2008年5月26日星期一
Summer tarpon and snook primer
Our local water temperature is right around 80 degrees, making it prime season for Nylon Monofilament Nets and tarpon. Being tropical fish both snook and tarpon are most comfortable when the water is warm. Beach tarpon fishing is in full effect. Plenty of fish are making their way through our area from the north heading south to major inlets. Persistent westerly winds have made it impossible to fish the beach as of late. Despite the rough conditions anglers fishing the Redington Long Pier have had multiple hook-up’s with tarpon daily. So we know that they’re there it’s only a matter of when Mother Nature will let us fish for them. Tarpon anglers fishing the Skyway Bridge and the nearby Egmont Hole haven’t found the weather to be as much as a factor. This week’s full moon brought big tides and excellent tarpon fishing. Afternoon outgoing tides are feeding frenzy’s for crab crushing tarpon. Drifting the hole at Egmont can be a busy affair when the tarpon are feeding. Free-line live pass crabs for a natural presentation. Beach snook fishing is on the verge of busting loose. This week’s full moon is the first of the spawning moons for snook; the transition has been made from the backwaters to the clean waters of the passes and nearby shoals. Targeting these snook can be difficult as they become quite wary of their surroundings. Light fluorocarbon leaders are a must and you may even want to consider trading that braided line in for some monofilament line, free-line a live shrimp or pilchards for best results. Spanish mackerel are spread throughout the entire region. Some of the best mackerel fishing lately has come from north of the Skyway Bridge inside of Tampa Bay. Mackerel can be found ravaging pods of threadfins around channel markers and bridges, chum the mackerel close with chum bags and fresh cut bait. Pompano are being caught along inland bridges and sandy bars inside of the passes. Strong tides are what you need for a good pompano bite, vertical jig Crazy Jigs on the down tide side of the pilings when fishing the bridges. If you are targeting the sand bars, idle along the bar until you skip some pompano then shut off the motor and cast crazy jigs to them.
Open air complex for work and shopping
THERE's a place in Ara Damansara called Niuzexui. You've not heard of it? Well, it's part of a new commercial development near Kuala Lumpur that's slowly but surely picking up a reputation as a great spot for snacks, browsing and shopping. Visitors to Niuzexui have described it as an "open-air" shopping Red Dragon Fruit . But funnily, the meaning of the word is far from what the complex is all about. Literally, it means "Buffalo Cart Water!" Why the name Niuzexui then? Beats me. Maybe the owner liked the sound of it. The complex is actually three connected pedestrian malls between rows of office blocks that were rather empty when I visited this place in April. The malls are protected from the elements by a giant canopy similar to that of Kuala Lumpur's Jalan Petaling. Located here are more than 50 small stores selling a myriad of merchandise and snacks. Red lanterns hang overhead, giving the place a Chinatown ambiance. Value-for-money buys are the main lure here. Where handbags are concerned, Niuzexui is not to be snuffed at. Traffic, Wat? Bag and Butik GPS have an impressive array of totebags, hobo bags, duffel bags, shoulder bags and drawstring bags. Complementing the handbags are the shoes. Franco Martino, OMG Unique Enterprise and several other stores boasts of pumps, T-strap shoes, ballerinas, clogs and sandals at extremely irresistible prices. For some items, discounts are up to a whopping 40 per cent. One store there creatively displays its sports shoes by sticking them in metal poles with side stumps!
Vietnam to invest in Panax Ginseng Extract embryogenesis
The Vietnamese government will invest VND1.7 billion (US$105,400) in a project to reproduce a type of local Panax Ginseng Extract which is in danger of extinction, according to the Central Highlands Biological Institute. The project would replicate Ngoc Linh Ginseng (Panax vietnamensis) through embryogenesis, a process of sexual or asexual plant reproduction, said Duong Tan Nhut, deputy head of the institute. Nhut has already produced some 300 ginsengs using the process. 50 percent of them were transferred to natural environments successfully. Ngoc Linh Ginseng grows in the south-central and Central Highlands regions of Vietnam, especially in Ngoc Linh Mountain in the provinces of Kon Tum and Quang Nam. Its extract has been found to stimulate the body in cases of physical, mental and sexual asthenia, enhance physical strength, immunity and reduce fatigue. The ginseng has been exploited heavily over the past few years because of its medicinal qualities.
