop from
teaspoon onto well greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350F, (175 C),
for 10-15 minutes.

YIELD: 4-5 dozen cookies TIME: 1 hour

GRANDMA’S WHIPPED SHORT BREAD COOKIES

1 pound…….(500 g)………butter or margarine 3
cups……..(750 ml)……..flour 1 cup………(250
ml)……..icing sugar

Beat with mixer until creamy. Drop on cookie sheet and bake at
350 F, (175 C), until slightly brown. YIELD: makes approximately
5 dozen cookies CALORIES: approximately 80 calories per cookie
TIME: 1 hour (includes cooking and cleaning time)

LIGHT SIDE

A fellow finds himself in front of st. Peter at the golden gate.
St. Peter explains it is not easy to get to heaven. There are
some criteria before entry.

He asks the guy are you religious? Gave money to the church?
Gave money to the poor? Help his neighbour?

The fellow answers “no”.

Peter says, “look, work with me, I am trying to help you, think”.

The fellow says, “Well, I came out of a store and found this old
lady surrounded by a dozen bikers. They were shoving her around,
and abusing her. I got so mad I threw my grocery bags down,
fought through the crowd, and got her purse back. After helping
her to her feet, I went to the biggest, baddest biker and told
him how despicable, cowardly, and mean he was. Then I spat in
his face.”

“Wow”, said peter, ” That’s very impressive. When did this
happen”?

“oh, about five minutes ago”, replied the fellow.

Guide to Introduction of Solids For Infants.

4 to 6 months Iron-enriched infant cereal (Provides a dietary
source of iron to avoid depletion of infant’s iron stores)

6 to 9 months Pureed vegetables. Pureed and juices.

(provides dietary source of vitamins, minerals and energy.
Introduces new food flavours and starts setting basis for Good
eating habits).

Pureed meat,fish and poultry. Egg yolk. Yoghurt, cottage cheese
Pureed well-cooked legumes (i.e. beans, peas, lentils) (Provides
additional protein, vitamins, and iron for rapid growth).

Dried bread products e.g.rusks.

(Encourages chewing when teeth erupt)

TIPS FOR CLEANING WITHOUT TOXIC CHEMICALS

WARNING: Never, MIX BLEACH AND AMMONIA TOGETHER, THE FUMES CAN
BE DEADLY.

Commercial cleaning supplies can aggravate your allergies and
have long terms effects on your health. You can save on your
house-cleaning bill with very good results using less toxic
substances.

Ammonia - cuts grease, cleans windows, Strip wax off floors.
Baking soda - cleans, deodorizes, polishes, and removes stains.
Bleach - whitens practically anything, removes mould and
mildew. Cornstarch - cleans and deodorizes carpets and rugs.
Lemon juice - cuts grease and stains on aluminium and porcelain.
Ketchup - cleans copper. Vegetable oil - good furniture
polish. Washing soda - cuts grease and disinfects.

White vinegar - cleans windows, shines metal surfaces. Grout:
ammonia, vinegar, water softener and water. Clean Runners:
ammonia. Furniture Polish: turpentine, vinegar, boiled linseed
oil. Remove Lime Scale from Kettles etc: vinegar and water.
Clean Plastic Wrap From Toasters, Kettles: nail polish and
acetone.

BAR MIXES

After Dinner Special

1 oz. apricot brandy 1 oz. Curacao 2 oz. limejuice Combine
with ice; shake. Strain. Add a twist of lime and ice. Drop in
the peel.

Can-Am Flyer

1 oz, Barcardi 1 tsp. Limejuice 1 pinch sugar Champagne
Combine the rum, juice and sugar with ice. Shake. Strain; fill
the glass with champagne.

Non-alcoholic Drink

Christmas Juice Punch

2 quarts apple juice 2 quarts cranberry juice 8 oz. lemon juice
8 oz. sugar 2 bottles ginger ale Combine everything except the
ginger ale. Stir well. Add ginger ale plus chunks of ice before
serving.

