Based around a pan-Latin theme, BU! boasts a
large, well-appointed seating area and extensive outdoor terrace, making it the
perfect central location for both fine dining and a fancy night out.
The menu does not disappoint. We were treated to
the set menu, which is made up of a selection of tapas and dishes which were as
varied as they were delicious.
By way of an amuse bouche we began with a plate of nachos served with the
restaurant’s delectable special-recipe guacamole before the first starter
arrived.
Normally, we denizens of the
sumptuously appointed Headquarters of Prep School Inc. try to avoid covering
similar topics too closely together. Last month's exploration of pancakes,
however, garnered so much enthusiasm for the Flat Food Group that we decided to
eschew tradition and have another go at the horizontal victuals. Today, we give
you the quesadilla.
Why you need to learn this ,Do
you have kids? Do you know any kids? Would you describe yourself as a flat
foodie? (Floodie?) If you answered “yes” to any of these, the quesadilla is the
answer to most of your needs and many of your prayers. It's easy to make. It's
versatile. It's delicious. And best of all, it's flat. What else do you need in
a food item?
The steps you take
In case you've just arrived from,
I don't know, the sun, and you haven't had a quesadilla before, it's a Mexican
item made by heating a tortilla on a griddle or in a pan. Cheese or other
fillings are placed on top, then it's either folded in half or another tortilla
is placed on top and the whole thing is flipped. They're great on their own,
but even better with salsa and sour cream. Before the time of the so-called Age
of Exploration, many of our favorite cuisines looked very different from what
they are today. There were no tomatoes in Italian cuisine (imagine!), no chiles
in Thai cuisine and no cheese in Mexico.
Fortunately, in modern kitchens,
we have available to us not only corn and flour tortillas, but also tortillas
made from a host of other ingredients: rice, spelt, chia seeds. On top of that,
you could use other types of flatbreads to create something close enough to a
quesadilla that your kids won't know the difference, such as an Indian chapati,
the Armenian lavash or the Norwegian lefse. Let's talk about the quesadilla
filling. Shredded cheese is ubiquitous. A Mexican cheese such as Oaxaca would
be typical. Truthfully, though, my kids just like mozzarella or cheddar. Pretty
much any melty cheese will be great for a couple of reasons. First, the melted
cheese helps hold the two sides together, like a grilled cheese sandwich.
Second, who doesn't like melty cheese?
Chicken is also really common as a quesadilla filler.
Grilled or pan-seared breast, sliced thin and layered with the cheese, is easy
and delicious.
The thing I love about quesadillas, though, is that as much
as I love the flavor and texture of tortillas, they can really function here
primarily as the delivery system for whatever you're stuffing inside. That
includes leftovers from the fridge, both savory and sweet. Better yet, even
though the quesadilla is Mexican, you don't need to stick with Mexican-inspired
stuffings.
Anything that tastes good on its own can go inside, such as
leftover lamb stew or a chunky Bolognese sauce. Get creative. Raid the fridge.
One thing to remember, though, is that generally we stuff only with things that
don't need cooking (like the cheese) or with precooked items (like the sauces).
As for the cooking of the quesadilla, there are two basic
ways to make a quesadilla: using one tortilla folded in half or using two to
sandwich the filling in between.
Melty cheese makes it easier to flip if you're making the
two-tortilla variety. If your filling is somewhat runny, however, you might be
better off using the one tortilla method, as it needs to be only folded in
half.
At my house, we use a nonstick pan that doesn't require any
fat. If you're using a regular stick pan, you might want to coat it with a
little bit of oil or nonstick cooking spray before adding the tortillas.
Regardless, heat the pan over a medium flame. When it's hot, place one tortilla
onto the pan. Immediately add your filling and top with a second tortilla (if
you're using one).
If your filling is very cold, you might want to cover the
pan to encourage warming of the filling. Don't touch the tortilla until the
bottom gets a little brown. Then, if you are using two tortillas, carefully flip
the quesadilla and brown the other side. If you're using only one, carefully
fold it in half. Either way, transfer the quesadilla to a cutting board and cut
it into wedges and serve while it's hot.
