How to Start Your Own Food Blog

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How long have you been yearning to share your killer recipes and food adventures?  Have you been dreaming of posting sumptuous snaps of your favorite dishes and get as many compliments as you can?  Nah, cast away those bubble thoughts and turn to an exciting world of running your own food blog.

Yes, food blogging, listed as one of the million-dollar business concepts that you can set up for a minimal rate (or could be free) is doing A-okay and can help you reap massive benefits, said chef and food blogger Abraham founder of viniecapricci.

 Take Eunice Martin as an example of a big success in this field.  The 23-year-old is known for her passion for food styling.  In an interview, the young blogger highlighted her dedication in reading food blogs and taking inspiration from Pinterest for lovely photos hence nabbing the title Top Food Influencer for this years Influence Asia Awards.

Get noticed and join the roster of the top food bloggers with these simple tips.

1. Create a catchy name.

Note that there are thousands of food bloggers around the world and to capture the attention of your readers with a unique name is crucial.  Spend time in creating and searching for the best name of your blog.    Instill originality and creativity in your composition.  You may want to try Daily Bites or The Food Stylist.  The name actually depends on your style, mood, and theme.

2. Get your domain name and hosting.

Once settled with a perfect domain name, have it hosted with one that has amazing offers.  Bluehost offers free registration of the domain name and you get to pay less than a hundred bucks for 2 years of hosting through them.  Another recommended option by various food bloggers is SiteGround.com with reasonable rates on a great performance.

3. Build your WordPress blog.

Blog is synonymous to WordPress.  Hailed as the most reliable and most popular publishing platform in the blogging industry, it acts as every bloggers best friend.  It works great in search engines and offers various themes and designs plus you get to customize your own blog. 

4. Learn the basics of SEO.

Search engine optimization is important as it leads your blog to quality and integrity based on the content.  Curious foodies will easily find you thanks to Google that has an SEO starter guide for every novice blogger.

5. Post impressive photos (only).

No matter the beauty and art depicted in your food blog, if your photos are dull, do not expect to reach your target viewers.  The images of the food displayed in every blog are highly important.  If you have a caption Drool with these delectable pancakes, yet the snaps are ugly then you better hire a professional photographer or enroll yourself in a photography class.

6. Involve your customers.

One of the most effective ways of reaping success from your food blog is to be one with your customers.  Their comments and suggestions are your tools to self-improvement and confidence booster.  Encourage them to raise questions and reviews of your blogs.  By providing a Contact Us link on your site, you are one step closer to building a harmonious relationship with them.

7. Grow your network with other food bloggers.

Instagram and Pinterest are few of the many social media platforms that you can network your food blog.  You get to brainstorm with other food bloggers online or even in person about secrets in making your account grow.  Those experienced food bloggers can discuss practical ways on how to improve your site from telling thrilling stories of your delectable treats to capturing delicious photos of your products.  Apart from the winning insights, you gain a lot of friends too.  This is a win-win situation

How to Start a Website or Blog Today

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A few years ago, only big corporations could afford the luxury of websites and blogs. Nowadays, no business strategy is complete without the tools that bring incredible benefits, including seamless customer interaction, credibility and round the clock availability.

With the growing popularity of sites, the building process has become easy and affordable. Now that you are seeking to tap into the benefits mentioned, here is how to have a taste of a website or blog today.

Get a Domain Name and Ready Your Content

Now, what do you want to share with the world? No one is ready to spend a second of their life reading dolor sit amet consectetuer even if it is decorated in rainbow colours. You should have an idea of what you want to write in your blog or website, because it will play a role in web design and domain choice.

A domain name enables internet users to identify your website. It is unique to your website. That is why you will want to be as creative as possible when generating it.

Sometimes you will pick a nice domain name, only to realize that it is taken. You are trying to brand yourself or your business anyway, so there is no harm in aligning it to your message.