RESPONSIBLE DRINKING

If you have teenagers, or in fact any adult, impress on them the
risks of driving while intoxicated. Statistics demonstrate many
fatal road accidents are caused by drunk drivers.

If you’re having a Christmas party, provide food with drinks.
Offer non-alcoholic substitutes such as fruit, soft drinks.

2 drinks taken within an hour by a person 100 pounds produces a
.075 reading. One drink is equal to about 1.5 oz. of whisky or 2
bottles of beer. The rate of elimination for each hour after
drinking has stopped is 015. A 200 pound person, after 1 drink
produces a reading of .019, so you can see there is a big
difference due to weight.

As a host it is your duty to make sure no one leaves your party
impaired. Have some one drive them home.

EARN/SAVE With Internet Top Malls

Here is your chance to save on your shopping by getting a Fr*e
Membership card. If you have a few hours a week you can also
earn some good cash.

Now you can shop hundreds of the top Online Merchants at one
place: your own mall! We’re talking names like Wal-Mart,
Buy.com, Overstock, uBID, Apple Computers, iTunes, Montgomery
Ward, Books-A-Million, Office Depot, Office Max, Hotwire,
Target, Lerner, Chadwick, Sunglass Hut, Fossil, Lane Bryant,
Drugstore.com, HealthPlans.com, Sirius Satellite Radio,
Blockbuster Online, Dish Network & many, many more.

http://www.telebay.com/activity/mall.html

MY FRIENDLY HOST

Remember, if you need a host for your safe list or web site
check out:

http://www.myfriendlyhost.com

Robyn also has web templates, or will build your web site. Robyn
has reasonably rates, is very helpful and really is a friendly
helpful Person.

Thank you for being with me 2005. A very sincere Merry
Christmas,and hope 2006 will be one of your best . Bruce

The only way to keep up with the latest about lean healthy
recipes is to constantly stay on the lookout for new
information. If you read everything you find about lean healthy
recipes, it won’t take long for you to become an influential
authority.

The new food guidelines issued by the United States government
recommend that all Americans eat between five and nine servings
of fruits and vegetables each and every day. When you first hear
that number, it may seem like a lot, but it is actually much
easier than you think to fit that many servings of fruits and
vegetables into your daily diet. For one thing, the shelves of
the grocery stores are fairly bursting with fresh fruits and
vegetables. In addition, vegetables and fruits are some of the
least expensive, most nutrient rich, foods in the supermarket.
With all these fruits and vegetables to choose from, it is very
easy to make these nutritious, delicious foods part of your
daily meals and snacks.

When you take into account how much a serving really is, it is
actually quite easy to get five to nine servings of fruits and
vegetables per day. For instance, the recommended daily amount
actually equates to a quite reasonable two cups of fruit and two
and a half cups of vegetables every day. When you consider how
many fruits and vegetables are available, and how low the prices
usually are, it is easy to see how easy to reach this daily goal
really is.

One great way to get the nutrients you need from fruits and
vegetables every day is to take full advantage of the variety of
these foods available. Eating the same thing every day quickly
becomes boring, so why not pick a variety of fruits and
vegetables, in every color of the rainbow and in every
conceivable shape, size and texture, to give yourself a varied
diet every day.

When shopping for fruits and vegetables, it is important to
choose a variety of different colors. This is for more than
purely artistic reasons. Different color fruits and vegetables
have different types of nutrients, and choosing a variety of
colors will help ensure you get all the vitamins and minerals
you need each and every day.

The more authentic information about lean healthy recipes you
know, the more likely people are to consider you a lean healthy
recipes expert. Read on for even more lean healthy recipes facts
that you can share.

Finding new recipes is another great way to ensure you get those
five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
Everyone likes to try out new recipes, and these new recipes may
just provide the impetus you need to eat all those fruits and
veggies.

New recipes can also provide you the important opportunity to
try out some fruits and vegetables you have never tried before.
For instance, everyone has eaten oranges, but have you tried
kiwi fruit or mangoes? How about spinach or kale? Trying new
things is a great way to find new favorites while getting the
best nutrition available.

