Jul 31, 2011

What you need to Know about Wagyu


More and more people are adding Wagyu beef to their diet, and the more popular this delicacy becomes, the more people want to know about this top quality cut of meat. The word “Wagyu” comes from “Wa”, which means Japanese and “Gyu” which means cattle. Technically, Wagyu beef is white beef due to the intense marbling affect created by the fattiness of the meat. Wagyu cattle are bred in Japan, served a strict diet and are contained within certain geographic areas. But don’t feel too bad for these cattle. After all, they have been known to be served beer and sake to increase their appetite and aid with digestion, and even receive massages to keep their muscles tender and prevent any cramps. This gives Wagyu meat a rich juicy flavor that is loved by chefs, food connoisseurs and diners the world over. Today, the breeding of Wagyu cattle has reached as far as Australia, New Zealand and even the U.S.

The main reason that Wagyu tastes so darn good is the marbling from the fat. If you compare other cuts of USDA beef to Wagyu, there’s no contest. For example, a USDA prime cut of meat rates at about a six on a scale of one through twelve, while Wagyu rates at a twelve or higher. It’s because of this that the USDA scale cannot be used to accurately rate Wagyu steaks. Instead, the meat has its own rating scale, which puts it in a class all its own.

If you plan on dining out to enjoy the buttery goodness that is Wagyu, you can expect to pay a hefty price for something prepared in a restaurant. This is in part due to the fact that wagyu steaks are pricy on their own, at around a hundred dollars or so for a good piece of meat. Then add on to that the cost for an accomplished chef to prepare and garnish your plate before it is delivered to your table, and you’re easily looking at a few hundred dollars for a good meal and bottle of wine for two.

If you are pretty good on the grill, one of the best ways to enjoy Wagyu is from the comfort of your own home. You can get kobe steaks online, just be careful that the meat is 100% Kobe (the highest quality of Wagyu) and not Kobe-style, which is inauthentic. If you buy steaks online, you can have them shipped direct to your home or business. Once they arrive, the only thing left to do is cook and enjoy. The best way to cook Wagyu is to sear it in a hot iron skillet or over an open flame. But a word of caution – be careful not to overcook this amazing piece of meat, of you’ll be kicking yourself for spending the money. Simply sprinkle with a little bit of salt and pepper, then sear for a few minutes on each side, and you’ll be left with a steak that is slightly crispy on the outside and as tender as nothing you’ve ever tasted on the inside. Wagyu is truly in a class all its own.

Jul 29, 2011

Tips for Cooking, Serving and Enjoying Wagyu Beef


What is considered by many to be the champagne of meats, Wagyu beef is characterized by its delicious flavor profile, it’s tender juicy consistency and the beautiful marbleized look that the comes from the high fat content. Being such a high quality meat, Wagyu is not a typical cut that you can find at your local grocers. Instead, you can find kobe steaks online and get them shipped direct to your home.

Once you buy steaks online, wagyu steaks should be prepared a certain way in order to preserve that natural flavor and tenderness of the meat. Wagyu doesn’t require a lot of seasoning – simple salt and pepper can be just enough. Be sure to bring the meat to room temperature (except for ground beef, which should shaped into burger patties and then returned to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or until ready for use).

Steaks and Wagyu roasts should be cooked rare to medium rare, as overcooking can cause the meat to be comparable to a lesser quality cut of meat. In actuality, Wagyu cooks pretty quickly on a preheated broiler, over an open flame or in a cast iron skillet. Add just a bit of cooking oil or butter so the meat won’t stick to the pan. Steaks should be seared hot, but not too hot, as the meat is very delicate. You can however, cook cuts such as brisket and short ribs by using a braising method.

Once you’ve cooked your Wagyu, you’ll need the perfect wine pairing to complete your meal. Wagyu practically melts in your mouth, leaving behind a very rich and buttery flavor. A fruity Bordeaux blend or a Pinot Noir would work well and won’t overwhelm the palate, whereas a heavy Cabernet or very tannic Bordeaux may not be the best fit for this refined meat.