Set Up Web Hosting

A hosting company takes your website live so everyone that visits the internet can have access. Ultimately, your web hosting choice will depend on needs, pricing, and so on. It can be a tricky affair for a beginner because there are many options in the market.

For starters, web hosting can be Cloud, Dedicated, Shared, or Virtual Private Server (VPS) types. Knowing about these types of web hosting is just the first step; you need to look at plans, customer reviews, and inclusions before settling on one hosting service. If you would like guidance on getting the right web host, follow this link.

Start the Building Process

This is the most critical part of the process of starting a website or blog. Nowadays, this does not require too much skill because you can get apt software to do the job.

A good example is the free and easy-to-use Mobirise Responsive Website Builder. Such software makes the process amazingly effortless. You just need to download the software and start playing around with buttons.

Like in a screenplay, theme is critical for a website or blog. It is the driving force of the blog or site. Your theme choice can adversely affect your SEO so you had better take your time here.

The top10 websitehosting professionals know how to put everything in the right place by using their expertise and engaging the web or blog owner. Here are some points that your design should take into account in relation to the theme:

Ease of navigation
Contact information
Call to action
Footer information

Conclusion

Times have advanced to the point that not having a website or blog for your business is tantamount to staying in the cold. If you are in business, your competition is already using these tools so you just have to get yours. Not everyone has the skills or time to code and come up with a website.

The good news is that you can start the building process and finish the work within a day. As long as you can handle a laptop and have a few dollars for hosting fees, nothing can stop you from having a nice website or blog.

Have you ever started a blog? What tips would you offer for aspiring entrepreneurs and businesses? Let us know in the comments!

How To Serve And Store Spanish Ham

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Jamon or Spanish ham is one of the greatest culinary treasures that Spain has given to the world. It is enjoyed by Spaniards more than any other nationality in the world and it is normal to see a whole ham displayed on the kitchen table ready for anybody to slice and eat for snacks or meals. A whole ham is easy store and can be kept on hand for use in recipes or as tapas.

A jamonero or holder is the best way to store your whole hamon with bone included. It should be stored in a well ventilated place that is cool and dry. It can also be hung up by the rope in your kitchen. Always cover the ham with plastic or cling wrap to preserve the flavour, freshness, and moisture. A little of the removed fat can be used to cover after slicing. Discard the first slice of the ham if it has been left exposed to the air for a long time. The meat has a tendency to become dry and tough when left out uncovered.

If your hamon is boneless, it needs to be stored in the refrigerator and wrapped in the wrappings that came with it or with butcher paper. Those that are vacuum packed needs to be taken out of their original wrappings and stored in another container. Boneless hams can be cut into smaller pieces for storage or sliced by an electric slicer. It is imperative that Spanish ham must be served at room temperature so cool it down outside your refrigerator before serving but do not cook it.

The first step in slicing a whole ham is to remove the layer of fat covering the top and sides of the meat until the meat is exposed. Trim the fat while you are slicing and if it is Iberico ham, cut very thin slices that include some of the rich and marbled fat. Slice in a downward motion and use your free hand situated below the knife for leverage. If your ham is to be consumed just in a day or two then you can remove totally the skin and fats. If you plan to consume it over a longer period of time then it is better to only remove the skin and fat from the part that you are going to slice for that day.

To fully enjoy the flavour and texture of a fine Spanish Jamon, then slice it with a long and very sharp knife starting with the rump half and then to the rump end and lastly at the shank. The meat that is closest to the bone is not easy to slice but small chunks can be sliced off it for use in making soups and stews.

How to make the most of your trip in Ooty

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The cool serene landscape of Ooty with its movie-like; winding, twisted lanes, craggy, majestic mountains and colonial architecture breathes a sigh of fresh air into the weary visitor. It is a great escape for those wanting respite from the scorching Indian sun that torments the plains. Whilst the town centre may be somewhat chaotic, a short journey up into the hills reveals a world of greenery, infused with bright gardens, Hindu Temples, ancient churches, pristine lakes and a wealth of astounding views.

