Culinary Delights and Culture from Birmingham Serviced Apartments-00-4062

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The Library of Birmingham couldnt be more different from its predecessor, the Birmingham Central Library – a Brutalist concrete structure that is a labyrinth of corridors and escalators inside. The new library, which is due to be finished in the summer of 2013, is a glass building, colourful and full of light, and will certainly be a more contemporary and attractive addition to Birminghams cityscape.

It will also be much more than a library. The new building will share a reception and box office desk with the Birmingham Rep Theatre, and within the building there will be an outdoor amphitheatre, music centre, exhibition gallery and a gilded 10th-floor Shakespeare pavilion. Supporters of the library hope that it will show other libraries how to adapt in response to an ever changing, digitalised society.

The new library is just part of a cultural and architectural regeneration that has made Birmingham a thriving centre of business and innovation. The Bullring, which was completed in 2003, and the office developments in Brindley Place and other canal-side locations have helped to make Birmingham an attractive place to locate a business. This has been supported by innovations in business accommodation; in particular, there are now a number of Birmingham serviced apartments in the centre of the city. Some of these, such as the serviced apartments in the Rotunda building, make the most of Birminghams heritage by restyling old architecture with contemporary furnishings and facilities.

Birmingham is one of the UKs most populous cities, but its importance as a cultural destination is often forgotten. The city is home to a number of theatres, as well as one of the countrys oldest cinemas, the Electric Cinema, and fascinating areas such as the Custard Factory where local artists have set up individual shops and cafes. This is another facet of the city that makes it an attractive location for business visitors, and because the city centre is easy to get around on foot, the serviced apartments Birmingham has to offer are all within easy walking distance of these attractions.

Staying in a Birmingham serviced apartment also allows guests to enjoy Birminghams many and varied culinary delights. Although its famed for its balti houses and traditional pubs, Birmingham also has a number of high-end restaurants, from French bistros such as Chez Jules to the Indian fusion restaurants that line Broad Street. A number of farmers markets are held across the city each month and the area is dotted with delicatessens and food shops, from independent stores to larger shops such as Selfridges. Living in one of the serviced apartments Birmingham has to offer allows business travellers to buy food in the city centre and cook it in the privacy of what feels like their own home. They also, of course, have the option of eating out in one of the citys many restaurants whenever they choose.

Fajita Recipe – Healthy Eating

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Fajita recipe is healthy eating and the fact that you can experiment and improvise with this form of cooking makes the fajita even more popular today. Fajita is typically a Tex-Mex cuisine that owes its origin to the state of Texas Mexican workers. The first stall selling fajitas came about in 1969 and since then there has been no looking back for this popular recipe.

Fajita specialists hold that there happens to be only one original fajita recipe, although today you will come across fajita recipe in many variations and combinations. The original recipe comprises a beef slice called skirt steak which used to be cooked with vegetables and served with condiments. The word “fajita” literally means a girdle or belt, but today it stands for grilled meat that is served with corn or flour tortilla and an assortment of vegetables and condiments.

The choices with which you can prepare fajitas are the reason why the fajita recipe is so popular. You could make your fajita recipe light, nutritious, and healthy by using your creativity and culinary instincts. By introducing your own ingredients to it, you could even make the fajita recipe more palatable and mouthwatering. You could start by getting a good wrap bought from reputed supermarkets instead of buying those being sold on the street by vendors.

You could also start by using extra virgin oil which can make a world of difference to an ordinary recipe. Using sunflower oil is not recommended because it is fattening and does not help better the taste. Next, you should experiment with meat types. Instead of the traditional beef, choose chicken, pork, or shrimp for a difference in taste. Spice up this dish with tasty sauces and condiments to make it more appetizing.

Eating healthy typically means eating food that is low on fat content, salt, and simple carbohydrates. In a fajita recipe you can conveniently take care of all these factors by experimenting with the varieties of meat, vegetables, and flour. The vegetables that we normally tend to leave out of our everyday meals, and which are extremely important for ensuring a balance healthy diet, can be included in your fajita recipe. Most of us stay away from these nutritious vegetables simply because they are not prepared in a tasty manner. But with fajitas, you can dress your vegetables in a different costume and make them delightfully tasty for your family.

You can use your imagination to prepare the fajita mix by substituting beef with chicken, pork, or shrimp, preparing the tortilla with soy or wheat flour and not refined flour, and grilling the meat with a drop of olive oil. That way you get fajitas which are low in fat, more fibrous, and highly nutritious.

So eat healthy by experimenting intelligently with fajita recipe and enjoy this very popular dish in an unconventional way. You can consume healthy food without having to compromise on the taste. And above all, you can make this food with almost anything you can get your hands on, instead of having to prepare dishes with exotic items that are frightfully expensive. So think out of the box and use your creativity to make the fajita recipe healthier and tastier!

New Summer Holiday Programmes Launched By St Lucia Hotels

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In order to entice more summer holidaymakers to stay in St Lucia this season, hotels and restaurants as well as some of the most exciting tours and attractions have stepped their game to offer tourists with special deals aimed at a local audience. Trying to tap into the local market with special Staycation offers, the ultimate goal for many St Lucia holidays is to raise awareness of their services among local residents and in many cases build a long-lasting relationship with their home guests.

This annual summer promotion has been launched in previous years and continues to grow in popularity. For this reason, many hotels in St Lucia have revved up their offers to their loyal local clientele to now include special spa treatments at some of the islands most indulgent spa facilities.

The Staycation summer holiday deals in St Lucia will officially kick off on 1st July and will run until 30th September 2012.

