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Tag: Dehydrate Fruit Sunscreen savvyThis is probably the most important item in your beach bag. Make sure you have sufficient sunscreen protection for yourself and your children. The sun's ultraviolet rays are at their strongest during the hours of 10 am and 4 pm, so limit your time in the sun during those hours.Choose a sunscreen lotion that is at the very least 15 SPF, more appropriate for children is an SPF of 30 or more. Be sure to adequately apply the sunscreen to all exposed skin, including ears, nose and neck. Speak to your doctor about sunscreen and babies under six months of age.Don't forget your lips! Bring along sun protective lip balm with an SPF of 15 or more. An aloe-based after-sun lotion is a great way to soothe your skin after a day in the sun so apply after your day at the beach.Protective barriersSunglasses that block ultraviolet rays, sun hats with brims, and beach umbrellas are all wonderful items to have along for added protection. Babies under six months old should wear protective clothing, a brimmed sun hat and if possible, baby sunglasses that protect from harmful UV rays. Babies should not spend a lot of time in the sun, but if they are, keep them protected! A first aid kit with bandages, an antibiotic cream and other essentials is an excellent idea as well.Chairs and blanketThere are chairs made specifically for the beach, they sit low to the ground and fold up neatly, often they include a handy shoulder strap. Don't count on the beach having chairs for its guests! A blanket is another nice thing to bring along. Not only is it comfortable to sit on, but it's a welcome comfort from the hot sand on bare feet.Sand and water toysKids love digging and building in the sand, it's a must for a beach visit. There is a huge variety of toys on the market made specifically for water play. Nerf balls and lightweight canvas Frisbee discs are great because they float and often come in neon colors so they can be seen easily.Don't forget the standard shovels and pails, sand diggers and sand sifters, all which are great for building sand castles, sifting for shells and rocks and pouring water into makeshift motes. Bring along a plastic jar to collect shells. A butterfly or small fishing net can be loads of fun for catching small minnows near lake shorelines! Let's not forget the old beach standby, the beach ball. Squirting water toys are also a blast and can keep the kids busy for hours. Goggles and water masks are great, but can be easily lost in the water. Be sure to bring along extras! There are hundreds of different kinds of beach and water toys, bring along what your family will enjoy.Floatation devicesMost public beaches do not allow items such as floating rafts, noodles, or "arm floaties" as they are not Coast Guard-approved swim or safety wear. Check with your beach lifeguards or town officials to see what they will or will not allow. Coast Guard-approved life jackets are welcome and recommended for young swimmers, even those who have recently learned to swim, for safety purposes. Many beaches offer free loaner lifejackets, or they offer them for a nominal fee.Extra towelsBring towels along for each member of your family. Bringing along an extra or two cannot hurt, especially of little Timmy decides to take his into the water with him!Water and snacksBeing in the sun can quickly dehydrate you. Bring along bottled water, enough for everyone in your family. Check with your beach and see if coolers are allowed so that you can keep it nice and cold. If your beach does allow coolers, this is a great way to save money on snacks. Instead of buying from the beach concession stand, bring along fresh fruit, pretzels, cold sandwiches and carrot sticks.Extra clothingBringing along an extra T-shirt or pair of shorts is not a bad idea. If your beach trip will continue on into the evening, bring a windbreaker or sweat jacket for everyone, just in case the temperature dips down. Be sure that everyone has adequate footwear -- swim shoes are a great idea as well, especially for rocky beaches.Preserving memoriesDon't forget your camera! You can purchase waterproof disposable cameras to capture all of those sunny moments. Inexpensive one-time-use cameras are also available for underwater use!