Cuprinol leads the way in garden woodcare
The Power Sprayer is the fastest, easiest and most effortless way to treat a fence, no matter how big the garden. The Power Sprayer's fast charger means that in approximately one hour it is fully powered up and ready to go - without the need for batteries - and can treat up to 12 fence panels in 30 minutes. It works hand in hand with Knapsack Power Sprayer , a premium fence treatment offering fade-resistant colour and five-year protection. Jamie Barber, Marketing Manager for Cuprinol, comments: "Consumers are looking for convenience, ease of use as well as long lasting results and that's exactly what the Cuprinol Power Sprayer provides. Sprayable Plus 5-year Fence Treatment is a high performance treatment which includes added waxes for waterproofing, algicides which combat the growth of green algae, and UV filters to prevent colour fade, which together ensure the fence is both protected and looks great in just one coat." The Cuprinol Power Sprayer has a SSP of £39.99 and Cuprinol Sprayable Plus retails at around £18.99 for 5 litres - available in a choice of six popular colours.
15 charged in fresh federal crackdown on Chicago payoffs
Tag: Fresh Box
Federal prosecutors unveiled payoff charges against 15 building inspectors and others Thursday, saying Chicago's real estate development industry is in the grip of widespread, systematic corruption. It was the second batch of charges in a year aimed at what prosecutors describe as a system under which developers use payoffs ranging from envelopes of cash to Chicago Bulls sky box seats to get city officials to rubber stamp projects rather than waiting out time-consuming inspections. U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald said it was apparent that last year's charges failed to sink in with either inspectors or developers. "Basically, here we go again," he said in unveiling the new charges. "These charges show that last year's arrests didn't change the system enough," Fitzgerald said. "It didn't stop the bribery. It just changed how the bribery was done. They got sneakier." Federal investigators got sneakier, too, revealing Thursday that a bribe-carrying "bagman" supposedly working within the corrupt system was actually a cooperating witness, secretly gathering evidence against 30 individuals at meetings and in recorded telephone calls. Mayor Richard Daley said the charges were "regrettable" and "appalling." "People who take money from the ... private sector, public sector, are going to get caught," he said, adding only a few building department personnel were involved in the alleged wrongdoing. Chicago's city government has long been beset by widespread corruption. Major corruption cases in recent years have focused on illegal patronage hiring and millions of dollars paid to trucking companies that did little or no work and in some cases had close ties to organized crime. Eight separate cases were announced Thursday in which 15 individuals were charged, seven of them city employees. Money changed hands to get inspectors to approve illegal basements, plumbing code violations, zoning approval, occupancy permits and other items that saved money for builders and developers, authorities said. One inspector allegedly got a new deck put on his home in exchange for hurrying through approval of a permit.
Federal prosecutors unveiled payoff charges against 15 building inspectors and others Thursday, saying Chicago's real estate development industry is in the grip of widespread, systematic corruption. It was the second batch of charges in a year aimed at what prosecutors describe as a system under which developers use payoffs ranging from envelopes of cash to Chicago Bulls sky box seats to get city officials to rubber stamp projects rather than waiting out time-consuming inspections. U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald said it was apparent that last year's charges failed to sink in with either inspectors or developers. "Basically, here we go again," he said in unveiling the new charges. "These charges show that last year's arrests didn't change the system enough," Fitzgerald said. "It didn't stop the bribery. It just changed how the bribery was done. They got sneakier." Federal investigators got sneakier, too, revealing Thursday that a bribe-carrying "bagman" supposedly working within the corrupt system was actually a cooperating witness, secretly gathering evidence against 30 individuals at meetings and in recorded telephone calls. Mayor Richard Daley said the charges were "regrettable" and "appalling." "People who take money from the ... private sector, public sector, are going to get caught," he said, adding only a few building department personnel were involved in the alleged wrongdoing. Chicago's city government has long been beset by widespread corruption. Major corruption cases in recent years have focused on illegal patronage hiring and millions of dollars paid to trucking companies that did little or no work and in some cases had close ties to organized crime. Eight separate cases were announced Thursday in which 15 individuals were charged, seven of them city employees. Money changed hands to get inspectors to approve illegal basements, plumbing code violations, zoning approval, occupancy permits and other items that saved money for builders and developers, authorities said. One inspector allegedly got a new deck put on his home in exchange for hurrying through approval of a permit.