Many people mistakenly think that they do not need to eat five
to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day if they just
take a vitamin supplement. Actually, nothing could be further
from the truth. That is because fruits and vegetables contain
far more than the micronutrients identified by science and
synthesized in vitamin pills. While these micronutrients, such
as vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin E are important to good
health, so too are the hundreds of other elements that are
contained in healthy foods like fruits and vegetables. These
elements are not available in any pill, they must be ingested
through a healthy, balanced diet that contains plenty of fruits
and vegetables.

In addition, fruits and vegetables are much less costly than
vitamin pills. Fruits and vegetables are very inexpensive,
especially when purchased in season and grown locally. In the
long run, getting the nutrition you need from the food you eat
is much less expensive, and much better for you, than popping
those vitamin pills every day.

So don’t forget to get your five to nine servings of fruits and
vegetables every day. It may seem like a lot, but you can meet
this quite reasonable goal simply by including fruits and
vegetables as snacks, as garnishes, as side dishes and as meals.

Is there really any information about lean healthy recipes that
is nonessential? We all see things from different angles, so
something relatively insignificant to one may be crucial to
another.

When the crimson sun ends another beautiful day and sets beyond the glistening waters of Bay Ridge where kites fly, joggers jog and lovers gaze beneath the back drop of the glorious Verrazano Bridge, then it’s no wonder why Brooklyn is the star child of New York.

Famous for its humble beginnings, A-list celebrities like Barbara Streisand, Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow, Marisa Tomei and Tony Danza originated here and when it comes to food, no where on earth will you find better bagels, mozzarella, or pizza. In fact, John Travolta put Brooklyn “on the map” in 1977 when he played the role of a neighborhood ruffian, Tony Manero, ate at Lenny’s Pizza and strutted his way through the streets of Bensonhurst and history when he starred in Saturday Night Fever.

However, in the memorable land of Badda Boom, Fughettabout it, and tough guys are some docile newcomers: the Green Monk (Quaker) Parrots, a.k.a (Myopsitta Monachus) which have inhabited the town’s trees and utility poles. As legend would have it, these beautiful South American decedents destined for sale at local area pet shops escaped (or rumored to have been released) from a shipping crate at Kennedy Airport in 1968 and have brilliantly adapted to harsh NYC winters by nesting near warmer power lines and transformers. Since then the birds have multiplied and appeared in satelite colonies delighting residents throughout the borough. According to parrot www.brooklynparrots.com, the adorable tropical brooklynites are so adaptable in fact, that they’ve developed a taste for pizza!

Neapolitan thin-crust or thick Sicilian, round or square, classic or nouveau, no one makes Americans’ favorite food better than Brooklyn pizzerias. What is it about Brooklyn pizza that attracts tropical birds or anyone for that matter? Perhaps it’s the light, crispy crust in harmony with the freshest possible toppings? Who knows? Parrot Expert, Steve Baldwin tells like this:

“I was walking down Brooklyn’s Bedford Avenue on Friday when I heard a pronounced crunching sound coming from overhead. I looked up, and there in a tree was a pair of wild monk parrots sharing a slice of pizza.

“Eureka!” - I shouted, reaching for my trusty camera, cognizant that I was on the cusp of a new discovery that would forever enlighten scientists studying the fascinating species known as Myiopsitta Monachus. For while it has been known since Charles Darwin studied the monk parrot in the 1830’s that the species is “omnivorous” (meaning that it will eat almost anything, as long as it tastes good), and that bagel-eating among New Jersey wild parrots has been demonstrated in the field (Evans-Fragale, 2004) no actual evidence of pizza-eating among wild parrots has, to my knowledge, existed in the formal literature, until now.”

Despite the neighborhood hospitality and the best pizza in the universe, the birds are moving on. The parrots have relocated and have been spotted setting up nests in the Bronx, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Florida but haven’t been given such a warm welcome.

