Olive oil is a type of oil obtained from pressing olives. It has different uses, mainly in the kitchen, cosmetics and medicine.

Over 90% of the production of olives comes from the Mediterranean area, specifically the most production comes from Spain, where there is an organization (IOOC), which promotes olive oil around the world. This is just an example of organization (there are many) who founded the classification of olive oil.

Olive oil is classified according to how it is produced. The process is to transform the olive oil into a paste. This paste is then mixed rapidly (in a special mixer) then begins the oil extraction.
Thus olive oil is classified as follows:
- Olive oil extra-virgin: comes from the first pressing of the olives with a little acidity and better taste;
- Virgin olive oil: oil produced without chemical treatment;
- Refined olive oil: oil chemically treated and neutralized. It has a lower quality than virgin olive oil;
- Pure olive oil: oil obtained from mixing the refined oil with the virgin one;
- Simple olive oil: a mixture of refined and virgin oil, with an acidity less than the pure olive oil.

Olive oil uses are different.

First, it is used for cooking. Olive oil is the main type of oil for cooking in the Mediterranean.
Olive oil is mainly used as a dressing for salads or cold food, but also for frying. Olive oil will keep the nutrients while cooking better than ordinary vegetable oil. Also, it is used successfully in anointing electric kitchen appliances (blender or mixer, for example).

In cosmetics olive oil is also beneficial. Extra virgin olive oil is often used in combination with other oils (or even alone) as treatment for skin. It regenerates and hydrates . Can be used as depilatory (give good results) or instead of sunscreen. It is also a good treatment against hair loss (through rubbing olive oil on the scalp).

Olive oil is used in medicine as an ingredient for certain drugs. It’s properties are laxative and it’s also beneficial for heart disease. Olive oil can be used successfully against the pain of ear or stomach (helps beat ulcers and gastritis). Also by consuming olive oil you can reduce the cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Another important property of olive oil is to reduce the occurrence of colon cancer or breast cancer. A cup of olive oil with lemon juice can boost the disappearance of stones in the case of liver problems and in case of pain caused by rheumatism, rubbings of olive oil mixed with pissed garlic make wonders.

Olive oil is an important source of vitamins (A, B1, B2, C, D, E, iron).

The artichoke is a vegetable with a straight stalk, spiny leaves and large, red flowers wrapped in edible wings. It is a plant a lot cultivated in the Mediterranean area, the origins are not known exactly, it may have originated in North Africa.

Artichokes are used for cooking, preparing tea or liqueur (Cynar – Italian liqueur).

Preparing artichokes for cooking is made like this: remove the stalk (leave a little part of it, so it will keep the edible part). Remove the thorns and boil it. It is better for artichokes to stew uncovered so the steam can go up, as it may contain acids.
If the artichoke is peeled but not boiled immediately it can change color after a while (in brown). To avoid this it may be put in water with a little vinegar or lemon juice.
Artichoke leaves are either discarded or cooked separately and served with a sauce or butter.

There are many ways of cooking artichokes: it can be fried, soaked in olive oil (with or without garlic), grilled, etc..

Artichokes are a good source of carbohydrates (sugars). Also they contain the vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and B9, vitamin C, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc and magnesium.

Asparagus is one of the few vegetables brought by colonists from Europe to America. It is a plant that grows about 100-150 cm. in height, of which close to 40 cm. represent the root. Asparagus leaves look like little needles and the flowers have a well defined shape and are yellow to greenish in color. Asparagus fruit looks like a small red bump.

Grows in humid and saline land. For this reason the land that grows asparagus is often salted by growers. White asparagus grows best with ultraviolet light, no natural light, good for the green asparagus.

Asparagus is used for hundreds of years in medicine and in the kitchen (it has diuretic properties, improving stomach disorders). Ancient Egyptians consumed the plant during the season or dry during winter.

Asparagus can be cooked in several ways. It can be fried, boiled, muffled, grilled on use as an ingredient in soups. It can also be used in the preparation of sweets and can be pickled. But it is good to know that the bottom of the plant is like hard wood, and is indicated to be cut and thrown away.

After consumption (after about half an hour) it can happen that the urine smells apart. This is normal and is due to the amount of sulfur content of asparagus.

Asparagus contains few calories, a little sodium and no fat. It is a good source of potassium and vitamin B9. Purple asparagus is different from the green and white – contains a large amount of sugars.

Mayonnaise is a culinary product, white-yellowish in color, obtained mainly from oil and egg yolk. Generally it is used as garnish for all kinds of salads, and sauce in sandwiches or as garnish for food.

The origin of the name. mayonnaise. is not known but one can say that it comes from French (moyeu – means egg yolk) because the French were the ones who made the sauce became popular in other regions.

Preparation of mayonnaise is simple, but requires attention. It can be prepared both with mixer or blender, or using a fork. The principle is to gradually incorporate oil in egg yolk. Oil with water from the yolk form a sauce-base and the yolk lecithin plays a stabilizing role. You can add mustard, which also contains a small quantity of lecithin.