Ooty is a valley nestled in the Nilgiri mountain range of the Western Ghats in the state of Tamil Nadu and once was the most popular Hill Station for the crme de la crme of British residents and Indian royalty. So to ensure that you get the most out of your trip to Ooty, weve compiled a mini-travel guide of things you should do, where to stay, when and how to go so that you will cherish the memory of the trip, as others have done before you.

How and when to go to Ooty

First lets deal with the when part, you can travel to Ooty pretty much all year round, but its best if you go between the months of March to June. The monsoons start off in July and lasts till September and this area does receive quite a bit of rain, but if you feel thirsty for some rain quenched excitement, you can still head to Ooty. The winter months are quite cold with temperatures falling to a freezing 0C, so all in all summer is the season to be here. After all if the royals did it this way, it should be enough for us too! But we arent complaining if you go off season too, that way you get a lot more of Ooty without the pesky crowds that are an ever-present feature in the summers!

So now that the when is done we get to the How to go there part. Ooty being so close to several national parks with some endangered species and unique biodiversity, it comes as no surprise that there is no airport! Well, the closest airport is Coimbatore which is about 88kms away. But the whole point of going to Ooty is to be closer to nature while enjoying the wilderness and the only way to do that is ride/drive/be driven till there!

Where to stay?

Hmmm.

Now if you could only find a place to rest your head for the night.

Maybe a nearby meadow or a hollow tree?

Wait this isnt a Disney movie, so youve got a lot of options between homestays, villas and hotels. Weve already got several posts on them on the blog, do check them out here. Whatever you do, make sure that the place youre staying in offers great views of the surrounding countryside as well as is easily accessible to the famous sightseeing haunts.

What to do in Ooty?

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Weve covered this too, but whats the harm in going through it again. So first there are all the sights to see. Depending on how many days you plan on staying in Ooty here are a few things you must see before you come back.

Ooty Botanical garden

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No sane person goes to Ooty and comes back without visiting the botanical gardens. Take a leisurely stroll through the lush greenery and treat your eyes to the 650 species of flowers and trees at the Ooty Botanical Garden. Originally created in 1848, the garden covers an area of 22 hectares and is also home to a fossil tree that is over 20million years old. Besides the lawns and nurseries, the key attractions include the Conservatory and the Toda Hill; where visitors can have a glimpse in to the culture and daily lifestyle Toda Tribes (Ootys original settlers).

They have an annual flower show at the Ooty Botanical Gardens during mid-May, where the best of the flora are on show for all to see. Open from 8.30am to 6.30pm daily, this is a great place to spend some time in.

The Toy Train

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Theres no better way to start your trip than with a scenic journey on the Toy Train with panoramic views. The scenery is a lush verdant green owing to the heavy rainfall during the monsoon season and waterfalls are in abundance. The train leaves from Metupalaiyum and goes all the way to Coonoor, another hill station that is definitely worth a visit.

Enjoy the warm weather with a trip to Ooty Lake, where you can relax on its banks, ride the attractions or take a paddle boat out and float gleefully along its surface. The lake is open from 8.30am-5.30pm daily and costs a mere 5 rupees per person.

Other Attractions in Ooty

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Its not just all nature in Ooty; there are some interesting bits of history lying around, like the Fernhill Palace. Built in 1844, it started out as the summer home of the Maharaja of Mysore. Or the Stone House, the first bungalow built by John Sullivan in Ooty which now serves as a museum, displaying some rather interesting relics. Other notable structures that you can take in include St. Stephens Church and Elk Hill Murugan Temple, a great sight-seeing experience in Ooty.

Lakes

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Ooty Lake, an unmistakeable and unmissable sight where you can relax on its banks, ride the attractions, by which we mean horses or take a paddle boat out on the lake and pedal gleefully along its surface. The lake is open from 8.30am-5.30pm daily and costs a mere 5 rupees per person, which should be enough to entice anyone.