Wall Street goes bargain hunting in the farm bill
Tag: fodder additive
Money managers, including hedge funds looking to scoop up battered stocks on the cheap, have told their Washington-based consultants to keep close tabs on the farm bill. High-flying Wall Street financiers hardly seem the sort to follow the mind-numbing farm bill negotiations, which have been swinging from mini-breakthroughs to near-collapse for months. But the talks have grabbed their attention, according to sources in the political intelligence business, because the legislation could prove a boon to ethanol producers, timber companies and farm equipment manufacturers. “There’s a lot of interest in what might end up in the final bill,” said Mark McMinimy, an analyst with the Stanford Group in Washington. “People are sitting on pins and needles waiting to see what will happen.” Wall Street investors have long traded on information flowing from Washington. But their hunger has grown in recent years with the hedge fund industry’s boom, making money managers more eager for any tips on legislation or regulatory changes that will give them an edge in the markets. They are hunting especially for opportunities to bet on a stock likely to fall or rise sharply on a policy action. Businesses heavily concentrated in a sector affected by the policy change are prime targets. The farm bill has given them plenty of fodder for such investment plays. Moreover, the uncertainty swirling around whether a bill will be enacted this year has intensified Wall Street’s interest because it has made it difficult for markets to discount the impact of the legislation. House and Senate negotiators have been tangling for months over the bill. Unhappy with the latest proposal from Congress, the Bush administration on Tuesday called for a one-year extension of the current farm program, fueling speculation that there will be no reauthorization passed this year. Wall Street investors are intensely interested in the energy provisions tucked into the $2.4 billion tax package the Senate attached to its legislation. The tax package has proved controversial in the House, and investors and their consultants are busy trying to handicap its chances of surviving. Philip L. Fraas, a Washington lawyer who tracks the saga of the legislation on his farmbill2007 blog, says he regularly gets inquiries from people in the financial industry regarding the fate of the energy provisions, which are intended to spur alternative fuels. Having poured money into ethanol plants during the ethanol boom, many investors are now aching from the ethanol bust. They’ve been burned by a surge in the price of corn, the fuel’s main ingredient, and depressed ethanol prices caused by oversupply. The tax package contains a two-year extension of the 54-cent per gallon tariff on foreign-produced ethanol that has been crucial for U.S. producers. Without congressional action, the tariff will be lifted at the end of the year. “Ethanol generally is of huge interest to the market,” said Pete Davis, who runs Davis Capital Investment Ideas. He said his money manager clients were “very concerned” that the tariff could be allowed to expire, opening the floodgates to cheaper Brazilian ethanol. The ethanol tariff has heavyweight supporters in Congress, such as Sen. Chuck Grassley (Iowa), the top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee.
Money managers, including hedge funds looking to scoop up battered stocks on the cheap, have told their Washington-based consultants to keep close tabs on the farm bill. High-flying Wall Street financiers hardly seem the sort to follow the mind-numbing farm bill negotiations, which have been swinging from mini-breakthroughs to near-collapse for months. But the talks have grabbed their attention, according to sources in the political intelligence business, because the legislation could prove a boon to ethanol producers, timber companies and farm equipment manufacturers. “There’s a lot of interest in what might end up in the final bill,” said Mark McMinimy, an analyst with the Stanford Group in Washington. “People are sitting on pins and needles waiting to see what will happen.” Wall Street investors have long traded on information flowing from Washington. But their hunger has grown in recent years with the hedge fund industry’s boom, making money managers more eager for any tips on legislation or regulatory changes that will give them an edge in the markets. They are hunting especially for opportunities to bet on a stock likely to fall or rise sharply on a policy action. Businesses heavily concentrated in a sector affected by the policy change are prime targets. The farm bill has given them plenty of fodder for such investment plays. Moreover, the uncertainty swirling around whether a bill will be enacted this year has intensified Wall Street’s interest because it has made it difficult for markets to discount the impact of the legislation. House and Senate negotiators have been tangling for months over the bill. Unhappy with the latest proposal from Congress, the Bush administration on Tuesday called for a one-year extension of the current farm program, fueling speculation that there will be no reauthorization passed this year. Wall Street investors are intensely interested in the energy provisions tucked into the $2.4 billion tax package the Senate attached to its legislation. The tax package has proved controversial in the House, and investors and their consultants are busy trying to handicap its chances of surviving. Philip L. Fraas, a Washington lawyer who tracks the saga of the legislation on his farmbill2007 blog, says he regularly gets inquiries from people in the financial industry regarding the fate of the energy provisions, which are intended to spur alternative fuels. Having poured money into ethanol plants during the ethanol boom, many investors are now aching from the ethanol bust. They’ve been burned by a surge in the price of corn, the fuel’s main ingredient, and depressed ethanol prices caused by oversupply. The tax package contains a two-year extension of the 54-cent per gallon tariff on foreign-produced ethanol that has been crucial for U.S. producers. Without congressional action, the tariff will be lifted at the end of the year. “Ethanol generally is of huge interest to the market,” said Pete Davis, who runs Davis Capital Investment Ideas. He said his money manager clients were “very concerned” that the tariff could be allowed to expire, opening the floodgates to cheaper Brazilian ethanol. The ethanol tariff has heavyweight supporters in Congress, such as Sen. Chuck Grassley (Iowa), the top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee.