The traditional mayonnaise recipe assumes the use of olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice and of course, egg yolks.
Mayonnaise, though, may be prepared with whole eggs or only whites (but it should be mixed more quickly). Looks the same and has about the same taste as the traditional recipe.

Mayonnaise is stored in the refrigerator, but no more than 3-4 days. Held outside of the refrigerator, the hot favors emergence of bacteria, gets an unpleasant smell but there is no danger if you consume it.

Mayonnaise composition differs from case to case. Homemade mayonnaise contains more fat (~ 85%). The one you buy in stores contains 70-80% fat and other ingredients that simulates the texture of mayonnaise (ingredients that enhance the mayonnaise sauce).

With mayonnaise you can prepare many other sauces such as:
- Mayonnaise sauce with ketchup and oregano
- Mayonnaise sauce with garlic
- Mayonnaise sauce with garlic and paprika
- Mayonnaise sauce with pickled cucumbers (cut small) and onion (cut small)
- Mayonnaise sauce with tomato sauce and sour cream
… And other combinations, which also can be used as simple as mayonnaise.

From practical tips in the kitchen:

- Mayonnaise can be made without egg, from condensed milk (sugar fre) and oil.
- A scoop of hot water put in mayonnaise makes it keep it’s color.
- If the mayo is cut, put a few tablespoons of mayonnaise in a small cup, mix with a little cold milk and re-ship it all. Add a few drops of vinegar.
- To have less chance to cut the mayonnaise, add a spoon of mustard at the beginning .

Honey is a bee product, made by bees which transform nectar pollen in that which we savor on bread mostly in the morning.

Honey appeared in antiquity. Even then it was used both for ’stomach purposes’ and in medicine. These two purposes can be well combined: honey is recommended for those who have stomach problems or respiratory problems or renal ones. Seems like honey is a good remedy.

There are different types of honey: of flowers (obtained directly from pollen), or obtained from other parts of the flower, it can be obtained from one type of flower or multiple types, combined. It can be liquid or not, but anyway it contains lots of vitamins and enzyms, minerals and other organic acids.

Just for the record, honey can have different colors: from no color at all to black. Usually the color doesn’t last, depending onwhat’s happening the color changes: if it begins to gain sugar, it brightens; if not – it darkens.

Honey is recommended as a cough remedy. It is much better than medicine and also … healthier.

Unfortunately honey is not for everyone. It is not recommended for those who suffer from diabetes, fatness or problems with the pancreas.

Avocado is a tree originally form Mexico and Central America and was brought to Europe in the 19th century.

The name of the fruit, avocado, comes from spanish – agucate – which means ‘testicle’ (because of it’s shape). The avocado tree is also known as ‘the tree with testicles’.

The avocado fruit is oval and looks like a pear. It’s color is dark green or brown and it has a big kernel inside. When i bought my first avocado fruit i threw the kernel away. I was sorry afterwards because you can easily plant it and grow a nice avocado tree. It won’t be taller than 2-3 metres but for an appartment it’s perfect. You can also grow your own avocado fruits. The tree just needs lots of light and little water. Once every 3-4 days is you wet it it’s perfect. The fruits will appear after a few years but until then the avocado tree would be a nice decorative plant.

The mature fruit must be a bit heavy and easily pressed. If you bought a raw avocado fruit don’ worry. You can leave it in room temperature for a few days. If you already cut the fruit and decided to keep it in the fridge, wet it with lemon juice so it wouldn’t oxidize. The fruit pulp is yellow and creamy – you can grease it on bread. Don’t try to taste the fruit as it is – it’s gross. The fruit’s peel is not eatable.

From the avocado kernel avocado oil is made. Avocado oil is used in cosmetics.
Avocado is also useful for people who have heart problems. For a healthy skin use avocado masks.

In spite the fact that it’s very healthy for humans, animals mustn’t eat it because it’s toxic for them! If you have cats, dogs, parrots… keeo them away from the fruit. It can be deadly if they swallow it.

The term bain marie reffers to the action of heating the content of a vessel with the help of a bigger one. You fill a vessel (a pot, for example) with water and put the smaller vessel on top, with the food that must be heaten up. The water vapors heat the smaller pot. Usually, the water in the bigger vessel boils and the vapors heat the recipient on top. Also, with the help of bain marie you can keep a constant temperature in the small vessel. Instead of water you can also use oil, for example.

Nowadays there are also ‘dry options’, meaning vessels already filled with liquid, in which you don’t need to add anything. These heat up quicker and need less ‘atention’, like cleaning the recipient.

Bain marie is used for different recipes for heating the ingredients in an uniform way and not burning them by accident. It’s a very good way to melt chocolate or thicken condensed milk.