If you’re going to do a wine sauce when serving Wagyu beef, try to pair with a wine accompaniment that has similar flavor and aroma. Though most agree that Wagyu does not need a lot of adornment, you can bring different flavor notes when you add things like truffles or mushrooms.
Wagyu beef is a real treat, and in case you’re wondering, the fattiness in the meat is monounsaturated, so you can enjoy it on special occasions without worrying. Try ordering some for yourself, your spouse/significant other, family or to impress business associates. Wagyu is sure to be a winner every time.

Jul 27, 2011

The tropical jewelry marts - Silver



Maintenance of silver jewelry in the shops are a challenging task as they have to maintain them periodically in order to keep them in the same ways as they are. The brand new looks of a silver necklace or a silver ring will not remain the same in due course of time. If you have ever witnessed a countryside jewelry mart of the ordinary kind where there is no air-condition facility, then you could have seen many of the old products that had already lost their great brand new looks.

The silver products would start to look dimmer because of the lack of proper maintenance. Preserving them in an optimal temperature is a primary necessity in order to keep them well maintained. Unfortunately this in not possible in all of the small shops where they do not have an air-conditioned facility. Especially in some of the tropical and arid regions of the globe where the climate is not that favorable, the need for the air-conditioning facilities to maintain the temperature is extremely crucial. When it is not available then one cannot stop the impurities present in the silver metal to start to react to the atmosphere due to the heat attack.

What happens in due course of time is the abrasion in the metal surface, which makes it lose its original luster and shine. Gradually there will be blackish looks that could settle on top of the whole of the silver jewelry due to these reasons. When this condition is reached, it is extremely essential that the silver necklaces and silver earrings of such a kind should immediately be sent to the workshop for renovation. No body will want to purchase a silver jewelry that is already started to blacken. You cannot sell the product for the mentioned price tag in that case.

The value for the product comes down and in fact, it is hard to sell without reworking on the product in the repair shops. It is again added costs towards the maintenance of the silver jewelry in the shops. It is for these reasons, most of the shop owners prefer to announce clearance sales and discount offers to elude from these costs. A lot of time is saved in that way. Some of the smart customers are aware of these vital facts and they do not really mind to purchase this silver jewelry, which are far cheaper from the newer ones. A little polishing could make them obtain their brand new appearance while you could still save a lot of money associated towards buying the product.

The Best Way to Cook Wagyu Beef


Referred to by foodies and beef connoisseurs alike as the “Holy Grail of Meat”, Wagyu beef is hands down the best quality beef that you can eat. Kobe beef in particular is a type of Wagyu beef that originates from the Hyogo Prefecture of Kobe, Japan and is one of the most expensive cuts of beef in the world. For the fortunate ones that can afford to indulge in this tasty delicacy, there are certain ways to prepare Wagyu steak and Wagyu beef that will simply give you a more flavorful and complementary meal to please your palate.

Wagyu beef is not something that you simply throw on the BBQ like any piece of meat. Wagyu’s main characteristic is its marbleized look that comes from the fat content. Therefore, if you tossed it on the grill, you’d be likely to burn it and waste a wonderful piece of meat. Instead, there’s a more specialized approach to preparing Wagyu.

The secret to cooking Wagyu is to maintain the perfect amount of heat. Searing Wagyu is recommended, to give the meat the best flavor outcome. Try searing your Wagyu steak for about a minute on one side before flipping and repeating. The goal is to achieve a steak that is crispy on the outside but keeps a nice juicy tenderness inside.

Wagyu steaks can be served as one piece of meat, or cut into thin slices and served with steamed zucchini or potatoes. Wagyu beef should be served immediately after you are done cooking it, as opposed to other types of beef where you typically let it rest before cutting and serving. It is extremely important to not overcook Wagyu. Think of it almost like a tuna steak.