2008年5月25日星期日
New Britain doubles profit from palm oil
New Britain Palm Oil (Crude Palm Oil ) doubled quarterly profits and underlined plans to double acreage over the next seven years in anticipation of strong palm oil prices, the Australasia-focused planter said on Wednesday. First-quarter pretax profits for the period to May 13 doubled to $37 million as sales rose 63 percent to $83 million, Papua New Guinea's largest palm oil producer said. New Britain has doubled in value since its December listing giving it a current market value of 790 million pounds ($1.54 billion). Its performance compares with a 3.7 percent decline in the FTSE All Share <.FTAS> index in 2008. With no debt, about $50 million in cash and a share price that's a shade off its March peak of 600p, the company is on track to double acreage by 2015, Executive Director Alan Chaytor told Reuters. New Britain has about 40,000 hectares of plantation estates on Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands -- a size it can easily double in surrounding areas, Chaytor said. Additional estates could come from acquisitions in Malaysia and Indonesia, the world's two top producers of the edible oil, he said, adding that palm oil prices are expected to stay strong in the medium to long-term.
Nutrition: Eleven Superfoods You Ought To Know About
Tag: Coconut Fiber
There’s a lot more to foods than just the nutrition they contain. Some can act as medicines, helping to tame inflammation in the body, or protect cells from DNA damage. Others can act as aphrodisiacs (see number 2 below). Still others can protect your memory. Superfoods are “super” precisely because they offer more benefits than what you can find on the “nutrition facts” label. Every one on this list qualifies! 1.Blueberries These amazing berries are on anyone’s list of superfoods. Recent research shows that they’re brain food-- feeding blueberries to rats actually slows their age-related mental decline. Blueberries contain pterostilbene, a plant compound recently shown to have cholesterol-lowering properties. Their ORAC value (antioxidant rating) is the highest of any fruit. And blueberries are rich in fiber. Tip: try them frozen. They taste like sherbet! 2.Maca Based on a long history of traditional use in Peru, maca has recently become known as a “natural Viagra”, and is popular as an aphrodisiac, and for increasing fertility and stamina. (I talked about it in my book ‘The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth” as part of a natural treatment for restoring sexual potency.) But maca’s also a superfood from a nutrition point of view. It’s an important staple for the Andean Indians, has been around since 3800 BC and is rich in sugars, protein, starches and essential minerals, especially iron and iodine. You can buy it as a supplement, or, even better, as a powder which you can add to shakes. 3.Cherries Cherries are absolutely loaded with anti-inflammatory, antiaging, anticancer compounds that don’t show up on your average nutrition facts label. These include quercetin, a member of the flavonoid family which has powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Cherries also contain anthocyanains which act like natural COX-2 inhibitors, reducing pain and inflammation. That’s one reason why they’re so great for gout. My favorite “healthy” desert- frozen cherries mixed with full fat yogurt. Tastes like Cherry Garcia only way better for you. 4.Guava Among the superfoods of the world, guava is a sleeper. With a taste that’s been described as “part strawberry part pear”, one low-calorie cup of this vitamin rich fruit contains a whopping 8 grams of fiber. And in one widely used nutrition lab test for antioxidant power, guava scored second only to blueberries, and right behind kale. Guava also contains cancer fighting lycopene. 5.Kale Kale is a member of the brassica family, vegetable royalty that boasts cabbage and broccoli among it’s relatives. It’s simply loaded with nutrition. It’s rich in potent cancer fighting substances called indoles, and loaded with bone-building vitamin K. Kale also contains sulforaphane, a powerful nutrient that helps the liver detoxify carcinogens and other toxins. Kale has the highest antioxidant rating of any vegetable and is ridiculously low in calories. Try it tossed with olive oil, a few dried cranberries and some pine nuts.
