Friday, September 16, 2016

The Road To Discovery: Tempted by Thai Food!

Thai food has a quixotic blend of salty, sweet, sour and spicy elements, so it is easily identifiable. Traditionally, recipes were stewed or baked but, as Chinese influences came into force, food also began to be stir-fried. Dishes are healthy, delicious, and nutritious, and these days are used in many luxury restaurants around the world. Let’s take a road of discovery into the history of Thai food, the main ingredients, and a delicious recipe you can try for yourself at home!
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Photo source: Pixaby

History of Thai Food
Flavor, balance, and nutrition are all fundamental characteristics of Thai food. Fresh herbs are often used and fish sauce and rice are staples. Traditionally, Thai families were large and both children and adults would all help out when preparing a meal. Thai food has influences from Persia, Arabia, India and China too. The Chinese influences can be seen in the use of noodles, dumplings, and soy sauce and the Indian influences in dishes such as Masaman and green curries and seasonings such as cumin and coriander. Thai food is less spicy than Indian though and is balanced with fresh herbs including lemongrass and galangal. Before the 1600’s Thai food consisted of a lot of shrimp, river fish, and vegetables. It was only in the 17th century that chili was introduced. These facts lead us nicely on to the main ingredients you can expect to find in Thai cuisine. 



Main Ingredients
Rice is a staple ingredient in Thai cuisine. If you want to recreate authentic Thai dishes at home, you’ll need fresh and fragrance white rice brands in your pantry. Thai cuisine also uses sticky rice, predominantly in north and northeast Thailand. Other must-have ingredients you’ll need to shop for include fish sauce, chilies, coconut milk, palm sugar, and curry paste. Fish sauce is known as nam pla in Thailand and is made up of anchovies, salt, and water. Use sparingly in recipes but certainly, add it or delicious subtle flavor. Curry paste can be made fresh, but it’s easier to buy red or green paste off the shelf. Coconut milk is a must for all Thai curries as are fresh and dried chilies, limes, and fresh herbs. As for herbs, stock up on cilantro, lemongrass, Thai basil, Kaffir lime leaves, and mint. And then, of course, lots of healthy vegetables. The ingredients of Thai food offer explosive contrasts. But when combined and cooked well, they balance out to create a astronomical delight. 
Photo source: Flickr

A Delicious Recipe To Try
To get you started on your journey of Thai cuisine here’s a quick and easy spicy Thai coconut chicken soup recipe you can make. It’s warming, fragrant and filling. And it uses lots of my favorite Thai ingredients.

For this recipe you’ll need:
Sliced/shredded chicken
4 cups chicken broth
3 lemongrass stalks
1 lime juiced
400 ml coconut milk
6 kaffir lime leaves
3 tbsp fish sauce
4 cloves of garlic and one ginger roots shaved
fresh mint
fresh cilantro
2 red or green chilies
2 tsp red or green curry paste
Stir lemongrass, garlic, ginger and chicken broth in a pan on medium heat until it boils. Then leave to simmer for half an hour. Afterwards, strain and discard the solids. Cook chicken for 5 minutes on medium heat. Then add curry paste, lime juice, and fish sauce. Add the chicken broth and coconut milk and bring to the boil. Then simmer on low heat for 20 minutes. Serve in Thai style bowls and top with cilantro, mint kaffir leaves, and chilies.

Sunday, September 11, 2016

Review: The Portal To Kerberos by Michelle Madow

The Portal to Kerberos (Elementals, #4)
Cover Source: GoodReads.com
Title: The Portal To Kerberos
Author: Michelle Madow
Seris: Elementals #4
Version Reviewed: eBook, ARC
Website: www.michellemadow.com
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

GoodReads Synopsis:
After being betrayed by one of their own, Nicole watches helplessly as Blake is snatched into the prison world of Kerberos—along with Medusa’s head, which is the one item they need to stop the Titans from rising again. Now Nicole and the other Elementals must enter the portal, find Blake, and bring him and Medusa’s head back to Earth before the deadly monster Typhon returns and wreaks havoc on the world. But there’s one catch—their elemental powers don’t work in Kerberos. In a dimension designed to make those within it lose touch with reality, and that’s filled with dangerous creatures who want to stop them from completing their task, will they make it out alive?

