Let's Have a Barbeque PartyWritten by Valerie Giles
"A wonderful way to entertain family and friends in an outdoor setting is with a backyard barbeque party. With proper planning and right environment people will be talking about your party all summer. Important factors to think about when entertaining are things like barbeque grill, seating, lighting, and of course menu planning."Today’s barbecue choices have never been greater. The designs and options are wonderful, there really is a barbecue that fits your individual barbecuing needs. Barbecues come in both natural gas and propane grills. Barbecues are available in portable fire pit models excellent for a patio or backyard, giving feeling of being around an actual fire pit. Other barbecue designs include charcoal-wood grills, portable grills and outdoor stoves. Weber makes some of most durable and reliable quality grills, using stainless steel burners to provide long- wearing even heat and burners with spider and insect screens to keep burners pest free. The stainless steel hoods and bodies are long lasting and great looking. Several of designs also include built in thermometers. Another great addition to your backyard cooking options might be a bbq smoker. These bbq smokers are perfect for seafood delicacies and traditional barbecue meals like beef brisket, ribs or pork. They are also excellent for chicken, seafood or anything needing direct high temperatures. Briquettes are available that burn for up to eight hours giving a wonderful smoked flavor. A beautiful patio leaves you with feeling that your at a cottage or a wonderful outdoor retreat, nice thing is it’s a much more affordable alternative to owning a cottage. With great selection of patio furniture and accessories on market you can design your patio to be your own personal vacation in your backyard. The patio is not only a convenient getaway, but also a natural extension of your home’s design and décor. Black is a popular color for furniture as is antiqued greens with a distressed look. Wooden furniture is again popular, teak being a favorite as it ages so beautifully. Patio furniture is available with armrests, high back chairs and swivel rockers with matching ottomans, all for ultimate comfort. Most of outdoor furniture sold today is made with all weather fabrics; it’s also wise to select furniture that will be durable and low maintenance. When throwing and planning a barbecue patio party you’ll want to be prepared and know approximately how many people will be coming. You want to be sure there is enough available seating so everyone is comfortable. You’ll also want to be prepared for unexpected weather. Awnings are an excellent option, allowing you to take control of weather on your deck or patio in a moment; there are also outdoor tents that you can set up with a table inside to shelter yourself from rain. It’s important to have at least one outdoor umbrella to provide protection and shade for your guests from hot sun, not to mention they also look nice. There is no shortage of excellent patio furniture and comfortable outdoor sitting options. Patio heaters are also welcome for cooler evenings after sun goes down. It’s important to have a proper serving or buffet surface for your party, a place where you can have all food, beverages, plates and utensils. Portable carts or side tables can also work well. You may even have a built-in countertop.
| | History of Jamaican CoffeeWritten by Randy Wilson
The history of Jamaican coffee begins half a world away in France in 1723 when King Louis XV sent three coffee plants to French colony of Martinique, some 1200 miles to SW of Jamaica. Five years later in 1728 governor of Jamaica, Sir Nicholas Lawes, received one coffee plant as a gift from Governor of Martinique. The plant took root with vigor and only nine years later, in 1737, coffee exportation began with an initial shipment of 83,000 lbs. The Jamaican coffee industry was born. Coffee plants thrive in naturally potash, nitrogen and phosphoric acid rich soil of Jamaica. Coffee trees prefer high altitudes and are perfectly suited for mountain slopes that are otherwise unsuitable for other agricultural endeavors such as sugar cane, banana, cocoa and citrus, none of which, interestingly, are native to island yet vital to economy of Jamaica. Coffee is grown in all parts of island and at all elevations, however, finest Jamaican coffee comes from an area on eastern side of island, just north of Kingston in Blue Mountains known, appropriately enough, as Blue Mountain Region. Coffee grown outside Blue Mountain Region is referred to as Jamaican High Mountain, which is comparable in body and balance but tends to be a bit more acidic to refined tastes of connoisseur. Lower grown coffees are referred to as Blue Mountain Valley coffees, they are medium bodied, delicate to bland in flavor and rather rich in acid. Many Jamaican coffee brands claim their product is Jamaican Blue Mountain but in fact may be a Jamaican High Mountain or even a Blue Mountain Valley variety and is only milled within boundaries of Blue Mountain Region.
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