There’s a lot more to foods than just the nutrition they contain. Some can act as medicines, helping to tame inflammation in the body, or protect cells from DNA damage. Others can act as aphrodisiacs (see number 2 below). Still others can protect your memory. Superfoods are “super” precisely because they offer more benefits than what you can find on the “nutrition facts” label. Every one on this list qualifies! 1.Blueberries These amazing berries are on anyone’s list of superfoods. Recent research shows that they’re brain food-- feeding blueberries to rats actually slows their age-related mental decline. Blueberries contain pterostilbene, a plant compound recently shown to have cholesterol-lowering properties. Their ORAC value (antioxidant rating) is the highest of any fruit. And blueberries are rich in fiber. Tip: try them frozen. They taste like sherbet! 2.Maca Based on a long history of traditional use in Peru, maca has recently become known as a “natural Viagra”, and is popular as an aphrodisiac, and for increasing fertility and stamina. (I talked about it in my book ‘The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth” as part of a natural treatment for restoring sexual potency.) But maca’s also a superfood from a nutrition point of view. It’s an important staple for the Andean Indians, has been around since 3800 BC and is rich in sugars, protein, starches and essential minerals, especially iron and iodine. You can buy it as a supplement, or, even better, as a powder which you can add to shakes. 3.Cherries Cherries are absolutely loaded with anti-inflammatory, antiaging, anticancer compounds that don’t show up on your average nutrition facts label. These include quercetin, a member of the flavonoid family which has powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Cherries also contain anthocyanains which act like natural COX-2 inhibitors, reducing pain and inflammation. That’s one reason why they’re so great for gout. My favorite “healthy” desert- frozen cherries mixed with full fat yogurt. Tastes like Cherry Garcia only way better for you. 4.Guava Among the superfoods of the world, guava is a sleeper. With a taste that’s been described as “part strawberry part pear”, one low-calorie cup of this vitamin rich fruit contains a whopping 8 grams of fiber. And in one widely used nutrition lab test for antioxidant power, guava scored second only to blueberries, and right behind kale. Guava also contains cancer fighting lycopene. 5.Kale Kale is a member of the brassica family, vegetable royalty that boasts cabbage and broccoli among it’s relatives. It’s simply loaded with nutrition. It’s rich in potent cancer fighting substances called indoles, and loaded with bone-building vitamin K. Kale also contains sulforaphane, a powerful nutrient that helps the liver detoxify carcinogens and other toxins. Kale has the highest antioxidant rating of any vegetable and is ridiculously low in calories. Try it tossed with olive oil, a few dried cranberries and some pine nuts.
Kenya: Tea Industry Responds to Increasing Competition
Tag: tea product
On the usually bustling Koinange Street in Nairobi, Chai House towers like a solid testimony of the power of the tea industry. On the ground floor is a splendid tea cafe, The T-Spot, that has marked the battle lines in the race of the tea cup. A lane away on Loita Street is Sasini House, which not only houses the headquarters of a tea and coffee company, but a new tea and coffee restaurant. Both houses are at war for the tea market and so are others out to add premium to their produce as the international market weathers the dollar fluctuation storm. In April, the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) opened the T-Spot Restaurant, which is to street-test its entry into the beverage market. To back it up, its subsidiary Kenya Tea Packers (Ketepa) launched the first cold tea drink, Safari Ice Tea, in the local market. Of late, the export of Kenyan tea to traditional buyer countries such as Pakistan has shrunk by 18 per cent, which is forcing local companies to turn to the home ground for survival. "A company has to be innovative to be part of this fast changing market, from what is inside the package to the outside. The packaging has to be of good quality too," says Edwin Bii, the sales and marketing manager of Sasini Ltd. Mr Bii says the new vibrancy in the sector is about integrating the business to bring another aspect about the company and to increase shareholder value. At the newly refurbished National Museums of Kenya headquarters in Nairobi's Museum Hill is a new coffee and tea outlet operated by Sasini as part of its diversification programme. "When a company does this, it is addressing people's needs," says Mr Bii Sasini's core business has been in exporting coffee and tea from farms it owns, while being a retailer in the local and regional market. Besides selling branded tea in Kenya, the company hopes to take the African coffee drink to London and Dubai. Although tea has been commercially grown in Kenya since the 1920s - and in small portions since 1903 - it has yet to be fully exploited and little value addition is done. Back in 1996, Flora Mutahi of Melvin Marsh International, tired of seeing the same black tea on the shelves all the time, decided to add value to local tea. She started her own tea packing company filling the vacuum and adding excitement in the local tea market. It worked. In her office in the Nairobi's Industrial Area, the powerful aroma of spices filters and wafts into the corridors. This smell is one that has changed the tastes of people; a sign the value addition is bringing a new life to the once business she was tired of. As the pioneer of the local flavoured tea, Ms Mutahi is constantly recreating and introducing teas with only natural fresh spices. Today, Melvin's Tea remains a case study of an experiment gone right. "I have to keep abreast with the customer and keep moving with them," she says, sounding upbeat about emerging success on a mission to satisfy the market. As the Kenyan consumer gets stronger in demanding the best and high quality from companies, the consumer market is moving fast too and that is why the tea producers are entering the market slowly. As the tea growers struggle to add and interest locals into taking more tea it is becoming a cut throat competition that has thrown into place all ideas into the arena. Although Kenya is a tea growing country, its supermarket shelves still spot tea brands from other countries. This is a testimony the market is there is need to improve consumer choice. That is how KTDA feels about it newest baby, the T-Spot which is entirely run by a restaurant consultant management, Blanco's Holdings, which they hope to go regional, then international. It offers all the teas grown in the country and experiments with it; from cookies made from tea to tea mochas.