If youre up for an excursion, a short distance from Ooty is the Emerald Lake and Avalanche Lake. The Emerald Lake is surrounded by tea plantations this is a great place to set-up for a picnic or buy and taste some delicious Indian tea, not to mention get some great pictures! The Avalanche Lake is situated inside a National park and even has a trout farm on its banks. Both these places as well as several view points on the way here offer some crazy good views of the mist laden mountains of the Nilgiris. So throw on those hiking boots and get ready for adventure is out there!

Live a little on the Wild side

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Weve already mentioned that Ooty has several National parks around, right? But there are two places that you must absolutely visit. Its time to explore the wilderness of Bandipur National Park and Mudumalai National Park; both of these places are tiger reserves and have hordes of wild animals living in them. Take a safari tour into the jungles to see the occupants in their homes. Take a picture of an elephant or two or a herd of beautiful spotted deer and if youve said your prayers right, you might even spot a leopard or even a tiger! But beware; these arent Disney animals that help you clean your house, so keep a respectful distance.

A walk down gastronomic lane

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If ever youre in Ooty, youll need to eat. And what you need to eat first is the chocolate that the place is so famous for. Head to Kingstar bakery or any half decent bakery on Charring Cross and load up on plain chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, fudge or some interesting flavours like fig, mango, strawberry, blueberry etc. Next stop, Kingstar bakery for Ootys signature cookies, the Varkey. Get yourself some of this buttery, crumbly, flaky goodness to go with your evening tea. These come in a variety of flavours too, so if youre diabetic or anti-sugar they have sugar-free and masala flavoured ones too.

If youve decided to visit Coonoor as well, then do not miss Ramchandradas or Rams as its affectionately known to the students and alumni of the prestigious schools in the area and home to the famous Wellington Special. His Parotta and mutton gravy are to die for. By the way the Parotta is a culinary masterpiece that is stuffed with spicy minced mutton and fried with a coating of egg! Not only will your stomach thank you but you earn exclusive bragging rights along with the alumni of some really elite boarding schools.

How to explore?

So now that youve reached Ooty, how do you plan on doing all those things mentioned above? If youve driven yourself or hired a vehicle for the duration of the trip then youve saved yourself the cost and hassle of hiring a cab each time to set out. But if you flew down or took the train your only option is to hire a cab each day or hire one for the duration of your stay. If youre choosing the latter, it would be better to book this in advance while booking your hotel rooms and for the former your hotel concierge is your best friend and theyll definitely help you out.

So there you have the list, this should have you ready and raring to go to the Queen of Hill stations without further ado!

Author's Bio: 

Discover the best luxury Cottages, resorts and Villas in ooty. Get the top tour packages and economical Cottages offering you quality and Value.

How to Make Italian Ham Panini

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Italy is one of the best places in the world to produce the finest cuisines and fantastic dishes, not to forget the good wine, of course. Remember spaghetti and pizza treats that no one could resist? Well, Italy has definitely become very well known for that, but there is more to Italian foods than these things. And what about those enticing Italian sandwiches called Panini such as Ham Panini or Turkey Panini?

Panino, or Panini in plural form, is a famous sandwich made of a small loaf of bread that is cut horizontally, stuffed with your choice of meat products, cheese, herbs and spices, vegetables, and other ingredients. Panini sandwiches vary: some would have it served without the sauce or topping, as their tradition dictates; some would prefer to add sauce to fit in with their local taste. In whatever style you want your Panini to be, keep in mind though that the best way to cook Panini is to cook it in a Panini grill or press.

To help you get started here's a sample recipe for the Italian Ham Panini, which is good if you have ham leftovers in your fridge.

You will need to prepare the following ingredients:

-Thinly-sliced ham; leftovers are good
-Italian loaf bread
-Fresh mozzarella
-Provolone cheese
-Fresh basil leaves, or fresh spinach, rinse and pat dry
-Extra virgin olive oil
-Red wine vinegar
-Salt and pepper

Then follow the steps below:

1-Cut the Italian loaf in half. On each side of the cut bread, place thin slices of mozzarella to keep in tact the bread halves together when placed in Panini press.