Variations
Here are a few ideas for interesting quesadillas:
Bean and bacon: Mashed white beans
(or black beans or pintos or kidneys or whatever), bacon and shredded melty
cheese (cheddar, pepper jack, etc.).
Indian style: Cooked basmati rice,
dal (cooked Indian-style lentils) and grilled, sliced chicken breast.
Breakfast quesadilla: Scrambled egg,
cooked greens and more shredded cheese.
Pizza quesadilla: Like a Mexican
calzone, just spread some red or white sauce and add your favorite topping.
Dessert quesadilla: Mascarpone cheese
mixed with a little vanilla or a drop of brandy and slices of fresh or grilled
fruit such as peaches or strawberries. (Allow the tortilla to cool somewhat so
that the mascarpone won't melt.)
James P. Dewan is a Chicago Tribune staff writer.
http://triblive.com/lifestyles/fooddrink/10517404-74/cheese-quesadilla-tortilla
Rs 300 billion new taxes in
budget
04 June, 2016 ISLAMABAD: The federal government
imposed Rs 300 billion new taxes in the federal budget, which was presented on
Friday.The government has imposed new taxes on hundreds of items, including
mobile phones, cigarettes, cement, mineral water, paan and security papers.To
meet the expenses of the war against terrorism, it is proposed that the Super
Tax should be extended for another year. Twelve percent withholding tax would
be imposed on electricity commercial bills exceeding Rs 20,000 per month.
However, withholding tax has not been increased for industrial and domestic
electricity consumers.It is proposed in the budget that 10 percent customs duty
should be levied on frozen fish, nine and eleven percent on semi-printed and
printed papers, respectively. However, exemption of customs duty and sales tax
for newsprint would continue.
Vanilla Bean Creme Brûlée with Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote!
A la Carte Menu -- Served
Nightly
May 26-June 22, 2016
APPETIZERS ENTREES DESSERTS
Chef's Menu -- Served
Nightly -- $55/person
May 26-June 22, 2016
LOBSTER SPRING ROLL
spinach, Monterey Jack cheese,
phyllo, garlic-chili sauce
MIXED BABY GREENS
cherry tomatoes, avocado, Champagne
vinaigrette
SORBET
Maine blueberry
PAN SEARED HERB CRUSTED HALIBUT
grilled mango-pineapple chutney,
basmati rice, roasted asparagus
DARK CHOCOLATE SOUFFLÉ
Kahlua crème anglaise
Rice Exports to EU
Threatened
The
Kingdom’s rice exports to the European Union (EU), which now enjoy duty and
quota free access, could be threatened if the regional grouping agrees to
Italy’s request to limit rice imports from least developed countries (LDCs).
Italy is Europe’s top premium rice producer and its exports to the EU are
growing. According
to Oryza, the daily online markets newsletter, Italy is pushing the EU to cut
LDC rice imports from Asia to protect the Italian local rice market that seems
to be getting bigger.
Angelo
Politi, the director general of Italy’s rice research body Ente Nazionale Risi
(ENR), was quoted in Oryza as saying that rice imports from LDCs such as
Cambodia and Myanmar were flooding the EU due to special treatment given to
them in the form of tariff-free market entry in the ‘Everything But Arms’ trade
concessions. This, he added, was jeopardizing the competitiveness of the
Italy-grown Indica varieties – namely Ariete, Drago, Arorio, Baldo, S. Andrea
and Carnaroli – which have been given EU quality assurance labels.The Italians
do not eat much rice, but Italy is famous for its risotto made from the Arorio
and Carnaroli varieties.