On the usually bustling Koinange Street in Nairobi, Chai House towers like a solid testimony of the power of the tea industry. On the ground floor is a splendid tea cafe, The T-Spot, that has marked the battle lines in the race of the tea cup. A lane away on Loita Street is Sasini House, which not only houses the headquarters of a tea and coffee company, but a new tea and coffee restaurant. Both houses are at war for the tea market and so are others out to add premium to their produce as the international market weathers the dollar fluctuation storm. In April, the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) opened the T-Spot Restaurant, which is to street-test its entry into the beverage market. To back it up, its subsidiary Kenya Tea Packers (Ketepa) launched the first cold tea drink, Safari Ice Tea, in the local market. Of late, the export of Kenyan tea to traditional buyer countries such as Pakistan has shrunk by 18 per cent, which is forcing local companies to turn to the home ground for survival. "A company has to be innovative to be part of this fast changing market, from what is inside the package to the outside. The packaging has to be of good quality too," says Edwin Bii, the sales and marketing manager of Sasini Ltd. Mr Bii says the new vibrancy in the sector is about integrating the business to bring another aspect about the company and to increase shareholder value. At the newly refurbished National Museums of Kenya headquarters in Nairobi's Museum Hill is a new coffee and tea outlet operated by Sasini as part of its diversification programme. "When a company does this, it is addressing people's needs," says Mr Bii Sasini's core business has been in exporting coffee and tea from farms it owns, while being a retailer in the local and regional market. Besides selling branded tea in Kenya, the company hopes to take the African coffee drink to London and Dubai. Although tea has been commercially grown in Kenya since the 1920s - and in small portions since 1903 - it has yet to be fully exploited and little value addition is done. Back in 1996, Flora Mutahi of Melvin Marsh International, tired of seeing the same black tea on the shelves all the time, decided to add value to local tea. She started her own tea packing company filling the vacuum and adding excitement in the local tea market. It worked. In her office in the Nairobi's Industrial Area, the powerful aroma of spices filters and wafts into the corridors. This smell is one that has changed the tastes of people; a sign the value addition is bringing a new life to the once business she was tired of. As the pioneer of the local flavoured tea, Ms Mutahi is constantly recreating and introducing teas with only natural fresh spices. Today, Melvin's Tea remains a case study of an experiment gone right. "I have to keep abreast with the customer and keep moving with them," she says, sounding upbeat about emerging success on a mission to satisfy the market. As the Kenyan consumer gets stronger in demanding the best and high quality from companies, the consumer market is moving fast too and that is why the tea producers are entering the market slowly. As the tea growers struggle to add and interest locals into taking more tea it is becoming a cut throat competition that has thrown into place all ideas into the arena. Although Kenya is a tea growing country, its supermarket shelves still spot tea brands from other countries. This is a testimony the market is there is need to improve consumer choice. That is how KTDA feels about it newest baby, the T-Spot which is entirely run by a restaurant consultant management, Blanco's Holdings, which they hope to go regional, then international. It offers all the teas grown in the country and experiments with it; from cookies made from tea to tea mochas.