Wagyu is a great meat to serve for special occasions, during the summer or just to try something that is a much better in quality than the meats you would typically find at your local grocery store or supermarket. You can buy steaks online and have them shipped direct to your home or office, and even send them as gifts for friends, family or business associates. Look for kobe steaks online, as Kobe is a very good cut of Wagyu that is typically rated higher than others. You should expect to pay a little more for Wagyu or Kobe beef, but the end result is a memorable meal that will simply melt in your mouth.

Sterling silver – fast facts


Sterling silver is not same as that of the silver. Sterling silver is in fact not at all a pure metal like silver. Silver in its finest pure form is actually the lustrous and non-reactive kind of 100 percent silver metal. The purity would be somewhere higher than the order of about 99.9 percentages. The percentage of purity to the second and third decimals after 99.9 determines the different grades of silver metal. It all solely depends upon the type of ore from which the particular metal is obtained. Certain parts of Argentina have such high quality ores of silver the argentite. The ore itself is sold out for high prices to different parts of the world.

The ore will be separated from its impurities through the process of high temperature melting in a crucible furnace. The quality of ore that is obtained from different regions of the earths crust will determine the purity of the silver that is obtained after the smelting process. In addition, there are different ways to extract the metal out of the ore. It is the process of extraction that will determine the purity levels of the higher order.

The purest forms of gold or silver metals are not malleable or ductile enough. It is not softer to design them into desired shapes. Under such circumstances, making commercial utilities out of these special kinds of metals becomes an impossible aspect. It is for these reasons, mild concentration of the impurities are added on to the silver metal. When you add on certain kind of impurities such as the copper, steel, iron, zinc, magnesium, boron, silicon and so on, the impurities proportion will actually determine the physical as well as chemical properties of the particular kind of silver.

Experts in the trade and chemical engineers do make up the right proportions that are meant to be suitable for a particular kind of application. Aircraft industry, aerospace shuttle manufacturing, shipbuilding, automobile industry, and even the dental sciences field employ the silver. The particular grades of silver that is suitable for different applications of such a kind will be accordingly made with suitable proportion of impurities. Sterling silver necklaces, sterling silver bracelets are commercially cheaper and available in different range of prices according to the grades of silver employed in the specific sterling silver jewelry. Even sterling silver earrings and studs are available in the market that is quite affordable enough and still last longer in their glitter and shine.

Jul 26, 2011

Celeb Dining Favorites


An entire industry has been built around the habits of celebs and their lifestyles. Magazines, websites and blogs provide daily reports on the restaurants these celebs are visiting, the carbs they are actually eating and the extravagant meals they have on any given night. For the rest of us, while we may be wondering, “What’s for dinner?” these Hollywood elite are wining and dining on the finest cuisine that money can buy. But just because these A-listers are savoring the best palate pleasers on the planet, it doesn’t mean that the everyday Joe can’t take note and even try some of these deliciously decadent meals.

Truffles are a favorite of fine dining chefs all over the world. While the raw product may less than appealing, celebs pay top dollar to sample white truffles on everything from pasta to poultry. Some chefs use truffle oil to flavor side dishes like gourmet French fries. Interested in trying this delectable type of mushroom? Unless you’ve got a few grand to fork out, go with truffle oil instead. You’ll get a similar flavor for a lot less dough.

Other celebrity food favorites include wagyu steaks, which are made from a special marbleized beef that originates from Japan. These cattle are fed a special diet of corn and the end result is a plate of meat of that is juicy, tender and absolutely delicious. Even President Obama is a fan, serving Wagyu beef at White House events. Sure, the steak is pricy, at around a hundred dollars for a small piece, but you can buy steaks online and prepare them yourself to cut costs. Look for kobe steaks online, which are a type of Wagyu beef that comes from the Kobe region of Japan, and is highly desirable for its flavor profile and rich taste.