2-Put a topping of fresh spinach, or fresh basil leaves, on the mozzarella.

3-Sprinkle it with a good amount of vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper to get the best flavor from it.

4-Next, layer it with provolone cheese.

5-Then top it with thinly-sliced ham. Shower some more salt and pepper.

6-Put together the two halves of bread and close it up.

7-Lastly, brush some olive oil before putting it on the grill.

8-Let it grill until the cheese is seen to melt.

9-Remove it from the grill. Let it cool for a few minutes until it's not too hot to hold anymore. Slice it into your desired cuts.

10-Then serve and enjoy your Panini!

Panini sandwiches are not only healthy and delicious treats for everyone; it is the most preferred food-to-go these days by busy bodies. While they can easily be prepared at home and brought to the office, they can also easily be ordered from your favorite restaurant; this option is more expensive of course.

While some people question the calories and fat found in Panini sandwiches, there is nothing to worry about if you make your own, because you control the ingredients. To resolve this issue, always opt for low-fat or low-calories ingredients to fill up that Ham Panini sandwich.

Sabrina Rocca
Author: Easy Panini Recipes
Visit http://www.easypaninirecipes.com and sign up for a FREE newsletter and receive a copy of "Cooking Mastery" as well as panini recipes and tips. Easy Panini Recipes contains over 50 easy to follow, step-by-step panini recipes that will make anyone look like a gourmet chef!

How To Make Any Guy Fall In Love With You - It's No Secret!

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I'm sure you've heard your mother or grandmother say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. I bet you never thought they were right!

True, you need more than culinary skills to pull off a successful relationship, but trust me, no guy would ever complain about his girlfriend cooking too well!

Believe it or not, most men want a women who takes care of him in a motherly way without being too much like his own mother. He wants you to do his laundry, buy his toilet paper, and yes, cook for him. Looking to start a new step in your relationship?

Give cooking a try to help your main man fall madly in love.

1) Where to Start

If you never baked bread with your mom, or even learned how to boil water on the stove to make pasta, cooking may be a bit of a challenge for you. Luckily, you're not on your own.

You can us a variety of techniques to start learning the basics of maneuvering around a kitchen. Once you've learned the first few skills, the rest won't seem very difficult at all!

Check out your local bookstore. Cookbooks come in all shapes and sizes, and there are even some for beginners or young adults.

Choose a book that has recipes that sound tasty to youif you won't taste-test, you shouldn't serve to a guest; that's my rule. Make sure you start with recipes for meals. Desserts can be fun to make (and eat), but baking is more difficult than cooking, so if you're new to this game, don't try to bake a cake from scratch on your first day!

While in the bookstore, you can check out some great food magazines as well. These come with recipes as well as handy articles containing numerous hints for new chefs.

Television is a great place to learn as well. Check out the networks solely devoted to food, as well as other channels that showcase the preparation of recipes. When you see something being done, you can get a feel for how to do things.

You can even TiVo or record the show so that you can follow along at your own pace and make the same meal!

For advanced beginners or those who completely want to dive into the world of food, check out the classes at your local community center or at a junior college. Sign up for some that sound fun and interesting! You'll shell out a little more money this way, but you'll get one-on-one instruction from some great chefs.

2) The Menu

Of course, when you've cooking for another person, like your sweetie, it's always best to find out ahead of time what he likes to eat!

If your boyfriend is allergic to chocolate, for example, taking a chocoholic baking class may not be very helpful. If you want your new culinary skills to be a surprise and really make your man melt, simple take notice to what he grabs off of a buffet line or orders at a restaurant.

When in doubt, call his mother. She may even be able to share the exact recipes he loves best.

3) The Big Day

When you learn to cook, you can continue to please your man daily (or every once in awhile at least, if you aren't ambitious enough to cook dinner every day).