Nigel Slater savours his herb of the season, mint
Tag: Black Watermelon Seed
Whatever impression I give of this kitchen and its little garden being in good order, I have to admit some things often have a will of their own. A loaf or a cake will sometimes do as it wishes, vegetables will run rampant or sulk, herbs move themselves to an inconvenient part of the garden. It has been very much that way with the garden mint. Wandering around the Physic Garden at Chelsea the other day, I was surprised to see that their many mints seem to be planted perilously close together, yet on closer inspection spotted that they are actually planted in individual pots, each sunk so deep into the ground as to be almost invisible. Had I done this at home, I wouldn't have spent quite so much time trying to untangle one variety from another. The mints now live in heavy, terracotta pots in the basement garden below the kitchen window, where their scent seems to get trapped on sunny afternoons. (It's a secret spot in which to have a cup of tea.) Crush the leaves as you cut sprigs for the kitchen and you could easily be in Morocco.For two years now the Moroccan variety has been happy enough in its large pot and in the last few weeks has sent up several new shoots, with scores of tiny, brilliant green leaves unfurling by the day. The spearmint, with its sweeter flavour, also continues to hold its own. Mint has always been a mainstay of my summer cooking. In generous amounts it can make a bowl of soporifically calming grain - couscous, rice, cracked wheat - suddenly vibrate with freshness. More than that, it has a certain mystery to it, and something ancient about it, too, especially when used in tea form as they do in the Middle East. Mint with lamb is often frowned upon by some of the more up-themselves foodies, and yet I can think of few more pleasing extras to serve on the side of a trio of lamb cutlets than a hollandaise sauce into which you have stirred freshly mashed mint leaves. On the other hand, a traditional clear mint sauce made with vinegar and the merest pinch of sugar with a roast shoulder is almost worth doing just to watch the food snobs' hackles rise. I love it, and would argue it is just perfect with peas and new potatoes. A tabbouleh made classically with soaked, cracked wheat needs parsley and lots of it, but I also like there to be more than half the quantity in fresh mint and much, much lemon juice. Stirring the mint in at the last minute will stop the chopped herb going black. Occasionally I have put tomatoes in there, too, seeded and cut into small pieces. Right now, I am making my tabbouleh with mangoes. Carbs suddenly seem more acceptable in summer when they have refreshing qualities stirred through them. Cucumber, watermelon or grated carrot and citrus fruit also work well. It is worth growing several mints if only for your wellbeing (crush a leaf and inhale and your mood will change in an instant). The wacky mints that smell of chocolate or pineapple don't really do it for me even if the chocolate one does have beautiful browny-red stems and smells of After Eights, but apple mint has a gentle almost Elizabethan charm. My favourites are the classic garden spearmint with its sharp, pointed leaves, eastern mint (Mentha longifolia subsp. schimperi) which is the green-grey, very fine-leaved variety, the one I use for tea. Moroccan mint is a good all-rounder, and if I had to choose just one then that would be it. The Bowles' variety has a very fine flavour indeed.
Whatever impression I give of this kitchen and its little garden being in good order, I have to admit some things often have a will of their own. A loaf or a cake will sometimes do as it wishes, vegetables will run rampant or sulk, herbs move themselves to an inconvenient part of the garden. It has been very much that way with the garden mint. Wandering around the Physic Garden at Chelsea the other day, I was surprised to see that their many mints seem to be planted perilously close together, yet on closer inspection spotted that they are actually planted in individual pots, each sunk so deep into the ground as to be almost invisible. Had I done this at home, I wouldn't have spent quite so much time trying to untangle one variety from another. The mints now live in heavy, terracotta pots in the basement garden below the kitchen window, where their scent seems to get trapped on sunny afternoons. (It's a secret spot in which to have a cup of tea.) Crush the leaves as you cut sprigs for the kitchen and you could easily be in Morocco.For two years now the Moroccan variety has been happy enough in its large pot and in the last few weeks has sent up several new shoots, with scores of tiny, brilliant green leaves unfurling by the day. The spearmint, with its sweeter flavour, also continues to hold its own. Mint has always been a mainstay of my summer cooking. In generous amounts it can make a bowl of soporifically calming grain - couscous, rice, cracked wheat - suddenly vibrate with freshness. More than that, it has a certain mystery to it, and something ancient about it, too, especially when used in tea form as they do in the Middle East. Mint with lamb is often frowned upon by some of the more up-themselves foodies, and yet I can think of few more pleasing extras to serve on the side of a trio of lamb cutlets than a hollandaise sauce into which you have stirred freshly mashed mint leaves. On the other hand, a traditional clear mint sauce made with vinegar and the merest pinch of sugar with a roast shoulder is almost worth doing just to watch the food snobs' hackles rise. I love it, and would argue it is just perfect with peas and new potatoes. A tabbouleh made classically with soaked, cracked wheat needs parsley and lots of it, but I also like there to be more than half the quantity in fresh mint and much, much lemon juice. Stirring the mint in at the last minute will stop the chopped herb going black. Occasionally I have put tomatoes in there, too, seeded and cut into small pieces. Right now, I am making my tabbouleh with mangoes. Carbs suddenly seem more acceptable in summer when they have refreshing qualities stirred through them. Cucumber, watermelon or grated carrot and citrus fruit also work well. It is worth growing several mints if only for your wellbeing (crush a leaf and inhale and your mood will change in an instant). The wacky mints that smell of chocolate or pineapple don't really do it for me even if the chocolate one does have beautiful browny-red stems and smells of After Eights, but apple mint has a gentle almost Elizabethan charm. My favourites are the classic garden spearmint with its sharp, pointed leaves, eastern mint (Mentha longifolia subsp. schimperi) which is the green-grey, very fine-leaved variety, the one I use for tea. Moroccan mint is a good all-rounder, and if I had to choose just one then that would be it. The Bowles' variety has a very fine flavour indeed.