Celebs are also drawn to champagne and caviar. The two of these together are a winning combination, but on their own, they can each be a pricy treat. Beluga caviar is considered a favorite and is a delicacy, considering it can take up to twenty years to mature. For some, the whiter the caviar and the older the fish, the better the flavor; though for others, it is an acquired taste).

When it comes to dessert, celebs have a sweet tooth just like everyone else, but the way they top their sundaes may be different than you and I. Gold leaf is as common as caramel and whipped cream, and a single sundae can run upwards of a thousand dollars.

Jul 25, 2011

Summertime = Steak Time


One of the favorite great American pastimes during the summer is barbecuing. It goes hand in hand with summer time gatherings like Father’s Day, Fourth of July, Memorial Day and Labor Day. It’s a time to wheel out the grills, fire up the charcoal and eat mouthwatering meals like wagyu steaks and chicken kabobs with grilled corn-on-the-cob. But barbecuing isn’t just about eating; it’s more like an event where family and friends typically gather to laugh, exchange stories, play games, sing campfire songs and enjoy each other’s company. The meal is not just food – it’s the reason to get together and celebrate.

The great thing about grilling is that you get to do it outdoors and enjoy the sights, smells and sounds that come with being outside. It’s hard to find a patio or a backyard without a barbeque in most neighborhoods, and it’s almost criminal to go camping without enjoying a meal that comes from the open flames of a campfire grill. This is the time for men to be men and when charred actually tastes quite good.

Meat is one of the most popular things that go on the barbecue. Sure, you can try grilling a veggie burger, but it’s just not quite the same as a great piece of red meat. The grill is a place for great cuts of meat – like Kagyu and Kobe beef and filet mignon. By adding summer fresh squash, you can cook up a meat fit for a king in a matter of minutes. Heck, you may even be able to impress your in-laws.

If you’ve recently been to the local market, you know that the selection of good cuts of meat in the summer time can be slim pickings. By the time you make it to the meat section, there’s a good chance that your neighbors have already scooped up all the quality selections, and you’ll be left with something like ground chuck or the manager’s special, which the store is trying desperately to sell before the “use by” date. But instead of compromising on an inferior piece of meat, consider planning ahead for your next big party or family event and order your kobe steaks online. It’s quick and easy to buy steaks online and get them shipped direct to your door in a matter of days. Packaged for freshness, this meat is of superior quality and will have your mouth watering from the moment you open the package.

Jul 21, 2011

Fast facts - Sterling silver


Sterling silver jewelry has a great rapport in the market for their high quality and intricate variety of possible designs. Still, one has to remember the fundamental fact of chemistry that the component silver will tend to tarnish and corrode easily when it is added with the impurities such as copper. Silver is such a metal which will not react with water or oxygen under ordinary temperatures and hence there is no chances of any oxide formation on the surface of the silver jewelry.

Still, when you add copper to the silver in certain proportions, the copper in the sterling silver necklaces or the sterling silver bracelets reacts with the swet in the body and oxygen in the atmosphere under in the influence of moisture. Hence, the possibitlies of corrosion and tarnishing of the sterling silver are far higher than other purer forms of silver commodities.

It is for this reasons, if you look into some of the antique silver pieces in the museum, they are corroded to the worst extents on the top surface in such a way that it is hardly possible to recognize the original patterns. It is because of the copper that is added in such commodities. The practice is there since very long time. It is only then it is possible to make ornaments and table wear of your well and wish to have impressive looks and beauty as well.

Silver jewelry could be polished in different ways. The grinding processes and the buffing techniques are involved only in major cases. Otherwise, it is just simply hand polished to recover the initial luster and brightness to a maximum possible extent. It is because of the fact that enough amount of silver could be lost in the process of trying to recover the luster and brightness from these old commodities. Warping causes damage to the silver and considerable loss of weight will be there after you polish them in the grinding machines. Silver repairs in the workshops are carried out only if the client accepts for the expected change in the weight.