While Pizza will always be a staple in Brooklyn and beyond, its a wonderful compliment to be graced with culinary accolades from The Wild Parrots of Brooklyn. The birds add so much to the colorful and cultural palette that exemplifies and comprises Brooklyn neighborhoods and they remind us that the best things in life really are free - even if the pizza is not.

Art imitates life for Brooklyn Author Nancy S. Mure, who created The Pizza Man and the Parrots, illustrated by Tom Torre. The heartwarming and humorous children’s story is about a good natured Pizza Man and the talking birds who prove to be his toughest customers! http://www.nancysmure.com

The specialist coffee dealership

A dedicated coffee store will certainly have its clear advantages compared to the non targeted vendor, If though you are thinking of obtaining things like a Jamaican Coffee product or wicker coffee table and have all the information you need on the goods then just maybe specialized coffee information is not going to be the most important thing on your mind. For the folk that happen to be totally confused and have no clue as to what the difference between an item like a Brazilian Santos sachet or german coffee machine [ just kidding you ], the guidance of a coffee specialist will surely be well received and any shopper is guaranteed to gain from the valuable help of an expert.

Another fine advantage of the specialized coffee store is it might undoubtedly supply a huge assortment of coffee products and other nice items in stock, say then you wanted to choose from a quantity of different goods like commercial coffee grinders, coffee blending kits or similar products then the specialist coffee stores are more likely to help you. The fact that a specialist coffee vendor will undoubtedly stock a large amount of products for you to look at will probably mean that you are much more likely to come across the product that is most suitable your requirements.

The bigger food and drink stores

The big food and drink vendors and chain stores will hopefully be able to give most of the coffee experts a run for their money where cost levels are concerned, the plain truth is the well known food and drink vendors can obtain coffee products and goods in such substantial quantities which in turn means they are able to offer buyers some pretty great discounts on certain items like unique coffee tables or coffee table plans. If you have checked out a number of coffee guides and reports and are satisfied that a coffee product that is being marketed in one of the major retail chains suits your purposes then purchasing from such a vendor is ideal.

Yet another reason to buy from one of the large food and drink retail stores is due to the fact that lots of them have such a huge amount of power that the massive coffee makers will actually produce original brand merchandise that could only be retailed by these bigger retail groups and food and drink suppliers. The big brands do this to thank the major stores and provides some really decent cut price coffee products within the grasp of consumers.

My own opinion is there is tons of room for both the specialist coffee stores and the huge food and drink retail groups or department stores, both have their own individual advantages and it doesn’t difference if you are thinking about buying a german coffee pot or a glass coffee pot as one side or the other will clearly be able to help you and provide you with a fantastic coffee item.

The Free Secret Coffee report by Larry Whiter the author of this article can be found at : http://www.bjcoffee.com

Could there be anything better than a hot, fresh brewed cup of coffee? As you open that can of pre-ground Maxwell House Coffee, did you even know that coffee comes in different roasts? Did you know that you can roast your own coffee beans at home? If you think that the aroma of your fresh ground coffee beans can’t be beat, get a home coffee roaster, you’ll be in Java Heaven.

Roasting the coffee beans is what imparts flavor. Similar to the making of a fine wine or a hand rolled cigar, some consider the roasting of coffee beans as an art. Those that describe coffee use some of the same vocabulary they use to describe wine. Depending on the roast level chosen the beans take on different flavor characteristics. The lighter the coffee bean the less flavor it will have, the darker the coffee bean the stronger the flavor it will have.

There are generally four different categories of roast. A light roast (American) , a medium roast (Breakfast), a dark roast (French), and darkest roast (Italian or espresso). Each type of roast imparts a different appearance to the coffee beans.

When a coffee bean is roasted to an American roast the beans will have a very light color to them and they will appear dry. A medium roasted bean, or Breakfast roast will have a rich brown color and will be oily in appearance. A French roasted coffee bean will have a very oily appearance with the beans appearing very dark brown. The darkest roasted beans or Espresso beans will appear black.