Global Beauty Secrets Revealed
Tag: Tea Seed Powder
A wave of new products, tips and techniques has swept the international beauty community. Color palettes designed for all complexion tones, treatment products that target sensitive, oily, dry, delicate, uneven, and irritation-prone skin, and hair care styling and treatments for all hair types, are increasingly found on today's beauty shelves. From dermatologist lines to high tech botanical delivery, there's a treasure trove of beauty products and information designed for and created by aficionados around the world. A diverse audience for beauty has been driving options and product innovation. According to The NPD Group, as the population of the US becomes more and more ethnically diverse, women of different ethnic groups continue to change the face of beauty. In a new report from NPD, "Makeup and skin care products are not as widely accepted across all ethnic segments as one might think, and all women of color do not behave similarly when it comes to beauty products, not only category usage, but brand preferences vary widely across ethnic groups as well."
A wave of new products, tips and techniques has swept the international beauty community. Color palettes designed for all complexion tones, treatment products that target sensitive, oily, dry, delicate, uneven, and irritation-prone skin, and hair care styling and treatments for all hair types, are increasingly found on today's beauty shelves. From dermatologist lines to high tech botanical delivery, there's a treasure trove of beauty products and information designed for and created by aficionados around the world. A diverse audience for beauty has been driving options and product innovation. According to The NPD Group, as the population of the US becomes more and more ethnically diverse, women of different ethnic groups continue to change the face of beauty. In a new report from NPD, "Makeup and skin care products are not as widely accepted across all ethnic segments as one might think, and all women of color do not behave similarly when it comes to beauty products, not only category usage, but brand preferences vary widely across ethnic groups as well."
Gum with bark to take bite out of bad breath
Tag: White Willow Bark Extract
Magnolia bark extract -- a traditional Chinese medicine -- may be the newest weapon in the war on bad breath. Chewing gum maker Wm Wrigley Jr said on Tuesday that it has added a bit of this germ-killing compound to their Eclipse gum and mints. The hope is to not simply mask bad breath, as most strongly flavoured mints and gums do, but to kill odour-causing bacteria. Magnolia bark extract has long been a staple of traditional Chinese medicine. It is used to treat fever, headache and stress -- and has proven effective against germs that cause ulcers. Recent studies have shown it has low toxicity and few side effects. Most bad breath occurs when bacteria in the mouth break down proteins, producing foul-smelling sulphur compounds. But many antimicrobial agents cause nasty side effects like tooth staining, making them impractical for oral care. According to research published last fall by company scientists, researchers in Wrigley's lab tested magnolia bark extract on cultures of three types of oral micro-organisms. The extract killed 99.9 percent of the micro-organisms within five minutes, the researchers said. In a study of nine volunteers who chewed the mints after lunch, they killed off more than 61 percent of the germs that cause bad breath within 30 minutes -- which is comparable to some commercial mouthwashes, the company study found. Mints without the extract were only 3.6 percent effective. Gum with the extract took a bit longer to kill oral bacteria. The extract also helped kill a group of bacteria that causes tooth decay. Wrigley's tree-bark gum will be on U.S. store shelves later this summer. Mints with the tree-bark extract will be available this fall.
Magnolia bark extract -- a traditional Chinese medicine -- may be the newest weapon in the war on bad breath. Chewing gum maker Wm Wrigley Jr said on Tuesday that it has added a bit of this germ-killing compound to their Eclipse gum and mints. The hope is to not simply mask bad breath, as most strongly flavoured mints and gums do, but to kill odour-causing bacteria. Magnolia bark extract has long been a staple of traditional Chinese medicine. It is used to treat fever, headache and stress -- and has proven effective against germs that cause ulcers. Recent studies have shown it has low toxicity and few side effects. Most bad breath occurs when bacteria in the mouth break down proteins, producing foul-smelling sulphur compounds. But many antimicrobial agents cause nasty side effects like tooth staining, making them impractical for oral care. According to research published last fall by company scientists, researchers in Wrigley's lab tested magnolia bark extract on cultures of three types of oral micro-organisms. The extract killed 99.9 percent of the micro-organisms within five minutes, the researchers said. In a study of nine volunteers who chewed the mints after lunch, they killed off more than 61 percent of the germs that cause bad breath within 30 minutes -- which is comparable to some commercial mouthwashes, the company study found. Mints without the extract were only 3.6 percent effective. Gum with the extract took a bit longer to kill oral bacteria. The extract also helped kill a group of bacteria that causes tooth decay. Wrigley's tree-bark gum will be on U.S. store shelves later this summer. Mints with the tree-bark extract will be available this fall.
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