Reacting
to the Italian request to cut rice imports from LDCs, Hean Vanhan, deputy
director-general of the Department of Agriculture in the Ministry of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said the impact on Cambodian rice exports
could be serious, if implemented.“Italy has made this request to the EU many
times. Fortunately the EU has been silent on it. But we can’t be complacent. If
the EU follows through Rome’s request, our rice exports could be in trouble,”
said Mr. Vanhan.Mr. Vanhan pointed out that rice exports to the EU were mainly
high-end fragrant rice and at this moment, there was little competition from
other producers including those in Italy. But, he stressed, that could change
if the EU decides to follow up with Italy’s request.
Amru
Rice (Cambodia) CEO Song Saran warned that the whole rice production chain from
farmers, rice millers to exporters could be in dire financial straits if
Cambodia loses the EU market. He urged the government to open discussions with
the EU on this issue to gauge their thoughts on what quality of rice exports
Cambodia should be sending to Europe and what kind of products Cambodia should
reduce, so that the rice export quotas are not affected.Mr. Saran stressed that
Cambodia was reluctant to compete or challenge Italy, since it is also in the
common league of rice exporting countries.“Cambodia exports white rice to
Europe to supplement what Italy exports to the EU. Italy by itself cannot
produce enough rice to supply the 28 countries in the European Union,” he
pointed out.
According
to latest figures from the Italian Rice Association (Enterisi), Italy’s rice
production this year is forecast at 1.5 million metric tons, an increase of 7.5
percent from last year.“Italy’s complaint is that rice from Asian LDCs is
eating into their market share and these rice imports have an undue advantage
because they enter Europe tariff-free,” added Mr. Saran.But Mr. Saran said it
was Italy that was being unfair. The European Union gave tariff-free access to
Cambodia and Myanmar rice exports based on joint consensus by its 28 members.
“Cambodian
and Myanmar farmers will suffer more, compared to Italian rice growers, if we
are pushed out of the EU market,” he cautioned. “We urge the EU not to cut our
rice export quotas. If they do we will be in serious trouble.”This threat from
Italy comes at a at a crucial time as the Cambodian government considers a $30
million emergency loan request from the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) to help
protect the rice sector that is reeling from a fall in production due to the
prolonged drought that hit the Kingdom. The CRF has also urged the Ministry of
Commerce to reduce electricity tariffs and pump in an additional $200 million
for rice millers.Oryza reported that from last September to this April, the EU
imported 261,692 metric tons of rice from Cambodia and Myanmar, up by about 27
percent from the same period the previous year.
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/25768/rice-exports-to-eu-threatened/
Tin Can port handled N4m
rice in nine months
June
6, 2016
The
volume of imported rice coming in through one of the nation’s seaports has
drastically declined due to dollar scarcity, with government revenue in form of
duty falling sharply in the process, IFE ADEDAPO writes
The
importation of rice, a major staple in Nigeria, has declined in volume due to
the scarcity of foreign exchange occasioned by falling oil prices globally.
Statistics
obtained from the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos indicated that in the past nine
months, the country imported 13.4 metric tonnes of the product.
There
are 1,000 kilogrammes in a metric tonne, while there are 20 bags of 50kg each
in a metric tonne. On the average, each bag of rice costs N15,000. Therefore,
each metric tonne of rice has a market value of N300,000.
Therefore,
13.4 metric tonnes of rice have a market value of N4.02m at N300,000 per metric
tonne.
This
quantity of rice in its various forms only fetched the country N336,337 in tax
payment from September 2015 to May 2016.
In
September 2015, the volume of rice imports was five metric tonnes; it declined
to one metric tonne in October and peaked at five metric tonnes in November of
the same year.
In
December, when rice import was expected to be high due to the festivities, only
one metric tonne was imported through the Tin Can port. The volume further
dipped to 0.5MT in February 2016, but rose slightly to 0.8MT in March, while
0.1MT was recorded for May 2016.
There
was no importation of the commodity through the port in January and April 2016.
The
value of rice imports through the seaports has been on a steady decline since
the first quarter of 2015.
According
to the foreign trade report released by the National Bureau of Statistics,
semi-milled or wholly milled rice secured the fourth position of all imported
commodities in the fourth quarter of 2014 based on its worth of N49.34bn.