Coffee roasting can easily be done in your home. Depending on the roast that you desire you can roast coffee in five to fifteen minutes. Green beans are available online from a number of sellers, as are coffee roasters. Choose different types of green coffees to sample. Drum roasters are very popular for use in the home. It’s best to consider purchasing a roaster as it will give you the most consistent finish to your beans. Some try to roast beans in frying pans, some use hot air popcorn poppers. While each of these techniques will work, as mentioned above they don’t give a consistent finish to all the beans and you will most likely be disappointed in the result.

Enjoy!

Article courtesy of barnies-coffee.com

Today’s day will be the most memorable day in my life. Why? An honorable meeting with the most reputed Tea Guru I have ever known, Mr. Rajah Banerjee of Makaibari Tea Estates, was possible. I had heard hundreds of stories about him and his tea estate particularly his love for animals, environment and above all his people.

Upon hearing so many stories, I had taken a ‘particular snapshot’ of him in my mind and was eagerly waiting to synchronize as soon as I set my foot on Makaibari’s premises. Although, I had gone there to procure some organic teas for my selected clients, I found out that I was inclined more towards meeting him than procuring the teas. I guess, the love for tea which Mr. Banerjee shares with the world made my thoughts draw an arrow of urgency towards Mr. Banerjee’s presence.

I got down and entered the Makaibari gate - Guess what? “Excuse me Sir, what work do you have here? Whom do you want to meet?” the guard standing on the gate asked. I guess those were necessary questions to be asked to anyone entering inside and I totally agree, afterall its one of the most reputed tea estates of the world. As Mr. Bannerjee and I were having email sessions from beforehand, I was called inside instantly without any hesitation.

The first impression of my imprinted thoughts synchronized well regarding the outfit he was wearing - an essence of the British Raj reflected with his Khaki outfit, and I guess that is how it must have felt when anyone was meeting a ‘Bara Sahib’ in the olden days. He signaled me to take a seat and requested me to wait for sometime as he was attending to his official work with one of his office staff. After a couple of moments, he was free to chat with me. Well, I was literally hesitant to speak up anything, thinking that I might speak something which may prove to be blatant and inappropriate. Well, the silence was broken when the Tea Guru handed me his visiting card, shook hands with me and asked me with a smiling and welcoming face - “So young man, it’s a pleasure to meet you, please tell me your story?” The down to earth behaviour from the other side evaporated my hesitant feeling from every pore of my body into thin air. I started my part and after a while we were laughing like little kids engrossed in our own world of friendship. Yes, we were friends in no time and I assume we could understand each other maybe through the common platform we shared - “Our Love for Tea”.

By the time we finished our little chat for about an hour (yes, with heavenly amber sips in between), I could devise my brain instruments to record it and synchronize with my previous imagery. I found him to be a person, who is capable of walking hand-in-hand with his tea laborers, a person who respects life, believes in equality and above all a person who understands the importance of respecting other’s feelings. A person you would dream to meet.

Now it was time for our little tea tasting session of the First Flush Silver Tips I was buying. Oh Boy! A heavenly brew which opened all of my sensory gates. The Tea Guru gave me a good number of tips on tea tasting and guess what; it was of great help and a new discovery when done following his guidelines. What he says about tea tasting - “Tea tasting is ABSTRACT, learn to associate with known flavors you know about and you will get your tea’s divine description”.

The tea tasting session was over and after spending more than two hours with him, I didn’t want to waste anymore of Mr. Banerjee’s time. Some Japanese group was waiting for his presence downstairs and it was now time for me to pay and head for home.