In this penultimate book of Nicole’s story, join the Elementals as they journey through hell to save the world… before it’s too late.
Review:
I was super excited to continue on with this series. Each book before this has been an action packed adventure full of monsters, gods, magic, and mayhem and I knew that The Portal To Kerberos would be just as amazing.

I'm so happy to say that it definitely did not disappoint. This book stood up well to those that came before it and I couldn't get enough of it. I was so wrapped up in reading it that I eveb forgot to change it to "Currently Reading" on GoodReads! 

After the way the last book, The Head of Medusa, ended, I couldn't wait to read this one. I was insanely curious about what was going to happen next and what it would be like once the remaining three entered Kerberos. I was really impressed with how Michelle Madow wrote the prison world and all the twists and turns and monsters and creatures the group had to face. It was fascinating all the different things they had to overcome and how they managed to survive in certain situations and outsmart the inhabitants of the torture realm.

I was so upset when I got to the very end of the book because I didn't realize that I was already at the end. I thought I still had a little ways to go and I found myself annoyed because I wanted to keep reading and find out what was going to happen next.

I'm extremely eager to get my hands on the next and (I believe) last book in the series, The Hands of Time. I need to know what happens next!

Rating: 4 Stars

Saturday, September 3, 2016

Cover Reval: The Hands of Time by Michelle Madow


The Elementals #5
The Hands of Time
by Michelle Madow

Time is running out. War will be waged. Sacrifices will be made.

Months ago, Nicole Cassidy’s life was turned upside-down when she discovered that she was a witch descended from the Greek gods. She and the four other witches gifted with elemental powers fought all over the world—and in another dimension—to battle the supporters of the Titans and fight for the people they love.

Now the Elementals must stop Typhon—the most dangerous monster in the world—from rising, and seal the portal to the dangerous prison world of Kerberos. But they won’t be able to do that without facing their hardest decision yet… a sacrifice so great that it may be one they’re not willing to make.

Get ready for the stunning, action-packed conclusion to the bestselling Elementals series, with twists and turns that you’ll never see coming!


RELEASES NOVEMBER 25TH, 2016
FIND IT ON AMAZON

Get Elementals 1 for FREE

Michellemadow_elementals_800px
Nicole Cassidy is a witch descended from the Greek gods… but she doesn’t know it until she moves to a new town and discovers a dangerous world of magic and monsters that she never knew existed.

Fill out the form to the right and then click the blue button to get your free book!


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Friday, September 2, 2016

Cover Reveal: #Bae by Cambria Hebert


#Bae
Cambria Hebert
(Hashtag #8: Conclusion)
Publication date: September 16th 2016
Genres: New Adult College Romance
BEFORE ANYONE ELSE
The Hashtag Series #8
Happily-ever-after.
That’s what happens when you get married.
Right?
Turns out sparkly rings, cake and a fantastic wedding do not automatically grant you that, not even when it’s all you truly want.
I’m even starting to doubt the bottomless, unconditional love I share with the man I married will be enough.
I can’t have happily ever after, know why?
Because I can’t give Romeo what he truly wants. I’ve tried. So hard. I won’t be happy unless he is and something is missing. Someone.
Paparazzi are in my face. The flashing cameras and prying eyes are everywhere. My secret is getting harder to hide, and I know the second the scoop is dished the grip I have on the fraying rope of that happily ever after will snap right in my face.
In our face.
I can’t let that happen. No matter what.
Because with or without a happy ending, Romeo comes Before Anyone Else.
teaser BaeT3


Author Bio:
Cambria Hebert is an award winning, bestselling novelist of more than twenty books. She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major, and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair.
Besides writing, Cambria loves a caramel latte, staying up late, sleeping in, and watching movies. She considers math human torture and has an irrational fear of chickens (yes, chickens). You can often find her running on the treadmill (she’d rather be eating a donut), painting her toenails (because she bites her fingernails), or walking her chorkie (the real boss of the house).
Cambria has written within the young adult and new adult genres, penning many paranormal and contemporary titles. Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense. A few of her most recognized titles are: The Hashtag Series, Text, Torch, and Tattoo.
Cambria Hebert owns and operates Cambria Hebert Books, LLC.

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