However, after learning a new skill, you can really get your honey's mouth to drop if you plan a very special meal just for him. Set the mood for lovebuy some candles, pop open a great bottle of wine, and have a little mood music ready.

Make the setting even more romantic by keeping the work you've done under wraps. Who wants to stare at a pile of dirty dishes as they eat?

You probably won't have time to clean up before serving dinner, so if you don't have a separate dining room, set up a card table in the living room. With the lights dimmed and rose petals sprinkled around, it'll seem like a four-star restaurant.

Remember, however, that you boyfriend will be focused the most on the food. Prepare everything to perfection and be sure to keep courses hot. Enlist a friend to help you prep during the day if you're still a little nervous.

Don't worry too much thougheven if you burn dinner, it's the thought that counts.

When your boyfriend get that first bite, he'll see how much effort you're putting into making the relationship work. Love is only a pork chop away.

How to Make a Delicious Smoothie

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Making incredible tasting and sound smoothies are extremely basic and a fun procedure. There are a couple of things to consider before you make any smoothie. Smoothies have turned into the favored approach to building the nearness of a high vitality yet wonderful and tasty nourishment source that is effortlessly handled in our bodies. Smoothies incorporate numerous fixings, for example, natural products, vegetables, tofu, yogurt, organic product juice, drain, and basically whatever else that you need to include. 

Over a timeframe, as you make and taste diverse smoothies, you will have the capacity to recognize which ones are your top picks. When you have to know how to make smoothies, basically comprehend the fundamental fixings in any immaculate smoothie. 

Utilizing the correct gear to make the ideal smoothie 

The vast majority incline toward figuring out how to make smoothies with a decent quality smoothie blender. While there are less expensive ones accessible in the market, they have constrained capacities. A grand blender will permit you to make the best smoothies with simply the correct surface. 

Fixings to condense your smoothie 

There are a couple of essential building pieces when it comes time to make a smoothie. The principal fundamental fixing is the fluid or diminishing operator. Fluids like the crisp drain, dairy animals' drain, and soy drain are incredible choices. These will offer you a dosage of calcium, protein, and contains flavones. While natural product juice can likewise be utilized, they, for the most part, have a high sugar content and if you will likely figure out how to make smoothies that are healthful, you would improve to skirt the organic product squeeze and adhering to soy drain. 

New Produce 

To this fluid, you should include your selection of products of the soil. These change the taste and the surface of your smoothie. Pick tastes that mix well together. You can continue blending and coordinating to discover the smoothie that you like best. In your adventure of how to make smoothies that are heavenly and additionally solid, don't hesitate to utilize natural products like strawberries, dark berries, apples, kiwis, fruits, grapes, and vegetables like pumpkin, and crude spinach! These fixings pack an intense punch and are loaded with wholesome esteem. 

Thickener Ingredient 

The following stride in figuring out how to make smoothies is to add a thickener to the blend. This can be included the type of ice smashed, 3D squares, and solidified natural product relying upon the quality and limit of your blender. Solidified organic products can likewise be utilized as a thickening operator however again you will require an intense blender that will cleanse them. This fixing adds to the surface and consistency of the smoothie. 

Make smoothies the way you like them! 

While figuring out how to make smoothies, you have to understand this is a procedure that is adaptable and depends completely on your taste and inclinations. On the off chance that you favor your smoothies somewhat runny, consider utilizing less of the thickener and a greater amount of the drain or squeeze. On the off chance that the smoothies end up being too thin, just include more solidified organic products or ice. In the event that you have a feeling that your smoothie is excessively diluted, add some more organic product to it. On the off chance that you need to add somewhat more flavor to it, include some cinnamon or nectar. 

To accomplish the correct consistency, most blenders take inside 30 to 45 seconds to completely hack up or mix the fixings. Permit your smoothie to flow unreservedly with no protuberances inside the blender for no less than 5 to 10 seconds before you think of it as prepared. Presently you've learned how to make smoothies.