At the moment the St Lucia Tourist Board is working with the many St Lucia hotels, tour operators, spas, restaurants and other organisations specialised in adding to the St Lucia holiday experience, in order to create the different tailor-made holiday packages that will offer exclusive summer deals to residents. Some of these specials will include hotel stays starting from just $30 US dollars per night per room and exclusive discounts on popular attractions and tours. In addition there are also some all inclusive holiday deals as part of the promotion.

The launch of Staycation coincides with the launch of another summer promotion called Summerlicious; yet another summer programme created by the St Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA), designed to expose both locals and visitors alike to the diversity of St Lucian cuisine as influenced by Afro, European, French and Caribbean heritage.

As part of the Summerlicious programme those enjoying holidays in St Lucia during the summer season will get to enjoy authentic St Lucian culinary delights with reduced prix fixed prices on lunch and dinner summer menus at some of the finest restaurants island-wide. Visitors can sample a two course lunch for EC$50-$65 and a three course dinner from EC$95, $125 and $145. In addition, all meals include a high-quality signature cocktail made with St Lucias award winning Chairmans Reserve Rum. Ahead of the imposition of the Value Added Tax in October of this year, Summerlicious has been hailed as the, Pre VAT Dine Out.

Tourism Director Louis Lewis said Staycation/Summerlicious offers that unique opportunity for nationals; and in the case of Summerlicious visitors alike, the chance to experience the islands varied tourism product.

It is noteworthy to see the excitement amongst the hotels, restaurants, sites, attractions and spas to these two programs as we work together to execute these exciting summer promotions. The fact that more and more of our tourism partners are eager to participate in the promotions is testament to their success and the value they place on the on-island clientele. – Lewis said.

Participating hotels and restaurants in St Lucia for the Staycation/Summerlicious 2012 include both small and large properties and are located throughout the island from Cap Estate in the north to Vieux Fort in the south.

Your Culinary Career

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Many people are surprised by the broad range of employment opportunities available on completion of a Culinary Degree. When you graduate from Culinary School, you might choose to work in a restaurant, at a resort, or in catering. The job choice you make can set the direction for your career. Working in a restaurant is very different than working in the catering business for instance. There are different skills required for these jobs, and working in one field does not give you qualifications for the other. Keep this in mind before deciding which Culinary Career you intend to pursue. After you graduate, you have the opportunity to review the skills you have and decide from there what food service venue you want to focus your career on. During the first several years of your culinary you will spend a lot of time practicing your skills and then finding your niche.

One of the basic skills you will utilize throughout your Culinary Career is your technical skill. This set of skills includes cooking methods, knife skills, and line cooking. Another skill is that is learned is culinary. Budding chefs train to make food taste good. Chefs will learn seasoning, flavor combinations and plate presentations to

The most basic skill, the one that schools are designed to teach, is the technical. These skills are the basis of every chef’s talent – knife skills, cooking methods, timing, mise en place, and (the ultimate technical skill) making cooking on the line graceful, even during the rush. The other skill taught in school is culinary. Most chefs have a good palate to begin, but training for the nuances of flavor and seasoning, new flavor combinations, creative plates and presentations, delving deep in to a cultures cuisine all take training and practice.

The other two skill sets are what distinguish a cook from a Chef. A Chef is concerned with more than his/her own piece of the kitchen – they have the whole kitchen as a responsibility. With this in mind, organization is key. The chef has to stay organized, run the kitchen smoothly and efficiently, and conduct business.

Hand in hand with directorial skills are managerial skills. A chef understands how to work with people and get them to work for him/her. These skills are the highest level because they involve sharing knowledge and skill with those working for you. The most often-seen method is training, but ultimately being a mentor to a cook and to develop their career is the highest skill a chef can accomplish.

What You Should Know About Culinary Arts Schools

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It takes dedication to become a chef. Many people entertain the idea of becoming a chef and owning their own restaurant but few actually make this dream come true. Even fewer individuals make their restaurant a success. You may know how to chop an onion or saut some vegetables but that isn’t enough. Before you go looking into culinary arts schools, you are going to need a lot more information in order to make such an important decision.

The best culinary school can only teach its culinary students so much. There has to be a will and drive to succeed. Being a chef means checking your ego at the door, at least while you are learning. There is no such thing as a weekend off and the hours can be late. You will have to clean, cook and prepare food long before your first customer sits down to order a meal. You can expect to work holidays and work more than a forty hour week.

Culinary arts schools vary across the country and the world but if you are determined to go ahead and know what is in store for you, then you cannot go wrong with the Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School offered at many campuses across the world. They have what it takes in order to teach you how to become the award winning executive chef that you want to be. The program can be found in many different states and you will not regret gaining admittance.

The programs at Le Cordon Bleu are divided into three different course programs. The Culinary Arts program, Patisserie and Baking, and Hospitality and Restaurant Management. If you can afford the time and money to attend all three programs, then you will be ahead of many culinary students in the industry who elect to just attend one program.

It is a great way to learn all facets of the industry. You will be well rounded in different cooking and baking techniques, as well as learning the skills needed to run your own restaurant.

Culinary arts schools are not cheap nor are they quick. It takes time to become an chef. You will want to choose a program that is accredited and has a high success ratio from former students.

Small factors such as these can make the difference between being a mediocre chef and being someone who commands respect from the culinary community. With hard work and determination you can get your culinary degree and perhaps be the next big television cooking star or be in command of your own five star restaurant. Good luck and try to enjoy what you are cooking!

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