Commercially, all those workshops that do work on the silver and gold repair eventually tend to become extremely rich in a short span of time. one can understand the catch in the business as there are only a quite few that could be trusted in the trade to be hundred percent genuine. It is essential to be watchful about all these facts while you try to repair your silver jewelry.

Jul 19, 2011

Silver and its making



If you consider the electrolysis process that is carried out as of today in different prominent silver smelting plants, they are far ahead in their technology employed. It is not the same as what it was a couple of decades ago. Still the maximum form of purity obtained is of the order of 99.995 to 99.998 at the most. Purity to the order of third decimals is achievable by fine processes that are carried out in these sophisticated industrial plants.

The amounts of processes that are involved in achieving such a high quality of silver metal are quite extensive. The ore in its primary form has to be obtained in its pure state and then crushed in machineries to make them into fine powder. Bigger grain form of impurities that adds on to the ore during this initial process of crushing and pouring are easily eliminated from the ore as soon as they are scattered into the electrolytic bath.

The temperature inside the furnace is of the highest order so that the electrolytic reaction takes place to separate the purest form of metal from the impurities. The metal usually is deposited around the bottom of the anode in heaps. This molten metal is taken in the metal sample containers to test the sample in the laboratory for its ingredients. The amount of boron content is first tested as boron fluoride is added in the electrolytic furnace as a bath agent.

The excessive traces of boron tri fluoride or other components could make the metal to be of more brittle nature. Such a metal will not be suitable for ornamental and jewelry work as they are not malleable and ductile anymore. Still one can send such mistake batches to the sheet metal processing industries. The slightly brittle nature of the material will not be a constraint in that case.

The applications of the sheet metal industry are wide found. There are whole heap of products and commodities that are made out of these workshops. Applications might include making components for the automobile sector, engine spare parts, aircraft industry, naval accessories, ship building industries, weaponry and of many more kind.

Just after the laboratory tests are acceptable, the metal is then sucked out of the furnace opening by means of a metallic cruise that is operated by means of an electro mechanical crane. The molten metal is taken in the cruise to the cast room to be poured into metallic ingots. The byproduct is fine artistic silver ring, silver necklace, etc., what we see in the silver jewelry shops out there in the market.

Jul 14, 2011

The Shining and Charming Gift



People want their loved ones to be happy and adorable for life for which they sometimes give attractive and appealing gifts and presents, one of the most preferred gifts for your loved ones are silver jewelry. People mostly favor some less costly and tempting things to use as presents which are nowadays are in silver may that be silver rings or silver necklaces.

Silver is usually preferred by women at all ages may that be a child, wife, mother, sister or a girlfriend. The best part of this glittering object is that they are less expensive with amazing styles and designs. It is a wonderful and admiring present that spreads smile on faces and people keep them as your memorable gift for long.

Glittering and shining silver attracts the quality shoppers greatly and is great to keep in stores as well as they are a decoration itself including high sales and great profit margins, shopkeepers also prefer to keep them for sale as people are more interested towards them and they receive great sale ratio with unbeatable profit margins and so the designers are in a tough market for producing greater designs and luxurious look as per customer demand, market is aggressive about silver and the race is speedy when it comes to fashion and style in which silver jewelry plays a great and vital role. Fashion, glamour and style is getting people’s attention and they all want to look amazing and beautiful by decorating themselves with best available articles and supporting makeup gadgets one of which is jewelry.

Silver rings are more desired over many items available in market as they are cheaper to buy easy to change and wear according to your dresses. There is a large variety of silver rings with different designs and appealing stones on them which gives a decent, appealing and charming look. Silver necklace is also another lavish and a luxurious present for women, they dream about it and they want it madly, the dress grace in enhanced because of a necklace and it ads beauty to a woman’s look. A pretty look with a silver outclass necklace is a woman’s dream nowadays.