My Wife Made Me Look Stupid! (quoted with her permission):
In the morning when I headed for Makaibari, I had told my wife to get the money in the bag and leave it on the bed. I got my digital camera, pushed it inside my bag and bid goodbye. I had about One Lac INR and now I was in Makaibari ready to pay the required amount to the man concerned. I had kept the bag inside Mr. Banerjee’s office which had an open door leading to the tasting room and a long corridor which could be traversed by any of his staff members. I opened the bag and Boom! A thunder exploded right on my head - No money in the bag!! Guess about the situation!! I informed Mr. Banerjee about the situation and he too was utterly confused. All of the staff members were confused and don’t ask about me - you can guess - A Dead Man standing live! My brains could not work and from a corner, one of the staff members suggested me - “why don’t you try and call home, you might have left it at home” - Not in a million. I was sure that my wife had put the money inside the bag otherwise she wouldn’t have placed the bag on the bed as I had directed her to do. I was dialing and at the very moment my wife called - “Darling, I want to tell you one thing, but before I say, promise me you won’t get angry”; I was literally irritated and she said, “I am sorry, but I put the money in the wrong bag” - A mixed feeling of joy and anger ran through my vein. The news brought a sigh of relief to all of the staff members and Mr. Banerjee too couldn’t express his feelings properly, but he was calm and told me that mistakes do happen and there was nothing to worry about.

After a while everything was normal and the memory was cherished instantly when the accountant of Makaibari and myself sat laughing and chatting sipping in the ethereal silver tips.

The Makaibari Silver Tips got loaded on my vehicle and I bid Mr. Banerjee goodbye - “Benoy keep dropping down to Makaibari” with a similing face that had initially welcomed me. I headed home with a tremendous feeling of joy, happiness and yes of course with a yearning to scold my wife, but that didn’t happen - the story itself proved so funny that I forgot everything and we were busy brewing the new silver tips.

To conclude, the words of Dalle (Mr. Banerjee’s personal tea maker assistant) still is reverberating in my ears “Sir, whatever happens, it happens for good and maybe it was God’s wish which prevented you from really losing your money through other means”. Guess Dalle is right!

Or is it that God wanted the whole Makaibari family to remember the incident forever. Maybe it is! Even if Mr. Banerjee forget’s me in the future, I can pull in the story anytime I meet him and bring back the hilarious past.

Author: Benoy Thapa is a Tea Lover from Darjeeling, India. His love for tea has ignited a fire in him to write out his thoughts on tea and share it with the world. He has a tea company based in Darjeeling, which deals with exotic Darjeeling Teas. You can check his Darjeeling Tea company’s site at http://www.thunderbolttea.com

Copyright © Benoy Thapa, Darjeeling, India

Pumpkin is one of South Africa’s favourite vegetables. Most restaurants serve pumpkin and spinach as vegetable side dishes with main meals and all mothers buy it for their families. There are many ways in which you can serve the great varieties of pumpkin available like butternut squash, herbert squash, “boer” pumpkin or red pumpkin, to mention just a few.

Not all types of pumpkin are in season and therefor available all through the year, so you have to use the one that is in season at a certain time. The most common and quickest way to prepare pumpkin is to boil it in a little bit of water, season lightly with salt and add some cinnamon. Otherwise you can mix the pumpkin with flour, salt and egg and bake “pampoenkoekies” in a little bit of oil, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and serve warm.

Another favourite recipe from times gone by, a truly traditional South African recipe, is “pampoenmoes”. You can either bake this in the oven or boil it in a little bit of water in a saucepan. This is a recipe worth trying:

Ingredients:
8 slices of white bread
Butter
Apricot jam
2 cups of pumpkin (1 butternut squash should do. Slice very thinly)
Salt
Sugar
Cinnamon

Method:
1. Butter the bread on both sides and spread apricot jam on the side facing up. Place one layer in an oven proof glass dish, jam facing up.

2. Cut the pumpkin thinly, season lightly with salt and place on top of the bread.
3. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over the pumpkin.
4. Repeat this until all the pumpkin and bread is used up, finishing with a layer of pumpkin. Dot a few extra clots of butter on the top.

5. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour in a pre-heated oven of 180C

Serve the pumpkin hot with vegetables and maybe a lovely chicken dish, maybe a pie? This is a great dish to try and impress your friends with. It is very easy to make, so try it and see what happens!

About the Author: Lizel loves baking and is the author of Simply South African, a recipe book with traditional South African recipes. To get your hands on this book and read more about South Africa, visit http://www.recipesfromsouthafrica.com.