Tag: Canned Asparagus MANILA, Philippines—It was felicitous that the Old Manila would have an asparagus festival. The vegetable is associated with elegance and wealth, owing to its graceful form and the historical preference of Roman emperors for the cultivated spears. The signature restaurant of The Peninsula Manila has maintained the ambient graciousness associated with fine dining. It has the elements of contemporary Filipino art incorporated into suggestions of a European salon, with the accompanying sense of decorum. Crisp serviettes and silver cutlery, stemware and white damask table linen prefaced the succession of food prepared by Chef Markus Tauwald. While asparagus is available throughout the year, the particular variety used for the festival is prime in April. Orders from Germany are placed early for the gastronomic event held annually from May 8 to June 20. There are various ways of preparing the spears, and having them from appetizers to the main entrée was a good way to discover what could be done. Chef de Cuisine Markus prepared degustation portions for a sampling to run the course of a full meal. For starters, he poached the asparagus in butter and served it with a creamy spread of béarnaise. The tangy variation of hollandaise sauce over the mild flavored asparagus was a haute cuisine version of the traditional French preparation, complemented by the saltiness of trout caviar. There was a hint of tarragon in the mouth and the nostrils after the first bite. It was small inclusion that made a difference. This hors d’oeuvre was accompanied by new potatoes as sidings, a flavor that would return in the next dish. Salad was tuna confit with leeks topping a mold of potatoes and asparagus. The taste disputed any notion that the slices resembling canned fish were anything but fresh. Later, Markus described the painstaking efforts that went to produce the portion consumable in a few bites. He boiled an 80-kg fish in sea water which he made with very precise measurements of liquid and salt. The tuna was cooked overnight in a huge vat that accommodates its entirety, complete with head, fins and skin. When it was done, he removed the flesh with care, mindful that this had become so tender, it would fall apart. The meat was marinated for eight days in extra virgin olive oil, garlic, rosemary and thyme and a small fraction was the highlight of the second course. German influence The potatoes had a touch of German influence, Markus being from the Central European country. Flavored with onion reduction, herbs, vegetable stock and mustard, it provided a delicate contrast to the fish. There was an element of surprise biting into the boiled potatoes and experiencing the firm but soft asparagus with which it was combined. A few pieces of fresh capers around the salad were more than garnish as the taste served to enhance the different flavors on the palate. The soup that followed was a foamy cappuccino of white asparagus accompanied with Harvey Bay scallops. It was light and frothy on the surface, descending to smooth and silky. There was a moment of uncertainty over whether the beverage was indeed soup or drink when it was served in a vessel the likeness of a soda tumbler and a hint of cinnamon at first taste. It expanded the definition of potage not just in flavor but in appearance. The palate cleanser was a sorbet of elderberry and champagne. The combination of the berry from the honeysuckle family and the sparkling white wine was served in a stemware set on a Potterhouse plate with rocks of sugar that looked like bits of ice. It was both gustatory and visually cooling, effectively preparing taste buds for the main entrée that followed. The salmon came encrusted in couscous and mint, laid on the slender spears of white asparagus. It was encircled by snow peas and the pencil thin green variety of asparagus, which possesses a slightly stronger taste. One of the pleasures of dining is taking in the food with all the senses. Past what the eyes see and before the tasting is a moment to savor the aroma. The scent of the Pommery mustard sauce was the impetus to yield to the appetite now primed for the golden fillet. The knife slid easily to break through the crust revealing the pink meat of the fish. While slowly indulging taste buds, Markus talked about the asparagus and explained the need to peel it by hand. It is always best to strip the outer layer, he said, just before cooking to capture the fine flavor. He uses his hands to remove the fibrous portion till the soft center is exposed. The end parts are used to make soup stock which can be stored. This white variety is preferred in Europe while the green one is more popular in North America. As the stalks of the white asparagus are growing, it is kept mounded in dirt to deprive these of sunlight. Without light, it cannot produce chlorophyll which would otherwise make it green. The food portions allowed room for a slice of chocolate fondant with lemon liqueur sabayon. It waded in a syrup of the amarino cherry, a moist dark red roundness glistening alongside the cake. A cup of peppermint tea is comforting and when all has been poured out, the meal is done. There are still a few more weeks to try the other selections on the menu. Otherwise, it will be another year before the asparagus season in Old Manila.

Davao City (20 May) -- Seeing how bananas make millions in profit, a number of women that formed the Council of Women in Tagum City, Davao del Norte then thought of another way to make millions out of the bananas all over the province.Leaving the fresh banana business to the large export companies, the group then settled on the by-products of the said crop – processed banana chips.Rooted from a feminine term, the "Byaneng" banana chips then started finding its niche in the local market. However, due to the big possibility of gaining international buyers, makers of the said product then suited the taste and mixtures to the preference of foreign buyers especially the Singaporeans, Chinese, and Japanese.Not just an ordinary business owned by a single person, but Byaneng is the latest offering of Tagum City which is handled and worked for by hardworking women in Tagum.The group was led by Tagum City first lady Alma Uy who is a known, business-oriented personality that hopes to uplift the economic status other women.Council of Women Board of Director Dina Lopez narrated that it was the idea of Uy that pushed the group to start on something which is very ambitious."Ma'am Alma Uy helped us to understand and appreciate the world of business and so everyday is a learning experience for us," Lopez said.The banana chips product has been helping plenty of women who work on different shifts just to handle the packaging of the product.The Four Seasons Company, on the other hand, assists the group in the processing of the banana chips in such a way that the taste will be loved by both local and foreign buyers.Byaneng banana chips are already distributed and displayed in leading Tagum and Davao malls such as SM Davao, NCCC malls, some department stores in Manila, and selected schools in the Davao Region."We are so young in the industry but with how buyers reacted to our product made us believe that there is a big market for us both local and international," Lopez said.Recently, Uy also brought along some member of the Council of Women in Singapore to present and exhibit the Byaneng products in a trade exhibit held there."Singaporeans loved the taste (not so sweet) and so they told us that we might start a business deal very soon," she said.Exploring other potential business aspects, the Council of Women also ventured on vinegar products, peanut butter, and bangus sardines.Uy envisions an empowered women's group in Tagum City by providing them the business knowledge and opportunities that they could bank on as they start their business. (PIA)