Silver jewelry is sold at great level in the market and the sales boost up and sells enormously when it comes to occasions may they be birthdays, anniversaries, weddings or big events like Christmases, Easter and thanks giving day etc.

Jul 7, 2011

Sterling Jewelry and Something you should Know


Silver Jewelry nowadays is use as a fashion icon for a lot of people. Back then, jewelries are worn properly on the neck as a form of a design, on the arm, as an anklet, on the fingers, on the ear an earring, or even on the head as a sign of royalty. But on today’s culture, jewelries are also worn not only on various areas, but also other parts of the human body such as in the lips, tongue, cheek or even in the hidden parts of our anatomy. In the beginning, the wearing of jewelries such as silver bracelets or silver rings like these can be traced back from the Merovingian period. Jewelries are not only worn as a trend setter as with most individuals, but it is also worn by some as a part of their belief and culture, and for others as a luck grabber that gives them strength and magical powers. Queens and royalties also wear quite a revolutionary amount of jewelries as a sign of their prestige. Crowns and arm bands worn by many individuals before are also considered to be jewelries.
Jewelries are made out of different materials, which consist of various stones and ores, as well as gems. The famous among these materials are the use of silver, gold, rocks, and other famous materials like birthstones as of ruby, and the rest. Precious jewelries that are made out of gold and diamonds can be seen worn by famous celebrities and kings as well, whereas silver jewelries can be seen worn by many people not only rich but middle to lower class as well, for the main reason that silver is far cheaper than any other ore, but also with a quality of strength.
Silver jewelries are known to be quite effective in terms of creating various kinds of designs. Since they are malleable, they can be easily turned to silver bracelet or to other designs. This is what is called as high grade quality silver that is mainly use for the making of table silverware, for sterling silvers are not only intended for jewelries but also for various kinds of materials. In fact, during the olden days, sterling silver are often use for the making of candle sticks, cups, table utensils, and such, only in the latter part of today’s generation are sterling silver use as a design or as form of jewelries and other decors.

Jul 6, 2011

Silver jewelry, the ladies way of fashion industry


Artists are the representation of the fashion industry. It could be through well-tailored dress, precious stones, rubies, and large silver bracelets. History tells that metals like gold and silver were discovered about a thousand years ago. Silver was then used as a medium of trade next to gold. During that time such types of ore were used together as kitchen utensils, covered plates, large vases, decorations and many more.

People are more fascinated with gold accessories than the ladies are. Gold wedding rings, silver bracelet, earrings and tiaras are the things that classify your status within the masses. For the ladies, silver would only be second to gold. Upon using silver and gold, they look stunningly elegant. This is the reason why silver is still famous and beloved over the years. Greeks, Romans and Europeans were the pioneers of sterling silver jewelry. It is made up of over 90% of silver.

The ever best silver creators in the world are from the Central parts as well as the Southern parts of America. Silver is bonded with lead or even copper, thus a miner extracts them from such alloys. From the researchers, lead is one of the most poisonous elements that can damage our health. It can give short or long term effects to a miner’s health. For such a matter, mining companies invented machines for extracting silver materials from the alloys to prevent the accidental death of miners. After producing this silver, they are particularly shaped and designed with precious materials. These stones could be rubies, emeralds, diamonds, opaque, amethysts, and more stones that are catchy to the society. In the fashion industry, pretty women are crazy about silver designs. They acquire silver accessories from well known groups. These companies then offer them a year of warranty on the products they want to acquire. Ladies look fabulous when they wear silver designs, tiaras, and anklets good enough to match their amazing dresses, but do not be tricked since guys are also getting into the fashion of wearing gold and silver.

Many men are starting to outwear ladies in the use of gold and silver by purchasing silver and gold necklaces and rings. Since rings are a modern ornaments to the fashionable guys, but do not be too deceived by silver rings some of them are just fake rings painted silver to fool others into believing that they are quite real.