• stewed prunes will be more tasty if while boiling you add some almonds and 2-3 cloves.
• peeling apples without a knife is possible if you keep the apples in boiled water for 50-60 seconds.
• preparing baked apples: hollow in the middle for the removal of stones, then fill it with raisins, sugar and spices and add a little butter over. The exterior of apples is greased with a little oil.
• raced apples will not darken if you mix them with a little lemon juice. The same treatment is recommended to avoid oxidation for pears and bananas cut pieces.
• slices of apples or pears in sauce can keep their original color if immediately after cleaning will be introduced in water with vinegar. Then removed and put in another water to boil. Vinegar does not influence the taste.
• musty taste of apple compote changes if you add a few pieces of cinnamon in the syrup.
• damaged compotes can be restored to original condition if you drain the water, then put it in a little sugar and top of a knife sodium bicarbonate, then put back to boil.
• fresh eggs can keep a long time if they are held in ashes or sand (if you don’t have a refrigerator).
• flavored vinegar is obtained if in a freshly opened bottle you put 2 threads of tarragon. Close the bottle and wait 2 months.
• If the salad is old put it for 5 minutes in water with lemon juice.
• If soup is too thick, soften it with milk or salt water.
• If soup is too thin, add a little flour mixed with water.
• If the red cabbage is too salty, add 2 apples cut into pieces or a raw potato, raced.
• If the flour for cookies is not enough, use potato starch.
• instead of egg for greasing cookies, using raw milk.
• how to know the sponge cake is baked: stick a straw in it and if you look if it is dried out. If yes, sponge cake is ready.
• boiled eggs are peeled hard. Crack them and put them in cold water.
• if cheese from the refrigerator gets too tough, wrap them in a clean wrist soaked in water or raw milk.
• if vegetables get old, soak them a few minutes in hot water and they will regain their appearance.
• if the mayonnaise is cut take out a few tablespoons in a small cup, mix with a little cold milk and add it back. Add also few drops of vinegar.
• raced cheese will not stick to the grater if it is greased with a little oil.
• sauces will not clot if put in the flour a little salt.
• raced horseradish will not change the color if you sprinkle it with a little milk.
• excess fat in soups is easy to take out with an absorbent napkin.
• cut lemons need to be put face down on a layer of sugar. They remain fresh for 2-3 weeks.
• meatballs are cooked better inside if before being fried you make a dent with your finger. Warmth penetrates faster and its initial form will come back.
• parmesan (raced cheese) mixed in the flour you use for the fish before cooking it makes it taste better and removes the smell from the kitchen.
• to have less chances to cut the mayonnaise, add a spoon of mustard at the beginning.
  

• cookies can be kept for a long time in a box in a freezer.
• remaining cake can be stored in a freezer in a hermetically sealed box, not to catch the smell of other foods.
• champagne left can be consumed after a few days if you add a little white or red wine.
• If the aspic strengthens too quickly, add 2 tablespoons water and put on fire again.
• for the boiling jam to be more dense, pour it warm in jars and close the next day.
• ingredients for a leaven dough should be at room temperature as the dough to grow faster and more.
• orange stung with cloves can be used as a natural air freshners, even in cabinets.
• if the cabbage leaves are to thick, boil them with hot water.
• cream in recipes can be replaced with milk and butter (for example, for 250 grams of cream put 220 ml. milk and 3 tablespoons of butter).
• for milk not to burn, put a spoon in the vessel in which you boil.
• To get rid of the taste of artificial milk powder, put a drop of salt when you prepare.
• If you juice fresh vegetables, do not thrown pulp. Keep it in the refrigerator and when you have a larger quantity you can prepare a soup and add only an onion and water.
• a dry prune boiled in a glass of wine with a piece of sugar cubic replaces Madeira wine in recipes.
• smell of garlic and over the hands goes away if you rub your hands with lemon.
• Mayonnaise can be made without eggs, with condensed milk (no sugar) and oil.
• A scoop of hot water when put in mayonnaise when almost ready makes it not to lose it’s color.
• The white from eggs can be made foam easily be addeing a little salt.
• Dried Vegetables (beans, peas) are put to boil with cold water. Salt is added when vegetables are almost cooked. Otherwise, they remain strong.
• If food or soup is too salty, add a few slices of raw potato (which you take out before you serve).
• the soften of gelatine for aspic is made in cold water.
• for rice beans to remain whole in the food, do not mix with a spoon but move the whole vessel.
• eggplants must be prepared with a big fire. A small fire makes them taste bitter.
• potatoes that to keep for winter will not gain roots if in the box or bag in which you keep them you put some apples.
• donuts will be fluffy and less oily if at the end of kneading the dough you add a spoon of vinegar.
• bananas in fruit salad will not darken if, immediately after they were cut you sprinkle them with lemon juice and with a little sugar.
• grits (boiled corn) will be more tasty if in the boiling water you add a small cup of milk and a spoon of sugar.
• chocolate topping for cakes will not brake when you cut the cake if for 3 pieces of chocolate you add a whole egg, mix everything well and stretch the topping immediately.

The number of calories of food per 100 g.