However,
in the first three months of 2015, rice occupied the third position in the list
of imported products with a value of N33.44bn, and dropped to the fifth
position with a value of N25.38bn in the second quarter of the year.
The
value of rice imports between July and September 2015 declined by 61.8 per cent
to N9.69bn, occupying the 15th position, the lowest for all the commodities
imported through the seaports in the third quarter of last year.
By the
fourth quarter of the same year, rice had completely fallen out from the list
of high value imported commodities into Nigeria.
Rice
was among the 41 items that the Central Bank of Nigeria excluded from official
foreign exchange window in August 2015, leading to difficulties in accessing
foreign exchange by importers and high cost of importation when forex is
sourced from the black market at over N300 to a dollar.
Investigation
showed that the price of the commodity had doubled between September 2015 and
May 2016 from N7,500 per 50kg bag to an average of N15,000.
When
our correspondent visited Daleko, a major rice market in Lagos State, the
traders explained that most of the rice being offered for sale were brought in
from Cotonou, Benin Republic due to the ease of importation and payment of
duty.
A
trader in the market, Alhaja Tawa Kasali, said the price of the commodity
brought in from Cotonou was N5,000 per bag but the duty rate and high cost of
transportation had made it expensive, adding that those who smuggled the
product only risked their investments and lives.
She
said the price would have been more competitive if locally grown and milled
varieties of the produce were available for sale at lower prices.
However,
due to the reduced rice imports, millers in the country are enjoying huge
patronage due to rising demand.
The
Personnel Manager, Umza International Limited, a rice mill, Mr. Ali Aliyu,
admitted that business was booming and the company has had to turn down orders
due to its inability to meet traders’ request.
He
said, “It gets to a point that we had to call some people that we wouldn’t be
able to get them the quantity of rice they wanted. The demand is much more than
expected but at the same time, we are not very happy for not being able to fulfil
our customers’ demand.
“But
there is nothing we can do. We cannot force our machines to work beyond their
capacities.”
According
to him, the changing trend of the business as well as the high cost of input
has made it necessary to increase the price of the locally milled produce.
Presently,
he explained that the major factors contributing to the increase in price were
poor electricity supply and high cost of paddy, a major raw material for the
millers.
Aliyu
explained, “We are presently selling for N10,700 per bag instead of the N9,000
we were selling a couple of days ago. A lot of factors contributed to the price
increase. Sometimes we will stay for two or three days without having
electricity.
“And
that means buying more diesel and the price of diesel is not as low as we
expect. It sells for N150 per litre and the minimum price is N135; but before
now, we were getting electricity for about 10 hours a day. The cost of
production has doubled and the paddy rice is very difficult to get.”
He
added, “The farmers producing paddy rice are not producing much and there are
so many people demanding for it now more than before. Due to the Federal
Government’s forex policy, a lot of people will prefer to buy paddy, process
and sell.
“The
price of the paddy has skyrocketed. It is now N8,000 per bag compared with
N4,000 that we used to buy before. Therefore, we have to increase our price.”
As a
form of intervention in the rice value chain, the knowledge management and
communications specialist, GEMS4, a project of the United Kingdom’s Department
for International Development, Ms. Enene Ejembi, explained that smallholder
paddy farmers and large scale ones in Kano State were educated on the quality
standards of paddy and supported to supply paddy in sufficient quantity to
commercial millers.
So
far, she said the intervention, which began in 2015, had mobilised 1,199 rice
farmers, and earned about £1,195,245 for them.
“Activities
to develop the rice value chain began with the mobilisation of farmers and
aggregators through community engagement, rice fairs, communication campaigns
and farm demonstrations by the Brent Group,” Ejembi added.
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http://punchng.com/tin-can-port-handled-n4m-rice-nine-months/
Healthier to eat white rice with protein, say researchers
SINGAPORE: White rice on its
own is bad, as it can push up blood sugar or glucose significantly.
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/06/06/healthier-to-eat-white-rice-with-protein-say-researchers/
